That is not what he means. Reps traits were limited because a new lvl 50 would be at a disadvantage to a vet who had all the reps at T5- Cryptic told us that was bad for the game. The disparity the spec system introduced was far worse- a fresh-faced lvl 60 is a a much worse disadvantage compared to a full 30/15 vet. With these changes, vets will have a significant advantage in flexibility, as well as power, over new lvl 60. Being able to focus you spec on either space only or ground only with the flip of a toggle is very powerful, and furthers separates the new from the vet, something they EXPLICITLY said was a bad thing.
An advantage in flexibility, yes - but that wasn't something addressed by the change to the Reputation System. They never said vets wouldn't have more flexibility. They just didn't want the vet to have 9001 Rep Traits while the new player had 0.
They never said they did not want there to be a gap between new and vet. They simply realized the previous system was not a sustainable one. They brought it in line with the rest of the deck building system. And nothing about this change...changes that.
I mean, seriously...your complaint there is out of date...
If you're going to complain about somebody being able to do Intel/Pilot and Intel/Ground vs. somebody that's only got Intel/Pilot or Intel/Ground.
...cause that was already there from the start...that's exactly how it started.
So this hasn't changed that...there's no increase in the gap.
If we had content that required all sorts of versatility, that would be one thing - but all of it: Reputation, R&D, Specialization is optional.
I see spec trees and rep system as the same thing. They both require you to expend something to get a bonus. You expend xp till you get a point then spend. You expend commodities in the rep system till you get enough xp to level the rep. However optional they are, people run into elitists who want to comment on the fact that you don't have any rep slotted or spec slotted when teaming with them. So peer pressure to do something optional, in a game that is supposed to be fun first. :rolleyes:
In the current system there's a disconnect. If I have a story mission where I have to fight on space and ground, if I choose Commando or Pilot, I'm going to be disadvantaged for at one half of the mission, for skills that my Captain should know by heart.
Would it be possible for you guys to give us the ability to set default ground and space specializations?
For instance in the new system I would prefer say Pilot/Command in space, while Intel/Commando on ground. If it could be set as default in the same vein of when we enter a shuttle mission the game automatically switches us to our selected default craft. So if I beam down my preselected specializations automatically kick in. I think we'd be highly grateful and it would be very useful. I'd be grateful at least.
Albeit I'm sure many people are going to cite issues with loadouts, but hopefully this would be a simpler matter.
It probably will be. I have more points in that than Intel and Pilot combined, but I can't see it happening before Season 10 goes live. On the plus side, it means I can have some of my many tac boffs becoming awesome "pilots". Maverick, stand aside... *cue Top Gun theme* :cool:
I have one Tac BOFF who is purpose designed to be my super pilot . My first recipient of this...now to grind out the rep
Hopefully the Commando spec is next on the docket, as I have some tactical officers who ARE commandos.
This is a great idea. So far I've not put any points into Command, because it'd be so far behind Intelligence (which I have 26 point in) that it wouldn't be worthwhile using it.
Having the option to slot Command as a secondary will mean it can be useful much earlier than it otherwise would be.
"Rise like Lions after slumber, In unvanquishable number, Shake your chains to earth like dew, Which in sleep had fallen on you-Ye are many they are few"
One question that hadn't been asked and I think I know the answer but if we get all the points in Intel then use it as a secondary we lose the Intel team ability but what about unlocking better version of starship trait are those permanent or only based if we have the tree in primary or secondary slot?
One question that hadn't been asked and I think I know the answer but if we get all the points in Intel then use it as a secondary we lose the Intel team ability but what about unlocking better version of starship trait are those permanent or only based if we have the tree in primary or secondary slot?
Since Intelligence team is an ability you place on a BOFF you should still retain it. You're deactivating the specialization on your captain, but that shouldn't affect the BOFF slots of the ship.
"Rise like Lions after slumber, In unvanquishable number, Shake your chains to earth like dew, Which in sleep had fallen on you-Ye are many they are few"
So does this mean that those of us who have got all the spec points in both intelligence and Pilot now can not slot the two together.....????
