This is the ONLY point I'm upset about, I didn't even put any points into Pilot because the abilities didn't really apply to my character. Adding defense to my aft when attacked is nearly useless. I use a pair of Neutronium Armors, the diminishing returns I would get from some extra defense added are very minimal.
my favorite is that one for enhancing attack patterns to give you an HP bubble each time you use one.
why can i only training my tac boffs omega3 at the 4 place ? i dont want that skill i want the skills i had before that patch , and dont have to research for month to get others.
why do u bring bugs live that where told u on tribble test server
i was trying to get my friends to play this game , but ^^ so^^ i dont tell them thats a good game they should play
why am i writing to u? u dont care about what ur players want :mad:
just shut down the servers if u dont want people play it anymore
They fix bugs every chance they get. It takes time to identify the bug in the code and get it fixed you know.
why can i only training my tac boffs omega3 at the 4 place ? i dont want that skill i want the skills i had before that patch , and dont have to research for month to get others.
translation faiil here?
why do u bring bugs live that where told u on tribble test server
Probably because they only have a certain amount of time between releasing each stage of a season release at a time to when they actually have to release the update to live server.
i was trying to get my friends to play this game , but ^^ so^^ i dont tell them thats a good game they should play
why am i writing to u? u dont care about what ur players want :mad:
just shut down the servers if u dont want people play it anymore
I think that's low of you to say that the devs don't care about the players. If they didn't care, they wouldn't bother telling us about upcoming changes that have been requested by players (think XP to adventure zones, or PvE queues).
Also they want people to play the game. They just don't want people to take the cheapest routes out when doing so.
I tried to get back into the game this week, but the pace of getting specializations points is still utterly ridiculous. If you're going to crank these out to sell more ships, I don't understand why you're making it so hard to get XP.
I hate to be "that person" but I really don't like this. Then again, I don't like the design behind specializations overall. Specifically, I'd rather see this:
Sure, we can always swap between commando for ground or pilot for space, but admit it--that's sloppy. It's also not the only area of the game where this "inconvenience" exists. The following trait subcategories also require unnecessary swapping, depending on whether time is going to be spent on ground or space:
- Personal traits
- Active reputation
Instead, we should have:
- Personal traits (ground)
- Personal traits (space)
- Active reputation (ground)
- Active reputation (space)
Just my thoughts, anyway. I like quality of life improvements.
Here is an idea for the spec point reward setup. The first four promotions give one point each, the middle three give two points each, the last three promotions give three points each, and last main story (Sela mission) gives one point for a total of 20 points (this is retroactive since it is recorded progress. All post 60 point rewards continue to be three points per bar completion. We all know they will just add more spec categories so these numbers will only make it less painful for casual players. No one wants to spend months or a year just to get 10 more points and this is more alt friendly in the grind.
Now that they are changing it, I never would have chosen what I did. Since Pilot will be my primary, the skills I put points into for T3 of Command hold no value to me. That's my whole point. Zero value, they won't be used, at all. You say I have to choose, I say I DID choose, and then Cryptic changed the choices. Considering the time investment behind each point, it'd be the right thing to do to offer a respec.
So your entire argument is that they have a no return policy. I don't agree with your final conclusion, but I understand your argument.
But the fact is they said at the beginning that they were going to add more Specs. This isn't a surprise. There was always going to be the case that we were going to put points into a specialization and then a new specialization was going to come out.
So from my end, increasing the EXP gains will be the best way to provide for the player need, steady advancement, and the developer need that we haven't acquired everything there is to acquire before they release new content.
From the Blog:
I still don't understand what you originally meant.
You'll be able to add the Pilot Specialization to a BOFF just like Command and Intel, and select which one you want active on that BOFF.
As far as a new ship, I'm positive they're going to release new ships for the spec. Making specializations compatible with all ships would be too much like right.
Here is an idea for the spec point reward setup. The first four promotions give one point each, the middle three give two points each, the last three promotions give three points each, and last main story (Sela mission) gives one point for a total of 20 points (this is retroactive since it is recorded progress. All post 60 point rewards continue to be three points per bar completion. We all know they will just add more spec categories so these numbers will only make it less painful for casual players. No one wants to spend months or a year just to get 10 more points and this is more alt friendly in the grind.
I actually like this quite a bit.
"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"
This spec is extremely useful for Science/Exotic DPS captains. Reverse TBR (which is already furiously destructive).
I no longer need to run away or preemptively protect myself from Warp Core Breeches when I jump into my own grav well. Well... I won't need to worry about the first explosion, still need to flee from the chain reaction.
After mentioning the Exotic DPS... maybe some thought could be put into making a spec specifically for that? I'd be happy to make suggestions.
--
I love the feel/theme of pilot spec, thanks for the change Cryptic.
I also request a reduction in skill point requirements. The gaining of the point seems too underwhelming for the amount of effort required. At this point, a few players might have added the "Completion of both Command and Intel" to their bucket list. As a side note, I have all of my spec points maxed, I can verify it feels... draining. Even though I'm efficient at it, there's little joy in the effort or the end result.
A re-spec option for Specializations. Gaining all points is a valid argument, but so many casual players just don't have the time to 'get'em all'. Additionally, re-gaining points a player placed into a spec they eventually didn't like/need will reduce the ... the ... disheartening of gaining new points. I'm sure a good deal of players will definitely want to immediately try out a newly released spec. Which means you folks gain money every time you do work (amirite?). Please reconsider this.
