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Featured Episode - Dust to Dust

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  • mikoto8472mikoto8472 Member Posts: 607 Arc User
    edited February 2015
    Worse yet, it's extremely illogical. Electrified floors? Insullated boots. Standard issue, probably. Plus if that much raw power were arcing to the floor and back, you'd be killed anywhere within 10 meters of it. Think of a lightning strike -- most are lethal 20ft+ away from the actual impact point. There's an older video of lightning striking a soccer field and every player on the field going down at once, no matter how far out they were. That much power is pervasive and NOT pin-point controlled. Second, shutting the power off to the entire section is probably 10000000 times easier than making the power pulse.

    Then you get to the maze... oooh... kay? Bad logic and bad map design behind this one. Okay... it's a maze. Why? Why is it a maze? Making the "walls" be 100% solid, or alternating mashers would be far more logical and effective of a barrier. But... a maze? How does that fit in this setting or this game in any way? Somebody was playing too much Tomb Raider Guardians of the Light or somesuch. The best solution (and one I tried to do instantly) would be to hop on top of the wall of the maze and just walk across with ease. Nope! Invisible wall barriers! In fact, even the stairs that take you to the TOP of the wall so you can look across? INVISIBLE WALL! Plot armor, much?

    And finally we get to the walkways.... First, why is that even there? This episode was badly written! </GalaxyQuest> Assuming such a layout would ever be constructed, and assuming it was ever set up to need triggering, why bother? You have grapple gear now, remember? You can shoot a zip line and pull yourself across with ease. Or you more than likely would secure a rope about your waist and scale the easily-grabbable wall fixtures on the side wall where the walkways retract. Add to that the nonsense about floor panels triggering a faster retract? Just... why?

    The mission had a good kernel at its center. Most of it is just mind numbingly implemented. It's poorly motivated, or just not motivated at all, and the time-gating tactics are there just to have the player listen to the dialog, nothing else. It's to showcase the voice acting. IMO just put it in a cut scene we can skip and be done with it.

    I'm not against longer missions. Far from it. Some of the best missions I can think of right now are longer ones. However, they have to flow steadily. They have to have constant logical motivation to lead from one area to the next (or at least, mostly so). Dust to Dust simply fails as soon as it has you enter the stasis pod temple. That's all setting aside the feeling that I want to wipe the Kobali off the face of the planet and help the Vaadwuar retrieve their stasis-frozen people.

    I get that they're trying to do new things in missions and I get it... but honestly? The production quality was okay but the level design was amateur hour.

    You know,

    I'm glad I'm not the only one that tried to jump onto the walls at the top of the maze and try to just walk/jump across the top of it and met the same invisible walls. And I'm glad I'm not the only one who looked at each obstacle and wondered why we couldn't use the handy grappler and zip we'd used only five minutes ago. Ah the curse of plot armour invisible walls.... You've already addressed the problem as why the Vaudwaar would build such rooms in the first place. At the doorway of the "Temple" to prevent intruders from getting to the stasis pods? Maybe. But not right down at the bottom where nothing of worth is kept.

    I didn't think about the electricity puzzle at the beginning but you're absolutely right about that much electricity. Of course I was wondering why you couldn't just jump from stasis pod to stasis pod and bypass the bursts of electricity altogether.

    If Cryptic plans more missions like this they should let me know now so I can un-mothball my Caitian character.
  • toivatoiva Member Posts: 3,276 Arc User
    edited February 2015
    Worse yet, it's extremely illogical. Electrified floors? Insullated boots. Standard issue, probably. Plus if that much raw power were arcing to the floor and back, you'd be killed anywhere within 10 meters of it. Think of a lightning strike -- most are lethal 20ft+ away from the actual impact point. There's an older video of lightning striking a soccer field and every player on the field going down at once, no matter how far out they were. That much power is pervasive and NOT pin-point controlled. Second, shutting the power off to the entire section is probably 10000000 times easier than making the power pulse.

