Nerf the npcs already.

AtraisMachina · Dec 4, 2016

This game is becoming not fun when im just constantly get destroyed by 100% accurate god like npcs. Seriously regreting my horizans purchase. Cant even spend more the 10mins in a CZ without combat logging after getting my thrusters blown out by 2 shots from an npc. So frusturated.

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Go back to pre 1.4 npcs

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And why do my shields take 6 years to charge when the npcs turn back on in like a minute

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And why do my modules randomly say low power? Seriously bout to quit

Martian Successor · Dec 4, 2016

If soloing a CZ it's best to go for Low CZ. Upon entering the CZ boost away from the big battle waging in the middle, get about 7 to 10km away. Only then select your preferred faction and fly back into the battlezone - less chance of being insta-ganked upon picking a side in a CZ that way. Stick close to your NPC allies and protect them, especially any Condas and Pythons because they have a better chance of drawing the enemy fire away from you.

What shields do you have? Bi-weave shields recharge the fastest but are also the weakest. Prepare your hull and utilities accordingly to make up for that.

Setting module power priorities is key so as not to lose power at crucial moments. Check out this guide on module priorities:

https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/31ylr5/useful_tip_set_your_shield_boosters_a_lower/

This is an older guide but it still checks out. It will give you the gist of what priorities you need to set for which types of modules - i.e. some modules are more important than others when in combat and you want to keep them from failing till last when the dookies start circling the fan.

Adhock · Dec 4, 2016

Goodbye and good riddance.

Otherwise post your build and prepare for fixes.

NPCs aren't perfect. I've dodged quite a bit in the last month. Sounds like you need to maneuver more and focus less.

WR3ND · Dec 4, 2016

I thought they already nerfed the NPCs after 2.1 came out?

Did I miss something and they became more competent? If so, thanks FD!

I look forward to seeing when I get back from the depths of the galaxy.

dutchy2000 · Dec 4, 2016

WR3ND said:
I thought they already nerfed the NPCs after 2.1 came out?

Did I miss something and they became more competent? If so, thanks FD! I look forward to seeing when I get back from the depths of the galaxy.

No they still pretty brain dead, I am going to go and make some strange builds just because I can to provide myself a challenge that way. I have to admit a high speed courier with plasmas was fun in a CZ.

Martian Successor · Dec 4, 2016

The NPCs just stopped being space shishkebabs and went to flight school. Their diplomas were unfortunately taken away from them so none of them will be fulfilling their dreams of doing doctorates on CMDR poppin' 101 but at least they finally know which way to point their guns.

They've kind of always been prone to boughts of Neo-like Matrix bending powers of Rail gun accuracy but that's what makes them charming

NascentChemist · Dec 4, 2016

NPC's are pretty brain dead with one glaring exception: railguns. Ships in CZ's are outfitted with railguns to a much greater extent than any other type of NPC. And they have preternatural skills at aiming them. Unlike plasma accelerators, there's really no way to dodge them. If you stay in their firing arc long enough to charge the weapon, you're going to get hit.

In this (limited?) respect, I agree with the OP. NPC's are overpowered with their use of railguns.

GammaZ · Dec 4, 2016

Funny... and i thought npc-s are completely useless right now...
Somebody is doing something very wrong, most likely....

CMDR Ellegon · Dec 4, 2016

NPCs are easy at the moment, please no further nerfs

RwD · Dec 4, 2016

For me it's just NO! Npcs already got nerfed more than they should have been. Best time i had fighting npcs was during the beta 2.1.

metatheurgist · Dec 4, 2016

Martian Successor said:
If soloing a CZ it's best to go for Low CZ. Upon entering the CZ boost away from the big battle waging in the middle, get about 7 to 10km away.

I think you're better off going for a High CZ with a Farragut. They tend to devastate everything in 3 clicks. Of course, you'll be fighting the Farragut for kills though.

OP, I just racked 8.9M in combat bonds for Bris Decker, so it can't be that hard.

rrobes · Dec 4, 2016

If you're starting out, I would suggest CZ's are not for you, yet.

Go to a REZ, then LOREZ, then HIREZ as you build your confidence and your ship with at least level 3 mods to weps, thrust, shields and maybe get some SB's

CZ are doable if you have good mod ship and some SCB's to keep you in the fight. You also have to use a few tactics to pick your targets (i.e., look for target ships away from the furball, run if it starts to get dicey).

NPC's will become tame. Build your ship, learn FA/off on, you'll get it. The issue is you will have to take the time.

I don't know what ship you have but I used a Vulture to great effect early on in RES bounty hunting.

CptSiddy · Dec 4, 2016

Why nerf NPC's?

I rather enjoy the fact that NPC gunship moves sideways 400m/s and has turrets not effected by chaff

Starstrydur · Dec 4, 2016

Time to do some engineering and learn to stay on the edge in CZs, always watch out for reinforcements and jump out if you have to.

Wasp0 · Dec 4, 2016

No to your request,

and advice.................. You NEED to get BETTER!

Marc_Hicks · Dec 4, 2016

AtraisMachina said:
This game is becoming not fun when im just constantly get destroyed by 100% accurate god like npcs. Seriously regreting my horizans purchase. Cant even spend more the 10mins in a CZ without combat logging after getting my thrusters blown out by 2 shots from an npc. So frusturated.

- - - Updated - - -

Go back to pre 1.4 npcs

- - - Updated - - -

And why tf do my shields take 6 years to charge when the npcs turn back on in like a minute

- - - Updated - - -

And why do my modules randomly say low power? Seriously bout to quit

Oh, you mean those lobotomized losers who would go into a death spin the moment you hit their hull? No thanks. People like you are the reason we lost the excellent NPC's we had during the 2.1 beta.

joshman72nd · Dec 4, 2016

Adhock said:
Goodbye and good riddance.

Otherwise post your build and prepare for fixes.

NPCs aren't perfect. I've dodged quite a bit in the last month. Sounds like you need to maneuver more and focus less.

want to know how i know that you didn't run into a wing of rail gun elites???

babelfisch · Dec 4, 2016

Since this is the first thread about nerfing NPCs in months I guess the problem is on your end OP. Care to share ship, load out, your activities and tactics when you get blown up?

CptSiddy · Dec 4, 2016

joshman72nd said:
want to know how i know that you didn't run into a wing of rail gun elites???

Lol those things are nasty, they strafe faster than you turn and fly in all 6 directions with impunity.

You get 2 eagles and 1 cobra rail elites you run, neo.

Cyrgon · Dec 4, 2016

AtraisMachina said:
And why tf do my shields take 6 years to charge when the npcs turn back on in like a minute

It's based on shield strength, as it has to charge to 50% before initializing. So, disable boosters when it's down and you'll see the recharge meter increase much faster. Each booster you disable you'll see the bar increase substantially. Re-enable them and you'll see it decrease.

AtraisMachina said:
And why do my modules randomly say low power? Seriously bout to quit

It will say power limit exceeded every time your total power consumption exceeds the max your PP can provide. So deploy hardpoints and if you go over 100% you'll get this message. If your PP is damaged in combat, then less power will be available for your modules, and they will shut down according to the power settings you have set up. Just make sure engines, shields, boosters etc. (and I'd add chaff and PD as well) have a higher priority than everything else, so that if your PP is damaged and half your ship shuts down you can still run away.