Dom Probe bug?

posted on June 17th, 2010, 6:05 pm

I am not sure about it, but if the dominion probe left by the scout isn't meant to be targetable, how come a few times when it activated near an enemy ship (AI specifically) the ship destroyed it.


I thought they were meant to be 100% untargetable.

posted on June 17th, 2010, 6:08 pm

well theres always aoe waepons

posted on June 17th, 2010, 6:16 pm

  I think they are targetable only when active.

posted on June 17th, 2010, 6:16 pm

They're targetable, just relatively hard to see.

posted on June 17th, 2010, 6:39 pm

well, I know the AI definitely goes after every one they come across when I use them off line.

posted on June 17th, 2010, 6:50 pm

I think the probe is meant to not be targeted unless you give a ship an explicit attack order. The individual unit AI can't target it (so no shooting at it by passing by on Red Alert), but the player AI must be setup to always give explicit attack orders on stuff like the probe.
Looks like the problem is in the player AI, which should maybe have some kind of percent chance to tell its units to attack, that way it simulates a player not always paying enuff attention.

posted on June 17th, 2010, 6:58 pm

whent the probe is inactive nothing can target it or fire at it automatically or manually. if an AoE weapon affects the area it may damage it i'm not sure. i'm 100% sure that when its inactive you cannot click it.

when the probe is active you still cant target it by clicking it i dont think. but anything with weapons (that is set to red alert) will fire on it. so dont leave it near something with weapons. i'm 100% sure that when active something at red alert nearby (that is armed) can shoot it automatically.

it also will not appear on the minimap when active or inactive i dont believe.

posted on June 17th, 2010, 9:39 pm

whent the probe is inactive nothing can target it or fire at it automatically or manually. if an AoE weapon affects the area it may damage it i'm not sure. i'm 100% sure that when its inactive you cannot click it.

when the probe is active you still cant target it by clicking it i dont think. but anything with weapons (that is set to red alert) will fire on it. so dont leave it near something with weapons. i'm 100% sure that when active something at red alert nearby (that is armed) can shoot it automatically.

it also will not appear on the minimap when active or inactive i dont believe.

The Passive Probe can be attacked at any time and it will receive damage from AoE weapons if it the targeting list isn't overwhelmed. You still cannot manually target it (using mouse click), and yup, the probe will not appear on the minimap either active or not active.

posted on June 17th, 2010, 9:45 pm

so red alert ships will fire on it even if it is inactive?

so what then is the difference between inactive and active, as you cannot force attack it either way. and if u get in range to see it when active your ship will almost certainly shoot it lol.

posted on June 17th, 2010, 9:49 pm

so red alert ships will fire on it even if it is inactive?

Yup

so what then is the difference between inactive and active, as you cannot force attack it either way. and if u get in range to see it when active your ship will almost certainly shoot it lol.

Active powers up the sensors for a brief time - supposedly too brief to notice in the background radiation Makes perfect sense to me.

posted on June 17th, 2010, 9:58 pm

i noe the difference for the owner, they get to see the area briefly. but for the enemy all they need to do is get any ship with weapons set to red alert to go near it and they will fire on it automatically even if it is not acitve?

the only difference i can think of is that it becomes more visible. but any vessel set to full movement autonomy that sees it will go shoot it lol.

posted on June 17th, 2010, 10:16 pm

That is correct. 

posted on June 17th, 2010, 10:24 pm

i just tested it, everything u say is correct.

i think that nothing should be able to target it when its inactive, but when it becomes active stuff can shoot it, and continue to shoot it even when it deactivates again. as once they remembered its position they can continue shooting there.

and of course nothing can ever click shoot it.

posted on June 17th, 2010, 10:37 pm

I disagree - but that would be going into feature/balance testing. The Probe shouldn't be stuck in the middle of nowhere because it is a strategic weapon - not a fire and forget one - and it shouldn't be an instant "haha, I can make you sit around and wait for it to activate" deal. It works fine for its purposes right now and is incredibly useful in many scenarios, without being overly nasty in terms of trying to find and destroy them

posted on June 17th, 2010, 10:56 pm

discussion on probe continued here:
Star Trek Armada II: Fleet Operations - Dominion Probe