Problem with Self-Destruction

[Brewski]

I had a match on Sunday where I was flying a speed cap scout to take an initial objective, and I took a few hits fairly early and was smoking. I spent the next three to five minutes hauling 3 strike fighters around as they tried to kill me. Dodge here, boost there, flip and restore my shields. I kept expecting them to break off, but they never did. By the time they had killed me my team was up 500 to 150, and the original cap point I helped take was owned by my team the whole time.

 

I'm not saying that alone turned the match, but I have to think that those three guys might have been able to help cap at least one of the points, and my keeping them occupied helped win. If I had suicided, all that would have been lost.

 

My point is that the perceived bonus you get by suicidiing is way overrated in peoples minds. You want to run yourself into a wall to get more missiles? Cool beans. I'll take the fast points and time you're away from the battle. In my opinion, at best it's a wash for you, and more likely you are giving up more than you get.

 

That said, it might be cool if returning to your fleet ship repaired and reloaded your equipment. I can see that being useful in some cases, and it might remove the last reason for people to ram themselves into a wall.

[ptwonline]

So kills are pretty much only useful as e-peen. There's only the illusion of them being worth more because that is how the default sorting on the stats screen works.

 

Actually, since assists are generally easier to come by than kills, being denied a kill but getting an assist instead can be frustrating for those seeking to get their Achievements.

[Brewski]

Actually, since assists are generally easier to come by than kills, being denied a kill but getting an assist instead can be frustrating for those seeking to get their Achievements.

 

Achievements are also e-peen. Fun to earn and show off, but in no way do they affect the outcome of the game.

[seePyou]

+1

on the idea that the kill should be awarded to the last entity doing damage within XYZ seconds.

[MCaliban]

Couldn't agree more. It's incredibly frustrating to get the upper hand in a dogfight and hit an enemy with multiple lock-on missiles only to have him boost into a rock or satellite and negate all the work I did.

 

Sometimes I am a very petty woman.

 

I had a game early this morning where I rushed a satellite in my scout ship (C on Lost Shipyard), popped the turrets with another player, and started circling. I managed to steal it from the other team.

 

A couple of them showed up, killed my partner, and set up shop. A gun ship and two strikers opened fire on me while the rest of my team completely ignored the objective despite it never spawning turrets and always having that flashy 'contested' icon.

 

There was the constant whining of the damn missile lock and the little droid crew member screaming about my shields falling and my hull going red, but every time, I managed to stay alive until the next hydro-spanner or shield boost. Meanwhile, my fellow Imperials managed to lose both of the other satellites.

 

For five grueling minutes I held that stupid satellite despite being constantly pounded on. And when they finally stripped my shields and all my defensive abilities were all on cooldown and I was almost out of engine power and my hull was red, I realized that there was no way I was going to escape, so I hit that booster and slammed right into the damn wall.

 

There was no way I was going to give them the satisfaction of killing me. If they wanted that, they should have managed to do it earlier.

 

As it was, I respawned and the game ended because they reached 1000, but that satellite was still green.

 

I bet they were pissed as hell and I feel good about that. I hope they were sitting there swearing at the screen.

[Arkerus]

Sometimes I am a very petty woman.

 

I had a game early this morning where I rushed a satellite in my scout ship (C on Lost Shipyard), popped the turrets with another player, and started circling. I managed to steal it from the other team.

 

A couple of them showed up, killed my partner, and set up shop. A gun ship and two strikers opened fire on me while the rest of my team completely ignored the objective despite it never spawning turrets and always having that flashy 'contested' icon.

 

There was the constant whining of the damn missile lock and the little droid crew member screaming about my shields falling and my hull going red, but every time, I managed to stay alive until the next hydro-spanner or shield boost. Meanwhile, my fellow Imperials managed to lose both of the other satellites.

 

For five grueling minutes I held that stupid satellite despite being constantly pounded on. And when they finally stripped my shields and all my defensive abilities were all on cooldown and I was almost out of engine power and my hull was red, I realized that there was no way I was going to escape, so I hit that booster and slammed right into the damn wall.

 

There was no way I was going to give them the satisfaction of killing me. If they wanted that, they should have managed to do it earlier.

 

As it was, I respawned and the game ended because they reached 1000, but that satellite was still green.

 

I bet they were pissed as hell and I feel good about that. I hope they were sitting there swearing at the screen.

 

Um. I certainly wouldn't be swearing at the screen. I'd be glad you boosted into a wall.

[MCaliban]

There were three of them. They spent five minutes attempting to shoot down one ship humping a satellite. Instead of killing it, it decided to self-destruct, they didn't even manage to capture the node.

 

While it's possible one of them was just glad it was over, this is PVP. I am sure someone really wanted that kill.

