You can try it out on Tribble, but if you put a point in wrong you will need a retrain token to change it. Luckily those tokens are free on Drozana Station
Here's to hoping the system doesn't go live without the much requested "confirm selections" (as in plural) button....
Personally, I don't think this revamp is horrible. Was it really necessary? Not in the least IMO.
Oh, you can bet your bald, blue butt that's gonna make it live. They want people to be making miss clicks, so that they feel like they need to buy those "specially discounted" respec tokens.
Again, the revamp was a nice idea at least: streamline things for newer players, and encourage veterans to branch out a bit. However, both supposed goals fall flat by continuing to require a monetary cost for the respec tokens. New players still get punished for miss clicks or "wrong" choices early on, and most veterans aren't going to want to spend money on experimenting with anything that isn't "optimal". In the end, the whole thing feels more like an attempt to make a quick buck off of players, and possibly stealth nerf some things along the way.
I was actually kind of excited when I initially heard talk of a skill revamp, but with how it's been handled thus far, the idea now just continues to leave a bitter taste in my mouth.
IIRC, the whole reason they don't offer a "commit" button before you go and make the change is primarily the way the points are acquired now.
The system is built upon players reaching level 5, spending their first points in space and ground and then gaining more points for each level (every 5 for ground) and spending those points as they unlock them. Sure, once you reach the end, it becomes a hassle to respec and then have to click and purchase each power. A good piece of advice for people now would be once we have tribble unlocked for all character. COPY your toons over and TEST, TEST, TEST until you find the right build there that you like, screenshot it and save it for when it finally gets onto live so you know what you want.
A: This is a mechanic that never worked well in Star Trek Online, and needlessly confused some systems (such as Hull Regeneration). Rather than try and improve a system that added complexity to an already complex game, we decided it was time to retire the mechanic as a whole. As a result, you will no longer see a Crew meter in the HUD, and all existing mechanics that relied upon Crew have been changed so that they behave at all times as if you had 100% of your available Crew.
- Any items/traits/etc. that improved Crew Regeneration have been changed to improve Hull Regeneration.
- Any items/traits/etc. that improved Crew Resistance have been changed to improve resistance to Subsystem Offline Durations.
A: We have abandoned “Abandon Ship” – this ability was never very useful, and primarily only utilized to grief other players. We decided to remove it entirely, and replace it with the new ability: “Threatening Stance”
By toggling on this new ability, the player may choose at any time to begin causing additional Threat to any enemies they are in combat with. Threat is what determines how an NPC foe chooses their target – the more you generate, the more likely they are to attack you.
Just read the FAQ on the revamp. The above changes are definately welcome. The whole crew compliment/hull regen thing was unnecessarily complicated. Getting rid of abandoned ship is a nice change, too. I've only ever seen it used by people trying to be annoying.
Hmm, wasn't “Threatening Stance” an Unlock choice?
Q: Why is the Skill System receiving a Revamp?
A: Time and again, we have received feedback from our players that the Skill System is unusually difficult to understand, and has done a poor job at helping players master the combat mechanics involved in Star Trek Online. In fact, even a basic level of understanding required a good amount of research and “tribal knowledge” that was difficult for players to obtain through game experience alone. For both the benefit of existing players, and to lessen the barrier to entry for new players starting their Star Trek Online experience, we felt it was necessary to simplify the system, improve the leveling experience, and de-mystify many of the underlying combat mechanics.
First time I heard that the current system is way too complex. I have checked the forums and twitter and cannot come up with a "single" complaint or feedback on this issue. Are there any numbers or data to support this point? Not speaking for anyone but myself...Why fix something that does not appear broken? I can site other numerous parts of the game that are beyond broken and well documented but not being fixed. Just curious.
A normie goes "Oh, what's this?"
An otaku goes "UwU, what's this?"
A furry goes "OwO, what's this?"
A werewolf goes "Awoo, what's this?"
"It's nothing personal, I just don't feel like I've gotten to know a person until I've sniffed their crotch." "We said 'no' to Mr. Curiosity. We're not home. Curiosity is not welcome, it is not to be invited in. Curiosity...is bad. It gets you in trouble, it gets you killed, and more importantly...it makes you poor!"
