| Pages: [1] :: one page |
| Author |
Thread Statistics | Show CCP posts - 0 post(s) |
Talhlia
   |
Posted - 2003.07.24 23:09:00 -
[1]
Drones are dying too often and without any indication in this latest patch.
Drones are 'disappearing' (I'm assuming they were attacked and destroyed...especially my Warrior drones :-(
Drones are much more expensive than missles. Please help.
BTW I wouldn't mind if drones got attacked more, but then at least let us carry repair drones and have the health idicators work instead of us having to scoop and relaunch to see if our drones are about to die.
Thanks, and look forward to some more good stuff.
                     |
Ogmios
|
Posted - 2003.07.25 01:10:00 -
[2]
The key to keeping your drones alive is to not attack the NPC pirates until they have locked onto you. If you send in the drones before the pirates have chosen you as the target, then your poor little drones will be gang banged by the pirates first before they turn thier attentions to you. (And since the drones have pretty low in the shield/armor dept, they dont last so long).
And you can repair your drones once you are docked. Drag them from your drone bay to your hangar and then select them from the Pick Item button in the repair screen. (Some people recommend repackaging after the repairs are completed as they sometimes have a tendency to not actually repair, but repackaging ensures they are fully repaired.)
|
Talhlia
|
Posted - 2003.07.25 02:07:00 -
[3]
"The key to keeping your drones alive is to not attack the NPC pirates until they have locked onto you..."
I do. I usually wait til they are firing at me before I launch (love the Launch all feature btw).
"And you can repair your drones once you are docked..."
I know about that. When I was asking for repair drones I mean a drone that I can target another drone and tell it to repair while in space or maybe even during combat.
I currently am running around with 9 drones...I actually made my character as a drone operator (Pure Gallente) from the get go.
The problem is that drones, even when held to the point where you are targeted/being fired apon, will STILL die as the pirates change targets in the middle of combat.
Can anyone else confirm this? I feel like I'm all alone here.
|
Bazerka
|
Posted - 2003.07.25 03:29:00 -
[4]
I use the same technique myself with combat drones. It's my experience that once a npc pirate actively engages you, (and has not just locked on) it won't swap targets over onto any newly deployed drones. It will remain engaging you until a) you die, b) they die, or c) you move out of range.
|
Ciel
|
Posted - 2003.07.25 03:33:00 -
[5]
I can confirm this. I mine with a thorax and use a swarm of heavy drones as sentry. Because it's a pain to meander about cleaning up cans left by pirates I've eliminated remotely, I prefer to let pirates get as close as possible, and let them make the first move (which automatically triggers my drones' bloodlust).
All five hardpoints are occupied by active turrets, so you'd expect me to be the favoured target. And whilst the pirates do target me at first, often they will suddenly unlock after coming within about 3km (these are frigates which would otherwise begin to open fire at about 2.8km). Instead, they begin to circle me.. many times I don't even see or hear any weapons fire. Glancing at my drone status indicators, I notice one has gone below full structure. This happens with multiple pirates at once.
There are no other indications: the pirate is not identified as a threat for pummelling my drone, and the other drones do not respond as they doubtlessly should. I have to manually command the drones (even the one being creamed) to defend themselves.
Another thing I've noticed. I have scout drones trained to lvl 3, which *should* indicate my drones have a range of at least 30km. But the only way I can get my drones to attack anything that far away is to first fire upon it with one of my guns. Ordering the drones does not work unless the target is under 20km away. This applies to all drones whether light, medium, or heavy. Obviously this should be fixed.
And to second the above post, I too am waiting for repair and salvage drones. I've intended my pureblood Gallente character to specialize in drones, but at present there is precious little that a drone specialist can strive towards.
- Ciel
Co-Director, River Deep |
Talhlia
|
Posted - 2003.07.25 22:50:00 -
[6]
I feel your pocket-book pain...
Unfortunately until CCP fixes these issues I can no longer aford to use my drones. Last night I lost over 80k, that's AFTER all the pirate bounties from the 4k and 8k pirates I was fighting.
/cry
Please CCP fix this soon. Hot fix it please. My entire character was designed around using drones and now I cannot afford to use them.
|
Guardian334
|
Posted - 2003.07.26 05:42:00 -
[7]
Pre patch I was able to let pirate lock onto me and then launch.
Now pirates change targets, without warning. Further, serious lag in the drone updates prevents you from getting drones recovered quickly enough to break locks.
Drones are now almost as useless to use as Missiles.
This is pretty weak, IMO.
|
Bon Hedus
|
Posted - 2003.07.26 12:18:00 -
[8]
Good grief. Crying because the NPC Pirates change target in the middle of a battle? People have been *****ing because the NPC pirates are too dumb, and now when they get a little smarter, people still *****.
While fighting, I target the nearest and most dangerous hostile so why shouldn't the pirates? This makes perfect sense to me.
I almost lost 2 Harvesters today because of pirates targeting them. I was able to save them because I was paying attention and saw them taking fire. I immediately targeted the hostile firing on them. This seems to be what the pirates are doing. Targeting the nearest hostile attacking them.
My only gripe is that the damage they were taking wasn't showing up on the drones screen.
--------------------------------------
"This is obviously the work of some Psycho, Weedsmoking, Voodoo Midget Aliens from Corporate America."
JC |
Anderi Bourdieu
|
Posted - 2003.07.26 12:59:00 -
[9]
I have to agree with Bon. Finally, NPC pirates are becoming more of a challenge.
If you think your drones get chewed up by NPCs, try using them against PCs.
Still, I prefer drones over missiles any day. Sure they're more expensive (well, some) but you don't have to worry about splash damage. They're like having a missile that keeps firing...
-----------------------------------------------
11/17/04
Are Formal Contracts in yet?
Divisional Wallets?
Taxes?
BP lockdown? |
Ruffles
|
Posted - 2003.07.26 15:42:00 -
[10]
Drones are seeming to draw almost all the NPC pirates attention. Seems they are going directly for them.
Hell in several instances I couldn't get attacked without puttting drones out first. Then pirates would be lured in to attack me, and I had to scoop the drones again to prevent them being wiped first.
They stop locking the drones, and in some instances even start moving away again! Hell I had 4 fly straight past me and attack the drones! No lock warnings.
Fine, if you want to make drones a target also, GIVE US SOME FEEDBACK! Allow the Drones window to tell us which drones have locks on them in the same way we do - BING! Orange = Drone Locked as a Target. Red = Drone being attacked. Highlight only the affected drone.
Good god it is predicatable. Pirates aren't interested in many occasions until you deploy drones, pretty repeatable.
|
Aerin Osaa
|
Posted - 2003.07.26 16:31:00 -
[11]
lol, this brings a whole new dimension to thorax-mining. mount 5 miners, and fill your drone bay with combat drones. Mine all day, and the pirates will never attack you because they are waiting for you to launch your drones!
|
| |
|
| Pages: [1] :: one page |
| First page | Previous page | Next page | Last page |