I would lke to propose a long-term solution to the lack of interest in STO PvP, but I need the support of the PvP community to make it work. I call this solution, "Boot Camp."
In fact, I was inspired by the Sad Pandas recent creation of two training fleets: Sad Panda Cubs (
http://sto-forum.perfectworld.com/showthread.php?t=268443) and Hax Panda Cubs (
http://sto-forum.perfectworld.com/showthread.php?t=408711). This was a great idea. Kudos to the Pandas for coming up with it. I think what I have to propose could easily dovetail with what they are doing.
Concept: A regular (monthly?) training session (boot camp) in which players of all levels can come together in small teams (perhaps 3 vs 3 with one "coach") to learn the basics of PvP. The session could be, say, 1 hour in length, with a "sparring" match as the climax. As the coach has the teams run through various drills s/he would give advice and encouragement. Preferably, these teams would be diverse with respect to player careers (i.e., eng, tac, science, etc.)
Philosophy: I would venture to say that intimidation is one of the key issues keeping people from jumping into PvP ques. Apart from personal resolve, the key to breaking through intimidation is through education and a taste of success, both of which are more easily accomplished in a controlled pedagogical setting than in an open PUG match.
Promotion: I think there is potential to promote this event through a number of channels.
1) Because this is not a tournament, in which rules like "no siphon drones, AMS, etc." would be implemented, it is more likely that Branflakes could promote it. It is not beyond the realm of possibility for us to get a front page blog article on STO's website.
2) For those of you who are not in PvP exclusive fleets, this is an opportunity to train up potential players and get them interested in PvP.
3) Some of you know that I write a KDF Blog for Priority One (
Warrior's Way), and I would be willing to feature such a project in the blog. And although I cannot promise anything, I would certainly talk with the producers of P1 to see if they could plug this event as well on the weekly podcast. I would also ask the Gates of Stovokor people too, with whom I am in close contact.
Given that PvP will (hopefully) get a boost in Season 8 (6 months away?), now is the time to start building up our ranks.
Please leave your feedback, critical or otherwise. If you are interested in collaborating with me on this issue, please indicate as much.
Comments
Bran, Bort, any other dev listening, what can we do to make this happen?
@rudiefix Feds: Rudiefix / Thron / Opa
@rudiefix KDFs: Lill / Xifeidur / Dehr / Ugly
@rudiefix Roms (KDF alligned): Chicita
rewards!
As long as we're forced to spend time on other things to get what we want, people will not be inclined to PvP...
I wonder... will there ever be a "PvP reputation" system?
What would make PvP full of people:
- Better reward for participation
- Some reward for performance
- Some reward for winning
- adding 3v3 queues
- Leaderboard (showing best win/loose ratio over last 30 (?) arenas)
Unfortunately, this is all things only devs can do... It wouldn't even be much work for them, but even a little effort may be too much to ask, it seems....
Anyway, good luck!
You forgot NO REWARDS for AFK.
Would you be willing to discuss with me expanding such events to include people outside your fleet, as I have proposed above?
Good job in doing this in your own fleet. What fleet are you part of? I don't see anything in your signature. Thanks for posting.
Thanks, wolfpack12c. Let me see how this thread develops over the next day or so. I am hoping that borticus or Branflakes will pick up on it. Even if these hopes are not realized, I will likely contact you anyway. Thanks again.
a history of sto pvp: 2010 - 2011
a history of sto pvp: 2012 - 2013
Excellent! Thanks. I will be compiling a list of interested parties. Expect an in-game email in the next week or so.
Contact me imgame.
PaxOttomana: gawd mirror event is like fighting a tsi premade, they keep comin and comin!
Our TS is open as well if needed.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
R.I.P
If anyone ever has questions big or small or wants advice on where to start, my handle is @shimmerless. Even if I can't give you the help you need I'll almost guaranteed know someone or some fleet I can point you to who can.
vids and guides and stuff
[9:52] [Zone #11] Neal@trapper1532: im a omega force shadow oprative and a maoc elite camander and here i am taking water samples
Roach: This is precisely what I am hoping to accomplish with this boot camp idea. Let's hope we can gather enough support for it.