A Specialization Upgrade for T-5U (or all) ships seems smart. That'd be a lot of work, but it's a smart idea.
If Commando is made a primary, it will have to be bent to both space/ground. As that is what primaries were suppose to be for (if I remember correctly). That said, I'd like to see Commando made a possible primary. Because Commando(space)/Pilot sounds... like a real knife-fight. No health restriction on Ramming Speed? Maybe add a disable or shock-wave effect? You know, a reason to use Ramming Speed at all, really.
But the fact is they said at the beginning that they were going to add more Specs. This isn't a surprise. There was always going to be the case that we were going to put points into a specialization and then a new specialization was going to come out.
This is an argument to never spend any spec points ever, since there could always be something better coming right around the corner.
Or we could just have respecs so people don't get terminal cases of buyer's remorse.
@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.
But you can still use it as a secondary and gain access to the same skills you were already going to get if you levelled it as it is now.
Or he could go Pilot primary and Intel secondary.
Bugs and OP PvP combinations aside, there isn't much to be upset about. Well, other than that useful abilities will be relegated to third and fourth tiers of any new trees (how Censoredcraft dealt with OP "hybrid" builds with the old trees after an expansion).
This is my Risian Corvette. There are many like it, but this one is mine.
This is an argument to never spend any spec points ever, since there could always be something better coming right around the corner.
Or we could just have respecs so people don't get terminal cases of buyer's remorse.
I know I've been holding off on spending any points on most of my captains (not that I have lots) for this reason. And specifically because I'm waiting to see what the next new Primary they roll out is. (My pet theory is that because Intel is sort of Tac/Sci, and Command is Tac/Eng, we might get something like Sci/Eng.)
I know I've been holding off on spending any points on most of my captains (not that I have lots) for this reason. And specifically because I'm waiting to see what the next new Primary they roll out is. (My pet theory is that because Intel is sort of Tac/Sci, and Command is Tac/Eng, we might get something like Sci/Eng.)
The cost of plunking down points is pretty high since you can't change them (as they don't want people just shifting points to the new tree when it comes out).
I'm in the same boat, I'm not plunking down hard won DR ultra-levels on a tree I'm not going to use. Which basically means their "endless" leveling stops at 60 for me.
This is my Risian Corvette. There are many like it, but this one is mine.
As a TAC piloting would be pretty cool, especially with scrape shields. You hit him with cannons and torps on the wat in and the shields are red, NOT quite there, scrape shield and the next teammate has the hole shot against bare hull. The main question is what it does to your own shields?
Will there be a promotion of commando to primary status too. I can see having ground and space preferential alts for various reasons. Call them pathfibers for the mains in the specialized missins or simply grinders for dilithium and such. If I feel like a FPS tonight I get on my ground max alt and create Borgy Bits...... If I want to do some Doffing and chatting, I grab my ???? specialist HMMM? and them later in Fleets grab the Command/Pilot primary and see about making various varieties of ring radh out of enemy ships......
Could be fun if it is not gated any. I would also like some sort of 1 or 2 freebie respecc by tree, and if they want to monetize #3 and up fine by me....... I vote for a easier point grind, like the old 5 boxes per rank, make it 5 boxes per point. That would make it 2 points perlevel and allow enough earnings to add specc trees.........
The Universe is a messy place, You are born a mess. Sustaining life usually involves cleaning up messes. You die and usually are a mess then too. All of these messes usually involve some blood- get over it.
This is an argument to never spend any spec points ever, since there could always be something better coming right around the corner.
Or we could just have respecs so people don't get terminal cases of buyer's remorse.
Yes. I for example would have never brought Intel because I'd rather save those points for a pure Space Specialty to come later (when I spent them, there was never suppose to be a 30 point pure Space Specialty)
Rather serious buyer's remorse in my case.
The method for mitigating this is rather easy in concept, but painful in the extreme. Don't buy *anything* until you bank 30 specialization points and leave them upspent. That way when they obsolete previous specialties (the half-ground, half-space ones will be obsolete first when the second 30 point single-area focus one hits), you can replace it in full.
Thereafter, never buy anything bit by bit and instead buy it all or nothing. This prevents you from wasting points on a specialization you haven't completed yet that should be replaced by something that comes along latter that is better.
That's the approach I'm taking with all my Alts.
What it means is that I have to add an extra 30 levels to the advancement of every alt that does nothing. So... it's not going to happen. I'm a casual player and don't have the time.
But the method will work for the professional grinders out there.
This is an argument to never spend any spec points ever, since there could always be something better coming right around the corner.
Or we could just have respecs so people don't get terminal cases of buyer's remorse.
So uh, yeah, what are you going to do with that 46th point you earn as a reward from this system that simply rewards folks for playing the game? The 47th? The 48th? The 100th? The 200th?
Cause uh, you know, that's all this is...all they are...they're points that you'll just keep on earning as you play the game. There is no "buying"...it something extra. They don't even need to be in the game. Let's remove them. Are you still playing the game, yeah? So then what's the difference with them providing an additional reward for that above everything else that's there already?
Why do players take every little additional reward that Cryptic might toss at players (even if part of that is linked to getting them spend a bit here and there as they continue playing, there is still the part involved where you don't have to spend squat) with things like Reputation, Event/Anniversary Ships, and with Specialization...and turn it into some whining, highly melodramatic rage thing.
