Is there a why to stop NPC's from attacking Drones/Fighters?

Is there a why to stop NPC’s from attacking Drones/Fighters? every time i launch Drones/Fighters NPC’s got out of there way to attack them its happening all the time when i am doing missions or ratting or even mining.

2 Likes

Kill them?

3 Likes

But you can scoop sentries back into the drone bay instantly and re-deploy them.

its not just sentry drones they even attack my mining drone

1 Like

Then I would tell them they did a good job and helped the economy.

how is it helping the economy when Drone boats are rendered useless

1 Like

Well if a drone gets killed, you have to buy a new one and someone has to make this specific drone first.

Drone boats aren’t useless, they just require you to be at the keyboard not go get groceries while the server plays the game for you.

6 Likes

I always thought it was a size issue? For example, if you launch medium drones against a mix of frigs & cruisers then the frigs will target the drones immediately, not you.

In this current harvest mining, I launch light drones against the frigs (whilst running away) and when they are dead turn around and launch the mediums (from a skiff this is) and kill the cruisers. If I make the mistake of launching mediums straight away, they get peppered.

So, as @Tipa_Riot said, kill them, but start with smaller first?

2 Likes

how am i meant to use a drone boat when NPC’s start shoot the Drones as soon as i launch them

1 Like

@Lily_Inkura size doesn’t matter NPC battleships will attack light drones

1 Like

Sure, never have that happened with regular NPCs?

Yes, but isn’t it still all probability based? eg probability of a sleeper attacking drones is much higher than other NPC? Probability of larger drones getting attacked, etc? Certainly, never had problems with my T2 mining drones but augmented drones certainly get attention.

This may not help you, but is how the mechanic used to be based.

i have had this problem ever since the carrier changers but it got to a point where it just rage inducing i have had over 200 drones alpha ed with in seconds of being launched and i cant make a support ticket because 3 years ago i told a CCP dev to go shove it and they blocked me from making support tickets. with the way thing are going NPC’s will able to shoot the guns off our ships. hell CCP cant eve keep to the word any more the new Drekavac is on the test server and its nothing like what CCP said it would.

1 Like

tricky. I feel your frustration.

@elitatwo is just being an asshole here, you can safely ignore him.

There are two things to note :

  • first, the rats have a maximum drone size to consider. Any drone lower than this size won’t be attack. Plus, elite frigates, destroyers, and the elite cruisers have a specific taste for drones. eg “dire pith destructor” or normal destroyer should be a primary target ; and you should keep your drones close to you when they appear.
  • second, your ship may sometimes be subject to “drone hate bug”, which when it occurs all the rats will instantly switch to your drones the moment your launch them (which may result in the quick death of one, two, … drones). It is unknown to me how to get rid of this bug, only happened twice I think and log off / docking was not enough to remove it so I called it a day and after DT it was good. People claim that exiting ship in space, then docking, then logoff, then reloging and re entering ship can fix that bug. It seems like your ship is subject to the bug, not your toon, so using a different ship may help.

more details :
the entities have an attribute named “ai_xxx_drone_xxx” which you can get from the esi, eg
Dire Pithi Destructor
here is the join of the attribute with their names :

