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Has Defence missions been changed?

SystemSystem Member, NoReporting Posts: 178,019 Arc User
It appears that it's no longer possible to change instances when doing the Defend missions, is this the case or am I bugged? If so was it on purpose? I've been struggling to keep the only friends I have made in game continueing to play. Playing in the defend missions were our way to take a break. None of us are even Commanders so we clearly didn't abuse it. I really hope this wasn't an intended change. I am willing to accept all sorts of issues and while I'm not happy Cryptic released a game that is more disappointing than their last disappointing game I have no interest in playing a game that instead of being designed to level at a decent rate it's designed to make me sit around 50% of the time. This isn't an idea even SOE would have implimeted in SWG.
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    I think it's an intentional change, it was to stop people exploiting the defend missions be jumping around instances to find ones almost done so they could take credit for them and repeatedly do the missions quickly in order to gain skill points quickly. I think Cryptic has said they're working on a fix so that teammates get put into the same instance, if that is something you are having trouble with now.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    It wasn't an exploit, the main problem is when joining an DSE and being attacked immediately by huge amounts of Enemies that are camping the spawn point, or joining an instance that you have to wait 5+ minutes before even starting and finally, if your doing DSEs with friends or fleets and wanting to join another instance to group with a friend.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    I think it's an intentional change, it was to stop people exploiting the defend missions be jumping around instances to find ones almost done so they could take credit for them and repeatedly do the missions quickly in order to gain skill points quickly. I think Cryptic has said they're working on a fix so that teammates get put into the same instance, if that is something you are having trouble with now.

    I have trouble with a design so poor that it requires 6 minutes of downtime for every 5 to 10 minutes of play. How is this fun in anyones book? Why would anyone be ok with it? No wonder so many people were complaining about STO at Gamestop today. I thought it was all the old reasons. I suspect this will be the change that pushes the people on the edge of leaving off to other games. I actually defended the game, I guess I should have asked more questions or not said anything until I got home. This seriously fails to be fun.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    This was the issue that finally just made me cancel my subscription today. Once you run out of current level missions we are now expected to sit and stare at the wall for six minutes until we can do something again. Beautiful work Cryptic, I think Sarah Palin's kid will surely be coming to work for you when they grow up.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    My buddies just told me they canceled as well. Great game to have spent a lifetime sub for. I'm going to make some calls tomorrow and see if I can cancel it. My 30 days isn't even up. I can say for sure Cryptic will never get another dime of my money. My buddies are ****ed off at me because they waisted money. At least on the upside word of mouth preventing me from using my buddy passes so I'd feel guilty about those to.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Hmm, I've been searching for all the rants from players complaining about the issue of instance jumpers...
    ... can't honestly find one, strange ?

    So Cryptic decided to quick "FIX" something that was not fundamentally broken (and it's not even mentioned in the release notes) yet still can't find a fix for "The Big Dig".. or a solution for making the "CE" less infuriating.

    C'mon ffs Cryptic, get a grip..!!
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Yup, I have to agree this has to be the most ridiculous change that Cryptic has made to the game yet. With, the content gaps they already have this just made it worse.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    If its not broken dont try to fix it... its like Blizzard nerfing something because players arent playing it the way they want them to play. Kinda like stomping out of the sandbox and taking your toys with you. hehe
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Yes.

    I am upset with this change.

    I first zoned into a group of +14 ships camping the spawn point....woot fun.

    I left and found another one, 5 minute reset.

    Seriously. There needs to be level brackets, and your initial warp should NEVER warp into a mission on cool down.

    Either let us join one if it is 5 or under till completion, or spawn a new instance... it is annoying, I used to hop until I found one about to begin. A 5 minute cool down is ridiculous to begin with, but forcing the wait is beyond dumb.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Not being able to team with friends to do instances in an MMO is special.

    But really, this is a game-breaker for me and certainly something I'd quit over. It defeats the whole purpose of the game imo. I can only hope they fix it soon.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    There is a new patch tonight, so maybe this will get changed back... who knows.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Aronias123 wrote: »
    This was the issue that finally just made me cancel my subscription today. Once you run out of current level missions we are now expected to sit and stare at the wall for six minutes until we can do something again. Beautiful work Cryptic, I think Sarah Palin's kid will surely be coming to work for you when they grow up.

    WoW..By no means am I a Sarah Palin Fan, but you're an idiot. I mean only a Douche would use a childs Disability to insult somone. :(
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Skeletun wrote: »
    WoW..By no means am I a Sarah Palin Fan, but you're an idiot. I mean only a Douche would use a childs Disability to insult somone. :(

    Yes politics and media are surely filled with said douches. lol

    ...sorry couldnt resist... but I agree. Leave someones disability out of your pathetic attempts at childish insults.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Skeletun wrote: »
    WoW..By no means am I a Sarah Palin Fan, but you're an idiot. I mean only a Douche would use a childs Disability to insult somone. :(

    What are you talking about? What is wrong with Bristol?

    Like the saying goes, when you assume...
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Shadezilla wrote:
    There is a new patch tonight, so maybe this will get changed back... who knows.

    Don't count on it :( Its common knowledge that Cryptic doesn't want everyone to reach the current max level so fast, and they firmly believe that DSE's is what is the fuel so naturally they want to nerf it. Unfortuntely, nerfing it at the moment is probably a bad idea.

