Batch 3, the last and final batch of questions for this Q&A has been added to the first post.
I am in complete awe that all of that fit in a single post. I had no idea there would be so much info given out on Raptr or that there would've been that much participation. I'm not even sure there were as many questions asked in the recent Ask Cryptics. My hat is off to Cryptic for reaching out to the wider gaming community like this. Bravo!
False? What part? So are you saying that the LTS stipend IS NOT going to go away? Can I quote you on that pwebranflakes?
If so that would make me very, very happy. Unfortunately the Wiki isnt the only place I heard this... rumor also lended its hand to this "tidbit". If this was all unfounded.... please let me know.
Yes, thats what he is saying. you said you heard a rumour the stipend going away and and he said its false.
Also, now that I am finally finished posting all of that, I am finally going to hop online today (this morning) and check my DOffs and my fleet's status (hopefully before I pass out...)
The STF system is in dire need of that reputation system because it doesn't matter what they did with it...
It cannot get any worse than it is already. The pugging que is just as worthless as it could ever be at this point... and the reputation system will be just as worthless if it does not define and help you choose the kind of teams you would like to be on
skywise12: i have a question mr.stahl will you at sto raise the cap levels anytime soon?
Dstahl: Sorta - let me explain. Before the end of this year we will introduce the Reputation system which is a max level progression system that will allow you to expand your
Captain's career and offer new rewards. This doesn't up the skillcap yet, but we do eventually plan to do that in the future, but we have a lot of new end game content to
build first so that there are new STFs and missions to do once the level goes up.
ofccrouse85: I have two questions,
1, will there be another level pass 50?
2. can we please get a custom ship builder programs for the subcribed users?
Dstahl: We plan to move up to level 60 at somepoint (a skillpoint cap increase) but have a lot of new end game content to make before we can do that. We are eager to get the
Foundry updated so that players could eventually build their own ship interiors. Whether that would extend to ship exteriors is an interesting idea, but currently not in the
cards unless we reworked how ship geometry and game fx work with ship models
With the intention to release a Alternate Advancement system (AA) in the upcoming Season(s), why is the current "End game" being thrown away for the sake of 10 entirely pointless and redundant levels, when the "Reputation" AA system could be utilized instead?
Why devote resources to build entirely new "End game content" and in the process make the old content obsolete. This is baffling and a classic archaic themepark MMORPG design of increased levels with each subsequent expansion pack release.
People can get their grind/treadmill perversion satisfied via an AA system, it doesn't have to necessitate a "higher level" for the sake of higher levels.
If anything resources should be devoted towards removing the class and level structure of STO. See The Secret World on how to add a solid character advancement system, or even GURPS the pen and paper RPG.
<chortle> < Milk through nose> < looks for a napkin>
That one was quite funny.
This one was funny also:
CreamyGoodnss : Not sure if this is still going or not, but I'd like to know if there's been any progress on fleet vs fleet Starbase pvp? I posed this question at the Vegas convention but since it's been about a month, just wondering if anything new is happening on this front?
P.S. THANK YOU for adding fleet marks to the foundry daily!
Dstahl: Fleet Marks should stay on the Foundry missions for the forseable future.
Notice how Dan totally ignores the 2 questions and only responds to the Kudos?
[SIGPIC]Handle: @kirian_darkstar
Registered: Oct/2009 , LTS : Feb/2011
Fleets: Warriors of the Phoenix, Kirian Industries[/SIGPIC] Three years and still no Captain Klaa hair...
raptr is trash and so is pwe, get rid of them this game is getting worse because of them. Get some Autonomy Cryptic...... I hate raptr and I hate the lockboxes.
Sincerely,
Lifetime Subscriber
P.S. Cryptic you are doing a good job with everything else.....
Yes, I believe at the 1000 vet mark your stipend "goes away"
This was actually written in the Wiki not too long ago.. but now I cannot seem to find it.. I think they took it off? Either way yes, that is the plan. At least, last I heard.
As an administrator at stowiki I can tell you I have no knowledge of the stipend ever 'going away' unless you go back to silver status. It stated on the upcoming content page that there are no plans for additional rewards after 1000 days but you will definitely keep your stipend.
really? We must have read a different Q&A then, because what Phoenix posted has a couple of KDF questions answered.
