Ramming by NPC

[lordzaz]

So I've been grinding some haulage runs for a few days in my shieldless Cutter, I get the usual random pirates spouting off about how they're going to feed their kids now or how they're going to turn me to dust etc.

Today I had an unusual incident where the pirate message spawned before I dropped out of SC to dock, I got docking permission and started my approach when BANG, the same pirate dropped out of SC and rammed right into me with his Anaconda. I've probably had this happen 5/6 times since I started back in September.

I didn't die and I wouldn't complain if I had, it added a bit of fun to my session, but my question is, is this expected behaviour from hostile NPC's around a station ?

 

[Sublime]

He didn’t intentionally ram you but often times NPC tend to drop in right on top of you. He’s probably been chasing you in supercruise for a while you just didn’t notice him. If you’re moving fast (like you probably tend to do in a cutter), you can end up smashing into him.

 

[DragonIV]

It's funny they used to do this to me with some regularity, often times appearing right between me and the toaster rack and I'd smack right into them. This happened a lot last year, but eventually I assumed they fixed it because it stopped happening. Now, instead, when they do that station entrance, it's about a click behind me, and they typically high tail it out while I enter the toaster rack.

 

[Vedmo]

He didn’t intentionally ram you but often times NPC tend to drop in right on top of you. He’s probably been chasing you in supercruise for a while you just didn’t notice him. If you’re moving fast (like you probably tend to do in a cutter), you can end up smashing into him.

∆this

If you are as skilled as me you'll have it happen while your speeding, destroy them in the impact, then have the station blow you up for murder.

 

[John Stoutbeard]

.. when BANG, the same pirate dropped out of SC and rammed right into me with his Anaconda...

I've had a couple of collisions myself.

This is because some design-decision made by FDev.

I assume it's because "you're not supposed to get a head start and run away" when being interdicted. If you got a 5-7 second headstart, you may already be out of harms way.
It would make more sense to have the NPC drop out where you had your own initial drop out, because this is where the wake should have directed them.
Instead they drop out 50-100m away from us, on top of our position regardless how much we move.

I would love to have the NPC drop out at our own initial drop-point, so that I can ambush it right back at the distance I chose.

FDev, care to reconsider the current spawn design decision mechanism pretty please? Allow us to ambush the interdictor.

 

[Llandrenel]

Not had any of that near a station, but I did have an npc ram me while his shields were down and I was flying my Anaconda and he was only in a DBX, or other small/medium craft, he hit me so hard all that was left was a few materials, totalled my shield though...

 

[Llandrenel]

I've had a couple of collisions myself.

This is because some design-decision made by FDev.

I assume it's because "you're not supposed to get a head start and run away" when being interdicted. If you got a 5-7 second headstart, you may already be out of harms way.
It would make more sense to have the NPC drop out where you had your own initial drop out, because this is where the wake should leave.
Instead on top of our position, where ever we have moved.

I would love to have the NPC drop out at our own initial drop-point, so that I can ambush it right back at the distance I chose.

FDev, care to reconsider the curruent spawn design decision mechanism pretty please? Allow us to ambush the interdictor.

Wouldn't be so sure of that. I've been jumping out of SC to fight them, rather than bothering with the interdiction, deploying my crew fighter while backing up from where I jump in and I always start the fight behind them.

Don't forget though, if you ever look back and see your drop out trajectory it's pretty big, and at those speeds and across that distance even 1 degree or so difference could put you a few km away from the place the last guy entered.

 

[Helvellyn]

I assume it's because "you're not supposed to get a head start and run away" when being interdicted. If you got a 5-7 second headstart, you may already be out of harms way.

Hah, found that out the hard way once in my early days. Thought I'd evade someone after me in supercruise by dropping out and shifting a fair bit. Worked about as well as you'd expect.

 

[Jmanis]

It would make more sense to have the NPC drop out where you had your own initial drop out, because this is where the wake should have directed them.

If it did that right now, and it behaved just like following low-wakes yourself, the NPC would drop out 1,000km away Maybe it works this way as a workaround because that mechanic is broken...