Hello Devs of Cryptic,
I am the Fleet Admiral of the “Knights of the Federation”, a fleet created over 10 years ago with the launch of Starfleet Command: Empires at War. I established our fleet in STO at the launch of the STO website 1 yr. prior to STO’s game launch. Over the years of STO life, I have on numerous occasions vented my frustrations regarding issues with STO. However, I rarely do so in the forums or other media avenues unless I deem the issue to be so severe enough that it needs immediate attention. The issue at hand that I am addressing you today with is the matter of any “Joe-Blow” can come into this game, spend not even 1 million energy credits, divided between 4 players & BAM!, he’s a Fleet Admiral. I am not about discouraging anyone from running their own fleet, but this open policy of creating a fleet has develop a number of issues that plague our current game.
The first of these issues is that new players come into this game, don’t really have any true knowledge of how the game runs or plays, but get the “Big-Head” personality, believing they know how the game runs, after only playing the game a limited time. On top of this, they go into the endgame content, mouthing off at the experienced “Veteran” players and serious fleet members, disrupting the missions with this ego complex.
A second issue that has recently came to my attention regarding our fleet, and its unknown to me whether or not other serious fleets in STO are having this problem
(If you are a serious fleet having this same issue, PLEASE use this thread to show Cryptic of this being a growing concern that needs address), is copycat names of established fleets. Recently, a couple of my Vice Admirals (actually fleet rank, not in-game rank) ran into a player in-game running around with the fleet name “Knight’s of the Federation”. As you can see the only difference in his fleet name verses ours is the “ ‘ “ in the word "Knights". Now, with that said, I’m sure you can see our concern that IF this player runs around the game causing havoc or just poor behavioral conduct with other players and/or fleets in-game, he could cause our fleet some serious repercussions while creating a negative reputation on us. After attempting to research this fleet in the fleet search in-game, I discovered another fleet by the name of “Knights of Federation”, thus showing a trend to me of this copycatting of fleet names. The reason I have a hostile attitude towards this is obvious, but even with the normal problems of this, our fleet takes serious measures of interviewing prior to recruiting members and if someone doesn’t “fit in”, their mentality generally “weeds” them out for us, allowing minimal stress on our current fleet members and those members. I am up there in age, therefore myself AND my command staff takes great care of keeping my stress levels low, eliminating possible problems PRIOR to them becoming an issue that could affect my health. Now, look at this exploit in the hands of a player with intent to grieve, this becomes an issue that violates the EULA, which is ban-able offense by you, however, that doesn’t solve anything. Same player can just create a new account and start the cycle all over.
A third issue I see here is its effect on the game and hardware directly. I have some IT knowledge and experience, and although it may not seem a major significance, you cannot tell me that the game and account servers would not benefit from a system of purging and preventing the ability of “Fly by Night” fleets being created by the general MMO player that plays for a couple months, then move on to another game, to MAYBE return in the future, leaving a trail of wasted data usage that I feel aids in the deterioration of the server performance.
There are other issues that a revised “Create a Fleet” system would benefit, like new players actually searching out good fleets to learn from, etc., but I would rather at this point introduced a “rough draft” proposal of suggestions to address these issues & improve this component of the game.
Step 1: Design a mission or series of missions that will prove the worthy of players wanting to create a fleet and being a fleet leader. This “Fleet” mission(s) should be set at the Advanced difficulty, have failure options in dialog interactions, and a strategy element beyond just killing AI. The strategy element should not be “locked” in on a certain team dynamics, but can allow different team configurations, but still have a difficulty to force thought in completing. If it requires a couple runs to complete successfully, then it’s doing its job. Any player on the team supporting this player in completing the “Fleet” mission(s) would be “tagged”, preventing that account from creating a fleet or assisting in the creation of another fleet. The purpose for this here is to prevent hired “mercenaries” that have already completed the mission with someone, giving away the strategies of completing the mission(s). I would also make it policy that giving away the tactics of the completing mission(s) being against EULA and a ban-able offense (in-game or via media sources like Facebook or YouTube.com via video).
Step 2: New players would pick up this “Fleet” mission(s) from the fleet NPC prior to the creation of their fleet, with the person attempting to create the fleet sharing the mission with players he actually wish to be his command staff. They would have to complete this prior to creating the new fleet, during the same "qualification" timeframe as current fleet admirals.
