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[Thaago]

I never thought I'd suggest a buff for the Hyperion, but I think the ship could really use its teleport ability using soft flux rather than hard. This is mainly due to two observations on the AI, one of which I think should stay unchanged and another which might need a tweak.

1) The AI is very conservative with shields, often keeping them up while maneuvering outside the effective range of other ships (see: Hyperion vs. 2 CS Lashers in simulator). I think this is good behavior in general: better to lose a little flux dissipation rather than eat a HVD or Heavy Mauler round, especially for fragile ships. The Hyperion is excellent at biding its time and waiting until it has a good opportunity - but during this time it keeps its shields up and doesn't dissipate the teleport cost. I think the AI behavior here is excellent, but doesn't work well with the teleporter's hard flux.

2) An extension of 1: the Hyperion will do 2 to 4 teleports during the 'approach' before attacking rather than 1, all with shields up. This puts a serious dent in the offensive/defensive power of the ship - and from the player's perspective it is entirely avoidable, because the Hyperion has the unique ability to teleport away and vent. The soft flux would help soften the problem, but a tweak might be nice.


What do other's think?

[Brainbread]

Well, the change would make it significantly more powerful. But the ship is also extremely powerful as it is. So depends if you think the ship is not operating at a 15 FP level, or if you're me, it is.

[Thaago]

I do think its operating at 15 FP actually, so maybe this would be balanced by a reduction of flux capacity or dissipation? Its more of an observation on how the teleport mechanic works with the AI behavior.

[BillyRueben]

Couldn't the AI behavior be adjusted instead? It might not be nearly as easy to program, but it might be worth it in the long run.

[TJJ]

Couldn't the AI behavior be adjusted instead? It might not be nearly as easy to program, but it might be worth it in the long run.

Agreed. The AI's overly cautious venting logic is the real problem.
Hyperion is in no need of a buff; in fact  I'd go so far as to say that in human hands it's broken.

[Thaago]

Fair enough! The only reason I hesitated to suggest an AI change is because the Hyperion has such incredibly different considerations compared to other ships, but better AI is better.

[TaLaR]

AI clearly doesn't use Hyperion's teleport to full strength. And at least to me it also seems that removing 5 sec cooldown made AI even less proficient. Previously using it as soon as cooldown allowed was often the correct decision and AI has been doing exactly that. Now this judgment is substantially harder...

Still there are a few thing that could seriously improve Hyperion's AI:
1)Don't teleport in front of enemy guns(that often happens due to Hyperion misjudging distance and trying to jump on target from too far)
2)Don't wait for projectiles to hit it. If projectiles will do more hard flux than teleportation costs or are going to hit hull(from behind), AI needs to jump.
3)Actively use shield bypassing against large flux-efficient targets(Defending AI can't raise shield in previously unshielded direction quickly enough to block first shot after teleportation, though i suspect this has more to do with how AI handles shields, than being inherently impossible)
4)Chain teleport in several situations (at least: quick capping, getting enough distance to safely vent flux, simply covering long distances)
5)Fighting against another Hyperion(more broad: phase teleporter) is a very special case and can't be decently handled by AI unless specifically coded for. Skimmers also need a bit special handling.

Otherwise Hyperion is going to be player-only ship, because under current AI control it's simply not worth 15 FP...

[BillyRueben]

AI clearly doesn't use Hyperion's teleport to full strength.

Otherwise Hyperion is going to be player-only ship, because under current AI control it's simply not worth 15 FP...

That's good and bad. If the AI was more competent at flying ships than the player, what would be the point in flying any of you ships? The Hyperion is the ship for players to fly because of its high skill ceiling. By the sound of things, you are only going to be getting 1 or 2 in a single playthrough, and it will more than likely be the ship people are going to fly if they do purchase one.

[TaLaR]

That's kind of problem in itself - player-piloted Hyperion is so powerful, that piloting anything else becomes waste of opportunity. Having competent AI would make other choices acceptable. And i don't think it's possible to make AI that would make universally better use of Hyperion than skilled player could. It might have better reaction though...

[Brainbread]

That's kind of problem in itself - player-piloted Hyperion is so powerful, that piloting anything else becomes waste of opportunity. Having competent AI would make other choices acceptable. And i don't think it's possible to make AI that would make universally better use of Hyperion than skilled player could. It might have better reaction though...

I feel like I am the only person who doesn't have an issue with Hyperion AI. If you outfit it defensively, give it Phase Beams, and send it on Harass orders (its the first ship to go on them), it never gets itself killed or do anything stupid. Well, do anything stupid more often than the rest of the AI.

[TaLaR]

Not getting itself killed was good enough for 7 FP, for 15 FP it needs to actually kill stuff to earn it's place in fleet.

[Reshy]

Well, the change would make it significantly more powerful. But the ship is also extremely powerful as it is. So depends if you think the ship is not operating at a 15 FP level, or if you're me, it is.

That would be true but only for the old one that was half price, this new one however isn't worth nearly as much because it costs 15 FP a cruiser's worth.  So logically it should have power comparable to a cruiser and that means it's teleporting should be stronger because it relies greatly on it for most of it's strength.