Passion and Serenity are one.
I gain power by understanding both.
In the chaos of their battle, I bring order.
I am a shadow, darkness born from light.
The Force is united within me.
A: This is a mechanic that never worked well in Star Trek Online, and needlessly confused some systems (such as Hull Regeneration). Rather than try and improve a system that added complexity to an already complex game, we decided it was time to retire the mechanic as a whole. As a result, you will no longer see a Crew meter in the HUD, and all existing mechanics that relied upon Crew have been changed so that they behave at all times as if you had 100% of your available Crew.
- Any items/traits/etc. that improved Crew Regeneration have been changed to improve Hull Regeneration.
- Any items/traits/etc. that improved Crew Resistance have been changed to improve resistance to Subsystem Offline Durations.
A: We have abandoned “Abandon Ship” – this ability was never very useful, and primarily only utilized to grief other players. We decided to remove it entirely, and replace it with the new ability: “Threatening Stance”
By toggling on this new ability, the player may choose at any time to begin causing additional Threat to any enemies they are in combat with. Threat is what determines how an NPC foe chooses their target – the more you generate, the more likely they are to attack you.
Just read the FAQ on the revamp. The above changes are definately welcome. The whole crew compliment/hull regen thing was unnecessarily complicated. Getting rid of abandoned ship is a nice change, too. I've only ever seen it used by people trying to be annoying.
Hmm, wasn't “Threatening Stance” an Unlock choice?
Right now, everyone gets it, but there is an unlock that reduces threat when you're not using it (and generates even more threat when you do.)
Anyway, it is sort of like Attract Fire without its -threat to allies part.
I think of all the changes, the fact you will not be able to make all the BOff manuals of your profession like you could before, with the right skill selections, is the worst of the changes. There is really no need to make someone choose between being able to craft manuals of Mine Barrier III OR Phaser Turret III as an ENG or Photon Grenade III OR Smoke Grenade III as a Tac officer. Just set the breakout point to unlock both manuals at the same increment. Is it really world shaking to allow people to craft these BOff manuals??
Wow, cryptic decides to answer questions and picks the easiest ones to answer, and the ones that won't get the most feedback. It figures.
Two major points have not really been addressed. 1-ITEMS I have an item lets say deflector that gives +36 to ins, +24 flow, and +24 to the other. Now they are all one skill. Do i get +84 to that one skill? Do I get just one at +36? or one at +36 and two new ones, or do i get an average? Before you had skills that were used when you attacked and others to defend. Now you have one skill that does both and that is what we want to know about. Because and I guess you haven't thought this out much and it will effect builds. Now this mostly effest builds other than dps ones.
2-CRAFTING When the skill update takes place will the crafting system be updated as well, so the old skill adders will not come up. If you do not address this then the crafting system is basically useless again, because you will have items that can be rolled with no use in the game anymore, because the game will not know how to use those variables.
NOTE: that this also effets the upgrade system as well, because ultra rare adds a new modifier, which can be one of those old variables not in the game anymore.
These are simple direct questions that effect everyone in the game. It effects the basic play style to the most advanced. Right now people have upgrade tokens from the annversary event, and I'd like to think I'm an experienced player so should I finish leveling up R&D? These questions will effect the upcomming upgrade weekend and whether or not we should wait till the new skill revamp takes place because new maybe better items will come into play.
Q: Why is the Skill System receiving a Revamp?
A: Time and again, we have received feedback from our players that the Skill System is unusually difficult to understand, and has done a poor job at helping players master the combat mechanics involved in Star Trek Online. In fact, even a basic level of understanding required a good amount of research and “tribal knowledge” that was difficult for players to obtain through game experience alone. For both the benefit of existing players, and to lessen the barrier to entry for new players starting their Star Trek Online experience, we felt it was necessary to simplify the system, improve the leveling experience, and de-mystify many of the underlying combat mechanics.
