I agree with everything you just said rattler2 but I still think there should be a way to attain an Ultra Rare Ship that players can build by finding R&D components that can only be retrieved on Task Force Operations like Kelvin timeline or Terran Empire Dreadnought starships you can also sell on the Exchange.
In order to not cut into lockbox stuff... it would have to be something seperate from that, and something that would take a while. Maybe have different components in different STFs.
Developers need to overhaul the reward system instead of giving players crafting materials use T6 ships like Kelvin Timeline or other Very Rare items that players won't be able to get easily.
just when I thought i heard it all from the entitlement generation...
And there are multiple ways this could be done. Things that can only be gotten from doing the STF, not as part of the reputation. Such as:
STF Exclusive vanity shields.
STF Exclusive Oufits.
STF Exclusive Pets.
STF Exclusive Weapons(can be the same as the reputation weapon, just with it's own skin)
STF Exclusive Armor(again, can be the same as the Rep armors, just with it's own skin)
All of which should not be bound. But, something that could be traded between characters.
But these are suggestions that have been made since they add reputations and removed things like this. Like the old MACO helm drop from the Borg STFs. So, don't ever expect to see this in game again. They alreayd ruined one of the suggestions to help the STF's. The rotating reward one, by making it do this STF with a crahp reward, to get even more of the same crahp rewards.
Developers need to overhaul the reward system instead of giving players crafting materials use T6 ships like Kelvin Timeline or other Very Rare items that players won't be able to get easily.
Given how hard Elites are to play with the changes on tribble with the Random STF changes, I do not think the devs want us to be playing elites.
So... how does that encourage people to queue up for STFs in general? How does that make it more accessable to casual players so they can improve? Everything in your post was directed more towards selfish ego stroking and encouraging sticking with particular groups.
If we want more people learning how to do elite... we need accessability. While I do agree it needs to be a challenge, there still needs to be some degree of accessability outside of a select few who can vape everything in two seconds.
Frankly... your suggestion would only make the current divide between hardcore and casual even bigger, eliciting more of an elitist attitude that does nothing more than foster the mindset of "GTFO my face and get gud n00b". What we need is for players to be more open to helping others who want to learn. Not driving them deeper into their DPS camps to chase numbers. We don't need more discrimination based on DPS and gear. We need opportunitites to learn and grow.
Lets face it... EVERYONE had to start somewhere. How will they grow without opportunities to learn without getting dissed on because "they don't measure up" immediately?
So... how does that encourage people to queue up for STFs in general? How does that make it more accessable to casual players so they can improve? Everything in your post was directed more towards selfish ego stroking and encouraging sticking with particular groups.
If we want more people learning how to do elite... we need accessability. While I do agree it needs to be a challenge, there still needs to be some degree of accessability outside of a select few who can vape everything in two seconds.
Frankly... your suggestion would only make the current divide between hardcore and casual even bigger, eliciting more of an elitist attitude that does nothing more than foster the mindset of "GTFO my face and get gud n00b". What we need is for players to be more open to helping others who want to learn. Not driving them deeper into their DPS camps to chase numbers. We don't need more discrimination based on DPS and gear. We need opportunitites to learn and grow.
Lets face it... EVERYONE had to start somewhere. How will they grow without opportunities to learn without getting dissed on because "they don't measure up" immediately?
THIS^
Now we'll likely disagree on the 'how' but absolutely this, 'accessibility at all" . Let's face facts here, the story missions don't do a damn thing to prep you for running any of the queues, but how people get disgruntled? they jump, unprepared, into Advanced or Elite runs and get AFK penalties, or blow the run for everyone and get fishslapped with the most toxic invective possible by the other players, or get tossed on ignore lists, or all of the above.
The fact is, the job isn't finished when you can start an 'Advanced' with no preparation whatsoever, and if you jump in to Korfez with your 'endgame storyline build' you're going to have a bad experience, and if you do it a second time, you'll wind up on someone's 'ignore' list while getting that bad time.
The solution is counter-intuitive;
gatekeep the damn levels. Pass the Normals with all options, you can line up for the Advanced, pass the advanced with all options, and you can do the elite-within a given storyline set. (Gamma, Iconian, Temporal, Omega, etc. etc.)
reset the Rep store to have "lower tier" versions of the relevant sTF gear (MK X or something) for "Normal" players who haven't gotten to the point of being ready for Advanced, and Mid-level for Advanced players working on getting their 'Elite', (Mk XII), and finally top-tier gear for the guys who are up there to play Elites because they've got through the "Normal" and the "Advanced" first, give 'em slightly different 'special visuals' and you're set-a reasonable progression to gain access to elites, and a reason to do so.
