Bridge Officer Abilities | Hand-Crafted Boffs

borticuscryptic

Upon logging onto Holodeck today, after the 5th Anniversary patch, many players have noted that the abilities their Boffs currently own were changed. I'm here to tell you why that may have happened to you, and how to quickly deal with it.

Any Bridge Officer that possessed a "rare" ability had it restored to them via a fix-up script we ran on the Boff's data. This script had the side effect of slotting these restored powers into active Stations.

However, any Boff Ability that you previously chose to train these Boffs with should still be available. All you need to do to restore the ability, is select from the appropriate UI on the Stations Tab.

After re-assigning their previous powers, you may need to update/refresh your current Load Out as well.

We apologize if this causes players any inconvenience, but it was the only method we had available to ensure that these rare abilities were still available on the officers that were intended to have them, without forcing players to re-acquire them.

salazarraze

I can confirm that this works.

bones1970

WOW, great patch, mini-games bugged/not working, key-binds empty and boffs have them powers reset...
If i re-train a bridge-officer with a new power i did it for a reason now i have 23 characters where i can fix powers and key-binds...

ralphgraphite

Borticus, thanks for hopping on here quickly with an explanation.

Probably should be big bold information in the boff tutorial if it isn't already, because alot of people are going to panic.

Still - I'm glad to hear my boffs should be safe when I get home.

gulberat

Somebody needs to sticky this thread.

vocmcp

Borticus.... thanks for coming here and giving us a heads up. But honestly........you guys really need to rethink your communications strategy. There will be many players out there who have no idea what happened. How are you going to reach them? Heck you didn't even let us know upfront, just after a rage in it's first stages.

Sorry to say so but Cryptic is not doing a good job at communication.

pwecaptainsmirk

Everyone look at this thread and OP!

Smirk Commands it!

(this has been an emergency backup post to activate the Dev Tracker to ensure everyone sees this thread/post)

Thanks everyone! Happy Birthday!

~CaptainSmirk

azyurion

Thanks for the information. I can confirm that it worked on one of my BOffs. I had just previously discovered this new feature from a player post. Wish you would have made a sticky before patch went live. Better late than never though.

crypticarmsman

borticuscryptic wrote: »

Upon logging onto Holodeck today, after the 5th Anniversary patch, many players have noted that the abilities their Boffs currently own were changed. I'm here to tell you why that may have happened to you, and how to quickly deal with it.

Any Bridge Officer that possessed a "rare" ability had it restored to them via a fix-up script we ran on the Boff's data. This script had the side effect of slotting these restored powers into active Stations.

However, any Boff Ability that you previously chose to train these Boffs with should still be available. All you need to do to restore the ability, is select from the appropriate UI on the Stations Tab.

After re-assigning their previous powers, you may need to update/refresh your current Load Out as well.

We apologize if this causes players any inconvenience, but it was the only method we had available to ensure that these rare abilities were still available on the officers that were intended to have them, without forcing players to re-acquire them.

My only question: If you guys knew this would happen, WHY didn't you use that in game pop up announcement window STO has (which was sparingly used in the past) to INFORM the playerbase of this?

After 15 years in MMO development, it amazes me that Cryptic still makes amature mistakes and FAILS to adequately communicate major game changes to the playerbase at large EVEN WHEN they have created a system that would easily allow them to do so.

That no one on the Dev team, Community team, or QA even thinks of using the in game announcement system to do this speaks of a FUNDAMENTAL problem with Cryptic policies and management in general (IMO).

ddesjardins

Timely post and explanation.

TY SIRS!

nandospc

Thank you for the clarification. You can use the ingame announcement system to inform the playerbase about this change imho, what do you think?

gulberat

To anyone who would like an easier-to-read listing of what their BOFFs do and don't have, I will recommend you log into the STO Gateway.

