The problem with this approach is the people looking into UAs and investigating them are starting to run out of steam. Their rarity limits what we can do in terms of testing. It's starting to get to the point where we need a "prod" because without any fresh movement in ideas, folks will just lose interest.
Lavecon News?
- Thread starter Theodore Black
- Start date
I really hope that's true, it's what i've been waiting for for a long time.
I know I might talk a lot about the newer high-end tactics, but I'm also working on the low end as well. it's just harder to make the AI fight harder than it is to dumb them down. So for people who might be worried I'm going too mad and making it too hard, I'll say again my goal is to massively widen the range of combat AI so that Harmless will be just that, and Elite will (hopefully) present a serious challenge, but one that's enjoyable. I'll be taking another look at how slippery AI ships can be when followed; now I'm making them smarter, I can lessen their "slipperiness" and make them act a bit more human.
And yes, I am very passionate about my work.
I assume that you deal with the AI itself, and not the code that decides what spawns where, and so on. Making the AI hard enough that solo is not 'easy mode' is something I think should have been in place on day 1 - we have all seen the long threads, anguish, etc., etc., indirectly caused by that. But there is much more than just changes to the AI needed. We need to ensure that we get a properly scaled up response based on security levels, etc. I know that is supposed to be there, but it is just not good enough. There should be areas that are safe and boring (and with low trading profits). Sneeze and a fleet of cops appear. Hassle a noob and you are in trouble. The fact that we have serial noob slaughterers show this is not yet good enough. And in addition to making high level AIs difficult, we need to make how they spawn in solo/group informed by what is happening in open. There are lots of complaints about CGs and powerplay (and even 'protecting MY system') being watered down because folks can just slip into solo to work around them. If solo is informed by open, then people should only 'need' to be in solo because they just don't want to play with others period, or because they have bandwidth issues.
I know I might talk a lot about the newer high-end tactics, but I'm also working on the low end as well. it's just harder to make the AI fight harder than it is to dumb them down. So for people who might be worried I'm going too mad and making it too hard, I'll say again my goal is to massively widen the range of combat AI so that Harmless will be just that, and Elite will (hopefully) present a serious challenge, but one that's enjoyable. I'll be taking another look at how slippery AI ships can be when followed; now I'm making them smarter, I can lessen their "slipperiness" and make them act a bit more human.
And yes, I am very passionate about my work.
Something I hate about the AI atm is that turrets are used on smaller ships, I feel that turrets are used to simulate difficulty (due to the fact that AI flight patterns aren't really complex atm), in addition to that, they don't advocate interesting tactics and feel unrealistic on smaller ships.
Let me give you an example, I encounter a wing of 4, the lead is an elite viper with turrets, I've worked hard to get on his tail, his wing members have got on or around my tail, and they are hitting hard, really I should be making evasive manoeuvres to combat the 3 wing members, but I'm never going to switch from the primary target as I know that even if I do make changes to my flight pattern, he will still be able to hit me with the turrets from almost any angle, so I just chaff/cell on and kill him.
With Deadly and Elite pilots, they should be concentrating on the ability to fly, and more so with weapons that scare the crap out of players (wings with rails and PA's), but still remember to not over do the accuracy..
Smaller high ranked ships should represent the best skilled Pilots (maybe down on their luck with ships), using fixed weapons, skilled cell use, best pips management, etc... and really good tactics within wings. No Elite pilot would ever fit a turret on such as low valued ship, they would be looking to get a better ship with that Cr.
Turrets are fine on larger ships though.
Sounds brilliant all round
Will there be some kind of rolled up debrief from Zac giving FDev's perspective and a précis of the topics they covered? I am wary of a backlash of "Oh, you share insider info with your rich, entitled english fanbois..." response if "What happened at Lavecon, stays at Lavecon" is perceived to be the case.
Sad I couldn't be there. My big question would have been about Naval ranks ascension and how to make it meaningful without having to resort to gaming the system to grind through it.
Will there be some kind of rolled up debrief from Zac giving FDev's perspective and a précis of the topics they covered? I am wary of a backlash of "Oh, you share insider info with your rich, entitled english fanbois..." response if "What happened at Lavecon, stays at Lavecon" is perceived to be the case.
Sad I couldn't be there. My big question would have been about Naval ranks ascension and how to make it meaningful without having to resort to gaming the system to grind through it.
All good stuff but can we keep detailed non lavecon discussion bits to the relevant existing threads on missions or AI pls?
