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Season 8 Dev Blog #45

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  • kyuzos7kyuzos7 Member Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited January 2014
    guess ill have to wait for tomorrow but.

    is the Proton DHC swappable on the Science Destroyers?

    and is the Proton DHC effected by the Protonic Arsenal set? (i hope so) :D
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • jaturnleyjaturnley Member Posts: 1,218 Arc User
    edited January 2014
    johngazman wrote: »
    If you can't see the issue here with mind-numbing grinds that are then rendered pointless due to something superior being released less than a month down the road, but being released in a way that flat out requires you to grind to get the lower end stuff and the fork out cash for the top end gear, then you need your eyes tested..
    I believe what you are describing is called "EVERY MMO EVER". Kill 5 rats, collect 10 doodads, go to points a, b, and c and click on the guy, getting ambushed on the way. Get you carrot, level up, repeat and get a nicer carrot. Once you have the nicest carrot, a new expansion comes out with even nicer carrots, but if you want them, you get to pay them for the "opportunity" to pay them. Then you pay your subscription fee for even longer to get those nicer carrots. Rinse and repeat. It's a grind the whole way, often playing the same missions over and over so you can get the gear you want rather than the random TRIBBLE you keep getting.

    The only difference here is that PWE learned how to monetize the process after WOW destroyed the subscription model (technically, Turbine did it, but PWE has taken it to the next level). Instead of the monthly fee, they give you the chance to get a slightly better carrot for free in exchange for your time. Then they give you the chance to get an even nicer carrot for money, or a random chance to get a REALLY nice carrot by gambling.

    There's no difference. If you don't like grinding (which is really just another way of saying "playing MMOs,") you should probably not play MMOs.
  • rylanadionysisrylanadionysis Member Posts: 3,359 Arc User
    edited January 2014
    LOl nice back step ;). Yep becuase what i replied to wasn't your edit.



    Nice attitude, maybe you should work for the NSA customer service hotline ;)

    But enough feeding the trolls, I said my 2 cents and I will close with this. I don't care for instant gratification, I just don't think they should double monetize the ships with both grind or $ for base, and c-store 3 pack. to get the full set. That's just not customer friendly nor I feel a healthy road for this game to go down.


    What's next lvl increase with new refit fleet admiral level ships(same current ships) , that you can upgrade three once for grind or. money, the last level for c-store zen only, then fleet progression + fleet store purchase for last teir upgrade.

    Grind is the exact opposite of monetization, wtf

    Dude, youre not just going to get handed a ship of this magnitude.
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  • aceseacese Member Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited January 2014
    Release a ship in fleet store - people complain fleets are too hard
    Release a ship in C store - people complain Zen is OP
    Release a ship in Lobi store - people complain lockboxes are OP
    Release a ship in event rep - people complain rep effort is OP

    Where exactly is Cryptic supposed to make the money to provide this free game?

    Do tell.

    X is OP, plz nerf.

    They are not supposed to try and make money on an "thank you" otherwise it isn't one, period.
  • johngazmanjohngazman Member Posts: 2,826 Arc User
    edited January 2014
    Where exactly is Cryptic supposed to make the money to provide this free game?

    The C-Store. Be it sales of ships, sales of keys or whatever. That's where the money should be made. Not to mention LTS, Gold Subs, Legacy and Starter Packs.

    I don't have a problem with stuff going into the C-Store. What I have a problem with is this;

    - Pre-S8, a lot of noise was made about how the Rep system was too much of a grind and how it was difficult for players with Alts to get through the Reps. As a result, the Devs went out of their way to add the sponsorship tokens to all the Reps, and the Dyson rep was much less of a grind than previous Reps. In the time between S8 and now, all the work that was done to relieve the excessive grinding has vanished, to the point that we're now expected to spend 15 days grinding an obnoxious mini-game for something that was ostensibly and traditionally supposed to be a gift to players to thank them for playing STO for another year.

    - If that wasn't bad enough, this seems to have been specifically designed as a money-grab. No-one wants to spend 15 days chasing mini-Qs around SFA, competing with others doing the very same. And Cryptic knows this - hence why this grind has a Lobi Package option attached. "Don't like the grind? You can just pay for it with Lobi, you know."

    - On top of that, we now know that there are nine new ships hitting the C-Store soon. All of them being various ten-console versions of the Anniversary ship. So on the face of it, it's completely unneccessary to grind for this version when a better one will be out later. BUT WAIT! A unique item is locked on the grinded version, which means that if you want the full set - and let's be honest, some people do - you have to grind your TRIBBLE off for your Anniversary "gift" (at least three times if you have a character from each faction) and then pay Cryptic upwards of $150 to get the new, better versions.

