NPCs working as intended?

[InfinityCircuit]

So for the past week I haven't played any of my "real" characters, on account of their not having the weapons necessary to compete with other players. I mean, let's be real, if you don't have codenames, a Sunslayer or SNAC and a Nuke mine, you're nothing. So I parked my favorites near codenames they need and just log on after resets to look for them.

Every time I find a Codename, an NPC hoovers it up as soon as it drops (Specifically, BH in vicinity of Heimdall, and Maquis in vicinity of Excalibur). Every. Freaking. Time. Are NPCs supposed to have tractor beams? What the heck?! I tried to scan them for the codename weapon they picked up, but none of them had it. So when an NPC tractors something in, it disappears from the game? How is that not a bug?

If I can't get codenames to outfit my ships, I can't compete in any PVP. If I can't compete in PVP, this game has no meaning. Killing NPCs isn't fun, since the mod nerfed them. And every player has maxed out characters at this point. How is a new player supposed to compete, especially if the codenames are not dropping as intended?

[Sylvie557]

Yeah NPC tractor beams have always been a pain, haven't code hunted much so not sure what to tell you there. However, I have heard a lot of people tell me that Codenames were actually nerfed a bit and that they aren't really needed to compete(sure they might give a small edge but not a necessity). Maybe wrong but just what I heard.

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|| Aoi Iseijin |Aoi || Junker Marauders JM|- || MEMES- ||

[St.Denis]

Every time I find a Codename, an NPC hoovers it up as soon as it drops (Specifically, BH in vicinity of Heimdall, and Maquis in vicinity of Excalibur). Every. Freaking. Time. Are NPCs supposed to have tractor beams? What the heck?! I tried to scan them for the codename weapon they picked up, but none of them had it. So when an NPC tractors something in, it disappears from the game? How is that not a bug?

You must be doing things wrong with the hunting of Codenames. If you have a ship that is hostile to the locals then they will be too busy shooting you to bother with using their tractor beams to pick up the Codenames.

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'I would like to be half as clever as some people like to believe they are'
Life is full of disappointments, it is how we handle them that helps to define us, as a person

[Haste]

The current top-tier codenames are actually the ones that have sellpoints on bases: SOLARIS, PHOENIX, the like. Note that their efficiency stats were overlooked in recent updates, and will be adjusted for .87 final.

Non-codename weapons are perfectly viable though.

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[Sabru]

If I can't get codenames to outfit my ships, I can't compete in any PVP. If I can't compete in PVP, this game has no meaning.

Firstly, i find this statement a bit ridiculous.

second of all. just buy some. its easier.

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[Internity]

NPCs are supposed to use their tractor beams since Microsoft and Digital Anvil released the game back in 2003. Sometimes when NPCs demand you to drop your cargo they also tractor beam it inside but sometimes they just "steal" from you straight away. It's an original game mechanic.

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LNS Ithaca

[InfinityCircuit]

If I can't get codenames to outfit my ships, I can't compete in any PVP. If I can't compete in PVP, this game has no meaning.

Firstly, i find this statement a bit ridiculous.

second of all. just buy some. its easier.

What's ridiculous is a player that's been here since 2012 is telling a new player he should buy $45mil or more worth of codename weapons. The excals cost 30mil each from most vendors, so that's even more. Unless you have NO life, there is no way to make that kind of money in this game and actually find enjoyment in it.

Stop trolling this thread, Sabru. I'll wait for some real advice from someone who knows what they're talking about.

[InfinityCircuit]

NPCs are supposed to use their tractor beams since Microsoft and Digital Anvil released the game back in 2003. Sometimes when NPCs demand you to drop your cargo they also tractor beam it inside but sometimes they just "steal" from you straight away. It's an original game mechanic.

Yes, but in vanilla you see what they stole and can kill them and retake what was yours. I haven't been able to do that. I've tried. I think there's a bug.

[InfinityCircuit]

The current top-tier codenames are actually the ones that have sellpoints on bases: SOLARIS, PHOENIX, the like. Note that their efficiency stats were overlooked in recent updates, and will be adjusted for .87 final.

So the wiki stats are not up to date? That does change things significantly. Any way I can find those new stats?

Non-codename weapons are perfectly viable though.

We both know this isn't true, unless you mean turrets, nuke mines, SNACs, and cap ship guns. For snubs, there is no substitute for codename DPS. I've tried to kill players with non-codes, and it's like watching water fall of a duck's back. I don't even dent their shields without a good nuke mine, and even after that their armor never wavers.

Look, I'm not here to argue with everyone who's played for years at this. I just need to get to everyone else's level, and if not playing except at server reset times is the way to get up to snuff, then I'll do that.

[Zed26]

So the wiki stats are not up to date? That does change things significantly. Any way I can find those new stats?

The Wiki has been outdated and an unreliable reference for stats as explained above. You'll want to check out FLStat, which will parse info to show you the actual values of your current Discovery files. There's a guide on how to use it HERE.