I will rephrase dark.
He has given vauge "dance around" answers about KDF, but has ignored the major question I asked about KDF Fleet Ship requisitions:
Dan, In a previous Ask Cryptic you said that that the Devs were looking at an alternative method to select Ships for the KDF Fleet Requisitions. Can you elaborate on this, and will we see Non-Klingon ships added, such as the Varanus, which is one of two Pure Science Vessels with a Console available?
As an administrator at stowiki I can tell you I have no knowledge of the stipend ever 'going away' unless you go back to silver status. It stated on the upcoming content page that there are no plans for additional rewards after 1000 days but you will definitely keep your stipend.
Ya, BranFlakes dispelled that rumor, thankfully, but thank you, as a STOwiki Admin, for also helping to dispell this rumor.
[SIGPIC]Handle: @kirian_darkstar
Registered: Oct/2009 , LTS : Feb/2011
Fleets: Warriors of the Phoenix, Kirian Industries[/SIGPIC] Three years and still no Captain Klaa hair...
50 Zens a day with 5 toons. Omfg how many hours do you play? I got an well paid Job a girlfriend. So I can play like 2 a 3 hours a day when I am lucky. Luckely Its not a problem ad all to mis 23,33 euro a week. For something I like to do. You play with 5 toons minimal 7 hours a day to get your free "money" zens. I who play only 2 hours thinks is to less content.
And you do everyday over and over again the same things. And you LOL about my comment.
hahaha Glhf in your online world!
50 Zen is easy to get, Zen was at 156 Dil/ Zen when I looked this morning so 50 Zen is a little under the 8k cap. Assuming he has multiple characters then that's 10 minutes at ESD/ SFA.
DTums: Any chance that Denise Crosby could be brought in to do a voiceover for Sela in future content? Or any other Trek actors? Maybe Barclay?
Dstahl: We would love to do this and so far the only thing that has been holding us up is the cost benefit of doing this. VO for top talent is very expensive and when we have to weigh having having a famous actor perform VO for one episode series, versus say having another content designer for a whole year, the headcount has won. That doesn't mean it never happens, only that it is a challenge. That said, I spoke to John de Lancie at the Vegas Star Trek con about the possibility of doing some VO in the future as he (along with Denise Crosby) have characters that are active in our timeline, so we'll see what the future brings.
Huh? where has John de Lancie's Q been in this game? Its always been Q's son. And even THAT they screwed up because it doesnt look like him (we understand why) but it doesnt even have the same personaility or character. Q's son from Voyager would NOT act the way STO portrays him. Just another example of Kestrals awful writing and interpretation from the series in this game.
STO: @AGNT009 Since Dec 2010
Capt. Will Conquest of the U.S.S. Crusader
Huh? where has John de Lancie's Q been in this game? Its always been Q's son. And even THAT they screwed up because it doesnt look like him (we understand why) but it doesnt even have the same personaility or character. Q's son from Voyager would NOT act the way STO portrays him. Just another example of Kestrals awful writing and interpretation from the series in this game.
Ahem...
That said, I spoke to John de Lancie at the Vegas Star Trek con about the possibility of doing some VO in the future as he (along with Denise Crosby) have characters that are active in our timeline, so we'll see what the future brings.
Even though we've only seen Q's "son" in STO so far, John Delancie's Q character never died and would still be active in our universe (even if he's not all in our hair) and that doesn't preclude that he'll never show up.
bsonline: I feel like, after having purchased several sihps, that I've gained very little. Better ships are now available by purchasing through my fleet. It seems that if I don't constantly pour cash into this game, I lose any advantage I might have had before. Also, there are no real "micro" transactions. $20 per ship is not small, especially if you want 2-3.
Is this trend of obsoletion for top tier ships going to continue?
Are any small but useful transactions ever going to be coming?
