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109 Mirror Universe Events Completed: An after-action report

ddesjardinsddesjardins Member Posts: 3,056 Media Corps
With all of the in-chat commentary about AFKers and methods to complete the updated Mirror Event, I decided at the start to keep a record of what I saw. While periodically annoying (AFK's), here's the summary of that experience and completion of 109 runs.

Personal Observations

Pugged Normals were as hard as Elite, based primarily on the quality of the team. Elites proved to be easier with a higher end payout.

Best Ship for me personally: Vesta. Hands down the best ship for rift closing. I ended up doing a build for each of my fed toons. I have all of the fed science ships, and quickly moved to the vesta as my first choice.

Least Fun ship for me personally: Scimidar. Great DPS, but a terrible slide. By the time I stopped sliding, I overshot my targets. Chalk that up to a skill deficit.

Best Technique: Teams of 2, 1 aggro + 1 rift closer, targeting 2 platforms. Work from the outside in. NEVER get between 2 rifts.

Personal Best for rift closing: 21, however averaging 12.

Personal Best Team rift closing: 43 although I've heard numbers much higher

Longest wait for the Boss (pre fix): 3:11min - the team was 4 scis + a scimi


Math

The following math is bad, and based on a ridiculously small sample (109 runs).The play times were evenly distributed throughout the day.

7 characters: 3 Fed, 2 Fed-aligned Romulans, 2 KDF

109 Mirror Universe event runs (11 extra due to CD miscalculations)

42 Pugged elites - various levels of success, 9 AFKers (21% or 1 in 5 games)
21 Pugged normals - 4 AFKers (19% or 1 in 5 games)
31 Teamed Elites through the Public Elite STF channels - 7 AFKers (22% or 1 in 5 games)

15 Teamed with Fleet Members (and pugged) - 1 AFKer (6% or 1 in 20 games)

I was AFK for the end of 2 of these missions myself, due to real life requiring my attention. (2% or 1 in 50 games I didn't see it through to the end). Personally I saw that as being very high, but I chalk that up to the length of the mission being about 2-3x longer than the average STF.

Conclusion:

1.) The mission was excellent with a decent payout. The doff is meh, but considering the changes still to come could be valuable.

2.) I want to BUY a Mirror Typhoon or Sentinel. And WTF was that torpedo the Sentinels shot at us? Like the VATA only with 50,000 points of hull/shields, but less than 1K dps...

3.) AFKers were a problem appearing in one out of five missions BUT I see half of that problem as having a root in the length of the mission and not necessarily evil intent. The other half of course is evil intent, and I wish them a horribly painful and disfiguring skin disease.

4.) The length of the mission made group scheduling with my fleet problematic. It's easier to work together on a 8 minute mission, than it is a 15 minute mission.

Would I run a similar mission again on 7 toons? Unsure. On 1 or 2 toons? Heck yeah.

My Two bits

Admiral Thrax
Post edited by ddesjardins on

Comments

  • johngazmanjohngazman Member Posts: 2,826 Arc User
    edited March 2014

    109 Mirror Universe event runs (11 extra due to CD miscalculations)

    42 Pugged elites - various levels of success, 9 AFKers (21% or 1 in 5 games)
    21 Pugged normals - 4 AFKers (19% or 1 in 5 games)
    31 Teamed Elites through the Public Elite STF channels - 7 AFKers (22% or 1 in 5 games)

    15 Teamed with Fleet Members (and pugged) - 1 AFKer (6% or 1 in 20 games)
    3.) AFKers were a problem appearing in one out of five missions BUT I see half of that problem as having a root in the length of the mission and not necessarily evil intent. The other half of course is evil intent, and I wish them a horribly painful and disfiguring skin disease.

    So what we're saying here is that, in your sample, it actually didn't really matter whether it was pugged or teamed, since the AFK level was roughly the same for both.

    As for the AFKing overrall, it's Cryptic's fault. The big prize here is the Rep unlock, not really the marks, so even if the entire team AFK'd until the end, as long as people got involved to take out the dread, you all get an MDT.

    It's a pretty poor move, but parts of the mission were specifically designed to counter players with powerful builds (something we'll undoubtedly see more of in S9) - putting an arbitrary timer on the mission so that even if you could close all the rifts with your huge DPS, you still had to wait for ten minutes before you could finish the mission.
    You're just a machine. And machines can be broken.
    StarTrekFirstContactBorgBattleonetumblr_lln3v6QoT31qzrtqe.gif
  • antoniosalieriantoniosalieri Member Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited March 2014
    Yep this horrible mission design is exactly why Cryptic has to fix the power creep issue.

    The Rep trait fix doesn't really go far enough... so lets hope they keep going.

