So basically the clusters are being removed to make it so the galaxy can be expanded...ie the clusters where blocking part of the planned expanded areas.
Ok I understand that part.
And also you want to make a differing way to get materials....for the supposed new crafting system that works exactly like the old one.
So I want to know what is going to happen to all the materials we already have?
Its already decided so a non-disclosure agreement no longer applies on this.
Also what are the new planned areas going to be like?
Ie...are we talking new quadrant locations like what we have but with new star systems?
And yes you can answer this one as a non-disclosure agreement covers specific content not generalized plans.
And so given by the fact it was said over and over that things would be placed close to the old locations....then I assume you are going to have planetary locations that will become the new clusters.
so then.....I realize this might not be answered....but does this mean we are going to have the edge of the galaxy wall thing possibly explorable?
Also I have a suggestion....well ok this would be a replacement....but how about the giant space ameba from the old star trek shows.....as a possible point of travel from one of the space edges?
So anywise
Power without Perception is Spiritually useless and therefore of no true value.
I picture the following compromise (for non-combat players who want crafting materials):
Pick up quest to "Scan 5 anomalies in X cluster"
(since the cluster no longer exists as a map, you essentially head to it's "portal" on the map)
Upon arrival at the cluster portal, hit your "Interact" key to conduct scans.
This brings up the standard Scanning Mini-game. Complete the scan on time for bonus.
Repeat the scan 4 additional times, and be rewarded with an additional "Material box"
Make the mission repeatable on a 30 minute timer (to match PVE Queues), with an additional bonus box (2 on first run, 1 on subsequent runs).
There Cryptic. How hard was that? The tech is already in place. No new systems to do. To quote Capt. Jellico: GET IT DONE!
I'd be OK with that, but what would make it even better would be if the 30 minute cooldown applied to that specific location, so I could visit the other locations, scan them, and come back. That would still allow me to be pretty efficient. Anything that lets me focus solely on gaining supplies would mitigate the scariness of this for me. Thanks for the good idea. :-)
Sure, but that particular problem could have been addressed by adding more to it; something that I personally have been wanting them to do since launch.
Dynamic outcomes? Multiple paths? The more they could potentially add, the more bug ridden and silly the possible outcomes could be...or...they'd have to restrict it to the point that it felt even more of the same-same than it currently does.
I certainly won't miss those old exploration clusters. However, Cryptic royally screwed up in how they handled this. The lack of any sort of assurance that this gap will be filled in the game will only get worse as time goes on. Cryptic, if you've got something in the works, then tell us now. There is no benefit withholding this information.
That's more or less my feelings on it. You have the "Lead Content Designer" whose entire blog consists of, "Instead of telling you guys about what we're making, we're going to inform you on what we're taking away. You may hear from me again in 3 to 4 months or so. Maybe. If we feel like it. Trevor will give you vague information about what we might do, possibly, or if it's on our radar maybe. Who knows? Keep feeding us money."
Silence is not golden.
"The Lead Content designer giveth and the Lead Content Designer taketh away. Sometimes the giveth seems a little disproportionate to the taketh. There seems to be a lot more takething going on, but there it is."
In my perspective, the exploration clusters were the half of the only places where STO has gone right; other half being the episode missions.
In all, just another 60cm shell knocking a jewel off the boat that is STO. I'm just sitting back watching the fireworks. Star Fleet should've invested in some fish dudes.
I would like the exploration clusters to stay. Personally, I liked them and I think they add a bit of mystery to the game. Yea, they're useful (kinda), but it would be nice to expand the usefulness of the clusters and not get rid of them. This is a Star Trek game, right? To explore strange new worlds? Seek out new life and new civilizations? Lets add that, instead of take away!
TheGrateLordeCheesus Ship build coordinator for The Breakfast Club http://WWW.TBCSTO.COM Doesn't Owe AnyoneEC Kirks Prot
With all the updates to Season 9.5 on the way, Lead Content Designer, Charles Gray discusses the upcoming changes to Exploration Clusters in the latest entry of the Season 9 News Dev Blog series.