    Now i'll reiterate - I don't mind stuff going into the C-Store. What I object to is the pointless grind that's been attached here to the "free" version. There are various underhanded tactics being played out here to get you to part with more and more money.

    And none of it is neccessary.
    jaturnley wrote: »
    I believe what you are describing is called "EVERY MMO EVER". Kill 5 rats, collect 10 doodads, go to points a, b, and c and click on the guy, getting ambushed on the way. Get you carrot, level up, repeat and get a nicer carrot. Once you have the nicest carrot, a new expansion comes out with even nicer carrots, but if you want them, you get to pay them for the "opportunity" to pay them. Then you pay your subscription fee for even longer to get those nicer carrots. Rinse and repeat. It's a grind the whole way, often playing the same missions over and over so you can get the gear you want rather than the random TRIBBLE you keep getting.

    The only difference here is that PWE learned how to monetize the process after WOW destroyed the subscription model (technically, Turbine did it, but PWE has taken it to the next level). Instead of the monthly fee, they give you the chance to get a slightly better carrot for free in exchange for your time. Then they give you the chance to get an even nicer carrot for money, or a random chance to get a REALLY nice carrot by gambling.

    There's no difference. If you don't like grinding (which is really just another way of saying "playing MMOs,") you should probably not play MMOs.

    When I give someone a gift, I generally don't make them collect five doodads before i'll give it to them.

    Grind is the name of the game for MMOs. I know this. But why make it a grind for something that is supposed to be a thank you?
    You're just a machine. And machines can be broken.
    StarTrekFirstContactBorgBattleonetumblr_lln3v6QoT31qzrtqe.gif
  • thegalaxy31thegalaxy31 Member Posts: 1,211 Arc User
    edited January 2014
    What I did find cool was those EV Suits.
    I would love to visit this star in-game...or maybe this one!
    Won't SOMEONE please think of the CHILDREN?!
  • rylanadionysisrylanadionysis Member Posts: 3,359 Arc User
    edited January 2014
    acese wrote: »
    They are not supposed to try and make money on an "thank you" otherwise it isn't one, period.

    If the freebie ship was something akin to a Temporal Ambassador level or something purely fluff, that would make sense, but we are talking about a ship class they have built that is going to take science to a whole new level.

    it would be insane to just... hand it out like candy. Perhaps you havent really pored over the stats on these things, these are practically temporal ships in stat and utility.
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  • dauntless89dauntless89 Member Posts: 178 Arc User
    edited January 2014
    I will be doing the anni event for the ships on at least three chars...
    I have no problem with this. Dont see one damn good reason why any of you would either.

    No offense towards your opinion, rylandi, but if you have read the entire blog and all posts here, you would find out that people are not complaining because the ships are not free but why are they been forced to grind for 9 console ship for half a month and then be forced to buy the pack if they ever want to use the full unknown powers of these crafts.

    You said you have no problem to do it for your 3 chars, but most people have a lot and thats where is there problem.

    Not to mention if they have romulan/fed, they will be required to purchase 2 different bundles for ships with same stats/sets just for the sake a "romulan" or "federation" to be with these.

    Aside from that I agree with you that its not so big deal to farm for the ship...but if it was 10 consoles would be like giving a choice to the players - "get this ship after 2 weeks of grind...its cool and powerful ...but if u want 3 more consoles for a new set - please buy this pack" -> instead of "get this ship for its secondary deflector and then buy the pack or just use this low ranked ship".

    :(
  • johngazmanjohngazman Member Posts: 2,826 Arc User
    edited January 2014
    these are practically temporal ships in stat and utility.

    Oh, so they're not all that? I have a Temporal Science ship. I prefer my Vesta. Well worth the Zen I spent on it.
    You're just a machine. And machines can be broken.
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  • rylanadionysisrylanadionysis Member Posts: 3,359 Arc User
    edited January 2014
    johngazman wrote: »
    Oh, so they're not all that? I have a Temporal Science ship. I prefer my Vesta.

    Potato pohtahto

    The temp ships are still considered top of the line right next to the vesta for pure sciency goodness.

    These new ones outclass BOTH with their boff swap mechanic and set bonuses (just from what ive read so far)

    Quite frankly you should be more mad these are going to make your Vesta obsolete more than anything about the grind involved.
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    Fleet Admiral Rylana - Fed Tac - U.S.S Wild Card - Tactical Miracle Worker Cruiser
    Lifetime Subscriber since 2012 == 17,200 Accolades = RIP PvP and Vice Squad
    Chief of Starfleet Intelligence Service == Praise Cheesus
  • thegalaxy31thegalaxy31 Member Posts: 1,211 Arc User
    edited January 2014
    johngazman wrote: »
    Oh, so they're not all that? I have a Temporal Science ship. I prefer my Vesta.

