My thoughts so far

System

So reached VA couple days ago with my character. I figured I put down some of my observations about what I like and dislike.

I like the DOFF system. Its fun and it gives you dilithium(albiet minute). My only complaint about it is the experience for your character being given. It seems you level extremely fast as it is, and granting experience for character at DOFF missions makes it even faster. I think they should do away experience for your character, but BOFF points is ok. I kind of like the mission progression now, having to do it in order. My one issue about it though is too much experience is given. I went from essentially Ensign to VA after only doing the Klingon faction missions and the Romulan missions to "Shairan Swords"(or however, it spelled). So I still have the "Romulan Featured" episodes to do and all the other factions and I'm already a VA. Way to quick leveling in my opinion. If they keep it like this you'll have a zillion VAs running around. When this goes live, they need to reduce the experience points quite a bit. I like the new ships they've released in the C-store. I haven't tried the revamped STFs yet, so I can't comment on those so much, though I will say I like them being in the PVE queue so you can get a team if you don't have one. Also breaking them in "two" to shorten them is a good idea because I have been the victim of many a "leaver" when doing them on holodeck. I also like the calender. I've the mirror invasion a few times, and Starfleet Academy one as well.

Now for what I don't like, which is more than like. My biggest two peeves are UA/VA advancement and crafting. When it comes to crafting, I don't mind paying the dilithium, I just think that since you can only "refine" 8000 a day and "rare" items can take almost 20000 dilithium. Multiply that times 3 or 4 weapons platforms and thats a ton of dilithium. Also, you don't seem to be able to gather much in given day. The "satellite repair" mission gives you like 440, if you do the "Explore new worlds", you get 1440, but then have to wait a day to do it again. The only other way I've found to get dilithium is DOFF missions. Maybe I'm missing something, but using 20000 on a "rare" item, when you can maybe gather 2000 a day seems pretty steep. I would think 10000-12000 for "rare" crafting would be a little more acceptable. Also don't like that at UA/VA we don't get anything ship wise. We no longer get a "free ship" but also I did not even get dilithium to purchase a ship. I also don't like not getting the refits at VA level. Not that I have a problem paying for them, but I don't find them special enough to pay for with real money. I'm not going to use a Tactical Escort Refit with a SCI or ENG, so why pay 1800 or 2000 c-points for it when only one character would ever use. Same with the Explorer Refit and Science Refit. I'm not going to have a TAC captain fly around in non-escorts(just the way I play). So to have to pay 2000 points for Tactical Refit for one character to use is a waste. Just my opinion. I also don't the like the inability to craft a delta flyer. I don't use it on all my characters and paying real money for a "pet" to follow my ship around seems silly.

I'm not going to complain about little bug issues, though for some reason I am unable to craft the "attack" horta. I realize it is a test server and will have bugs. That being said, I hope some of my current "peevers" get addressed or straightened out before this goes live.

I'm sure there other things I've forgotten about. I also welcome any constructive criticsm or you opinions on stuff I've mentioned.

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I agree with most of the above however its been stated MANY times that the amount of xp given on tribble is to lvl up your character faster so that you may try out all the different tier ships and what not. It does not mirror what the new xp progression will be as that will more likely stay the same as it did on holodeck with Lts going thru the Klingon war, Lt Comm going thru Romulans campaign, comm going thru the Carnies missions and so on.

Now for my 2 cents. The Doff system is great. Every day I see a mission slightly different then others. The options that you have with the system for growth is amazing. The usage of the system for the unofficial yet winked at system, setting assignments and missions for NPC ships in your own "Fleet/Task Force" sounds great! I cant wait to see were they take this system. I do have 2 problems thou.

1- when a mission that I have officers go on fails for whatever reason the current build (as of 10/28) just auto completes the mission and takes "kills" what ever Doffs I had assigned to it without giving me a report. If it wasnt that bad of a failure they just end up in sickbay. Dont know what mission they were from they just failed. This would be fine if your only doing 3 or 4 assignments a day but I try to do 20 a day and I cant keep track. Besides if a crewman died on assignment or onboard my ship im certain there would be a report telling me who died doing what.

