Test Server Feedback

That's true I guess. I mean, if I knew then what I know now, I certainly would have done things different.

But back to the point. If it's not fair and unbalanced, shouldn't it...I don't know...get balanced? I know this sounds crazy, but maybe it's worth trying, just to see how it feels? Huh, CCP? What do you think?

Seriously though, sometimes these guys make very little sense. In the same expansion that they're changing a number of ships into drone boats, and adding several new drone boats, they go and nerf the heck out of drone usage with this AI stuff? And in the upcoming patches they're adding even more drone boats (rumor has it Prophecy will become a drone boat), in a game where almost nobody ever uses drone boats (because of all the stuff I mentioned above)? I mean, look at EVEKill top 20. See a drone boat anywhere in there? Nope? Odd, huh? I wonder why that is. Must be because they're just so darn powerful and efficient that no self-respecting pilot would be caught using one...

Merry Christmas!

So we can expect somewhere in january a new version to be deployed on the test servers, and hopefully a more two-sided conversation next time?

(Please no tinfoil hats and trolling guys.)

So let's see if I got this right.
I haven't logged onto the game in a few days, because I am so pissed off with CCP.

They introduce new changes to the AI on Duality, and have it up for about 5 days.
One, maybe 2 guys give extremely detailed test results, which show even more devastating changes to ISK/hour than what came out two weeks ago.
CCP does not even acknowledge any of the test results posted by a couple people busting their ass.
CCP then, just before going on vacation, release this code without any comments, this new, even more devastating AI, without any changes.

Right.....and I am the crazy one for suggesting their is a conspiracy.
How about just utter incompetence?
Is that a better fit?

Going to love see people run Buzzkill with this new AI.
Or what all the BS pilots will do when they have elite frigs scramming and webbing them and are under their guns.
If I can't use small drones to nail the elite frigs, what precisely am I supposed to use, harsh language?

Guess it is time to focus on Incursions, but I imagine there will be a huge rush to them as all the mission runners realize they are finished.

I havent run missions in few years but ive done that said mission atleast 50 times. And i can say it sucked even few years back with cruise cnr. Little did precision missiles and target painters help...

So Fox Four has the time to follow the forums and comment about the Lego Rifter not being made, but can't comment in this thread.

Quite telling, I would suggest.
If CCP's actions can be summed in words:
"Drones are dead, losers. Deal with it. Go to null sec where you should be."

Some call it a whine. Others call it fighting the good fight. (But the fight is lost. High sec will be a smoking ruins within 2 more releases.)
Some call it tin foil. Others call it understanding precisely how the suggested mechanics will impact the game.

Let's see:

I whined about datacore income farming getting vastly more than a 50% nerf. Turns out the nerf was more to the tune of 80-90%.
I whined about the changes to Incursion running were far far more than a 10% nerf. Turns out it is more like a 50% nerf, even AFTER CCP rolled back some of the changes.
I whined about drones, and in extension, high sec mission running, being devastated. Guess how that is turning out?
I am now supposedly tin foiling about high sec industry on the chopping block. Funny, seems like a lead designer stated May 2nd, 2012, that the plans for hammering high sec industry were in the works: https://forums.eveonline.com/default.aspx?g=posts&m=1230077#post1230077


But yeah, you keep on calling me a whiner and some batshit crazy tinfoiler.
If you don't depend on high sec income, you are dancing gleefully around the room. If you do depend on it, and you are calling me a whiner...don't know what to say.

You mean a "Hide Posts" Button?
If only we had one of those...
nudgenudgewinkwink

Disclaimer:
Should there be such a button, and not function as perfectly as you'd desire, I wouldn't know about it.

Hard to know for sure, since CCP won't list what each team is working on, but FoxFour now has a different team name. Can only guess that it means he's no longer working on the AI at all. Again, only a guess. Pretty sure he's also still on vacation, so posting on the forums with his phone or whatever would be easier than coding anything while out of the country.

Don't quote me on this, but I believe with the new AI the ships can now attack one target and EWAR a completely different target.

It's in Retribution feature list, but I didn't personally test this:
"Selecting secondary targets – NPCs can attack multiple targets, sometimes firing on one player while jamming or disrupting another."



MJD is nice. But remember there's such a thing in the game as Heavy Drones? Yeah, those. Some of us were even stupid enough to train them to T2. Well, those guys are pretty much unusable now (as everyone, from frigs to battleships) will attack them. So MJD is only really good for Sentries, and abysmal for Heavies. That makes Heavies rather useless. Useless == needs a review to be useful. Currently, there's a really tiny niche where Heavies are any good at all. Most of the time they're just totally wasted training.

The situation is far, far from ideal.

Cross-posting from the main AI thread:

We were promised specific PVP fixes that were to go live "after Retribution" by Foxfour in a post in early November (https://forums.eveonline.com/default.aspx?g=posts&m=2158421#post2158421 for reference). When are these changes expected to go live?