Dstahl: Excellent points. The whole definition of "micro-transactions" is a bit skewed in the marketplace. In terms of "better" ships, our goal has been to make ships not necessarily "better" but "different" when it comes to the C-Store. Fleet Ships also benefit from the fact that if you do buy the C-Store version and there is a Fleet Variant available, we give you a discount on the Fleet Variant. Currently the small subset of the team that are working on C-Store items are focused on Lobi Store updates, Lock Box ships, Doff Packs, Costumes, and Ships. Not all of those items are $20 purchases, so the notion that we'd have a $1 ship is probably not in the cards for the future. That said, it would be nice if we could have the ability to sell a new look and feel for your existing ship without having to sell an entirely new ship. This is tech I've requested, but is a ways off.
Um what? Didn't we already have unique skins already in the system and they were all removed and added to the fleet ships? IE Imperial Skin
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
[Unrepentant] Lapo@overlapo: the problem with space STF
is that you can't properly teabag your defeated opponent
Unrepentant: Home of the Rainbow Warrior and the Rainbow Brigade.
Dstahl: ... That said, it would be nice if we could have the ability to sell a new look and feel for your existing ship without having to sell an entirely new ship. This is tech I've requested, but is a ways off.
You REMOVED SHIP COSTUMES from the C-Store with the Release of Season 6! The Tech was already there!!! :mad::mad:
Notice how Dan totally ignores the 2 questions and only responds to the Kudos?
In all fairness, He has had plenty of pratice.
Though I will admit that his KDF answers did not leave me "wondering in limbo" over wether Cryptic plans to grow the faction as past interviews have done. It seems they have plans to grow us.
I think we have something to look forward too, just not something thats gonna show up any time soon. If the game last long enough having a complete KDF by the end of Season 9 would make me happy.
Why not? We don't have enough currencies as it is, we need as many more as we can possibly get...
Lets see, maybe I won't miss any...
Energy Credits
Gold Pressed Latinum
Dilithium - Unrefined
Dilithium - Refined
Dilithium - Common Unreplicatable Mats
Dilithium - Uncommon Unreplicatable Mats
Zen
Fleet Marks
Fleet Credits
EDC
Lobi
Rare Borg Salvage
Prototype Borg Salvage
Fleet Modules
Did I get them all?
IDK - sounds like the Reputation System would be replacing EDC, Rare Borg Salvage and Prototype Borg Salvage as he did say they felt the current STF reward system is too cumbersome and not easy to understand when you first are introduced to it - and I wouldn't be surprised if most folks made a few mistake purchases (I know I did) when first getting into STFs post Season 5.
They'll probablly leave a vendor to allow folks who have it to still turn it in; but I doubt we'd see that type of stuff continue to drop after the revamp.
Either way, I guess we'll see in a few months if everything stays on schedule for them.
Formerly known as Armsman from June 2008 to June 20, 2012 PWE ARC Drone says: "Your STO forum community as you have known it is ended...Display names are irrelevant...Any further sense of community is irrelevant...Resistance is futile...You will be assimilated..."
StarArmy: Hi Dan. I have two questions. 1. What is Cryptic doing to move the game from a static "amusement park" experience to a more dynamic one where players can influence the setting (via territory conquest or persistent exploration, etc). When will we leave 2409 behind for 2410, etc?
this guys question here never got answerd and was the only one of his 2 questions i was interested in, WTF
Um what? Didn't we already have unique skins already in the system and they were all removed and added to the fleet ships? IE Imperial Skin
I think you're focusing on the "look" and not the "and feel" part.
My gut says they're looking at adding a new type of console or device that can shift the base stats and maybe the BO loadout.
For example:
Remove a Lt. BO and half the base stats from every ship. Assign those to an item, slotted on each ship. However the items can be removed from the ship and traded around.
Equipping the item might also include set visuals much like the Borg/Aegis/Jem'Hadar sets.
