The following list contains details pertaining the problems with the current Crafting/Item Upgrading system, as well as suggested solutions. I'll be as simple and straightforward as possible. I welcome feedback, but I will not be monitoring this thread much. For all intents and purposes, I'm just going to refer to the current system as "item crafting". These suggested solutions can also be implemented without a serious overhaul (as far as I know)
Advancing to Tier 2 and Tier 3--
There is presently no way of determining how far someone is in progressing to Tier 2 and Tier 3 in their item crafting. The ceiling required has been, as far as I have read in forums and guides, undefined.
Why this needs to be corrected:
People need to have an understanding of where they are at with their item crafting so that they may budget credits and store bank items accordingly. I found myself with a bank full of Tier 1 Data Samples (because they are gathered ALLLLL over the place in exploration missions), only to find that they were worthless because I would be finished with Tier 1 very quickly.
How to correct this:
Provide players with a simple dialogue function when they interact with NPC's that tells them how much more than need to create in order to advance to the next tier. This might require a little change in phrasing, because currently, the Tier 3 people will not help me because they are "too busy".
Tough cookies. I'm an admiral, and they are commanders. If I wanted to, I could just order them to help me.
Component Requirements for New Items--
Many upgrade require you to first obtain a "base" item of Common value.
Why this needs to be corrected:
As the economy stands at the time of this posting, common items (such as the Deflector Array Mk VI) are more valuable than the Rare value item you ultimately receive. It isn't a small amount either, but rather 100% to 150% higher in value. This is caused by such an enormous demand because there is no reliable or consistent source for these components other than the exchange.
How to correct this:
There are a couple of ways to correct this, but here are the two most popular ones that I have discussed.
-Make these common components available for purchase through regular vendors in the Sol System, Sierra Outpost, or DS9.
-Allow players to use Tier 1 Data Samples to purchase the common Tier 2 item components.
The second suggestion is the most popular because it allows people to use all their obsolete data samples from a previous tier and still keep them useful. A required stipulation is that the items must be worth 0 credits in value, so someone cannot purchase 3,000 credits worth of data samples only to sell the product for 10,000 credits at a vendor. It would damage the economy.
Amount of Crafting Required--
Players need to create nearly 4 times as many components as their ships/officers can even hold!
Why this is a problem:
It makes the item crafting nearly worthless or to serve no other purpose than to drive up the cost of things on the exchange. By time players farm up enough data samples/money/uncommon components to work on their crafting, they have already advanced in rank, or gathered BETTER items from their normal missions/fleet actions/PvP.
How to correct this:
I know the game just came out and still needs to have the numbers tweaked a bit. So my suggestion is to lower to requirements to advance in Tiers, or to significantly reduce the requirement once the player reaches a certain rank. Or better yet, just base it off the players rank to begin with. As I have mentioned before, I'm a bloody admiral. I shouldn't have to be told, "Sorry, I'm busy. Go see my secretary" but some chump little Commander.