Way to go I actually think this idea sucks.....
I spent weeks grinding the one toon to get both of these spec tree's completed and if you make it a primary i can only slot the one or the other..... The fact your chopping and changing stuff shows you have no consideration for those that have put in hard work to make the best of the mechanics you put in place..... And shows lack of foresight and planning....
Typical Waste And Total Screwups..........
I think you should spend your time sorting the loadout issues, fixing defera, Etc... I would list all the current bugs but that would take as long as it took me to get the spec points in the first place.....
Would it be possible for you guys to give us the ability to set default ground and space specializations?
I'd really like to see that option.
This program, though reasonably normal at times, seems to have a strong affinity to classes belonging to the Cat 2.0 program. Questerius 2.7 will break down on occasion, resulting in garbage and nonsense messages whenever it occurs. Usually a hard reboot or pulling the plug solves the problem when that happens.
So does this mean that those of us who have got all the spec points in both intelligence and Pilot now can not slot the two together.....????
Way to go I actually think this idea sucks.....
I spent weeks grinding the one toon to get both of these spec tree's completed and if you make it a primary i can only slot the one or the other..... The fact your chopping and changing stuff shows you have no consideration for those that have put in hard work to make the best of the mechanics you put in place..... And shows lack of foresight and planning....
Typical Waste And Total Screwups..........
I think you should spend your time sorting the loadout issues, fixing defera, Etc... I would list all the current bugs but that would take as long as it took me to get the spec points in the first place.....
Thank you. Post like this is why people crack so many jokes about the forums. Just need to ask, how much did you read?
As far as the content of the blog itself and the changes to the pilot spec, and specializations in general, I very much like what I see. However, as others have pointed out, none of this matters unless you seriously increase our ability to gain exp. I don't know why you seem to the think the current rate is correct, but it just isn't. I'm a fairly heavy player (lately anyway, admittedly DR killed my enthusiasm for a while) and I'm not even close to getting the spec points I want (22 points in intel and command and full pilot, current pilot that is), let alone maxxing them out completely, and you're about to increase the number with more to come. The current rate of spec point gain is just not practical.
I think I might start saving up my spec points instead of spending them right away. At least this will change how I allocate them.
I can see I'm going to want to make some changes to my characters.
Fleet Admiral G'eek should probably end up as a Command/Intel Science Officer. Or Intel/Command. I might flip back and forth. Points already in Pilot will probably go a-wasting cause he's definitely going to want to focus on those.
I was already going to make Admiral Dook a Command/Pilot Engineer, but now I'm going to want to flip that to Pilot/Command.
My Rom Tac was intended to be Intel/Commando and I don't expect that will change. Ditto for my KDF Science Officer.
My views may not represent those of Cryptic Studios or Perfect World Entertainment. You can file a "forums and website" support ticket here Link: How to PM - Twitter @STOMod_Bluegeek
You can still use them together. And now you will be able to choose which is Primary and which is Secondary, instead of having that choice made for you.
Well that's better than I expected.
Then I can throw my support behind this change.
I do hope and request you come out with a Specialization to benefit Sci players though, the way Intel primarily benefits Tacs and Command benefits Engineers, and release a new series of Sci ships for all factions to capitalize on it.
As far as the content of the blog itself and the changes to the pilot spec, and specializations in general, I very much like what I see. However, as others have pointed out, none of this matters unless you seriously increase our ability to gain exp. I don't know why you seem to the think the current rate is correct, but it just isn't. I'm a fairly heavy player (lately anyway, admittedly DR killed my enthusiasm for a while) and I'm not even close to getting the spec points I want (22 points in intel and command and full pilot, current pilot that is), let alone maxxing them out completely, and you're about to increase the number with more to come. The current rate of spec point gain is just not practical.
I gotta agree.
There's a certain amount of positive reinforcement (namely earning the spec point) that generally would give the motivation to grind out the next one. Currently it's a bit too far spaced. The balance is still off and it feels far more like grind than natural progression.
