Topic: Hardcore Server NEW SCRIPTS testing

[Corbomite]

Well Crim, some people play for a few minutes at a time and others spend their whole life on a server. For whom do we make the missions palatable? Playing the same boring crap over and over is just as deadly to the player base as making the missions too hard for the "average" player.

What is being tried now is to make the missions more random so that everyone gets to have an easy one once in awhile as well as one that takes you an hour or so. So far I have been given everything to fight from Freighters to Dreds while flying a Destroyer. Sometimes I get help, sometimes not. Sometimes there are multiple opponents, sometimes not. I have had to run away exactly once. I have had to use terrain like never before to pull out wins against the AI (my favorite so far was to cause a Gorn Dred to WW at range 5 from a Black Hole and watch it go in). The AI is still stupid, the odds just make me more creative on how to win the mission faster. I haven't kept track, but I'd guess I'm averaging about 10 mins a mission which isn't too bad.

[FPF-DieHard]

Crim is right though, we've done this crap 3-4 years ago and realized it's a bad idea and stopped. 

The missions need more VARIETY, not more difficulty.  That said I haven't played on Hardcore at all because it doesn't seem compelling to me either.

[Dizzy]

I haven't kept track, but I'd guess I'm averaging about 10 mins a mission which isn't too bad.

Yeah, but member that night on GSA where our opponents fought worse than drunk AI? There are peeps that will log on far less skilled than you, Corbo... So I wonder what the playerbase will look like... I mean, From Frey himself, the Hardcore XC server is meant to be a PvP server with hard missions... Looks like it may only have the latter...

[NuclearWessels]

Crim is right though, we've done this crap 3-4 years ago and realized it's a bad idea and stopped. 

The missions need more VARIETY, not more difficulty.  That said I haven't played on Hardcore at all because it doesn't seem compelling to me either.

That's what I'm hoping for in the ED versions - more variety at around the same difficulty level as our current standard mission set.  (So ideally they would be salted in with the current standard mission set, once we're satisfied they're stable.)

I (personally) like the idea of having the XC missions and Hardcore server around for those who like the nastier AI sometimes.  I wouldn't expect them to be on the core campaign servers. 

Actually that's pretty much the exact conversation Pesty and I had before we embarked on this little journey.

dave

[Dizzy]

Well, fine, but 30 minute missions is stretching it a little... But I have faith in u, ED. Also, anyone remember the GW series missions that had double ftrs and how hard they were to kill off? Carriers ruined missions that server. Imagine front line ftrs who not only can take the damage but this time dish it out. Bad bad.

[FPF-DieHard]

Well, fine, but 30 minute missions is stretching it a little... But I have faith in u, ED. Also, anyone remember the GW series missions that had double ftrs and how hard they were to kill off? Carriers ruined missions that server. Imagine front line ftrs who not only can take the damage but this time dish it out. Bad bad.

Remember the Tracy G missions where the AI didn't strip and double-shot their Heavy Weapons?   

The Current ED ones are excellent.   When I get bored of GSA I'll have to throw up a server with them.

[Corbomite]

You know I just love all the "input" from people who aren't even willing to test things out. To be honest, if all you guys are worried about is mission time as a ratio to how useful the mission is I'm outta here. I want fun missions. I don't care how long they take. As Dave said, the XC versions are meant to be harder for Pesty's set up. Go ahead and ignore the fact Dave is working on a "regular" set that is on the server too. Just tell us it's all been done before and you can't be bothered. Ignore the fact that after the mission matching is worked out and the variety of missions is good and the bugs are squashed that we might begin randomizing the terrain more too. Believe it or not, some people pay attention and learn from your mistakes. That's why Dave started over with a whole new approach to mission scripting.

[FPF-DieHard]

You know I just love all the "input" from people who aren't even willing to test things out. To be honest, if all you guys are worried about is mission time as a ratio to how useful the mission is I'm outta here. I want fun missions. I don't care how long they take. As Dave said, the XC versions are meant to be harder for Pesty's set up. Go ahead and ignore the fact Dave is working on a "regular" set that is on the server too. Just tell us it's all been done before and you can't be bothered. Ignore the fact that after the mission matching is worked out and the variety of missions is good and the bugs are squashed that we might begin randomizing the terrain more too. Believe it or not, some people pay attention and learn from your mistakes. That's why Dave started over with a whole new approach to mission scripting.

Nobody is criticizing Dave's "normal" missions at all, the Warp ones that these are based off of are amazing.  We just don't "get" the concept of Hardcore.

[KBF-Crim]

You know I just love all the "input" from people who aren't even willing to test things out. To be honest, if all you guys are worried about is mission time as a ratio to how useful the mission is I'm outta here. I want fun missions. I don't care how long they take. As Dave said, the XC versions are meant to be harder for Pesty's set up. Go ahead and ignore the fact Dave is working on a "regular" set that is on the server too. Just tell us it's all been done before and you can't be bothered. Ignore the fact that after the mission matching is worked out and the variety of missions is good and the bugs are squashed that we might begin randomizing the terrain more too. Believe it or not, some people pay attention and learn from your mistakes. That's why Dave started over with a whole new approach to mission scripting.

