Suggestion: Remove Elite NPC status.

[Larren]

Hello!

The point is that according to lore (Original Holdstock book for example) Elite status is the most rare thing in the galaxy. Even more rare than honest politician. So it would be right to leave Elite status only to the players. It would create rarity needed.
As for now you can meet Elite NPCs everywhere, in supercruise, in RES, in conflict zones. And Elite anacondas in missions. It looks like Elite rank is nothing special, just another rank. Tons of Elites. That's not right.
Just turn all Elite NPC into Deadly, for example. It is not hard to do, but will impact lore and immersion greatly!

 

[xondk]

Hmmm you actually have a good point, and it wouldn't affect anything since they could just change the scaling so that dangerous is top and as hard as elite is now.

 

[Hexicube]

Maybe it should still exist and be very rare instead, so solo players such as myself (tried open, didn't see a single player) actually still see them?

I'm sure it'll be fun to crank the AI on those bad boys up to max and slap a huge bounty on them too, in the millions.

 

[DocLooshkin]

+1 for this. NPC statuses are rather broken at the moment. I've obliterated a few supposedly Elite NPCs and I'm still just learning how to fight. I'm fairly sure a fight with an actual Elite player would go a lot worse for me, even if they were in a smaller ship. NPC statuses should ideally correspond to their ability, which most of the time seems to be Mostly Harmless.

 

[CMDR Hagglebeard]

Maybe it should still exist and be very rare instead, so solo players such as myself (tried open, didn't see a single player) actually still see them?

I'm sure it'll be fun to crank the AI on those bad boys up to max and slap a huge bounty on them too, in the millions.

Yes. I think that Elite NPC status should be extremely rare, maybe one in a thousand or one in two thousand chance, but a huge bounty on their heads. Also, when an update that fleshes out the weapons systems is released, give them extremely good loadouts, loadouts that would make Anaconda players fear.

 

[Hexicube]

Yes. I think that Elite NPC status should be extremely rare, maybe one in a thousand or one in two thousand chance, but a huge bounty on their heads. Also, when an update that fleshes out the weapons systems is released, give them extremely good loadouts, loadouts that would make Anaconda players fear.

I'd also expect them to be in a reasonable ship type, I highly doubt to see an elite sidewinder showing up to rob me if I'm in anything even closely related to combat. An elite vulture on the other hand...

 

[CMDR Hagglebeard]

I'd also expect them to be in a reasonable ship type, I highly doubt to see an elite sidewinder showing up to rob me if I'm in anything even closely related to combat. An elite vulture on the other hand...

An Elite Vulture gives me shivers in 1.2. If only vultures and FdLs could be found outside of strong signal sources.

 

[Somillian Hiigara]

An Elite Vulture gives me shivers in 1.2. If only vultures and FdLs could be found outside of strong signal sources.

Elite Vultures, FDLs and Pythons would be pants-brown moments.

 

[CMDR Hagglebeard]

Elite Vultures, FDLs and Pythons would be pants-brown moments.

Elite Pythons and Anacondas in a combat-oriented and well-upgraded ship is a breeze. I 2-shot a Conda in my Vulture at one point, and could kill Elite Anacondas on Assassinations in my Cobra within a minute.

 

[Tryst]

Elite Pythons and Anacondas in a combat-oriented and well-upgraded ship is a breeze. I 2-shot a Conda in my Vulture at one point, and could kill Elite Anacondas on Assassinations in my Cobra within a minute.

The problem is scaling them to individual players. You might be able to kill Elite NPC's easily but another player might have difficulty with a NPC two or three levels lower. Scaling up the Elite NPC any more might mean more fun for you but instant death for another player who's combat skills aren't that great. For example. I can currently get away from an Elite NPC in a Vulture or a Python when I'm trading with my T7 but if the skill level of an Elite was increased, I'd be dead before I even touched any of the controls to attempt an escape. Not exactly thrilling game play for those of us in slow trading ships.

 

[Defacto]

The problem is scaling them to individual players. You might be able to kill Elite NPC's easily but another player might have difficulty with a NPC two or three levels lower. Scaling up the Elite NPC any more might mean more fun for you but instant death for another player who's combat skills aren't that great. For example. I can currently get away from an Elite NPC in a Vulture or a Python when I'm trading with my T7 but if the skill level of an Elite was increased, I'd be dead before I even touched any of the controls to attempt an escape. Not exactly thrilling game play for those of us in slow trading ships.

If give more circumstance and reason to combat, I think this problem would be solved. A trader in Sol wouldn't be interdicted by Elite Anaconda Psychopaths.
Also, almost every hostile NPC should be of the proper pirate type, that scans you and demand you to drop cargo. Dangerous parts of the galaxy really should be dangerous, but the profits from tradin should be better here than in the core worlds.

 

[Rhaedas]

Plus, if the NPCs reacted more appropriately to player actions, then even an Elite encounter wouldn't have to mean certain death, unless the player pushed events that direction. Just as simple as him scanning you, demanding cargo if you have it, or telling you to depart with your life if you don't. Drop a few things of cargo, he scoops them up, and as long as you don't act aggressive, you live. Not all Elites have to be murderous psychos, they're just very good at what they do.

 

[Somillian Hiigara]

Plus, if the NPCs reacted more appropriately to player actions, then even an Elite encounter wouldn't have to mean certain death, unless the player pushed events that direction. Just as simple as him scanning you, demanding cargo if you have it, or telling you to depart with your life if you don't. Drop a few things of cargo, he scoops them up, and as long as you don't act aggressive, you live. Not all Elites have to be murderous psychos, they're just very good at what they do.

To be fair, the time they give you to drop said cargo is pretty low.

 

[bugbait42]

... If only vultures and FdLs could be found outside of strong signal sources.

When I've been bounty hunting, I've seen several NPC Fer-de-Lances in nav beacons since the ship was introduced. Haven't seen a Vulture at all yet though.