Ok some of you will just tell me to get better weapons or something (which I have), but that's besides the point. Too many encounters with NPCs, especially high value ones, end in them FSD jumping out of combat to safety. I know there are some things that can help me prevent that (such as targeting their FSD) or getting a wake scanner (or whatever its called) to find where they went. The problem is the mechanics for NPC FSD jumping are much different than for actual players. An NPC can charge and jump in a very short amount of time without being slowed down. A player has to wait much longer while running to safety to jump during combat. I've also been slowed down even more by being scanned by Federal Security Forces right when I engage my FSD which ultimately cost me my ship. If Frontier is reading this, PLEASE increase the jump charge time for NPCs. It happens way too often that I lose a bounty at the last 10% or so due to this problem (probably 60% of engagements).
NPCs FSD jumping out of combat too fast
- Thread starter Supercypher
- Start date
Have you tried targeting their FSD drive? You can hit Y to cycle through their sub systems or go to the left panel to choose it.
Edit: but yeah, I've commented before on the fact NPC son't suffer with a FSD mass lock like real players do.
Last edited:
NPCs are definitely operating from a simplified set of FSD rules compared to players. I've seen them enter SC from distances away from the station where they would definitely still be mass-locked. In Beta they even entered SC from straight off the pads in stations 
However, I'll suggest as others have, that if you think that an NPC will try and flee (lots do if you smash them hard enough), target the DRIVE subsystem straight up and take it out ASAP.
However, I'll suggest as others have, that if you think that an NPC will try and flee (lots do if you smash them hard enough), target the DRIVE subsystem straight up and take it out ASAP.
They also don't have to slow down, which seriously irks me. I want to be able to travel without slowing down as well!
4 PIPS to weapons or use missiles to finish off targets. If your targets are high value than firing even a dozen dumbfire into your target won´t matter much in your wallet. And btw, it seems to me that my poor farmed elite anacondas are much, much slower in charging their fsd when I am kissing their engine exhaust ports.
- - - - - Additional Content Posted / Auto Merge - - - - -
Wait, what?
In Beta they even entered SC from straight off the pads in stations
They still do that in occasion.
I've found that doing significant damage can prevent them from successfully activating their FSD. I line them up and hit them with a lot of damage and once they start turning then they seem to be back to normal. That being said, I did invest in some homing missiles which can also help to finish them off. Don't give them an inch, or they'll take a light year!
I've noticed that as well. They seem to have a few 'modes' that they run through depending on situation. When they go into "escape via FSD" mode, they fly in a straight line while charging. If you hit them hard enough to make them drop into "evade fire" mode, they don't go into SC. It's also notable that a ship which has functional shield generators will often pop straight from "escape via FSD mode" back into "assault" mode as soon as their shields recover.
They can and will occasionally fly into a station at (random high number) 100c and nicely drop out of SC no problem.
I think it is possible to mass lock them to an extent, I managed to keep a NPC in a Fed Dropship from jumping out using my Viper earlier today but I did have to pretty much be right up it's backside.
Those yellow lights zipping past and disappearing in front of the station you are crawling towards? Yeah i want to do that.
I've only had one instance of an NPC buzzing out too quickly in weeks, and I only say this because it was an assassination target in an Anaconda.
|
I didn't even know it was set in their AI for them to be capable of running, but today I had one bug out just as I dropped his shields. Never had one charge their FSD before 20% hull until that happened.
|
I didn't even know it was set in their AI for them to be capable of running, but today I had one bug out just as I dropped his shields. Never had one charge their FSD before 20% hull until that happened.
Exactly. I don't even understand why there is such a slow and dull slowing down section in SC. If you untarget the station you can accelerate and decelerate much faster.Those yellow lights zipping past and disappearing in front of the station you are crawling towards? Yeah i want to do that.
I've had two recently jump out after I got them to 0% hull and I watched them start to blow up...now *that* is annoying
I've had two recently jump out after I got them to 0% hull and I watched them start to blow up...now *that* is annoying
I thought the one who got away from me the other day with 1% hull was annoying. No, sir. I respectfully stand down. The honour is yours!
Happens now and then normally after I have been a bit slow to take them down playing a bit of cat n mouse with them and saving ammo.
Next one gets blasted to bits all beams and multi's blasting from start to finnish as I am panicking he will get away lol
Hate hearing "frame shift detected" I am like close in die die lol
Next one gets blasted to bits all beams and multi's blasting from start to finnish as I am panicking he will get away lol
Hate hearing "frame shift detected" I am like close in die die lol
Could be just the coding, but maybe this is why NPCs can dart to a station and drop so quickly, because they're programmed to not target it until the last minute.
You've never seen them moving at high speed then dropping out of SC right on top of the station?
I see it all the time. We get caught in a gravity well or otherwise have to slow down to a 'safe' speed, NPC's fly past at maximum warp and -=poof=- right out of SC and into the location.