---StarArmy: Hi Dan. I have two questions. 1. What is Cryptic doing to move the game from a static "amusement park" experience to a more dynamic one where players can influence the setting (via territory conquest or persistent exploration, etc). When will we leave 2409 behind for 2410, etc? ---
this guys question here never got answerd and was the only one of his 2 questions i was interested in, WTF
We have a long term goal to get in the type of dynamic content you are discussing. As a baby step towards that, we are introducing a Romulan Colony "under construction" in Season 7. As players contribute to the Romulans as well as their Fleet's Embassy, progress over time will show the colony getting bigger and more complete. The hope is that by the time Season 8 hits, the Colony will be fully explorable thanks to efforts from the players. (keep in mind that this is handwaved in some part for now, but something we want to make dynamic in the future).
As far as moving the year forward, we haven't really found a good way to do that without simply having some missions remain stuck in 2409 and have new missions reference that it is 2410. This gets weird when a contact like Admiral Tanea might reference both timeframes when you talk to her. Maybe in some future update we could simply move everything forward, but it is not an easy task.
Why not? We don't have enough currencies as it is, we need as many more as we can possibly get...
Lets see, maybe I won't miss any...
Energy Credits
Gold Pressed Latinum
Dilithium - Unrefined
Dilithium - Refined
Dilithium - Common Unreplicatable Mats
Dilithium - Uncommon Unreplicatable Mats
Zen
Fleet Marks
Fleet Credits
EDC
Lobi
Rare Borg Salvage
Prototype Borg Salvage
Fleet Modules
Did I get them all?
A rep system negates the need for hard currencies more although that never rules out persistent quest items and crafting materials, which are SUPPOSED to be numerous.
The whole point of multiple currencies is to push player to do X activity for Y reward.
A rep system gets around that. It tracks your progress in X activity, gating your store access for Y reward.
So if they want to make sure you do 300 STF ground runs for a Mk XII set, instead of giving you EDC, you get Omega Force Rep. When your Omega Force rep is at "Super Awesome D'Vak Loves You" levels, you can turn around and buy the Mk XII gear for, say, 5 million EC a piece.
The philosophical shift away from STFs as a currency source (since reputation is a score and not a currency) would probably let them beef up the rewards IN the STFs in other ways. Things like adding Fleet Marks.
There's probably also a tendency for scoring/reputation systems to offer passive buffs. So maybe you get innately better against Borg the more you do STFs. As well as a tendency to have permanent cosmetic perks. So... Maybe an unlockable Omega Force hull and fleet decal usable on any ship.
Beyond all of that, reputation systems generally offer multiple ways to boost rep (I'd go ahead and expect a Reputation Boost consumable on the C-Store).
One of the nice perks of a rep system is that it highlights progression, philosophically.
For instance, they could make it so that:
For the first 50 runs, Elite and Normal have the EXACT SAME REWARDS. (Encouraging but not forcing new players to play normal since Elite has no advantage.)
For the second 50 runs, Elite runs are twice as rewarding as Normal runs, which become worth less.
For the third 50 runs, Normal no longer provides meaningful rep rewards (still currency, just no rep). If you want to progress your rep, you play Elite.
(In reality, probably not by run but by kill count with bosses being worth much more.)
Rep systems also tend to allow ways of encouraging things like mission replay but within a set. So... Play any combination of 50 Romulan Mystery missions and get a prize. You choose what 50.
(Again, in reality, shorter missions worth less. Longer worth more.)
Comments
I am in complete awe that all of that fit in a single post. I had no idea there would be so much info given out on Raptr or that there would've been that much participation. I'm not even sure there were as many questions asked in the recent Ask Cryptics. My hat is off to Cryptic for reaching out to the wider gaming community like this. Bravo!
Raptr profile
Yes, thats what he is saying. you said you heard a rumour the stipend going away and and he said its false.
the stipend is staying.
Raptr profile
It cannot get any worse than it is already. The pugging que is just as worthless as it could ever be at this point... and the reputation system will be just as worthless if it does not define and help you choose the kind of teams you would like to be on
With the intention to release a Alternate Advancement system (AA) in the upcoming Season(s), why is the current "End game" being thrown away for the sake of 10 entirely pointless and redundant levels, when the "Reputation" AA system could be utilized instead?
Why devote resources to build entirely new "End game content" and in the process make the old content obsolete. This is baffling and a classic archaic themepark MMORPG design of increased levels with each subsequent expansion pack release.
