What criteria do NPC's use to choose the highest threat in combat?

[Ceekay]

I was discussing this with a wingmate earlier and as expected we had differing opinions, he reckons it's based on highest DPS only whereas I believe it's a combination of ship type and commander's combat rank.

Can NPC's assess a ships combat potential?

Any thoughts?

 

[Bigmaec]

I'd say it's damage output brought on the NPC.
When I do hazres or CNB with my vette, I often kill a NPC, scoop the mats and send my SLF to attack the next target.
It ignores me and focuses the SLF until I start opening up with my huge beams, then I get into focus.

 

[Ceekay]

Thanks for the reply , the reason I posted is that I use a Krait mk2 and he uses a Corvette when we wing up at pirate threat zones but according to Coriolis my Krait with 3 x beams and 2 x Pacifiers has a DPS of 770 and his Corvette with 3 x beams and 4 frag turrets at 570.

If I engage the target and start taking fire once the Corvette attacks the target the focus switches to it, if it's simply based on DPS surely the target would continue shooting at me?

 

[Bigmaec]

Thanks for the reply , the reason I posted is that I use a Krait mk2 and he uses a Corvette when we wing up at pirate threat zones but according to Coriolis my Krait with 3 x beams and 2 x Pacifiers has a DPS of 770 and his Corvette with 3 x beams and 4 frag turrets at 570.

If I engage the target and start taking fire once the Corvette attacks the target the focus switches to it, if it's simply based on DPS surely the target would continue shooting at me?

I'd say it depends on how much of the theoretical dps are really applied to the target, but that's just guessing.
Two huge beams on a Vette do a lot of constant dps.

 

[thelion]

How bling your ship is, what what

 

[here_it_comes]

...according to Coriolis my Krait with 3 x beams and 2 x Pacifiers has a DPS of 770 and his Corvette with 3 x beams and 4 frag turrets at 570.

If I engage the target and start taking fire once the Corvette attacks the target the focus switches to it, if it's simply based on DPS surely the target would continue shooting at me?

Your 770 DPS is assuming you are landing every single fragment, without fail, within falloff range. Your experience with your wingmate is demonstrating that he is out-DPSing you despite your large theoretical DPS advantage. This is likely due to a combination of his primary damage coming from autoaim huge beams and you landing not nearly enough Pacifier shots at a fast enough rate to achieve it's potential DPS.

 

[Rubbernuke]

How bling your ship is, what what

I say Curruthers, that bally chaps rubbing it in with his solid gold ship. Lets pay him a visit and show him whats what

 

[Trollymctrollerson]

The NPCs are not very bright in this regard and i have seen them flip flop between 2 attackers based on who is hurting them more right now. When i fly the SLF and have a crewman aboard the mothership, after i lay into the target, they will focus on me in the SLF. Once my shields get low, i buzz off towards my mothership so it can drop the hammer on a distracted target. Once the mothership blasts it with a salvo, the npc focuses on it again until i come back and repeat the process.