    Then you get to the maze... oooh... kay? Bad logic and bad map design behind this one. Okay... it's a maze. Why? Why is it a maze? Making the "walls" be 100% solid, or alternating mashers would be far more logical and effective of a barrier. But... a maze? How does that fit in this setting or this game in any way? Somebody was playing too much Tomb Raider Guardians of the Light or somesuch. The best solution (and one I tried to do instantly) would be to hop on top of the wall of the maze and just walk across with ease. Nope! Invisible wall barriers! In fact, even the stairs that take you to the TOP of the wall so you can look across? INVISIBLE WALL! Plot armor, much?

    And finally we get to the walkways.... First, why is that even there? This episode was badly written! </GalaxyQuest> Assuming such a layout would ever be constructed, and assuming it was ever set up to need triggering, why bother? You have grapple gear now, remember? You can shoot a zip line and pull yourself across with ease. Or you more than likely would secure a rope about your waist and scale the easily-grabbable wall fixtures on the side wall where the walkways retract. Add to that the nonsense about floor panels triggering a faster retract? Just... why?

    The mission had a good kernel at its center. Most of it is just mind numbingly implemented. It's poorly motivated, or just not motivated at all, and the time-gating tactics are there just to have the player listen to the dialog, nothing else. It's to showcase the voice acting. IMO just put it in a cut scene we can skip and be done with it.

    I'm not against longer missions. Far from it. Some of the best missions I can think of right now are longer ones. However, they have to flow steadily. They have to have constant logical motivation to lead from one area to the next (or at least, mostly so). Dust to Dust simply fails as soon as it has you enter the stasis pod temple. That's all setting aside the feeling that I want to wipe the Kobali off the face of the planet and help the Vaadwuar retrieve their stasis-frozen people.

    I get that they're trying to do new things in missions and I get it... but honestly? The production quality was okay but the level design was amateur hour.

    While you are right about everything (except this being a 'longer mission', half an hour is pretty standard and great compared to some other Featured Episodes), I'll tell you you're just thinking too much. I've stopped doing that somewhere between Thalaron pulses available to Romulan republic players, 'dinos with freaking lazors on their heads', the Dyson sci destroyers or players flying in Undine vessels.


    However I admit I did try to get on top of the maze walls...
    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!
  • coldicephoenixcoldicephoenix Member Posts: 344 Arc User
    edited February 2015
    I must be getting better at this episode.. just did it on an alt and got the accolade for doing all those hoppady hoops in under 10 (i think) minutes ..

    We still live!!!!! Hahahahahahahahaa! We live and we will conquer!!!!! Hahahahahaaha!

    -Roach, when asked about Klingon extinction!
  • rodentmasterrodentmaster Member Posts: 1 Arc User
    edited February 2015
    toiva wrote: »
    While you are right about everything (except this being a 'longer mission', half an hour is pretty standard and great compared to some other Featured Episodes),

    It's not that I was saying it was long. I was saying that long missions aren't a bad thing in general, as compared to missions that just waste time (like this one) so you can hear the voice actors do their job. It isn't the first STO mission that has suffered from this malady.
  • drreverenddrreverend Member Posts: 459 Arc User
    edited February 2015
    Those are some really nice engines for tank-specced cruisers and engineers. Does this recharge bonus apply to Miracle Worker and Rotate Shield Facing?
  • khamseenairkhamseenair Member Posts: 2,640 Bug Hunter
    edited February 2015
    drreverend wrote: »
    Those are some really nice engines for tank-specced cruisers and engineers. Does this recharge bonus apply to Miracle Worker and Rotate Shield Facing?

    Specifies bridge officer abilities so no. Still, as you say, should come in handy for tank focussed cruisers. If such things still exist with the crazy drive for DPS.
    Join date is wrong, I've actually been around since STO Beta.
    True alters don't have a "main". Account wide unlocks for all unique event rewards!!
  • dragonsbrethrendragonsbrethren Member Posts: 1,854 Arc User
    edited February 2015
    Passed on the deflector for most chars, but I'll definitely be picking these up.
  • gavinrunebladegavinruneblade Member Posts: 3,894 Arc User
    edited February 2015
    Specifies bridge officer abilities so no. Still, as you say, should come in handy for tank focussed cruisers. If such things still exist with the crazy drive for DPS.