Step 3: In regards of current fleets already established, when the system is introduced, current fleet admirals ONLY, will receive a notification that they have a time period to pick up the mission, and then an additional set time period for the fleet admiral to complete the mission successfully with other fleet members. If that fleet admiral is unsuccessful during that time of completing this “qualification” process, then he wound be made a provisioning fleet admiral, and the qualification process would then pass down to person(s) next in fleet rank to attempt to complete with a shorter time period for “qualification”. Once the mission is completed successfully, that fleet would be qualified, however if the fleet admiral didn’t “qualified” the fleet, he would be under the same circumstances of other provisionary fleet admirals via current game setup. Any fleet in the data banks with a fleet admiral not attempting to pick up this mission(s) during the original timeframe (Ex. 60 days), by default would be disbanded and remove from the data server, with their members having the same abilities to join another fleet or create a fleet like a new member. Warnings of this feature should be setup (daily at hourly intervals, for example) in-game during the initial timeframe.
Step 4: When creating the fleet name, the new fleet admiral would be asked what faction his fleet would be in, ask of the new fleet name, and a search filter feature built-in on the name creation would check the fleet name against the current fleet names already created. The filter would limit and refuse fleet names consisting of more than 2 WORDS (NO exclusions for words such as “The”, “A”, “Of”, and etc. or case-sensitive) the same as other fleets already established.
This proposal isn’t “etched-in-stone”, but rather an in-depth guideline to give the Devs an idea of what I feel would resolve many of the issues regarding this topic. I also would appreciate feedback in regards to what the Devs feel they could and are willing to do on this matter, which I feel other serious STO fleets would like to hear as well.
Comments
You shouldn't have to pass a test to qualify for fleet leadership. If someone is a bad leader then pretty soon they won't have a fleet. We don't need a game mechanic to enforce that.
And as for making current leaders retroactively pass a test and losing their leadership position if they don't, I don't see you getting any support there pal.
Never gonna happen and I'm glad of it.
R.I.P. Leonard Nimoy
--Red Annorax
Knights Of The Federation
ROTFLMAO!
Knights Of The Federation
yep indeed and think they let that rank go to their head
system Lord Baal is dead
About the only thing I can agree on is the use of only mildly different fleet names with the only difference being a ' or - or .
The game could have a better checking algorythm to see if there is a fleet with a similar name.
but only to a degree.
There are only so many RP sounding names and i don't want to be forced to name my fleet something that doesn't match my prefered theme.
A litmus test for fleet leades is so not a good idea, though and will thankfully never happen.
Everybody has the right to play the game they want as long as they don't infinge on te right of others to do the same.
Your suggestion does infringe... sorry.
Are you willing to pay the Dev's Salaries to implement this idea of yours?
Because I'm pretty certain that PWE has no interest in devoting any money toward making a very large part of the game exceedingly more difficult for the players to do and add absolutely no monetary income to their coffers.
:rolleyes:
I Was A Trekkie Before It Was Cool ... Sept. 8th, 1966 ... Not To Mention Before Most Folks Around Here Were Born!
Forever a STO Veteran-Minion
Hate to burst ya bubble, but yes, I COULD go into the monies our fleet has spent to support the Devs' salaries over the past 4+ yrs.
Sorry, don't see your agrument there...
And, what everyone scared they couldn't handle another challenge or we have ppl that just can't "Man Up" in here?
Knights Of The Federation
Ummmm... You missed the point, YOU can't spend other peoples money.
You PERSONALLY would have to finance this idea of yours.
And just as a highlight, your Fleets' expenditures, are a drop in the bucket compared to what the overall population of this game has spent since 2010.
So, it's time to drag your EGO back down to Earth and realize that this idea of yours isn't going to fly because it limits other players to the confines of your self-serving mentality...
Something BTW, that needs more than a bit of humility added to it.
:cool:
I Was A Trekkie Before It Was Cool ... Sept. 8th, 1966 ... Not To Mention Before Most Folks Around Here Were Born!
Forever a STO Veteran-Minion
After all they might be a good twin and go off and help people. :P
Okay kidding aside. I do not see how an RP mission/test will show someone is qualified to run a fleet. The current method you have to have five people teamed and none already in fleets to go to get a fleet created. What would you propose the other four people do in the mean time while you are qualifying for your leadership?
Also if this is not a pew pew mission why does it need to be advanced difficulty?
And finally what litmus would be used to determine when a fleet is bad? IE created solely for griefing?
Originally Posted by pwlaughingtrendy
Network engineers are not ship designers.
Nor should they be. Their ships would look weird.
The biggest head in this thread, by far, is yours - by presuming that you and your small friends-only fleet have the right, by seniority, to dictate to others what is acceptable.
As for your complaint about another fleet using a "copycat" name, I am confident in predicting that if you and your buddies had only shown up to this game recently and found "your" hallowed name already taken, you would be using something similar (i.e., typographically close but not quite), complaining and demanding that the other fleet be made to give up their name to you or that you be allowed (somehow) to use the same name, or all of the above.
So daveyny,
To answer your points, my wallet has open TOO many times for a game sub-par to most MMOs out on the market, for both myself & my son. Only reason I have stayed with the game in the state its in now, is that its the ONLY decent Star Trek title out there.
