I have started and stopped playing this game several times (almost since the beginning). Steam says I have well over 1000 hours playing. The times I have stopped are when changes/updates to the game have added features to make the way I enjoy playing less enjoyable. I am writing now mainly to vent that this may be happening again. In my latest started game I just went off the starter planet to a "neutral" space system to stock up on ores before planning an assault on someone (likely Zirax). I am assuming a change was added since probably 1.0 that every "neutral planet" now has Zirax troops milling around as well as Kriel assassins, and Legacy abominations. All these troops seem to exist on planets with no bases for support. The crazy thing is finding all three in the same area peacefully co-existing until I get there and then at least 2 of them start attacking me. I feel (my opinion unless others respond and express agreement) that this is unrealistic for starters. There shouldn't be that many troops without a CV or base as support. Second is that the Kriel or Zirax should be attacking the Legacy. I understand the concept of "survival" game, but I enjoy have a "safe" place to go to in between fights.
If you check the info on a system, even in neutral areas, they will sometimes say “survey in progress”. This can mean there are Zirax troops on the planet, most often next to rare ores. They are generally easy to avoid, and by the time they are a problem finding those same rare ores in space is pretty simple, and completely safe. If you absolutely must have those ores then just shoot em. A CV or SV can handle them with a few strafing runs. As far as NPC factions fighting each other, I have seen Zirax bases shooting Legacy POIs when they happened to spawn too close to each other once. But yeah, their ground forces ignore one another. I feel this may change at some point, as the mechanic is there for them to fight as I have seen hostile wildlife attack NPCs before (just tonight a swamp giga killed a Kriel NPC right next to me).
I've experienced what ChumSickle reported. A metal world with a note of a survey and it was lousy with Zirax. It also had Legacy units like abominations and they would patrol right next to each other. This is not necessarily new. I know at one point the Abandoned Reactor POI had both Legacy and Zirax units in it. It does sort of break immersion.
I think we all agree that MOB (factions) need AGI worked on. Is there a road map somewhere that shows what game developments have priority?
I can add that there is no mention of "survey in progress" on the planet in question or the system in general as far as I can see. When A11 (the galaxy) was first introduced I switched to experimental and played a lot. These neutral planets had no ground troops as far as I could find other than one I found had a lot of overlords on it. You could find the occasional pirate/trader/polaris base, but I never found any Zirax bases or troops. Maybe I was lucky. However, it seems in my current go through that every planet in neutral space has ground troops from Zirax/Legacy/Kriel. It is that difference from A11 to now that is my annoyance. The troops coexisting just makes it icing on top.
I get your frustration, but remember, your annoyance is many peoples enjoyment. The galaxy is huge, and in some play throughs I have had got rather empty feeling. Planet after planet of nothing. So seeing that the other factions are also out there looking around is refreshing. To many of us, it adds a refreshing level of realism that we dont get to dictate the actions of our enemies. So the presence of bad guys where we dont want them is just kinda the nature of exploration in a dangerous universe. What I think most all of us will agree with is that the AI of the factions needs continued updating so that they arent buddy buddy with each other.
"I get your frustration, but remember, your annoyance is many peoples enjoyment. The galaxy is huge, and in some play throughs I have had got rather empty feeling. Planet after planet of nothing." ChumSickle You have a very good point, which is why I was trying to phrase it as a personal vent. "What I think most all of us will agree with is that the AI of the factions needs continued updating so that they aren't buddy buddy with each other." ChumSickle Make that two good points. But if they fix things then I can't sit 150m away and shoot at the Zirax without a response.
Fo'Sho bud...just imagine if they made the AI smart enough to fix their busted stuff between battles...