People can get their grind/treadmill perversion satisfied via an AA system, it doesn't have to necessitate a "higher level" for the sake of higher levels.
If anything resources should be devoted towards removing the class and level structure of STO. See The Secret World on how to add a solid character advancement system, or even GURPS the pen and paper RPG.
R.I.P
That one was quite funny.
This one was funny also: Notice how Dan totally ignores the 2 questions and only responds to the Kudos?
Registered: Oct/2009 , LTS : Feb/2011
Fleets: Warriors of the Phoenix, Kirian Industries[/SIGPIC]
Three years and still no Captain Klaa hair...
Sincerely,
Lifetime Subscriber
P.S. Cryptic you are doing a good job with everything else.....
As an administrator at stowiki I can tell you I have no knowledge of the stipend ever 'going away' unless you go back to silver status. It stated on the upcoming content page that there are no plans for additional rewards after 1000 days but you will definitely keep your stipend.
My STOwiki page | Reachable in-game @PhyrexianHero
Fed Armada: Section 31 (level 730, 2700+ members)
KDF Armada: Klingon Intelligence (level 699, 2100+ members)
Twitter | @STOkedshow
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
I will rephrase dark.
He has given vauge "dance around" answers about KDF, but has ignored the major question I asked about KDF Fleet Ship requisitions:
Dan, In a previous Ask Cryptic you said that that the Devs were looking at an alternative method to select Ships for the KDF Fleet Requisitions. Can you elaborate on this, and will we see Non-Klingon ships added, such as the Varanus, which is one of two Pure Science Vessels with a Console available?
Ya, BranFlakes dispelled that rumor, thankfully, but thank you, as a STOwiki Admin, for also helping to dispell this rumor.
Registered: Oct/2009 , LTS : Feb/2011
Fleets: Warriors of the Phoenix, Kirian Industries[/SIGPIC]
Three years and still no Captain Klaa hair...
50 Zen is easy to get, Zen was at 156 Dil/ Zen when I looked this morning so 50 Zen is a little under the 8k cap. Assuming he has multiple characters then that's 10 minutes at ESD/ SFA.
Dstahl: We would love to do this and so far the only thing that has been holding us up is the cost benefit of doing this. VO for top talent is very expensive and when we have to weigh having having a famous actor perform VO for one episode series, versus say having another content designer for a whole year, the headcount has won. That doesn't mean it never happens, only that it is a challenge. That said, I spoke to John de Lancie at the Vegas Star Trek con about the possibility of doing some VO in the future as he (along with Denise Crosby) have characters that are active in our timeline, so we'll see what the future brings.
Huh? where has John de Lancie's Q been in this game? Its always been Q's son. And even THAT they screwed up because it doesnt look like him (we understand why) but it doesnt even have the same personaility or character. Q's son from Voyager would NOT act the way STO portrays him. Just another example of Kestrals awful writing and interpretation from the series in this game.
Capt. Will Conquest of the U.S.S. Crusader
Ahem...
Even though we've only seen Q's "son" in STO so far, John Delancie's Q character never died and would still be active in our universe (even if he's not all in our hair) and that doesn't preclude that he'll never show up.
Raptr profile
Awesome! Glad I could help!
Raptr profile
Um what? Didn't we already have unique skins already in the system and they were all removed and added to the fleet ships? IE Imperial Skin
[Unrepentant] Lapo@overlapo: the problem with space STF
is that you can't properly teabag your defeated opponent
Unrepentant: Home of the Rainbow Warrior and the Rainbow Brigade.
Nope
You missed
Now do the both of us have them all?
You REMOVED SHIP COSTUMES from the C-Store with the Release of Season 6! The Tech was already there!!! :mad:
Commander, Starfleet Corps of Engineers • 7th Fleet
Commanding Officer, U.S.S. HEART OF OAK • NX-1759-B • Odyssey class Star Cruiser ( Lexington Tactical Configuration))
(Steam - feel free to follow/friend me : )
In all fairness, He has had plenty of pratice.
Though I will admit that his KDF answers did not leave me "wondering in limbo" over wether Cryptic plans to grow the faction as past interviews have done. It seems they have plans to grow us.
