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Wondering if my character is now next to useless (Drones)
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Cameron Zero
Sebiestor Tribe
#21 - 2013-07-07 20:17:27 UTC
Zaph Kiel wrote:
I also have just returned to the game only to find that i can no longer do level 4 missions. I am furious. CCP has made drones INVIABLE in pve. I fail to see how an npc battleship can acquire lock on a drone in 3 seconds flat, and more importantly, how it can even hit them as they mwd and/or orbit. I want some kind of compensation for the damages caused to my account, the refunding of sp for example.


Go ahead and hold your breath.

"I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. …"
Max Godsnottlingson
Viziam
Amarr Empire
#22 - 2013-07-07 20:59:36 UTC  |  Edited by: Max Godsnottlingson
Cameron Zero wrote:
Zaph Kiel wrote:
I also have just returned to the game only to find that i can no longer do level 4 missions. I am furious. CCP has made drones INVIABLE in pve. I fail to see how an npc battleship can acquire lock on a drone in 3 seconds flat, and more importantly, how it can even hit them as they mwd and/or orbit. I want some kind of compensation for the damages caused to my account, the refunding of sp for example.


Go ahead and hold your breath.


You were much more polite then I was going to be Cameron. My suggestion was alont the lines of having sex while travelling.

For any ship from cruiser sized up drones are invaluble for PvE because NPC frigs are a bind to chew on now. A loadout of Hobgoblin II will see off any 'fast movers' and will then add some decent damage to your shipboard weapon systems when all that is left is the bigger stuff.

As already said, you have to manage them more, and be ready to pull them back once they start to take 'incoming'. But on the whole, while they might not be the main weapon of choice, they are a damned site more then just a secondary weapon.
Tsukino Stareine
Garoun Investment Bank
Gallente Federation
#23 - 2013-07-08 01:32:23 UTC
Zaph Kiel wrote:
I also have just returned to the game only to find that i can no longer do level 4 missions. I am furious. CCP has made drones INVIABLE in pve. I fail to see how an npc battleship can acquire lock on a drone in 3 seconds flat, and more importantly, how it can even hit them as they mwd and/or orbit. I want some kind of compensation for the damages caused to my account, the refunding of sp for example.


are you for cereal

Art of Explosions
Cannibal Kane
Viziam
Amarr Empire
#24 - 2013-07-08 07:53:25 UTC  |  Edited by: Cannibal Kane
Like other have said.

There was no Drone specific changes aside from the Damage mod upgrades for more damage. Just rats got on AI upgrade.

All it means now is that people actually have to pay attention to their missions. That is why people complain... they can't go afk when they do missions in their drone boats.

"Kane is the End Boss of Highsec." -Psychotic Monk
Roime
Mea Culpa.
Shadow Cartel
#25 - 2013-07-08 08:54:08 UTC
Drones haven't been nerfed at all, they've only been buffed in the form of new and improved modules.

NPCs targeting drones is a complete non-issue and only totally incompetent people complain about it.

.
J'Poll
School of Applied Knowledge
Caldari State
#26 - 2013-07-08 08:57:23 UTC  |  Edited by: J'Poll
Zaph Kiel wrote:
I also have just returned to the game only to find that i can no longer do level 4 missions. I am furious. CCP has made drones INVIABLE in pve. I fail to see how an npc battleship can acquire lock on a drone in 3 seconds flat, and more importantly, how it can even hit them as they mwd and/or orbit. I want some kind of compensation for the damages caused to my account, the refunding of sp for example.



Mr Necro, are you mad?

Drones haven't been nerfed.

CCP just fixed the AI so people can't run / farm missions AFK.

This is Darwinism at it's best...adapt or rage.

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Freighdee Katt
Center for Advanced Studies
Gallente Federation
#27 - 2013-07-08 13:31:10 UTC
They are nerfed in that NPCs now target switch to them regularly, which means if mobile drones are a non-trivial distance from you, then they will die before they can return to the bay. Even T2 and light drones will die because NPCs can wrecking-shot them from any distance with their magical infinite tracking and optimal range. Also, since you now have to recall drones often to keep them from dying, their effective DPS is substantially nerfed, even if you're using sentries. It's basically the same as it would be if you had to retract your turrets and launchers every thirty seconds to avoid having them shot off.

You can "adapt" by using sentries only and filling your highs with small reps to keep them alive. Or you can "adapt" by moving on to another primary weapon system until they decide to unfuck drones.