The system use to be in place for this, but they removed it. The player use to have to complete normal, with the optional, to unlock advanced. Then the same for advanced to unlock elite. Which was good, since it meant you could have a bit of trust in even a PUG team knowing how to do the STF at the higher difficulties.
Now we have the queque system, where anyone level 50 can jump into them at any difficulty, whether they know the STF or not. Add to that they reputation system, where once you're done with it, there's no need to bother running anything. Now we're getting the TFO(Totally Fubar Operations), where they want you to do the STFs, for the same crahp reward, with extra crahp rewards tacked on.
Which means, once people are done with the T6 reps and have what they want from them, the queues are going to be just as dead as they were before.
> @pryor#5476 said:
> As a NOOB myself, what keeps us out was the lack of Inventory & Bank space, the Elite Que's require specific builds, if you don't have the space for it....... then you don't have it............ NOW I have the space for it with the Starter Pack I got, but without that space for all these builds you need for Elite........ it's out of reach for a Noob.
No content in the game requires any specific build.
QFT
I have experience with builds that others would call sub-optimal and they get me through whatever I want to get through. Of course none of them are DPS machines, but I don't need a DPS machine.
Now a LTS and loving it.
Just because you spend money on this game, it does not entitle you to be a jerk if things don't go your way.
I have come to the conclusion that I have a memory like Etch-A-Sketch. I shake my head and forget everything.
I have experience with builds that others would call sub-optimal and they get me through whatever I want to get through. Of course none of them are DPS machines, but I don't need a DPS machine.
I'm with you there. My basic cruiser builds are well balanced. They don't vape things, but in most content I don't get vaped either. It actually feels like a battle, which makes it fun. And in parts of Korfez it actually works pretty well. Specifically NOT the Benthan Wave though. No one likes the Benthan Wave. lol
I may not be da uber blaster, but I can hold my own in most situations. My strength is flexability. And in a good team... that flexability is an asset as if someone needs a heal I can throw one their way if they're in range.
I am experimenting with a phaser build though on a Recon Destroyer so I can try and push at least one ship in DPS. But that's not because I NEED to for any particular content. But because I WANT to for fun.
> @pryor#5476 said:
> As a NOOB myself, what keeps us out was the lack of Inventory & Bank space, the Elite Que's require specific builds, if you don't have the space for it....... then you don't have it............ NOW I have the space for it with the Starter Pack I got, but without that space for all these builds you need for Elite........ it's out of reach for a Noob.
No content in the game requires any specific build.
> @pryor#5476 said:
> As a NOOB myself, what keeps us out was the lack of Inventory & Bank space, the Elite Que's require specific builds, if you don't have the space for it....... then you don't have it............ NOW I have the space for it with the Starter Pack I got, but without that space for all these builds you need for Elite........ it's out of reach for a Noob.
No content in the game requires any specific build.
QFT
I have experience with builds that others would call sub-optimal and they get me through whatever I want to get through. Of course none of them are DPS machines, but I don't need a DPS machine.
I only half agree with that as some of the content has a minimum build level to work. Just about any build style can work but you do need to hit a certain baseline depending on the content. Sub-optimal is ok up to a point but if you drop to far into sub-optimal you are not pulling your weight and other people have to do extra work to make up for your own setup. Trying to run some of the harder content with everyone doing Sub-optimal below the baseline can be challenging if not impossible. To me suboptimal is fine as long as you are above the baseline.
I would never tell someone to run a specific build but I do expect team mates to be above the minimum build level needed and above the minimum DPS needed.
gatekeep the damn levels. Pass the Normals with all options, you can line up for the Advanced, pass the advanced with all options, and you can do the elite-within a given storyline set. (Gamma, Iconian, Temporal, Omega, etc. etc.)
You forget why they axed that. Getting the optional does not require YOU to know what you're doing it just requires keeping the enemy busy while a team mate completes the mission for you.
gatekeep the damn levels. Pass the Normals with all options, you can line up for the Advanced, pass the advanced with all options, and you can do the elite-within a given storyline set. (Gamma, Iconian, Temporal, Omega, etc. etc.)