click to show
mass (4) 1650000.0
hp (9) 450.0
charge (18) 0.0
speedFactor (20) -75.0
maxVelocity (37) 360.0
capacity (38) 235.0
speed (51) 3500.0
maxRange (54) 15000.0
rechargeRate (55) 500000.0
damageMultiplier (64) 6.0
scanSpeed (79) 2000.0
warpScrambleRange (103) 20000.0
warpScrambleStrength (105) 1.0
emDamage (114) 0.0
explosiveDamage (116) 0.0
kineticDamage (117) 6.0
thermalDamage (118) 5.0
falloff (158) 6000.0
trackingSpeed (160) 0.07
volume (161) 16500.0
radius (162) 50.0
maxLockedTargets (192) 2.0
maxAttackTargets (193) 1.0
scanRadarStrength (208) 0.0
scanLadarStrength (209) 0.0
scanMagnetometricStrength (210) 0.0
scanGravimetricStrength (211) 13.0
propulsionGraphicID (217) 395.0
gfxTurretID (245) 565.0
gfxBoosterID (246) 395.0
entityAttackRange (247) 41250.0
entityLootCountMin (250) 2.0
entitySecurityStatusKillBonus (252) 0.035
shieldCapacity (263) 725.0
shieldCharge (264) 0.0
armorHP (265) 450.0
armorEmDamageResonance (267) 0.15
armorExplosiveDamageResonance (268) 0.21
armorKineticDamageResonance (269) 0.36
armorThermalDamageResonance (270) 0.28
shieldEmDamageResonance (271) 0.15
shieldExplosiveDamageResonance (272) 0.21
shieldKineticDamageResonance (273) 0.36
shieldThermalDamageResonance (274) 0.28
entityFlyRange (416) 16500.0
entityEquipmentMin (456) -4.0
entityEquipmentMax (457) 5.0
entityReactionFactor (466) 0.49
entityAttackDelayMin (475) 5700.0
entityAttackDelayMax (476) 22800.0
shieldRechargeRate (479) 2000000.0
entityKillBounty (481) 27000.0
capacitorCapacity (482) 310.0
shieldUniformity (484) 0.75
entityDefenderChance (497) 0.01125
entityWarpScrambleChance (504) 0.5
missileLaunchDuration (506) 12000.0
entityMissileTypeID (507) 210.0
entityCruiseSpeed (508) 180.0
modifyTargetSpeedChance (512) 0.5
modifyTargetSpeedDuration (513) 20000.0
modifyTargetSpeedRange (514) 10000.0
armorUniformity (524) 0.75
structureUniformity (525) 1.0
signatureRadius (552) 38.0
entityFactionLoss (562) 0.00325
entitySecurityMaxGain (563) 5.0
scanResolution (564) 600.0
entityChaseMaxDelay (580) 10000.0
entityChaseMaxDelayChance (581) 0.175
entityChaseMaxDuration (582) 10000.0
entityChaseMaxDurationChance (583) 1.0
optimalSigRadius (620) 40.0
entityArmorRepairDuration (630) 10000.0
entityArmorRepairAmount (631) 0.0
entityShieldBoostDuration (636) 5000.0
entityShieldBoostAmount (637) 55.0
entityArmorRepairDelayChance (638) 0.34
entityShieldBoostDelayChance (639) 0.34
entityGroupRespawnChance (640) 1.0
missileEntityVelocityMultiplier (645) 1.4915
missileEntityFlightTimeMultiplier (646) 1.4915
maxDirectionalVelocity (661) 3000.0
minTargetVelDmgMultiplier (662) 0.05
entityChaseMaxDistance (665) 24750.0
entityBracketColour (798) 1.0
disallowAssistance (854) 1.0
missileEntityAoeCloudSizeMultiplier (858) 0.9017
missileEntityAoeVelocityMultiplier (859) 1.1966
entityShieldBoostDelayChanceSmall (1006) 0.34
entityArmorRepairDelayChanceSmall (1009) 0.34
AI_ShouldUseTargetSwitching (1648) 1.0
AI_ShouldUseSignatureRadius (1650) 1.0
AI_ChanceToNotTargetSwitch (1651) 0.0
AI_ShouldUseEffectMultiplier (1652) 1.0
AI_TankingModifierDrone (1656) 0.7
entityOverviewShipGroupId (1766) 25.0
AI_IgnoreDronesBelowSignatureRadius (1855) 25.0

AI_IgnoreDronesBelowSignatureRadius (1855) 25.0 means drones under 25 m sig won’t be attacked normally. I don’t think any drone has smaller than 25 m sig so … it attacks any drone.
AI_TankingModifierDrone (1656) 0.7 means the rat has a standard taste to drones (to my understanding 0.5 is ignore, 0.7 is standard, 1 is high , 2 is hate)
optimalSigRadius (620) 40.0 to my understanding, that means that the entity will try to aggress in priority the ennemy with a sig close to that one.