Adding more Specializations like Command and this, I frankly think excellent, expansion and alteration to Pilot add more to the pot. And rather than making it seem like we have options, a lot of people see more of a mountain that's becoming a higher and higher climb, which is truthfully a little discouraging.
I'm actually hoping something in Delta Recruitment is going to alleviate this.
Thank you for making me re-read that.. might have had a bit to much st patricks celebrations thingy happening....
Well if that's how it is it can't be helped. Happy St Paddy's day.
"Rise like Lions after slumber, In unvanquishable number, Shake your chains to earth like dew, Which in sleep had fallen on you-Ye are many they are few"
Adding more Specializations like Command and this, I frankly think excellent, expansion and alteration to Pilot add more to the pot. And rather than making it seem like we have options, a lot of people see more of a mountain that's becoming a higher and higher climb, which is truthfully a little discouraging.
I'm actually hoping something in Delta Recruitment is going to alleviate this.
I'll grant that it does feel like a mountain sometimes, so to continue with the metaphor, there's a reason we accord people in the history books a special recognition for climbing Everest. The whole part about adding spec options as fast or faster than they can be earned helps keep if feeling more like your captain is being a specialist than a hoarder. At the current xp rate, I have to decide with each point earned whether or not I want to plow it into commando/command or save it for any future trees or alterations.
An increase to the xp rate would be nice, but nothing on the order of quadrupling/factor of ten which is sometimes requested in a hyperbolic manner...spec trees should rightly be a long-term goal, not a weekend project. It is perfectly possible to get 2-3 points a week...I keep 6/8/12 hour projects burning in the background during the workday and gather as many of the 15min/1hr exploration cluster supply missions as I can when logged on (a crit on some of the rare 15 min missions can net the best part of 1000 xp, so running ten at a time, 4 batches per hour is as much as 40k, but may be more like 20k considering crit rates and base reward rates).
We still have no plans or intentions to release Specialization Respecs. You can earn as many Specialization Points as there are abilities to purchase, so there is no such thing as a choice that cannot be corrected by earning another point.
We still have no plans or intentions to release Specialization Respecs. You can earn as many Specialization Points as there are abilities to purchase, so there is no such thing as a choice that cannot be corrected by earning another point.
Except that buying into a new spec tree is going to take approximately until the heat death of the universe. Every time you introduce a new tree you are kicking all the players who want it back to the starting line and forcing them to waste the effort they've already invested.
I've seen the amount of XP it takes to get a spec point. It doesn't make me want to grind harder and it certainly doesn't make me want to buy XP boosts. It makes me want to forget the whole thing.
@Venture-1. @Venture from City of Heroes if you remember that. Yes, that Venture. Yes, I probably trashed your MA arc. You'll have to be specific; for me it was Tuesday.
Lol depending how powerful shield scraping is, it could be a very disturbing power.
"Captain we are running into the other ship!!!"
"Don't worry I have a specialization that sucks their shields away if we do. Continue ramming our ship into theirs!!!!!"
"What?!?! Next You'll tell me Captain that if you have me roll the ship, we'll become completely impervious to damage!"
"Good idea ensign! Engage a rock and roll of the ship maneuver, as we smash our shields into theirs"
-Ensign proceeds with maneuver but on the next mission all the Bridge Officers have decided to leave their post, leaving the Captain dumbfounded as to how they mysteriously left their post without his knowledge. As the Captain calls them from their quarters to stand bridge duty, he begins to notice with dismay that all his engineering officers have decided to all prepare to use emergency power to engines.:eek::eek::eek:
I remember this was mentioned during one of the dev interviews around the time DR went live and am glad to see it actually gets implemented so (relatively speaking) soon.
The pilot tree is my favorite and while I don't have a single char anywhere near completing a tree (too many alts), I don't really mind.. I'm glad i'll have the choice to use the pilot tree as a new primary instead of intel or command which, to me at least, are far less interesting..
Except that buying into a new spec tree is going to take approximately until the heat death of the universe. Every time you introduce a new tree you are kicking all the players who want it back to the starting line and forcing them to waste the effort they've already invested.