Secondly, no ego here... I don't do 20-30k DPS, don't try to... Our fleet isn't elitists, but we are decent players. I want to enjoy the game w/o headaches... headaches from ppl that have to exploit something in a game in order for them to have fun, not play the game the was it was meant to be played.
So now you made ya point, ya don't like the idea... so PLEASE, give other players a chance to express their views w/o ya attempting to make the thread point mute.
THANK YOU!
Knights Of The Federation
i was thinking the same thing myself i dont know why this dude thinks cryptic going to rewrite code just for his idea
and he think he like the only one to spend big money on this game bahahhahahahhaha just thinking about it
system Lord Baal is dead
To be fair, everyone making a thread with a suggestion in it does the same thing. How horrible or unwarranted that idea might be is another thing. :P
Active Fleet MEMBERS! No one stated anything about Elitists EXCEPT the Trollers!
Knights Of The Federation
Friendly warning: It is against the rules to accuse people of trolling. I suggest you change your previous post to remove that before a mod see's it.
And if you do keep it up I will be informing a mod myself that your are doing it.
For the record not a single person here has been trolling you. They just strongly disagree with you.
R.I.P. Leonard Nimoy
So to answer your point, the reasoning behind using Advanced difficulty is anyone in a lvl 50 ship with white to green gear can beat normal mode. I feel that someone that has put a little time & thinking into their build is likely to be a person that possibly could lead a fleet properly. If they aren't commited to developing their character build some, how could they possibly be considered to have the ability to lead a fleet?
I did NOT state the mission(s) would be solo, never had an intent to that, it most DEFINATELY should be a 5 player team mission?
There isn't a litmus here... Not meant to eliminate bad fleets, nohingt can do that and only thing that can litmus grieving fleets is that IF this system of mission(s) could beat them to where they can get qualified... but the purpose here is what is done is done, but let's try to limit all the possibilities of more being created for the future.
Knights Of The Federation
As far as "testing a player's ability or right to start a fleet? NO. NO. NO. It's none of your business honestly. If I wanted to find 4 ppl to help me start my own fleet and then let them go so I have my OWN fleet, that's my business, and it makes no difference what type of leader I am. I lead a fleet of 400ish. We have a core group that's very active and social together, we have quiet ones who just wanna play on their own, ppl come, ppl go. Would I pass your test? I dunno, but I can tell you that 400 ppl are proud to be in our fleet, and no other fleet leader is gonna tell me how to run things.
It might be against to rules to call a person a troller, however, not sure that argument stands up for generalization of behavior by a group of people, NOT directly isolated out.
BTW, your threat doesn't scare me none... see if I care!
You have made YOUR point, now, let ppl that really want to talk about the topic of the thread the chance to do so.
THANK YOU!
Knights Of The Federation
Actually there are several times in both thread when you have done so. When there are a finite number of people in the thread "generalizations" cease to be that.
And not a threat, just a statement of intent.
R.I.P. Leonard Nimoy
Now I formed my personal fleet at 50 so check me if I am wrong here. But can't you create a fleet at level 11? This would mean only 50+ chars could form a fleet?
Possible a solution to the assumed issue of alts launching griefer named fleets. But how does this affect the community?
Originally Posted by pwlaughingtrendy
Network engineers are not ship designers.
Nor should they be. Their ships would look weird.
Aaaand you're done.
Counting down to thread lock and/or deletion.
Your argument is sound, and it does sound you are a good leader. It's not my purpose to a tell anyone how to lead their fleet. The whole purpose is filter the "TRIBBLE" trying to come in. And if you do that without doing it to the establish fleets, new players will cry "FOUL!" I myself would rather "Qualify", even if it took me 3 months to figure it out, than continue to let things continue to go as they have gone. It's Cryptic that has to decide exactly how they come up a solution... I just gave a guideline of an proposal.:)
Knights Of The Federation
Fixed that for you.;)
R.I.P. Leonard Nimoy
Knights Of The Federation
They don't need to add a system to clean out inactive fleet leaders, as there is already one in-game.
R.I.P. Leonard Nimoy
--Red Annorax
Wow. Simply, wow.
This might just be the single, worst, most horribly thought out idea on the entire forums. Even worse then the people demanding that they have T-5 Ships made full T-6. Worse then people who are demanding an end game Constitution Class. Worse then many things that are too numerous to list in one post.
It sounds like you're taking this game FAR more serious then any PLAYER should. It's a game. People play it how they like. People play it however they #@%$ing well please. I'm sorry that you don't get that.
Yeah, the way that you wrote that post seems like that's EXACTLY what you want to do. If you can take the time to rethink and rewrite that post without all the masked elitist feel it gives, we all might just take it a bit more serious. Until then, all you will end up getting is people responding like this.
If I Ever Became An Evil Overlord