CUEmu - Thread Posts

Utess

Sat Apr 17, 2004 3:05 pm

I just thought I'd toss this up here since I had not seen it discussed much, if any, on the boards with all the noise about the new 2H and TKA weapons out there right now

Creature ranged attacks are now fixed and working in Publish 8(currently being tested on Test Center). In addition, there seems to be some improvements in how the AI is working that makes for a more challenging game.

Many creatures who, for the last several months, have been "bread and butter" creatures for TKA are now a bit more challenging than you may be used to. Lets take Savage Quenkers for example. Savage Quenkers now, once again, spit at you when at range. In fact, they spit and hit you fairly hard all things considered. At pure TKM, a month ago I could go to a Savage Quenker lair and just stand in front of them, letting them attack me, without having to worry. Now, they can spit which bypasses any unarmed toughness I might have, causing me to take much more damage than normal.

That alone, by itself, is nothing new. Creatures used to do that before anyway, they just havn't in a good long while. Well, the thing is there have been some AI changes too:

1) Creatures will no longer simply charge you if they have a ranged attack. Before they would charge the player, firing their ranged attack as they closed, then switch to melee. Now, many creatures will stay at a distance, firing their ranged attacks at you until you get near them. This means you can potentially deal with a lot more ranged attacking in PvE.

2) Babies with ranged attacks are now very much a threat. The AI has been upgraded. Babies with ranged attacks will now kite players as they "recognize" that they wouldn't last long in a close range fight. Take a baby savage quenker for example. It will sit there in one spot spitting at me. If I close to attack it, it will quickly hop backwards many paces, then stop and continue to spit at me again. Some adult creatures will do this too, however, many will melee after a short period of time if you continue to chase them. Most babies will stay at range unless they have no other choice.

3) NPC and some creature AI now appears to use some minor tactics. Specifically, if that creature/npc has a ranged attack and you being physically attacking a group of them, the group will often scatter in multiple directions then begin engaging you in ranged attacks again. How often they do this seems to vary, but many mobs will now switch back and forth between melee and ranged as the fight goes on, plus with the group scattering effects, it means that there is *always* a threat of ranged attacks from anything that has them.

All of this does not necessarily make PvE extremely more difficult, but, it does subtly change the feel of PvE. It feels more realistic for one thing, but, also, I am finding myself taking more damage overall than I was before and, without buffs, the threat of being overwhelmed or, at the very least, having to take longer breaks between fights, happens much more than it used to.

None of this is going to make or break TKA in PvE

But, you should be prepared to have to make some minor adjustments in how you play once this patch goes live. It is no longer simply a matter of things running towards you or away from you in a straight line. Fights can flow a bit more and the threat of ranged attacks our toughness can not help against is much more real.

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'Tess
- Utess Pero: Master Entertainer, Master Dancer, Master Musician, ID
- Andria Pasretti: Master Artisan, Master Merchant, Teras Kasi Master
- Tatiyana Karkuf: Master Medic, Master Combat Medic, Master Doctor

BatosaiB

Sun Apr 18, 2004 5:14 am

#2

So if they start kiting I'll take out myPistol and Blow their big head off

If they come close I'll kick them in the NUTZ

Batosai-x
~ Master Swordsman ~
~ Master TKA ~
" And there was much teasing.............."

Tarak_Rexus

Sun Apr 18, 2004 6:59 am

#3

Poor TKA, it's getting worse by every Publish...

____________________________________________________________

"The Sith grew past the use of lightsabers. But we continue to use them, if only to humiliate the Jedi." - Darth Sidious

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Leonae

Sun Apr 18, 2004 8:29 am

#4

Hmm... being a long time TKM, I avoided range-using creatures anyway, if I could help it, and killed those babies as fast as I could (I don't know if that bug is still in, but babies used to hit for full adult damage at ranged). So, for me, nothing really will change.

Easy to handle, if you use your head. Watch out for cover when dealing with ranged attacks, and let them close to melee when you hide there. Treat them like PvP or NPC kiters, and you will do fine.

Or pick up some ranged profession as well, for ranged damage mitigation, and ranged firepower. smuggler's dirty fighting lin, f.e., offers ranged damage mititgation 1 and a ranged knockdown.

KnapweedD

Sun Apr 18, 2004 1:19 pm

#5

Thanks, as always, for the post Utess

As you say, no biggie, but it will add a few tactics into the equation, which is a good thing. Stupid MOBs are no fun but increased AI adds a lot to the experience.

Utess

Sun Apr 18, 2004 2:16 pm

#6

Leonae wrote:

I don't know if that bug is still in, but babies used to hit for full adult damage at ranged.

Easy to handle, if you use your head. Watch out for cover when dealing with ranged attacks, and let them close to melee when you hide there. Treat them like PvP or NPC kiters, and you will do fine.

Or pick up some ranged profession as well, for ranged damage mitigation, and ranged firepower. smuggler's dirty fighting lin, f.e., offers ranged damage mititgation 1 and a ranged knockdown.

Regarding the damage, I'll have to check, I think they may still be doing adult damage though but don't take that as fact as I'm just trying to recall from memory

As for the closing to melee bit, thats one of the minor changes to the AI. Sometimes the creatures will never close on you so you have to go to them instead. Then they switch to melee once you move into melee range(or they kite you a bit until they have no choice but to melee). So, you have to deal with ranged fire a bit more than you had to back before creature ranged attacks were broken.

You are right though in that it is not that huge of a deal, just be ready for it so you don't slip up someway and you'll be fine. It is also worth noting that while the creatures do kite, I havn't had them move beyond the range of lunge 1 yet, so it's not that bad either, but it does force you to deal with ranged fire that much longer while you chase them down.

The only way any of this really can turn "bad" for a TKA is if you get hit by a creature warp due to the new "anti-stick on objects" code. It's not much fun chasing after a ranged attacking creature only to have it warp 40 meters away from you then start opening fire again

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'Tess
- Utess Pero: Master Entertainer, Master Dancer, Master Musician, ID
- Andria Pasretti: Master Artisan, Master Merchant, Teras Kasi Master
- Tatiyana Karkuf: Master Medic, Master Combat Medic, Master Doctor

Ryutek

Mon Apr 19, 2004 7:21 am

#7

Thanks for the heads up

This is why I love being a Smuggler / Pistoleer / TKM. If the creature kites I just switch to any pistol and KD it

Ryutek

Former Teräs Käsi Correspondent, Circa 08/2004 to 02/2005

No longer holding out hope, SWG will never be the game we fought so hard for, that we believed so much in. Farewell friends.

[email protected]

Laeren

Mon Apr 19, 2004 8:08 am

#8

Actually, this sounds like fun. Rather than boring myself to death with UAHit3 on most mobs, maybe I'll need to chase them down more.

I for one am looking forward to it!

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atimes

Mon Apr 19, 2004 10:17 am

#9

BACK TO THE PIKETS AND BAZ NITCHES WE GO!!!!

Dynastar

Tue Apr 20, 2004 12:25 am

#10

Just ask for a ranged attack where you can throw your new heat damage VK at them.

Ramsey Logan
By Federal Law, Riflemen do it with 16 inches or more!
Master Pikeman

Teras Kasi Archive

Thread: PvE Ranged Attack fixes on Test Center and how they may affect TKA