looking at another rat, eg Arch Gistum Defeater

click to show
mass (4) 1.09E7
hp (9) 1300.0
charge (18) 0.0
speedFactor (20) -75.0
maxVelocity (37) 400.0
capacity (38) 120.0
speed (51) 2500.0
maxRange (54) 1500.0
rechargeRate (55) 1000000.0
damageMultiplier (64) 4.1666665
scanSpeed (79) 4500.0
warpScrambleRange (103) 0.0
emDamage (114) 0.0
explosiveDamage (116) 4.0
kineticDamage (117) 16.0
thermalDamage (118) 0.0
falloff (158) 8000.0
trackingSpeed (160) 0.1056
volume (161) 109000.0
radius (162) 150.0
maxLockedTargets (192) 4.0
maxAttackTargets (193) 1.0
scanRadarStrength (208) 0.0
scanLadarStrength (209) 35.0
scanMagnetometricStrength (210) 0.0
scanGravimetricStrength (211) 0.0
propulsionGraphicID (217) 397.0
gfxTurretID (245) 489.0
gfxBoosterID (246) 397.0
entityAttackRange (247) 10500.0
entityLootCountMin (250) 1.0
entitySecurityStatusKillBonus (252) 0.1025
shieldCapacity (263) 1700.0
shieldCharge (264) 0.0
armorHP (265) 1200.0
armorEmDamageResonance (267) 0.15
armorExplosiveDamageResonance (268) 0.2625
armorKineticDamageResonance (269) 0.225
armorThermalDamageResonance (270) 0.1875
shieldEmDamageResonance (271) 0.15
shieldExplosiveDamageResonance (272) 0.2625
shieldKineticDamageResonance (273) 0.225
shieldThermalDamageResonance (274) 0.1875
entityFlyRange (416) 3500.0
entityEquipmentMin (456) -4.0
entityEquipmentMax (457) 5.0
entityReactionFactor (466) 0.72
entityAttackDelayMin (475) 3975.0
entityAttackDelayMax (476) 15900.0
shieldRechargeRate (479) 1000000.0
entityKillBounty (481) 236250.0
capacitorCapacity (482) 1025.0
shieldUniformity (484) 0.75
entityDefenderChance (497) 0.065
entityWarpScrambleChance (504) 0.0
missileLaunchDuration (506) 1.0
entityMissileTypeID (507) 209.0
entityCruiseSpeed (508) 200.0
modifyTargetSpeedChance (512) 0.65
modifyTargetSpeedDuration (513) 5000.0
modifyTargetSpeedRange (514) 20000.0
armorUniformity (524) 0.75
structureUniformity (525) 1.0
signatureRadius (552) 185.0
entityFactionLoss (562) 0.009
entitySecurityMaxGain (563) 5.0
scanResolution (564) 230.0
entityChaseMaxDelay (580) 10000.0
entityChaseMaxDelayChance (581) 0.4375
entityChaseMaxDuration (582) 10000.0
entityChaseMaxDurationChance (583) 1.0
optimalSigRadius (620) 125.0
entityArmorRepairDuration (630) 10000.0
entityArmorRepairAmount (631) 270.0
entityShieldBoostDuration (636) 5000.0
entityShieldBoostAmount (637) 135.0
entityArmorRepairDelayChance (638) 0.6
entityGroupRespawnChance (640) 1.0
missileEntityVelocityMultiplier (645) 1.3852
missileEntityFlightTimeMultiplier (646) 1.3852
maxDirectionalVelocity (661) 2000.0
minTargetVelDmgMultiplier (662) 0.25
entityChaseMaxDistance (665) 7000.0
entityBracketColour (798) 1.0
disallowAssistance (854) 1.0
missileEntityAoeCloudSizeMultiplier (858) 0.8074
missileEntityAoeVelocityMultiplier (859) 1.3852
entityShieldBoostDelayChanceMedium (1007) 0.5
AI_ShouldUseTargetSwitching (1648) 1.0
AI_ShouldUseSignatureRadius (1650) 1.0
AI_ChanceToNotTargetSwitch (1651) 0.0
AI_ShouldUseEffectMultiplier (1652) 1.0
AI_TankingModifierDrone (1656) 0.7
entityOverviewShipGroupId (1766) 26.0
AI_IgnoreDronesBelowSignatureRadius (1855) 25.0

same values of drone aggression as above. However
optimalSigRadius (620) 125.0
means it will more attack bigger drones first.