You forget why they axed that. Getting the optional does not require YOU to know what you're doing it just requires keeping the enemy busy while a team mate completes the mission for you.
it still requires you to find/hook up with that teammate, and even passing normal requires you at least can UNDERSTAND the map.
'build quality' isn't as important as "Knowing what you need to do." 99% of failed missions happen because the players don't understand what they're supposed to do. Particularly in Advanced and above. you can run Advanced successfully (most of them) with MkX White gear on a free ship, if you know what to do.
On NORMAL? 50% of PUG get optionals on Normal because most of the people know what's going on. It'd take dedicated bad playing to not get it by luck just from pugging. Conduit? Fly around and shoot the things! As long as your team mates make an effort to kill probes the optional is taken care of! And so on....
The elite STF (or whatever they are going to be called) should have a chance (like 1-5%) at giving lobi's, around 1-5 each time your rng favors you.
Yes this will cut into PW's profits, but with such a low chance to get and only obtainable from elite lvl's, it shouldn't be too much of a cut. Can even go one step more, and put in a precipitation system and have that 1-5% chance only count if you've done like 15-20% of the mission. So it'll keep people from afk farming lobi.
No content in the game requires any specific build.
Well...... not required, but needed.
Let's say the the Elite against the Voth....
With my DrainX Tetyron or Couter Command build....... I'll die too many times.
SAME SHIP
My EPG build with Protonic Polaron Turrets [CrtH]x3 & 3 piece Grav Torp will DUST them Voth Ship before they can do any serious damage, just fly your ship into the middle of them on Scatter Volley & Torp Spread nearly cleanses half the map.
Try that same build in Undine Rep Que and it barely does anything.
Once I finished that rep I had no choice but to discard those protonic turrets, that was back when MK14 was max, MK15 would be far more leathal.
So if you expect a NOOB to have ALL these builds.....
1 for fighting Heralds
1 for fighting Voth
1 for fighting Undine
And what ever else there is....... just not enough space to keep them all.
Got TO get em all...... GOT TO GET EM ALL.....
If we are talking about space I found you do not really need to change builds as long as the build is good enough. For the most part I use the same build for all content and that's a mine layer without any problems. Before that I ran a torpedo boat again no problem. At least in space it doesn't seem worth while to keep changing setups based on what you fight. Well I change setups for fun not because its a set enemy. I do sometimes make minor tweaks like swapping a speed console in for Breach runs.
For ground its a little different I do find some maps need certain elements of a set build.
No content in the game requires any specific build.
Well...... not required, but needed.
Let's say the the Elite against the Voth....
With my DrainX Tetyron or Couter Command build....... I'll die too many times.
SAME SHIP
My EPG build with Protonic Polaron Turrets [CrtH]x3 & 3 piece Grav Torp will DUST them Voth Ship before they can do any serious damage, just fly your ship into the middle of them on Scatter Volley & Torp Spread nearly cleanses half the map.
Try that same build in Undine Rep Que and it barely does anything.
Once I finished that rep I had no choice but to discard those protonic turrets, that was back when MK14 was max, MK15 would be far more leathal.
So if you expect a NOOB to have ALL these builds.....
1 for fighting Heralds
1 for fighting Voth
1 for fighting Undine
And what ever else there is....... just not enough space to keep them all.
Got TO get em all...... GOT TO GET EM ALL.....
No, he was right. You don't need different builds for all those enemies, you just need one good build or just even one 'non trash' build.
You struggle because you don't know what you're doing, and you don't listen. That simple.
'build quality' isn't as important as "Knowing what you need to do." 99% of failed missions happen because the players don't understand what they're supposed to do. Particularly in Advanced and above. you can run Advanced successfully (most of them) with MkX White gear on a free ship, if you know what to do.
Oh if only that were true.
You can easily type to a player to 'rescue ships' or 'power up satellites.'
They just can't do it because they're always dead. Sometimes it's a combination of bad build and not knowing what to do, but most of the time it's just bad builds. The queues are pretty straight forward most of the time.. you just can't complete objectives when you're dead.
No content in the game requires any specific build.
Well...... not required, but needed.
Let's say the the Elite against the Voth....