Some of my BOFFs do have more than 4 skills listed on the Gateway, indicating everything is intact but may not be active when I get home from work.

cookiecrook

This could have been implemented a lot better and that starts with some PR. It's going to take me the better part of an hour to sit down and adjust all of my BO's for the various ships and characters I have. :mad: Personally, I think your script should have left our abilities alone and added the option to all for whatever their default skills would be. That way, players could revert them if they wanted!

sf911

Sticky this thread please. Will prevent many from having a heart attack upon login.

inthefluxx

My tactical Boff had torpedo spread 3 as his fourth ability. Logging in today, I find that I now have to craft or buy the manual to give him the ability he just had.

Why, why would you do this when It was stated he would keep what he had.

pwecaptainsmirk

crypticarmsman wrote: »

My only question: If you guys knew this would happen, WHY didn't you use that in game pop up announcement window STO has (which was sparingly used in the past) to INFORM the playerbase of this?

After 15 years in MMO development, it amazes me that Cryptic still makes amature mistakes and FAILS to adequately communicate major game changes to the playerbase at large EVEN WHEN they have created a system that would easily allow them to do so.

That no one on the Dev team, Community team, or QA even thinks of using the in game announcement system to do this speaks of a FUNDAMENTAL problem with Cryptic policies and management in general (IMO).

Using the in-game system would only provide a momentary fly in for players logged into the game. Anyone not logged in currently would miss this message.

That is why we are placing this message in the Official Forums, for permanence and accessibility for all.

Please reduce your rage power settings.

~CaptainSmirk

bareel

pwecaptainsmirk wrote: »

Using the in-game system would only provide a momentary fly in for players logged into the game. Anyone not logged in currently would miss this message.

That is why we are placing this message in the Official Forums, for permanence and accessibility for all.

Please reduce your rage power settings.

~CaptainSmirk

Agreed.

As a 'log in message' though it would work very well. Not sure if that is possible though.

toiva

I'm sorry to hear some of the restored abilities took place of the currently active abilities.

I haven't seen that happen on tribble, previously.


Unfortunately, you'll get a lot of angry players, despite this thread and despite the fact that giving players some of the rare abilities they may have retrained over is very generous.

hellstedt

Why should that be a login- or ingame-message? It is stated clearly in the patch notes, the dev blogs and everything! Everyone who hasn't noticed it by the start of the patch is just ignorant and can't be helped anyway.


The informations are all there. Easily accesible. When you don't read it, it's your own fault.

gavinruneblade

Borticus, thanks for mthe clarification.

However, given how many people on tribble asked for this system to be delayed until it was fixed, and how we still can't train rare boff abilities... Next time can the powers that be please delay the release until things are actually working?

Pretty please with a cherry on top.

swatop

borticuscryptic wrote: »

Upon logging onto Holodeck today, after the 5th Anniversary patch, many players have noted that the abilities their Boffs currently own were changed. I'm here to tell you why that may have happened to you, and how to quickly deal with it.

Any Bridge Officer that possessed a "rare" ability had it restored to them via a fix-up script we ran on the Boff's data. This script had the side effect of slotting these restored powers into active Stations.

However, any Boff Ability that you previously chose to train these Boffs with should still be available. All you need to do to restore the ability, is select from the appropriate UI on the Stations Tab.

After re-assigning their previous powers, you may need to update/refresh your current Load Out as well.

We apologize if this causes players any inconvenience, but it was the only method we had available to ensure that these rare abilities were still available on the officers that were intended to have them, without forcing players to re-acquire them.

great... ive to restore more than 100 boffs coz of this mess
EVERYTHING in todays release was totally bugged

this **** is not funny anymore

vocmcp

pwecaptainsmirk wrote: »

Using the in-game system would only provide a momentary fly in for players logged into the game. Anyone not logged in currently would miss this message.

That is why we are placing this message in the Official Forums, for permanence and accessibility for all.

Please reduce your rage power settings.

~CaptainSmirk

NO SMIRK NO!

Sorry but I won't let this go by unanswered.

First of all, you communicate something like this AHEAD and not by having a dev trying to save the day on the forums. You knew about the issues, you should have talked about them.

Second, you should communicate this in the News Network and not in general discussion. Honestly whatever is stickied in general discussion is missed by many since you don't expect anything new there.

Third, not many players frequent the forums and you know it.