    If not this is all we have to look forward to .... junky timed missions that make you want to claw your eyes out. Missions that turn even sane nice almost always very helpful players into afkers because the alternative is putting your own eyes out.
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    Dignity and an empty sack is worth the sack.
  • jaguarskxjaguarskx Member Posts: 5,945 Arc User
    edited March 2014
    Personal best at closing rifts with my Sovereign was 17...

    But that was before last night where there was in total 52 closed rifts. I lost count after closing 20 and there was still a lot of time left on the clock. I didn't bother firing a single shot until all the rifts were closed.

    I think I only had one elite mission where I got a bonus for the station's health and that was the 1st time when I played elite. Since then it has been downhill.

    I'm not in a fleet and I do not PUG. I simply queue up the mission.
  • rinksterrinkster Member Posts: 3,549 Arc User
    edited March 2014
    johngazman wrote: »
    So what we're saying here is that, in your sample, it actually didn't really matter whether it was pugged or teamed, since the AFK level was roughly the same for both.

    As for the AFKing overrall, it's Cryptic's fault. The big prize here is the Rep unlock, not really the marks, so even if the entire team AFK'd until the end, as long as people got involved to take out the dread, you all get an MDT.

    It's a pretty poor move, but parts of the mission were specifically designed to counter players with powerful builds (something we'll undoubtedly see more of in S9) - putting an arbitrary timer on the mission so that even if you could close all the rifts with your huge DPS, you still had to wait for ten minutes before you could finish the mission.

    Excellent stuff from DD, and i concur mostly with you.

    I do agree that, on the whole, its a good mission worthy of inclusion in the Pve queue on an ongoing basis.

    However, it does need some changes.

    The patch that was applied giving us endless rifts at least alleviated utter boredom, but it was the least good fix.

    Better by far would have been triggering the final phase after a set number of rifts closed, or the timer running out, whichever comes first.

    A first, second, third place system ala CE would have been good too. With its concommitant improved kit rewards and a nice accolade.

    Finally, enabling the AFK system on this mission seems a no-brainer.



    As for the grind, I actually expect something like this at this time of year.

    I just wish we'd been allowed the rest from the grind that the anniversary used to represent.

    I'd have been a lot fresher for this one, and proably far less bad tempered.
  • ddesjardinsddesjardins Member Posts: 3,056 Media Corps
    edited March 2014
    johngazman wrote: »
    So what we're saying here is that, in your sample, it actually didn't really matter whether it was pugged or teamed, since the AFK level was roughly the same for both.

    Yup, and I believe that the length of the mission was responsible for about 50% of the AFK's.
    johngazman wrote: »
    As for the AFKing overrall, it's Cryptic's fault. The big prize here is the Rep unlock, not really the marks, so even if the entire team AFK'd until the end, as long as people got involved to take out the dread, you all get an MDT.

    Sadly yes. It was common to see the same players advertising in chat for AFK Normals - don't fight, and get the prize.
    johngazman wrote: »
    t's a pretty poor move, but parts of the mission were specifically designed to counter players with powerful builds (something we'll undoubtedly see more of in S9) - putting an arbitrary timer on the mission so that even if you could close all the rifts with your huge DPS, you still had to wait for ten minutes before you could finish the mission.

    I'm in agreement, and like this change. The DPS monkey's may howl and fling poo, but it was definitely skewed towards team play and science members.
  • jaguarskxjaguarskx Member Posts: 5,945 Arc User
    edited March 2014
    rinkster wrote: »
    As for the grind, I actually expect something like this at this time of year.

    I just wish we'd been allowed the rest from the grind that the anniversary used to represent.

    I'd have been a lot fresher for this one, and proably far less bad tempered.

    You make it sound like doing these grinds is a requirement. If you do not want to do them, then don't do them. I mostly grind with my Fed toon. The only grinding I am doing with my KDF toon is dilithium and I generally only attempt to get about 4k per day when I decide to play that character.

    Remember, grinding is totally optional since no one is forcing you to do so other than yourself.
  • rinksterrinkster Member Posts: 3,549 Arc User
    edited March 2014
    jaguarskx wrote: »
    You make it sound like doing these grinds is a requirement. If you do not want to do them, then don't do them. I mostly grind with my Fed toon. The only grinding I am doing with my KDF toon is dilithium and I generally only attempt to get about 4k per day when I decide to play that character.

    Remember, grinding is totally optional since no one is forcing you to do so other than yourself.