Cryptic should just drop out all of that stuff and just focus on selling TRIBBLE...TRIBBLE any additional rewards or appreciative things they might do, too many players have a case of terminal stupid.
Why do players take every little additional reward that Cryptic might toss at players (even if part of that is linked to getting them spend a bit here and there as they continue playing, there is still the part involved where you don't have to spend squat) with things like Reputation, Event/Anniversary Ships, and with Specialization...and turn it into some whining, highly melodramatic rage thing.
Because it all comes behind a serious mountain of grinding. For five years, STO's rep was as a casual non-grind MMO. That has changed and this is no longer an casual friendly MMO, that switch is painful for those such as myself.
Meanwhile the professional MMO players who burns more time playing than they do with their families or work are likely happy with the change and looking forward to more.
Meanwhile what little time I have to invest is left in the dust now in a matter of weeks instead of months. We can't keep up any longer, and have even stopped trying in large measure due to bait and switch changes like this.
This spec is extremely useful for Science/Exotic DPS captains. Reverse TBR (which is already furiously destructive).
I no longer need to run away or preemptively protect myself from Warp Core Breeches when I jump into my own grav well. Well... I won't need to worry about the first explosion, still need to flee from the chain reaction.
After mentioning the Exotic DPS... maybe some thought could be put into making a spec specifically for that? I'd be happy to make suggestions.
--
I love the feel/theme of pilot spec, thanks for the change Cryptic.
A great breakdown of how this could be used.
I also request a reduction in skill point requirements. The gaining of the point seems too underwhelming for the amount of effort required. At this point, a few players might have added the "Completion of both Command and Intel" to their bucket list. As a side note, I have all of my spec points maxed, I can verify it feels... draining. Even though I'm efficient at it, there's little joy in the effort or the end result.
THAT is quite true.
A Specialization Upgrade for T-5U (or all) ships seems smart. That'd be a lot of work, but it's a smart idea.
I must concur. There are other questions to answer. For instance does it carry through if you dismiss and reclaim the ship?
If Commando is made a primary, it will have to be bent to both space/ground. As that is what primaries were suppose to be for (if I remember correctly). That said, I'd like to see Commando made a possible primary. Because Commando(space)/Pilot sounds... like a real knife-fight. No health restriction on Ramming Speed? Maybe add a disable or shock-wave effect? You know, a reason to use Ramming Speed at all, really.
CQC ship fights, I approve.
Pilot is actually still all Space. Commando could also be all ground.
This is an argument to never spend any spec points ever, since there could always be something better coming right around the corner.
Or we could just have respecs so people don't get terminal cases of buyer's remorse.
A fallacious argument to be sure. One cannot function where they don't purchase something because they're terrified it will become obsolete. You may as well ignore the system.
As I've said, clearly the better solution is to adjust the system so that spec points are earned more rapidly rather than giving players the ability to erase them.
"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"
Because it all comes behind a serious mountain of grinding.
I want to apologize first for not reading beyond that.
This is an additional reward for folks that were playing anyway. It's a little something-something extra.
Imagine that they didn't exist, eh? What would you be doing? Would you be playing the game? Hitting up random missions that you enjoy? Hitting up queues you enjoy? Maybe farming some Dil or EC? You know, playing the game, yeah?
Then add them in. They're just an additional reward for what you were doing anyway...or...as an incentive for folks that weren't so that maybe they'd play some here and there.
It is completely on players that they have turned this into a grind - that they've taken a little something cool that was added and turned it into this horrible thing to be raged about. It's not the first thing they've done that with, and it won't be the last thing they do that with...meh.
For five years, STO's rep was as a casual non-grind MMO. That has changed and this is no longer an casual friendly MMO, that switch is painful for those such as myself.
Because they provided an additional reward for when you do play? It's nothing that's needed. No content has been adjusted to reflect it - nothing's been made harder requiring it. One could completely ignore that they're even acquiring those points. How has it changed? Oh, they offer an additional reward? DAMN THEM, DAMN THEM I SAY! Yeah, no...
Meanwhile the professional MMO players who burns more time playing than they do with their families or work are likely happy with the change and looking forward to more.
Have you spoken to them about it? Are you just assuming that there is somebody out there that you can say that about? Does it somehow make it easier to complain about not being able to have everything now? Cause obviously anybody that's earning Specialization Points faster than you is some unemployed cretin living in mom's basement. Yeah, no...
Meanwhile what little time I have to invest is left in the dust now in a matter of weeks instead of months. We can't keep up any longer, and have even stopped trying in large measure due to bait and switch changes like this.
Keep up with what? What are you keeping up with? The most any player can have slotted of these completely optional points is 45...30 from a Primary and 15 from a Secondary. There could be 9000 available Specialization Points in the game...but nobody would ever be able to slot more than 45. And wait, are the folks you're trying to keep up with those cretins living in mom's basement?
Bait and switch? So...they offered something more in a Specialization that folks seem to enjoy...and that's bait and switch? Somebody that spent 15 in Pilot has their exact 15 in Pilot. That they might want 30 in Pilot doesn't take that 15 away. It doesn't take anything away that they've got from playing the game.