Nobody is criticizing Dave's "normal" missions at all, the Warp ones that these are based off of are amazing.  We just don't "get" the concept of Hardcore.

I also understand the different Mission packs....and I "get" the HC concept....

I'm sayig I miss the forge

[KBF-Crim]

E4d drew DN+ and a DER...mission gave me two F5VK's wings which raced to commit suicide...

Pulled the plug...

Just not my cup of tea I guess....

[Centurus]

Oh come on.  I'm not much of a D2 pilot, and even I've been giving this Hardcore server a shot.

If someone like me is willing to at least try it out, it doesn't say much, if anything, about the old D2 pilots that whine and complain about the server without even trying it.

Sounds more to me like people that have found what makes them the best in the game, and they don't wanna change anything.

That had to be said.

[marstone]

Crim is right though, we've done this crap 3-4 years ago and realized it's a bad idea and stopped. 

The missions need more VARIETY, not more difficulty.  That said I haven't played on Hardcore at all because it doesn't seem compelling to me either.

MIssions do need more VARIETY as you say, but difficulty is good also.  I don't mind having to play a mission that take 10 minutes or more to finish, but I also will bail on one that looks like a half hour battle that will end with me either destroyed if you mess up just alittle (when really overwelmed with enemy ships) or looks like you will win but be crippled and the payout don't pay for the repair billl.

I have enjoyed the little I have been on the HC server.  Maybe fix some of the payouts when you are totally overwelmed (last battle I was in I was in a NCD against a Klingon CA carrier and two D5's, doesn't sound to bad but one of the D5's was a D5FK so he was drone proof).  I didn't destroy a ship as the ADD load and PD was high anough to stop most of my drones (I had a few good hits but not many as the carrier could tractor a whole drone wave plus).

Keep up the work guys, I have enjoyed it so far.

[marstone]

Would it be possible to add the warp out in the HC servers.  The maps are so large that when you have to run it takes 10 minutes just to get to the side of the map.  That is a long way to go with a partial cripple ship.  If not, I can live with it, but would be nice to maybe have a way to find the nearest edge of the map.  Can't help but to wonder how many times I headed to the wrong side and the other way would have been quicker but you never can tell when the edges don't show up on your mini map.

[FPF-DieHard]

Oh come on.  I'm not much of a D2 pilot, and even I've been giving this Hardcore server a shot.

If someone like me is willing to at least try it out, it doesn't say much, if anything, about the old D2 pilots that whine and complain about the server without even trying it.

Sounds more to me like people that have found what makes them the best in the game, and they don't wanna change anything.

That had to be said.

That was quite retarded like most of your posts.  We've been there and done that which is why we think this is a bad idea.

[Centurus]

Crim is right though, we've done this crap 3-4 years ago and realized it's a bad idea and stopped. 

The missions need more VARIETY, not more difficulty.  That said I haven't played on Hardcore at all because it doesn't seem compelling to me either.

MIssions do need more VARIETY as you say, but difficulty is good also.  I don't mind having to play a mission that take 10 minutes or more to finish, but I also will bail on one that looks like a half hour battle that will end with me either destroyed if you mess up just alittle (when really overwelmed with enemy ships) or looks like you will win but be crippled and the payout don't pay for the repair billl.

I have enjoyed the little I have been on the HC server.  Maybe fix some of the payouts when you are totally overwelmed (last battle I was in I was in a NCD against a Klingon CA carrier and two D5's, doesn't sound to bad but one of the D5's was a D5FK so he was drone proof).  I didn't destroy a ship as the ADD load and PD was high anough to stop most of my drones (I had a few good hits but not many as the carrier could tractor a whole drone wave plus).

Keep up the work guys, I have enjoyed it so far.

I've had those missions before.  You really gotta be sparing on the drones and scatterpacks.  What I normally do is have everything charged, and I close in on one of the D5FK and let loose with everything I have at range 3.  I make sure my shields are reinforced though.  Normally at that range, one or two of my drones manages to make it through, but my phasers just shread the side front shield apart and the thing takes internals.  

Then I concentrate on the carrier and fighters, even if my first target is still alive.  If I have to, I target the fighters and shoot a wave of drones, but I don't do it too often.  I do try and send drones at the carrier though.  I normally fly in large circles.  Sometimes the AI falls for it and spreads out.

Once the carrier is taken out, the rest tends to be easy for me.  Just takes time.

[Centurus]

Oh come on.  I'm not much of a D2 pilot, and even I've been giving this Hardcore server a shot.

If someone like me is willing to at least try it out, it doesn't say much, if anything, about the old D2 pilots that whine and complain about the server without even trying it.

Sounds more to me like people that have found what makes them the best in the game, and they don't wanna change anything.

That had to be said.

That was quite retarded like most of your posts.  We've been there and done that which is why we think this is a bad idea.

Shows how mature you are, calling me retarted. 

[FPF-DieHard]

Shows how retarded you are, implying I have maturity 

[Centurus]

Shows how retarded you are, implying I have maturity 

Want to insult me again?

[KBF-Crim]

Ok...knock it off guys...

 

[Centurus]

Ok...knock it off guys...

 

Just for the record, I didn't do anything.  I made a post, and then was called retarded for it.  I am not gonna share blame for this.