A Solution to the Combat Frequency Problem

Project Terran PT Suggestions
1

Hi Everyone,

As this is a “new coding idea” regarding the combat frequency issue, I thought it best to start a new thread.

On 3 different days, in 3 different systems (and therefore in 3 different asteroid fields), I have been “pulled into combat” anywhere from 5-7 times in only a 10 minute period. That isn’t unlucky die rolls. It’s code with a much too high frequency of attacking players. As stated before by a few players, it makes mining frustratingly slow and the game’s fun factor drops off the charts .

So I’d like to offer a coding solution: An Incrementing Combat Test Variable

How it works: Set a Integer Variable Counter to a value of 1. Use that variable to test whether a player is attacked as soon as he/she enters a “danger zone”. Initially, the attack chance will be 1%.

Then, every 10 seconds, add 1 to the variable and check for an attack again. After 1 minute, the attack chance will be 7% and will continue to increase 1% every 10 seconds (6% per minute) until eventually the player will be attacked. When a player leaves a combat area, the counter is set back to 1.

By this method, a player could leave a combat area and in 10 seconds be attacked again, just like the game does now, but with only a 1% chance of that happening. After 20 seconds there’s a 2% chance of reentering combat, after 30 seconds a 3% chance, etc…

Thus, there will always be a chance to be attacked, but the frequency will be very low for the first couple of minutes after combat. As time passes that chance will continuously increase so that another attack is inevitable as the “combat test variable” continues to climb. For example, after 5 minutes the chance for an attack will be 31%.

Using this method will allow players a bit more time to mine in between attacks, on average, and the “immediate re-attacks” will drop to almost nil.

I’m looking forward to hearing what you guys think?

Thanks!
Opus

2

Thanks for the feedback. The idea of scaling danger level over time is interesting. Though the more simple implementation involves simply saving a timestamp of last attack and then using the difference (time passed in seconds or minutes) with a configurable multiplier in order to calculate the current chance. We’ll think about it^^

3

I tried to mine Cryzen today.

I managed to mine only 45 units while being pulled into combat SIX TIMES !!!

This is not a joke…but mining is.

The game is unplayable (mining wise). This must be fixed…the game will not retain players otherwise.

4

Many of the changes that were proposed by players are being implemented right now (and that is 02:30AM).

There is no need to start a new thread on same topic every 24h.

5

I have just uploaded some changes made by @DeepOne to combat.

Please have a try and let us have feedback on it. There are more tweaks coming, so keep up with the feedback, it is important to us!

6

I’ve travelled a little, just realised that, after your changes, LL1 in Yellow Faction (Commonwealth) has very “low damage” ships, way easier than LL5 in Red Faction (Foreen Alliance). That could explain, why I’ve said “LL5 is easy”, you’ve said “No Way”.
Question: Should I consider one faction more “fixed/be ok/balanced” then others? Just to make discussions clear.

  1. If I get intercepted, and placed between two (or more) same ships, I cannot say which one is attacking me. I see “Kracken is going to Attack You”, but is it one from left, or one from right? Can Ships, which are targetting us, be made more red, or something?

will try to mine a little more later today, or tomorrow

7

Good point, was planned and then got lost somewhere :slight_smile: Along with few other cosmetic changes that should improve the combat gui.

8

A post was split to a new topic: Combat: Kracken not following

9

I have had reasonable success mining while my Combat toon is actively fighting the enemy at the same asteroid. My miner did get sucked into combat once, but he had mined for at least 20 minutes uninterrupted previous to that.

10

Foreen Space is a dangerous place, they are made up of warlike factions. Races like the Vortan and Botillians reside there, so yes not all space lane / faction zones are the same. We have seeded initial starter ships so you can get used to the variances, but these are likly to grow over time with tougher and tougher mobs in some of the more ‘tasty / dangerous’ locations.

See Races for more info : Races « Project Terran

Coops

11

Combat Frequency Issue Much Improved! Prima, Bueno, Ausgezeichnet, Bravo!

After a few hours of mining since changes, I’ve noticed a very marked improvement in lower frequencies of being pulled into combat.

As a level 37 in LL6, I now tend to get pulled approximately every 8 minutes on average. Usually I get pulled once or twice in a 3 minute stretch, then have as much as 10-15 minutes of mining before being pulled into combat a couple of more times. Over an hour, I think I entered combat 8 times, so that’s averaging about 7-8 minutes between pulls, about 4 times less frequently than before. (Thank You!)

I’ll now try some mining with my fighter character “in residence” (as noted above) and see if that reduces the pull frequency even more.

Thanks again for making this much needed adjustment!