I've played one character since Delta Rising. Well, okay - I ran some KDF toons here and there in the past for some DOFFing; but I stopped cause I just really couldn't be bothered with it anymore. It was making the game too much like work, and well...I'm looking to play a game not to work. With that one character, I've accumulated 23 Intel, 15 Pilot, 0 Commando, and 23 Command. I have no spare points sitting there. There are folks that have more than that on multiple toons...they've played more. I'm not going to begrudge them that. Sometimes when I log in to play, I'll get distracted by something else and come back to find that it's logged me out for being inactive. Sometimes I might log in and just run a single ISA and maybe a CCA...then I'll log out to go do something else. Maybe I'll log in to test something. Heck, I lost track of time yesterday doing some runs over on Tribble of the new queue....it was fun.
Who am I supposed to be trying to keep up with out there? If I had 30, 30, 15, 15...it's not going to have me up there competing with those DPS guys. If I still did PvP, it wouldn't have me up there competing with the best of those guys.
You and so many folks talk about wanting things to be casual with the game...well, damn, if there aren't a whole bunch of us that are still playing the game in a pretty casual fashion...
...it's all the so-called folks complaining that the game's no longer casual that are being all hardcore about stuff.
I think it's pretty cool that every now and again as I'm dorking around doing whatever that I see the little animation for another point being earned.
Even as I sit here thinking about how cool running T4 Intel and T2 Command will be or even dorking around with T4 Command and T2 Intel...that's still only 23/15 either way, cause I still haven't hit 30 in either.
It will happen when it happens...cause I'm a casual player, playing a casual game, in a casual manner. I'm not all hardcore trippin' while complaining that the game isn't something that it pretty much still is. It's not a game issue...it's a player issue.
The game is as casual or hardcore as you want it to be...
As I've said, clearly the better solution is to adjust the system so that spec points are earned more rapidly rather than giving players the ability to erase them.
And while I may disagree with some folks on the extent that they need to be earned more rapidly, I'd definitely say that Cryptic still needs to nudge things a little toward the faster than what's there now. Can't really say how much, I'm not really paying as much attention to it, but there are enough folks I've seen out there that I know aren't just whining about it that are put off by the pace that perhaps some tweaking in regard to faster would help them out without it turning into a blink 'n done situation. Heh, guess I'm more willing to listen to their complaints because they're more casual in their complaints...the it's a bit slow vs. the melodramatic grind.
Imagine that they didn't exist, eh? What would you be doing? Would you be playing the game? Hitting up random missions that you enjoy? Hitting up queues you enjoy? Maybe farming some Dil or EC? You know, playing the game, yeah?
Previous to DR I was able to effectively play all the content in the game simply by doing so, or by hitting a pug Queue. Nothing was off limits, everything was with my reach as a casual player. I was able to do this on my main and four alts. So it was for five years.
That is no longer the case. I no longer attempt Elite Queues and only do a couple of the Advanced one, I have not attempted the new DR queue, and won't attempt the new Herald Sphere Queue. I've given up on Ground queues completely.
In place of five characters, I now only focus on one, and he's no longer endgame material. Between upgrades, the need for specialization points, and the requirements of gear/doff/boff needed for end game performance- I no longer meet the requirements and I feel that this gap will only increase. It's not a question of my ability to play, it's the simple fact that I don't have time to keep up with all this.
Then add them in. They're just an additional reward for what you were doing anyway...or...as an incentive for folks that weren't so that maybe they'd play some here and there.
I view the new CE Torpedo as an 'additional reward', and I have no issues with items like that.
I can't view the elements I noted above in such a care free light. "Something cool" is a nifty new look, special effect, and best of all- a different but equally effective way of playing the game. It's not flat +20 energy weapon damage here and +20 damage there and +crit over there all added together.
It's a simple task for me to compare the performance of my (less than end-game) main to my alts with their pre-DR stats and abilities. The difference is amazing and disheartening, and I haven't done all that well with main.
Bait and switch? So...they offered something more in a Specialization that folks seem to enjoy...and that's bait and switch?
It was a bait and switch when they started by having all 30 point specializations be split between Space and Ground with implication that was how it would always work. That was the bait for me to work on Intel.
The switch is when they now offer a 30 point Space only specialties with the implied statement that more of that is to come.
As I said, I gave up on Ground as I don't have time to earn both. Can you not see how that would give me buyer's remorse? In the end (i.e. the second pure 30 point space specialization arrives), I will have wasted the time spent on Intel- *gone*.
So I'm disappointed to say the least.
All that said, there's nothing to do about it. STO is no longer a game for the casual player, I get it. I'll carry on in my reduced effectiveness playing what parts of the game that remain playable for me until a better starship MMO comes on the market and then make the switch.
And while I may disagree with some folks on the extent that they need to be earned more rapidly, I'd definitely say that Cryptic still needs to nudge things a little toward the faster than what's there now. Can't really say how much, I'm not really paying as much attention to it, but there are enough folks I've seen out there that I know aren't just whining about it that are put off by the pace that perhaps some tweaking in regard to faster would help them out without it turning into a blink 'n done situation. Heh, guess I'm more willing to listen to their complaints because they're more casual in their complaints...the it's a bit slow vs. the melodramatic grind.
Yeah, I understand that if you set this as a goal it's supposed to be a rather long term one. Not unlike the R&D system and building a fleet starbase.
But all I'm really looking for is for it feel like steady progress. If they're going to continue releasing or expanding new specializations at this rate, then regular play should allow you to complete a primary spec tree say....what, every three months maybe? It should be longer than a Reputation but not as long as a Starbase.