This is pretty much the worst blog I've read from Cryptic. Specifically this part:
While we are removing part of the game, we hope that this improves the overall quality of STO. In the end we aim to make Star Trek Online something youre excited to be playing every week.
Removing content doesn't improve your overall quality of gameplay. It makes it worse. This leaves me disappointed, NOT EXCITED, to be playing STO.
Removing content doesn't improve your overall quality of gameplay. It makes it worse. This leaves me disappointed, NOT EXCITED, to be playing STO.
I don't like pickles. Many places when you order a sandwich or burger with fries to go, they'll put a pickle in the to-go container. I really don't like pickles. Odds are, if there's a pickle there and I don't see it before I leave - I'll either ask somebody if they want it or I'll just toss it in the garbage.
Removing the pickle...is an example of removing something and improving it.
The "content" that Cryptic is removing, is like a whole jar of pickles to me...and...I'm happy to see it go.
Would I mind something being added? No doubt, would be great. But yeah, the pickle needs to go.
I don't like pickles. Many places when you order a sandwich or burger with fries to go, they'll put a pickle in the to-go container. I really don't like pickles. Odds are, if there's a pickle there and I don't see it before I leave - I'll either ask somebody if they want it or I'll just toss it in the garbage.
Removing the pickle...is an example of removing something and improving it.
The "content" that Cryptic is removing, is like a whole jar of pickles to me...and...I'm happy to see it go.
Would I mind something being added? No doubt, would be great. But yeah, the pickle needs to go.
This is probably unintentional, but I am really suddenly hungry for pickles now.
I don't like pickles. Many places when you order a sandwich or burger with fries to go, they'll put a pickle in the to-go container. I really don't like pickles. Odds are, if there's a pickle there and I don't see it before I leave - I'll either ask somebody if they want it or I'll just toss it in the garbage.
Removing the pickle...is an example of removing something and improving it.
The "content" that Cryptic is removing, is like a whole jar of pickles to me...and...I'm happy to see it go.
Would I mind something being added? No doubt, would be great. But yeah, the pickle needs to go.
The deli where you get your sandwhich isn't removing the pickle though. They keep them there because they realize the most basic thing of customer service. Their patrons who LIKE pickles get their pickle. Their patrons who don't like pickles can remove the pickle on their own.
The deli where you get your sandwhich isn't removing the pickle though. They keep them there because they realize the most basic thing of customer service. Their patrons who LIKE pickles get their pickle. Their patrons who don't like pickles can remove the pickle on their own.
It doesn't work that way. I don't remove the pickle. I toss the box. I don't like pickles. I despise them. The mere presence of them in the box is enough for me to toss the box. I don't want the scent of them anywhere near what I'm about to eat...much less the possibility any pickle juice has spread to any of the food items in the container.
Instead of removing content, how about removing some of those annoying bugs that have been around for over a year now?! Oh right, my bad, that would actually be a good thing for the game and its players!
Star Trek online is now basically a grind-fest, micro-transaction galore where the prices are bordering on batsh*t insane.
For crying out loud, Star Trek deserves so much better than this TRIBBLE!
This is pretty much the worst blog I've read from Cryptic. Specifically this part:
Removing content doesn't improve your overall quality of gameplay. It makes it worse. This leaves me disappointed, NOT EXCITED, to be playing STO.
I was waiting for your response. I was reading the blog responses all day just to see how people would react.
Although the exploration clusters are similiar in some ways it's random and hit home to the main focus of Star Trek. "To boldly go where no man has gone before", "Seek out new life and civilization", "Heading two stars to the right.". Just taking it away make the game a grindfest.
I mentioned in the pass the Cryptic lacked competence on a grand scale. I'm not sure if all these blogs validate that statement.
So, let me get this.
1) Cryptic decides to remove cotent specifically exploration clusters because it's uses a 4 year old+ genesis engine that not up to standards. Mentioned again in Blog #29
They had 4+ years to make a update or several updates. Plenty of players suggested ideas of fixing it. Where is all the money Cryptic is making going? By the way, it implies there will be no exploration updates in the future season 9.5 or season 10.