    I had a friend who didn't give a TRIBBLE about builds, then I gave him his build for his Temporal Science Vessel. It kicked butt.
    I would love to visit this star in-game...or maybe this one!
    Won't SOMEONE please think of the CHILDREN?!
  • jaturnleyjaturnley Member Posts: 1,218 Arc User
    edited January 2014
    acese wrote: »
    They are not supposed to try and make money on an "thank you" otherwise it isn't one, period.

    And who made that rule?

    15 years ago, I could buy boneless skinless chicken TRIBBLE for $2 a pound. Now I can't. There wasn't a RULE that said they should be that price forever. The market just changed, and the price changed with it.

    They are still giving you a free ship. It has two more cool things on it than the free ships from the last two years (which were also 9 console ships), plus they are giving you a three piece set that works with one of the cool new things for free. In a month, you will have to pay to get that cool new thing, so it's technically a 4th free thing. You get to spend ~1-2 hours per character to get them all, vs half an hour for the free ship last year that didn't come with free things. You are making mountains out of molehills.
  • rylanadionysisrylanadionysis Member Posts: 3,359 Arc User
    edited January 2014
    I had a friend who didn't give a TRIBBLE about builds, then I gave him his build for his Temporal Science Vessel. It kicked butt.

    The new ones are going to come down to where that 10th console goes.

    if its tactical they are basically going to be the mobius and wells doing a fusion dance.
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    Fleet Admiral Rylana - Fed Tac - U.S.S Wild Card - Tactical Miracle Worker Cruiser
    Lifetime Subscriber since 2012 == 17,200 Accolades = RIP PvP and Vice Squad
    Chief of Starfleet Intelligence Service == Praise Cheesus
  • thegalaxy31thegalaxy31 Member Posts: 1,211 Arc User
    edited January 2014
    Quite frankly you should be more mad these are going to make your Vesta obsolete more than anything about the grind involved.

    Get ready for rage.
    I would love to visit this star in-game...or maybe this one!
    Won't SOMEONE please think of the CHILDREN?!
  • johngazmanjohngazman Member Posts: 2,826 Arc User
    edited January 2014
    Potato pohtahto

    The temp ships are still considered top of the line right next to the vesta for pure sciency goodness.

    These new ones outclass BOTH with their boff swap mechanic and set bonuses (just from what ive read so far)

    Quite frankly you should be more mad these are going to make your Vesta obsolete more than anything about the grind involved.

    Technology evolves. Can't be mad about that. The arms race goes on. Besides, these things don't have a Hangar bay, so it doesn't get any Elite Pet goodness.

    Frankly, that's one of the reasons I like the Vesta; the range of pets makes it more versatile than a Wells.
    You're just a machine. And machines can be broken.
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  • majesticmsfcmajesticmsfc Member Posts: 1,401 Arc User
    edited January 2014
    So much for our opinions not falling on deaf ears. I'll be opting out of this one as well. Thanks for turning a fun celebration into another worthless grind.
    Support the Game by Supporting the KDF, equality and uniqueness for all factions!
  • cptshephardcptshephard Member Posts: 8 Arc User
    edited January 2014
    In conclusion...

    I will be doing the anni event for the ships on at least three chars (all three of my scis, and possibly a tac), as well as saving up Zen to buy the three pack in a month.

    I have no problem with this. Dont see one damn good reason why any of you would either.

    From what I am reading, these ships with the full set items and all their perks are going to be ridiculously powerful and unique. My surmise is the C-store bundled versions are going to become THE science ships of the next year.

    And you want these to be easy/free/quick to obtain on a large scale?

    Seriously?

    I'm definitely getting it for my Romulan, and I'm tempted to get the Fed ship for my Fed science officer.
  • jaturnleyjaturnley Member Posts: 1,218 Arc User
    edited January 2014
    johngazman wrote: »
    When I give someone a gift, I generally don't make them collect five doodads before i'll give it to them.

    Grind is the name of the game for MMOs. I know this. But why make it a grind for something that is supposed to be a thank you?
    Ah, so you are admitting that your problem isn't the grind, you're hurt that they didn't keep the rules the same as last year. I was hurt when they gave my 1000 day reward to people the first day they bought an LTS. I got over it. You have until the 18th of February to get over this. I am betting most of you will find it in your heart to do so.
  • mikeflmikefl Member Posts: 861 Arc User
    edited January 2014
    cehus wrote: »
    So, to be clear, there's no reason to grind out this ship if you are planing on buying the three pack?