But on a side note, I think we should all look at the bright side. We don't need to get any marks, dilithium, or very rare materials in order to acquire Spec Points. :P
"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"
But all I'm really looking for is for it feel like steady progress. If they're going to continue releasing or expanding new specializations at this rate, then regular play should allow you to complete a primary spec tree say....what, every three months maybe? It should be longer than a Reputation but not as long as a Starbase.
With my play time, I tend to earn 1 specialization point a week (not accounting for double XP weekends). So I'm looking at over half a year for each specialization.
So this is why I'm bitter over the change to 30 point pure Space specializations, it will be 6 months from the day another of those hit until I can complete it, and it would have been much less were I aware that they'd be moving in that direction (as I would have simply banked the specialization points I've already spent and applied them upon its arrival).
Honestly however, I should have guessed this would happen and already prepared for it. So half the fault is mine.
With my play time, I tend to earn 1 specialization point a week (not accounting for double XP weekends). So I'm looking at over half a year for each specialization.
So this is why I'm bitter over the change to 30 point pure Space specializations, it will be 6 months from the day another of those hit until I can complete it, and it would have been much less were I aware that they'd be moving in that direction (as I would have simply banked the specialization points I've already spent and applied them upon its arrival).
Honestly however, I should have guessed this would happen and already prepared for it. So half the fault is mine.
Just forget spec points exist after you hit 60. You get 9 while doing the Delta stuff and then that's it. They come so slowly through anything that isn't grinding Argala you'll never have to worry about going over the reserve cap anyways.
This is my Risian Corvette. There are many like it, but this one is mine.
In reference to this newly revised Pilot spec (to primary), there needs to be some additional boosts that give better survival and boost damage of pets from the Pilot specialization. A better title for this new primary would be "Flight Operations" which would include flying your ship, shuttle and pets.
How about making special give-away Pilot specced shuttles modeled on shuttles like the Type 11 and the Recon Runabout from Star Trek: Insurrection.
Yeah, I understand that if you set this as a goal it's supposed to be a rather long term one. Not unlike the R&D system and building a fleet starbase.
But all I'm really looking for is for it feel like steady progress. If they're going to continue releasing or expanding new specializations at this rate, then regular play should allow you to complete a primary spec tree say....what, every three months maybe? It should be longer than a Reputation but not as long as a Starbase.
But on a side note, I think we should all look at the bright side. We don't need to get any marks, dilithium, or very rare materials in order to acquire Spec Points. :P
That's going to be the tough thing for Cryptic...cause folks play all sorts of different amounts. They can't provide for all, so they've got to figure on trying to hit up that middle group or the majority group - which will leave some folks feeling like they're getting nothing and some folks probably filling up toon after toon.
Cause even "regular play" as you put it and allowing for three months? What would that entail, eh? Hrmmm, let me check some dates on stuff they did.
October 14th, 2014 introduced 30 Intel - 15 Pilot - 15 Commando.
January 29th, 2015 introduced 30 Command.
The Pilot to 30 conversion isn't happening until S10...with them doing the Tribble/Redshirt thing, it's usually somewhere around a month or so of testing before something goes live in that fashion. Can't remember when they actually did that...hrmm. They've said their launching Uneasy Allies on March 26th, so if they give folks some time to play that before getting into S10 - it's basically in April sometime, yeah?
So they did about 4.5 months to allow for the 60 points before dropping out Command. Half that for the next 30, eh? Kind of leans toward the next being around April 9th for S10? Course, would that mean half of that again before the next one dropped out? Getting into around May 14th? That seems a bit too quick there, maybe.
But it would get into around that 2.25/2.5 months for 30, eh?
So if they were doing that, it would be along the lines of viewing players as earning ~3 or so points a week somewhere about, yeah? Unless of course they simply don't expect folks to fill it out between when they drop out the next. My math might be off there...I should really go to the store and get some caffeine.
Comments
My character Tsin'xing
why can i only training my tac boffs omega3 at the 4 place ? i dont want that skill i want the skills i had before that patch , and dont have to research for month to get others.
why do u bring bugs live that where told u on tribble test server
i was trying to get my friends to play this game , but ^^ so^^ i dont tell them thats a good game they should play
why am i writing to u? u dont care about what ur players want :mad:
just shut down the servers if u dont want people play it anymore
They fix bugs every chance they get. It takes time to identify the bug in the code and get it fixed you know.
translation faiil here?
Probably because they only have a certain amount of time between releasing each stage of a season release at a time to when they actually have to release the update to live server.
I think that's low of you to say that the devs don't care about the players. If they didn't care, they wouldn't bother telling us about upcoming changes that have been requested by players (think XP to adventure zones, or PvE queues).
Also they want people to play the game. They just don't want people to take the cheapest routes out when doing so.
- Choose 1 primary specialization
- Choose 1 secondary (ground) specialization
- Choose 1 secondary (space) specialization
Sure, we can always swap between commando for ground or pilot for space, but admit it--that's sloppy. It's also not the only area of the game where this "inconvenience" exists. The following trait subcategories also require unnecessary swapping, depending on whether time is going to be spent on ground or space:
- Personal traits
- Active reputation
Instead, we should have:
- Personal traits (ground)
- Personal traits (space)
- Active reputation (ground)
- Active reputation (space)
Just my thoughts, anyway. I like quality of life improvements.
No one can take that claim seriously with the power tray (a core function of any MMO) being in the state that it's been in- for *years*.
...or the Exchange not returning proper results until you specify a detailed search.
