Note: I use a pilot's name here for clarity. FM, if this is inappropriate, you may remove it. This is unbiased as far as his actions--I am discussing Strike Forces only.

So Dr. Lecter and I were trading smack talk after we killed each other a couple times in Deneb C-10. One time, we both died relatively close together, so when I undocked in O-3, I saw he was homed there. First question: If he's hated by Itani, how did he manage that? And how can he buy IDF valks?

So, one time we didn't bother warping to C-10 and just shot each other up in O-3. I was careful to make sure he damaged me before I opened fire. The Strike Force spawned as usual and attacked him. As soon as I was hit I opened fire and hit him. All the Strike Force bots immediately turned hostile and killed me. This all occurred within the no-fire zone.

So how come an Itani Strike Force attacks and kills an Itani pilot who was attacked by a Serco pilot, in an Itani station sector? This makes no sense at all. I understand the no-fire zone, but why does a nation send its own bots to kill its pilot when attacked by a citizen of a hostile Empire? This seems counter-intuitive.

no fire means exactly no fire. Even if you were attacked first.

I got my ass canned a lot by that also, not to mention inducing a hit to standing(since i got stressed out and killed the person afterwards in the no fire zone)

well thats why they call it a No-Fire-Zone

Then I'll pose a question to the devs:

Why do we have a zone that forces players to either die or not dock to avoid a faction hit and temporary KOS status? I think this should be changed. It makes no realistic sense to have my own nation's strike force gunning for me when I was defending myself. I also saw that same strikeforce toast an Itani in a bus because he just saw the red dot and started shooting. I think this should be changed.

on a similar note
http://www.vendetta-online.com/x/msgboard/2/10724

I just think there should be a self defense condition, where whoever shot and damaged you first gives you the automatic and unconditional right to fight back, without worrying about faction loss or whatever. That would be REALLY cool.

Not to get into the relative usefulness of a no fire zone, but to clairify your first question, DS4, I am higher faction with Itani than Serco. I was not on a BP mission, merely using C10 as a battleground. See ya in game in a looong while :)

I don't think No Fire Zones shouldn't exactly be No Fire Zones. They should be more "Keeping the peace zone". By this I mean that the Strike force will only go for people who are disliked or fire on liked people, unless a liked person attacks another liked person, in which case if the liked person under attack goes below 50%, then the SF goes for the other one. The guy who opens fire first (and hits the target) should be the one attacked, not the one who returns fire.

verrrrrry interesting--
focusing on the FACTION STANDING issue- i saw dr lecter in itani space once- i knew he was serco- fired on him to defend myself---and then realized he was GREEN on my radar and favored by itani- so i (being the peaceful one) apoligized for the attack- only to be answered by him attacking me--
can i at least ask for ANY serco to show up red on my radar- no matter who LIKES them-- red should show POTENTIALLY hositle- so anyone that is not my nation should be potentially hostile--

I agree strongly with this. Regardless of the RP reasoning behind green for those with whom you have good standing, it is a pain in the ass "in game." When I want to target nearest enemy in a C10 scrap, itani never show up... they're green!

Might as well just remove a character's inherent nation from the game. Standing is all that matters, so someone liked by itani and hated by serco is an itani even if they chose red when they started the character.

Oh, and UIT.

Yeah, they do stuff...

I agree, Starfisher. But as always each player should at least start off with a nation they're really liked by. UIT, Serco, and Itani should be those three starting nations. But I think everyone should be given the option to choose which faction (even the minor ones) to be with. Whichever of the faction has the highest standing for the player, that's the one they'll be associated with in the sector list/character info screen.

I'm not going to say much except who knows... but I expect a distinct view for all the nations in the near future. One which even standing won't get you access to.

In other RPGs, which race you choose has a real effect on your character. In Vendetta, it has none. In a week of dedicated play, you can basically do anything. (Unless you're UIT and want Neutron IIIs)

If being Itani gave me +3 to Agility and Mind Shield, while being Serco gave me +3 to Toughness and Berserk, then choosing a side would have meaning. As it is, it has no effect except on where you start out in the universe.

I agree with Renegade. Right now you're correct, Starfisher, but before long I do expect (and want) the different nations to have different abilities.

star, please read my answer again:

I didn't say now, I said I expect. And seeing that we come from an fps inclined game (ergo spacequake) and going more and more towards an rpg. It wouldn't surprise me if we can expect something like this.

"If being Itani gave me +3 to Agility and Mind Shield, while being Serco gave me +3 to Toughness and Berserk"

No, the serco definately get Toughness and "CLOAK".... As noted in the story line.

And no, Strike Forces are not fair. I remember one time I boosted straight out of the station..... this vulture is in an arc going towards me.... I'm thinking. No way. I can't hit him by random chance can I? I could of easily dodged out of the way but I was in a behemoth and didn't really care if I hit him. So I hit him... He flies away.. I keep boosting relatively in the same direction. THEN he chases me and CATCHES UP, and starts shooting, taking down 45k armor in MOMENTS.. I was a little perturbed because I didn't want to kill him. So I dropped a mine right before I was about to die and killed the poor bot... Thankfully I didn't lose standing cause I got out of there Uber fast.

But I didn't WANT to kill the bot... Yet I had to so as to not lose standing from the faction.... How much sense does that make?

/givemoney Devs 2c

Not to yank it back on-topic too fast but, NFZs are just that. The only part of it that seems borked is the fact that a second SF didn't come out and go after the second shooter leaving the first SF to continue after the first shooter.

It still doesn't make sense, if the job is to protect all pilots within a certain distance... the aggressor can just /explode, having antagonized the other pilot.

Two wrongs don't make a right. It doesn't matter if they violated the NFZ first, if you fire back, you violated the NFZ just as much as they did. If you don't violate the NFZ, you have no problem.