    Well, thank you for that pearl of wisdom, i don't know what I'd have done without you to tell me I'm playing the game wrong.
  • gurugeorgegurugeorge Member Posts: 421 Arc User
    edited March 2014
    If there's an AFK-er, the rest of the team should just quit the instance, it's not as if it takes a long time in the queue to get an instance.
  • johngazmanjohngazman Member Posts: 2,826 Arc User
    edited March 2014
    I'm in agreement, and like this change. The DPS monkey's may howl and fling poo, but it was definitely skewed towards team play and science members.

    Sadly, it's not that simple. Rather than punishing powerful players, Cryptic instead took the low road and punished all players by adding an arbitrary timer the must expire before you can move on.

    What I mean is you could easily close all the rifts in time using a 1 aggro and 1 rift closer strategy, provided you didn't hang around once each rift was closed. You wouldn't neccessarily need a huge DPS, but at the same time you could close all the rifts.

    A-but, no. Arbritrary timer it is.
    You're just a machine. And machines can be broken.
    StarTrekFirstContactBorgBattleonetumblr_lln3v6QoT31qzrtqe.gif
  • jaguarskxjaguarskx Member Posts: 5,945 Arc User
    edited March 2014
    rinkster wrote: »
    Well, thank you for that pearl of wisdom, i don't know what I'd have done without you to tell me I'm playing the game wrong.

    I am not telling you that you are playing the game wrong.

    I am telling you that you are consciously making the decision to grind.

    If you want to grind, then fine.

    If you do not want to grind, then fine.

    No one is forcing you to grind.
  • rinksterrinkster Member Posts: 3,549 Arc User
    edited March 2014
    jaguarskx wrote: »
    I am not telling you that you are playing the game wrong.

    I am telling you that you are consciously making the decision to grind.

    If you want to grind, then fine.

    If you do not want to grind, then fine.

    No one is forcing you to grind.

    Indeed, thank you Captain Obvious.

    And, also true, no one is forcing you to post things telling me that no one is forcing me to do things.

    Wonder why you felt the need?
  • orangeitisorangeitis Member Posts: 5,222 Arc User
    edited March 2014
    And WTF was that torpedo the Sentinels shot at us? Like the VATA only with 50,000 points of hull/shields, but less than 1K dps...
    This one?
    3.) AFKers were a problem appearing in one out of five missions BUT I see half of that problem as having a root in the length of the mission and not necessarily evil intent. The other half of course is evil intent, and I wish them a horribly painful and disfiguring skin disease.
    Be sure not to assume a ship parked above the station spamming heals isn't an AFKer.
  • erei1erei1 Member Posts: 4,081 Arc User
    edited March 2014
    I'm in agreement, and like this change. The DPS monkey's may howl and fling poo, but it was definitely skewed towards team play and science members.
    What teamplay ? What skew toward science ? The only interest in closing rifts since the nerf is for marks. Other than that, it's pointless, they respawn immediately, and never stop spawning.
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • architect13architect13 Member Posts: 1,076 Arc User
    edited March 2014
    johngazman wrote: »
    Sadly, it's not that simple. Rather than punishing powerful players, Cryptic instead took the low road and punished all players by adding an arbitrary timer the must expire before you can move on.

    What I mean is you could easily close all the rifts in time using a 1 aggro and 1 rift closer strategy, provided you didn't hang around once each rift was closed. You wouldn't neccessarily need a huge DPS, but at the same time you could close all the rifts.

    A-but, no. Arbritrary timer it is.

    Almost everything is time gated now, they are trying to slow us down. Good Lord, when I am done I will have spent 84 minutes just waiting in space!
    Have you tried the new forum on your phone?
  • marc8219marc8219 Member Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited March 2014
    Scim worked best for me. Its easy to max score on elite with it, even pugging. No need to work in tandem when stuff only is alive for a couple seconds then you can close rifts and activate satellites on your own too.
    Tala -KDF Tac- House of Beautiful Orions
  • jaguarskxjaguarskx Member Posts: 5,945 Arc User
    edited March 2014
    rinkster wrote: »
    Indeed, thank you Captain Obvious.

    And, also true, no one is forcing you to post things telling me that no one is forcing me to do things.

    Wonder why you felt the need?


    Because I can.


    Perhaps you should just try changing up your routine. Maybe it will help make the game feel less "grindy", maybe it won't. But that's up to you to decide.
  • ddesjardinsddesjardins Member Posts: 3,056 Media Corps
    edited March 2014
    orangeitis wrote: »
    This one?

    Be sure not to assume a ship parked above the station spamming heals isn't an AFKer.

    Is that what is is? Damn, that's a let down. Annoying in any case.

    I was careful when trying to identify an AFKer; more than half sat cloaked doing nothing, others not respawning after they died. Neither cases allowed for the spamming of heals.
  • rinksterrinkster Member Posts: 3,549 Arc User
    edited March 2014
    jaguarskx wrote: »
    Because I can.


