PETITION: Nerf NPCs

[Derkylos]

Ok, I would just like to address the statement that NPCs "add to RP", which is just plain wrong. Sure, spawns of uber NPCs at hostile bases may deter base camping, but the same can be achieved by base defences. Now we have pulse turrets on stations and heavy hitting guns, the NPCs are not required to defend bases. Last I saw, Darmstadt could easily de-shield a battleship.

Now, to NPC "RP" (NPCs cannot actually "roleplay", they are an AI, and the concept cannot be applied, they merely do what is programmed).

First off, pirating. We all know that NPC prates demand full cargo from anyone they encounter that is not of their own faction and not hostile, and open fire if said cargo is not relinquished. This means that most NPCs only pirate Junkers and Zoners. Corsairs in Theta actually pirate Zoners right outside of Freeport 9. Similarly, I have witnessed Corsairs pirate Zoners outside of Gran Canaria, Rogues prate Junkers at Rochester, Corsairs pirate Junkers at Trafalgar...Not only do they pirate these neutral factions right outside their home bases, but, should they win the ensuing combat, the pirates will then go on to dock at that exact same base.

Related to the above, Hogosha. If you were to hang around outside the Hogosha base in New Tokyo, you will observe Hogosha NPCs pirating Farmers' Alliance NPCs. You will also witness both Junkers and Hogosha pirating supposedly neutral traders next to police/military bases, one of the most amusing of which is when a group of Junkers attempt to pirate a Libertonian convoy at Planet Houston.

Now, spawns. The general consensus among people here seems to be that lawful forces do not patrol in asteroid fields/nebulas/etc. Well, according to NPC patrol paths, they do. One can find RFP patrols (that's the police, not the military) in all the asteroid fields in New Berlin, wings of KNF dragons flying through the nebula surrounding the research station in Honshu (outside of the mined area mind you, and even spawning in Chugoku, itself. LN patrols roam the scrap fields in New York, flights of Crusaders meander through the Leeds smog clouds. If you intend for one moment to tell me that the locations of any of these patrols is "correct", I am baffled as to how pirate organisations survive.

Furthermore, we have Bounty Hunter patrols. I apologise for using Darmstadt as an example again, but it is my main unlawful character...anyways, while idling outside said base, every 30 seconds to a minute, 2-4 Bounty Hunters will come along and be utterly decimated by the station defences. Now, I know Bounty Hunters have a special role in the tracking down and apprehending of criminals...but to wantonly attack a criminal base with no chance of success? Intelligent use of resources? Similarities can be seen in Leeds and Tau-31, with Chimeras suicidally rushing the Derby, and Templars attacking the battleship at Holman.

And I won't go into what happens when you jump from SIgma-17 to Omicron Theta...suffice to say it involves more Bounty Hunters than can fit on your contact list. Do these guys have nothing better to do than fly circles 'round a jump hole?

Now, you may ask "what does this have to do with the capabilities of NPCs in a fight?" Well. As a pirate/unlawful/revolutionary/whatever the faction prefers to be called, most will have an agenda. Some of the most amusing RP to be had involves discussing this agenda with the opponents, Attempting to convince them that your viewpoint is right. In order to do this, one requires an area free from interruption, somewhere safe. If NPCs have the same capabilities as players, whilst still spawning in ludicrous locations, there is no way for such discourse to occur, and we are left with "/setmsg 1 Hostile sighted, engaging #t."

Not all police-pirate encounters have to end in a firefight (zomgwhat, there is a way to end an encounter that does not involve the destruction of one side or the other?!?!?), but, when you are negotiating a way to leave peacefully, and there are 4-8 NPCs from each side shooting at you, dropping your shields and generally being a threat, it is very hard to come to a peaceful resolution.

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