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Grinding STFs and Drop Rates
philroe
Member Posts: 17 Arc User
I am not happy at all with the return on investment I've put into crafting and gathering resources.
I know that something is going on behind the scenes because it's impossible to put this much work into grinding STFs and getting this level of return. It's kind of hard to express in words how I feel right now, but I know I'm being scammed. How can someone possibly gather enough very rare materials to craft a bunch of items if the drop rate is so low.
Things seemed ok a couple of days ago during the beginning of season 9.5. I started with the borg missions since I really needed the plekton. It's been years since I've done ground missions and spent a lot of time learning and building my ground game up so I don't become a liability during the missions.
Doing the Borg STF ground missions were simply hit and miss. I would be awarded with the very rare materials I needed after about 1 out of 3 on average, so about 33.3% chance. It sucked having to go through a long difficult borg STF and not get anything good at the end, but it was ok since if I did a couple more I would get my return on investment (ROI).
Then I had a couple days off and decided to do the Undine space missions for the Argonite Gas that I needed so bad. Things seemed ok a couple days before the R&D weekend but when I really concentrated my efforts to grind the STF to stack up on very rares I was astonished to see that out of 12 or so STFs, I got one or two drops.
I shook it off like it was just bad luck, and when the R&D weekend started I was happy thinking the drop rate would get better, but it didn't. I get double the amount of boxes and still nothing. 1 or 2 out of 12 or so STFs everytime. It's also strange because when I first log in for the day I get my drop on the first or second Undine space STF then nothing for many many STFs later.
I did NOTHING but play Undine space and ground for two entire days and I still had to end up buying Argonite gas and Dentarium off the exchange. How does that make sense. And it baffles me that nobody else is really talking about it. I know it's not just me which is statistically impossible to be that unlucky for two days grinding back to back STFs.
Does anyone have any similar experiences because it seems plausible that Crypic implemented some kind of diminishing returns on the drop rate to force even the people that want to grind STFs for their materials to buy R&D boxes.
I know that something is going on behind the scenes because it's impossible to put this much work into grinding STFs and getting this level of return. It's kind of hard to express in words how I feel right now, but I know I'm being scammed. How can someone possibly gather enough very rare materials to craft a bunch of items if the drop rate is so low.
Things seemed ok a couple of days ago during the beginning of season 9.5. I started with the borg missions since I really needed the plekton. It's been years since I've done ground missions and spent a lot of time learning and building my ground game up so I don't become a liability during the missions.
Doing the Borg STF ground missions were simply hit and miss. I would be awarded with the very rare materials I needed after about 1 out of 3 on average, so about 33.3% chance. It sucked having to go through a long difficult borg STF and not get anything good at the end, but it was ok since if I did a couple more I would get my return on investment (ROI).
Then I had a couple days off and decided to do the Undine space missions for the Argonite Gas that I needed so bad. Things seemed ok a couple days before the R&D weekend but when I really concentrated my efforts to grind the STF to stack up on very rares I was astonished to see that out of 12 or so STFs, I got one or two drops.
I shook it off like it was just bad luck, and when the R&D weekend started I was happy thinking the drop rate would get better, but it didn't. I get double the amount of boxes and still nothing. 1 or 2 out of 12 or so STFs everytime. It's also strange because when I first log in for the day I get my drop on the first or second Undine space STF then nothing for many many STFs later.
I did NOTHING but play Undine space and ground for two entire days and I still had to end up buying Argonite gas and Dentarium off the exchange. How does that make sense. And it baffles me that nobody else is really talking about it. I know it's not just me which is statistically impossible to be that unlucky for two days grinding back to back STFs.
Does anyone have any similar experiences because it seems plausible that Crypic implemented some kind of diminishing returns on the drop rate to force even the people that want to grind STFs for their materials to buy R&D boxes.
Post edited by philroe on
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Comments
Are you new?
I'd assume so.
I've actually had far more luck from the 'Request R&D Assistance' assignment and have not only received Very Rare materials, but even Very Rare components... Often several at a time...
I would say, that out of 7 characters running this assignment every few days (48 hours to run, with 48 hours CD) I've been getting around half of them (often more) return Very Rare quality rewards...