I've seen the amount of XP it takes to get a spec point. It doesn't make me want to grind harder and it certainly doesn't make me want to buy XP boosts. It makes me want to forget the whole thing.
The rush to get the specialization points, lol.....
Ive speced into intelligence, im going to respec, into pilot as the primary, and intel as the secondary, using intel as the primary and pilot as the secondary until i have the spec points, cause i do just fine the way it is.
What I am going to do with this, is direct new players to go pilot first, because i see a fix to a lot of problems new players do, like get to close to a warpcore breach, and go play the game with them, knowing better, if they listen, they can do better at the ques.
I am not gonna sit here on the forums complaining about something, that is fricken epic fun to play around with, when i get it.
YES with so many specializations, there does need to be some form of lay off of the 150k specialization point requirement....
Knock it down to 75% of that, would be a good start.
"i dont want to pay money"
Well then, make 3 toons, put contraband on yer alts, and turn yer 24,000 dilithium into zen, and start buying boosts.
Or buy them off the exchange.
Its not hard.
Did i mention your alts only need to be level 11 to do this assingment?
The overkill, "killer" cryptic put in place is simply the amount of time it takes to get all that dilithium off your characters, no one is willing to do it because they want to play the game.
If you dont want to pay the money, you have to play the game.... simple as that.
You can "grind rep" on alternate toons even....
The path to free stuff is there. You just gotta you know, play the game, and not expect they are gonna give yah free dil while your doing something that lets you watch youtube and facebook at the same time.
Except that buying into a new spec tree is going to take approximately until the heat death of the universe. Every time you introduce a new tree you are kicking all the players who want it back to the starting line and forcing them to waste the effort they've already invested.
Ummm, not they're not... Your effort is not 'wasted' as you've not lost anything... You'll still have all the points you've already invested...
It does mean if you want the new specialisation, you have to invest points, but that's a conscious choice you are making - Cryptic are not forcing you...
Cryptic said from day one that there would be additional specialisations introduced over time, if you failed to heed this, that's your own short coming...
I've seen the amount of XP it takes to get a spec point. It doesn't make me want to grind harder and it certainly doesn't make me want to buy XP boosts. It makes me want to forget the whole thing.
I will agree with you here... I too feel XP gain still needs further attention...
The ability to slot a Primary as a Secondary, with access to only Tier 1 and Tier 2 abilities, I think is a fantastic idea and gives players substantially greater choice on their play style...
Nice move, I'm looking forward to seeing what the T3 & T4 pilot skills will be. I'm a casual(ish) player and have found spec points build up at a reasonable rate by just playing the content I feel like, so this is a welcome change for me. (first in a while, mumble...)
"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects." — Lazarus Long --->Get the Forums Enhancement Extension!
NOOOOOO.... Don't touch it. It's not broken. The last thing we need is for the devs to take there infamous nerf bat to this skill. Just let us keep the pilot as it is.
NOOOOOO.... Don't touch it. It's not broken. The last thing we need is for the devs to take there infamous nerf bat to this skill. Just let us keep the pilot as it is.
Don't **** with things that aren't broken.:mad:
Did you even read the Dev Blog? These changes open up new options, without removing or altering anything you can currently do.
Jeremy Randall
Cryptic - Lead Systems Designer
"Play smart!"
Comments
An advantage in flexibility, yes - but that wasn't something addressed by the change to the Reputation System. They never said vets wouldn't have more flexibility. They just didn't want the vet to have 9001 Rep Traits while the new player had 0.
They never said they did not want there to be a gap between new and vet. They simply realized the previous system was not a sustainable one. They brought it in line with the rest of the deck building system. And nothing about this change...changes that.
I mean, seriously...your complaint there is out of date...
If you're going to complain about somebody being able to do Intel/Pilot and Intel/Ground vs. somebody that's only got Intel/Pilot or Intel/Ground.
...cause that was already there from the start...that's exactly how it started.
So this hasn't changed that...there's no increase in the gap.
If we had content that required all sorts of versatility, that would be one thing - but all of it: Reputation, R&D, Specialization is optional.