now details for Serpentis Baron

attributes
mass (4) 1.9E7
hp (9) 4250.0
charge (18) 0.0
maxVelocity (37) 1120.0
capacity (38) 480.0
speed (51) 2500.0
maxRange (54) 4000.0
rechargeRate (55) 1000000.0
damageMultiplier (64) 7.2083335
kineticDamage (117) 12.0
thermalDamage (118) 16.0
falloff (158) 6000.0
trackingSpeed (160) 0.05
volume (161) 1010000.0
radius (162) 350.0
maxLockedTargets (192) 1.0
maxAttackTargets (193) 1.0
scanMagnetometricStrength (210) 22.0
propulsionGraphicID (217) 394.0
gfxTurretID (245) 571.0
gfxBoosterID (246) 394.0
entityAttackRange (247) 16500.0
entityLootCountMin (250) 1.0
entitySecurityStatusKillBonus (252) 0.16
shieldCapacity (263) 3500.0
shieldCharge (264) 0.0
armorHP (265) 3975.0
armorEmDamageResonance (267) 0.4
armorExplosiveDamageResonance (268) 0.3
armorKineticDamageResonance (269) 0.6
armorThermalDamageResonance (270) 0.5
shieldEmDamageResonance (271) 0.4
shieldExplosiveDamageResonance (272) 0.3
shieldKineticDamageResonance (273) 0.6
shieldThermalDamageResonance (274) 0.5
entityFlyRange (416) 5500.0
entityEquipmentMin (456) 4.0
entityEquipmentMax (457) 6.0
entityReactionFactor (466) 0.77
entityAttackDelayMin (475) 3900.0
entityAttackDelayMax (476) 15600.0
shieldRechargeRate (479) 500000.0
entityKillBounty (481) 500000.0
capacitorCapacity (482) 3000.0
shieldUniformity (484) 0.75
entityDefenderChance (497) 0.21
entityCruiseSpeed (508) 140.0
armorUniformity (524) 0.75
structureUniformity (525) 1.0
signatureRadius (552) 360.0
entityFactionLoss (562) 0.01
entitySecurityMaxGain (563) 5.0
scanResolution (564) 105.0
entityChaseMaxDelay (580) 10000.0
entityChaseMaxDelayChance (581) 0.5
entityChaseMaxDuration (582) 10000.0
entityChaseMaxDurationChance (583) 1.0
optimalSigRadius (620) 400.0
entityArmorRepairDuration (630) 10000.0
entityArmorRepairAmount (631) 350.0
entityArmorRepairDelayChance (638) 0.65
entityGroupRespawnChance (640) 1.0
entityChaseMaxDistance (665) 11000.0
entityBracketColour (798) 1.0
disallowAssistance (854) 1.0
entityArmorRepairDelayChanceLarge (1011) 0.65
AI_ShouldUseTargetSwitching (1648) 1.0
AI_ShouldUseSignatureRadius (1650) 1.0
AI_ChanceToNotTargetSwitch (1651) 0.0
AI_ShouldUseEffectMultiplier (1652) 1.0
AI_TankingModifierDrone (1656) 0.7
entityOverviewShipGroupId (1766) 27.0
AI_IgnoreDronesBelowSignatureRadius (1855) 100.0

AI_TankingModifierDrone (1656) 0.7 so same drone aggro as other
AI_IgnoreDronesBelowSignatureRadius (1855) 100.0 meaning it won’t shoot smaller drones

I believe ewar works on NPCs

NPCs currently don’t even target drones often enough.

They should kill them way more often.

3 Likes

You need to make your ship a more attractive target. The best way to do that used to be fitting your ship with some sort of EW - I used a target painter which had the dual benefit of drawing agro to the ship and making the target easier to hit.

Not sure if this is still as effective - AFK mining and ratting is gameplay CCP should try to discourage and targetting drones is an effective way to do that.

They should also remove aggressive stance for drones, since that was meant as counter vs ECM.

Since ECM is useless now that needs to be removed too.

Drone and fighter gameplay should always be active gameplay only.

2 Likes