Capping mechanics... [Spoilers and even some disassembled code inside]

[juanitierno]

I would like to know if im correct with my assumptions.
I used spoiler tags because i mention hull percentages.
I dont think they are really needed tho

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X2: Every time the shields hit 0, while the hull was below 87%, the pilot had a chance to bail, so lowering the hull to 80% and then only shooting it with IONs, would work 100% of the time, if you had the patience.

X3: Only the moment the hull drops below 87% (hull b4 hit is above 87%, and hull after hit is less than 87%) and the shields are 0 the pilot has a chance to bail, which means you only have 1 chance per ship, and if a ship has below 86% hull, its impossible for it to bail.

Is this correct?

[hobi]

Fortunately, it is not correct.
I remember at least 1 case where the

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ID method

in X3 worked as in X2. I really wanted that PNR . But I got the impression you need to wait longer...

Cheers,
Hobi

Edited 1 times

[em3e3]

No on both accounts. Whether or not a pilot bails is based on a few factors, but IonD will not guarantee a bail, and the hull could be down to 1% before a pilot bails. It's not based on chance, but I think the randuhm number generator plays a part.

[pjknibbs]

Try using PBEs for capturing and you'll realise that ships can bail with all sorts of different hull percentages...I tend not to get any with really LOW ones, but that's mainly because I switch to HEPTs and blow them up once they get past about 50% hull.

[juanitierno]

This is great info, i generally switched to HEPTs just below 3/4 hull

Ive also noticed PBEs are EXCELLENT for capping. Too bad many ships cant use them...

Thanks!

[ivak]

Ive also noticed PBEs are EXCELLENT for capping. Too bad many ships cant use them...

I tend to disagree with that. May be it's just a subjective observation, but lowering the hull bit by bit yields far less blue ships, than hitting once, but really hard. My standard practice is to lower the shields to 5-10%, using 2xBPBEs, then give a single shot from 6xAHEPTs. Using this method, my capture-to-kill ratio is 1 blue ship out of 12.

[Nanook]

Ive also noticed PBEs are EXCELLENT for capping. Too bad many ships cant use them...

I tend to disagree with that. May be it's just a subjective observation, but lowering the hull bit by bit yields far less blue ships, than hitting once, but really hard. My standard practice is to lower the shields to 5-10%, using 2xBPBEs, then give a single shot from 6xAHEPTs. Using this method, my capture-to-kill ratio is 1 blue ship out of 12.

Which just goes to show that getting pilots to bail is really just a random thing. My longterm bailout ratio is ~1in10, using a technique similar to pjknibbs. I usually use a ship equipped with 4 AHEPT's and 4 BPBE's. I attack with the BPBE's and if the ship doesn't turn blue by the time it gets to around 40% hull, then I switch to the AHEPT's and kill it. 4 BPBE's are simply awesome at lowering shields AND chewing up a hull, even on an M3+. Using BPBE's doesn't have to imply 'nibbling' at the hull. They can also take out big bites really fast.

[ivak]

Don't go mad, but i prefer to see your ratio. Now, with the player ranking system, it's possible. Let's take pjknibbs for example. His ratio is 2955/166=17.8, i.e. one of ~18 ships, which is not that bad. Mine is 1743/141=12.36. The numbers are big enough, to bear statistical significance.

[Nanook]

The problem with those stats is they don't take into account kills of non-capturable ships, such as those in Xenon Invasion and Assassination missions. Those tend to skew the results a lot. So I prefer the tried and true method of counting up the 'capturable' ships I've killed from my pilot's log, and comparing that to the 'captured ships' stat. Besides, I can't use the stats option from 2.5 for two reasons. First, I'm still playing 2.0.02. Second, and that's because I'm playing XTM, a modded game. So you'll just have to take my word for it.

[Chronobomb]

I find using 4 APBE's is better for capping than 4 BPBE's. They strip shields fast, then nibble at the hull. Only downside is that you have to close in which can be a pain against turret ships.