1k dilithium every 4 days is nothing really for a much better overall return IMO... Then there's the special R&D Doffs as well...
If you're implying that the ROI on ESTFs are atrocious like the R&D drops, you're sadly mistaken. Grinding ESTFs are great at accumulating marks, I can get up to 60 marks doing Undine, Borg, Nukara (crystalline) etc. which when grinding stacks up nicely. In the time I've tried grinding for R&D mats I've acquired the 3-piece Undine ground set and a bio torp. That is what I call a GREAT ROI for marks, not R&D materials.
Do you even craft?
Thanks for the input, I'll try the 'Request R&D Assistance' assignment for a supplemental source of R&D mats.
But the problem remains. I've been at it hardcore for the past few days and have gotten only a handful of very rare materials from Undine Space and ground. What about the casual player that only has time for 1 or 2 STFs per day to grind, are they SOL? The current drop rate needs to be adjusted, and lets not forget that this is suppose to be BONUS R&D weekend.
I craft, but nothing that uses VR mats. I'm not high enough in any single school to have even a half way decent chance at crafting anything useful that would require them. No way am I blowing VR mats and Dilithium on something that will likely be common rarity, maybe uncommon if the RNG is feeling generous.
Perhaps this is why leveling the crafting system is "meant" to take so long, so that after the 3 month grind to get to lvl 15 in a given school, you have enough mats to craft something.
:rolleyes:
The answer to your question is yes.
And I agree, the drop rate needs to be improved, but this is a BONUS R&D weekend, not double.
Losing faith in humanity, one person at a time.
The current crafting system is NOT worth that level of seriousness. Really. I suspect we'll all have to start over AGAIN in a few months. Just collect mats and sell components. Good money in it, actually.
Corrected my post from double to bonus.
...I seem to be the only one in my fleet cashing in Fleet Marks, so maybe I just need to focus on that and request R&D assistance from the Academy.
One.
I received 1 Argonite Gas, and that was from the BONUS box.
So without the bonus weekend, I'd have gotten exactly zilch in the VR department.
Now I won't say that 11 boxes is anywhere near a large enough sample to gauge the drop rate, and adding in that it's completely random doesn't help things, but come on. To use a baseball reference, 0-11 is way below the Mendoza Line. And even if you add in that I actually *DID* get a VR at all, 1-22 is utterly anemic.
Drop rates need to be looked at and in my opinion, increased.
Now, what I'd actually like to see happen is that the "run this specific Elite queue event to get a chance at getting X crafting material" be done away with.
I would much rather be limited to 1 or 2 completely random VR drops from EVERY Elite queue than run 11 (or more) of them and get completely hosed.
The Devs want me to craft, yet make getting the items needed to craft annoying to get.
The Devs want me to craft, yet make the ability to craft USEFUL items take 3 or so months to reach, or an absolutely insane amount of Dilithium to rush the process.
The Devs want me to craft, yet they want me to spend my hard earned Dilithium on crafting components in order to craft useful items that in turn cost even more Dilithium and then may end up being not as useful as I'd like due to the random number generator deciding to give me TRIBBLE modifiers.
The Devs want me to craft...
I'm not so sure anymore.
Losing faith in humanity, one person at a time.
If it's this had to get the Very Rare/Purple materials, components, etc...
What's it going to be like for the Ultra Rare/Violet materials, components, (DOffs), etc...?
^Words that every player should keep in mind, especially whenever there's a problem with the game...
After all, there's an episode of Voyager called the "Year of Hell"...
:rolleyes:
Losing faith in humanity, one person at a time.
STO Resources: <Ship Comparison - All Tiers + Small Craft + Hangar Pets> <Damage Resistance>
<R&D + Upgrade Costs> <Duty Officer Finder> <Suliban Doff Reqs> <Fleet Costs> <Rep Costs>
<Keybind Tour the Galaxy> <Fleet / Armada Management> <Currency Exchange> <Other STO Links>
That is all.
So according to you it's a 100% drop rate! Wow, you must be overwhelmed with satisfaction. I'm sure none of it was pure luck. How about you grind 10 or 20 Undine Infiltration and come back with some real feedback.
Thanks for the chart, at least now we have some numbers to look at. I appreciate the input.