Forums » Suggestions
Give the NPC traders weapons!
It's kinda silly, but they're giving the Atlas a bad name. I've noticed because I fly the Atlas X most of the time, and many players don't actually expect me to fire back! Even when we're duelling! It's rather silly. This isn't to say that I don't happily exploit the advantage that the surprise gives me...
NPC traders need to have some means of protecting themselves to they're not so much cannon fodder.
As each trader already has levels for at least trade, let's give them random combat, and weapon levels (staying somewhat with real combat leveling - ie. combat levels are lower than weapons, heavy is lower than light for lower levels, and at higher levels, either could be higher than the other. And then give them basically the best weapons available at their level. So given a choice between Sunflares and Neutrons, the NPC could choose either one, but they won't choose Iceflares, or Ions. That kind of thing.
And if we do that, maybe make them choose ships based on their levels. Wraith > Atlas > Centaur > Marauder > Behemoth. To give some more variety to their ranks.
NPC traders need to have some means of protecting themselves to they're not so much cannon fodder.
As each trader already has levels for at least trade, let's give them random combat, and weapon levels (staying somewhat with real combat leveling - ie. combat levels are lower than weapons, heavy is lower than light for lower levels, and at higher levels, either could be higher than the other. And then give them basically the best weapons available at their level. So given a choice between Sunflares and Neutrons, the NPC could choose either one, but they won't choose Iceflares, or Ions. That kind of thing.
And if we do that, maybe make them choose ships based on their levels. Wraith > Atlas > Centaur > Marauder > Behemoth. To give some more variety to their ranks.
Yes!!! Please!!! Variety would be wonderful... :-P
And then, if you want, put weapons on 'em.
And then, if you want, put weapons on 'em.
I still think that it's absolutely silly that people think that because I'm flying an Atlas, there's no way I'm gonna be firing back at them when I shoot. So usually people who attack me for the first time are surprised by the skillful application of AGT bolts to their armor in the process of helping them dispose of their ship.
So in terms of combat AI, it would be something similar to a less-aggressive bot AI (with different skill levels based on combat level). They won't automatically attack someone unless they're [BLAK] or [syn], otherwise they won't attack unless attacked first, and their primary goal is to make it out of the battle alive. So if the player puts more than 600m between them and the NPC, the NPC will run at full boost.
So in terms of combat AI, it would be something similar to a less-aggressive bot AI (with different skill levels based on combat level). They won't automatically attack someone unless they're [BLAK] or [syn], otherwise they won't attack unless attacked first, and their primary goal is to make it out of the battle alive. So if the player puts more than 600m between them and the NPC, the NPC will run at full boost.
i think the npcs traders should run like real traders usualy do. i would like to see some npc traders with escort cobat bots though. and i agree with the veriaty thing.
as for people thinking you wouln't shoot back, that's not a fault of the npcs it's juat plain stupididty. players have sharper teeth than npcs. anyone who doesn't know this should be able to figure it out shortly into their pvping career. and if they don't then well, they can help keep the shipyards in buisness.
as for people thinking you wouln't shoot back, that's not a fault of the npcs it's juat plain stupididty. players have sharper teeth than npcs. anyone who doesn't know this should be able to figure it out shortly into their pvping career. and if they don't then well, they can help keep the shipyards in buisness.
Yeah, NPCs are still people, they should play that role instead of cannonfodder. :)