With my DrainX Tetyron or Couter Command build....... I'll die too many times.
SAME SHIP
My EPG build with Protonic Polaron Turrets [CrtH]x3 & 3 piece Grav Torp will DUST them Voth Ship before they can do any serious damage, just fly your ship into the middle of them on Scatter Volley & Torp Spread nearly cleanses half the map.
Try that same build in Undine Rep Que and it barely does anything.
Once I finished that rep I had no choice but to discard those protonic turrets, that was back when MK14 was max, MK15 would be far more leathal.
So if you expect a NOOB to have ALL these builds.....
1 for fighting Heralds
1 for fighting Voth
1 for fighting Undine
And what ever else there is....... just not enough space to keep them all.
Got TO get em all...... GOT TO GET EM ALL.....
No, he was right. You don't need different builds for all those enemies, you just need one good build or just even one 'non trash' build.
You struggle because you don't know what you're doing, and you don't listen. That simple.
'build quality' isn't as important as "Knowing what you need to do." 99% of failed missions happen because the players don't understand what they're supposed to do. Particularly in Advanced and above. you can run Advanced successfully (most of them) with MkX White gear on a free ship, if you know what to do.
Oh if only that were true.
You can easily type to a player to 'rescue ships' or 'power up satellites.'
They just can't do it because they're always dead. Sometimes it's a combination of bad build and not knowing what to do, but most of the time it's just bad builds. The queues are pretty straight forward most of the time.. you just can't complete objectives when you're dead.
Then when they do respawn after the long timer due to all those deaths they don’t repair the large stack of critical damage or listen to people in chat pointing out the ship has major damage.
No content in the game requires any specific build.
Well...... not required, but needed.
Let's say the the Elite against the Voth....
With my DrainX Tetyron or Couter Command build....... I'll die too many times.
SAME SHIP
My EPG build with Protonic Polaron Turrets [CrtH]x3 & 3 piece Grav Torp will DUST them Voth Ship before they can do any serious damage, just fly your ship into the middle of them on Scatter Volley & Torp Spread nearly cleanses half the map.
Try that same build in Undine Rep Que and it barely does anything.
Once I finished that rep I had no choice but to discard those protonic turrets, that was back when MK14 was max, MK15 would be far more leathal.
So if you expect a NOOB to have ALL these builds.....
1 for fighting Heralds
1 for fighting Voth
1 for fighting Undine
And what ever else there is....... just not enough space to keep them all.
Got TO get em all...... GOT TO GET EM ALL.....
No, he was right. You don't need different builds for all those enemies, you just need one good build or just even one 'non trash' build.
You struggle because you don't know what you're doing, and you don't listen. That simple.
'build quality' isn't as important as "Knowing what you need to do." 99% of failed missions happen because the players don't understand what they're supposed to do. Particularly in Advanced and above. you can run Advanced successfully (most of them) with MkX White gear on a free ship, if you know what to do.
Oh if only that were true.
You can easily type to a player to 'rescue ships' or 'power up satellites.'
They just can't do it because they're always dead. Sometimes it's a combination of bad build and not knowing what to do, but most of the time it's just bad builds. The queues are pretty straight forward most of the time.. you just can't complete objectives when you're dead.
Then when they do respawn after the long timer due to all those deaths they don’t repair the large stack of critical damage or listen to people in chat pointing out the ship has major damage.
My 2 cents,and I'll likely owe someone some GPL on top of it.
One of the biggest problems that I myself have seen with pugging Elite, or even advanced isn't the sub-optimal builds, or lack of knowledge of the STFs by the "noobs", (wait I mean "newbs", "noobs" are always a problem). It is the elitist attitude of the "experts".
To clarify. I never considered myself and advanced player, and I still don't, however, after pugging a number of advanced ques during events and regularly placing in the top three I decided to try my hand at running advanced ques, usually selecting whichever one showed that is was likely to pop within a decent amount of time.
I always immediately put into the team chat that I was not experienced at that que and asked for advice on what I should do, so no one that actually bothered to read the team chat would be expecting great and glorious things out of me. Around 80% of the time (just a guess, could have been a bit less or a bit more), there would be absolutely no response so I would read the briefing if there was one and then do my best. During most of those, before the mission was even halfway done there would be at least one, usually at least two, and sometimes all four, of the other players bitching and griping about my performance, or lack thereof, and the only "advice" any of them would give would be to delete STO from my computer.
