First let me tell you about how I got to my current setup.
I traded my way to a Cobra with a low end setup. My rig is basically a high Alpha setup to kill people before they jump out.
Each of the components parts I have subdivided for easier dissection of the facts, I will state here that I am a FAN of the game and don't regret buying it but still feel it's rough around the edges.
I am also stating I am not the most skilled player so if I have missed something please tell me.
Finding.
Method 1 USS's
These can provide a very tasty prey or complete nonsense. I have noted that there doesn't seem to be any kind of consistency some days all I get is funerals or weddings and other useless ones literal after 10-15 investigations, other times every drop is a 10k - 40K bounty with a couple of system ships to help me pop them and get the bounties. This doesn't feel like bounty hunting but more like random money. I eventually get bored and return to trading.
Method 2 Scan and interdict
Waiting for pirates isn't a massive wait while I do USS's but again traffic is very random, again it doesn't feel like I am hunting more like a cop with a speed gun.
Killing.
I love this bit of it there is a lot of fun but I have had some issues with local law enforcement when someone who is wanted, I kill them, they pop, I get a bounty on me........ obvious bug there.
I also get a low of jump outs, so I got a wake scanner scan the wake and find out the tiny Adder has a jump range of over 20LY, yes people every one of those pirates has the top of the range jump drive attached to them(it was cool he dumped his cargo first), they also don't seem to be effected by my mass as they jump out in a few seconds. When I eventually find a sidewinder who jumps out of a USS I follow him (thankfully a shorter range) interdict him as my ship stops spinning he is already jumping out to the next system, again the NPC is doing things I can't I hadn't even turned to face and my drive wouldn't let me jump out and he had already jumped, I eventually caught him again but this time to a system that he wasn't wanted in so I got a bounty when I popped him of 3x - 6x his probable worth. Don't get me wrong the chase was fun and very cool he jumped to a safe system for him but he shouldn't have been able to jump that quickly as I wouldn't have been able to after being interdicted.
This has led me to two basic realisations.
1. Bounty hunting doesn't feel like bounty hunting it feels like random chance of cash (and fun)
2. there is high risk with the random bounties for aggressing wanted bug and jumping to a safe system (I know I should have checked but if I hadn't he would have effectively just wasted my time)
Fixes. Here are my thoughts.
1. NPC can't cheat, make them live by the same rules as the rest of us, I find it very unlikely wanted adders would be packing 20LY jump drives and they need to be interdicted like the rest of us including an extended cool down time like the rest of us.
2. The 'hunting' routine is too random, I think we need to invent a module that goes into an auxiliary slot that lets you share info on people with bounties a but like truckers with CB radios. This would give traders stuff to sell and hunters info on generic targets or specific ones for quests for example. This could even be given by visiting stations or the open market. I don't mind a good hunt for someone but right now it just feels far too hit and miss, for often very little pay out.
Somerville
I traded my way to a Cobra with a low end setup. My rig is basically a high Alpha setup to kill people before they jump out.
Each of the components parts I have subdivided for easier dissection of the facts, I will state here that I am a FAN of the game and don't regret buying it but still feel it's rough around the edges.
I am also stating I am not the most skilled player so if I have missed something please tell me.
Finding.
Method 1 USS's
These can provide a very tasty prey or complete nonsense. I have noted that there doesn't seem to be any kind of consistency some days all I get is funerals or weddings and other useless ones literal after 10-15 investigations, other times every drop is a 10k - 40K bounty with a couple of system ships to help me pop them and get the bounties. This doesn't feel like bounty hunting but more like random money. I eventually get bored and return to trading.
Method 2 Scan and interdict
Waiting for pirates isn't a massive wait while I do USS's but again traffic is very random, again it doesn't feel like I am hunting more like a cop with a speed gun.
Killing.
I love this bit of it there is a lot of fun but I have had some issues with local law enforcement when someone who is wanted, I kill them, they pop, I get a bounty on me........ obvious bug there.
I also get a low of jump outs, so I got a wake scanner scan the wake and find out the tiny Adder has a jump range of over 20LY, yes people every one of those pirates has the top of the range jump drive attached to them(it was cool he dumped his cargo first), they also don't seem to be effected by my mass as they jump out in a few seconds. When I eventually find a sidewinder who jumps out of a USS I follow him (thankfully a shorter range) interdict him as my ship stops spinning he is already jumping out to the next system, again the NPC is doing things I can't I hadn't even turned to face and my drive wouldn't let me jump out and he had already jumped, I eventually caught him again but this time to a system that he wasn't wanted in so I got a bounty when I popped him of 3x - 6x his probable worth. Don't get me wrong the chase was fun and very cool he jumped to a safe system for him but he shouldn't have been able to jump that quickly as I wouldn't have been able to after being interdicted.
This has led me to two basic realisations.
1. Bounty hunting doesn't feel like bounty hunting it feels like random chance of cash (and fun)
2. there is high risk with the random bounties for aggressing wanted bug and jumping to a safe system (I know I should have checked but if I hadn't he would have effectively just wasted my time)
Fixes. Here are my thoughts.
1. NPC can't cheat, make them live by the same rules as the rest of us, I find it very unlikely wanted adders would be packing 20LY jump drives and they need to be interdicted like the rest of us including an extended cool down time like the rest of us.
2. The 'hunting' routine is too random, I think we need to invent a module that goes into an auxiliary slot that lets you share info on people with bounties a but like truckers with CB radios. This would give traders stuff to sell and hunters info on generic targets or specific ones for quests for example. This could even be given by visiting stations or the open market. I don't mind a good hunt for someone but right now it just feels far too hit and miss, for often very little pay out.
Somerville
