NPC death - really?

VR Jay Le Chardon

VR Jay Le Chardon
Its been a couple of years since we got SLF's and the associated NPC crew, and since the get go we have been askinf i the deal with NPC crew death. Heck, there have even been a few dozens of, suggestions on how to add crew preervation mechanisms and maintain balance and consequences. Why has there not been any official update from FDev on this topic?

Yes I just lost an NPC and am salty as heck about it, but, it is a legitimate point, we sink tens nae hundreds of hour into training them, they cost us tens of millions of credits to make them useful, and one simple mistake, or game bug, and they are gone? Really?
 
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DNYI

DNYI
Agreed. This isn't fun design. Especially when, if you spend a lot of time in resource extraction sites, you find that non-crew NPC's don't have permadeath as it is quite possible for a killed enemy to respawn with the same name, ship name, ship type, and ship loadout. I mean if the pirates I've destroyed get to come back from the dead why can't my crew?
 

Vedmo

Vedmo
So long as Frontier fails to actually create a visual representation of a crew member in the ship they allegedly died in, I think it is completely appropriate to view the loss as a bug worthy of a report. Graphical representations of our surroundings and the things we interact with in a video game is as basic as it gets, and if they can't be bothered to put the crew member in the ship, they shouldn't bother us with losing the crew member who was never there.
 

Hacker#451563

Hacker#451563
+1 all round.

This is a stupid mechanic by all measures.

Why can I live and my crew dies?

There should be a penalty for the loss of your ship with the crew on board (72-96 hours of enforced inactivity and medical bills as he/she recovers perhaps) but total loss is madness.


OP: Here's a workaround while FD sorts this B^#ls&!t out...Hire an 'Expert' do a load of fighting and RESing or whatever, then fire the pilot before handing in the bounties. You still lose the Rep points, but at least you make full money.
 

[VR] Goooost

[VR] Goooost
Jay Le Chardon said:
Its been a couple of years since we got SLF's and the associated NPC crew, and since the get go we have been askinf i the deal with NPC crew death. Heck, there have even been a few dozens of, suggestions on how to add crew preervation mechanisms and maintain balance and consequences. Why has there not been any official update from FDev on this topic?

Yes I just lost an NPC and am salty as heck about it, but, it is a legitimate point, we sink tens nae hundreds of hour into training them, they cost us tens of millions of credits to make them useful, and one simple mistake, or game bug, and they are gone? Really?
Click to expand...

I've spent over a billion on my crew. I think that them dying is a good mechanic ONLY IF there's a feasible way to replace them. We need to be able to rank up our ability to hire pilots along with the pilots themselves. So you can only purchase an elite pilot if you've already trained one, but then after that you're just out 10mil to replace a dead one.

I think the mechanic for death needs to make a little more sense too, but baby steps.
 
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xzanfr

xzanfr
NPC's need a thorough rethink - Not just the crew (as mentioned many times in the forum) but for semi persistent NPC's to replace the current "I'm lucky to find you" types.
They could hang around stations and actively look for you. If they fly off after an interdiction they could return with the same damage and not in some magically repaired ship, sounding surprised to see you again.
There's tons of ideas on the main forum and the DDF. Hopefully a rethink of the NPC's will be part of this year of smaller QOL upgrades.
 

Aashenfox

Aashenfox
Yes, I have to say, this frustrates me, I just realised the other day that my dangerous NPC was gone. I have no idea when I lost him, probably in a pvp practice (what an ignominious way to go)...

FD, seriously, I probably lost him due to an accidental collision during a friendly duel. Obviously I won't be acquiring another until this is made more reasonable.
 

xaisis

xaisis
Lazy game design.

As a change have been asked for many times now, i guess that meens this is fully intented.
 

Hanerib

Hanerib
It's for balance. Bad for roleplay perspective. Alternative would be that lost crew member would have to begin from starting rank all over again, or expensive "re-hire" option.
 

IndigoWyrd

IndigoWyrd
Hanerib said:
It's for balance. Bad for roleplay perspective. Alternative would be that lost crew member would have to begin from starting rank all over again, or expensive "re-hire" option.
Click to expand...

I actually drafted a proposal a while ago as to how all this could all be done, as actual game play that would be fun.
 

60mm

60mm
Hanerib said:
It's for balance.
Click to expand...

High-Skilled combat pilots who rarely die retain their Elite NPCs and stay more dangerous.
Less-Skilled combat pilots who die more commonly are commonly with trash NPCs and stay more vulnerable to death.

"Balance"
 

Ian Skippy

Ian Skippy
Hacker#451563 said:
+1 all round.

This is a stupid mechanic by all measures.

Why can I live and my crew dies?

There should be a penalty for the loss of your ship with the crew on board (72-96 hours of enforced inactivity and medical bills as he/she recovers perhaps) but total loss is madness.


OP: Here's a workaround while FD sorts this B^#ls&!t out...Hire an 'Expert' do a load of fighting and RESing or whatever, then fire the pilot before handing in the bounties. You still lose the Rep points, but at least you make full money.
Click to expand...

Please, no hollow timers. Instead, give a mission or something with gameplay to 'earn' your crew back. Recover the escape pod and bring it to a medical facility within X hours or something.
 
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