These forums have been archived and are now read-only.

The new forums are live and can be found at https://forums.eveonline.com/

Missions & Complexes

 
  • Topic is locked indefinitely.
 

devs, please fix the AI to target drones less.
Author
Previous Topic Next Topic
Halice MacManus
Science and Trade Institute
Caldari State
#1 - 2012-12-09 19:46:01 UTC
CCP wrote:
Upgraded NPC AI OVERVIEW FAQ
Q) Will NPC's kill my drones?
A) Yes, but they don't hate them nearly as much as sleepers. I ran 9 level 4 missions and lost 2 drones.


I've lost 100% of my drones in my level 4 missions (about 20 drones in 6 missions now). I'm actively watching them and as soon as they start taking damage, they barely make it half way back before they are obliterated. My drone skills aren't maxed, but they're pretty decent. They should last a bit longer than 15-20km once I call them back. Also, BS are one-shotting them from 5k away. There's no way they should even be able to track drones that close. I feel bad for gallente pilots.

I'm all for a smarter AI, and can understand losing a drone or two each mission, but this is absurd. I'd pretty much have to babysit my drones within 10km to even have a shot at retaining them.
Amanda Haley
Center for Advanced Studies
Gallente Federation
#2 - 2012-12-09 19:51:15 UTC
you and 100 other people have this problem. There is no fix on it. Decrease of aggro will just make drones die less, but will still be as hell of annoying.

all Mediums and Heavy drones are now obsolete in PVE. and hobs are more like anti frig ammo now.
Rengerel en Distel
#3 - 2012-12-09 21:33:30 UTC
Halice MacManus wrote:
CCP wrote:
Upgraded NPC AI OVERVIEW FAQ
Q) Will NPC's kill my drones?
A) Yes, but they don't hate them nearly as much as sleepers. I ran 9 level 4 missions and lost 2 drones.


I've lost 100% of my drones in my level 4 missions (about 20 drones in 6 missions now). I'm actively watching them and as soon as they start taking damage, they barely make it half way back before they are obliterated. My drone skills aren't maxed, but they're pretty decent. They should last a bit longer than 15-20km once I call them back. Also, BS are one-shotting them from 5k away. There's no way they should even be able to track drones that close. I feel bad for gallente pilots.

I'm all for a smarter AI, and can understand losing a drone or two each mission, but this is absurd. I'd pretty much have to babysit my drones within 10km to even have a shot at retaining them.


So you could quote that part of the thread, but not read the part where they know it's a bug? The fix should be in by spring 2015, stop posting about it.

With the increase in shiptoasting, the Report timer needs to be shortened.
Turelus
Utassi Security
The Curatores Veritatis Auxiliary
#4 - 2012-12-09 21:41:34 UTC
The Dev's have said they're looking into the AI and EWAR problems, just need to be patient now and hope we get something soon.

Turelus CEO Utassi Security
Mund Richard
#5 - 2012-12-09 22:04:06 UTC
Turelus wrote:
The Dev's have said they're looking into the AI and EWAR problems, just need to be patient now and hope we get something soon.
Something makes me think they are looking at it from other angles.
May I be proven wrong.

In the meantime:
Halice MacManus wrote:
I've lost 100% of my drones in my level 4 missions (about 20 drones in 6 missions now). I'm actively watching them and as soon as they start taking damage, they barely make it half way back before they are obliterated. My drone skills aren't maxed, but they're pretty decent. They should last a bit longer than 15-20km once I call them back. Also, BS are one-shotting them from 5k away. There's no way they should even be able to track drones that close. I feel bad for gallente pilots.
Disclaimer: the question is serious, I'm not trying to ridicule, but you didn't include a hint at it one way or the other.
Dear OP, did you apply constant dps with your ship, and try applying various EWAR effects to said rats as well?

"We want PvE activities to require active participation and mirror PvP more closely." Stacking penalty for NPC EWAR then? Lock range under 9km from over 100 in a BS is not fun. Nor is two NPC web drones making me crawl 10m/s. PvP SW-900 x5: 75m/s.
Blastrodamus
Federal Navy Academy
Gallente Federation
#6 - 2012-12-09 22:58:53 UTC
i've done a bunch of L4 missions, only lost 1 drone. i use a drone navigation computer in a midslot and they are fast enough to get back to the bay without popping, even from far out.
Ole Volan
Deep Core Mining Inc.
Caldari State
#7 - 2012-12-10 02:35:52 UTC
I do not disagree with making the missions more challenging, a lot of them were too easy. But I think the drone control interface is not up the the task of the dynamic control of drones now required.

The way I now use my drones is to wait to launch them untill I have the whole room aggroed and firing at me (all red). Then when one starts taking damage I will recall just that one and replace it with a fresh one. It is a simple shortcut to recall all drones, but to recall just a single one, and do it quickly because its going to die, you must use the drop down menu. To replace it with a fresh one is also too difficult because the is no indication of a drone's state of repair while inside the drone bay. You could just as easily replace it with one even more damaged.

None of the other combat controls are this kludgey, drone control needs to be brought up to speed.
Anneliese Pollard
University of Caille
Gallente Federation
#8 - 2012-12-10 05:33:08 UTC
Ole Volan wrote:
I do not disagree with making the missions more challenging, a lot of them were too easy. But I think the drone control interface is not up the the task of the dynamic control of drones now required.

The way I now use my drones is to wait to launch them untill I have the whole room aggroed and firing at me (all red). Then when one starts taking damage I will recall just that one and replace it with a fresh one. It is a simple shortcut to recall all drones, but to recall just a single one, and do it quickly because its going to die, you must use the drop down menu. To replace it with a fresh one is also too difficult because the is no indication of a drone's state of repair while inside the drone bay. You could just as easily replace it with one even more damaged.

None of the other combat controls are this kludgey, drone control needs to be brought up to speed.


This - I would like to be able to see what targeted my drones.

Also - its as if the NPCs have instalock. We don't have that, they shouldn't either. That would give us enough time to adjust.