...or the auto-success for the Elite Tactical Gorn Borg if you just hang out in the zone.
And so forth and so on.
*years*
For the last winter event they gave up fixing tracking a successful mission and just gave completion to everyone.
They attempted to fix the new power tray lag issue twice, and failed both time.
This is by no means even a dent in the total number of issues.
I know of no other MMO with significant player base that has this record.
They are either critically understaffed, lacking in key areas of knowledge, or are dealing with an outdated and faulty game engine.
Any one of those things would be explanation enough.
Any combination of 2 of those items would make things even worse.
We have all 3, welcome to STO. :P
Losing faith in humanity, one person at a time.
So your entire argument is that they have a no return policy. I don't agree with your final conclusion, but I understand your argument.
But the fact is they said at the beginning that they were going to add more Specs. This isn't a surprise. There was always going to be the case that we were going to put points into a specialization and then a new specialization was going to come out.
So from my end, increasing the EXP gains will be the best way to provide for the player need, steady advancement, and the developer need that we haven't acquired everything there is to acquire before they release new content.
I still don't understand what you originally meant.
You'll be able to add the Pilot Specialization to a BOFF just like Command and Intel, and select which one you want active on that BOFF.
As far as a new ship, I'm positive they're going to release new ships for the spec. Making specializations compatible with all ships would be too much like right.
I actually like this quite a bit.
This is my query too. Same as other specializations and thier inherintly limited ship choices.
I no longer need to run away or preemptively protect myself from Warp Core Breeches when I jump into my own grav well. Well... I won't need to worry about the first explosion, still need to flee from the chain reaction.
After mentioning the Exotic DPS... maybe some thought could be put into making a spec specifically for that? I'd be happy to make suggestions.
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I love the feel/theme of pilot spec, thanks for the change Cryptic.
I also request a reduction in skill point requirements. The gaining of the point seems too underwhelming for the amount of effort required. At this point, a few players might have added the "Completion of both Command and Intel" to their bucket list. As a side note, I have all of my spec points maxed, I can verify it feels... draining. Even though I'm efficient at it, there's little joy in the effort or the end result.
A re-spec option for Specializations. Gaining all points is a valid argument, but so many casual players just don't have the time to 'get'em all'. Additionally, re-gaining points a player placed into a spec they eventually didn't like/need will reduce the ... the ... disheartening of gaining new points. I'm sure a good deal of players will definitely want to immediately try out a newly released spec. Which means you folks gain money every time you do work (amirite?). Please reconsider this.
A Specialization Upgrade for T-5U (or all) ships seems smart. That'd be a lot of work, but it's a smart idea.
If Commando is made a primary, it will have to be bent to both space/ground. As that is what primaries were suppose to be for (if I remember correctly). That said, I'd like to see Commando made a possible primary. Because Commando(space)/Pilot sounds... like a real knife-fight. No health restriction on Ramming Speed? Maybe add a disable or shock-wave effect? You know, a reason to use Ramming Speed at all, really.
CQC ship fights, I approve.
But you can still use it as a secondary and gain access to the same skills you were already going to get if you levelled it as it is now.
This is an argument to never spend any spec points ever, since there could always be something better coming right around the corner.
Or we could just have respecs so people don't get terminal cases of buyer's remorse.
Or he could go Pilot primary and Intel secondary.
Bugs and OP PvP combinations aside, there isn't much to be upset about. Well, other than that useful abilities will be relegated to third and fourth tiers of any new trees (how Censoredcraft dealt with OP "hybrid" builds with the old trees after an expansion).
I know I've been holding off on spending any points on most of my captains (not that I have lots) for this reason. And specifically because I'm waiting to see what the next new Primary they roll out is. (My pet theory is that because Intel is sort of Tac/Sci, and Command is Tac/Eng, we might get something like Sci/Eng.)
The cost of plunking down points is pretty high since you can't change them (as they don't want people just shifting points to the new tree when it comes out).
I'm in the same boat, I'm not plunking down hard won DR ultra-levels on a tree I'm not going to use. Which basically means their "endless" leveling stops at 60 for me.
Will there be a promotion of commando to primary status too. I can see having ground and space preferential alts for various reasons. Call them pathfibers for the mains in the specialized missins or simply grinders for dilithium and such. If I feel like a FPS tonight I get on my ground max alt and create Borgy Bits...... If I want to do some Doffing and chatting, I grab my ???? specialist HMMM? and them later in Fleets grab the Command/Pilot primary and see about making various varieties of ring radh out of enemy ships......
Could be fun if it is not gated any. I would also like some sort of 1 or 2 freebie respecc by tree, and if they want to monetize #3 and up fine by me....... I vote for a easier point grind, like the old 5 boxes per rank, make it 5 boxes per point. That would make it 2 points perlevel and allow enough earnings to add specc trees.........
Yes. I for example would have never brought Intel because I'd rather save those points for a pure Space Specialty to come later (when I spent them, there was never suppose to be a 30 point pure Space Specialty)
Rather serious buyer's remorse in my case.
The method for mitigating this is rather easy in concept, but painful in the extreme. Don't buy *anything* until you bank 30 specialization points and leave them upspent. That way when they obsolete previous specialties (the half-ground, half-space ones will be obsolete first when the second 30 point single-area focus one hits), you can replace it in full.
Thereafter, never buy anything bit by bit and instead buy it all or nothing. This prevents you from wasting points on a specialization you haven't completed yet that should be replaced by something that comes along latter that is better.