    You want the free ships because of the unique warp core that combines with the c-store bundle to create a unique 4 piece bonus set when used with the three consoles in the bundle.
    Gold Sub since March 2010
    Lifetime Sub since June 2010
  • cocobaleadascocobaleadas Member Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited January 2014
    Well at this point I think I've made up my mind and gonna follow this plan:

    1) Not grind the Anni ship;
    2) Do the episode and rinse, repeat for the free consoles and EV suit (meaning 3 times per character I will want to use it on)
    3) Maybe in the future buy one 3-pack, the Rommulan looks best imo;
    4) Still not sure on the upgraded EVs, but maybe getting the black one for 1 character, since I still have some free lobi left from the lobi event.
  • vengefuldjinnvengefuldjinn Member Posts: 1,521 Arc User
    edited January 2014
    Okay, so I'm a little daft, It's been a biach of a day ;)

    But will there be a few ship customization options for these ships? (crossing fingers)
    and what about ship interiors ? Will the interiors /bridge be unique ? I'm hoping so.

    I think I remember seeing a few variants on the first blog about designing them, some looked real interesting.
    tumblr_o2aau3b7nh1rkvl19o1_400.gif








  • johngazmanjohngazman Member Posts: 2,826 Arc User
    edited January 2014
    jaturnley wrote: »
    Ah, so you are admitting that your problem isn't the grind, you're hurt that they didn't keep the rules the same as last year. I was hurt when they gave my 1000 day reward to people the first day they bought an LTS. I got over it. You have until the 18th of February to get over this. I am betting most of you will find it in your heart to do so.

    Semantics.

    It's the principle more than anything else. It's underhanded. Previous years' Anniversaries never included a grind. The most you had to do was run through a new mission, which, admittedly, was pretty good for a one off. I didn't even mind doing SoI more than ten times to get everything on all my toons.

    As for the grind itself, i've already said elsewhere that for my Rom Sci at least, i'll do it. Maybe for my Fed and KDF sci's.

    But I won't enjoy it (especially if it's Present Patrol, which I detest). And frankly, if we're at the point where the celebrations for the game's 4th Anniversary are not enjoyable, something has gone badly wrong during the development stage.
    You're just a machine. And machines can be broken.
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  • lostusthornlostusthorn Member Posts: 844
    edited January 2014
    UPDATE:

    For Romulans, we're adding a Matter/Anti-Matter Warp Core to the rewardpack that contains your Romulan Dyson Science Destroyer. This is in addition to the Singularity version that will be pre-equipped on the ship.

    This intrigues me, what does that mean exactly? Can we equip that M/AM core on regular warbirds instead of a singularity core? And if yes what happens with the singularity powers? they get disabled right?
  • johngazmanjohngazman Member Posts: 2,826 Arc User
    edited January 2014
    This intrigues me, what does that mean exactly? Can we equip that M/AM core on regular warbirds instead of a singularity core? And if yes what happens with the singularity powers? they get disabled right?

    I'd say it's more than likely that it's just for the non-Warbird ships that Romulans can pilot.
    You're just a machine. And machines can be broken.
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  • hrisvalarhrisvalar Member Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited January 2014
    Article wrote:
    Make sure to complete the Dyson Science Destroyer event reputation project on all of your characters to ensure you?ll be able to take advantage of the upcoming 4-piece set bonus that will be available when the c-store bundles release next month, in addition to the 4-piece set bonus that is available through the items earned when replaying ?A Step Between Stars.?

    So yeah, no... I've got 15 characters, so...

    Two words. First word. Starts with an F. Second word. Ends with you being offended.

    No thank you.

    Everything else looks fine though. Couldn't help but notice the Lobi to Qmendation ratio's been reasonabled up a little. (Free giveaway ships now at last being cheaper than the Lockbox Lobi ones = good thing.)
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    Reave
  • zeuxidemus001zeuxidemus001 Member Posts: 3,357 Arc User
    edited January 2014
    genhauk wrote: »
    It's not so much the ships as it is the featured episode + grind to get the free one which has a console you need for the set you would use on the C-store ones.

    If it were just the featured episode ... I believe complaints would be less.

    Oh ... and toss in we got another grind waiting after this anniversary ... so says D'A in a recent interview! :O

    My issue is that its nothing close to worthy enough to me to grind one character much less alts lol. Plus an already much hated look of the veteran ship within the empire and they used it for a baseline to make another ship even uglier lol.

