Hi
Generally I like the changes to missions and the persistent NPCs. In particular I like that if an NPC that interdicts you, scraps with you, and interdicts you again if you wake out, will show hull and shield strength consistent with its state when you left. This is realistic, removes a source of frustration, allows you to take on enemies in stages if you want or call for help, and facilitates the chasing mechanic.
But the job is only half done!
During yesterday I tried 2 missions - wetwork (a politician assassination mission), and a hostage rescue mission.
For the first, I found the guy in an Orca (btw I like the new method of locating targets, although it makes it much riskier as you can't see their ships and level until you enter the USS...), which would be an easy target except he had 4 cops in Vipers with him. I wasn't wanted in the system so I thought the mission is doable if I kill him quickly before they can respond.
So I stripped his shields and had him down to about 50% hull before he boosted away, and then the cops started on me. Managed to use a shield cell before shield got wiped but not a second one, lost about 30% hull and low waked out.
Never mind, I thought, I will go back in, hopefully catch the Orca again and finish it off, once my shields have come back up.
The USS appears again and I re-enter, only to find the Orca on 100% hull!
On second, I had to rescue 8 hostages. This is a relatively easy mission, the target in a type 6, easy to strip shield and then set off a few cargo hatch limpets. The main issue is tme. In this system I was wanted, and the cops will show up after a bit. In this case - I hate it when this happens - the ship dropped many cannisters but only a few were the hostages. I don't bring a cargo scanner (slot usage again...) so am never sure what the balance will be.
I've collected 7 of the 8 but the cops had arrived and have started on me. Foolishly, rather than risk losing a chunk of hull, I somewhat rushed collecting the 8th cannister and it exploded against my hull. I sent off another cargo hatch drone but got the message that there was no more cargo! Damn, mission failed!
So I low waked out. Then I thought - what if this mission isn't persistent either?
So lo and behold, the USS reappears, I go back in, and get another load of hostages released from cargo. So in this case, the lack of persistence worked to my favour.
Frontier, you've had 6 months to sort this out but have only done half a job! When missions have specific characters, they should all be persistent!
I think the missions are generally an improvement on before, but it would feel so much better with a bit more work.
Thanks
Tony
Generally I like the changes to missions and the persistent NPCs. In particular I like that if an NPC that interdicts you, scraps with you, and interdicts you again if you wake out, will show hull and shield strength consistent with its state when you left. This is realistic, removes a source of frustration, allows you to take on enemies in stages if you want or call for help, and facilitates the chasing mechanic.
But the job is only half done!
During yesterday I tried 2 missions - wetwork (a politician assassination mission), and a hostage rescue mission.
For the first, I found the guy in an Orca (btw I like the new method of locating targets, although it makes it much riskier as you can't see their ships and level until you enter the USS...), which would be an easy target except he had 4 cops in Vipers with him. I wasn't wanted in the system so I thought the mission is doable if I kill him quickly before they can respond.
So I stripped his shields and had him down to about 50% hull before he boosted away, and then the cops started on me. Managed to use a shield cell before shield got wiped but not a second one, lost about 30% hull and low waked out.
Never mind, I thought, I will go back in, hopefully catch the Orca again and finish it off, once my shields have come back up.
The USS appears again and I re-enter, only to find the Orca on 100% hull!
On second, I had to rescue 8 hostages. This is a relatively easy mission, the target in a type 6, easy to strip shield and then set off a few cargo hatch limpets. The main issue is tme. In this system I was wanted, and the cops will show up after a bit. In this case - I hate it when this happens - the ship dropped many cannisters but only a few were the hostages. I don't bring a cargo scanner (slot usage again...) so am never sure what the balance will be.
I've collected 7 of the 8 but the cops had arrived and have started on me. Foolishly, rather than risk losing a chunk of hull, I somewhat rushed collecting the 8th cannister and it exploded against my hull. I sent off another cargo hatch drone but got the message that there was no more cargo! Damn, mission failed!
So I low waked out. Then I thought - what if this mission isn't persistent either?
So lo and behold, the USS reappears, I go back in, and get another load of hostages released from cargo. So in this case, the lack of persistence worked to my favour.
Frontier, you've had 6 months to sort this out but have only done half a job! When missions have specific characters, they should all be persistent!
I think the missions are generally an improvement on before, but it would feel so much better with a bit more work.
Thanks
Tony
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