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Item drops *DEVS READ*

SystemSystem Member, NoReporting Posts: 178,019 Arc User
The "item drops" that happens in this game is pretty much pointless. I don't even understand why devs decided to implement it into the game in the first place.

Say we're doing PvE combat in either space on away mission. I kill an enemy, the enemy drops something. From here, there's a few things could happen:

1. I see the drop, I think oh a drop - it's probably just a worthless piece of recovery item.
2. The drop spawned far away from me on ground, I have to go and fetch it.
3. My teammate sees a drop and is annoyed that I got the drop and they didn't.
4. My teammate sees a drop and is annoyed that I got the drop and they didn't because I'm an escort and do most DPS and therefore gets the drop while they were the cruiser/science kept me alive and get nothing.
5. The drop spawned far away from me in space, I have to go and get it.
6. The drop spawned behind me and far away from me in space, I have to go and get it.
7. The drop spawned behind me and far away from me in space, I have to go and get it.
8. The drop spawned 9.93km away from me behind me in space, I'm flying a T3/T4 cruiser that has the agility of a brick.
9. My teammates sees that the drop spawned 9.93km away from me behind me in space, I'm flying a T3/T4 cruiser that has the agility of a brick and decide to wait for me. They then go afk doing something else because they know that it will take me at least 4-5 mins to turn 360, get the thing, 360 again and get back to them.
10. My teammates sees that the drop spawned 9.93km away from me behind me in space, I'm flying a T3/T4 cruiser that has the agility of a brick and decide to not to wait for me. I miss a whole chuck of combat doing this.
11. The drop was an useless recovery item. Blood pressure rising.

The point is, this whole thing adds nothing to game and is nothing but an complete *nuisance* to the players. The only single reason I can see for this to be in game, is the FREE FOR ALL drop distribution mode on party settings. Or if the player already has an full inventory in which it gives the player choice to make room for the dropped item. There's nothing else at all.

The original thing is "players expect to get some sort of material reward when they defeat an enemy". The realistic thing would be "search the body / scavenge the wreck for things" which is too tedious and grindish, so it's just been abstracted to "enemy may drop pickable loot when defeated". This is just rubbish too. On STO, the glowing yellow geometric object that magically materializes when you down an enemy does not really add to gameplay or immersion in any way. It's as mentioned only a nuisance.

Just make the items go directly to the players inventory and get over with it. This is just frustrating.
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Lotti wrote:
    The "item drops" that happens in this game is pretty much pointless. I don't even understand why devs decided to implement it into the game in the first place.

    Say we're doing PvE combat in either space on away mission. I kill an enemy, the enemy drops something. From here, there's a few things could happen:

    1. I see the drop, I think oh a drop - it's probably just a worthless piece of recovery item.
    2. The drop spawned far away from me on ground, I have to go and fetch it.
    3. My teammate sees a drop and is annoyed that I got the drop and they didn't.
    4. My teammate sees a drop and is annoyed that I got the drop and they didn't because I'm an escort and do most DPS and therefore gets the drop while they were the cruiser/science kept me alive and get nothing.
    5. The drop spawned far away from me in space, I have to go and get it.
    6. The drop spawned behind me and far away from me in space, I have to go and get it.
    7. The drop spawned behind me and far away from me in space, I have to go and get it.
    8. The drop spawned 9.93km away from me behind me in space, I'm flying a T3/T4 cruiser that has the agility of a brick.
    9. My teammates sees that the drop spawned 9.93km away from me behind me in space, I'm flying a T3/T4 cruiser that has the agility of a brick and decide to wait for me. They then go afk doing something else because they know that it will take me at least 4-5 mins to turn 360, get the thing, 360 again and get back to them.
    10. My teammates sees that the drop spawned 9.93km away from me behind me in space, I'm flying a T3/T4 cruiser that has the agility of a brick and decide to not to wait for me. I miss a whole chuck of combat doing this.
    11. The drop was an useless recovery item. Blood pressure rising.

    The point is, this whole thing adds nothing to game and is nothing but an complete *nuisance* to the players. The only single reason I can see for this to be in game, is the FREE FOR ALL drop distribution mode on party settings. Or if the player already has an full inventory in which it gives the player choice to make room for the dropped item. There's nothing else at all.

    The original thing is "players expect to get some sort of material reward when they defeat an enemy". The realistic thing would be "search the body / scavenge the wreck for things" which is too tedious and grindish, so it's just been abstracted to "enemy may drop pickable loot when defeated". This is just rubbish too. On STO, the glowing yellow geometric object that magically materializes when you down an enemy does not really add to gameplay or immersion in any way. It's as mentioned only a nuisance.