2- for the Doff system on the Klingon side I like the missions they have only for them and I think its trickier to play with this system for them as they center around more combat assorted missions (ofcourse) which has more risk of losing officers.Now with that being said most of the Doff you get are Klingon...that makes sense, most Klingons are Honorable... that makes sense also, so then why does 60-70% of the combat missions have the Honorable trait help the percentage of failure/disaster? I understand you have to look at the mission text cause killing colonist or what ever isnt very honorable but attacking a Federation Supply ship while at war should be fine yet Honorable seems to negativly effect the outcome of this mission. I dont know why.

Now Im rambling so Ill make my last 2 problems quick.Mission progression is bad.Everyone says it because its the truth.To quote so many other people who said it, "If there is a bug in the mission were you can't complete the mission then you wont be able to continue on to the other missions." Its true. I think they should stick to unlocking the missions at certain lvls like they do now. Or at the very least unlock the campaigns at certain lvls then have you go through the campaign unlocking the next mission as you complete the one before.I dont like that but at least we are meeting in the middle of sorts.

Finally crafting with Dilithium just shouldn't be. You want to give players as many options to get these "toys" as you can based on their availablity. What Cryptic is doing is shutting down the crafting option for players because now we have to grind Dilithuim thru dailies ontop of farming the anomilies. Why do double the work? There are plenty of reasons not to do this all of which I dont want to type here as too many other people have said them in other posts.

I love this game and I have been onboard thru all of this since beta. But some of these changes that I listed above plus a few others upsets me and has me questioning my plans on continuing the game. Shame. Oh and one more thing bring back Merit/honor. Seems stupid to exchange dilithium for a ship name change or to buy Bo's using Dilithium. Getting people for a couple 100 pieces of rocks sounds like a form of slavery doesnt it?

Archived Post

BSG62 wrote:

Now for what I don't like, which is more than like. My biggest two peeves are UA/VA advancement and crafting. When it comes to crafting, I don't mind paying the dilithium, I just think that since you can only "refine" 8000 a day and "rare" items can take almost 20000 dilithium. Multiply that times 3 or 4 weapons platforms and thats a ton of dilithium. Also, you don't seem to be able to gather much in given day. The "satellite repair" mission gives you like 440, if you do the "Explore new worlds", you get 1440, but then have to wait a day to do it again. The only other way I've found to get dilithium is DOFF missions. Maybe I'm missing something, but using 20000 on a "rare" item, when you can maybe gather 2000 a day seems pretty steep. I would think 10000-12000 for "rare" crafting would be a little more acceptable.

Agree with much of what you said. In regards to crafting, the problem with dilithium is that it is bound to each character. That means, you can't craft for other people, or craft for your alts.

As for other ways to get dilithium, the mirror event, STFs, and Starfleet academy events also award dilithium.

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well you both come up with the same issues as me. They are taken away everything that makes STO what it is and they are reducing it.
As for the ships I hate not having ships like we used to now if you want a Va ship its 1600-2000CP a piece and can only use for 1 character. at least on live server you have more flexibility to this game.
I feel the Doff system should go live ASAP to give them more to do right now alot are not playing because they feel the content is not there.
When did STO become a grindfest? I agree something should be added when making purple items just not sure this DIlithium is the answer...Godl members will not stand for having to wait to refine their ore and the funny thing more people have said is what have ore and refine ore at 1/1 there is a problem there. Just have refined dilithium.
As a person who has been here from day 1 and paid lifetime i feel that what you say gold members get is a slap in every gold members face considering silver members get just as much.
This needs to be changed quickly......or you will end up with no subs period................or maybe that is what you all want.....................
To me ever since this F2P was announced you have lost a good person in DStahl and i am sure there were others who "left" also. Its like no one there cares much anymore for STO. Where is the KDF things that were promised? where are feature episodes? oh yeah right coming after FTP goes live.........see most is forgotton until F2P goes live.......big mistake