EvE is supposed to suck.  Wait . . . what was the question?
Q 5
999 HOLDINGS LLC
#28 - 2013-07-09 06:21:50 UTC
Daniel Plain wrote:
drones are fine, people just fail at adapting.


This, most of my core skills are missile I am flying a drone boat but doing lvl 4's np, but drone management is a must.











_______________________________________________
You can trust me, I don't have a monocle.
Jonah Gravenstein
Machiavellian Space Bastards
#29 - 2013-07-09 06:47:00 UTC  |  Edited by: Jonah Gravenstein
Freighdee Katt wrote:
They are nerfed in that NPCs now target switch to them regularly, which means if mobile drones are a non-trivial distance from you, then they will die before they can return to the bay. Even T2 and light drones will die because NPCs can wrecking-shot them from any distance with their magical infinite tracking and optimal range. Also, since you now have to recall drones often to keep them from dying, their effective DPS is substantially nerfed, even if you're using sentries. It's basically the same as it would be if you had to retract your turrets and launchers every thirty seconds to avoid having them shot off.

You can "adapt" by using sentries only and filling your highs with small reps to keep them alive. Or you can "adapt" by moving on to another primary weapon system until they decide to unfuck drones.

So you're moaning that CCP made the NPCs slightly more intelligent than yourself a rock?
There's plenty of information on how to counter the upgraded NPC AI, including info on what class of ships will attack your drones eg: Light drones get attacked by frigates, Medium drones get attacked by cruisers, destroyers and frigates and Heavy/Sentry drones get attacked by every type of NPC. If you're wanting to just launch your drones and walk away then tough cookies.

It's not hard to work around the changes, the new AI is a watered down version of one that's been actively used for 4 years in wormholes, and the people who live there manage fine.

In the beginning there was nothing, which exploded.

New Player FAQ

Feyd's Survival Pack
Cosmar
Syn Interstellar
#30 - 2013-07-09 09:35:42 UTC
I recently came back to the game as well.
Trying to do missions with heavies or even medium is annoying as hell.

But smalls are still good for fast ships and are generally fast enough that they don't take damage in high level missions. And if you want to mission with a drone boat Sentries are still decent and you can recall them as they get targeted. But overall i recommand maybe focusing on a railboat for missions this time around because the mechanic of staring at the drone shields for 30 minutes ready to recall with no clue as to what may cause aggro from across the map is just no fun.
Freighdee Katt
Center for Advanced Studies
Gallente Federation
#31 - 2013-07-09 11:03:43 UTC
Jonah Gravenstein wrote:
So you're moaning that CCP made the NPCs slightly more intelligent than yourself a rock?

How about we make it so you have to retract your turrets and launchers every thirty seconds to avoid having them shot off. EvE is supposed to be hard, after all, and it's completely unrealistic that all your turrets and wingy bits remain in pristine 100% operating condition right up until the moment your entire ship explodes.

EvE is supposed to suck.  Wait . . . what was the question?
Toshiro Hasegawa
Blackwater USA Inc.
Pandemic Horde
#32 - 2013-07-09 16:20:57 UTC
I dont know if i am missing something but i dont seem to have any issue with my sentry drones.. i dont move .. pop them out .. if they get aggro i bring them back in for a few seconds and pop them right back out.

I would imagine that Heavy drones are at greater risk.

Med and Lights i keep a very vigilant eye on and always get them back if they start taking damage.

I have yet to use remote rep'rs on them.

History is the study of change.

Jonah Gravenstein
Machiavellian Space Bastards
#33 - 2013-07-09 17:55:55 UTC  |  Edited by: Jonah Gravenstein
Freighdee Katt wrote:
Jonah Gravenstein wrote:
So you're moaning that CCP made the NPCs slightly more intelligent than yourself a rock?

How about we make it so you have to retract your turrets and launchers every thirty seconds to avoid having them shot off. EvE is supposed to be hard, after all, and it's completely unrealistic that all your turrets and wingy bits remain in pristine 100% operating condition right up until the moment your entire ship explodes.


When my turrets and launchers are capable of independent flight, can automagically attack NPCS, have infinite ammunition and a shield recharge rate, then I will gladly pull them back in when they start to get shot at. As for my wingy bits, I fly Minmatar so T2 duct tape is an essential ship component, even then they threaten to fall off every time I use the afterburner or a gate.

Your comparison is bad, and you should feel bad about it.

It's becoming increasingly difficult to conform to the NCQA rule of remaining polite and not trolling, especially in the face of idiocy

In the beginning there was nothing, which exploded.

New Player FAQ

Feyd's Survival Pack
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