From what I can tell, the new AI is much better for some droneboats than the old one. Try using sentries instead of heavies, So far I have only noticed the elite cruisers occasionally shooting them, and they have enough hp to last quite well.

The only downside to the new AI that I see is that it is much more difficult to bring newbs into your missions, as they will be shot a lot more than they used to.

I personally don't really care about the AI change, as it doesn't really affect how rattlesnakes work...

That's simply not true at all. The change makes AFK mssionins and such EASIER. Before I had to put medium remote reps on a permatank Domi (5 of them, one for each drone) to AFK a mission.

Not I just use a single ECM burst to keep aggro plus a single small remote rep orr nos (directed at a targeted drone) to keep full grid aggro on the domi. Haven't lost a sentry drone in weeks while still not sitting at the computer.

That sounds more like the AI needs a tweek in relation to sentries, than anything else.

@Whitehound - Have you not noticed some of the insane EWAR against certain factions? Like 15+ ships sensor dampening you or perma jamming? Quite a few including myself have.

That's simply not true at all. The change makes AFK mssionins and such EASIER. Before I had to put medium remote reps on a permatank Domi (5 of them, one for each drone) to AFK a mission.

Not I just use a single ECM burst to keep aggro plus a single small remote rep orr nos (directed at a targeted drone) to keep full grid aggro on the domi. Haven't lost a sentry drone in weeks while still not sitting at the computer.

Large Drones WILL die now without fail. Useless utterly.

This was not a well thought out change at all.

Obviously you have not done Level IV missions lately.

Battleships alone on a field will now target and destroy your Large Drones now long before they can get back to their bay.

Eliminating frigs and cruisers stops nothing.

Edit: and with full attention onscreen. What a stupid, snarky thing to inject into your post.

It's like a select few of you have this opinion on what EVE PVE should be and screw everyone else who thinks otherwise. You want it to be more like PVP but if people wanted that then...wouldn't they go and just PVP? Why are you forcing these changes when all the threads on the matter say no thank you.

Not only that but it's broken. I mean it's doable but it's a teeth pulling experience. EWAR is out of hand and flying a drone boat is just a hassle, you basically have to babysit your drones and even then they have a tendency to pop faster that you can recall.

* Fits cloaky

You mission where, exactly?

People are whining because they are used to playing in a specific way and its a bother to them to change.
Maybe CCP wants to move missions away from mind-dumbing gameplay to something more fun

Large drones were inappropriate tools for most L4 missions before the AI change, as they take too long to move between targets, and in many missions required careful aggro management anyway as they would go for spawn triggers and pull in remote groups that were outside range for your main ship.

Now they are worse, and you're complaining instead of using a more appropriate tool?

The rules change, learn to adapt.

And just what is your recommendation ?

Because all I see are complaints.

I agree

I'll also add that NPCs should only exist as a stepping stone to shooting PCs. Feel free to spend all day not progressing, but don't whine when the bar gets pumped up 1 notch.

NPCs exist as a source of income.

Because all I see are complaints.

Mission runners are like miners, they have trouble adapting to change.

My biggest issue is the follow :

The majority of 0.0 dwellers are making their ISK from ratting in anomalies. Anoms as you know, have several waves of rats, and have a fairly large amount of them in the higher level anoms. Pre-Retribution I used to be able to go in and either kill or spar with said ratter/anom killer in a nano ship. Post-Retribution that is no longer possible.

On every occasion, when I enter an anom and tackle the Raven/Mach/Tengu/Ishtar (whatever it is) the rats switch and ALL shoot me. So basically this carebear, is even more risk free then before because he/she has the entire anom working against me. I can't kill anything that is in an anom on my own unless I bring some kind of shield boosting / armor repping setup which in most cases is too slow to sneak through the gauntlet that is a jump bridge network ready to pounce and camp in a solo PVPer like myself.

Please revert back to the old NPC AI for the sake of PVP as well.

@Spurty - I'm not complaining about difficulty. You obviously have reading comprehension issues if you think so and I personally have a friend who teaches remedial English if you're interested! PM me for details.

And just what is your recommendation ?