First off, I want to say I am not here to complain but to offer true solutions to some stagnating game choices, thus my suggestions are offered to see the game userbase grow concurrently with Cryptic's revenue. I realize this game is about making money, so I will make suggestions that I think will clearly improve the game but with Cryptic's goal in mind. As my risk management teacher used to say, "the most important thing to look at is variation, variation, variation" and it is definitely needed to bring this game on par with other MMO's.
Now the most obvious improvement that needs to be made to this game is variability. The game is way too predictable, from consoles all the way to weapons, gear, and ships. I will not address ships in this thread as that needs a thread of its own, but I will address consoles, weapons, and gear. This first post is only addressing consoles, but later posts in the same thread will address weapons, and gear both space and ground. The easiest change is consoles, they need more randomized additional bonuses. What do I mean, well for one NO purple console in the same level tier should be at same power as a blue or lower. This is seen as unimaginative, as other MMO add several additional bonuses to differentiate between uncommon, rare, very rare, ultra rare, and legendary upgrades. Example MK XI 28.1% is the same as Blue Mk XII 28.1% and they are both Upper Half-Rear Admiral. This looks to gamers as lazy and since a randomized system already exists with DOFF's and POFF's, there is no reason it can't exist with consoles. This is a small upgrade that will bring alot of excitement to the game by adding +1 randomized skills but mk 1-6, + 2 randomized skills to mk 7-10, and +3 randomized skills to mk 11-16...I will address the mk higher than 12 in another post about the new level expansion to Full Admiral. Dual weapons coming out of Lockboxes and purchased from dilithium/zen stores should be even more unique with a forth possible random increase in basic proc skills like critical chance, accuracy, and damage. How are these power to be distributed, on what lvl, and what format? The how is long thus I will make a list:
MK 1-6 Green - 1 of these skills
+2 to character skills
+1% base increase
+1% ship special ability
+1 sec reduction charge
MK 1-6 Blue - 2 of these skills
+3 to character skills
+2% base increase
+2% ship special ability
+2 second reduction charge
MK 1-6 Purple - 3 of these skills
+4 character skills
+3% base increase
+3% ship special ability
+3 second reduction charge
Just to clarify, White consoles, weapons, and gear shall not have Any of these options. There is a 25% chance of getting consoles with these abilities purchased from zen/dilithium stores and 5% from drops, and 75% to 95% respectively for regular consoles with no abilities. Thus regular MK consoles are still possible. Character skills, base increases, ship specials, and second reductions are ability specific not universal. Example: Prefire chamber Purple MK XI shield penetration +7% skill, + 5% skill bonus, + 1.5% plasma damage proc rate. Now this makes a console that is consider pretty useless into a console some would want to keep. It balances the issues with consoles that no one wants and if you wanted to get more specific, certain skills could be linked to certain consoles like shield + skills to shield consoles and so on.
As you go to higher tiers the amount and frequency of additional randomization should increase based on weapons types and expected usage. This is where it could get difficult but still simple when it comes to programming as ALL these abilities exist already. Purple will start to separate at these tiers thus they get additional possibilities. Since these are completely random one can get double ability percentages, bonuses, or abilities.
MK 7-10 Green - 1 of these skills
+3 to character skills
+2% base increase
+2% ship special ability
+1 sec reduction charge
+.5% proc rate
MK 7-10 Blue - 2 of these skills
+4 to character skills
+4% base increase
+4% ship special ability
+2 second reduction charge
+.7% proc rate
MK 7-10 Purple - 3 of these skills
+5 character skills
+5% base increase
+5% ship special ability
+4 second reduction charge
+1% proc rate
+5% skill bonus
+5% expertise bonus
As said before the higher tiers get more unique as Purple consoles will now have a 1% chance to add additional ensign and lieutenant lvl skills. Initially all skills could apply to every console, but as this game improves specific skills could tailor to specific console if the need arrives.
MK 11-16 Green - 1 of these skills
+3 to character skills
+2% base increase
+2% ship special ability
+2 sec reduction charge
+.5% proc rate
+5.5 shield regen
MK 11-16 Blue - 2 of these skills
+5 to character skills
+5% base increase
+5% ship special ability
+3 second reduction charge
+.7% proc rate
+10.5 shield regen
MK 11-16 Purple - 3 of these skills
+7 character skills
+7% base increase
+7% ship special ability
+4 second reduction charge
+1% proc rate
+5% skill bonus
+5% expertise bonus
+15 shield regen
+1 ensign lvl ability
+1 lieutenant ability
The reason for these additions are not to overpower characters, as the nerfs on damage in STF missions, and all missions could easily be increased to previous lvls. Plus I will address new "Adapted STF missions and new Adapted sets." Also, if you are going to release MK XI special weapons please, please in the future offer MK XII upgrades immediately as these are released. Reasoning; if you want people to really use the zen store to then you have to offer QUALITY reason to purchase items. Nothing is more disappointing than having MK XI items be considered "of comparable level" considering even MK XII is not considered Vice Admiral level. This is not a complaint, this is a request from many who play other MMO's and still play this game daily. Lastly, I ask that Devs really think on what the difference between MK X, MK XI, and MK XII sets really mean as sets like the Borg set that go from MK XI to MK XII with NO Engine upgrade really don't ring well with your hardcore players. Also, miniscule upgrades with no additional skills from MK X to MK XI to MK XII is pretty distinct in this MMO, not to compare to others but Unique gear at lower levels pales in comparison in other MMOs without completely nerfing lower level gear. Lastly, upgrades for sets found in story modes and made by players needs to be adjusted. The Breen ships were released but the Breen sets offered no upgrades...why again? While this was corrected for the Dominion, we still have Breen sets with no upgrades. Also where is the Full Cardassian weapon beam choices, I understand not releasing cannons but dual beams at least makes the ships more complete. Aegis, while some of the strongest MK X gear, it doesn't make sense not to offer MK XI AND MK XII upgrades through the reputation system or through the fleet starbase. Using the zen/dilithium system is expected but with thoughtful upgrades many would flock to buy a MK XI and MK XII Aegis set. I will give my ideas on the differences between Space set and Ground sets in the next thread.
I invite everyone to critique my thread and offer ideas. I also implore devs to consider these "easy" adjustments as they are much more effective in maintaining a userbase than big glitchy patches, and nerfing abilities. power can be adjusted with variability as most people will never get the same gear with enough of it. and combat styles will be favored over just more powerful ships. Thanks everyone in advance for reading my suggestions.
i usualy fly as an engi and i would love to see more beam fit cruisers and escorts as things are now cannons are way over used dont get me wrong they have there uses but more often then not people forget that a cruser is a suport ship ment for shield and hull healing and decent damage with beams as things are now you have to have a perfect build and millions in doffs in order to do decent dps in a cruiser and even being able to tank/heal effectivly that being said i would like to have a tac oriented cruiser/escort built for using beam arrays and to and yes said cruiser/escort should get a damge boost to offset the weaker arrays dps
its too bad that the time you took to type all this up was wasted...
the devs arent going to change anything...
[12:35] Vessel Two of Two Unimatrix 01 deals 225232 (271723) Plasma Damage to you with Plasma Lance.
[12:44] Vessel One of Two Unimatrix 01 deals 1019527 (1157678) Kinetic Damage to you with Plasma Energy Bolt Explosion.
Comments
the devs arent going to change anything...
[12:44] Vessel One of Two Unimatrix 01 deals 1019527 (1157678) Kinetic Damage to you with Plasma Energy Bolt Explosion.