I am quite thick skinned but even so, the extreme toxicity received made me give up on pugging anything other than normals.
Not everyone was like that. There were numerous times that someone would respond to my initial statement and would give me some quick pointers, or even say something like "follow me and shoot at what I do, just try not to shoot at "x" until the end ", and a number of those people would even PM with me after the que and give some game play pointers. Some would stick up for me in team chat when others would start bashing me, I even had one guy that went and bought some relatively expensive gear off the exchange and give it to me after finding out what I was running with. Unfortunately those players were way too few and far between to make up for the others, which made running ques no fun at all.
If there were a lot less of the toxic elitist types and more of the experienced helpful players I think ques would be a lot more fun for everyone, they would get played more and more "newbs" would turn into valued team members for ques. As it currently stands, a lot of players would rather not run ques at all than deal with the attitudes of the other players, or, like me, only run ques other than red alerts when in a pre made team of friends or Fleeties.
Additional ext to feed the edit monster... for purposes of this post "Newbs" are new(er) players who are still learning the game, they will eventually get better. "Noobs" however, might be new, or might have been playing since launch and for one reason or another will never, ever, get better at the game and generally play as if someone started the game and htne set their keyboard down so their cat could walk all over the keyboard.
The elite STF (or whatever they are going to be called) should have a chance (like 1-5%) at giving lobi's, around 1-5 each time your rng favors you.
Yes this will cut into PW's profits...
Which is why it will never happen. Hell... when we get the FE Replays once in a blue moon, we don't even get the daily lobi from that anymore.
One of the biggest problems that I myself have seen with pugging Elite, or even advanced isn't the sub-optimal builds, or lack of knowledge of the STFs by the "noobs", (wait I mean "newbs", "noobs" are always a problem). It is the elitist attitude of the "experts".
I'd have to agree a bit on this point. Elitest attitudes are a problem. The second you are not performing up to a percieved standard imposed by one of those kind of people... you don't get helpful advice to improve with. You get vitriol and venom that beats you down and makes you LESS inclined to try and improve.
Every once in a while I still hear people trying to impose the 5 km rule on Donatra in Kitomer. Problem is... it doesn't work anymore. She cloaks whenever she wants. It has nothing to do with how close anyone is anymore. The only 5 km rule left in the game honestly is fighting the Borg Queen's Diamond because that Aceton blast she does is nasty. And I believe the Temporal Dreads the Terrans have can freeze your ship in time if they're within 5 km.
My 2 cents,and I'll likely owe someone some GPL on top of it.
One of the biggest problems that I myself have seen with pugging Elite, or even advanced isn't the sub-optimal builds, or lack of knowledge of the STFs by the "noobs", (wait I mean "newbs", "noobs" are always a problem). It is the elitist attitude of the "experts".
To clarify. I never considered myself and advanced player, and I still don't, however, after pugging a number of advanced ques during events and regularly placing in the top three I decided to try my hand at running advanced ques, usually selecting whichever one showed that is was likely to pop within a decent amount of time.
I always immediately put into the team chat that I was not experienced at that que and asked for advice on what I should do, so no one that actually bothered to read the team chat would be expecting great and glorious things out of me. Around 80% of the time (just a guess, could have been a bit less or a bit more), there would be absolutely no response so I would read the briefing if there was one and then do my best. During most of those, before the mission was even halfway done there would be at least one, usually at least two, and sometimes all four, of the other players bitching and griping about my performance, or lack thereof, and the only "advice" any of them would give would be to delete STO from my computer.
I am quite thick skinned but even so, the extreme toxicity received made me give up on pugging anything other than normals.
Thing is, those people aren't actually the experts at all. No real expert pugs a queue and whines about the performance of the randos, because part of being an expert is understanding that pugs with no entry requirements are always going to be unreliable and knowing what queues can and can't be done with an unreliable team.
Don't tell them you're inexperienced, just go in there and do your best like everyone else. Reading the briefings already puts you above the usual suspects who just fumble in and don't even care. The real experts won't care if you're a bit behind, because they can solo Advanced content. And the wannabes won't notice if you don't tell them, because despite their high opinions of themselves they aren't that good.