2) They introduce a new crafting system that doesn't even qualifies for alpha phase development.
Blog #25-28 but by the way, all the threads been merged because there was too much negative criticism although Cryptic made the blogs.
The revamp just adds to the time gating and dilithium sink. Monetization the crafting system with a huge dilithium requirement and catalyst system.
3) Best yet, in Blog #29. Talks about exploration cluster removal.
Their solution is make new doors for foundry missions. So, instead of Cryptic making content. They are leaving it to players to make static content that doesn't changes.
Saving development time and passing it on to player developers who don't get paid to make the content.
In other words, Cryptic makes $$$ at players expense and time.
It doesn't work that way. I don't remove the pickle. I toss the box. I don't like pickles. I despise them. The mere presence of them in the box is enough for me to toss the box. I don't want the scent of them anywhere near what I'm about to eat...much less the possibility any pickle juice has spread to any of the food items in the container.
The deli keeps giving out pickles with their sandwiches. They didn't remove the pickle. You can remove it. Or make a sandwich in your kitchen, your sandwich FOUNDRY.
But that deli keeps dishing out pickles. Because delis unlike the brain trust at Cryptic, understand the value of customer service and do not remove content.
It doesn't work that way. I don't remove the pickle. I toss the box. I don't like pickles. I despise them. The mere presence of them in the box is enough for me to toss the box. I don't want the scent of them anywhere near what I'm about to eat...much less the possibility any pickle juice has spread to any of the food items in the container.
Just for you, how about we outlaw pickles. I understand that millions, if not billions of people like pickles and enjoy them but they will just learn to live without because there is someone that has a perverse aversion to pickles and that cannot be. Everybody to the White House petition site to demand a law banning pickles. Who is with me!!!!
After all, the need of the one or the minority is more important then the needs of the many.
I would again like to voice my discontent about this. The exploration missions may be of no use to those "gamer" type players that go for stats and rapid progression, but the exploration system is what got me into STO in the first place and it is elementary to a game that claims to be "Star Trek Online".
I do not share the euphoria about the foundry gateways. While the foundry is a nice tool and there are talented people creating content I somewhat consider it a cheap cop out. "Create your own Star Trek content, players, since we sure as hell won't." Likewise, it is somehow odd to defend this decision with supposed superior quality of mission content. Half the storyline still doesn't make sense and there are still missions like "divide et impera". Also, scripted missions are not a replacement for the randomness "roguelike" missions offer. To some of us, that is important. Quite a lot of games I play for years and probably never going to stop playing are games that feature no real story but lots of random generated content, unique journeys every time I start a new game.
STO's official content drifts away from what I envision "Star Trek Online" to be more and more. Countless repitions of the same shooting galeries is not what I wish for. Why not couple the grind with the Genesis-engine? Have teams of players embark of randomly generated challenges in space and ground maps and reward them for doing so - but let me guess, players will get lost and uninstall the game out of confusion...
^ Memory Alpha.org is not canon. It's a open wiki with arbitrary rules. Only what can be cited from an episode is. ^
"No. Men do not roar. Women roar. Then they hurl heavy objects... and claw at you." -Worf, son of Mogh
"A filthy, mangy beast, but in its bony breast beat the heart of a warrior" - "faithful" (...) "but ever-ready to follow the call of the wild." - Martok, about a Targ
"That pig smelled horrid. A sweet-sour, extremely pungent odor. I showered and showered, and it took me a week to get rid of it!" - Robert Justman, appreciating Emmy-Lou
I don't see how this will help "Improve game play quality" because I spend a lot of time in star clusters doing my diplomatic missions, and grinding. Also, what's gonna happen to first contact missions when star clusters are gone?
