Frequency of enemy encounters

[Starwiz]

Hello!
I playing in Evochron Legacy for a long time and noticed that I never encountered hostile ships when I just flying through enemy or disputed territory. In disputed systems there are only friendly ships are spawning around me. Enemies are spawning only near their stations. In Evochron Mercenery enemies hunted for player when he was flying through their systems and it was more realistic and logically. I know that the encounters frequency reduced by the request of the players. But it seems to be that it was decreased too much so enemy systems looks empty and no risk until you fly to the enemy station. I suggest to make a higher chance to meet hostile ships in space.

Regards.

[matchbox2022]

I think I noticed that too. Now that we can change faction that danger theme in hostile territory should be more pronounced not less. Also noticed less capital ship fighting in disputed zones likely due to this change...if there was a change
...maybe just unlucky.

[Starwiz]

Today I finally have been attacked by the hostile ship after about of 30 minutes of mining on the planet. Looks like they does attacking the player, but it is too rare event. More rare than win a lottery

[Radikal]

Unfortunately the new infrequency of hostiles is why I don't play the game much now.

[Vice]

Artificially increasing the rate of hostile encounters is a pretty easy thing for me to implement, but it will need to be done with some careful consideration (especially since the rate was reduced by player request since EM where a number of players said it was too high). So I'll go over some important questions that would need to be answered/addressed:

I playing in Evochron Legacy for a long time and noticed that I never encountered hostile ships when I just flying through enemy or disputed territory. In disputed systems there are only friendly ships are spawning around me. Enemies are spawning only near their stations.

This may be a result of chance over time and you had a string of encounters that lacked much hostile activity. Enemies (and ships in general) will often remain near and jump near their stations. This is intentional, probably realistic, and also gives the player a way to better control their experiences. For the latter, that is one way they can control the level of difficulty they can encounter by where they choose to travel (both in system and in sector).

In Evochron Mercenery enemies hunted for player when he was flying through their systems and it was more realistic and logically. I know that the encounters frequency reduced by the request of the players.

Yes, by many accounts, the frequency was too high in Mercenary and a number of players asked for the encounter rate to be reduced, especially in more empty routes in a sector (away from stations). It didn't feel realistic to some players when more hostile ships were artificially brought in just for the sake of increased encounters (they pointed out that space was supposed to be big and easier to hide in). So if this is to be reversed, even partially, a detailed discussion on frequency and purpose would be important. Especially since the player can now choose to have more encounters or not by where they choose to travel (and even selectively hunt for encounters using sensors). I suspect there are still some players who will request that ships be kept closer to traffic areas (ie stations) and be rare in open/empty regions of space. Some want to be able to travel off the grid for a while on route to a location and not frequently be interrupted by hostile ships 'magically' finding them out in empty space.

But it seems to be that it was decreased too much so enemy systems looks empty and no risk until you fly to the enemy station. I suggest to make a higher chance to meet hostile ships in space.

'Too much' (or 'too little') is subjective, so please include examples of how many times you expect to have such encounters take place and where.

I think I noticed that too. Now that we can change faction that danger theme in hostile territory should be more pronounced not less. Also noticed less capital ship fighting in disputed zones likely due to this change...if there was a change

There have been no internal changes to the game that should cause reduced encounters. If anything, the increase in traffic patterns around stations would increase the potential chance of encounters. However, location plays a significant role in what happens and where. So where you fly can often have the most significant impact on what kind of ship encounters you find.

Unfortunately the new infrequency of hostiles is why I don't play the game much now.

The opposite was cited by some for why they didn't play the previous game much anymore. So again, the original issues and points I mentioned above would be important to cover in detail.

[Radikal]

I can understand reducing the encounters between systems or even several sectors away from stations, but one should expect hostile engagements close to hostile stations and their sectors.
The argument can be made that it is a bit too "unrealistic" that I can take out command modules with cannons because there are no enemy ships attacking.

I also understand that gameplay aspects get changed in order to appeal to a majority of requests, I'm really not knocking that.
Can there be an option added in which the frequency of hostile encounters can be changed to suit the player, even if it only applies to single-player games?

[Vice]

Can there be an option added in which the frequency of hostile encounters can be changed to suit the player, even if it only applies to single-player games?