    You don't pug much do you? The "crazy drive for DPs" appears to be a minority thing. The key fail condition in pugs are all those people doing next to no damage and not knowing what to do to complete the mission.
  • khamseenairkhamseenair Member Posts: 2,640 Bug Hunter
    edited February 2015
    You don't pug much do you? The "crazy drive for DPs" appears to be a minority thing. The key fail condition in pugs are all those people doing next to no damage and not knowing what to do to complete the mission.

    Actually, I only ever pug, by way to make the wrong assumption. :P

    My comment referred to the fact that most people don't care about tactics any more, just about how much DPS they can do. A tank who can take a TRIBBLE load of damage so others can dish out the pain, in my opinion, is still a good team mate. Though your comment about players doing next to no damage kind of makes my point for me that all people care about is DPS.
    Join date is wrong, I've actually been around since STO Beta.
    True alters don't have a "main". Account wide unlocks for all unique event rewards!!
  • saurializardsaurializard Member Posts: 4,404 Arc User
    edited February 2015
    Since the engines don't have unique (or at least different) graphical effects for the trails, I'm getting afraid the shield won't either.
    #TASforSTO
    Iconian_Trio_sign.jpg?raw=1
  • khamseenairkhamseenair Member Posts: 2,640 Bug Hunter
    edited February 2015
    Since the engines don't have unique (or at least different) graphical effects for the trails, I'm getting afraid the shield won't either.

    I was wondering if they would have any visuals. Kind of sad they don't, I like visuals hehe.
    Join date is wrong, I've actually been around since STO Beta.
    True alters don't have a "main". Account wide unlocks for all unique event rewards!!
  • vawlkusvawlkus Member Posts: 348 Arc User
    edited February 2015
    Dust to Dust might be an ok mission, is not for the game lag, the UI lag, the environment lag, and the general DQ lag, all of which make doing ANYTHING seriously irritating at best, and downright rage inducing at the worst. Add in the Boff/loadout screwups that are STILL occuring, and I have to wonder why people play this thing. It certainly isn't a game anymore.
  • rarintogo2rarintogo2 Member Posts: 5 Arc User
    edited February 2015
    It took me a bit to figure out the Q game, but considering the reward of the ship and the upgrade books, I'm not complaining.
    I am a bit disappointed that the ship has No ready room, Crew space, Sickbay or Enginroom, it just has one room like a shuttle (but has a crew of 650 that apparently can't come to the bridge and their Captain can't wander by and see if they are all drunk on duty partying with Nelix).
    Interaction with the lower consoles is a bit difficult at times because the walls that curve over them keep you (r character) too far away
    I really like the number of officer positions and their ranks you can use.and the shield hull healing of the matched set is also real nice.
    I still wish the color options for 'painting' the ships was a bit more extensive. Strange that only the Mirror Ships can be bright yellow and none yet can be painted with bright red. Seems the favored colors are purple and pastels.
    I guess the other T-6 ships took precidence....
  • chad4231chad4231 Member Posts: 24 Arc User
    edited February 2015
    galatt wrote: »
    I loved this mission, I just wish I knew how long it was going to take when I started.
    Anyway as an almost 50ish player whose reflexes have to degenerated to a level approaching Stephen Hawking let me give you a hint for getting across the floor panels;
    Plant a turret on both sides of the platform. They'll auto-fire at the switches leaving you free to watch where you're walking.
    Yeah & the "Concussive Tachyon Emission" trait (Delta Alliance tier 5 rep award) comes in very handy as well on those long runs near end of sliding floor section, hit it after crossing first few floors & the rest will all open for you to run across.
  • daviesdaviesdaviesdavies Member Posts: 277 Arc User
    edited February 2015
    if anyone need come along to do the mission
    I still have to do it 20 times to get all the shields
    everyone is welcome to join
    if the server ever come back again
    I will be yealing out in Tau Dewa zone chat

