Oolite Bulletins

Moderator: Split from Proposal for 1.82: equipment balancing and choices

Venator Dha wrote:

... make a change from all the assassins

And to go off-topic for a moment, there in a phrase is for me the most disappointing change in 1.80, and one I'm seriously considering engineering from my game. I really hate the concept of them as a widespread part of the gameplay.

Thargoid wrote:

I really hate the concept of them as a widespread part of the gameplay. [/color]

Are they so widespread? I thought they only went after you if you took certain types of contract - am I wrong?

Cody wrote:

Thargoid wrote:

I really hate the concept of them as a widespread part of the gameplay. [/color]

Are they so widespread? I thought they only went after you if you took certain types of contract - am I wrong?

Seems like that for me... In the game I'm currently spending most of my time in I haven't got any contracts underway at all, (and haven't had in a while) but the assassins still sometimes try to take me out at the witchpoint.

- Neelix

Neelix wrote:

I haven't got any contracts underway at all, (and haven't had in a while) but the assassins still sometimes try to take me out at the witchpoint.

Some of them do have long memories, that is true.

Cody wrote:

Neelix wrote:

I haven't got any contracts underway at all, (and haven't had in a while) but the assassins still sometimes try to take me out at the witchpoint.

Some of them do have long memories, that is true.

Then you'd think they'd also remember that Clara is very well defended...

- Neelix

That would be a fun little pilot reaction add on. If you are Competent or higher some low skill pilots might come close enough to realize who you are, and turn tail and run "Oh crap, it's the _____! Run for it!" even if they haven't taken any damage

mossfoot wrote:

That would be a fun little pilot reaction add on. If you are Competent or higher some low skill pilots might come close enough to realize who you are, and turn tail and run "Oh crap, it's the _____! Run for it!" even if they haven't taken any damage

I like that idea

- Neelix

Neelix wrote:

mossfoot wrote:

That would be a fun little pilot reaction add on. If you are Competent or higher some low skill pilots might come close enough to realize who you are, and turn tail and run "Oh crap, it's the _____! Run for it!" even if they haven't taken any damage

I like that idea

- Neelix

Especially if it's tied in with your reputation as a Bounty Hunter, but not an assassin, though.

...actually, as an assassin, wouldn't it be neat if the more skilled you were in your targets were less likely to notice you and run as you closed in (for handwavium reasons, reflecting your stealth or ability to be discrete)? While as a bounty hunter with high fame would scare pirates off before they attack. Or if you were a pirate, trading vessels and escorts would either flee or fight as soon as you showed up on radar without waiting for you to strike first. Or is that how it already works in 1.80?

mossfoot wrote:

...actually, as an assassin, wouldn't it be neat if the more skilled you were in your targets were less likely to notice you and run as you closed in (for handwavium reasons, reflecting your stealth or ability to be discrete)? While as a bounty hunter with high fame would scare pirates off before they attack. Or if you were a pirate, trading vessels and escorts would either flee or fight as soon as you showed up on radar without waiting for you to strike first. Or is that how it already works in 1.80?

This is basically how it already works (including your previous suggestion that high-skill pilots sometimes have their ship be so well known people know not to attack it), though the trading vessels preemptively fleeing is only in 1.81, and there's no way for the player to gain assassin reputation.

Is there any kind of in-game cue to that effect? If not, it should be added to the next communications pack

mossfoot wrote:

Is there any kind of in-game cue to that effect? If not, it should be added to the next communications pack

I think there is a communication set on the "leave the area without firing a shot" behaviour, though so far nothing actually defines it.

mossfoot wrote:

That would be a fun little pilot reaction add on. If you are Competent or higher some low skill pilots might come close enough to realize who you are, and turn tail and run "Oh crap, it's the _____! Run for it!" even if they haven't taken any damage

That would be great!

Thargoid wrote:

Venator Dha wrote:

... make a change from all the assassins

And to go off-topic for a moment, there in a phrase is for me the most disappointing change in 1.80, and one I'm seriously considering engineering from my game. I really hate the concept of them as a widespread part of the gameplay.

I'm happy to have assassins in the core game, they are however far too numerous. Is this because carrying multiple packages/passengers stack the chance of attack? (Also they are only at the witchpoint, once that's cleared I'm pretty much free from attack).
I would like an attack to be an occasional (and welcome ) surprise, not something I expect when jumping into every, even somewhat, dangerous system.
The problem is that with the AI as it stands now, a pure courier would hardly ever be attacked if the frequency was reduced .
A solution could be that, If some of the Pirates also had an assassin role as well, then they would attack couriers. This would be like someone hiring a local thug to stop the delivery of those incendiary Zero-G Cricket videos. A real assassin is for when I'm carrying sensitive materials.
This is really a question of getting the balance right, and adding variation to the game.