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Lore Question: Why don't NPCs in Missions Warp Away?
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Dante Burke
Practical Applications
#1 - 2015-04-18 03:41:43 UTC
As the title questions, I've long pondered why NPC ships in missions, stay on the field of battle, even when it's clear they can't cut through ones tank. Were I one of these ship captains, and I saw a single ship zip into the complex, and begin to decimate thirty-plus of my companions, I'd ponder about leaving.

I was curious if there's a lore/story reason as to why they don't. Are their ship's warp fields/whatever, not as effective as we capsuleers? Or is it just one of those little niggles that we ignore for the sake of earning some bounties?

I solo warped into Asakai, and all I got was this stupid t-shirt. - Dante Burke
Isaiah Bishop
#2 - 2015-04-18 05:59:48 UTC
Interesting question. I would assume it is just a 'don't think about this' moment, but I have never really thought about it before.
Owen Levanth
Sagittarius Unlimited Exploration
#3 - 2015-04-18 11:47:46 UTC
It'll probably be solved in the future. The new AI Seekers and Drifters use allow warping around, so there's no reason future mission rats shouldn't just warp away when outclassed. Would be kind of neat if you actually had a use for disruptors and scrams outside of PvP. P
Caroline Grace
Retrostellar Boulevard
#4 - 2015-04-18 12:06:31 UTC
This always bothered me as well, the only explanation I've got is the 'Last man stand theory', where the possibility and fear of being shot by their own people for running away from a battle are high. That is of course wonderful only in theory, because in reality there would be always some NPC who would run away. However maybe it is virtually impossible for NPCs to run away from a battlefield, because all their ships have some GPS/warp/jamming devices which track their ships all the time from their high-command and they either have to defeat the capsuleer (the player) or die trying.

I'm Caroline Grace, and this is my favorite musical on the Citadel.
Daerrol
Republic University
Minmatar Republic
#5 - 2015-04-18 15:52:55 UTC
Proper space honour
YuuKnow
The Scope
#6 - 2015-04-18 16:57:56 UTC
NPCs are the one Eve aspect that will never have any good explanation.

You could pretend that they aren simply drones without pilots so don't have the programming to 'retreat'. Other than that, nothing really fits their behavior.

yk
Ibrahim Tash-Murkon
Itsukame-Zainou Hyperspatial Inquiries Ltd.
Arataka Research Consortium
#7 - 2015-04-18 20:49:16 UTC
This does not apply to all NPC encounters but many of them take place in situations where suicidal devotion to duty isn't that odd. Many NPCs in missions, for instance, are guarding installations that are occupied by hundreds and thousands of their people (mostly civilians even pirate sites and even when the installation is military in nature). The ship crews, though clearly outmatched by the Capsuleer intruder, will be inclined to make every effort to fight to the death when every second that they buy might save the lives of their friends, family, and people.

It's easy to overlook but, from a lore perspective, just about every combat mission is a massive tragedy with thousands upon thousands of deaths, plenty being civilians. Even pirate factions (minus the Sansha) are composed mostly of normal people, living their lives, and then one day a Capsuleer, who knows next to nothing about them, shows up and burns their home, their people, and just thoroughly erases everything they've ever known.

We're not so much merciless ship captains as thoroughly uncaring natural disasters. Still, if you're baseliner on a combat ship, and a capsuleer shows up I see it as very human that you and those around you would be willing to give your life in a futile struggle if there's even a glimmer of saving just some of your people.

#grimdark
#depressing
#justcapsuleerthings

"I give you the destiny of Faith, and you will bring its message to every planet of every star in the heavens: Go forth, conquer in my Name, and reclaim that which I have given." - Book of Reclaiming 22:13
Dante Burke
Practical Applications
#8 - 2015-04-18 22:41:47 UTC
Ibrahim Tash-Murkon wrote:
This does not apply to all NPC encounters but many of them take place in situations where suicidal devotion to duty isn't that odd. Many NPCs in missions, for instance, are guarding installations that are occupied by hundreds and thousands of their people (mostly civilians even pirate sites and even when the installation is military in nature). The ship crews, though clearly outmatched by the Capsuleer intruder, will be inclined to make every effort to fight to the death when every second that they buy might save the lives of their friends, family, and people.

It's easy to overlook but, from a lore perspective, just about every combat mission is a massive tragedy with thousands upon thousands of deaths, plenty being civilians. Even pirate factions (minus the Sansha) are composed mostly of normal people, living their lives, and then one day a Capsuleer, who knows next to nothing about them, shows up and burns their home, their people, and just thoroughly erases everything they've ever known.

We're not so much merciless ship captains as thoroughly uncaring natural disasters. Still, if you're baseliner on a combat ship, and a capsuleer shows up I see it as very human that you and those around you would be willing to give your life in a futile struggle if there's even a glimmer of saving just some of your people.

