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Crafters left behind.
adufaux
Member Posts: 0 Arc User
When I first played Star Trek Online nearly a year ago, I enjoyed the crafting system. It wasn't the most in-depth, however, being a Star Trek fan, I loved it regardless.
Season 5, really changed my gameplay. In order to craft, I had to grind dilithium for 2 days to complete one beam array which did return a modest amount of energy credits, however, after a while, the grinding became repetitive, and I tried a new strategy. At this point, I decided to focus on the DOFF system, and eventually incorporated it into a daily routine. I used the Contraband Turn-In assignments to supplement my lack of dilithium.
Season 6 made the requirements of the previous 3 Contraband at a 2 hour interval, into 5 Contraband at a 4 hour interval.
When we look at it in the perspective of a new fleet member wanting to earn fleet credits, and be a contributing member, there is a loss in personal productivity and materials needed for crafting, in order to achieve an endgame ship which seems more and more out of reach, as we realize what this new fleet advancement system means.
So, do I leave my fleet, not accrue any fleet credits to focus on a much more difficult crafting future, or do I just give someone everything I own, and move on to another game because they tarnished my love for crafting, and above all my Love for Star Trek?
Season 5, really changed my gameplay. In order to craft, I had to grind dilithium for 2 days to complete one beam array which did return a modest amount of energy credits, however, after a while, the grinding became repetitive, and I tried a new strategy. At this point, I decided to focus on the DOFF system, and eventually incorporated it into a daily routine. I used the Contraband Turn-In assignments to supplement my lack of dilithium.
Season 6 made the requirements of the previous 3 Contraband at a 2 hour interval, into 5 Contraband at a 4 hour interval.
When we look at it in the perspective of a new fleet member wanting to earn fleet credits, and be a contributing member, there is a loss in personal productivity and materials needed for crafting, in order to achieve an endgame ship which seems more and more out of reach, as we realize what this new fleet advancement system means.
So, do I leave my fleet, not accrue any fleet credits to focus on a much more difficult crafting future, or do I just give someone everything I own, and move on to another game because they tarnished my love for crafting, and above all my Love for Star Trek?
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
Post edited by adufaux on
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It is also sad that they don't seem to have put a research skill requirement in to the starbase system.
It would be great if they could revitalize crafting somehow but at this point it seems unlikely
Indeed, and any question asked to the devs about improvements gets a half baked response of more than likely no improvements, maybe, who knows and umm...
They had it right before f2p. When I made my first Aegis set, I grinned ear to ear. Those were happy times.
The one truly great thing that crafting had was Aegis, which was relatively on a par with the Borg STF set. It was top of the line equipment. Since then the set has taken numerous blows and it's just not stacking up anymore.
With the release of MACO/Omega/Honour Guard Aegis was instantly a lesser set. Luckily it was available without the STF grind, and crafting the Aegis could make that grind more manageable (since it was generally better than standard equipment).
Of course there was also the Dilithium fee added. So Aegis started to cost a time gated currency, one which could otherwise be exchanged for CPoints and high end gear. So now it was... kind of expensive for what it offered.
Then came the Breen and Jem'hadar sets which are available without the STF grind, without the crafting grind, and with no Dilithium fees (unlike the Aegis) by simply doing a bunch of missions. And those sets are more or less equivalent (and in some ways better) than the Aegis.
So now... the Aegis is junk. It's only equivalent to gear that is easier to obtain and cheaper... AND it's generally seen as an intermediary set as opposed to actual endgame gear (which is of course the role of the STF stuff).
So crafting has nothing. And chances are it will soon get worse.
Dstahl has multiple times expressed an interest in Champions Online's crafting system... which involves precisely zero crafting. It's an Eastern MMO special. You don't make gear. At all. ANY of it. You collect "Mods" which you plug into certain gear. The mods add stats like damage (think STO modifiers). So it's crafting, just without all that... you know, pesky crafting that most crafting systems tend to have (who wants that right?).
Here's the kicker... all of the mods you find are low level. You might get a five from a boss, but you'll spend most of your endgame finding twos and threes it seems. They go up to nine. You have to collect five mods of the same level and type then combine them to make higher level mods. Not so bad huh?
Here's the other kicker... there's a chance to fail. If you're fully skilled in "crafting" that chance is about 50% at rank 4 and as you level gets continually worse. When you fail you lose mods. However, you can use catalysts to increase your chances to succeed... but most of the catalysts only provide about a 3-10% buff. You can find catalysts that make sure you don't lose a mod if you fail, but if use that it's spent either way (even if you succeed) and it doesn't increase your chances of success. There are however catalysts which will give you a 100% chance of upgrading... they're in the CStore. Each rank has their own specific catalyst with increasing price (600zen for a Rank 2, 900zen for a Rank 3, 1000 for a Rank 4, 1200 for a Rank 5, 1600 for a Rank 6, 2000 for a rank 7, 2400 for a rank 8, and 3000 for a rank 9 catalyst). So if you want to make a rank 9 catalyst from some rank 4s that will only cost you...about a hundred and twelve dollars. For one. High end gear can mount nine.
So you never make anything. And it's heavily monetized. And it's not much good for sharing/fleet stuff. And you never unlock new options (just mods with better numbers from rank 1-9). So... Sound like a fun "crafting" system? Judging my Dstahl's references to it that particular monstrosity just might be incoming...