Any changes to such systems will generally be universal so that everyone is playing by the same base set of rules. Currently, the player can scale the level of hostile encounters by where they choose to travel, including regional territory control level as well as proximity to population/traffic. Beyond that would require different randomizing patterns to cause more to fly in an intercept the player from time to time (again, dependent on specified frequency, count, and type desired).

[Marvin]

I would think that "high traffic areas" might include places like jump gates and asteroid fields.

[Nigel_Strange]

I find that if I get involved with an enemy ship, it quickly escalates to 5 to 10 enemy ships, which I can't handle. They call in reinforcements, I guess...which is fine, except that for some reason, I lack that capability, and if I have a flight, I must take them with me.

[Vice]

I would think that "high traffic areas" might include places like jump gates and asteroid fields.

Yes, and the system does generally bring in ships to those areas in particular, depending on conditions and location.

I find that if I get involved with an enemy ship, it quickly escalates to 5 to 10 enemy ships, which I can't handle. They call in reinforcements, I guess...which is fine, except that for some reason, I lack that capability, and if I have a flight, I must take them with me.

Yes, once one of them is able to find you, they will often call out for help from others in the area. So given enough time, reinforcements can often show up and increase the number of attackers. The number and type can also vary by conditions and location.

[Starwiz]

If the player do not want to meet enemies, he can coose IND faction and he will not be attacked at all.
For realism I suggest to make higher chance to meet hostile ships (and ships at all) on routes between important objects in system. It is realistic that they must to patrol important routs. For now I can mining within a hour without any fear.

12343.jpg

[Vice]

If the player do not want to meet enemies, he can coose IND faction and he will not be attacked at all.

Yes, that has appeared to help address the no combat/low risk side of the equation for players interested in that avenue of gameplay.

For realism I suggest to make higher chance to meet hostile ships (and ships at all) on routes between important objects in system.

That part is understood, what will help is defining 'higher chance' so others can voice their opinions on whether such changes would be a good idea or not with more precise information.

It is realistic that they must to patrol important routs. For now I can mining within a hour without any fear.

What may be 'realistic' to you isn't necessarily realistic to someone else (in particular, those who requested far fewer encounters and interference in what is/was supposed to be largely empty space). Although, I'd agree that more traffic on routes would be a realistic approach and the game does do that to an extent already. It's just that space is so much larger in this game than in the previous game that things are spread out a lot more. So to help establish any potential changes to hostile encounters, please also provide some specifics for the points I previously indicated, namely:

- Frequency - what would be an accurate percentage/rate of encounters over time you'd want to see in sectors with stations and without? And also, desired rates in disputed regions as well as enemy controlled regions.

- Purpose - is it just for increased risk or more? Do you want them to get in the way of you completing something on your own? Or simply highway intercepts for random combat when you are not using your jump drive?

[Starwiz]

- Frequency - what would be an accurate percentage/rate of encounters over time you'd want to see in sectors with stations and without? And also, desired rates in disputed regions as well as enemy controlled regions.

- Purpose - is it just for increased risk or more? Do you want them to get in the way of you completing something on your own? Or simply highway intercepts for random combat when you are not using your jump drive?

Well... I'll try to explain. Perfectly I would like to each ship pursued their goals. Traders to trade, miners to mine, warriors to patrol. Now AI ships are trying to do that, but ONLY in player faction. Whatever opposing faction (ALC/FDN) that I chose, in My faction there are miners, warriors and simply flying around pilots, but in Hostile faction they all disappearing. In friendly systems there are always a lot of ships flying around me in every piont of system. In hostile systems life seemed dies. No one ship is flying on routes.
So IMHO enemy ships must appear after less than minute after player's arrival in hostile system. In perfect the attack of enemies must happen not by artifically spawn them near player, but by they really flying on their routes. I wish to increase enemies mostly to increase risk and bring more action in quite boring flights. Enemies are quite weak to make their attacks so rare event. Game universe is already not as living as I would like, but without any dangers it has no sense.

[Vice]

in My faction there are miners, warriors and simply flying around pilots, but in Hostile faction they all disappearing. In friendly systems there are always a lot of ships flying around me in every piont of system. In hostile systems life seemed dies. No one ship is flying on routes.

