Both. Wing to protect and wing to attack. Would be even better if number of players (or missing human players) in wings could be balanced by adding NPCs of corresponding level(s).
Just to clarify: in my case killing NPCs is simply boring as a purpose. It was always clear that ED not possible without some Combat activities thus I have Stellar Pmk2 engineered mostly to G5, so gained Expert pretty quick (with 0 "insurance claims") but just to unlock Petra Olmanova. Beyond that I personally do not see much sense
As the game has no difficulty slider, the general challenge posed by it necessarily need take into account players of all different skill levels undertaking the different roles that teh game offers. Not every player is seeking the same level of challenge from the game - noting that much of the challenge in this game is opt-in rather than generally applied.
I have no notion as to what the word boring means, I don't get bored and find a great deal of fun in adopting the tasks given in game and engineering ships for those tasks, and honestly when you do do that, fighting the NPC's real is a lot of fun. It is tedious when you are not immersing in some other aspect of the game rather making their destruction the entire goal. I do that kind of fighting, only against NPC's only whilst fine tuning engineering balances.
... and that mentality is what lead to AFK turretboats and shieldless haulers being the meta for BGS/PP1.0 gameplay, which in my mind, is a bad outcome.
AFK turretboats should receive "special attention" from NPCs as they are a pox on the game.
Perhaps that is one of main advantages of to be a human that we not necessary have to like or find boring what other humans do, right.
Sure you do! And yes, I'm that much boring person and playing all wrong: I fight NPC's in Pmk2 (Phantom before), haul and mine in T-8, exploring (now) in Mandalay. Everything except Stellar T-8 are engineered inside out. Also I do believe that NPCs in game are to involve and entertain me, so we fighting when I want, not when they do so. When I want to fight them (for whatever reason) I'll take my Pmk2 and go to appropriate place to find some decent opponents there.
No, I don't get bored, never have.
But where's the fun in that? And what would become of forum PvP?
I don't even trust myself to not run me into a wall.
I think it was one of your posts the other day that got me to thinking about this, such a superb point which is why the sarcasm works really well; Nice!!!That's why i've sometimes made the sarcastic argument against open bonuses for PP by saying its solo that should get the bonus since in open you can wing up, in solo you can't.
Mainly i'd love NPC wingmen anyway, not just for PP, as i'd love to put them in my other ships and fly along with them, issuing them order. Combat, mining, even exploration. Also NPC crew being visible in our spare seats.
Unfortunately, i think its a pipe dream and FD will never make it happen.
A bit like open only
.. and I agree, however you can't 'single out' one type of player and expect a positive result, because otherwise, they'll just move onto another closed loophole to exploit. We've seen it countless times. An overall uplift to the AI skill level, the modules they carry (e.g. Torpedo Pylons), and their aggressiveness to the point that they are capable of sending a player to the rebuy screen is not only an unreasonable ask in a game where combat with said AI forms one of its cornerstones, but one which shuts down a considerable number of potentials for 'farming' exploits, which is vital in a PvP/TvT mechanic such as PP.
Judging by the synopsis of the former PP 'coordinating' groups, it looks like a lot of what could be termed 'consolidation' is going on, meaning unless you're going into their systems looking for them, you're not likely to stumble into them. I think ALD and the Feds had one bushfire system conflict last cycle.
Removing actual exploits should be a desired outcome for improving the game.
Assuming that it should read "a reasonable ask", while combat with AI may be a cornerstone of the game for those who choose to engage in combat, engaging in combat is only a required part of two of the five in-game paths to Elite. Noting that NPCs are already at a level where they are capable of sending some players to the rebuy screen, and that while Powerplay may, like the rest of the game, offer opportunities for PvP it does not in any way require players who engage in the feature to engage in PvP.
If they're in modes other than Open how are they observed to be counted?
I never did. I wrote that "killing NPCs is simply boring as a purpose". Please, forgive me unclear expression. At the moment, EDO itself is too exiting to spend time on killing NPCs without purpose.