    Perhaps you should just try changing up your routine. Maybe it will help make the game feel less "grindy", maybe it won't. But that's up to you to decide.

    Indeed it is.

    And remember, giving unsolicited advice is optional, no one is making you do it but yourself.
  • markhawkmanmarkhawkman Member Posts: 35,236 Arc User
    edited March 2014
    Is that what is is? Damn, that's a let down. Annoying in any case.
    Yeah, it's possible to shoot them down, but I don't bother trying. Too much work to be worth it. IF I can nail them with TS3 I can kill them reasonably reliably, but otherwise I just make sure my shields are up when it hits, their damage is less than their HP. :P
    -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
    My character Tsin'xing
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  • gerudongerudon Member Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited March 2014

    Least Fun ship for me personally: Scimidar. Great DPS, but a terrible slide. By the time I stopped sliding, I overshot my targets. Chalk that up to a skill deficit.

    I take it that this happens, when you fly with full impulse and then just deactivate full impulse?

    Just go on full stop, then deactivate full impulse and then push the throttle down again without full impulse.

    I'm honestly not sure anymore, what the default key bindings are, but I have the toggle between "full ahead" and stop on R and can toggle full impulse with a mouse button, so when I'm getting close to my target I push R, than the mouse button and then R again, no sliding, full control, no problems at all. :)

    You can actually get somewhat of a fluent movement out of this without stopping completely, if you do it fast enough.
  • snoggymack22snoggymack22 Member Posts: 7,084 Arc User
    edited March 2014

    My Two bits

    Admiral Thrax

    Best post I've read all week. Thorough summary and data collecting.

    /Kudos
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • ddesjardinsddesjardins Member Posts: 3,056 Media Corps
    edited March 2014
    Best post I've read all week. Thorough summary and data collecting.

    /Kudos

    Thank you ;)
  • edited March 2014
    This content has been removed.
  • erei1erei1 Member Posts: 4,081 Arc User
    edited March 2014
    Actually, it does help. It cuts down on enemy ships which helps preserve the station AND the players. Last time I played it, my Ambassador Class was engaged with about 40 ships (and surviving surprisingly well, actually) because no one would close the rifts or support me while I tried to. It helps.
    Since the rift respawn immediately (I'm sure of that, sometime they respawn right on top of me), you don't really cuts down on enemy ship, as the rift will start pouring ships again in a few seconds. And by the time you get to it, you'll have to restart the whole clean things and close it dance. Meanwhile, it will probably have spawned several ships toward the station.

    And sometime during the mission, the closed rifts will spawn together (they always do that sooner or later), and make this nasty 3+rifts pouring battleships and whatnot that is incredibly difficult to close with a PUG, and annoying in any other team.

    Closing rifts doesn't help your team anymore. It's just there for the marks.
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • tyranthraxisiityranthraxisii Member Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited March 2014
    2.) I want to BUY a Mirror Typhoon or Sentinel. And WTF was that torpedo the Sentinels shot at us? Like the VATA only with 50,000 points of hull/shields, but less than 1K dps...

    It was some kind of "emission seeking torpedo" upgraded torpedo, though you could shoot it, but it seemed like it had a LOT of health.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=TREQGl54BU8&feature=endscreen
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  • sunfranckssunfrancks Member Posts: 3,925 Arc User
    edited March 2014
    An accurate account of the entire event, nice. :)

    Out of the 14 times I did it on my main, I only encountered 2 Afker's.
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  • gerudongerudon Member Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited March 2014
    erei1 wrote: »
    Closing rifts doesn't help your team anymore. It's just there for the marks.

    Yeah, ignore enemy ships as much as possible and try to close rifts, that are lightly defended or not defended at all.
  • genadagenada Member Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited March 2014
    You shouldn't really be able to go afk for content and expect to be able to beat it. Best solution for that is to make the missions to where you can fail so that people have to put effort into helping and beating the missions they q for.
  • meimeitoomeimeitoo Member Posts: 12,594 Arc User
    edited March 2014
    Yep this horrible mission design is exactly why Cryptic has to fix the power creep issue.

    The Rep trait fix doesn't really go far enough... so lets hope they keep going.

    If not this is all we have to look forward to .... junky timed missions that make you want to claw your eyes out. Missions that turn even sane nice almost always very helpful players into afkers because the alternative is putting your own eyes out.

    Funny how you manage to turn a perfectly innocent thread about Mirror Event into fear mongering 'proof' that we need more nerfs, lest we can all look forward to 'junky missions.'

    On-Topic: MIE was pretty decent, and I found it well-timed for me. First I used that XP boost weekend to lv up my Rom; then it was followed by the perfect event, marks-wise, to fill out my reps.
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