The New AI is Too Good! I'm back in an Cobra After Loosing Python 3 Times in 3 Days!

[Alex Brentnall]

Though I'm sure this will fall on deaf ears, how about considering reducing the expense of loosing one's ship?

I do not want to get into an arguement because it solves nothing.
I just want to state that 5% of the current cost to re-buy it from scratch seems pretty cheap to me personally... A Python can easily make 3mil+ per hour so assuming you play it safe and only make 2mil/hr you only have 3-4 hours to do to get the rebuy back. Although I understand 3 rebuys in a row can hit you for six...
For me personally the risk of loosing it is what makes the encounter come alive. Borderlands is a game with virtually no death penalty (except having to walk back across the map) and became stale to me for that reason alone.


Edit: I fully agree with Fuzzyspider's post above. Nail = hit on head

 

[tetra]

Though I'm sure this will fall on deaf ears, how about considering reducing the expense of loosing one's ship?

It's already cheap enough as it is to be honest, any cheaper and there will literally be no worry about dying whatsoever. If you can't afford to fly X ship, fly something smaller. In a python even if you are competent enough to kill the new AI nothing is stopping you from running, only an Anaconda or another python can mass lock you and even then nothing can stop you high-waking.

 

[Shaamaan]

For me personally the risk of loosing it is what makes the encounter come alive. Borderlands is a game with virtually no death penalty (except having to walk back across the map) and became stale to me for that reason alone.

You do realize it's "for you, personally", right? It doesn't mean for everyone. I would much rather see an offline game with a difficulty setting, and then everyone would be that much happier... As it is it's just one group of people getting something at the expense of another group of people.

 

[Alex Brentnall]

You do realize it's "for your personally", right? It doesn't mean for everyone. I would much rather see an offline game with a difficulty setting, and then everyone would be that much happier...

Thats why I added the "For me personally" I do agree with you although don't see how it can be implemented.

At the moment I thought the difficulty slider was the different NPC ranks.

 

[bladebss]

Now... walst I like the new skilz the npcs have learned as befor they were too easy. I think there should be more of a scale.. mostly harmless ships flying like pros is a bit too much and makes no sense.

the biggest issue I have that I think realy does need a change is that almost every thing is in a wing now! A wing is a massive force multiplyer especialy now that the npcs can fly! You spend soo long chasing them down that buy the time you have managed to get them in your sights there wing mates have ripped you to shredds! If the target didnt have wing mates he would have to fight back rather than fly evasivly for 5 mins never firing more than 3 shots untill you finaly witled him down.

I dont fly in a wing its not my style and every assasination mission I have taken from novice to dangerous has been a python or simalar ina wing of vultures or cobras. One ship no matter what it is is going to struggle.

so yes to npc skill and I think they should learn to fight rather than just fancey flying. And a big fat no to sooo many winged up! Ita just a bit too hard on your own, too often.

Res combat is buy far the easyest as there is half a stations worth of police helping you and taking the flack. Res combat gives a false sense of acomplishment. It will always be too easy.. though latley the police have been fighting amongst them selvs a res sites and I notice the challenge then lol thats the biggest reason res is farming and assasinations are suicide!

 

[Cmdr Eagleboy]

Though I'm sure this will fall on deaf ears, how about considering reducing the expense of loosing one's ship?

Any particular reason why?

 

[SteveLaw]

There's always someone complaining because reasons.

Oh do stop complaining.

 

[[VR] Mad Mike]

You do realize it's "for you, personally", right? It doesn't mean for everyone. I would much rather see an offline game with a difficulty setting, and then everyone would be that much happier...

Like it or not as long as the game is profitable offline is now unlikely to happen. Also we all can only speak for ourselves. I am another in the plus 1 camp for not making death meaningless. I have died a few times and a couple of them cost me a fair bit. I raged I swore but without that risk for me personally the game would be hollow .

That being said in the interest of openness I am a beta backer so my insurance excess is only ....... 4% I think it is. This discount was not expected or asked for. Indeed if I could swap it for a skin of my choice I would.

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the biggest issue I have that I think realy does need a change is that almost every thing is in a wing now! A wing is a massive force multiplyer especialy now that the npcs can fly! You spend soo long chasing them down that buy the time you have managed to get them in your sights there wing mates have ripped you to shredds! If the target didnt have wing mates he would have to fight back rather than fly evasivly for 5 mins never firing more than 3 shots untill you finaly witled him down.

I dont fly in a wing its not my style and every assasination mission I have taken from novice to dangerous has been a python or simalar ina wing of vultures or cobras. One ship no matter what it is is going to struggle.

so yes a npc skill and I think they should learn to fight rather than just fancey flying. And a big fat no to sooo many winged up! Ita just a bit too hard on your own, too often.
!

You see I would come at this from another angle. I love that enemy ships often fly in wings but I look forward to the day we can hire ai wingmen of our own

 

[bladebss]

But should we feel so obligated to do so? I want freedom amd choice... hire npcs for sss or a particular hard mission but I shouldn't have to in almoste all cases just to stand a chance.

 

[Vladimar Rubicon]

try a Drop Ship. Haven't lost a fight against any NPC yet...pythons, Anacondas, nothing.

 

[RafeZetter]

Had a Elite Anaconda interdict me the other day, the message from it was "Fear Me!" scared the hell out o me but I prevailed in my trust Vulture

 

[Shaamaan]

Like it or not as long as the game is profitable offline is now unlikely to happen. Also we all can only speak for ourselves. I am another in the plus 1 camp for not making death meaningless. I have died a few times and a couple of them cost me a fair bit. I raged I swore but without that risk for me personally the game would be hollow .