[ivak]

So you'll just have to take my word for it. :P

One of 10 sounds realistic, so i'll buy it. However, aren't you tempted to compete for the top ranks? Such old and famed X Universe citizen?

[fiksal]

Let's take pjknibbs for example. His ratio is 2955/166=17.8,

hmm.... how did you find that out?

scrolled through pages until you found him?

[kotekzot]

this is not correct. you get a chance to cap a ship in set time intervals. also, the amount of hull damage depends on your enemy's morale (but not in the way you'd expect). i'm too lazy to find the thorough explanation (complete with disassmbled code) and translate it to english from russian, so you'll have to keep wondering.

for most ships, 87% is the required hull before they can bail. it can be less, as low as 4%, in fact.

ion disruptors will decrease your chances of capturing a ship by 25 times. that's right. use pbe instead.

[fiksal]

this is not correct. you get a chance to cap a ship in set time intervals. also, the amount of hull damage depends on your enemy's morale (but not in the way you'd expect). i'm too lazy to find the thorough explanation (complete with disassmbled code) and translate it to english from russian, so you'll have to keep wondering.

hull dmg is related to morale? interesting

you can just explain it in russian

[Kor'ah]

Best weapon I've ever used for capping is a single BKYON. 100+ captures playing a Kha'ak start for 3 game days says it all.

Back to something more standard. I arm ships now to outright kill the target, If it goes blue then I stop shooting. That's pretty much how the capping mechanics work.

Reason why PBEs, and also IREs, are the best capping weapons is the high ROF they have. each weapon strike on hull is a chance to bail once below 87%. So you have alot of chances for the target to bail in a very short timeframe.

IDs annoy me. Can't use them when there is friendly traffic close by. The higher you get in the race ranks the bigger the reputation hit becomes when the IDs arc to the wrong ship. They're great for chaseing spaceflies.

[kotekzot]

this is not correct. you get a chance to cap a ship in set time intervals. also, the amount of hull damage depends on your enemy's morale (but not in the way you'd expect). i'm too lazy to find the thorough explanation (complete with disassmbled code) and translate it to english from russian, so you'll have to keep wondering.

hull dmg is related to morale? interesting

you can just explain it in russian :D

as you wish.

edit: lol doesn't fit. i can send you a link if you want.

Reason why PBEs, and also IREs, are the best capping weapons is the high ROF they have. each weapon strike on hull is a chance to bail once below 87%. So you have alot of chances for the target to bail in a very short timeframe.

wrong.

[fiksal]

edit: lol doesn't fit. i can send you a link if you want.

Reason why PBEs, and also IREs, are the best capping weapons is the high ROF they have. each weapon strike on hull is a chance to bail once below 87%. So you have alot of chances for the target to bail in a very short timeframe.

wrong.

yep, I think you need to post that link. The last theory I remember was that the 'bail' is calculated per every hit of a weapon

[kotekzot]

i can't post the link because the site is banned for no good reason. it has a great wealth of unique knowledge about the x series and other elite games.

[pjknibbs]

The problem with those stats is they don't take into account kills of non-capturable ships, such as those in Xenon Invasion and Assassination missions.

I've done a number of XIs in my current game, so yes, that would be skewing the results a lot. According to my stats I have 611 L kills and 234 Ms, so if you subtracted those from the totals I'd have 166 bailed out of 2110, which is around a 1 in 13 capture ratio (actually 1 in 12.7, but we'll assume that SOME of the Ls and Ms I shot were not in XI missions and thus might have been capturable). Also bear in mind that a lot of my fighting has been done in a Centaur, which can't mount really good capturing weapons.

kotekzot, you know full well that links to that site are restricted because they have pirated material linked from their pages. You may not consider that to be a good reason, but we do.

[kotekzot]

since you've removed cd protection from x2 and x3, i don't really see the problem. it's an amazing resource, and i doubt people are going to be linking here to warez for other games. might as well ban google because you can find warez there.