That's the thing. It's not just for me. Cryptic was seeing something. They acted on it. Simple as that.
edit: It might backfire on them - they might not get the new customers they felt were being driven off by the missions - they might lose customers that decide to walk over the removal. They'll have to deal with the consequences of their actions, no doubt. But the way folks are defending them as if they were something any more than atrocious is just kind of odd - some folks are doing it on principle, hating to see something removed regardless of how bad it was and regardless of what it meant to the game and new players. That doesn't keep the servers running.
That's the thing. It's not just for me. Cryptic was seeing something. They acted on it. Simple as that.
Seems like you in the minority on this. So yes, it a sense it is for you. What cryptic is seeing is $$$ with the new revamping of the crafting system. The fourth time the system has been revamped since launch I might add. If cryptic wants to act they can act on the bugs that have been in this game since launch that might as well be considered standard features now such as the spawning of the borg spheres inside of the diodes on Ker'rat.
Because the majority of players post on the forums? Hrmmm...might want to reconsider that. I don't claim to be in the majority, because there's no way for me to tell - nor is there any way for you to tell. Cryptic has the information they did and acted upon it...they'll have to deal with any consequences if it goes horribly wrong.
So you are glad of their removal cause you would rather severely throttled material gathering?
Actually, I'm glad of their removal because there was no actual reason to go there.
I did the exploration missions long ago and when I realized it was just infinite variations on 3 basic missions, I got bored and stopped.
As for the crafting material, I don't need the clusters for that either.
I don't know about the updated version on Tribble, but currently, my DOFFs can do all that work for me regardless of where I am in the game.
There are at least 3 Scan Anomaly for Samples missions and the occassional Recover Artefacts from Archealogical Site mission which all give me what I need for crafting.
Which is eminently more efficient then flying all over the game to scan randomly spawning anomalies.
Especially when someone else is camping the cluster who has buffed up their sector speed travel specifically to steal all the anomalies from other players.
And that is why I'm happy to see them go, they bring nothing to content or resource gathering.
Bees like honey, they don't like vinegar.
Everytime someone makes a character that is an copy of an existing superhuman, Creativity is sad
It doesn't work that way. I don't remove the pickle. I toss the box. I don't like pickles. I despise them. The mere presence of them in the box is enough for me to toss the box. I don't want the scent of them anywhere near what I'm about to eat...much less the possibility any pickle juice has spread to any of the food items in the container.
Yeah it does ... cause if you're smart ... you put the glas / box of pickles down in your basement ... in case you'll starve someday ... perfect analogy btw, because you might find yourself someday ... starving for content ...
Even if you despise it, it's still food / content ... tossing it, is just stupid ...
Patch Notes : Resolved an Issue, where people would accidently experience Fun.
Yeah ... if you're smart ... you put the glass of pickles down in your basement ... in case you'll starve someday ... perfect analogy btw, because you might find yourself someday ... starving for content ...
I've never seen so much melodramatic complaints and hyperbole...it's like a cliche omgherd tween TV show.
Even if you despise it, it's still food / content ... tossing it, is just stupid ...
I would wretch. I'm not allergic to them - I wouldn't go into anaphylactic shock or anything, but I would definitely wretch. So it's not food...it's anti-food. Kind of like the clusters are anti-content.
Because the majority of players post on the forums? Hrmmm...might want to reconsider that. I don't claim to be in the majority, because there's no way for me to tell - nor is there any way for you to tell. Cryptic has the information they did and acted upon it...they'll have to deal with any consequences if it goes horribly wrong.
Clearly with 11,000+ posts you clearly know the player base far better then anyone and cryptics inner workings. Would you care to enlighten us with the fore told knowledge of such changes. *pulls up chair, grabs popcorn*
I've never seen so much melodramatic complaints and hyperbole...it's like a cliche omgherd tween TV show.
Said the guy with some absurd aversion to pickles & Exploration Clusters ... "Omg the Exploration Cluster, touched my Sirius Sector Block, now it's ruined, I can never go back there ..."
Patch Notes : Resolved an Issue, where people would accidently experience Fun.
