Exactly. You just agreed with me.
What harm?
Today if you want help;
In short: make friends.
With this idea if you want help;
No social interaction. One of the core pillars of retention.
@OP
The people supporting this idea should speak volumes about it’s lack of merit.
Well it will trivialise any PvE content when every ship gets extra dps, healing or hauling from NPCs. And it will completely throw off the PvP balance as well; drone bandwidth and drone damage is balanced on a per ship basis, unlike (NPC) mercenaries.
On top of that, these NPC mercenaries take away gameplay features that real players (and possible new friends) could fulfill.
Instead of asking what ‘harm’ these NPC allies would do, what ‘good’ would they do? Because right now I only see them doing harm to the game.
Now i know you are simply making up random poop to try and prop up your terrible idea.
How do you suggest the game code stops a player buying your +DPS mercs, for the reason that they might be a suicide ganker? The game does not know what a player is going to do each time they leave the station, sometimes the player doesn’t even know…
It would have to be tied directly to the crimewatch system, though that as a whole is an issue in itself.
There’s a lot existing where it complicates things like this.
Another reason why the OP hasn’t been well calculated in the 1st place. With alpha gankers, npc ai would not know their intention. The first volley of those ganker group would be enough to decimate their target.
I take it you did not read my posts, since i talked about swtor where you have AI controlled partners. To help you to complete solo the epic quest. Solo. Without interacting with other people
I really think that if you wanna do solo things with an IA controlled NPC, witout joining a corp, eve is not for you
Wyn
This is part of the EVE fantasy … but it would sound a lot better if there weren’t so many solo activities in current EVE.
Something for you to reflect on: based on your experience, what’s the average amount of undocked time players spend doing solo activities vs group activities? It’s certainly not 0/100. BTW - I don’t want you to research it and tell me - it’s just something to consider.
The other view: that it would be better to get a group together if you could, is valid of course. But the suggestion isn’t intended to isolate players. It’s intended to fill the gap when a player cannot get a group together.
The more general issue: EVE environment isn’t as conducive to social interaction as it might be, is also worth addressing. But until it’s a lot better, this is a good feature.
Well, decent idea, but all those activities already exist in the game
There are a lot of activities that can be done solo. There is no gap that needs filling by NPCs. If people have the need of friends to do certain activities, they should do exactly that: find friends.
When were drones mandatory for PVP?
When were missiles mandatory for PVP?
Well, only when you’re flying a missile ship. But if you’re in a missile ship and don’t use your missiles… you’re at a severe disadvantage. Same for drones.
If everyone can use drones, they’ll be mandatory for everyone that doesn’t want to be at a severe disadvantage.
It was more questioning this:
The question is more:
Who would leave their drone bay empty before going on a roam?
No one unless they didn’t have drones that fit.
These npc’s would do the same. They are ‘affordable’ for new players…so vets will have them in abundance. New players will be outclassed every time.
I’m probably lacking context of the post in question since I’m not really following the conversation now.
But I had assumed they were saying “drones are mandatory for PVP, NPC mercs are like drones, so it’s okay to have them”. Which as they’re currently described would be abused by everyone.
I said I would no longer be responding to this thread, but a few of you seem to be missing a central feature of the npc mercs we suggested:
During PvP engagement an NPC Merc will only activate for the party that is targeted/attacked first.
Meaning they can’t be abused.
This whole thread is filled with ways they can be abused…
You’re right, it’s dead in the water anyway. But I think you have to put it in a comment and literally ask an ISD to lock it down. Or just flag your last reply.
Please elaborate if you don’t mind?
Everything you add to the PvP Meta is a thing new players do not have, another barrier to entry. All you bears claim to love new players, but them you screw them over without even thinking.
Plus it’s net effect as far as protection goes is a big fat ZERO because everyone you have, so will your attacker
All that will happen is your attacker will have pets and his burst damage will be so high the battle will be over in seconds because even though pets add DPS, they do nothing to protect against the opening volley.
You seem to be under the impression the NPCs would be as good, if not better than a player. That was never stated, if anything, using NPCs would be the subpar choice.
Hauling? Ships on autopilot are easy pickings. Very risky.
Help with a mission? This option was not envisioned, so I don’t account for it
Getting past a gate camp? How in the hell would a NPC do this? Run jams? Nothing else will be as effective, and any competent camp will just grab the player and ignore NPC assistance
If you are looking for merit, try to not make baseless assertions.
I only offered suggestions which were net positives, perhaps too much so because you instantly went after my comment. Perhaps instead of instantly discounting the idea, you should expand on why anything mentioned would be an overall negative on the game.
Besides, if eve was all about social interaction and nothing else, why the ■■■■ are we flying spaceships? Don’t forget what eve is.
I already listed some good points. Why is another isk sink bad? Why is a station mod that provides mercenary services bad? Why is providing more ships in space for PVPers to engage bad?
The NPC help doesn’t need to, nor should it be able or the best at everything, but it would help breath life into a game with very few actual players, outside of the alts and bots.
I hear some people just play eve online in highsec, in an npc corp, doing their own thing. Is that bad? Is their fun wrong?
I take it you have a very narrow view of what this game is.
Could always limit useage of merc npcs to just the system. Tie it into citadels with a service mod. Without a forward base, attacks couldn’t use merc npcs, just defenders.
Comon man, apply yourself.