Guide : "Capping"

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ezra-r
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Post by ezra-r » Sun, 2. Apr 06, 00:44

Mmm.. Id say its not totally random.

Of all ships I captured in either game.. One or both of these two conditions were met:

1. Shields destroyed
2. Weapons destroyed.

Ive never been able to capture a ship having shields and weapons.

Sometimes one of them, but never both.

So I guess there must be some randomizing "once" one of these 2 rules are in effect and maybe the pilot automatically ejects if both occur.

geoffrey
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Post by geoffrey » Sun, 2. Apr 06, 00:46

i'll send you better shots before i claim it also i'll keep the saves up to and beyond.

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Post by geoffrey » Sun, 2. Apr 06, 00:54

i agree around 50% there seems to be another trigger as apricot has screenshots of my last cap they have always been around 50% but some damage afterwards occurs.

bladesofdeath
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Re: Guide : "Capping"

Post by bladesofdeath » Sun, 2. Apr 06, 02:00

apricotslice wrote:"Capping" By Apricotslice.

Missiles Long range, variable hitting from "ouch" to "wtf" to "what happened?
:lol: how true

again today after 20 missiles being lauched at me i still don't respect the AI combat system

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apricotslice
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Post by apricotslice » Sun, 2. Apr 06, 02:49

I've added a news flash.

In the Handbook, I've added both the flash and the pic I received.

Tigerhawk71
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Post by Tigerhawk71 » Sun, 2. Apr 06, 03:19

Capping isn't quite as random as you say it is

Pilots are -far less likely- to bail when your gun energy is empty.

They are also less likely to bail if you don't hit them much. Go hard or go home.
Split alive!... Not for much longer you aren't...

stg1969
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Post by stg1969 » Sun, 2. Apr 06, 05:19

I'm sorry dude, but I totally dissagree with your 1 in 50 ratio by a LONG LONG way.

I run 1.4 , no scripts, and I dont do anything special.

Just counted these facts.

Ships Captured - 37
Ships destroyed - 380

I make that around 1 in 10 , and thats not including the 50 or so ships that were Khaak, Xenon or Mission. Khaak and Xenon i never try to cap, just murder, and to be honest, I dont try and cap M4's or M5's.

I reckon my capping ratio for M3's and Freighters is about 1 in 5.

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Copybass
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Post by Copybass » Sun, 2. Apr 06, 05:58

Last time (And ONLY time... Was an Argon Border Patroller I managed to tick off) I managed to get a pilot to bail out, I got close to the ship (Actually, TOO close), I was ready to enter, and I hit Tab. speed at 10 was enough for me to meet an untimely end. I have horrible luck.

I fight a fair amount of ships, as a pirate and a pirate hunter in one... I really dont see that 1 in 10 rate.... Not even 1 in 50 satisfies me lol

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apricotslice
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Post by apricotslice » Sun, 2. Apr 06, 06:04

The game varies incredably from person to person.

For everyone who claims 1 in 10, there will be another who says 1 in 100.

It depends a great deal on ship, loadout and combat style.

I settled on a mid point. No-one will ever agree to it as an exact, not even me.

What I said was :
The average is 1 in 50 kills or thereabouts. And this average changes every time a patch is released, and has been steadily getting worse since the first patch of X2. Although some report it being better in the latest 1.4 patch.
I'd say an average of that is a fair comentary on the game. And I did mention it being better for some in 1.4.

Edit : I've added the following :


It is possible to do a lot better than 1 in 50, with claims of as small as 1 in 10, but with just as many claiming a lot worse. Some of this variation depends on who you are shooting at and your style of game. A big bad pirate gets more opportunities to cap traders than an upright police officer does. Thats not to say that this is a prime factor in the ratio, but it is one of them.

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Post by geoffrey » Mon, 3. Apr 06, 00:43

over 4200 kills. 555 caps. and i have not tried to cap ships for ages.

Cr4Fty
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Post by Cr4Fty » Mon, 3. Apr 06, 01:02

Tigerhawk71 wrote:Pilots are -far less likely- to bail when your gun energy is empty.
home.
I can say with some certainty that this is not true.

I had a lucky streak when I first started using my 5 PBE setup. I was capping every other ship for an hour going after Boron and Teladi TS ships. I capped somewhere around 12-15 ships by lining up behind them and emptying my laser energy banks into them. 5 PBEs drained me dry right about at the 87% hull point, and the caps still kept coming. Whenever I use PBEs to cap, I almost always end up draining my energy in one pass and usually get a good cap ratio with them.

The key I've found is a sustained burst of fire with no misses that brings them down to the 'bail' point. I am more successful this way than any other.

I've tried using Ion Ds to destroy all shields and guns on a ship. It didn't seem to work very well so I abandoned the tactic.

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apricotslice
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Post by apricotslice » Mon, 3. Apr 06, 01:52

Regarding capped Xenon K's,

It appears that the Xenon Taxi mission makes them cappable. I've now seen a screenprint showing 2 abandonned K's, from this mission.

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apricotslice
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Post by apricotslice » Mon, 3. Apr 06, 16:23

Modification put in as follows :
The average is 1 in 50 kills or thereabouts. And this average changes every time a patch is released, and has been steadily getting worse since the first patch of X2. Although some report it being better in the latest 1.4 patch.

