Outcats in Towel-23

[n00bl3t]

This would only address people getting stuck in packs of NPCs though, not the rest of the problems such as trying to stay in one spot for the purpose of talking, detaining, negotiating.

I'd say leave the CDs in, lower the spawn rate to something much more normal so NPC patrols happening upon you are a chance thing and not sure thing, and scrap the mechanism that increases NPC spawns when there are less people in the server.

If they do not have CD's, the RP ground can be moved to left by 5k.

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Anything I say is not intended as offensive, and to try and deliberately misinterpret it as such would be an attempt at trolling via misrepresentation.

It's not a conspiracy, it's localised bias. They're not intelligent enough to form a conspiracy.

[Tovig]

True. NPCs should not carry TCD. Maybe Wasp. But TCD is ruining all the RP we could have. Also, give them only ONE cruise distruptor, not 10 per NPCs. So we can at last gtfo relatively fast.

[ProwlerPC]

I'm compelled to say get rid of the NPCs too because I went for a flight on my Wilde last night with only about 60 players on. The sheer amount of flashing pixels coming at me from every conceivable angle nearly crashed my PC. Is there a cap to how many will spawn? I noticed they increase in frequency or decrease depending on player activity but there must be a limit somewhere, can it be adjusted? heheh

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[Camtheman Of Freelancer4Ever]

Leave TCD's on Guard system NPC's or "Home system" NPCS (Iota, Omega-55, Omega-58, ect,ect.)

Remove them on all others.

Problem solved!

[Elsdragon]

Cam had a good idea. I am pleasantly surprised.

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No longer a slave to the man!

[Beagle23]

If they do not have CD's, the RP ground can be moved to left by 5k.

In an ideal situation where two people are talking, then yes.

Consider the following situation, however: I spot a suspicious contact on scanner and move to intercept. I cut him off, and discover he's carrying a load of Slaves. I tell him not to move, to cut all his engines. Let's say this guy is just a Freelancer or an uneducated Smuggler, this might be the first time he'll realise that Slaves are something we don't allow, even though we're in the remote Taus. I cannot explain to him in any detail why these Slaves are not allowed, I cannot negotiate a peaceful release, because there are two things that you can be assured of -

1. The Smuggler is always looking for an opportunity to escape, and if I don't keep watch on him and stay prepared to CD him at all times, he will make a break for it.
2. The NPCs that will show up momentarily if they haven't already will mean it is very, very difficult to talk without running from the situation.

That's why I bring up the problem of these super-fast spawns - its not a case of the Smuggler catching a lucky break and having some Outcast NPCs help him, because those NPCs are GUARANTEED to show up in short order.

So, instead, when I'm handling interdictions, I halt them immediately, tell them I'll open fire if they try to escape even once, and immediately demand they drop the contraband. If they try to argue, I have none of it and give them twenty seconds or so to make up their mind. This is much more efficient and I have no problem doing things this way, but I would've expected some people WOULD have issues with this.

As I asked earlier in the thread, I would understand the defense of this issue if we had an argument for having so many NPCs - what is the positive of having constant and guaranteed harrassment? Why do we really need more NPCs when there are less players? Are people arguing to keep things the way they are just to maintain the status quo or are there real reasons to not change this?

[pieguy259]

NPCs really need to lose their CDs.

That's what I keep saying. TAKE THE FRAKKING THINGS OFF.

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PanGalactic Travel Company | PanGal Feedback | PanGal Recruitment

[stahu456]

NPCs really need to lose their CDs.

[Panzer]

Alright, if we can't get rid of NPCs completely, then they'd need to get reworked. Completely and globally.

1st beef: Numbers

There's way too many of those NPCs. Not exactly sure how it is elsewhere, but Tau 23 is full of Stilettos that are pretty much useless. Too weak to be a difference in combat, too many to disregard when talking. Let it be two or three Sabres in a random place every 5 to 10 minutes.

2nd beef: Cheating

Enough giving those &*^#&*s armor and shield multipliers. If you want to balance NPCs against players - give them a better AI. And... Whoever gave the NPCs ability to reload shields one battery at a time deserves to get locked in an iron cage, hanging at a port's entry.

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[mwerte]

Whoever gave the NPCs ability to reload shields one battery at a time deserves to get locked in an iron cage, hanging at a port's entry.

That's a bug, it was supposed to be fixed. But Freelancer is a fickle game, and it wasn't fixed.

Other then that, I agree with your ideas, if not your tone.

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