TRIBBLE | -Show Me Your Critz-
Svarog | Veles | et al.
Turkish RP Heroes & International PvP TS channel for all those interested in learning stuff.
Thanks for the post and the idea.
-@PaxOttomana
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
in game i am @roachinsd
PaxOttomana: gawd mirror event is like fighting a tsi premade, they keep comin and comin!
Ok, that was an exaggeration. But I want to understand how to put together a good PvP build with what I have and how to adapt my tactics accordingly. Not sure anything but experience can teach all that. People post builds all day long and I can't claim I completely understand why they're good or why they're not.
Being ex-military, the term "Bootcamp" doesn't raise fond memories or reassure my fears about intimidation
But a reasonably friendly environment where we can call time-out and ask questions... I would welcome that.
Link: How to PM - Twitter @STOMod_Bluegeek
I love your enthusiasm.
You are taking that next step to get more people but as the above has stated, Rewards.
This is something only the Devs can do. People need an incentive, a reason. 20k EC a match isn't efficient enough (Well to be honest, if they don't nerf the Rewards for PvP Dailies with Dilithium then maybe...).
The Devs can make those Dev Blogs to get peoples attention. Bulletins to alert more people in game.
I just have the feeling the Devs are waiting for something, and my gosh are they patient...
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
1) Teamwork and timing is #1
2) You cannot "Kirk It" in every ship
3) You are going to die, just get back up
a lot of people struggling in pvp need to get over themselves and fundamentally change what they are doing and what they equip. so many are doing it wrong so severely that they will have to change everything to complete. don't blame us, that has everything to do with the power creep making the level of entry so much higher.
the biggest part of pvp is a players own skill at managing their powers and positioning their ships. all the help threads in the world wont be able to clearly teach that as well as something like this will, i hope this works out. in the top link in my sig, theres the latest version of the local cruiser and sci help thread, to include all in 1 now. its just getting started still but the first builds i have added so far are very simple and cheap to put together builds that should be able to tank very well and be a good platform for learning.
A good primer to learning how to start thinking the game is Husanak's escort thread.
It has some high-level stuff in there that gets you thinking about the game in the way most PvPers do. If you really want to elevate your game, I'd suggest you read it. It's linked in my siglink.
Even though it's focused on Escorts, the information can be applied to your general piloting as well.
Basically all the builds you fnd on the forums are essentially about BO setups. Gear advice is only given for those players who have absolutely no idea where to start.
Community Moderator/bluegeek: I am so glad this got your attention and that you are interested as a player!
Please do us a favor, if possible, and sticky this post (if you have the authority) and make sure B-flakes and borticus know about it. Now that we have support from the PvP community (thank you all!) we need a strong advertising outlet and it would really help if B-Flakes could support us in this, perhaps even giving us a STO-website blog for advertisement. I would really appreciate your doing this and it would help the cause go forward. Thanks again.
p.s.: I hope it will be a more fun-loving experience than your experience with "real" boot camp.=)
You're absolutely right that only experience will really teach you the ins and outs of playing. In STO gear isn't really that big a deal (I still love talking about it though), what fakehilbert said about your bridge officer layout being key is completely on the ball. To start playing well you also need a good breadth of knowledge, most importantly about those bridge officer powers and when you should or shouldn't use them.
The first step to getting good or playing competitive PvP in any game is to clear out your head of any preconceptions and accept that you're going to lose, that not all (or even a majority) of your ideas'll work, that you need the knowledge concurrently gifted by that experience to improve your game. You will fall before you can crawl and crawl before you can walk; this is just the way things are, not everyone has skin thick enough to accept that and it's why PvP can be rough and unpopular.
Anyway... with STO there's a wealth of material and a channel with people who'll be glad to help if it means getting another face into the queues.
vids and guides and stuff
[9:52] [Zone #11] Neal@trapper1532: im a omega force shadow oprative and a maoc elite camander and here i am taking water samples