[thelightningboy]

As a Gunship I couldn't agree more. It truly pisses me off when I hit a guy once then they run into a wall because they realize I'm killing them.

[Luneward]

As a Gunship I couldn't agree more. It truly pisses me off when I hit a guy once then they run into a wall because they realize I'm killing them.

 

Are you sure they're not running into a wall for the same reason a lot of people crash into things when a missle lock is happening? Getting whacked like that tends to inspire a 'flight' instinct.

[Mallorik]

I like it when people self destruct, I like it even more when they do it on purpose. Im always really low on assists and it helps. And theyre also giving us a point.

[DarthSabreth]

I disagree with this post, if someone is weaving in or out and runs into the wall by accident then its not a kill its still an assist. or if you die and we still crash you don't deserve the point. an assist is still a point. live with it.

[Grimoir]

I disagree with this post, if someone is weaving in or out and runs into the wall by accident then its not a kill its still an assist. or if you die and we still crash you don't deserve the point. an assist is still a point. live with it.

 

The wall did not chase the enemy player and whittle them down to almost no health before that enemy, intentionally or not, chose to run into that wall. Its a kill, not an assist. A kill is a kill and should be treated as such. There are absolutely ZERO downsides to granting a kill instead of an assist in situations like this, so why are you against making the game more fun for people who like to things besides objectives?

 

There may be no need for a penalty, but of the same token, there is absolutely no reason to not grant a kill to the either the player that did the most damage or the last player to hit the target before a self-destruct. It's a simple change that makes certain players feel better about their performance, so why not? It would have absolutely NO impact WHATSOEVER on people who self-destruct on accident because its NOT A PENALTY.

 

Take a page from Warthunder on this, and allow people who don't always like to play objectives the opportunity to build the stats that appeal to and/or please them.

[Helig]

Actually your sabotage probe example is precisely why nothing should change. Lose the kill but take the pilot out of the fight. Which is more important?

This. Ego is immaterial.

[Zidanepunk]

I have to admit, I have done that before....ALTHOUGH! the evasive thrusting components don't have any warnings of oncoming collision. Would be a nice update that would warn the player of oncoming collision with the environment. As for granting kills, I think a penalty for self destructing would be neat.. Player self destructs: player loses 2 points... sorta thing...

[rbl_holmes]

Sometimes I am a very petty woman.

 

I had a game early this morning where I rushed a satellite in my scout ship (C on Lost Shipyard), popped the turrets with another player, and started circling. I managed to steal it from the other team.

 

A couple of them showed up, killed my partner, and set up shop. A gun ship and two strikers opened fire on me while the rest of my team completely ignored the objective despite it never spawning turrets and always having that flashy 'contested' icon.

 

There was the constant whining of the damn missile lock and the little droid crew member screaming about my shields falling and my hull going red, but every time, I managed to stay alive until the next hydro-spanner or shield boost. Meanwhile, my fellow Imperials managed to lose both of the other satellites.

 

For five grueling minutes I held that stupid satellite despite being constantly pounded on. And when they finally stripped my shields and all my defensive abilities were all on cooldown and I was almost out of engine power and my hull was red, I realized that there was no way I was going to escape, so I hit that booster and slammed right into the damn wall.

 

There was no way I was going to give them the satisfaction of killing me. If they wanted that, they should have managed to do it earlier.

 

As it was, I respawned and the game ended because they reached 1000, but that satellite was still green.

 

I bet they were pissed as hell and I feel good about that. I hope they were sitting there swearing at the screen.

 

LOL nice work!

[MalakaiCaine]

Eric Musco already laid out several reasons why self-destruct is a poor strategy. I take it as a compliment and assume I've sent the pilot into a panic whenever this happens. If it's intentional, well hey thanks for the points and enjoy your ineffective flight back into the engagement zone.

 

yeah, pissess me off, but then i think, well, go ahead and BE MORE USELESS, hurt your team, help us win .

[fungihoujo]

Depends what I'm playing. I've never intentionally suicided as a scout- since if you're that close to an object, you can probably dodge forever anyway. Strike fighter, generally I'll try to stick it out, but if it keeps going without even getting to see the scout that's peppering me always behind- might hit a wall.

 

If I'm playing a GS though- ya, when a torpedoes on me or my health is falling- I'll suicide. Not like I'm gonna survive that one. Trying to escape something on a GS is an exercise in utter futility. Faster to respawn and get back to sniping than try lugging that block about- really, who are you kidding on a GS? You're like a fat kid trying to outrun a tiger.

[Verain]

I self destruct to remind myself that I swapped my engine function to barrel roll. Alternatively, it's really great to remember which scout was set up to blast me backwards and which one forwards!