    As for D'A and another grind I figured as much with talk of undine and hirogen before any of these blogs. I had already seen the connection they made with all of that from the last FE. Those live projections plus hirogen in voyager series being able to control communication arrays that used singularity tech. Plus iconia being so close to romulan space before its destruction. Then the sela + hirogen meeting and joining forces from two factions/races that just happen to have singularity knowledge :) Then interviews hinting the undine learning they have been played and now dev blog of undine and hirogen dukeing it out in delta quadrant.

    In all though the issue still pops up that in the end like bortas, kamarag, all those freebie boxes they just sit and collect dust so I don't think that even if I grind my heart out on this stuff they will just sit collecting dust so no purpose in going after them in the first place.
  • vengefuldjinnvengefuldjinn Member Posts: 1,521 Arc User
    edited January 2014
    I'll say this -

    I'm just about ground out. Me personally, I can't speak for anyone else.

    But If I do this grind on each and every of my characters, THEN spend hard earned money in the C store, I'ma gonna be mad as hell if these things are nerfed into Mediocrity.

    So I hope everything's been tested.

    I also hope these things come with the appropriate bells and whistles for what the actual price tag ends up being on these beauties, when one considers the time and money needed for the high end ones.
    tumblr_o2aau3b7nh1rkvl19o1_400.gif








  • hawke89305092hawke89305092 Member Posts: 237 Arc User
    edited January 2014
    I'm... genuinely confused by the decision to make the grind ships 9 console, with C-Store versions coming soon after. It seems like a similar amount of effort to grind the free ships as it would be to grind dilithium for the C-Store pack... especially across multiple toons.

    I mean, this flies in the face of the precedent established by the winter/summer ships - there, while you have to work for a ship, at least it's top quality. Why bother putting in the effort if you'll just end up buying the C-Store version anyway to get the best version?

    I just don't understand... :confused:
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • gofasternowgofasternow Member Posts: 1,390 Arc User
    edited January 2014
    I'm... genuinely confused by the decision to make the grind ships 9 console, with C-Store versions coming soon after. It seems like a similar amount of effort to grind the free ships as it would be to grind dilithium for the C-Store pack... especially across multiple toons.

    I mean, this flies in the face of the precedent established by the winter/summer ships - there, while you have to work for a ship, at least it's top quality. Why bother putting in the effort if you'll just end up buying the C-Store version anyway to get the best version?

    I just don't understand... :confused:

    Did you read the entire blog?

    What makes the 9-console freebie worth the grind is because of what it comes with. The Photon DHC. The ability to change between Sci and Tac mode. The special Warp Core/Singularity Drive.

    We don't know if the C-Store ships comes with these or not.

    Though, if I know my special ships, I'm certain this'll also show up in the Fleets for 200k Fleet Credits at Tier 5
  • toivatoiva Member Posts: 3,276 Arc User
    edited January 2014
    Ok, now I'm a bit calmer and all... so, some advice and options:
    1. For an anniversary event, it's fine to receive a 'worse' version of a ship. Typically, to get such a ship, running some kind of (short- if only for the ship, feature- if also featuring say a new VO) mission once should be sufficient. You can then release an upgraded one in a pack in a C-Store or a Fleet version.
    2. It would be defendable to release an anniversary ship that is really top-notch (typically a 10 console version, the best version available) gated behind a grind (personally I hate the idea right after the Winter Event daily grind, but whatever).
    3. It wouldn't seem a bad idea to release the 'top-notch' vessel first as part of the anniversary (if need be, accompanied with some grind) and then, after some delay, the same version through other means (C-Store, Fleet stores, maybe even the Lobi store).

    Now let's see what seem to be completely crazy ideas:
    1. You release the subpar version of an anniversary ship gated behind a grind.
    2. You later release an incomplete 'top-notch' version.

    And you actually combined the 2 bad ideas into your 'Anniversary event'. That means that only those players willing and able to both grind for 2 weeks (or pay handsomely in lobis) and then buy three different ship packs will get all the nice things you designed. Where has the generous Anniversary spirit gone?


    I'll tell you, I was more excited about getting 3 new Mirror ships of the Hirogen lockbox than the whole anniversary event. And that's very sad given all the work you apparently put in it, along with Tuvok, a new Feature Episode and nice spacesuits. :(
    TOIVA, Toi Vaxx, Toia Vix, Toveg, T'vritha, To Vrax: Bring in the Allegiance class.
    Toi'Va, Ti'vath, Toivia, Ty'Vris, Tia Vex, Toi'Virth: Add Tier 6 KDF Carrier and Raider.
    Tae'Va, T'Vaya, To'Var, Tevra, T'Vira, To'Vrak: Give us Asylums for Romulans.

    Don't make ARC mandatory! Keep it optional only!
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