The Shield discussion thread

[Frenotx]

An NPC Used a Shield Cell

Thought you guys might find this interesting. Came across a wanted elite Asp at a nav beacon. Shortly before its shields dropped, it popped a shield cell. I had never seen this before, and didn't think it was even possible. Has anyone else seen this behavior?

Edit: Note that I'm not complaining about this. On the contrary, I was pleasantly surprised.

 

[CMDR Jenna Nord]

I saw that before and why shouldn't NPCs use them anyway?

Or better said, I think I saw some NPC using it,.. it could also been some serverlag maybe.

 

[777Driver]

Thought you guys might find this interesting. Came across a wanted elite Asp at a nav beacon. Shortly before its shields dropped, it popped a shield cell. I had never seen this before, and didn't think it was even possible. Has anyone else seen this behavior?

Devs have stated that NPC's do not use shield cells, they hope to add the ability in the future

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I saw that before and why shouldn't NPCs use them anyway?

So they have added this in 1.07? Mike made it seem that it's not something they are adding in the near future.

 

[Cat_Astrophe]

Devs have stated that NPC's do not use shield cells, they hope to add the ability in the future

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.

Well then... somebody got some "splaining" to do because I have seen it as well some time ago... like a month or so.

 

[Frenotx]

I saw that before and why shouldn't NPCs use them anyway?

Or better said, I think I saw some NPC using it,.. it could also been some serverlag maybe.

I never said they shouldn't. I think NPCs should have access to all the same gear we do, and vice versa.

Devs have stated that NPC's do not use shield cells, they hope to add the ability in the future

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So they have added this in 1.07? Mike made it seem that it's not something they are adding in the near future.

I too was under the impression NPCs couldn't use shield cells, but there's no doubt that what happened. I watched the shield rapidly recharge a good chunk on my HUD, and saw the blue lines sweeping over the bubble on the actual ship.

 

[777Driver]

I never said they shouldn't. I think NPCs should have access to all the same gear we do, and vice versa.



I too was under the impression NPCs couldn't use shield cells, but there's no doubt that what happened. I watched the shield rapidly recharge a good chunk on my HUD, and saw the blue lines sweeping over the bubble on the actual ship.

Very interesting, would be good to get a confirmation from the devs. I tried a google search for the dev post but couldn't find it. It's over on the suggestions forum.

 

[CMDR Jenna Nord]

The blue shield outline on NPC ships I see very often but usually they have it when their shields are gone. Hmm maybe the actual bug is that they try to use the shield cells too late?

 

[Cat_Astrophe]

Very interesting, would be good to get a confirmation from the devs. I tried a google search for the dev post but couldn't find it. It's over on the suggestions forum.

The most obvious possibility is that the devs or maybe even DB himself gets on in NPC CLothes and have some fun with us. Seen NPCs do some mighty odd things on rare occasions... like the funny spiral a player does to avoid overshooting a station. It's certainly within their means.

 

[Don_Von_Hulio]

Ive seen them used by NPCs before people even complained about them on the forums.

 

[Frenotx]

The blue shield outline on NPC ships I see very often but usually they have it when their shields are gone. Hmm maybe the actual bug is that they try to use the shield cells too late?

I know the bug you're talking about, but this NPC's shield was most definitely still up.

 

[anikaiful]

Thought you guys might find this interesting. Came across a wanted elite Asp at a nav beacon. Shortly before its shields dropped, it popped a shield cell. I had never seen this before, and didn't think it was even possible. Has anyone else seen this behavior?

Yea, the higher ranking NPCs do use chaffs and cells, some pretty liberally too.

 

[Scoob]

Yea, the higher ranking NPCs do use chaffs and cells, some pretty liberally too.

I've certainly seen Chaff being used by NPC's, but not Shield Cells, this is good news! The former suitably messed with my new Gimballed guns tracking so that the latter was never needed anyway lol.

Scoob.

 

[Frenotx]

Yea, the higher ranking NPCs do use chaffs and cells, some pretty liberally too.

I've seen chaff used many times, but this was the first time I saw a shield cell used.

 

[Astronaut Teemo]

Yes I've seen several npcs use shield cells, but they certainly don't spam them like players lol. And once, just once, an npc pirate launched a hatch breaker at me when he got my shields down, I heard it latch on and everything. I was actually pleasantly surprised when i saw my cargo spilling out into space.

 

[kenny_brocklestein]

I've never seen this but I am definitely pleasantly surprised. I'm all for more NPC sneakiness.

 

[Guyperson]

Add me to the list. I've seen NPCs use shield cells exceptionally rarely, maybe twice last month. There's no mistaking it; it had the visual effect and their shields refilled in seconds. And no, I was not drunk enough to confuse an NPC for a player at the time. Never seen a NPC chaff, but maybe they know when you're using fixed weapons.

 

[CMDR Jenna Nord]

Chaff you will get often when you hunt in a Conflict Zone.

 

[Captain Lee]

Seen this a few times. They definitely use them.

 

[Zebarmy]

I never understood why people say that NPC's don't use them, as I've seen shield cell's being used regularly (albeit not massively frequent). Unlike players they don't tend to fire them when the 3rd ring starts to fade, but later.

The animation for the shield cell does sometimes still happen even if you've just busted their shield though (I don't mean the permanent blue shield), you get a pulsing blue line running from front to back on the ship at the point they trigger it.

I see cells happen normally when I've forgotten to balance power into WEP, and I've just drained my Cap.

I don't recall a dev post saying they didn't use them, I've seen it in game since launch.

 

[Eagle Eye]

I have seen them use SCB quite often when I was bounty hunting. Problem was that usually they used it a bit too late, usually taking effect only 1-2 seconds after the shield dropped. So in OP case I guess he does not get that final, shield stripping, shot quick enough and the AI got the 1-2 extra seconds for SCB to kick in.