I think we have something to look forward too, just not something thats gonna show up any time soon. If the game last long enough having a complete KDF by the end of Season 9 would make me happy.
R.I.P
And, I hope everyone that read all the responses is as excited as I am! Even more answers coming up in the Ask Cryptic today.
Cheers,
Brandon =/\=
IDK - sounds like the Reputation System would be replacing EDC, Rare Borg Salvage and Prototype Borg Salvage as he did say they felt the current STF reward system is too cumbersome and not easy to understand when you first are introduced to it - and I wouldn't be surprised if most folks made a few mistake purchases (I know I did) when first getting into STFs post Season 5.
They'll probablly leave a vendor to allow folks who have it to still turn it in; but I doubt we'd see that type of stuff continue to drop after the revamp.
Either way, I guess we'll see in a few months if everything stays on schedule for them.
PWE ARC Drone says: "Your STO forum community as you have known it is ended...Display names are irrelevant...Any further sense of community is irrelevant...Resistance is futile...You will be assimilated..."
this guys question here never got answerd and was the only one of his 2 questions i was interested in, WTF
I think you're focusing on the "look" and not the "and feel" part.
My gut says they're looking at adding a new type of console or device that can shift the base stats and maybe the BO loadout.
For example:
Remove a Lt. BO and half the base stats from every ship. Assign those to an item, slotted on each ship. However the items can be removed from the ship and traded around.
Equipping the item might also include set visuals much like the Borg/Aegis/Jem'Hadar sets.
We have a long term goal to get in the type of dynamic content you are discussing. As a baby step towards that, we are introducing a Romulan Colony "under construction" in Season 7. As players contribute to the Romulans as well as their Fleet's Embassy, progress over time will show the colony getting bigger and more complete. The hope is that by the time Season 8 hits, the Colony will be fully explorable thanks to efforts from the players. (keep in mind that this is handwaved in some part for now, but something we want to make dynamic in the future).
As far as moving the year forward, we haven't really found a good way to do that without simply having some missions remain stuck in 2409 and have new missions reference that it is 2410. This gets weird when a contact like Admiral Tanea might reference both timeframes when you talk to her. Maybe in some future update we could simply move everything forward, but it is not an easy task.
A rep system negates the need for hard currencies more although that never rules out persistent quest items and crafting materials, which are SUPPOSED to be numerous.
The whole point of multiple currencies is to push player to do X activity for Y reward.
A rep system gets around that. It tracks your progress in X activity, gating your store access for Y reward.
So if they want to make sure you do 300 STF ground runs for a Mk XII set, instead of giving you EDC, you get Omega Force Rep. When your Omega Force rep is at "Super Awesome D'Vak Loves You" levels, you can turn around and buy the Mk XII gear for, say, 5 million EC a piece.
The philosophical shift away from STFs as a currency source (since reputation is a score and not a currency) would probably let them beef up the rewards IN the STFs in other ways. Things like adding Fleet Marks.
There's probably also a tendency for scoring/reputation systems to offer passive buffs. So maybe you get innately better against Borg the more you do STFs. As well as a tendency to have permanent cosmetic perks. So... Maybe an unlockable Omega Force hull and fleet decal usable on any ship.
Beyond all of that, reputation systems generally offer multiple ways to boost rep (I'd go ahead and expect a Reputation Boost consumable on the C-Store).
One of the nice perks of a rep system is that it highlights progression, philosophically.
For instance, they could make it so that:
For the first 50 runs, Elite and Normal have the EXACT SAME REWARDS. (Encouraging but not forcing new players to play normal since Elite has no advantage.)
For the second 50 runs, Elite runs are twice as rewarding as Normal runs, which become worth less.
For the third 50 runs, Normal no longer provides meaningful rep rewards (still currency, just no rep). If you want to progress your rep, you play Elite.
(In reality, probably not by run but by kill count with bosses being worth much more.)
Rep systems also tend to allow ways of encouraging things like mission replay but within a set. So... Play any combination of 50 Romulan Mystery missions and get a prize. You choose what 50.
(Again, in reality, shorter missions worth less. Longer worth more.)