It is possible to do a lot better than 1 in 50, with claims of as small as 1 in 10, and even 1 in 5 when only capping freighters, but with just as many claiming a lot worse. Some of this variation depends on who you are shooting at and your style of game. A big bad pirate gets more opportunities to cap traders than an upright police officer does. Thats not to say that this is a prime factor in the ratio, but it is one of them.

newdean
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Post by newdean » Tue, 4. Apr 06, 18:14

Here is my experience: Capping ratio for non-M5 fighters (which, for me, get vaporized too fast for easy capture) is somewhere between 1 in 8 and 1 in 20. Currently, I use a Nova Raider with 4 AHEPTs vs. M3s and 4 APACs vs. M4s and M5s, and I capture more M4s than anything else.

Capping seems significantly easier in 1.4 than 1.3. Capping appears to be impossible against the targets/escorts in assasination missions.

The following seem to increase the likelihood of capping by avoiding behavior that prevents it:

1. Firing in short bursts, with an occasional let up so you don't destroy the ship while capturing it.

2. Using weapons with faster projectiles/energy bolts, so there is less ordinance still on the way when you let up on the trigger.

3. Not using missiles against the specific ship you're trying to cap, except to take the shields down initially before you start your gun run. Similarly, don't have a wildly-firing wingman going after your same target, because that contributes to the ordinance on the way when the ship turns blue problem.

4. Stop firing the moment you get a comm from the attacked ship. It is often the start of the message that he's bailing.

5. Don't ram the target ship. Once its shields are down, that generally splats it.

Other things that are likely to affect capture rates:

1. Attacking freighters: The capping ratio seems far different (radically improved) if you are attacking freighters rather than fighters.

2. Using a weapon like PBEs that do massive damage to shields but only modest hull damage. It seems to strip the shields quick, but take its time in eating the hull, so you are less likely to accidentally lose the capture by turning it into a kill.

What others have said, but is untested (and since a large part of capping is random, we do tend to see patterns where none exist, and some post a theory based on a lucky hour, but never go back to annotate their post when their capping rate falls the next day):

1. Morale varies in part by race, and some races (e.g. Teladi) are more likely to bail sooner than others (e.g., Split).

2. Turning off auto aim and targeting the front of a fighter with PBEs destroys the guns, making it more likely for the pilot to surrender.

3. One factor allegedly increasing bail percentage is accuracy in hitting the target.

4. One factor allegedly increasing bail percentage is speed of damage to shields initially.

If all or even much of the above is true, the most effective capping technique would seem to be (A) get close before firing, (B) use PBEs, (C) after shields are down, turn off auto aim and fire at the front of the target ship, and (D) go after freighters as well as fighters, and target someone easy.
Pirate dentistry: Make 'em open up and say "AAAAH..."

Ashnak
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Post by Ashnak » Wed, 5. Apr 06, 17:18

It would be nice to claim an M1/M2 on the assasination missions - after wiping the target in his m5 en-route to the waiting capital ship. All I had to battle was the escorting m3's and m6 - the m2 just sat there not doing a dickie-bird (this could be a perfect application for system-overide software :twisted: ).
Ho-hum - just have to make do with the bounty :roll:

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Post by Jakesnake5 » Wed, 12. Apr 06, 00:55

One inportant detail that nobody knows about, is the application of 'morale boost' your target gets from hitting YOU!

Don't let your target hit you much. It'll reduce the chances of him bailing, because he's getting 'hits' on his attacker.

If you use PBE's, sit dead still in front of the mark, then start hosing. If he starts shooting back, use the straffdrive to orbit around with no throttle. It'll prevent any 'morale boosting' from hitting you.

I used a M4 Yaki Raijin Sentinel and get into a fight with 5 Pirates. Capped 3 of the ships (after waxing the 2 idiot Harriers), and NONE of them hit me. (Though, they did hit the station I was dancing around, each other, etc.) :D

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Post by pjknibbs » Wed, 12. Apr 06, 08:00

Jakesnake5 wrote:One inportant detail that nobody knows about, is the application of 'morale boost' your target gets from hitting YOU!
Nobody including the programmers who actually wrote the game, I'll bet. :-)

Jakesnake5
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Post by Jakesnake5 » Wed, 12. Apr 06, 19:02

Tsk Tsk, did you actually think the programmers told you EVERYTHING? :D

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rizzo420
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Post by rizzo420 » Wed, 12. Apr 06, 20:43

I've been having much luck capping Demeter/Demeter Haulers in my Savage Split start. I hit them with enough fire from 4aHEPTs to strip their shields and take away a 5 or so hull bars in one run. I'd say 1/5 has bailed for me right after this. If not, I switch to 4 bPACs and plink away slowly. This success rate isn't as high, probably 1/10. It's a great help to cap a few ships worth 300+k for the ship alone, nevermind if they're full of Taladianium or BoFu or something...
Split Say AAAAAAAAA!!!

Cargo bay now contains: Elephant.

Jakesnake5
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Post by Jakesnake5 » Thu, 13. Apr 06, 02:37

I find when I started a Kha'ak Invader (needs unlock to be available), I am getting caps all OVER the place.

Seems nobody wants bKYON's pointed at them for long. Even just ONE is enough to make freighter jockies need a change and a ejection handle.

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