Clearly with 11,000+ posts you clearly know the player base far better then anyone and cryptics inner workings. Would you care to enlighten us with the fore told knowledge of such changes. *pulls up chair, grabs popcorn*
Which part of the majority of players likely don't hit the forums did you miss...and thus...I'd have no knowledge of what they think or feel since it hasn't been shared? As for Cryptic's inner workings - not a current employee, not a former employee - no friends/relatives that work there - no idea about any of their inner workings outside of what they've shared...which uh...by the way, they have shared their reasons for removing the clusters. We're discussing it in the very thread for that dev blog. Curious, eh?
So I say something makes me physically ill...not deathly ill...but physically ill, and your response is it is an absurd aversion? Curious...
If you're not allergic, and there is no other medical reason ... that's the textbook definition of absurd aversion (or even phobia) ... same with Exploration Cluster ...
... besides with Pickle-phobia you're basically afraid of Water & Vinegar ... let's hope for your sake, you never used any of them ... :P ... if it's the first I'd suggest to remove all Water from planet Earth ... this way you could also stop anyone from producing Vinegar ...
Patch Notes : Resolved an Issue, where people would accidently experience Fun.
I don't like pickles. Many places when you order a sandwich or burger with fries to go, they'll put a pickle in the to-go container. I really don't like pickles. Odds are, if there's a pickle there and I don't see it before I leave - I'll either ask somebody if they want it or I'll just toss it in the garbage.
Removing the pickle...is an example of removing something and improving it.
The "content" that Cryptic is removing, is like a whole jar of pickles to me...and...I'm happy to see it go.
Would I mind something being added? No doubt, would be great. But yeah, the pickle needs to go.
It doesn't work that way. I don't remove the pickle. I toss the box. I don't like pickles. I despise them. The mere presence of them in the box is enough for me to toss the box. I don't want the scent of them anywhere near what I'm about to eat...much less the possibility any pickle juice has spread to any of the food items in the container.
*snip*
Think I'll stop with the pickle analogy - it's not going well for me physically.
The pickle/sandwich analogy isn't apt in this case anyway.
What you're saying is *you* despise the..."pickle"...exploration content in the form of Star Clusters.
Star Cluster content *doesn't* currently "leak" all juicy-like into other content, you can avoid it so completely as to never know it was even there to begin with.
Sure, maybe you've picked up a Star Cluster-related mission at one point, but you don't have to do it, you might even be able to drop it! Or if not (for some bug-laden reason), then just go on ignoring it. It literally can't hurt you. You can't taste it, you can't smell it, you can avoid gazing upon it completely. It won't give you an allergic reaction. It can't make you physically ill.
As others have mentioned, you can order a sandwich without pickles in it explicitly at a deli, for instance. But while you may order a sandwich without pickles, others may want and *will* get the pickles.
So in relating to the removal of Star Cluster content, no one of us partaking of STO has a choice in the matter one way or the other on an individual basis. We can't choose to continue enjoying Star Cluster content if we want to. The "pickle" has been wiped from existence. *You* may like that, but the people who want an order *with* the "pickle" would not.
As a deli wouldn't straight up stop serving pickles completely from here on out when they did originally (wouldn't be a very good sandwich deli if they didn't have pickles), not apt at all.
Just to keep going with the "pickle" theme anyway...
If the "pickle" is bad and people complain, wanting better "pickles," then perhaps instead of flat out removing "pickles," the "deli" should instead replace it with better "pickles." But that's not what's happening here. We aren't getting a replacement, and people still like the current "pickles" that are being completely removed.
It's one thing if a new "pickle" is announced to replace the old "pickle," but instead we can look forward to a future where people who like "pickles" can no longer enjoy "pickles."
Comments
Ok I understand that part.
And also you want to make a differing way to get materials....for the supposed new crafting system that works exactly like the old one.
So I want to know what is going to happen to all the materials we already have?
Its already decided so a non-disclosure agreement no longer applies on this.
Also what are the new planned areas going to be like?
Ie...are we talking new quadrant locations like what we have but with new star systems?
And yes you can answer this one as a non-disclosure agreement covers specific content not generalized plans.