First time I heard that the current system is way too complex. I have checked the forums and twitter and cannot come up with a "single" complaint or feedback on this issue. Are there any numbers or data to support this point? Not speaking for anyone but myself...Why fix something that does not appear broken? I can site other numerous parts of the game that are beyond broken and well documented but not being fixed. Just curious.
I listened to the interview that was given on the priority one podcast. He also mentioned something about coaxing us out of our comfort zones and trying to get us into trying something new, ergo the ultimates.
Maybe they just want to see more diversity in our play styles, maybe there's too many uber dps builds flyin around stompin all over poor their NPCs in less than a minute, maybe sales in respects were way too low last quarter and PWE is pitchin a real testy fit, Maybe they just want STO to be more like other popular MMOs, ( I read the skill tree revamp is like other MMOs somewhere). Who freakin knows.
I suspect they are simply doing what they think is best for the game. What's best for the game, might not be what every end game player wants. Older players like myself get used to the way some things are and sometimes we don't like our toys messed with, especially when it doesn't really offer US any readily foreseeable value.
But maybe it's geared to help newer players more. Maybe they are the ones they NEED to simplify it for, that's why at the moment you have to start from scratch to test it on tribble. We need more newer players too, (looks down at shoes and kicks the floor....) I suppose.
Anyway It's their sandbox, we only play in it. We best make peace with it, cause it's inbound.
If I may be so bold to offer a suggestion, go test the infernal thing on tribble. It's gonna happen despite what some of us think of it, it should at least be as bug free as possible. Maybe, we can help influence it at least in that regard.
When we make a new toon and upgrade it as LTS we end up with 11 respects, do we get those again after this revamp ?? If they only give 1 i know they are trying to rob me and that will be the last straw !!
Even if they make respects 100 zen, i have 18 toons all build different it will just cost me to much to play the way i want.
I am not sure about this. I am not a huge fan of change, but I did like seeing that there are some skills now specifically for carrier pets. In space I play as a carrier and shuttle pilot. If the new system allows me to specilize more into carrier skills and when flying shuttles that would be a welcome change.
However, it says something about eliminiting the need to worry about the "right" path...this concerns me because when I started playing I was told that as a science officer I needed to build my skills a certain way and I ignored all suggestions and built it the way I wanted. In the end I got what I call a melee carrier set up. A highly manuverable carrier that is built for fighting within 2km of an enemy...if the ability to do that is eliminated I am not going to be too pleased. Additionally I hope the new system will still allow me to kill npc battleships while flying a shuttle...
As for ground I am all about being hardcore medic so I do not see that being affected too much.
In short I know change is inevitable and I do understand wanting to improve the new player experience, especially on a six-year old game. I am happy to see that it looks like there are going to be skills specific to carrier pilots as well, but I just want to be able to keep playing as a close-range manuverable carrier pilot that can solo elite story and foundry missions, and still be hard to take down in hard and elite group missions.
I also want to see my shuttle pilot still able to continue to be awesome....as well as continue being a tough medic to take down.
Though combinations of skills is something I am not too thrilled avout. As some have said they liked being able to invest in specific areas. I for one love my gravity well.
I guess there is nothing now but to wait and see...if it turns out well, then great...if not there are plenty of other mmos and games out there.
So let me get this straight, they claim that people cannot understand the current system as it is too complex, However people search for the complaints and do not find them now Cryptic is going to put in an even more confusing skill system I am a lifetime player and I have several reasons to quit this game now this adds another. so If this system is added I will be submitting a refund for the $1000 that I have put into this game. I will not stand by and take this BS from the dev's.
I believe that the line "Players Lose Nothing" from the Skill System Revamp blog will be the new tag line of infamy,
right up there with "Delta Rising is the best expansion ever, and the players love it".
Posted this in the tribble feedback thread, but I'm going to post it here as well as an expansion of my previous post here.
I've messed around with this new system a bit, so I'm just going to come right out and say it: this revamping of the skill system is an extremely bad idea.
The tree itself is an oversimplification that removes any subtle difference between players and the decision gates remove any option for people to be jack of all trades, instead forcing them to choose one style or ability over another.
