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"BP broke the game"

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Sep 14, 2005 vIsitor link
Well, Starfisher, the only reason why the whole 'Invasion' got started was because we got the crazy idea of trying to kill the Nemisis, all the while dodging bullets from you Serco Pilots--for improving our skills on a tactical scale, and ulimately to have fun. When the Nemisis left on its patrol the whole offensive became rather pointless and the itani pilots miandered back to c10. In the end it was great fun for everyone, if a bit brief. Conceivably a new type of BP mission could be spawned from it, the Itani trying to destroy the Nemisis and Blockade the station, while the Serco Defend the Nemisis and Prevent or break blockades around the station. On a tactical scale it would get truely interesting as if no side could win unless both objectives are achieved some serious tactical planning, and last-minute manuveures would be essensial to success. The serco would have the advantage of a HAC and a closer station to spawn at, while the Itani have one objective, destroying the Nemisis, that stays complete once done. This slightly 'uneven' scenario would add much flavor to gameplay as radically different combat styles would be nesscessary rather than the standard mirror-image opposing missions (like BP)
Sep 14, 2005 Starfisher link
Ya, Beolach, but maybe if the bots actually invaded something, I'd accept the RP explanation. Come on now... you RP to have fun. Jamming two salvos of sunnies down the throat of *Gabbledegook isn't fun, no matter how much you type "I have defeated yet another enemy of the Serco Dominion!" into the chat.

They dodge energy like caffeinated koreans but ignore rockets. Fight a player, and he'll be a much more balanced opponent, and youu can actually RP on something that will talk back.
Sep 14, 2005 Beolach link
I concur. An actual objective for the BP mission would be a very, very good thing. We so need capturable/destructable stations...
Sep 14, 2005 LeberMac link
a1k0n said: ...but for now I hope to curb "exploiting"...

Ooops. Too late. About three months too late? A bit like shutting the barn doors after the horses have already escaped. Everyone who wanted to do it has done so already. Fixing it now is good, tho. Sooner the better.
Sep 15, 2005 jexkerome link
*is proud to have never done BP, and being a poor man because of it* :P
Sep 15, 2005 Spellcast link
""Also about the bots in the sector while players are there too, I think it's fine the way it is. Yes the bots are annoying but once you become a good enough pilot you can take on a group of bots at once or players and bots at the same time.""

the problem is that against GOOD players, or if there are two large groups BPing at the same time on opposite sides the bots quickly become a detriment to the fun of the players.
The bots don't make mistakes when plotting a chase course so they react at once to any dodges you make, they follow relentlessly, the dodge energy fire instantly, and they have an instant respawn.
Is there any way we could get the hive code applied to the BP bots in the reworked mission so that we can at least clear them out for a minute or so?
hell of that matter i'd settle with the group behavior the current hive bots use for the transports in sectors where they appear with escorts. (you have to kill the entire group of bots before it respawns). I'd actually rather see the bots enter in combat wings, preferrably with some different ship types.
-toss us a few vults, Warthogs, Hornets, maybe a rangarok occasionally
-have the group engage using different tactics, actually i'd love to see an AI repair Rag that hangs around near the edge of the battle that the lighter bots flee back to if damaged enough.
-once the group dies, give a short (and possibly randomized)
respawn to it.

Anyway i've wandered off topic again, one you have about 5 to 6 players actively BPing on each side (actually entering the BP sector regularly) you can have up to 12 bots in addition to the enemy players.
Combat between groups of 5 players is far more interesting if you dont have to worry about the bots, especially since a good player will use his "allied" bots to distract an enemy, and since the bots dont make mistakes when following someone, they are far more dangerous to a distracted opponent than all but the most experienced of players.
Sep 15, 2005 Beolach link
The only real problem I have with the bots is their instant respawn, so you can never get rid of them. I'd prefer it if the mission launched all the bots for it at the beginning, and they didn't respawn at all. That'd make it challenging, even if there aren't any enemy players, and if there are enemy players, then you can clear out the bots and then focus on fighting the players, without having the bots pop right back in. Of course, the mission objective would have to be changed to something other than X number of kills - I'd rather the ojective be clear the sector of all enemy ships.