And so given by the fact it was said over and over that things would be placed close to the old locations....then I assume you are going to have planetary locations that will become the new clusters.
so then.....I realize this might not be answered....but does this mean we are going to have the edge of the galaxy wall thing possibly explorable?
Also I have a suggestion....well ok this would be a replacement....but how about the giant space ameba from the old star trek shows.....as a possible point of travel from one of the space edges?
So anywise
Power without Perception is Spiritually useless and therefore of no true value.
=^_^=
I'd be OK with that, but what would make it even better would be if the 30 minute cooldown applied to that specific location, so I could visit the other locations, scan them, and come back. That would still allow me to be pretty efficient. Anything that lets me focus solely on gaining supplies would mitigate the scariness of this for me. Thanks for the good idea. :-)
Dynamic outcomes? Multiple paths? The more they could potentially add, the more bug ridden and silly the possible outcomes could be...or...they'd have to restrict it to the point that it felt even more of the same-same than it currently does.
That's more or less my feelings on it. You have the "Lead Content Designer" whose entire blog consists of, "Instead of telling you guys about what we're making, we're going to inform you on what we're taking away. You may hear from me again in 3 to 4 months or so. Maybe. If we feel like it. Trevor will give you vague information about what we might do, possibly, or if it's on our radar maybe. Who knows? Keep feeding us money."
Silence is not golden.
"The Lead Content designer giveth and the Lead Content Designer taketh away. Sometimes the giveth seems a little disproportionate to the taketh. There seems to be a lot more takething going on, but there it is."
In all, just another 60cm shell knocking a jewel off the boat that is STO. I'm just sitting back watching the fireworks. Star Fleet should've invested in some fish dudes.
Ship build coordinator for The Breakfast Club http://WWW.TBCSTO.COM
Doesn't Owe Anyone EC
Kirks Prot
This is pretty much the worst blog I've read from Cryptic. Specifically this part:
Removing content doesn't improve your overall quality of gameplay. It makes it worse. This leaves me disappointed, NOT EXCITED, to be playing STO.
I don't like pickles. Many places when you order a sandwich or burger with fries to go, they'll put a pickle in the to-go container. I really don't like pickles. Odds are, if there's a pickle there and I don't see it before I leave - I'll either ask somebody if they want it or I'll just toss it in the garbage.
Removing the pickle...is an example of removing something and improving it.
The "content" that Cryptic is removing, is like a whole jar of pickles to me...and...I'm happy to see it go.
Would I mind something being added? No doubt, would be great. But yeah, the pickle needs to go.
This is probably unintentional, but I am really suddenly hungry for pickles now.
The deli where you get your sandwhich isn't removing the pickle though. They keep them there because they realize the most basic thing of customer service. Their patrons who LIKE pickles get their pickle. Their patrons who don't like pickles can remove the pickle on their own.
It doesn't work that way. I don't remove the pickle. I toss the box. I don't like pickles. I despise them. The mere presence of them in the box is enough for me to toss the box. I don't want the scent of them anywhere near what I'm about to eat...much less the possibility any pickle juice has spread to any of the food items in the container.
Heh, the discussion had me reaching for some Tums...lol.
Think I'll stop with the pickle analogy - it's not going well for me physically.
Instead of removing content, how about removing some of those annoying bugs that have been around for over a year now?! Oh right, my bad, that would actually be a good thing for the game and its players!
Star Trek online is now basically a grind-fest, micro-transaction galore where the prices are bordering on batsh*t insane.
For crying out loud, Star Trek deserves so much better than this TRIBBLE!
I was waiting for your response. I was reading the blog responses all day just to see how people would react.
Although the exploration clusters are similiar in some ways it's random and hit home to the main focus of Star Trek. "To boldly go where no man has gone before", "Seek out new life and civilization", "Heading two stars to the right.". Just taking it away make the game a grindfest.
I mentioned in the pass the Cryptic lacked competence on a grand scale. I'm not sure if all these blogs validate that statement.
So, let me get this.