Pets should not even be in the tree, as there are, to my knowledge, few if any ships with pets that aren't C-Store exclusive, and even if there are, why do tac officers need to have entire blocks dedicated to them?
I bought a LTS a few months ago after playing this game for over five years. Over the years I've seen some thing happen to this game that I've thought were bad decisions, but none of them, not even the removal of the Exploration clusters, were bad enough to make me want to drop this game. This one is. I don't like being railroaded and having my play options limited after having freedom to create for so long, and I suspect that a great many others feel the same.
Does this in any way affect me playing Space Barbie and flying around watching skittle-beams off the shoulder of Orion while going pewpewpew and making wooshing sounds at the door anytime I get up to go to the kitchen for more coffee?
Comments
Or cost expertise, that stuff is a joke by end game. I think every level 60 character I have has well over 10 million expertise.
[ Still Waiting for a Shiny New T6 Romulan Science Ship to Command ]
No!!! That's part of the soul of the game. We command crew. It has to be an actual concept ingame!
original join date 2010
Member: Team Trekyards. Visit Trekyards today!
IIRC, the whole reason they don't offer a "commit" button before you go and make the change is primarily the way the points are acquired now.
The system is built upon players reaching level 5, spending their first points in space and ground and then gaining more points for each level (every 5 for ground) and spending those points as they unlock them. Sure, once you reach the end, it becomes a hassle to respec and then have to click and purchase each power. A good piece of advice for people now would be once we have tribble unlocked for all character. COPY your toons over and TEST, TEST, TEST until you find the right build there that you like, screenshot it and save it for when it finally gets onto live so you know what you want.
Hmm, wasn't “Threatening Stance” an Unlock choice?
It's just like 'Attract Fire' on Engineering ships, I reckon.
original join date 2010
Member: Team Trekyards. Visit Trekyards today!
A: Time and again, we have received feedback from our players that the Skill System is unusually difficult to understand, and has done a poor job at helping players master the combat mechanics involved in Star Trek Online. In fact, even a basic level of understanding required a good amount of research and “tribal knowledge” that was difficult for players to obtain through game experience alone. For both the benefit of existing players, and to lessen the barrier to entry for new players starting their Star Trek Online experience, we felt it was necessary to simplify the system, improve the leveling experience, and de-mystify many of the underlying combat mechanics.
First time I heard that the current system is way too complex. I have checked the forums and twitter and cannot come up with a "single" complaint or feedback on this issue. Are there any numbers or data to support this point? Not speaking for anyone but myself...Why fix something that does not appear broken? I can site other numerous parts of the game that are beyond broken and well documented but not being fixed. Just curious.
#LegalizeAwoo
A normie goes "Oh, what's this?"
An otaku goes "UwU, what's this?"
A furry goes "OwO, what's this?"
A werewolf goes "Awoo, what's this?"
"It's nothing personal, I just don't feel like I've gotten to know a person until I've sniffed their crotch."
"We said 'no' to Mr. Curiosity. We're not home. Curiosity is not welcome, it is not to be invited in. Curiosity...is bad. It gets you in trouble, it gets you killed, and more importantly...it makes you poor!"
Right now, everyone gets it, but there is an unlock that reduces threat when you're not using it (and generates even more threat when you do.)
Anyway, it is sort of like Attract Fire without its -threat to allies part.
Two major points have not really been addressed.
1-ITEMS I have an item lets say deflector that gives +36 to ins, +24 flow, and +24 to the other. Now they are all one skill. Do i get +84 to that one skill? Do I get just one at +36? or one at +36 and two new ones, or do i get an average? Before you had skills that were used when you attacked and others to defend. Now you have one skill that does both and that is what we want to know about. Because and I guess you haven't thought this out much and it will effect builds. Now this mostly effest builds other than dps ones.
2-CRAFTING When the skill update takes place will the crafting system be updated as well, so the old skill adders will not come up. If you do not address this then the crafting system is basically useless again, because you will have items that can be rolled with no use in the game anymore, because the game will not know how to use those variables.