#grimdark
#depressing
#justcapsuleerthings



You know, I hadn't looked at it in that fashion. I know that we as Capsuleers aren't beholden to the same mannerisms as a regular human type pilot, but hadn't considered those aspects in the game sense. I'd say my question is well answered.

I solo warped into Asakai, and all I got was this stupid t-shirt. - Dante Burke
Daerrol
Republic University
Minmatar Republic
#9 - 2015-04-19 11:58:27 UTC
Ibrahim Tash-Murkon wrote:
This does not apply to all NPC encounters but many of them take place in situations where suicidal devotion to duty isn't that odd. Many NPCs in missions, for instance, are guarding installations that are occupied by hundreds and thousands of their people (mostly civilians even pirate sites and even when the installation is military in nature). The ship crews, though clearly outmatched by the Capsuleer intruder, will be inclined to make every effort to fight to the death when every second that they buy might save the lives of their friends, family, and people.

It's easy to overlook but, from a lore perspective, just about every combat mission is a massive tragedy with thousands upon thousands of deaths, plenty being civilians. Even pirate factions (minus the Sansha) are composed mostly of normal people, living their lives, and then one day a Capsuleer, who knows next to nothing about them, shows up and burns their home, their people, and just thoroughly erases everything they've ever known.

We're not so much merciless ship captains as thoroughly uncaring natural disasters. Still, if you're baseliner on a combat ship, and a capsuleer shows up I see it as very human that you and those around you would be willing to give your life in a futile struggle if there's even a glimmer of saving just some of your people.

#grimdark
#depressing
#justcapsuleerthings


Except most the time you are only targetting military ships....
Esna Pitoojee
Societas Imperialis Sceptri Coronaeque
Khimi Harar
#10 - 2015-04-19 15:26:05 UTC
Unfortunately, why they don't run away (or hold back their reinforcements for 5 minutes to asssemble a massive blob rather than charging in separately) is never particularly explained.

Arguably, with the Sansha prior to Kuvakei's return blame might have been placeable on faulty True Slave "programming"; Rogue Drone actions might be similarly explained, and Uriel makes some valid points for other limited situations.

In the vast majority of situations, however, there is no clear reason why NPCs do not leave a fight they clearly cannot win.
Soren Moller
#11 - 2015-04-19 17:20:58 UTC
It has the same answer as the question, "Why do bad guys in Hollywood films attack the hero one at a time after forming a circle around said hero?"

It simply wouldn't be fun otherwise. Heroes have to win once in a while.

This is true about you.
Ibrahim Tash-Murkon
Itsukame-Zainou Hyperspatial Inquiries Ltd.
Arataka Research Consortium
#12 - 2015-04-19 17:34:56 UTC
Daerrol wrote:
Except most the time you are only targetting military ships....


The ships are military but the habitats in the pocket with them aren't necessarily. And even if they are military there is still bound to be loads of civilians on board. In the (what I think is an unlikely) event that it was military ships guarding a military facility with only military personnel it does not seem that we could automatically assume that the ships would just cut and run leaving their comrades to die. Probably.

Esna Pitoojee wrote:
Unfortunately, why they don't run away (or hold back their reinforcements for 5 minutes to asssemble a massive blob rather than charging in separately) is never particularly explained.


We have to keep in mind that non-Capsuleer ships can't deploy nearly as fast as we can. I don't remember the exact details but I'm pretty sure that for baseliners stargate travel is something you have to pace out because of the effects it has on the crew (I'm pretty sure ye olde lore says Capsuleer crews get put in stasis until needed). So if reinforcements aren't in the same system the response time might be longer than the average mission. I mean, we know that reinforcements do often arrive in a mission but the ability to assemble a blob probably can't occur in the time-frame of a capsuleer attack.

"I give you the destiny of Faith, and you will bring its message to every planet of every star in the heavens: Go forth, conquer in my Name, and reclaim that which I have given." - Book of Reclaiming 22:13
Enya Sparhawk
Black Tea and Talons
#13 - 2015-04-22 19:29:19 UTC
Ibrahim Tash-Murkon wrote:

It's easy to overlook but, from a lore perspective, just about every combat mission is a massive tragedy with thousands upon thousands of deaths, plenty being civilians. Even pirate factions (minus the Sansha) are composed mostly of normal people, living their lives, and then one day a Capsuleer, who knows next to nothing about them, shows up and burns their home, their people, and just thoroughly erases everything they've ever known.

Hahahaha.... Well said...
It's easy for a capsuleer to overlook because to them death doesn't exist.

Fíorghrá: Grá na fírinne

Maireann croí éadrom i bhfad.

Bíonn súil le muir ach ní bhíonn súil le tír.

Is maith an scéalaí an aimsir.

When the lost ships of Greece finally return home...
Gimme Sake
State War Academy
Caldari State
#14 - 2015-04-23 09:45:28 UTC
Honorabru NPCs.

"Never not blob!" ~ Plato