Woo boy a lot of changes are happening soon. I have been mulling over what these mean to different people, and I realize a lot of them will impact mission runners in one way or another. Let us begin:

1) Changes to AI: Changes to AI have several possible impacts on mission runners, however the details are currently vague so some or all of the following may apply.

• Less Ninja Salvagers as they will fear being popped by the rats/new criminal flag (more on that later)
• Less gankers do to gankers possibly having to handle rats/new criminal flag (more on that later)
• More attention will have to be paid to drones seeing as they may get shot
• Salvaging in parallel to your mission will be likely unviable.
• Bringing your low sp buddy in his thorax into your level 4 may no longer be viable.

We won't know until people can test but there are some very interesting things that could happen with the AI.

1. Ninja salvagers may need a tank
2. Gankers would need more of a tank (plenty of ganking happens in wormholes, that already have this AI)

Am a bit concerned over the 15 minute NPC flag. Eve likes its random server drops and losing a 2 billion isk ship over it would not be fun at all. At least now if dropped we know are ships are going to go to warp.

Your ship will attempt to warp. The blog says nothing about your ship not attempting to warp away. It's the same log off mechanic that exists for pvp now. However, once warped away it will take 15 minutes for it to disappear. This means that someone who is trying to gank you has ample time to probe you down and destroy your ship. It also means that your ship will stay put in the mission if it's warp scrambled or caught on a large collidable object where it can't get aligned.

Realistically, all it means is:

You need to kill scrambling frigates first (when respawn mechanics allow)
You need to stay aligned to a safe warpout point (safespot, station) if you need to bail out of the mission when practical
Use less expensive ships if you're truly uncomfortable

The need for assistance in Level 5 missions will increase. No more sending in a passive loki to tank them whilst glass cannons apply the DPS.

Your ship will attempt to warp. The blog says nothing about your ship not attempting to warp away. It's the same log off mechanic that exists for pvp now. However, once warped away it will take 15 minutes for it to disappear. This means that someone who is trying to gank you has ample time to probe you down and destroy your ship. It also means that your ship will stay put in the mission if it's warp scrambled or caught on a large collidable object where it can't get aligned.

Realistically, all it means is:

You need to kill scrambling frigates first (when respawn mechanics allow)
You need to stay aligned to a safe warpout point (safespot, station) if you need to bail out of the mission when practical
Use less expensive ships if you're truly uncomfortable

i'm curious about the aggro mechanic changes more than anything. if you have ever flown a drake in C1-C3, you know what a pain it is to keep your drones alive. if mission rat AI adapts this behavior, gallente gonna have a bad time.
frankly, i am already considering buying 10000 T1 drones and just abandoning them in each mission room like kittens on the freeway.

i am already considering buying 10000 T1 drones and just abandoning them in each mission room like kittens on the freeway.

Bad news for the AFK drone runner. Just another thing to watch for everyone else.

I like when my sentries get some aggro, less I have to tank. If they look like they are in any real pain I just pull them in and pop them back out. Even if the NPC still wants to shoot that same sentry they still have to target it again.

Yes, heavy drones will be more situational. Only use them on ships that come in to about 10km or less in case you need to pull them in. For anything further out, use sentries. Properly managed people shouldn't be loosing any heavy / sentry drones and if people kill the webifier NPCs then the lights and mediums should be able to escape if recalled in time as well.

I've always seen the ease with which EvE can be played while only partially paying attention to be one of its more negative sides. This is a game of spaceship battles. Even PvE fights should keep you engaged and paying attention.

Sentries can tank surprisingly well.

Not only that, but if I'm reading FoxFour's posts even vaguely correctly you'll actually have more control over agro than now. I wouldn't be surprised at all that putting a single RR on your drones guarantees rats will only shoot the ship. Which, of course, is perfect for sentries.

They have already said it will not be sleeper AI and will not have near the same hate of drones.

Your ship will attempt to warp. The blog says nothing about your ship not attempting to warp away. It's the same log off mechanic that exists for pvp now. However, once warped away it will take 15 minutes for it to disappear. This means that someone who is trying to gank you has ample time to probe you down and destroy your ship. It also means that your ship will stay put in the mission if it's warp scrambled or caught on a large collidable object where it can't get aligned.

Realistically, all it means is:

You need to kill scrambling frigates first (when respawn mechanics allow)
You need to stay aligned to a safe warpout point (safespot, station) if you need to bail out of the mission when practical
Use less expensive ships if you're truly uncomfortable

God forbid you're going to have to pay attention to something while undocked and making isk. Jeesh..

Am a bit concerned over the 15 minute NPC flag. Eve likes its random server drops and losing a 2 billion isk ship over it would not be fun at all. At least now if dropped we know are ships are going to go to warp.