NOTE: that this also effets the upgrade system as well, because ultra rare adds a new modifier, which can be one of those old variables not in the game anymore.
These are simple direct questions that effect everyone in the game. It effects the basic play style to the most advanced. Right now people have upgrade tokens from the annversary event, and I'd like to think I'm an experienced player so should I finish leveling up R&D? These questions will effect the upcomming upgrade weekend and whether or not we should wait till the new skill revamp takes place because new maybe better items will come into play.
I listened to the interview that was given on the priority one podcast. He also mentioned something about coaxing us out of our comfort zones and trying to get us into trying something new, ergo the ultimates.
Maybe they just want to see more diversity in our play styles, maybe there's too many uber dps builds flyin around stompin all over poor their NPCs in less than a minute, maybe sales in respects were way too low last quarter and PWE is pitchin a real testy fit, Maybe they just want STO to be more like other popular MMOs, ( I read the skill tree revamp is like other MMOs somewhere). Who freakin knows.
I suspect they are simply doing what they think is best for the game. What's best for the game, might not be what every end game player wants. Older players like myself get used to the way some things are and sometimes we don't like our toys messed with, especially when it doesn't really offer US any readily foreseeable value.
But maybe it's geared to help newer players more. Maybe they are the ones they NEED to simplify it for, that's why at the moment you have to start from scratch to test it on tribble. We need more newer players too, (looks down at shoes and kicks the floor....) I suppose.
Anyway It's their sandbox, we only play in it. We best make peace with it, cause it's inbound.
If I may be so bold to offer a suggestion, go test the infernal thing on tribble. It's gonna happen despite what some of us think of it, it should at least be as bug free as possible. Maybe, we can help influence it at least in that regard.
Even if they make respects 100 zen, i have 18 toons all build different it will just cost me to much to play the way i want.
the respecs are staying put. So when you level up your fancy LTS toons, they'll still unlock.
However, it says something about eliminiting the need to worry about the "right" path...this concerns me because when I started playing I was told that as a science officer I needed to build my skills a certain way and I ignored all suggestions and built it the way I wanted. In the end I got what I call a melee carrier set up. A highly manuverable carrier that is built for fighting within 2km of an enemy...if the ability to do that is eliminated I am not going to be too pleased. Additionally I hope the new system will still allow me to kill npc battleships while flying a shuttle...
As for ground I am all about being hardcore medic so I do not see that being affected too much.
In short I know change is inevitable and I do understand wanting to improve the new player experience, especially on a six-year old game. I am happy to see that it looks like there are going to be skills specific to carrier pilots as well, but I just want to be able to keep playing as a close-range manuverable carrier pilot that can solo elite story and foundry missions, and still be hard to take down in hard and elite group missions.
I also want to see my shuttle pilot still able to continue to be awesome....as well as continue being a tough medic to take down.
Though combinations of skills is something I am not too thrilled avout. As some have said they liked being able to invest in specific areas. I for one love my gravity well.
I guess there is nothing now but to wait and see...if it turns out well, then great...if not there are plenty of other mmos and games out there.
right up there with "Delta Rising is the best expansion ever, and the players love it".
I've messed around with this new system a bit, so I'm just going to come right out and say it: this revamping of the skill system is an extremely bad idea.
The tree itself is an oversimplification that removes any subtle difference between players and the decision gates remove any option for people to be jack of all trades, instead forcing them to choose one style or ability over another.
Pets should not even be in the tree, as there are, to my knowledge, few if any ships with pets that aren't C-Store exclusive, and even if there are, why do tac officers need to have entire blocks dedicated to them?
I bought a LTS a few months ago after playing this game for over five years. Over the years I've seen some thing happen to this game that I've thought were bad decisions, but none of them, not even the removal of the Exploration clusters, were bad enough to make me want to drop this game. This one is. I don't like being railroaded and having my play options limited after having freedom to create for so long, and I suspect that a great many others feel the same.
Does this in any way affect me playing Space Barbie and flying around watching skittle-beams off the shoulder of Orion while going pewpewpew and making wooshing sounds at the door anytime I get up to go to the kitchen for more coffee?