1) Cryptic decides to remove cotent specifically exploration clusters because it's uses a 4 year old+ genesis engine that not up to standards. Mentioned again in Blog #29
They had 4+ years to make a update or several updates. Plenty of players suggested ideas of fixing it. Where is all the money Cryptic is making going? By the way, it implies there will be no exploration updates in the future season 9.5 or season 10.
2) They introduce a new crafting system that doesn't even qualifies for alpha phase development.
Blog #25-28 but by the way, all the threads been merged because there was too much negative criticism although Cryptic made the blogs.
The revamp just adds to the time gating and dilithium sink. Monetization the crafting system with a huge dilithium requirement and catalyst system.
3) Best yet, in Blog #29. Talks about exploration cluster removal.
Their solution is make new doors for foundry missions. So, instead of Cryptic making content. They are leaving it to players to make static content that doesn't changes.
Saving development time and passing it on to player developers who don't get paid to make the content.
In other words, Cryptic makes $$$ at players expense and time.
All, I have to say is "Way to go, Cryptic!"
So, this is where everyones money is going to.
The deli keeps giving out pickles with their sandwiches. They didn't remove the pickle. You can remove it. Or make a sandwich in your kitchen, your sandwich FOUNDRY.
But that deli keeps dishing out pickles. Because delis unlike the brain trust at Cryptic, understand the value of customer service and do not remove content.
Just for you, how about we outlaw pickles. I understand that millions, if not billions of people like pickles and enjoy them but they will just learn to live without because there is someone that has a perverse aversion to pickles and that cannot be. Everybody to the White House petition site to demand a law banning pickles. Who is with me!!!!
After all, the need of the one or the minority is more important then the needs of the many.
I do not share the euphoria about the foundry gateways. While the foundry is a nice tool and there are talented people creating content I somewhat consider it a cheap cop out. "Create your own Star Trek content, players, since we sure as hell won't." Likewise, it is somehow odd to defend this decision with supposed superior quality of mission content. Half the storyline still doesn't make sense and there are still missions like "divide et impera". Also, scripted missions are not a replacement for the randomness "roguelike" missions offer. To some of us, that is important. Quite a lot of games I play for years and probably never going to stop playing are games that feature no real story but lots of random generated content, unique journeys every time I start a new game.
STO's official content drifts away from what I envision "Star Trek Online" to be more and more. Countless repitions of the same shooting galeries is not what I wish for. Why not couple the grind with the Genesis-engine? Have teams of players embark of randomly generated challenges in space and ground maps and reward them for doing so - but let me guess, players will get lost and uninstall the game out of confusion...
Get the Forums Enhancement Extension!
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That's the thing. It's not just for me. Cryptic was seeing something. They acted on it. Simple as that.
edit: It might backfire on them - they might not get the new customers they felt were being driven off by the missions - they might lose customers that decide to walk over the removal. They'll have to deal with the consequences of their actions, no doubt. But the way folks are defending them as if they were something any more than atrocious is just kind of odd - some folks are doing it on principle, hating to see something removed regardless of how bad it was and regardless of what it meant to the game and new players. That doesn't keep the servers running.
Seems like you in the minority on this. So yes, it a sense it is for you. What cryptic is seeing is $$$ with the new revamping of the crafting system. The fourth time the system has been revamped since launch I might add. If cryptic wants to act they can act on the bugs that have been in this game since launch that might as well be considered standard features now such as the spawning of the borg spheres inside of the diodes on Ker'rat.
Because the majority of players post on the forums? Hrmmm...might want to reconsider that. I don't claim to be in the majority, because there's no way for me to tell - nor is there any way for you to tell. Cryptic has the information they did and acted upon it...they'll have to deal with any consequences if it goes horribly wrong.
Actually, I'm glad of their removal because there was no actual reason to go there.
I did the exploration missions long ago and when I realized it was just infinite variations on 3 basic missions, I got bored and stopped.
As for the crafting material, I don't need the clusters for that either.
I don't know about the updated version on Tribble, but currently, my DOFFs can do all that work for me regardless of where I am in the game.