Now.... we have the Blue Danube on the speakers, beer in hand and probably some good wing-ed up stick time with added oculus rift coming!
As a diversion, maybe a non-ED bridge command simulator. 'Power to engines!'
Looking forward to the mega raffle this afternoon as well
Now.... we have the Blue Danube on the speakers, beer in hand and probably some good wing-ed up stick time with added oculus rift coming!
As a diversion, maybe a non-ED bridge command simulator. 'Power to engines!'
Looking forward to the mega raffle this afternoon as well
Well considering that the people not at lavecon only know about 1.4 and AI then what else is there ?
Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh no more information about the UA other than that? Like how we are close? Since it's maybe is just transmitting morse code....
Regarding all that talking about AI: I hope its not the highest priority.
Bring some atmosphere into the game, start with spoken AI-Hails and general radio chatter (come on Frontier, your sound department is one of the best... this should be an easy one), and all those stuff that is bringing some real space feeling into the game. Look at the X-Series - they have shown how it has to be done (10 years ago).
Bring some atmosphere into the game, start with spoken AI-Hails and general radio chatter (come on Frontier, your sound department is one of the best... this should be an easy one), and all those stuff that is bringing some real space feeling into the game. Look at the X-Series - they have shown how it has to be done (10 years ago).
Liking the idea of ship varients? what does that mean? I like lots of ideas....
A 10 year plan, I guess that comes with a 20 year plan?
Concept art, where?
More support for player groups? As in Guilds or PP?
Doing more missions due to upgraded system, yeah we knew this..
CQC Hot on the heals, I regurlary use the Hot on the heals term.
And much more ??
Ermm?
A 10 year plan, I guess that comes with a 20 year plan?
Concept art, where?
More support for player groups? As in Guilds or PP?
Doing more missions due to upgraded system, yeah we knew this..
CQC Hot on the heals, I regurlary use the Hot on the heals term.
And much more ??
Ermm?
Cheers for the Lavecon reports ..
I particularly like, the sound of (and comment along lines of) ..
Gamescom for showing off, Lavecon for the really interesting stuff.
Proud of you! (And having a blast in game btw., trading between missions, can't wait for more)
(by way of a ps. anyone enlighten me please, what's UA? ... cheers thanks)
I particularly like, the sound of (and comment along lines of) ..
Gamescom for showing off, Lavecon for the really interesting stuff.
Proud of you! (And having a blast in game btw., trading between missions, can't wait for more)
(by way of a ps. anyone enlighten me please, what's UA? ... cheers thanks)
Unkown Arterfact there's three threads on it, one old and locked because we posted too much and a new one which is a continuation of the old one and another that I think is just got sounds and pictures of it.
Edit page link: https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=162998
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Michael Brookes said that they're going to get the PC version released as soon after the xbox release as they possibly can.
Sorry, I got a bit OT there!
So for people who might be worried I'm going too mad and making it too hard, I'll say again my goal is to massively widen the range of combat AI so that Harmless will be just that, and Elite will (hopefully) present a serious challenge, but one that's enjoyable.
And yes, I am very passionate about my work.
Thank you for the reassurance that you intend to actually work on all ranges and not just make harder for the sake of harder. Passion for your work is admirable but while passion = good, gloating with morose delectation = bad and a lot of the comments coming from you have seemed very one-sided, directly solely at people who want everything more difficult. This has left a lot of concern among some people.
I hope the framework within Elite will allow the intended range of combat skills to come out and, most important of all, provide some sort of logical framework to give players the ability to manage their own experiences. If they want easy they should be able to find (mostly) easy through some combination of factors within player control. Likewise for those who demand the hardest combats. Forcing super-hard on anyone without their knowledge could kill their enjoyment and easily leave them disillusioned and disappointed with their experience. People don't stick with games that disappoint them. Anyone should recognise that as a bad outcome.
Can we have 1.2 shields back?
I dont know about you guys, but I was really enjoying the warzones up until 1.3, not bacause of the AI, but because a ship with A5 or class 6 shields WORKED! I felt safe. Thay can ramp up the missions and warzones and AI and everything so long as I feel safe with the best shields, otherwise whats the point??
I dont know about you guys, but I was really enjoying the warzones up until 1.3, not bacause of the AI, but because a ship with A5 or class 6 shields WORKED! I felt safe. Thay can ramp up the missions and warzones and AI and everything so long as I feel safe with the best shields, otherwise whats the point??
It's interesting that this is now from Frontier, instead of being a rumour on the forum ... but I don't think Elite Dangerous has 10 years in it.