I just finished recording a [rather sad attempt at] video as a help tutorial for a pilot who'd refused to use a controller or a plugin; he'd been having issues fihting even the most basic of bots. When watching him, it seemed like the input was overly strong, among other issues. However, the biggest issue came from the bots, after a short amount of time [where he rarely inflicted 2-3 hits, let alone substancial damage] just turboing away and ignoring him, as another random one became aggroed.

This behaviour became present in all bots some time ago, when bot AI was changed to make sector bots more difficult. However, combined with the inaccuracy of the UI and the lack of skill most new pilots have, even the most basic of hive npcs become irregularly difficult.

Before you say about the issue being limited to new pilots with limited experience in the game, let me bring up my next point. Since I wanted to give the pilot tips about how to aim better, i turned off my droidbutton setup and re-enabled the default UI, before fighting the same bots. I took a few unsuccessful hours before simply giving up - I was incapable of killing a single bot during that time that i engaged with [ignoring the ones firing at me to kill the ones mining should NOT count here].

While, yes, the input interface is effectively trash as far as I'm concerned, at least i'd have been able to kill bots [over the course of about 1-3 minutes per bot!] if they didnt disengage on me so frequently! This tactic they've taken [on all types of bots] is confusing and disheartening, and yet every damned static bot engages in it. I merely request all pilots to take another look at the "improved" bot behaviour, but from the stance of new pilots unfamiliar with the game.

I recognise a duality exists here in that the ui should be improved, but even re-enabling droidbuttons i was still infuriated by this tactic, making a bit of a chore out of such basic opponents as orun collectors. as such, i request you withhold comments about the flight interface for its own threads.

We're aware of this bug, it's definitely on the list, and I agree it's super irritating, particularly for newbies. We don't know why this is happening. It's some kind of side effect of some other change.

+1. I love the new swarming behavior, but maybe make it not happen at least in capitol systems where the newbies are trying to train.

I love the new swarming behavior, but maybe make it not happen at least in capitol systems where the newbies are trying to train.

What does that have to do with anything? It only happens in those experimental locations, or specific bots, where we're allowing it to. Mostly just the Unaligned Pirate, F-12 and D-14.

The swarming stuff has nothing to do with this issue. Nor was it mentioned by the OP.

I actually like this new behavior, and I think it makes a lot of sense.

In almost every RPG, MMO or otherwise, NPCs tend to have no sense of self preservation; they rush headlong into situations spelling certain doom. Here it's more as if they were probing for weaknesses, retreating when it becomes apparent odds are not in their favor. Indeed, why should a bot engage with 100%, no quarter ferocity, except in a few given circumstances?

I have played against the new bots on vanilla mobile, a lot, and find it altogether more enjoyable. The AI, bug or not, feels more intelligent.

It makes it feel more like an actual world where there isn't one "volume" of aggression in environmental NPCs, and they seem to care about self preservation. If you wait long enough, sometimes a group of them will get together and gang up on you without mercy, but I like that it's no longer about conveniencing the player but that the bots are acting more like a pack of hunters.

I don't think it's too difficult, and would be happy to record a video tutorial on vanilla mobile to demonstrate using beginner equipment.

Edit: here you are:

https://youtu.be/sGET3f_Ztl8

Yea, seems like they behave more like the new wormhole pirates do.

I think the bot behavior may be too hard for new players to master, especially when the controls are so foreign.

I've watched people in dau fighting oruns that where acting more like assault bots, idk if this behavior is still present or not.

Just try to look at it from a new players perspective, or try it on vanilla mobile.

I think Assaults should assault and collectors no. 1 priority should be collecting

I think a lot of you are confused about what we're discussing.

Luxen: Yes, we're likely fixing it tonight, at least for Drone classes.

Honestly the swarming behavior is borning af and leads to a singular best set up to deal with it. Although I am mostly concerned with pvp so take my opinion with a grain of salt. Also imo the super accuracy of the box hogs is pretty unrealistic to what you would encounter with a player

This thread has nothing to do with "swarming behaviour". Seriously, people, if you want to discuss that, start your own thread. At least learn to read the existing threads.

This is about bots "just turboing away and ignoring him, as another random one became aggroed."

Ie, the tendency of individual aggro'd bots to become "distracted" and abandon their targets after a short period of time, particularly collectors in newbie sectors. We found the bug, we're addressing it. This has nothing whatsoever to do with "swarming".

Yea, I didn't notice any "swarming" from the collectors I've been fighting recently. It was similar to when the pirates get damage in the wormhole sector. They lose focus on a target and run away. I'm kinda with Phaserlight on that one, too. It was an interesting response at least, and may have some application elsewhere as a means of self preservation, as put above.

Phaserlight, thanks for the video. I'll be referencing it a lot to improve my skill.
Thanks for the help.

Oh, and by the way, Luxen, even though your paragraph was very well-written, you did paint me in a very different light than I actually am, a very negative light specifically, which is very irritating to me.
Now, with that out of the way, I would like to make a few key points:
1. You never offered me a controller.
2. True, you offered me DroidButtond, but I opted out. The reason for that is I used my practical logic: with enough practice, I will be able to do all the things DroidButtons can with the default UI. And thus, I'll be able to do well against bots. Phaserlight's video proves that. Watch it, if you haven't already. Great insight there!
3. I usually do better than how I did that evening when you attempted, and I say attempted because you seemed very impatient with me, to train me. But that may not be the case right now because I haven't been playing the game often due to being busy with other things.
4. The new bot behavior isn't bad. As Phaserlight pointed it, it is more realistic. It actually makes things easier when fighting Collector bots because they will go back to mining. Then, when you attack, another one will come at you. It makes things more fun and exciting...even though I do die.

One last thing: we both have things we need to work on as mentor and trainee. I'm sorry that I've been blunt in this reply, but I hope we can build a better friendship in the future.

I thought collectors and such were suppose to behave the way they do now intentionally, had no clue it was a bug. But I believe they should stay the way they are now just increase the time it takes for the collectors and assaults, etc to run.

Versatilepilot

There are a few things you will never be able to on mobile as it isn't possible as far as I know, strafing, etc.

He wasn't offering one, he said you weren't going to use one.

Mobile strafes by tilting the device...

@Incarnate, late reply, but the bot swarming happens in all systems. Here is proof:

https://youtu.be/T_uH9knV3FI

Bark, he didn't say bots do not swarm, he said that this is not what this thread is about so go make your own thread if you want to discuss that aspect of bot behaviour. Nobody is saying they do not swarm or from time to time gank (He said their behaviour isn't linked to the new test cases of swarming - they have behaved like this for some time) This thread is about the bots that attack you - and then run away again when their HP has fallen causing another bot to go hostile on you which then does as above.

Btw, this never got fixed, and I am presuming as you do not know what is the cause it may take some time to actually fix properly. A quick and dirty fix would be to reduce the turbo speed of collectors. Collectors are the reason this thread was started, and in a free ship with a free or light cell the collectors can turbo a LOT faster than a bus. If their turbo max speed was reduced to something like 90 (they really do not need to go any faster), then the bus pilot should have a much better chance of catching the runner and finishing the kill.

Of course, the best of us out there know it is faster to just shoot the ones that are mining. It is easy to say to someone who asks "why is this so hard?" to point them at something like Phaserlights video, but I suspect that a lot of the players that hit this issue simply say nothing, and Uninstall.

Yoda
Killing miners since 2004!

(Double Facepalm). Jesus, Barktooth.

What Yoda said.

No, we haven't fixed it yet.