Fourth, you literally didn't care about even posting news anymore in the forums until my rage thread went on for 40+ pages. And now all of a sudden you embrace the forums happily?

Leaving aside the last two points just shows how little you guys understand about communication. I'm sorry to say it that blunt but I've hardly ever seen so little thinking ahead. Gosh you don't even need communication knowledge. I'd call it common sense!

/rant

starswordc

pwecaptainsmirk wrote: »

Using the in-game system would only provide a momentary fly in for players logged into the game. Anyone not logged in currently would miss this message.

That is why we are placing this message in the Official Forums, for permanence and accessibility for all.

Please reduce your rage power settings.

~CaptainSmirk

Try this then. Put a link in the launcher and a clear explanation in the ArcGames news feed. And have Borticus write it because he seems to be better at explaining things than Warpdustdev.

gulberat

I have to say, even when I don't agree with him, Bort's posts are indeed usually easy to follow.

vocmcp

starswordc wrote: »

Try this then. Put a link in the launcher and a clear explanation in the ArcGames news feed. And have Borticus write it because he seems to be better at explaining things than Warpdustdev.

Heck they could even have a little window pop up once you open your stations for the first time. Guess that was too much work and too much thinking ahead.......

ballzthecat

How did the people at Cryptic have to change this, there is no reason for it. Please change it back to how it was. It worked just fine in the previous formay for bridge officer skills.

jackal1701apw

Thanks for the info on this - should prob be put up in General Discussion so it gets most sight (and put on twitter/facebook)

However.


If loadouts continue to be broken this could be a MASSIVELY ANNOYING. If boffs get switched out on map transition and get reverted to their older version of their powers it would be bad

dragnridr

Sorry Smirk,

My rage level isn't getting reduced because the BOFF changes was not needed. What us, the players, wanted was bug fixes and issues addressed. NOT MORE PROBLEMS.

Also, the new BOFF setup is confusing as all hell. No BOFF skill trees? And only certain abilities are Very Rare, but others aren't? If I want confusing, I'll just play WoW. I never wanted to grind on a game that I wanted to just play and have fun.

Also, Delta Rising IS NOT FUN. People only play it because Cryptic is NERFING EVERYTHING ELSE.

These issues MUST BE ADDRESSED!!!.

morden613

I seriously do not appreciate my posts being deleted even if they're a little ragey. At the very least, you can ask me to tone down the rage (there is a messaging system for a reason) but I have legit concerns about something you broke (and others are experiencing the same) and I will not be silenced.

All of my Tac boffs (that have a Tac Cmdr) lost their APO3 ability with no way to get it back. I checked their available skills, APO3 was not one of them. So I couldn't even complete that step.

After I logged in, after changed the boff abilities (to APO2) and saved the loadout, then you release a post saying "oh here's a workaround.. this is what you do.." No, that's unacceptable. How are the players supposed to know this? And you couldn't have mentioned this earlier why? (It also didn't work.)

You have a help/tutorial system in-game. You have news posts where you could have notified the general playerbase. You might want to try using them. You have a test server that you also don't use, you consistently release buggy content and buggy features. You might want to..oh I don't know..release content and features after it's been thoroughly tested by the players and feedback considered and listened to?

All I want is for the things that you broke to be fixed. I think that's perfectly fair. How many more complaints are you going to silence? If you want to pacify the player base, silencing them is not the way to do it. It will TRIBBLE us off even more. Ya don't think maybe we're entitled to be annoyed and some of the rage here is justified? You screwed up. Don't blame us for raging.

And no, my rage is as toned down as it's going to get. Sorry but you really screwed the pooch on this one. I'd like an in-game mail from a Dev explaining what they can do to fix my lost skills, ASAP.

zellkarrath

Just want confirmation on this. Can you no longer use Boffs to train other Boffs? None of my candidates are able to train Boffs any more. I just want confirmation on this before I decide to clean out my Boff roster a bit.

morden613

zellkarrath wrote: »

Just want confirmation on this. Can you no longer use Boffs to train other Boffs? None of my candidates are able to train Boffs any more. I just want confirmation on this before I decide to clean out my Boff roster a bit.

Houston, that's a negative.