There are at least 3 Scan Anomaly for Samples missions and the occassional Recover Artefacts from Archealogical Site mission which all give me what I need for crafting.
Which is eminently more efficient then flying all over the game to scan randomly spawning anomalies.
Especially when someone else is camping the cluster who has buffed up their sector speed travel specifically to steal all the anomalies from other players.
And that is why I'm happy to see them go, they bring nothing to content or resource gathering.
Bees like honey, they don't like vinegar.
Everytime someone makes a character that is an copy of an existing superhuman, Creativity is sad
Yeah it does ... cause if you're smart ... you put the glas / box of pickles down in your basement ... in case you'll starve someday ... perfect analogy btw, because you might find yourself someday ... starving for content ...
Even if you despise it, it's still food / content ... tossing it, is just stupid ...
I've never seen so much melodramatic complaints and hyperbole...it's like a cliche omgherd tween TV show.
I would wretch. I'm not allergic to them - I wouldn't go into anaphylactic shock or anything, but I would definitely wretch. So it's not food...it's anti-food. Kind of like the clusters are anti-content.
Clearly with 11,000+ posts you clearly know the player base far better then anyone and cryptics inner workings. Would you care to enlighten us with the fore told knowledge of such changes. *pulls up chair, grabs popcorn*
Said the guy with some absurd aversion to pickles & Exploration Clusters ... "Omg the Exploration Cluster, touched my Sirius Sector Block, now it's ruined, I can never go back there ..."
Which part of the majority of players likely don't hit the forums did you miss...and thus...I'd have no knowledge of what they think or feel since it hasn't been shared? As for Cryptic's inner workings - not a current employee, not a former employee - no friends/relatives that work there - no idea about any of their inner workings outside of what they've shared...which uh...by the way, they have shared their reasons for removing the clusters. We're discussing it in the very thread for that dev blog. Curious, eh?
So I say something makes me physically ill...not deathly ill...but physically ill, and your response is it is an absurd aversion? Curious...
If you're not allergic, and there is no other medical reason ... that's the textbook definition of absurd aversion (or even phobia) ... same with Exploration Cluster ...
... besides with Pickle-phobia you're basically afraid of Water & Vinegar ... let's hope for your sake, you never used any of them ... :P ... if it's the first I'd suggest to remove all Water from planet Earth ... this way you could also stop anyone from producing Vinegar ...
The pickle/sandwich analogy isn't apt in this case anyway.
What you're saying is *you* despise the..."pickle"...exploration content in the form of Star Clusters.
Star Cluster content *doesn't* currently "leak" all juicy-like into other content, you can avoid it so completely as to never know it was even there to begin with.
Sure, maybe you've picked up a Star Cluster-related mission at one point, but you don't have to do it, you might even be able to drop it! Or if not (for some bug-laden reason), then just go on ignoring it. It literally can't hurt you. You can't taste it, you can't smell it, you can avoid gazing upon it completely. It won't give you an allergic reaction. It can't make you physically ill.
As others have mentioned, you can order a sandwich without pickles in it explicitly at a deli, for instance. But while you may order a sandwich without pickles, others may want and *will* get the pickles.
So in relating to the removal of Star Cluster content, no one of us partaking of STO has a choice in the matter one way or the other on an individual basis. We can't choose to continue enjoying Star Cluster content if we want to. The "pickle" has been wiped from existence. *You* may like that, but the people who want an order *with* the "pickle" would not.
As a deli wouldn't straight up stop serving pickles completely from here on out when they did originally (wouldn't be a very good sandwich deli if they didn't have pickles), not apt at all.
Just to keep going with the "pickle" theme anyway...
If the "pickle" is bad and people complain, wanting better "pickles," then perhaps instead of flat out removing "pickles," the "deli" should instead replace it with better "pickles." But that's not what's happening here. We aren't getting a replacement, and people still like the current "pickles" that are being completely removed.
It's one thing if a new "pickle" is announced to replace the old "pickle," but instead we can look forward to a future where people who like "pickles" can no longer enjoy "pickles."