    I think who ever made up those challenges is a bit "challenged" lol
    or just want to annoy people.
    Mzd8i1c.gif
  • jellico1jellico1 Member Posts: 2,719
    edited February 2015
    bjornfried wrote: »
    No. seriously. It is ****ing easy. So unless you are not a 70 year old senior, that plays for his first time ever, a video game, or you are some 3 year old...You should make it without failing a dozend times.
    I can get that the mission may be dull for some people. But "hard" ? No way! Get lost! I dont believe you.
    It just isnt. You can't change reality.
    Wanna have it "hard"? Play some DR content.
    Oh yeah. Sorry how could i!? You can't!
    Because people who claim that mission, is "too difficult", would throw theyr computer out of the closed window, after attemp 20.051.
    And than you wouldnd be able to play this nice game for a while. Can't have that, can't we? :cool:


    DR content hard ?

    you must be kidding
    Jellico....Engineer ground.....Da'val Romulan space Sci
    Saphire.. Science ground......Ko'el Romulan space Tac
    Leva........Tactical ground.....Koj Romulan space Eng

    JJ-Verse will never be Canon or considered Lore...It will always be JJ-Verse
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited February 2015
    I have the ship and all the set pieces now, so I don't ever have to play Dust to Dust again.

    At least there's a respawn point in the middle of the retracting floor sections. Were it not for that, then yes, the mission would be extremely frustrating. After the second time doing it, it got really easy to get it down to a science, even as a tac officer with no fancy toys. Eventually, it takes less than 15 minutes to complete the temple portion of the mission. Easy peasy.
  • dkshadow9498dkshadow9498 Member Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited February 2015
    Any word on a "Celebration: 5 Years" Accolade?
    VADM William "Darkshadow" Shadow | Join Date: Apr 2009 |
    USS Immortal NX-93608-F (Oddyssey Tactical Cruiser)
    VADM Rogueshadow IRW Kirino Kosaka (Valdore Retrofit)
    LT General Morbo IKS Karac (Bortasqu War Cruiser)
    LT General Posu IKS Saya Takagi (Chel Grett Warship)
  • gabrielinwestmingabrielinwestmin Member Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited February 2015

    I would love to but when I log in, I just get booted right back off. Tell the tribbles to stop munching on the network lines please
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    Greywolf Taskforce - Officer of the Fleet
  • tcostiktcostik Member Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited February 2015


    Too bad everything is down. Stellar job on that "update." :rolleyes:
  • snugglekittehsnugglekitteh Member Posts: 2 Arc User
    edited February 2015
    Well that was fun half the quest done and got kicked off...them connections..
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited February 2015
    Glad I got the Kobali Shield last night...

    Is this what we call "server stability"?
  • snugglekittehsnugglekitteh Member Posts: 2 Arc User
    edited February 2015
    sov42 wrote: »
    Glad I got the Kobali Shield last night...

    Is this what we call "server stability"?

    looks like great stability...lol
  • gonaliusgonalius Member Posts: 893 Arc User
    edited February 2015
    sov42 wrote: »
    Glad I got the Kobali Shield last night...

    Is this what we call "server stability"?

    It's perfectly stable right now. Alright, its not the stability you were looking for, but it is stable.
  • warpedcorewarpedcore Member Posts: 362 Arc User
    edited February 2015
    They're really getting a lot of mileage out of that single episode.
  • greydog2greydog2 Member Posts: 34 Arc User
    edited February 2015
    Loved the episode ..even after multiple deaths on the sliding floors ..lol

    What bugged me was that being an altaholic I've run it on a few characters now. I have trouble believing a Klingon would not just kill the Kobali because of their highly dishonorable treatment of the dead.

    Running the quest with my KDF alts just felt so out of place ...
    I plan on living forever ..so far so good

    Squadron 238
  • morden613morden613 Member Posts: 366 Arc User
    edited February 2015
    You devs really need to run a spellcheck/grammar check before you post things. Just sayin'.
    They need our help retake the area, though I have a feeling something else is going on. Can you help with the situation?

    I know you all type really super fast but if you type slower, you'll catch these simple mistakes.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited February 2015
    morden613 wrote: »
    You devs really need to run a spellcheck/grammar check before you post things. Just sayin'.



    I know you all type really super fast but if you type slower, you'll catch these simple mistakes.

    And the Vaadwaur respond, "All your temple are belong to us!"
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