If you do need advice, ask somewhere else. People who have advice to give will have time to give it with no briefing timer ticking down, and you avoid the whiney bravado of wannabes who are just upset they didn't get some DPS monster to carry them.
Quite frankly, Advanced isn't noticeably harder than Normal since they removed the fail conditions. It just takes longer for low-DPS teams because enemies have more HP.
f we are talking about space I found you do not really need to change builds as long as the build is good enough. For the most part I use the same build for all content and that's a mine layer without any problems. Before that I ran a torpedo boat again no problem. At least in space it doesn't seem worth while to keep changing setups based on what you fight. Well I change setups for fun not because its a set enemy. I do sometimes make minor tweaks like swapping a speed console in for Breach runs.
For ground its a little different I do find some maps need certain elements of a set build.
It's pretty easy to swap a few boff powers for space or a kit module or two for ground.
Comments
In order to not cut into lockbox stuff... it would have to be something seperate from that, and something that would take a while. Maybe have different components in different STFs.
just when I thought i heard it all from the entitlement generation...
And there are multiple ways this could be done. Things that can only be gotten from doing the STF, not as part of the reputation. Such as:
STF Exclusive vanity shields.
STF Exclusive Oufits.
STF Exclusive Pets.
STF Exclusive Weapons(can be the same as the reputation weapon, just with it's own skin)
STF Exclusive Armor(again, can be the same as the Rep armors, just with it's own skin)
All of which should not be bound. But, something that could be traded between characters.
But these are suggestions that have been made since they add reputations and removed things like this. Like the old MACO helm drop from the Borg STFs. So, don't ever expect to see this in game again. They alreayd ruined one of the suggestions to help the STF's. The rotating reward one, by making it do this STF with a crahp reward, to get even more of the same crahp rewards.
So?
“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” -- Benjamin Franklin
If we want more people learning how to do elite... we need accessability. While I do agree it needs to be a challenge, there still needs to be some degree of accessability outside of a select few who can vape everything in two seconds.
Frankly... your suggestion would only make the current divide between hardcore and casual even bigger, eliciting more of an elitist attitude that does nothing more than foster the mindset of "GTFO my face and get gud n00b". What we need is for players to be more open to helping others who want to learn. Not driving them deeper into their DPS camps to chase numbers. We don't need more discrimination based on DPS and gear. We need opportunitites to learn and grow.
Lets face it... EVERYONE had to start somewhere. How will they grow without opportunities to learn without getting dissed on because "they don't measure up" immediately?
The system use to be in place for this, but they removed it. The player use to have to complete normal, with the optional, to unlock advanced. Then the same for advanced to unlock elite. Which was good, since it meant you could have a bit of trust in even a PUG team knowing how to do the STF at the higher difficulties.
Now we have the queque system, where anyone level 50 can jump into them at any difficulty, whether they know the STF or not. Add to that they reputation system, where once you're done with it, there's no need to bother running anything. Now we're getting the TFO(Totally Fubar Operations), where they want you to do the STFs, for the same crahp reward, with extra crahp rewards tacked on.
Which means, once people are done with the T6 reps and have what they want from them, the queues are going to be just as dead as they were before.
QFT
I have experience with builds that others would call sub-optimal and they get me through whatever I want to get through. Of course none of them are DPS machines, but I don't need a DPS machine.
I'm with you there. My basic cruiser builds are well balanced. They don't vape things, but in most content I don't get vaped either. It actually feels like a battle, which makes it fun. And in parts of Korfez it actually works pretty well. Specifically NOT the Benthan Wave though. No one likes the Benthan Wave. lol
I may not be da uber blaster, but I can hold my own in most situations. My strength is flexability. And in a good team... that flexability is an asset as if someone needs a heal I can throw one their way if they're in range.
I am experimenting with a phaser build though on a Recon Destroyer so I can try and push at least one ship in DPS. But that's not because I NEED to for any particular content. But because I WANT to for fun.
I would never tell someone to run a specific build but I do expect team mates to be above the minimum build level needed and above the minimum DPS needed.
My character Tsin'xing
If you like elite, fine, but not everyone plays elite. I'd wager more people play normal/advanced rather than elite.
My character Tsin'xing
Yes this will cut into PW's profits, but with such a low chance to get and only obtainable from elite lvl's, it shouldn't be too much of a cut. Can even go one step more, and put in a precipitation system and have that 1-5% chance only count if you've done like 15-20% of the mission. So it'll keep people from afk farming lobi.