In the current system there's a disconnect. If I have a story mission where I have to fight on space and ground, if I choose Commando or Pilot, I'm going to be disadvantaged for at one half of the mission, for skills that my Captain should know by heart.
Would it be possible for you guys to give us the ability to set default ground and space specializations?
For instance in the new system I would prefer say Pilot/Command in space, while Intel/Commando on ground. If it could be set as default in the same vein of when we enter a shuttle mission the game automatically switches us to our selected default craft. So if I beam down my preselected specializations automatically kick in. I think we'd be highly grateful and it would be very useful. I'd be grateful at least.
Albeit I'm sure many people are going to cite issues with loadouts, but hopefully this would be a simpler matter.
I have one Tac BOFF who is purpose designed to be my super pilot
Hopefully the Commando spec is next on the docket, as I have some tactical officers who ARE commandos. I too am liking this thinking.
yes...Yes...YES...YES!...YES!!...YES!!! YES!!! YES!!!
Since Intelligence team is an ability you place on a BOFF you should still retain it. You're deactivating the specialization on your captain, but that shouldn't affect the BOFF slots of the ship.
Way to go I actually think this idea sucks.....
I spent weeks grinding the one toon to get both of these spec tree's completed and if you make it a primary i can only slot the one or the other..... The fact your chopping and changing stuff shows you have no consideration for those that have put in hard work to make the best of the mechanics you put in place..... And shows lack of foresight and planning....
Typical Waste And Total Screwups..........
I think you should spend your time sorting the loadout issues, fixing defera, Etc... I would list all the current bugs but that would take as long as it took me to get the spec points in the first place.....
I'd really like to see that option.
Thank you. Post like this is why people crack so many jokes about the forums. Just need to ask, how much did you read?
I can see I'm going to want to make some changes to my characters.
Fleet Admiral G'eek should probably end up as a Command/Intel Science Officer. Or Intel/Command. I might flip back and forth. Points already in Pilot will probably go a-wasting cause he's definitely going to want to focus on those.
I was already going to make Admiral Dook a Command/Pilot Engineer, but now I'm going to want to flip that to Pilot/Command.
My Rom Tac was intended to be Intel/Commando and I don't expect that will change. Ditto for my KDF Science Officer.
Link: How to PM - Twitter @STOMod_Bluegeek
Thank you for making me re-read that.. might have had a bit to much st patricks celebrations thingy happening....
Then I can throw my support behind this change.
I do hope and request you come out with a Specialization to benefit Sci players though, the way Intel primarily benefits Tacs and Command benefits Engineers, and release a new series of Sci ships for all factions to capitalize on it.
There's a certain amount of positive reinforcement (namely earning the spec point) that generally would give the motivation to grind out the next one. Currently it's a bit too far spaced. The balance is still off and it feels far more like grind than natural progression.
Adding more Specializations like Command and this, I frankly think excellent, expansion and alteration to Pilot add more to the pot. And rather than making it seem like we have options, a lot of people see more of a mountain that's becoming a higher and higher climb, which is truthfully a little discouraging.
I'm actually hoping something in Delta Recruitment is going to alleviate this.
Well if that's how it is it can't be helped. Happy St Paddy's day.
And to you too..... quite a few glasses of Jamesons and reading walls of text does not fit together well......
I'm now wondering if this Summer's ship will be a T6 version of the Risian Corvette with hybrid Pilot seating...
I'll grant that it does feel like a mountain sometimes, so to continue with the metaphor, there's a reason we accord people in the history books a special recognition for climbing Everest. The whole part about adding spec options as fast or faster than they can be earned helps keep if feeling more like your captain is being a specialist than a hoarder. At the current xp rate, I have to decide with each point earned whether or not I want to plow it into commando/command or save it for any future trees or alterations.
