Posts by Adamanter

I've been able to do a couple missions without problems after I changed the graphics settings, and since I am flying a Shade they were even too easy (with vanilla ships like Defender I'm sure they would be a pain).
The missions I noticed are bit harder than they should were precisely those that are fought in clouds. I never had problems in clouds playing vanilla with maxed graphics so I conclude my difficulties to aim with maxed settings are due CF clouds; Im sure if my computer were more powerfull I wouldn't notice anything. I don't know if this means CF clouds need some improvements to allow low end systems run the whole game with maxed graphics.

Please, don't take me wrong. I don't want to make of the NPC's AI a big issue. I know that there are much more important things to fix or develope.

I don't think give more cash will help with the first missions of the main storyline because you cannot advance to the next level, no matter how much money you collects, untill you completes the mission of your current level which means that you cannot fit weapons of higher levels even if they are available. On the other hand, missions 1 and 2 are "easy" with low level ships (Starflier, Startracker, Patriot, and Defender) as long as you fit the right weapons (stunpulse to rid off shields and lavablade for hull damage), and collect 4 million to fly a Shade heavy fighter (luckyly is possible fly this ship at level 4), which is in Mississippi Battleship, is easy.

Said this, I must point that some of my problems with NPCs (specially in mission 3) were due maxed graphics settings which my computer didn't handle well though I thought it was running smootly since I didn't appreciate any drop or stop and go (I don't have a top machine but my Athlon X2 3800+ and my ATI HD3200 should be more than enough to move Freelancer with maxed graphics without problems; seems I'm quite wrong), but as soon as I reduced the resolotion I was playing in ( from 1280x1024 to 1024x768 ) and removed some details like space dust and effects I managed to aim better and complete mission 3.

Let me stress that I'm not complaining or pointing a big problem. As the topic of the thread says, is a minor issue and maybe not an issue at all if happens that change graphics settings makes missions easier. I will keep posting my thoughts about this as I progress in the storyline.

Quote from Michael

Well, the only point I'd have something to say, would be at the NPCs IA, they are made, to be realistic, another 'apparently human or alien' ship don't have to fly straight so you can fire at it, it's you who can improve your targeting to get them down faster, then also have success with human players There are from several to many players online who have no problems (so consider it quite easy) in killing other NPCs with class 10 guns which have good targeting when firing at you (at the player), even there are now new and even harder aliens, where you need a team to kill them easely, alone is risky but also done.

Good point. Level up 'till fit class 10 weapons is something that makes things easier but explain me how to do that before finish Ashcroft missions (mission 2 in the storyline) since class 3 weapons is the top class in New York sistem though there's a class 10 weapons ship in Pitsburg.

I agree that humans also dodge a lot but there are always at least 2 or 3 seconds in which they stop dodging to aim. NPCs dodging is non-stop and they aim even in a tight turn or making crazy zigzags which is completely unrealistic.
All my points about NPCs AI are from the point for view of those who like play single player (I know that we could be a minority) storyline missions (both original and CF) and of those that prefer do missions instead of trading to level up.
Of course I don't want NPCs to be so easy that they become not challenging, I prefer hard kill NPCs since are more fun, but I don't see any fun and challenge in level up to fly a class 10 fighter to be able to finish mission 3 which is supposed you should be able to complete with a Defender heavy fighter with class 2-3 weapons (Lavablade and Stunpulse guns which is what I am trying actually, and despite all my efforts, unsuccessfully because the NPCs always kill the transports before I kill any NPC), not mention how annoying is have the game asking you to go meet Juni constantly while you level up.

Thanx, your reply is really enlighting.

As I said, the planets rotation is not too important though particularly I prefer no rotation better than so fast spin, but is my personal liking

I understand the difficulties of balance NPCs but I don't get (sure because I don't have the code insight) how balance NPCs can affect jobs.
The main problem with NPC is that are overpowered:
1.- They dodge continualy and with extreme turns which make them extremly hard to aim, thus to hit with guns
2.- They use lot nanos and batteries which makes almost ineffectives the few hits they take.
3.- They use countermesures which makes the only weapon that could be effective, homing missiles, practically useless against them.

I don't know how hard to do this could be but the solutions I see are:
1.- Make the NPCs dodge a bit less; make them fly more straight to increase the chances to hit them with guns
2.- Reduce the number of nanos and batteries they can use
3.- Don let them use countermeasures or reduce considerably their number.
I think work on point 1 is what will really help to balance NPCs since the other 2 points are expected to be part of the actions of the IA since is what a human player would do: use nanos, batteries and countermeasures. On the other hand, what really makes the NPCs so hard to kill si the insane dodging they do.

I understand that server stability is mandatory so noting to say about homing missiles, just thank your explanation about how they work, is really usefull information I will keep in mind next time I mount such missiles.

Another issue I forgot to mention in my first post is that allied NPCs IA is really stupid. In most missions they are of no help at all and they don't kill an enemy NPC even by chance, that's why some single player missions are almost impossible to complete, specially timed ones in which prevent the destruction of certain targets is required to complete it and in which allied NPCs could make it easier if they kill some enemy NPCs.

I'm new to Crossfire though I would join it way long ago if I'd knew about it before, however I'm long time Freelancer player and is a game I love since is still actual even in graphics, not mention there are no games like Freelancer in the market (actually all is about FPSs with few exceptions like Starcraft).

I must say Crossfire is simply awesome but (there's always a but) it's got its issues.

One I think it is important, though is aesthetic one, is the fast rotation of planets. Since CF wants to add realism to the game (if I'm wrong I think it won't invalidate my point) planets rotation must be way slower. If we think in the effects (real life effects) of such momentum most planet would have extremly violent atmopheres with persistent hurricanes which means they would be uninhabitables. Another consequence of such rotation speed in smaller objects like moons is that nothing that is not fixed to the ground would be ejected to space due centrifuge force which will be higher than gravitational pull; in fact, the whole planet would be disintegrated since. I didn't do the maths but it wouldn't surprise me if this would happen too with all planets. So I suggest to reduce considerably rotation speed on all planetary objects. (Particularly I find bit annoying that rotation speed, but I understand is a personal feeling not everybody shares).

The second issue is about NPCs. I can cope they use nanobots and shield batteries, and is something really cool, but if they use nanos and batteries I think they should dodge quite less or at least not so often as they do now (at least in the single player campaings; I think the way they dodge is the reason why in the vanilla version the NPCs doesn't use nanos neither batteries, since that dodging makes them really hard to hit).
It is insane have to spend 15-20 minutes to kill just 1 NPC, specially when we know that any real air combat doesn't last more than 3 minutes. I know there are topics talking about this issue and I read some of them but I didn't read the real reason to make easier the NPCs: if one must spend half an hour to kill 1 NPC with a well fitted ship the game becomes boring and unplayable. Of course too easy NPCs makes the game boring. Find the right balance is the answer.

The third issue is about missiles. There are some missiles like Javelin or Slingshot that are dumb fire missiles, but there are others that are homing missiles like Stalker or Windstalker, however (I'm starting to think is a bug) these ones misses the targer like dumb fire missiles. I made a test with Stalker and Windstalker missiles trying to kill rouges in New York ("easy targets") and I missed around 40 of 50 of each type which means they have a 20% accuracy when they should have, at least a 50% accuracy. Considering the crazy way NPCs dodge the only usefull missiles are homming ones but with a 20% accuracy are pretty useless too.

I'm sure CF 1.9 will be awesome but if it "fixes" these issues to me will me the prefection itself.
Keep up the good work!

Final note: If this thread is not meant to be here I apologize in advance.