    Just make the items go directly to the players inventory and get over with it. This is just frustrating.

    I must say I agre with most of this post.. the looting mechanic is horrible.. It's only my opinion but this game seems to be lacking alot that may keep me from playing it for long.. no worries to Cryptic though I'm a lifer so they got my money.. I may just get bored pretty quickly here.. but at least I can come back for no additional cost later.

    I do hope they spend time fixing bad mechanics, putting more interesting missions in etc.. I think this game has tons of potentcial, but frankly I would not have released it in this state. frustrated as I am.. I'm still hopful they will improve it...
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    I want to know wth is with all the food drops on ground missions. And why are Klingons carrying tribbles!?
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    KidKat wrote:
    I want to know wth is with all the food drops on ground missions. And why are Klingons carrying tribbles!?
    To more easily detect Undine?
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Turning radii are a pain but I have found that if you drop to 1/2 impulse power your turning radius will be a lot better than trying to turn at full speed.

    But loot drops are a standard in every MMO I have ever played. It is a way for people to get either money or items to upgarde their characters.

    There are options to modify the way loot is handled when you are in a group. You can turn on free-for-all which will allow anyone to pick up the loot drops regardless of who did the most dps.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    I can live with a Klingon dropping a Tribble, at least somehow you can see "hmm...it could happen." My concern is Klingon's dropping croissants and Romulan's dropping Banana Splits. I mean couldn't Cryptic come up with something with a little more thought process? Somehow I just don't see Klingon's running to their local French bakery before they board their Bird of Prey. And although it is very cold in space, Banana Splits? I mean really?
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    ..........
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    AussieJohn wrote:
    .
    .
    If both you actually read my post, like all of it instead of just skimming through it you'd realize that what I am trying to say is that it's not needed in STO at all. Just skip the whole thing and have the loot instantly get dumped into your inventory instead. Or give the player HUD a popup box in some corner telling what they just received and then let the player click keep or discard, kind of like the fleet action reward.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Lotti wrote:
    If both you actually read my post, like all of it instead of just skimming through it you'd realize that what I am trying to say is that it's not needed in STO at all. Just skip the whole thing and have the loot instantly get dumped into your inventory instead. Or give the player HUD a popup box in some corner telling what they just received and then let the player click keep or discard, kind of like the fleet action reward.

    This would result in endless complaints from people that the system is unfair, that people on their team are getting all the loot and they get none (when there might have just been no drops) and so on...

    For one thing you can do as the person above said and set the loot options for your team to round robin, then everyone gets access to loot.

    Second, you don't have to pick up the loot, problem solved. If you don't need it then leave it. I personally like getting the drops instead of having stuff just stuck in my inventory. One daily trip to the starbase to clean out your inventory will give you plenty of space.

    Drops are one of those "carrot on a stick" things that people look for in MMO's, hiding them on the backend isn't what most people are looking for. I think it is pretty cool seeing one of those "special" loot containers and opening it up to see what could be there.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    ..........
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    And if you'd bothered to try out the different loot options, you'd see that you can get a popup box that does that exact thing.
    A popup box that auto drops loot into your inventory? I don't think so bro.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Lowery wrote:
    This would result in endless complaints from people that the system is unfair, that people on their team are getting all the loot and they get none (when there might have just been no drops) and so on...

    For one thing you can do as the person above said and set the loot options for your team to round robin, then everyone gets access to loot.

    Second, you don't have to pick up the loot, problem solved. If you don't need it then leave it. I personally like getting the drops instead of having stuff just stuck in my inventory. One daily trip to the starbase to clean out your inventory will give you plenty of space.

    Drops are one of those "carrot on a stick" things that people look for in MMO's, hiding them on the backend isn't what most people are looking for. I think it is pretty cool seeing one of those "special" loot containers and opening it up to see what could be there.
    round robin only moves 1 step through team player list and gives loot to that player whenever something drops. It doesn't eliminate the problem of having to pick it up. It doesn't eliminate the problem of other players seeing a white floating geometric shape that's left there until despawns if the "owner" decides not to pick it up.

    Of course I don't have to pick the loot, however I need to know what the loot is before I decide it and I'll have to GET to the loot before I can find out. The problem is still there.

    > I personally like getting the drops instead of having stuff just stuck in my inventory
    I have no idea what you are tying to say.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Lotti wrote:
    round robin only moves 1 step through team player list and gives loot to that player whenever something drops. It doesn't eliminate the problem of having to pick it up. It doesn't eliminate the problem of other players seeing a white floating geometric shape that's left there until despawns if the "owner" decides not to pick it up.

