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Powers not activating

SystemSystem Member, NoReporting Posts: 178,019 Arc User
Is anyone else having issues with powers not activating? This was a problem a long time ago that was fixed, but lately I seem to be looking down at things I've clicked only to see they haven't been clicked (or pressed in the case of keybinds). This seems to be happening to me in space and on the ground.

One thing I've always had trouble with is activing a power like high-yield right as it comes off cooldown. If I do it to fast it goes into a shortened cooldown and doesn't actually do the buff. I also notice this with my Bio-Neural Warhead and sometimes with the Breen Transphasic torpedo. Click it right as it comes off cooldown and it'll go back to a cooldown and not fire.

I've checked, and this is happening even when i'm not subjected to any debuffs.

While I'm on the subject of powers misfiring, there's also an issue if you are firing a high-yield while moving. If you press fire at the edge of the firing arc and your target moves out of the arc only some of the torpedoes will fire. A 3 or 4 torp high yield can become only one if the timing is right.

Anyone else?

-Forjo
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2012
    Been noticing that a lot too in the past week. Never had that problem before.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2012
    I played some more last night and the issue is still there.

    Are we the only ones?

    -Forjo
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2012
    I have noticed this in the last few weeks aswell more so on ground than in space esp with the revive when resing team mates (have to do it twice to have it activate, which is something that really needs a fix esp in stf when your in the middle of combat against an elite drone on elite -_-).

    my guess is its just the UI lag in gen and hopefully by S6 we can see another boost to the UI code, if Lexeme is still working on the UI I'll see if we can forward it again to the team either way. Mabye even Tumerboy can float his taco over and just nudge them lol.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2012
    Never fear you're not the only ones having this issue. In talking with my fleet it seems everyone has this problem. It is especially noticable when in the heat of battle (ie elite STF) and you want power to fire off quickly. The only option that works for me is to rapidly click on it 2 or 3 times to make sure it goes and quickly move on to next one. This does not guarantee that the power will go off but works about 75% of the time. I actually noticed this being an issue back when they sped up the ground game and the powers we use did not seem to get any boost in activation time.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2012
    Duvack wrote: »
    Never fear you're not the only ones having this issue. In talking with my fleet it seems everyone has this problem. It is especially noticable when in the heat of battle (ie elite STF) and you want power to fire off quickly. The only option that works for me is to rapidly click on it 2 or 3 times to make sure it goes and quickly move on to next one. This does not guarantee that the power will go off but works about 75% of the time. I actually noticed this being an issue back when they sped up the ground game and the powers we use did not seem to get any boost in activation time.

    Try to get your fleetmates to post -- the more unique posters the better.

    Yes, we had to do this in the first year too. It might not be the same bug, but it is the same experience. I might try to find the original thread and wake the zombie if it exists. That usually gets dev attention. :)

    -Forjo
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2012
    This is still a real problem. Please acknowledge that you at least are aware of it.

    -Forjo
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2012
    This problem has been around for a VERY long time. And has never been fixed as of this date. It probably requires a whole rewrite of that particular system and the developers probably think "As long as it works, it works".

    The fact is, the system is outdated. Every recent game or MMO has some sort of mechanism where the user doesn't have to get a headache and worry about whether an ability has actually been activated yes or no.

    Most new games have some sort of mechanism where the request for the ability to be activated (Which is send to the server) is somehow acknowledged and gets activated no matter what. Server missing packets is no excuse since they should incorporate some form of error correction or backup.

    This system needs a total rewrite and some sort of queue where your activated abilities are being stored until everything can be processed by the server, and the client got acknowledgement that the ability has actually been updated.

    Unfortunately this system is so premature that its a real headache (Especially in PVP where alot is happening) and players with a fast response time will especially know what I mean.

    I've just came back from SWTOR a few weeks ago and I must say they really have their tray + abilities and the code beyond it under control and it works great. (Better then STO's to be honest)

    (For peeps that think its lag related, no. Even with lag some security measurements can be put into place so that somehow the server still acknowledges the activate request even if it takes some time because of latency)
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2012
    i have always had this problem slightly with tac team however recently i switched from high yield to torp spread on few of my ships and have had a serious issue in pvp and stf to such a point that i think it errors half the time and have seriously noticed it after the last patch.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2012
    Considering how long its been around for, I have a feeling this is another one of those fixes that would require to heavy of an investment in resources, manpower, and time for cryptic to even attempt to address.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2012
    Considering how long its been around for, I have a feeling this is another one of those fixes that would require to heavy of an investment in resources, manpower, and time for cryptic to even attempt to address.

