Right, this is not a whinge about the AI, just looking for some constructive discussion around the need to re-balance the entire game.
So, in System 1, I picked up an assassination mission for faction A, the target being in System 2. Turns out in System 2, the target is not wanted. So after an exciting fight, I managed to kill the target, picked up a bounty (~4K) and run from the authority ships that came to help the target. I committed a crime in their system, got away mauled but still fairly good shape with 56% hull, that’s fine, I can live with that. I hi-waked it back to System 1 to get away from them.
As soon as I arrive in system 1, I get this message from an Elite NPC bounty hunter saying something about being his meal ticket with the bounty on my head and eventually I get interdicted and attacked without a scan. I am clean in this system and the irony is this bounty hunter belongs to Faction A. Maybe he’s not as chummy with the Vice President and didn’t get the memo that I was hired to take out the target, resulting in the bounty in the first place! Anyway, I let him attack me, saw that his status change to Wanted and started to fight him. Another exciting fight ensues and now with the authority ships coming to my help (took their damn time arriving, scanning and finally deciding to weigh in on the fight). We manage to kill the bounty hunter in the nick of time (and pick up a 200CR reward too) as I limp away severely damaged, collect my lion’s share of the 200CR bounty voucher, pay for >140K in repair bills to my FAS and an overall nett loss for the mission. OK, I can live with that for the benefit of an influence increase for Faction A that I've adopted.
Now, I’m thinking; time to get some down time and head to the pristine rings in System 3 and fire up the mining laser bring some profit and nudge them towards economic boom. Now in my mining conda, as soon as I jumped into System 3 on the way to the pristine rings, I get a message from another bounty hunter, an elite NPC FDL. These days, FDLs with huge weapons are no joke, so I try to evade the interdiction. Almost got away, but decided to submit once it became clear I wasn’t going to. Pre-1.6/2.1 I would be able to handle this threat, maybe take some damage, but will usually be back on my way after a short fight.
The fight was indeed short. And brutal. And not to my advantage. With the FDL packing huge weapons, my shield was down in no time, despite all I could do I had a hard time getting him in my sights, after all, I was configured for mining. No matter how much thrusting, boosting, rolling or reversing, my mining conda was simply out-maneuvered. By the time the authority ships jumped in, I was down to 26% and managing to just bring down the FDL’s shields. With their usual faffing about, there was no way they would be able to come to my help in time. I was lucky to hi-wake with 14% hull.
After a year, I’ve just managed to become a deadly tycoon, and an elite explorer. Playing time was reducing before 1.6/2.1 landed and I admit it increased after the launch, partly due to the increased combat excitement but I have to say somehow the balance for an overall ED experience from trading, combat, mining to exploring has clearly skewed to frustrating.
TLDR; in the current climate in ED, it’s tough to multi-role unless you stay squeaky clean. Commit any crime and be ready to be hunted down by Elites no matter where you are as the NPCs will always automatically know that you have a bounty somewhere. If you’re being hunted, anything less than a fast combat configured ship will barely survive, if at all. It was exciting in the first days of 1.6/2.1 launch but quickly became frustratingly annoying.
So, in System 1, I picked up an assassination mission for faction A, the target being in System 2. Turns out in System 2, the target is not wanted. So after an exciting fight, I managed to kill the target, picked up a bounty (~4K) and run from the authority ships that came to help the target. I committed a crime in their system, got away mauled but still fairly good shape with 56% hull, that’s fine, I can live with that. I hi-waked it back to System 1 to get away from them.
As soon as I arrive in system 1, I get this message from an Elite NPC bounty hunter saying something about being his meal ticket with the bounty on my head and eventually I get interdicted and attacked without a scan. I am clean in this system and the irony is this bounty hunter belongs to Faction A. Maybe he’s not as chummy with the Vice President and didn’t get the memo that I was hired to take out the target, resulting in the bounty in the first place! Anyway, I let him attack me, saw that his status change to Wanted and started to fight him. Another exciting fight ensues and now with the authority ships coming to my help (took their damn time arriving, scanning and finally deciding to weigh in on the fight). We manage to kill the bounty hunter in the nick of time (and pick up a 200CR reward too) as I limp away severely damaged, collect my lion’s share of the 200CR bounty voucher, pay for >140K in repair bills to my FAS and an overall nett loss for the mission. OK, I can live with that for the benefit of an influence increase for Faction A that I've adopted.
Now, I’m thinking; time to get some down time and head to the pristine rings in System 3 and fire up the mining laser bring some profit and nudge them towards economic boom. Now in my mining conda, as soon as I jumped into System 3 on the way to the pristine rings, I get a message from another bounty hunter, an elite NPC FDL. These days, FDLs with huge weapons are no joke, so I try to evade the interdiction. Almost got away, but decided to submit once it became clear I wasn’t going to. Pre-1.6/2.1 I would be able to handle this threat, maybe take some damage, but will usually be back on my way after a short fight.
The fight was indeed short. And brutal. And not to my advantage. With the FDL packing huge weapons, my shield was down in no time, despite all I could do I had a hard time getting him in my sights, after all, I was configured for mining. No matter how much thrusting, boosting, rolling or reversing, my mining conda was simply out-maneuvered. By the time the authority ships jumped in, I was down to 26% and managing to just bring down the FDL’s shields. With their usual faffing about, there was no way they would be able to come to my help in time. I was lucky to hi-wake with 14% hull.
After a year, I’ve just managed to become a deadly tycoon, and an elite explorer. Playing time was reducing before 1.6/2.1 landed and I admit it increased after the launch, partly due to the increased combat excitement but I have to say somehow the balance for an overall ED experience from trading, combat, mining to exploring has clearly skewed to frustrating.
TLDR; in the current climate in ED, it’s tough to multi-role unless you stay squeaky clean. Commit any crime and be ready to be hunted down by Elites no matter where you are as the NPCs will always automatically know that you have a bounty somewhere. If you’re being hunted, anything less than a fast combat configured ship will barely survive, if at all. It was exciting in the first days of 1.6/2.1 launch but quickly became frustratingly annoying.
