IMHO, cat and iguana ships make the game unplayable

[vaxon]

I've tried to last as long as I could, but looks like it's impossible.
If you get lucky and avoid any contact with other ships you can buy all the equipmnet you need to make your ship faster and stronger.
But it won't help you if you meet a pirate on cat mark II.
3 seconds and you're gone.
It doesn't matter if you have shield boosters, extra energy unit, military lasers or whatever.
It doesn't even matter if you try to dodge its lasers and manouver using witchdrive injectors.
It starts shooting from the far radar range, so you may never catch it in your target reticle.
so no matter what you do, it hits you and you're dead in 3 second.
Even auto-eject module oxp doesn't help. I'm not sure whether there's a bug or not,
but it doesn't work if the energy goes low to fast.
That is a really "nice" way to kill a player after a couple of weeks of equipping the ship and earning
"competent" rating before even the first mission starts.

[Zireael]

Cat Mark II is an OXP ship, so please complain to the OXP developer.

[Cody]

But it won't help you if you meet a pirate on cat mark II.

This is an OXP ship, yes? Caveat emptor!

[Disembodied]

Don't install the OXP containing the Cat Mk II, would be my advice - it sounds as if that OXP is broken. Recent changes to the AI have made NPCs better: in the past, they were made more challenging by giving them better weapons and equipment, which they were bad at using; now they're better pilots and better shots, and consequently the powerful ships from some old OXPs are now very, very lethal.

I've been playing 1.80 with a new Commander. I have only a few OXPs installed, all of them eye-candy. I've avoided dangerous systems, I've run away from unwinnable fights, I've surrendered cargo on occasion to get pirates off my back ... and now I have a reasonably well-equipped ship and over 70 kills to my name, and I've not died once, so far. I tried the same thing with 1.77 and I have to say that 1.80 is much more survivable, if you take care. The safer systems are safer (and the more dangerous systems are more dangerous, so steer clear until you're ready), pirates can be bought off ... there's a lot more ways to keep on living in 1.80.

[cim]

Don't install the OXP containing the Cat Mk II, would be my advice - it sounds as if that OXP is broken. Recent changes to the AI have made NPCs better: in the past, they were made more challenging by giving them better weapons and equipment, which they were bad at using; now they're better pilots and better shots, and consequently the powerful ships from some old OXPs are now very, very lethal.

The Cat, especially - two forward military lasers and an accuracy 9 (Competent-ish) pilot? Run away on injectors is probably the best bet, since it'll probably try to dodge out of your aft sights (assuming you have an aft mil laser fitted yourself) and drop out of scanner range fairly quickly.

[vaxon]

Thanks guys!
Somehow it missed me, that Staer9ShipsetShaded oxp adds these killer ships (like cat or iguana) with 2 military lasers mounted at the front.
Maybe it's broken (I have both Staer9ShipsetShadedv1.2.oxp and Staer9ShipsetShadedv1.1roles179.oxz installed).

BTW, I didn't notice that the pirates could be bought off. I tried to drop the cargo (partially), buy they kept on shooting.
Maybe I should've drapped it all.

[vaxon]

The Cat, especially - two forward military lasers and an accuracy 9 (Competent-ish) pilot? Run away on injectors is probably the best bet, since it'll probably try to dodge out of your aft sights (assuming you have an aft mil laser fitted yourself) and drop out of scanner range fairly quickly.

I've tried to run away on injectors as well, but to my surprise it doesn't always help.
A couple of times I've ended up with Cat too close after a witchspace jump and while I try to turn away and run it starts shooting and there's simply not enough time to escape.
Even though I have shield boosters, whichdrive injectors and energy unit.
Once it looked like it used its own injectors to chase and kill me.

[Disembodied]

I didn't notice that the pirates could be bought off. I tried to drop the cargo (partially), buy they kept on shooting.
Maybe I should've drapped it all.

It doesn't always work - sometimes, they're just out for blood. But usually, they'll broadcast a demand for X canisters (somewhere between 2 and 10, in my experience, although this may vary depending on how big your ship is: they probably will want more from a Python than from an Adder). If you dump the right amount, they'll (again, usually) stop shooting, and let you go. It's best to eject the cargo on a course leading away from your route in to the planet: you don't want them to cruise along with you! It can be worth keeping a stash of cheap cargo in your hold, for just such an emergency: just remember to cycle the junk to the front before you go.

[cim]

Once it looked like it used its own injectors to chase and kill me.

If it's got injectors too you're really in trouble. They aren't in its default equipment set, but they'll have them added occasionally.

If it's already close up, diving into dog-fight (go as sparing on the injectors as you dare or you'll encourage it to hit its own, and it'll definitely win the resulting joust) is probably your best bet. It'll be a really nasty opponent and you'll want to keep close to it, but you've got a better chance that way than running.

(Actually, if you've got a hardhead missile, just use that on it - you'll have to dodge for a little while as it realises its ECM isn't working, but then it should break off and give you time to get clear)

[vaxon]

(Actually, if you've got a hardhead missile, just use that on it - you'll have to dodge for a little while as it realises its ECM isn't working, but then it should break off and give you time to get clear)

Yes, the hardhead missile makes it flee, the only problem is that it's hard to catch the sucker in the target sight from a distance especially when it's accompanied by 3 or 5 other pirates.
It just happens to fast, and before you know it you're already dead.

IMHO, it's just too much imbalanced compared to all the other ships.

Thanks,
Val.

[Zireael]

Sounds like the ship was not updated to account for the improved 1.80 AI.

[vaxon]

Sounds like the ship was not updated to account for the improved 1.80 AI.

I have both Staer9ShipsetShadedv1.2.oxp and Staer9ShipsetShadedv1.1roles179.oxz installed from http://wiki.alioth.net/index.php/Staer9%27s_Shipset

[Smivs]

Hmmm, as far as I know Staer9 hasn't been around for a long time, so he won't have done this himself I think.
Updating shipsets is probably one of the most time-consuming jobs for the move to v1.80 (which is why I haven't done mine yet), so I'm guessing somebody has just converted the original OXP into an OXZ without actually adapting it for the new version of Oolite.

[spara]

Hmmm, as far as I know Staer9 hasn't been around for a long time, so he won't have done this himself I think.
Updating shipsets is probably one of the most time-consuming jobs for the move to v1.80 (which is why I haven't done mine yet), so I'm guessing somebody has just converted the original OXP into an OXZ without actually adapting it for the new version of Oolite.

Keeper has already done new role-casting after he did the custom shaders for the oxp. Roles just need a final touch. So fingers crossed that Keeper gets around and puts it all together.

[mossfoot]

I barely survived an encounter with an Iguana. Those dual lasers... yikes. The problem is it's part of a set (Neolite Companion). And looking at the Cat stats? I might remove the set... I dunno.