That's the approach I'm taking with all my Alts.
What it means is that I have to add an extra 30 levels to the advancement of every alt that does nothing. So... it's not going to happen. I'm a casual player and don't have the time.
But the method will work for the professional grinders out there.
So uh, yeah, what are you going to do with that 46th point you earn as a reward from this system that simply rewards folks for playing the game? The 47th? The 48th? The 100th? The 200th?
Cause uh, you know, that's all this is...all they are...they're points that you'll just keep on earning as you play the game. There is no "buying"...it something extra. They don't even need to be in the game. Let's remove them. Are you still playing the game, yeah? So then what's the difference with them providing an additional reward for that above everything else that's there already?
Why do players take every little additional reward that Cryptic might toss at players (even if part of that is linked to getting them spend a bit here and there as they continue playing, there is still the part involved where you don't have to spend squat) with things like Reputation, Event/Anniversary Ships, and with Specialization...and turn it into some whining, highly melodramatic rage thing.
Cryptic should just drop out all of that stuff and just focus on selling TRIBBLE...TRIBBLE any additional rewards or appreciative things they might do, too many players have a case of terminal stupid.
Because it all comes behind a serious mountain of grinding. For five years, STO's rep was as a casual non-grind MMO. That has changed and this is no longer an casual friendly MMO, that switch is painful for those such as myself.
Meanwhile the professional MMO players who burns more time playing than they do with their families or work are likely happy with the change and looking forward to more.
Meanwhile what little time I have to invest is left in the dust now in a matter of weeks instead of months. We can't keep up any longer, and have even stopped trying in large measure due to bait and switch changes like this.
THAT is quite true.
I must concur. There are other questions to answer. For instance does it carry through if you dismiss and reclaim the ship?
Pilot is actually still all Space. Commando could also be all ground.
A fallacious argument to be sure. One cannot function where they don't purchase something because they're terrified it will become obsolete. You may as well ignore the system.
As I've said, clearly the better solution is to adjust the system so that spec points are earned more rapidly rather than giving players the ability to erase them.
I want to apologize first for not reading beyond that.
This is an additional reward for folks that were playing anyway. It's a little something-something extra.
Imagine that they didn't exist, eh? What would you be doing? Would you be playing the game? Hitting up random missions that you enjoy? Hitting up queues you enjoy? Maybe farming some Dil or EC? You know, playing the game, yeah?
Then add them in. They're just an additional reward for what you were doing anyway...or...as an incentive for folks that weren't so that maybe they'd play some here and there.
It is completely on players that they have turned this into a grind - that they've taken a little something cool that was added and turned it into this horrible thing to be raged about. It's not the first thing they've done that with, and it won't be the last thing they do that with...meh.
Know what, let's look at the rest anyway...
Because they provided an additional reward for when you do play? It's nothing that's needed. No content has been adjusted to reflect it - nothing's been made harder requiring it. One could completely ignore that they're even acquiring those points. How has it changed? Oh, they offer an additional reward? DAMN THEM, DAMN THEM I SAY! Yeah, no...
Have you spoken to them about it? Are you just assuming that there is somebody out there that you can say that about? Does it somehow make it easier to complain about not being able to have everything now? Cause obviously anybody that's earning Specialization Points faster than you is some unemployed cretin living in mom's basement. Yeah, no...
Keep up with what? What are you keeping up with? The most any player can have slotted of these completely optional points is 45...30 from a Primary and 15 from a Secondary. There could be 9000 available Specialization Points in the game...but nobody would ever be able to slot more than 45. And wait, are the folks you're trying to keep up with those cretins living in mom's basement?
Bait and switch? So...they offered something more in a Specialization that folks seem to enjoy...and that's bait and switch? Somebody that spent 15 in Pilot has their exact 15 in Pilot. That they might want 30 in Pilot doesn't take that 15 away. It doesn't take anything away that they've got from playing the game.
I've played one character since Delta Rising. Well, okay - I ran some KDF toons here and there in the past for some DOFFing; but I stopped cause I just really couldn't be bothered with it anymore. It was making the game too much like work, and well...I'm looking to play a game not to work. With that one character, I've accumulated 23 Intel, 15 Pilot, 0 Commando, and 23 Command. I have no spare points sitting there. There are folks that have more than that on multiple toons...they've played more. I'm not going to begrudge them that. Sometimes when I log in to play, I'll get distracted by something else and come back to find that it's logged me out for being inactive. Sometimes I might log in and just run a single ISA and maybe a CCA...then I'll log out to go do something else. Maybe I'll log in to test something. Heck, I lost track of time yesterday doing some runs over on Tribble of the new queue....it was fun.
Who am I supposed to be trying to keep up with out there? If I had 30, 30, 15, 15...it's not going to have me up there competing with those DPS guys. If I still did PvP, it wouldn't have me up there competing with the best of those guys.
You and so many folks talk about wanting things to be casual with the game...well, damn, if there aren't a whole bunch of us that are still playing the game in a pretty casual fashion...
...it's all the so-called folks complaining that the game's no longer casual that are being all hardcore about stuff.
I think it's pretty cool that every now and again as I'm dorking around doing whatever that I see the little animation for another point being earned.
Even as I sit here thinking about how cool running T4 Intel and T2 Command will be or even dorking around with T4 Command and T2 Intel...that's still only 23/15 either way, cause I still haven't hit 30 in either.