That could indicate some kind of problem. In disputed or hostile space, AI ships should still be flying around on routes in the same ways they do in allied space. However, this can vary depending on location. If you are getting a different result in a region that should be more active, please send me your pilot profile and I will observe with scanners to watch what the hostile ships in that sector are doing.

So IMHO enemy ships must appear after less than minute after player's arrival in hostile system. In perfect the attack of enemies must happen not by artifically spawn them near player, but by they really flying on their routes. I wish to increase enemies mostly to increase risk and bring more action in quite boring flights.

They should be flying routes, so that may be a separate issue. However, 60-seconds? That would be quite fast, leaving little/no chance for a player to sneak in, run scans, observe for a while, etc. I'd certainly be interested in what others have to say about that kind of timeframe.

[Marvin]

Sixty seconds is mighty quick. Figure how long it takes to mine an asteroid field, filling up ten cargo bays. If you're in enemy territory and mining an asteroid with about 50% of your intended mineral, you could expect at least one enemy ship to show up before you've completed the task. And more enemy ships afterward. But not many mercenaries can fill ten bays in sixty seconds.

[Starwiz]

I want to say that friendly ships are always exist. They appears after 5 seconds after my arrival in every piont of friendy or disputed system. But hostile ships (without sensor station) can be found only near their stations. If I use the sensor station then, yes, I can see enemies on map, but otherwise - not. My question is: if all ships flying on their routes, so why I can always see friendly ships around me and can not see enemy ships without a sensor station?
Sorry, English is not my native language, so I may explain my thoughts not correct. The video can explain what I mean (sorry, only 30 seconds are available)
https://youtu.be/Xyvy1NRltOM
You can see a little example, that only friendly ships are flying on routes in disputed system and no hostile ships however much I waited.

[Vice]

There could be an actual problem with the guidance and traffic systems for warping in friendlies and not hostiles in some areas. I'll go through the code for those systems and will likely run some changes by the testing team to see what they think.

Edit/Update: I will be implementing changes that will increase the discovery rate for hostiles in disputed and hostile systems to allow enemy ships to more frequently find and intercept the player. One of the best points raised in this thread regarding the potential issue of unwanted interference is that the new IND option allows players to stay out of such conflicts and hostile conditions when/if they want to. Then for players who travel to disputed/hostile systems, they could expect more involvement from enemy forces, including an increase in potential non-contract battle scenarios overall (including both friendly and hostile ships warping in for reinforcements).

I'll run these changes by the testing team to see how they work out and if the changes provide the desired increase in risk/combat, they can be included in the next update for the game. And Starwiz, if you'd like advanced access to such test builds to try it out, just send me a quick e-mail.

[Starwiz]

Thank you very much!

[Rooster]

WOW!!! Sounds great, Vice.

[YaroslavUSSR]

There could be an actual problem with the guidance and traffic systems for warping in friendlies and not hostiles in some areas. I'll go through the code for those systems and will likely run some changes by the testing team to see what they think.

Edit/Update: I will be implementing changes that will increase the discovery rate for hostiles in disputed and hostile systems to allow enemy ships to more frequently find and intercept the player. One of the best points raised in this thread regarding the potential issue of unwanted interference is that the new IND option allows players to stay out of such conflicts and hostile conditions when/if they want to. Then for players who travel to disputed/hostile systems, they could expect more involvement from enemy forces, including an increase in potential non-contract battle scenarios overall (including both friendly and hostile ships warping in for reinforcements).

I'll run these changes by the testing team to see how they work out and if the changes provide the desired increase in risk/combat, they can be included in the next update for the game. And Starwiz, if you'd like advanced access to such test builds to try it out, just send me a quick e-mail.

Does that mean uncharted systems will be affected too? I think it is very strange if a player will be attacked in an unknown system in deep, deep space by ships from nowhere.

[Vice]

No, uncharted, largely unpopulated, no-structure regions will generally continue to have no/very rare ship encounters. This has also been confirmed to operate this way in the test build as players reported no encounters in such sectors. AI/NPC controlled ships are still given the ability to exist out in very remote locations (just as you the player are, and you're out there also), but the frequency will be far lower and the frequency changes discussed in this thread relating to populated systems with structures in them are what is being changed.