An increase to the xp rate would be nice, but nothing on the order of quadrupling/factor of ten which is sometimes requested in a hyperbolic manner...spec trees should rightly be a long-term goal, not a weekend project. It is perfectly possible to get 2-3 points a week...I keep 6/8/12 hour projects burning in the background during the workday and gather as many of the 15min/1hr exploration cluster supply missions as I can when logged on (a crit on some of the rare 15 min missions can net the best part of 1000 xp, so running ten at a time, 4 batches per hour is as much as 40k, but may be more like 20k considering crit rates and base reward rates).
I can see that point.
I concure.
/10char:rolleyes:
Praetor of the -RTS- Romulan Tal Shiar fleet!
Except that buying into a new spec tree is going to take approximately until the heat death of the universe. Every time you introduce a new tree you are kicking all the players who want it back to the starting line and forcing them to waste the effort they've already invested.
I've seen the amount of XP it takes to get a spec point. It doesn't make me want to grind harder and it certainly doesn't make me want to buy XP boosts. It makes me want to forget the whole thing.
"Captain we are running into the other ship!!!"
"Don't worry I have a specialization that sucks their shields away if we do. Continue ramming our ship into theirs!!!!!"
"What?!?! Next You'll tell me Captain that if you have me roll the ship, we'll become completely impervious to damage!"
"Good idea ensign! Engage a rock and roll of the ship maneuver, as we smash our shields into theirs"
-Ensign proceeds with maneuver but on the next mission all the Bridge Officers have decided to leave their post, leaving the Captain dumbfounded as to how they mysteriously left their post without his knowledge. As the Captain calls them from their quarters to stand bridge duty, he begins to notice with dismay that all his engineering officers have decided to all prepare to use emergency power to engines.:eek::eek::eek:
The pilot tree is my favorite and while I don't have a single char anywhere near completing a tree (too many alts), I don't really mind.. I'm glad i'll have the choice to use the pilot tree as a new primary instead of intel or command which, to me at least, are far less interesting..
The rush to get the specialization points, lol.....
Ive speced into intelligence, im going to respec, into pilot as the primary, and intel as the secondary, using intel as the primary and pilot as the secondary until i have the spec points, cause i do just fine the way it is.
What I am going to do with this, is direct new players to go pilot first, because i see a fix to a lot of problems new players do, like get to close to a warpcore breach, and go play the game with them, knowing better, if they listen, they can do better at the ques.
I am not gonna sit here on the forums complaining about something, that is fricken epic fun to play around with, when i get it.
YES with so many specializations, there does need to be some form of lay off of the 150k specialization point requirement....
Knock it down to 75% of that, would be a good start.
"i dont want to pay money"
Well then, make 3 toons, put contraband on yer alts, and turn yer 24,000 dilithium into zen, and start buying boosts.
Or buy them off the exchange.
Its not hard.
Did i mention your alts only need to be level 11 to do this assingment?
The overkill, "killer" cryptic put in place is simply the amount of time it takes to get all that dilithium off your characters, no one is willing to do it because they want to play the game.
If you dont want to pay the money, you have to play the game.... simple as that.
You can "grind rep" on alternate toons even....
The path to free stuff is there. You just gotta you know, play the game, and not expect they are gonna give yah free dil while your doing something that lets you watch youtube and facebook at the same time.
Ummm, not they're not... Your effort is not 'wasted' as you've not lost anything... You'll still have all the points you've already invested...
It does mean if you want the new specialisation, you have to invest points, but that's a conscious choice you are making - Cryptic are not forcing you...
Cryptic said from day one that there would be additional specialisations introduced over time, if you failed to heed this, that's your own short coming...
I will agree with you here... I too feel XP gain still needs further attention...
The ability to slot a Primary as a Secondary, with access to only Tier 1 and Tier 2 abilities, I think is a fantastic idea and gives players substantially greater choice on their play style...
Thanks for this change...
>__>
Something something DANGER ZONE!
Let's say i get 30 points on Intel spec,unlocking the ship trait. Do i keep the trait if i put intel as secondary or not ?
Don't **** with things that aren't broken.:mad:
Did you even read the Dev Blog? These changes open up new options, without removing or altering anything you can currently do.
Cryptic - Lead Systems Designer
"Play smart!"