There is still one reason/incentive to craft:
Twinking alts (if that term is still used anymore)...
I earned the "obligatory crafter for the account" - my Science officer main toon - by creating weapon sets for a Tac that I was working through the ranks...
Mark IIIs when she graduated from the starter ship. Mk V at Cmdr, Mk VII at Captain were all "relatively" cheap - just the ECs for the schematics and parts that I was too lazy to grind for. Mk IX / X aren't cheap anymore, they all need those "unreplicatable materials" - which are Dilithium based...
Along with Aegis set. Storywise, my tac's far "behind", just made RA-LH (40) and isn't even into the Romulan FE part of the list. Aegis will serve nicely for all the story runs from this point till either: I hit 45 and start STFing (complete borg set), or complete Cardassian arc, and get the JH set.
Sadly, the accelerated levelling system makes it where you don't get enough parts from just randomly levelling up, and the "high end crafters toy" - Aegis, is a waste because by the time you can craft/use it, you're only a handful of missions away from JH set... Unless you're supporting an Alt...
To rob a line: [quote: Mariemaia Kushrenada] Forum Posting is much like an endless waltz. The three beats of war, peace and revolution continue on forever. However, opinions will change upon the reading of my post.[/quote]
Fanfiction! ZOMG! Read it now!
kate-wintersbite.deviantart.com/art/0x01-Treachery-293641403
For example;
That's the day I hope to see CBS pull this game out from under Cryptic. That entire system is a sick joke. I never played CO for more than a month when I got a chance to try it out with a code. I didn't realize it was that jacked up. That's not crafting, that's garbage.
Not as big a grin as I had crafting 3 mk XI Antiproton mag consoles for a song compared to the 2 mil EACH on the exchange.
Awoken Dead
Now shaddup about the queues, it's a BUG
I have an idea for what Season 11 should be; Season 11: The Big Bug Fix.
I have not been able to read my bug tickets in over a year, not even the tickets about not being able to see my tickets.
I find the drama of your signature proof of your immaturity, this means you, DR whiners.
I'm not sure why they even put in a crafting feature into the game? Maybe I'm not dealing with a representable sample, but of all the people I know that play the game... not one crafts.
Every MMO puts in crafting, but seriously what percentage of players actually use it? It is just something to delay players from playing content, to prevent them from noticing how little content there really is.
There's nothing (as I understand it) that can be crafted that can't be purchased much faster. It takes longer to gain the materials and craft the items than it does to gain the resources to just buy it outright (or buy something better).
Since 5th level, I've had more money than I could spend. Even the inflated costs of the exchange are nothing for someone 10th level or higher. I blow money like there's no tomorrow, buying stuff on the exchange for everyone I know who's lower level, and I don't think I've once gotten below 3 mil ec. The game gives out way too much stuff, all of which can be sold for a near unending stream of cash.
Bassiclly 2 things have changed since release from what i understand:
1. Levling is much faster now so people accure far less crafting mats on the way up leaving them short.
2. Unreplicatable Materials where introduced.
IMHO point 2 is a far bigger barrier as you can craft some nice albiet not spectacular purple MKXI stuff. But with the dilithium costs it's never been worth it. In the time it takes to get the dilthum you can level from 1 to 50 and aquire better gear. Only if your main is swimming in data sample and dilithium is it remotly practical. Even then with the new starbases providing huge dilithium sinks, it's going to be hard to justify. Not to mention once your fleet gets enough levels all your alts will ever need to gear up is some fleet credits and some dilithium.
There are simply too many ways at this point to aquire better gear for less dilithium for the unreplicatable materials to justify themselves as is.
Hell just dropping the uncommon from 1K each to 100 each would have a huge effect on crafting utility IMHO. But really it needs a massive overhaul from the ground up.
I agree that crafting is broke and could be fixed EASILY. i can craft AP weapons.a re they good? no, because none of the Mods are [acc] what would be nice is if crafting could MODIFY an object, (convert the crtD to acc)
I agree.
Also, if we're going to craft a weapon, can we please have the option to craft something that doesn't have a [dmg] modifier? It's already been stated from Cryptic employees that the [dmg] modifier is pretty much junk.
Dil Store versions of AP weapons are better than crafted versions of AP weapons. It's a blatant Dil sink. Give us a reason to craft. I was hoping that S6 would give master crafters a reason to be around, in order to help in Starbase operations. I guess I was wrong.
Borti, please look into this. I was hoping you would be able to address this to the company, but I don't know what's going on behind the scenes there. We really need a crafting revamp. It should have been done quite some time ago.
Also with BFAW not caring about ACC modifiers it's not so hot for beam users, (i.e. everyone not in an escort, BoP, or Raptor), in the current AoE centric enviroment.
I am not a crafter personally. I know a few who took immense pleasure from crafting. They, more than anyone else in my fleet, were more excited about fleet bases.
You need a lot of Heavy Phaser Turrets, Heavy Disruptor Turrets, Pergrine Fighters, etc... why not give people the ability to craft these items. Instead they are Doff missions (a Ron Popeil invention if I ever saw one (Set It, and..... Forget it!)
Don't get me wrong, I like the fact that they are doff missions, simply because I am not a crafter. However, I lost 2 very good fleetmates over the lack of any crafting in the fleetbases (key word here is ANY).
I feel for you crafters.... this seemed like an easy win...
Star Trek Online, Now with out the Trek....