It will happen when it happens...cause I'm a casual player, playing a casual game, in a casual manner. I'm not all hardcore trippin' while complaining that the game isn't something that it pretty much still is. It's not a game issue...it's a player issue.
The game is as casual or hardcore as you want it to be...
* * * * * * * * * *
And while I may disagree with some folks on the extent that they need to be earned more rapidly, I'd definitely say that Cryptic still needs to nudge things a little toward the faster than what's there now. Can't really say how much, I'm not really paying as much attention to it, but there are enough folks I've seen out there that I know aren't just whining about it that are put off by the pace that perhaps some tweaking in regard to faster would help them out without it turning into a blink 'n done situation. Heh, guess I'm more willing to listen to their complaints because they're more casual in their complaints...the it's a bit slow vs. the melodramatic grind.
Previous to DR I was able to effectively play all the content in the game simply by doing so, or by hitting a pug Queue. Nothing was off limits, everything was with my reach as a casual player. I was able to do this on my main and four alts. So it was for five years.
That is no longer the case. I no longer attempt Elite Queues and only do a couple of the Advanced one, I have not attempted the new DR queue, and won't attempt the new Herald Sphere Queue. I've given up on Ground queues completely.
In place of five characters, I now only focus on one, and he's no longer endgame material. Between upgrades, the need for specialization points, and the requirements of gear/doff/boff needed for end game performance- I no longer meet the requirements and I feel that this gap will only increase. It's not a question of my ability to play, it's the simple fact that I don't have time to keep up with all this.
I view the new CE Torpedo as an 'additional reward', and I have no issues with items like that.
I can't view the elements I noted above in such a care free light. "Something cool" is a nifty new look, special effect, and best of all- a different but equally effective way of playing the game. It's not flat +20 energy weapon damage here and +20 damage there and +crit over there all added together.
It's a simple task for me to compare the performance of my (less than end-game) main to my alts with their pre-DR stats and abilities. The difference is amazing and disheartening, and I haven't done all that well with main.
It was a bait and switch when they started by having all 30 point specializations be split between Space and Ground with implication that was how it would always work. That was the bait for me to work on Intel.
The switch is when they now offer a 30 point Space only specialties with the implied statement that more of that is to come.
As I said, I gave up on Ground as I don't have time to earn both. Can you not see how that would give me buyer's remorse? In the end (i.e. the second pure 30 point space specialization arrives), I will have wasted the time spent on Intel- *gone*.
So I'm disappointed to say the least.
All that said, there's nothing to do about it. STO is no longer a game for the casual player, I get it. I'll carry on in my reduced effectiveness playing what parts of the game that remain playable for me until a better starship MMO comes on the market and then make the switch.
Yeah, I understand that if you set this as a goal it's supposed to be a rather long term one. Not unlike the R&D system and building a fleet starbase.
But all I'm really looking for is for it feel like steady progress. If they're going to continue releasing or expanding new specializations at this rate, then regular play should allow you to complete a primary spec tree say....what, every three months maybe? It should be longer than a Reputation but not as long as a Starbase.
But on a side note, I think we should all look at the bright side. We don't need to get any marks, dilithium, or very rare materials in order to acquire Spec Points. :P
With my play time, I tend to earn 1 specialization point a week (not accounting for double XP weekends). So I'm looking at over half a year for each specialization.
So this is why I'm bitter over the change to 30 point pure Space specializations, it will be 6 months from the day another of those hit until I can complete it, and it would have been much less were I aware that they'd be moving in that direction (as I would have simply banked the specialization points I've already spent and applied them upon its arrival).
Honestly however, I should have guessed this would happen and already prepared for it. So half the fault is mine.
Just forget spec points exist after you hit 60. You get 9 while doing the Delta stuff and then that's it. They come so slowly through anything that isn't grinding Argala you'll never have to worry about going over the reserve cap anyways.
How about making special give-away Pilot specced shuttles modeled on shuttles like the Type 11 and the Recon Runabout from Star Trek: Insurrection.
That's going to be the tough thing for Cryptic...cause folks play all sorts of different amounts. They can't provide for all, so they've got to figure on trying to hit up that middle group or the majority group - which will leave some folks feeling like they're getting nothing and some folks probably filling up toon after toon.
Cause even "regular play" as you put it and allowing for three months? What would that entail, eh? Hrmmm, let me check some dates on stuff they did.
October 14th, 2014 introduced 30 Intel - 15 Pilot - 15 Commando.
January 29th, 2015 introduced 30 Command.
The Pilot to 30 conversion isn't happening until S10...with them doing the Tribble/Redshirt thing, it's usually somewhere around a month or so of testing before something goes live in that fashion. Can't remember when they actually did that...hrmm. They've said their launching Uneasy Allies on March 26th, so if they give folks some time to play that before getting into S10 - it's basically in April sometime, yeah?
So they did about 4.5 months to allow for the 60 points before dropping out Command. Half that for the next 30, eh? Kind of leans toward the next being around April 9th for S10? Course, would that mean half of that again before the next one dropped out? Getting into around May 14th? That seems a bit too quick there, maybe.
But it would get into around that 2.25/2.5 months for 30, eh?
So if they were doing that, it would be along the lines of viewing players as earning ~3 or so points a week somewhere about, yeah? Unless of course they simply don't expect folks to fill it out between when they drop out the next. My math might be off there...I should really go to the store and get some caffeine.