NPCs now too tough for casual players

robaberry

robaberry
Hi Everybody,

This may have been mentioned elsewhere and is so and I've not spotted it then I'm sorry but what the heck happened to NPCs with the last update. While I understand some rebalancing might have been needed, if you're a casual gamer and you end up facing a Python in a Cobra 3, you might as well run away now as you have no chance of taking a larger ship on! Such aggressive and powerful NPCs might be great for those who pay all the time with the greatest PCs/Macs etc, but for casual players like me, it's put me right off. I'll see what the next update brings but for now, I think I'll go back to playing FFE where as a player you stood a chance.

Not good FD, not good. Time for a review? You need to keep casual players like me engaged to buy the updates/merch/etc down the line......
 

drchek

D
robaberry said:
if you're a casual gamer and you end up facing a Python in a Cobra 3, you might as well run away now as you have no chance of taking a larger ship on!
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So, all other things being equal, the better ship should not win? I don't get the problem here. If you are a casual player and can't use piloting skill to make up the difference between the Cobra and Python then you need to stop fighting Pythons and stick to equal or lesser opponent ships.
 
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Richard Voorhees

R
I'd categorise myself as a casual player (flying a vulture atm). I can take out pythons, but you have to take a bit of care and get your licks in where you can. Did a few in tonight at the local RES before I forgot my own advice, got impatient then had to retreat after having my shields removed and canopy cracked.
 

PavelKCZ

PavelKCZ
robaberry said:
Hi Everybody,

This may have been mentioned elsewhere and is so and I've not spotted it then I'm sorry but what the heck happened to NPCs with the last update. While I understand some rebalancing might have been needed, if you're a casual gamer and you end up facing a Python in a Cobra 3, you might as well run away now as you have no chance of taking a larger ship on! Such aggressive and powerful NPCs might be great for those who pay all the time with the greatest PCs/Macs etc, but for casual players like me, it's put me right off. I'll see what the next update brings but for now, I think I'll go back to playing FFE where as a player you stood a chance.

Not good FD, not good. Time for a review? You need to keep casual players like me engaged to buy the updates/merch/etc down the line......
Click to expand...

Be realistic and look at the ships descriptions and parameters. You ARE NOT supposed to destroy Python in Cobra, if you are not extraordinary good Elite pilot able to do things like shoot down missile with the pulse laser.

P.S. If you are in smaller ship and you are fighting bigger ship, target the Power Plant and use your most probably better turning rate. And when you are in Cobra, use your top speed (Cobra is probably the fastest ship in game) to your advantage. Learn to fight FA Off.
 
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AnnuverScotinExile

AnnuverScotinExile
drchek said:
So all things being equal the better ship should not win? I don't get the problem here. If you are a casual player and can't use piloting skill to make up the difference between the Cobra and Python then you need to stop fighting Pythons and stick to equal and lesser ships.
Click to expand...

Quite. It was always laughable that novice players in an eagle expected (because they could) to easily take down Elite Anacondas. If SJA makes harmless AIs too difficult, then that would be a problem. But high ranked AIs should be good.

Of course there are other issues do to with making sure that players can reasonably easily set their difficulty level according to where they go: safe systems are not safe enough and, arguably, anarchies are not dangerous enough.
 

Druid

Druid
Take on a ship that is your level and don't expect to take on a ship that out shields and out guns you. As the game should have been in the first place, top of the range ships were far too easy .
 

Arry

Arry
Sarah Jane's minions have been upgraded, just a tad! However: They have ratings just like real players, so if you see, Dangerous or worse still, Elite, you need to think about leaving the area. The cobra is king, but ships like Pythons and Anacondas are; these days, just too big to take on. That said, I see a Mostly harmless Python, I will give it a go. Lower ranks and lesser ships are easier, but don't be complacent, the AI has been improved and just add to the challenge. Your tread has been predicted, I believe it is the first, so well done, you are proof that Sarah Jane's hard work, is having an effect.

Oh don't ask for the NPCs to be nerffed again, or we will have to hunt you down and give you some combat lessons.
 

Triple88a

Triple88a
robaberry said:
if you're a casual gamer and you end up facing a Python in a Cobra 3, you might as well run away now as you have no chance of taking a larger ship on! Such aggressive and powerful NPCs might be great for those who pay all the time with the greatest PCs/Macs etc, but for casual players like me, it's put me right off.
Click to expand...

Let see, you're flying a much smaller ship, you're not a good pilot, and you're expecting to just melt a much superior ship with much superior skill level? Umm okay then.
 

Dbrn47

Dbrn47
robaberry said:
Hi Everybody,

This may have been mentioned elsewhere and is so and I've not spotted it then I'm sorry but what the heck happened to NPCs with the last update. While I understand some rebalancing might have been needed, if you're a casual gamer and you end up facing a Python in a Cobra 3, you might as well run away now as you have no chance of taking a larger ship on! Such aggressive and powerful NPCs might be great for those who pay all the time with the greatest PCs/Macs etc, but for casual players like me, it's put me right off. I'll see what the next update brings but for now, I think I'll go back to playing FFE where as a player you stood a chance.

Not good FD, not good. Time for a review? You need to keep casual players like me engaged to buy the updates/merch/etc down the line......
Click to expand...

You're trolling us right?
 

shadragon

shadragon
To paraphrase Yoda: Fight or run, there is no try.

I'm glad the NPC's have a bit of teeth now. You don't get better fighting opponents worse than you.

Oh and I just killed a Python minutes ago. If I can do it, anyone can; as long as they are willing to try.
 
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Rauminen

R
Hah, and they are not even there yet! Right now there's a bug when sometimes they forget to shoot! (forget to put pips on weapons so they run out of power)

That'll be fixed soon! Also SJA is doing some more optimizations in the future, so ..... it's time to get yourselves together people! This is nothing. Winter is coming. :D
 

stocko1111

S
Yeah, I disagree with the OP too. The NPC ships are great now. I fly a Clipper and now rely on its speed to get me out of trouble a lot of times when facing a large ship with wingmen. I think it's a lot more exciting and makes you a better pilot in the end. If you can't complete a mission or have to bug out of a fight, especially against a more powerful ship, then you learn and know to try a different tactic or a different ship! Much more interesting and fun than being able to blow everything out of the sky.
 

Privata

Privata
No , please dont do this... the game is beyond easy...
maybe they could do a easy/hard server mode because the game needs to be hard
 

FuzzySpider

FuzzySpider
Dbrn47 said:
You're trolling us right?
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No he isn't. Not every player is some 133t-sk!113d awesomesauce with twitch reflexes, and games which cater only for that (invariably vocal but tiny) demographic are dooming themselves to niche status.

I disagree with the Op. A casual player shouldn't be able to face a Python in a Cobra - the Cobra should have to run unless the pilot is excellent. However he isn't trolling at all.
 

Dbrn47

Dbrn47
FuzzySpider said:
No he isn't. Not every player is some 133t-sk!113d awesomesauce with twitch reflexes, and games which cater only for that (invariably vocal but tiny) demographic are dooming themselves to niche status.

I disagree with the Op. A casual player shouldn't be able to face a Python in a Cobra - the Cobra should have to run unless the pilot is excellent. However he isn't trolling at all.
Click to expand...

Well, the casual facing a Python in a Cobra and expecting to win is what makes me suspect trolling, wasn't thinking about whatever combinations of letters and numbers you are using there. :)
 
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