For ground its a little different I do find some maps need certain elements of a set build.
No, he was right. You don't need different builds for all those enemies, you just need one good build or just even one 'non trash' build.
You struggle because you don't know what you're doing, and you don't listen. That simple.
Oh if only that were true.
You can easily type to a player to 'rescue ships' or 'power up satellites.'
They just can't do it because they're always dead. Sometimes it's a combination of bad build and not knowing what to do, but most of the time it's just bad builds. The queues are pretty straight forward most of the time.. you just can't complete objectives when you're dead.
Yes.. that too!
One of the biggest problems that I myself have seen with pugging Elite, or even advanced isn't the sub-optimal builds, or lack of knowledge of the STFs by the "noobs", (wait I mean "newbs", "noobs" are always a problem). It is the elitist attitude of the "experts".
To clarify. I never considered myself and advanced player, and I still don't, however, after pugging a number of advanced ques during events and regularly placing in the top three I decided to try my hand at running advanced ques, usually selecting whichever one showed that is was likely to pop within a decent amount of time.
I always immediately put into the team chat that I was not experienced at that que and asked for advice on what I should do, so no one that actually bothered to read the team chat would be expecting great and glorious things out of me. Around 80% of the time (just a guess, could have been a bit less or a bit more), there would be absolutely no response so I would read the briefing if there was one and then do my best. During most of those, before the mission was even halfway done there would be at least one, usually at least two, and sometimes all four, of the other players bitching and griping about my performance, or lack thereof, and the only "advice" any of them would give would be to delete STO from my computer.
I am quite thick skinned but even so, the extreme toxicity received made me give up on pugging anything other than normals.
Not everyone was like that. There were numerous times that someone would respond to my initial statement and would give me some quick pointers, or even say something like "follow me and shoot at what I do, just try not to shoot at "x" until the end ", and a number of those people would even PM with me after the que and give some game play pointers. Some would stick up for me in team chat when others would start bashing me, I even had one guy that went and bought some relatively expensive gear off the exchange and give it to me after finding out what I was running with. Unfortunately those players were way too few and far between to make up for the others, which made running ques no fun at all.
If there were a lot less of the toxic elitist types and more of the experienced helpful players I think ques would be a lot more fun for everyone, they would get played more and more "newbs" would turn into valued team members for ques. As it currently stands, a lot of players would rather not run ques at all than deal with the attitudes of the other players, or, like me, only run ques other than red alerts when in a pre made team of friends or Fleeties.
Additional ext to feed the edit monster... for purposes of this post "Newbs" are new(er) players who are still learning the game, they will eventually get better. "Noobs" however, might be new, or might have been playing since launch and for one reason or another will never, ever, get better at the game and generally play as if someone started the game and htne set their keyboard down so their cat could walk all over the keyboard.
Which is why it will never happen. Hell... when we get the FE Replays once in a blue moon, we don't even get the daily lobi from that anymore.
I'd have to agree a bit on this point. Elitest attitudes are a problem. The second you are not performing up to a percieved standard imposed by one of those kind of people... you don't get helpful advice to improve with. You get vitriol and venom that beats you down and makes you LESS inclined to try and improve.
Every once in a while I still hear people trying to impose the 5 km rule on Donatra in Kitomer. Problem is... it doesn't work anymore. She cloaks whenever she wants. It has nothing to do with how close anyone is anymore. The only 5 km rule left in the game honestly is fighting the Borg Queen's Diamond because that Aceton blast she does is nasty. And I believe the Temporal Dreads the Terrans have can freeze your ship in time if they're within 5 km.
Don't tell them you're inexperienced, just go in there and do your best like everyone else. Reading the briefings already puts you above the usual suspects who just fumble in and don't even care. The real experts won't care if you're a bit behind, because they can solo Advanced content. And the wannabes won't notice if you don't tell them, because despite their high opinions of themselves they aren't that good.
If you do need advice, ask somewhere else. People who have advice to give will have time to give it with no briefing timer ticking down, and you avoid the whiney bravado of wannabes who are just upset they didn't get some DPS monster to carry them.
Quite frankly, Advanced isn't noticeably harder than Normal since they removed the fail conditions. It just takes longer for low-DPS teams because enemies have more HP.
My character Tsin'xing