new player intimidated by AI difficulty

[Juy777]

hi there, a few days ago i bought into premium beta, and so far i like it a lot.

What's bothering me most is the difficulty level of the AI fighter ships.

the tutorial npc mission #2 is very easy, but the sidewinder mission #3 is impossible for me to win.

That ship will frontally engage me and hit very hard stripping my shields completely with its first pass, then is glued to my 6 and no matter how i try to maneuver i cannot get it back into my sights. i attempted that mission over a dozen times and most often i will be vaporized within half a minute.

Same goes for NPC pirates interdicting me b4 station arrival in supercruise, int hat case i figured i re-engage supercruise and try to run until the drive charged up again and can survive this. Fighting those NPC pirates is a no go for me, same as above.

Am i missing something? What's the point of such harsh npc enemies when new backers like me cannot test some content cuz of dieing over and over?

 

[Aleksej]

1. Which type of the controller are you using?

2. In order to outmaneuver the enemy you need to perform maneuvers at thrust set to maneuverability sweet spot = 50% thrust, blue markings to the left from the speed indicator.

3. When the enemy fires at you use vertical thrust to dodge enemy fire, distribute power to shields to strengthen them, when you are going to fire at the enemy yourself - set full power to weapons, in order to perform maneuvers faster and fly faster as well - distribute more power to engines.

Thoughtful power management is one of the keys to win in the dogfight.

 

[Calico Jack]

The #3 mission is much, much harder than in the Alpha build early Beta backers were given. It has been said by quite a few people that it needs to be balanced, so don't feel downhearted.

 

[Darkfyre99]

As said above, there are a number of variables you need to manage to be effective in combat. All you need is practice. I don't think there is a single person who got it right the first time. I probably got blown up a dozen times on the third mission before I could consistently kill him.

You are on the right track, though. The single player missions are ideal for learning the flight model. As the old saying goes, practice makes perfect.

 

[Juy777]

i am using mouse/keyboard as i dont have a stick/Hotas, i just have a usb version of the old competition pro stick, that won't cut it here i guess lol

ok guys, thx for the feedback, i am happy playing the game at the moment and just ignore that hard mission #3 for now, will try l8r using your power management suggestions etc. see you out there, fly safe!

 

[Hellhawk666]

i am using mouse/keyboard as i dont have a stick/Hotas, i just have a usb version of the old competition pro stick, that won't cut it here i guess lol

ok guys, thx for the feedback, i am happy playing the game at the moment and just ignore that hard mission #3 for now, will try l8r using your power management suggestions etc. see you out there, fly safe!

Mouse + keyboard works, but I'd recommend you try using a joystick - even the most basic will do fine. Other than that it's just down to practice. You WILL get better over time.

 

[Jack Booted Thug]

i am using mouse/keyboard as i dont have a stick/Hotas, i just have a usb version of the old competition pro stick, that won't cut it here i guess lol

ok guys, thx for the feedback, i am happy playing the game at the moment and just ignore that hard mission #3 for now, will try l8r using your power management suggestions etc. see you out there, fly safe!

The difficulty of Mission 3 is great training right now.

You need to adapt your play style.

I have seen a lot of threads regarding Mission 3 and how hard it is. It is only hard for people who don't have much practice in the game yet. You have to get in close and utilise power management to avoid being destroyed. The only other alternative is a front on approach with maximum shields and a very accurate firing solution.

Here is a video I made using the first option. Take note of how I utilise the power management. I also use mouse and keyboard...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEy9PGjDFig

 

[Commander Dave]

Here's another for reference.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzkqCMmoV6Q

 

[andreas]

It's a bit challenging to win #3, but quite possible. I managed with keyboard and mouse about 6 hours into the game, and with joystick (get a Thrustmaster T.16000m, best value for the money) find it acceptable to beat.

To make it a bit easier: as soon as you enter the level, deploy weapons and charge towards him. If you're fast enough, you're at his six before he gets a chance for a heads-on joust.

As for interdictions, it's quite easy to escape them. As soon as you drop out, divert all energy to drive (four pips, so do it twice), boost speed, and engage frame drive again.

 

[Shepherd74]

I had issues with this mission too. Wait until you hit the Anaconda mission later. It was a stone wall for me.

One thing you might try that helped me is utilizing the "disengage auto correction" (or something) button. Keymap it so it is a toggle. This will allow you to at least turn your ship pretty quickly towards an enemy while you continue traveling in the direction you were going. When you line back up with your target try engaging the course correction again. It takes some practice but you'll get it down.

Also, the suggestion to cut your power to 50% for maneuvering is a good one. Just be ready to thrust up again when you start to get lit up while turning. Keep at it, you'll succeed.

 

[Crystles]

I've always found that trying to engage from distance is a sure fire way to get wrecked since the AI has pin point precision in aiming.

I usually try to get up on them, and utilize my strafe jets and Flight Assist Off (FAO) to keep them in an aspect where the AI cant return fire. Easier said than done, but once you get good, it becomes second nature.

Especially bigger ships like the Cobra that arnt that maneuverable really cant get away if I dont want them to.

Players on the other hand mixes things up a bit. Whole different ballgame.

 

[Oss133]

I want to give #3 another go now. I haven't played through those scenarios for ages.

 

[Googol]

Mouse + keyboard works, but I'd recommend you try using a joystick - even the most basic will do fine. Other than that it's just down to practice. You WILL get better over time.

Truth. You don't need a fancy HOTAS, my combat success took a big jump when I plugged in my old Attack 3 joystick. It was a question of practice for a while, then it suddenly clicked - from mission 3 I went all the way through to the last two in one go, and I'm definitely not a combat expert.

As mentioned above, there are lots of combat tactics that make life much easier. As Aleksej says, a simple one if you find yourself playing chicken with an opponent is to apply vertical thrust and pitch down to keep them in your sights - works well so long as the other ship isn't fitted with gimballed weapons

The point that your ship is at its most manoeuvrable if thrust is set in the blue zone bears repeating too.

 

[Ahernar]

I didn't found him too difficult , the AI has a flaw in that if the shields are down he will try to dodge/disengage .So force a head on and keep on him . He will chicken first . Don't forget to maneuvre in the sweespot zone and to boost relevant systems .
Was a challenge for me to win this without hull damage and some luck was required . This is for Beta version.

I'm also using a Logiteck Attack 3 .

 

[SAB380]

The lateral & vertical thrusters are the game changer....or as I like to call them, 'the ones on the little thingy at the front of my x52 thruster '

 

[Shigawire]

Dear OP, your experience is not unique.. the truth is that the learning curve from Mission #2 to Mission #3 is really too steep, and the hints & tips given in the initial splash screen are quite unstructured.

I played Mission #3 a number of times (dying a lot) before things clicked.

Most important things are:

1. The "blue bar" on the left of your throttle display in the cockpit shows you the optimal throttle setting for the best turn rate.
2. All power to engines allows you to turn faster (note the blue bar moves up)
3. Dynamic use of power management is critical to do well in combat, preferrably have it bound to a hat.

Also, I have to say having a HOTAS is a second game changer, because I'm able to control my vertical and lateral thrusters using my analog thumb-ministick on the throttle (which is not a hat).