Yea after my initial OH SH!T reaction, I am looking forward to testing with a more open mind.

The only ship I'm still skeptical will be my ishtar. The ability to drop sentries and then run away a bit to speed tank will likely end up with more dead sentries.

Your ship will still warp (if not scrambled) to a 1 mil k safe like it does now, the only difference is it will now take 15 mins to disappear rather than 1 min. If scrambled it wouldn't warp away now either, its just it will vannish after 15 min instead of 1 so you will be a bit more likley to die. Just always make sure you kill scramming rats first, which everyone should do anyway.

Why not just put a shield RR on your ships and rep the sentry that is being shot?

lol, so there I am whoring away to my hearts content and I lose connection..lets say a power cut or a telecomms issue, something I have no control over, so according to you my carrier/sc is now scannable for 15mins and there's nothing I can do about it.

First time that happens to me I'll be bye bye EVE, sounds like a really stupid idea. In fact, that stupid I must have got it wrong.

Ok before everyone else gets in a tizzy, it was said by soundwave at last weekend's vegas event that the 15min NPC timer was a typo and it will be remaining at 60sec.

For who plexes and rats in low secs and null sec this change is very very bad: if you lose connection or reds jumps in you cannot leave the game for any reason for 15 mins or they scan you down and you r dead.
No more: a few more npcs then dinner!

They really need to put people that ninja salvage in Suspect mode as well (allows aggression from the victim).
I think it should drop the timers down to 10 or 5 min though myself. /shrug.

~Z

Not only that, but if I'm reading FoxFour's posts even vaguely correctly you'll actually have more control over agro than now. I wouldn't be surprised at all that putting a single RR on your drones guarantees rats will only shoot the ship. Which, of course, is perfect for sentries.

Btw is it just me or have rats already been shooting drones a lot more lately? Yesterday I had aggro on the entire room in a few L4s and my drones were still getting eaten...did they sneak the new AI already onto TQ to prove a point or is there some weird bug going on?

If the salvagers take from the wrecks they should flag. Simply salvaging a wreck with a salvager should not flag nor should it allow aggression. You don't own a wreck, you own the contents of a wreck. You also already have the added bonus of owning the ability to tractor the wreck.

Timers are good at 15m

Actually, no. You shot it, you put the work (and sometimes risk) into killing it, you own it. Being able to walk up and take the salvage from someone with no recourse is a crock. They would get concorded themselves for even trying to stop you, which is not right.

Just my view on it of course, but thats the way I see it.

A fun fix also would be to put increased aggro on salvaging while npc's are still alive. Would at least force them to tank up or support their ship.

~Z

i'm curious about the aggro mechanic changes more than anything. if you have ever flown a drake in C1-C3, you know what a pain it is to keep your drones alive. if mission rat AI adapts this behavior, gallente gonna have a bad time.
frankly, i am already considering buying 10000 T1 drones and just abandoning them in each mission room like kittens on the freeway.

lol, so there I am whoring away to my hearts content and I lose connection..lets say a power cut or a telecomms issue, something I have no control over, so according to you my carrier/sc is now scannable for 15mins and there's nothing I can do about it.

First time that happens to me I'll be bye bye EVE, sounds like a really stupid idea. In fact, that stupid I must have got it wrong.

How about you not rat in a capital like an idiot?

lol, so there I am whoring away to my hearts content and I lose connection..lets say a power cut or a telecomms issue, something I have no control over, so according to you my carrier/sc is now scannable for 15mins and there's nothing I can do about it.

First time that happens to me I'll be bye bye EVE, sounds like a really stupid idea. In fact, that stupid I must have got it wrong.

[*snip*

Oh just before someone says it yes the risk is for mission running but it takes a lot more skill to do efficiently than ninja salvaging. The only thing required to ninja salvage is a few scanning skills. THey don't need to train any of the core skills, gunnery/ missile skills and tanking skills that mission runners need.

Although I haven't tested it myself, I have received reports that NPC log off timer is still 15 minutes on Duality. Can someone confirm/deny?

Just IMO it would be pointless to make salvaging the same thing as stealing because there is no point in shooting at someone that becomes flashy. That's an old trap and a fast way to lose your mission ship.

I do like the idea to make it where someone can't just pop in your mission with an untanked frigate and loot/ salvage while the mission runner tanks the aggro. Currently there is zero risk and lots of reward for a ninja looter/ salvager.

Oh just before someone says it yes the risk is for mission running but it takes a lot more skill to do efficiently than ninja salvaging. The only thing required to ninja salvage is a few scanning skills. THey don't need to train any of the core skills, gunnery/ missile skills and tanking skills that mission runners need.