That being said in the interest of openness I am a beta backer so my insurance excess is only ....... 4% I think it is. This discount was not expected or asked for. Indeed if I could swap it for a skin of my choice I would.

I won't argue with that, except hope that you remember others might enjoy a different take on difficulty.

You see I would come at this from another angle. I love that enemy ships often fly in wings but I look forward to the day we can hire ai wingmen of our own

Like so many other things in Elite, is seems to me FDev are implementing things half-heartedly, i.e. implement only one aspect of something, when that aspect alone just doesn't work (or works to a far lesser degree than it should). It was the exact same with the 10% module sale penalty - had they implemented module storage / modules as cargo, no one would probably mind the change. But they forgot about that aspect entirely.

Same thing with shields - they implemented persistent shields, completely forgetting that shields can and do take over 10-20 minutes to recharge. Another change that desperately needs the "other side of the coin", which in this case would require a major shield balance overhaul.

And this time around - Sara might be having fun making NPCs fight better, but we still don't have NPC wingmen, and NPCs still behave like obvious simplistic scripts outside of combat (stop in front of you for a scan, demand cargo and still shoot you when you drop it, etc).

Note, that all these "other sides of the coin" tend to require far more work. Implementing persistent shields vs shield overhaul (coupled with balance overhaul). 10% sale penalty vs module storage / trade. Updated combat AI vs meta-game AI...

All the while it would be better received and cause far less uproar if they implemented the more difficult to implement aspects first...

 

[monkeymagoo]

Just had an awesome fight with a Python in my Vulture. It took me at least half an hour. It's *much* harder now IMO but I really had a good time 'strategically' luring him out from the rest of the group (was in a Violent Protest) and then using all kinds of FA-Off, run-recharge-return type shenanigans. I'm pretty exhausted after it actually! Then for pudding I took down a Viper who still gave a decent fight but was a nice way to wind down after the Python.

I'm slightly worried that if RES's are the same, I'm going to really struggle to get credits when I need to top up my bank balance, but so far I'm really enjoying the challenge of this harder AI.

 

[Chummy62]

I play solo and long for the day I can play offline. I agree with Shaamaan; Give us the Offline Mode with a skill level adjustment and you will never hear from me again.

I forgot how easy it is to park an ASP on a landing pad.

I have never been able to earn 2 or 3 million credits an hour while playing. Most I have earned in an hour is 1 million. I guess I'm just too busy having fun doing other things than just focusing on those credits. It is going to be very difficult to earn any credits in a Python that is parked in a hanger. I do not having enough to cover a 4th loss. Don't want to end up back in a sidewinder.

I said it in another post, but will bring it up here. I was taking a break from FD. Came back to play PP. I concede that there may have been tweeks to the AI over the past couple of months that also raised the skill of those who never stopped playing all while my skills were not improving.

I am currently at the following game levels; Combat Expert, Trade Broker and Explorer Pathfinder. Not exactly someone who is new to the game. I am a Beta backer only because I could not afford Alpha.

Humble question, does the AI skill level of your oppontents adjust to your Combat skill level?

I was (operative word) getting back into things and starting to have fun. A triple loss of my only ship in three days is just more than anyone should reasonably consider as fun.

 

[Tettric]

I love the new AI, a fight against a ship of the same type with a similar loadout is now a challenge which is great!

In A fight against another Diamondback Explorer (Master Rank) I came away with a 50,000cr bounty voucher, 80% Hull and a blown out canopy (7mins of oxygen to get mack to the station).
In previous times in a Cobra Vs Cobra situation victory was a given.

Bring it on SJA, great work so far!

 

[Cmnd Fulsom]

I'm going to give you some advice that changed my life. Get better kid.

Stay frosty

 

[Chummy62]

Get better is very easy to say. Was expecting this flippant type of response as the forums are full of it ad-nauseam. I was getting better. That has all changed and I won't be making much progress for some time because I'll be running away from everything for a wile.

Just so you know, I have spent a fair amount of time reading the forums, Reddit and watching Youtube videos. I'm not just out there pressing buttons hoping for the best. Was doing quite well in Low Intensity RES, jumping at the chance to go into any USS that showed up and even dropped into some strong signal sites. I'm smarter than the average person, but not a genius. My Aunt is a Mensa canidate, but those genes missed me.

Thanks for the thought. And by frosty, I don't believe you were implying my body, cold and lifeless in the vaccum of space.

Yes, as before, time to find something fun to do for a wile.

 

[salad]

DB Scout with no SCB's here.

Pythons are a beast, but beatable.

If they are winged try to focus on the smaller ships first.

Now VULTURES, those are a hard to hit!

 

[Ralph Vargr]

"I enjoyed game while blasting AI to pieces and then complaining on forums how it's too easy or too boring...now AI blasts me to pieces and I am still complaining on forums how it is too hard."

This is how it sounds to me now.

I have never said this.

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I'll only be truly happy with the AI when it reaches CMDR combat levels...hehe!

Coming All Too Soon (tm).

 

[Ralph Vargr]

While everyone seems overjoyed that the AI is improving, I for one am not. While I get that everything is all Elite, please remember that less than 0.01% of the population can function at that level. Balance is such a fickle thing.

So the question remains, are we making a game where the average person can play and become elite in their fantasy game life, or are we making an elite game where only those who are elite in real life can play?

I have never said this.