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Minor Issues that Impede Game Enjoyment

SystemSystem Member, NoReporting Posts: 178,019 Arc User
This is to discuss my displeasure with a few of those “minor cosmetic issues.” Many of you will not be concerned, and that’s fine. Yes, I can still do missions. Yes, I can still blast Klingons, collect experience and continue leveling. That’s not the point – the point is that nagging that knowing I’m not playing the way I want to play. This dissatisfaction isn't like the momentary "Oh - I can't complete this mission because it's bugged - its the non-stop dissatisfaction flying a ship whose name I am not happy with, beaming down with a crew I'm not happy with, etc. I’m not a heavy role-player, and I don’t want the game to change in order to accommodate my logic – I’m wanting the game to accommodate me in accordance with its own game logic and the options that are supposed to be supported. You’ve sold me a product that I am proud to purchase, but I continue to be hampered in overall gameplay enjoyment and I’d like to raise these issues in order to perhaps elevate them one Cryptic’s “Things to Do” list.

1) Bridge Officer Uniforms. I know this has been brought up before. I’m bringing it up again. Please get this fixed. I’ve already gone through the portion of the game where I planned on enjoying TOS uniforms on my crew, and it’s all wasted now.

2a) Ship Names. I can buy a ship for Energy Credits. I can send my crew out on the hull and repaint the ship for Energy Credits. Why in the world do I have to spend those precious Merits to rename the ship? Especially in light of the following:
I purchased the Gamestop version so that I may fly the old-school Constitution class. This ship is NOT available immediately when I create my character and ship name – so I *MUST* spend my free “rename” in order to play the game in the ship that I want to play. At Lieutenant Commander, if I want to “continue the legacy” into the revamped Constitution class heavy cruiser I have to either rename the old ship first, or dismiss it. This now costs 3000 Merits, which I simply don’t have and cannot afford. I also don’t believe that I should be forced to dismiss a ship that I paid good money to have attached to my account.

I understand the concept of making me “sacrifice” something to control rabid renames, etc., but unfortunately this greatly impacts the ability of me to play the game the way I want to play it. My rationale for my ship and crew fits purely inside both standard Trek lore and STO rules, but the cost is too grievous and unnecessary.

Proposed fix: There’s no reason the cost of renaming the ship should be in Merits. Either reduce the cost, or change the currency required to Energy. Another option would be to make the 'index value' tied to the ship number instead of the name, so that I could have every ship named Valiant, but the unique identifier would be the NCC number (Plain, -A, -B, etc.)

2b) More on Ship Names. When attempting to change the name of my ship, I am allowed to select the Name and the prefix number. Again, in keeping with my own internal gameplay lore, the ship is going to be USS Whatever, NCC Whatever-A (Yep – just like in the movies! Yay!) Because of the rename restriction above (can’t have two ships same name), you won’t change my ship name, but you allowed the number change to go through. Why is this an issue? Because it just triggered the incremental cost increase for when I actually DO get to name my ship what I want!! What the hey? You’re punishing me with increasingly stiff costs for options you've given me and I shouldn’t be paying for.

Proposed fix: Either the system tells me in advance that only half the rename is going to go through and asks if I want to continue, else it fails the entire rename, not just part of it. Or, convert the currency from Merits to Energy as discussed above.

I love the game! I’ve spent a lot of good money in order to utilize all the options you’ve made available to me. I’d just like to use those options, please. Thank you!
Post edited by baddmoonrizin on

Comments

  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    I haven't had a problem with it. In fact I am naming my ships as I originally planned before I even knew about the cost. I just add a number to the end of the ship name and no renaming necessary.

    If you wanted to spend energy instead, couldn't you just buy a new ship instead of spending merits?
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Medwynd wrote: »
    I haven't had a problem with it. In fact I am naming my ships as I originally planned before I even knew about the cost. I just add a number to the end of the ship name and no renaming necessary.

    If you wanted to spend energy instead, couldn't you just buy a new ship instead of spending merits?

    In accordance with Trek lore, the ships weren't named Enterprise, Enterprise-A, etc. The ships were all named Enterprise - it was the NCC numbers that changed - 1701, 1701-A, 1701-B, etc. The crew would address the ships as Enterprise A, etc, but that's not how the markings on the hull were set up. Also note that the game also supports this by allowing you to set the suffix letter. Again, if the index value (how the game identifies the uniqueness of an item) was the NCC number and not the name itself this would all be moot.

    Buying a new ship does not address the naming issues, and I don't feel I should be forced to spend 20,500 energy for a new ship over something that shouldn't be this complicated to begin with.
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