    Of course I don't have to pick the loot, however I need to know what the loot is before I decide it and I'll have to GET to the loot before I can find out. The problem is still there.

    > I personally like getting the drops instead of having stuff just stuck in my inventory
    I have no idea what you are tying to say.

    Saying I like ending a battle then worrying about what might have dropped.

    With a popup that gives you stuff automatically what if you are in some big fight and the first thing you kill drops something, you either have to stop and look at a popup or it sits on the side of the screen ever growing as the battle goes on... then what if you accidentally close the window? You know how many tickets there would be for "There was a rare drop and I closed the window, I want my rare item!"? It works fine as it is. Drops stay out of the way until the fighting is done. If you are SO hellbent on getting to your next fight you can't spend a little time to pick up drops then just leave them.

    Also, in a group you can set it to roll for items, then anyone in your group can pick stuff up and you roll need/greed or pass... solves yet another issue for you.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    You are aware that the loot drops where the enemy is defeated.

    So if the loot is far away from you, that's your own fault for not killing it closer to you.

    Just mentioning a small little fact... carry on.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    You are aware that the loot drops where the enemy is defeated.

    So if the loot is far away from you, that's your own fault for not killing it closer to you.

    Just mentioning a small little fact... carry on.
    Why Thank you captain obv. What's next, grass is green? There's also the fact that some builds aren't for close combat and that you don't have time turn 360 on a flying space brick while in mid combat. Or would you turn 360 in mid combat just to pick up something behind making you unable to fire your 90 degree torps while a bunch of stuff is shooting at you? The way space combat currently works simply doesn't allow me to choose "to kill an enemy while its close to me" or not.

    I mean I CAN do it, but it's just bothersome. Hmm "kill things when you are close to them" or kill things the go and pick up loot... that's really bothersome. I don't think I'm playing STO to be bothered.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    And if you'd bothered to try out the different loot options, you'd see that you can get a popup box that does that exact thing.

    LOL. You're funny. How often do groups in ANY MMORPG use the "other loot options"? Seriously. Need or Greed, and you inevitably get Loot Ninjas and people that will Need basically everything. I like the OPs idea, because, frankly, the default loot method is terrible.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    You are aware that the loot drops where the enemy is defeated.

    So if the loot is far away from you, that's your own fault for not killing it closer to you.

    Just mentioning a small little fact... carry on.

    Yes, because killing enemies where their warp core breaches can hit you is a smart thing to do that every captain should be doing. Everyone in a cruiser has a choice whether or not to kill an enemy behind them or not.

    What is with teenagers, honestly?
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Lotti wrote:
    If both you actually read my post, like all of it instead of just skimming through it you'd realize that what I am trying to say is that it's not needed in STO at all. Just skip the whole thing and have the loot instantly get dumped into your inventory instead. Or give the player HUD a popup box in some corner telling what they just received and then let the player click keep or discard, kind of like the fleet action reward.

    NO NO NO...

    DO NOT PUT THAT TRASH IN MY INV

    I dont loot 99% of anything in this game. I dont bother with crates or anomalies. If I am not going to use an item or its not worth much cash I dont want it clogging my unsortable inv. The last thing I need is to have to go into my mess of an INV and delete small hypos or steambolts so I can find room for the nice blue item.

    Anything that can be "replicated" needs to come out of the loot table period.

    At lease in WOW you could create a macro or use an Add-on that would just loot what you wanted and ignore trash all togeher.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    OP, how about everyone is awarded Starfleet Merits for destroying enemies? That way everyone in the group at least gets something... and they should change drop assignment to be random, and totally unrelated to DPS. And they should BUFF ships in this game. This game is TERRIBLE. Movement is embarrassingly slow.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Chenchuan wrote: »
    NO NO NO...

    DO NOT PUT THAT TRASH IN MY INV

    I dont loot 99% of anything in this game. I dont bother with crates or anomalies. If I am not going to use an item or its not worth much cash I dont want it clogging my unsortable inv. The last thing I need is to have to go into my mess of an INV and delete small hypos or steambolts so I can find room for the nice blue item.

    Anything that can be "replicated" needs to come out of the loot table period.

    At lease in WOW you could create a macro or use an Add-on that would just loot what you wanted and ignore trash all togeher.

    That's your deal. That's kind of a silly reason IMO not to want to keep things the way they are.
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