    But you see, it's not been around that long. It was fixed a long time ago. It came back in the last few months. We just need someone to see this.

    -Forjo
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2012
    This alone is my worst, second only to the annoying dialogue popups in the middle of a fight.

    The number of times I have missed an opportunity to carry through an expose attack or have been killed because the game cannot respond in time is laughable. When you have abilities that misfire, with the omni-pvp-savy TSI or Sad Panda's targeting you, its a foregone conclusion that you are about to die horribly :)
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2012
    Forjo wrote: »
    But you see, it's not been around that long. It was fixed a long time ago. It came back in the last few months. We just need someone to see this.

    -Forjo

    Sorry but this problem has never been gone, it has been programmed as it is. I think you're confusing two different problems.

    Problems the OP has is abilities do not actually activate when pressed but it still gives the illusion that they are being fired because the animation of ability activation does occur. You just have to keep pressing the ability until it finally works lol.

    Thats one issue, and the other one is that the system cannot handle multiple inputs, the issue will only grow worse as multiple things are being done, like distribute shields + ability or some other combinaton. Sometimes the abilities even fight over which will fire first. its just bad coding and design.



    And yes this requires too much manpower and things to fix because it will most likely require a total overhaul of that particular system with all the problems and new bugs that may be introduced by it. Just forget about this problem they are not going to fix it, ever.

    To them (Cryptic) it is no bug, no bad programming, and behaves accordingly. Who are we do decide whether this was intentional or not. The fact remains though that all (or most) other MMO's have their Ability/activation/ability queuing system much better programmed to relieve the stress people can have because they have to worry about whether a particular ability has really been activated or not.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2012
    Sorry but this problem has never been gone, it has been programmed as it is. I think you're confusing two different problems.

    That is untrue, power queuing was fixed or at least it was better then what we have now.

    Here is the release notes from March 5th, 2010.

    http://forums.startrekonline.com/showthread.php?t=133293

    The relevant part I have highlighted below.

    There was a bug in using powers on your power tray that would cause powers to not fire consistently or to interrupt powers you intended to queue up. We have address the issue where powers with a cooldown were interrupting previous powers you requested, and looking into additional fixes to make power queuing multiple powers in a row more reliable.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2012
    They fixed UI lag with Season 4,but it only lasted for a few short weeks.These past weeks the UI lag,skills not activating,has become progressively worse.I can't count the number of times I died in PvP because my hypo failed,or weapons refuse to fire.....and I'm sure it happens to all of us in the queues.

    Cryptic,if we have to click on an icon or press a key over and over again in the hope the skill/consumable/weapon does anything....then there is something seriously wrong.When I'm fighting my enemies,I don't want to fight my UI as well.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2012
    Frankly this has always been a major issue.. in fact I believe it's the most commonly mentioned bug by my fleet. Just tonight we where discussing how it brakes the flow and enjoyment of the game.


    Cryptic, are there any plans to look at this issue?
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2012
    ive noticed that this is happening more and more each week, its getting quite frustrating:mad:
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2012
    COME ON!

    This is ridiculous! Why are the devs ignoring this?!?!?

    -Forjo
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2012
    Playing through the first Cardy mission (not the FE), I've just had this happen. It was most unfortunate, as it happened right as I was getting ganged up on by 3 squads in the hanger. No triolic pattern enhancers, no ophidian cane, no seeker drone, heck, I couldn't even run in and hit them with my sword. And I tried.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2012
    That happens to me with "Abandon ship".

    Hull health is at 14% and it STILL doesn't light up.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2012
    I would not expect to see this fixed before S6 is released, but they had better get off theis a**es and do something about it soon after.

    This has been driving me insane.

    Cryptic seriously needs to set asside some devs specificly for bug fixing - the game is full of them... In many ways this is the difference between a quality game and a dead one.
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