    I made multiple posts about this, I got laughed at, flamed and told I was an idiot....who is laughing now?
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Come on seriously? What is the problem here. You are getting "upset" that people can no longer take advantage of the system. Instance jumping was a problem. Of course no one complained about it because it benifited them.

    If the bank was accidentally giving you money, you wouldnt be in line to give it back. Doesnt mean they shouldnt fix the glitch. What in your life is so important that you can not bear to wait a couple minutes for the next match to start?

    Use the time to get a drink, grab a snack, lean back and rest. Check forum, skill up, etc...

    They will get the team in instance thing fixed, im sure. But to say that this is a "armageddon" type change is a lttle over the top.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Having to wait 6 minutes for reset of the DSE is BS. Put it back Cryptic, or at least reduce the reset to 1 minute.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Come on seriously? What is the problem here. You are getting "upset" that people can no longer take advantage of the system. Instance jumping was a problem. Of course no one complained about it because it benifited them.

    If the bank was accidentally giving you money, you wouldnt be in line to give it back. Doesnt mean they shouldnt fix the glitch. What in your life is so important that you can not bear to wait a couple minutes for the next match to start?

    Use the time to get a drink, grab a snack, lean back and rest. Check forum, skill up, etc...

    They will get the team in instance thing fixed, im sure. But to say that this is a "armageddon" type change is a lttle over the top.

    If you could wait those 6 minutes with out a fleet of ships thrashing over top of you it would be nice to get up and get a drink to wait out the timer. The timer was my only real gripe with being forced into these instances.

    I didn't sit in them to get to RA, I would do it occasionally if I got sucked in so this does not really effect my style of play but I can see why people are upset.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    this is a stupid nerf - more like a bug.

    There is nothing about this "bug" that isn't part of the time-sink mindset. That being " Hey, sit around and have lots of downtime doing nothing while you pay for this game! Involuntarily! " . You can say that this was for afker's, but really, it wasn't as afker's weren't much of an issue. The level cap is so low anyway that it doesn't matter in that regard as it is unbelievably easy to level up.

    However, It's bad on the replay value. When you are trying to grind your toon past the TRIBBLE lowbie levels with the TRIBBLE ships, say the 2nd or the 3rd time, etc, it's nice to be able to jump from dead instance to a fresh one with a 0/8 or the usual 2/8... And the way endgame encounters are programmed now, there will be a lot of ppl sitting around and doing nothing as the spawns are gone... and will be for several minutes. Jumping saves heaps of times. Not jumping makes the gameplay boring. If I wanted to alt tab and play this like EVE, hey, I'd go back to playing EVE. No, I don't want to surf the net while I multitask a game... I want the constant instant gratification that this game delivers.

    So please, either undo this stupid nerf, or balance the game mechanics in return - ie, increasing spawns and spawn rates.


    Don't just make a bloody timesink and give nothing in return. It's a bad move and will peeve heaps of my carebear bretheren who just enjoy mindless explosions nonstop. Keyword: nonstop.

    edit: oh and actually... This nerf will generate a lot more afker's. Pretty sure of that.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Aronias123 wrote: »
    This was the issue that finally just made me cancel my subscription today. Once you run out of current level missions we are now expected to sit and stare at the wall for six minutes until we can do something again. Beautiful work Cryptic, I think Sarah Palin's kid will surely be coming to work for you when they grow up.

    Well the Palin's do know how to shoot out of helicopters. :eek:
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    In all honesty, Instance Jumping was pointed out in Beta testing and Cryptic wasn't listening to the testors that it was being exploited. Especially when people were using the exploit to get to Admiral within 2 days (no joke).

    Right now, it's good that they stopped instance transfers, but in some instances, it also hurts them. Like the Crystal Entity encounter, where I saw a LT Cmdr and a Commander try to fight it all by themselves. So they were stuck in that instance.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    I haven't testing this myself, but just going by the assumption that everyone trying it is correct;

    The stupid thing is, they already fixed this 'issue' last week when they placed a 30 minute timer on getting the DSE quest. There is no reason at all to prevent instance hopping with a 30 minute timer on the quest.

    Because of this fact I'm going to assume it's bugged for the moment, but if it turns out to be intended, then you really might as well remove DSE's from the game at this point unless you reduce the reset time to 2 minutes or less.

    The whole idea in MMO's should be to give players options for how they play and level. You have Storyline missions which are the slowest, but give good loot and fill in lore etc. You have Explore missions, which are fairly fast, give nice loot, but dont really give any lore. And then you have DSE's which are the fastest, but give no lore/backstory and also the worst loot... Well at least you did.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    You can actually get points just as fast from explore missions... there was no real reason to remove the ability to change instances other than to try and slow people down. The fact that you can go do other missions in the same timeframe and earn just as many points or more means this change is just like poking a whale with a stick, it doesn't change a thing.... oh, other than annoy paying customers.

    I bet there was a huge meeting where the devs were supposed to come up with new content, and one yells out "Don't let them change instances on defend missions" and the CEO yells "Great, now that the content discussion is over let's all go to the ****y bar and get loaded".
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Come on seriously? What is the problem here. You are getting "upset" that people can no longer take advantage of the system. Instance jumping was a problem. Of course no one complained about it because it benifited them.

    If the bank was accidentally giving you money, you wouldnt be in line to give it back. Doesnt mean they shouldnt fix the glitch. What in your life is so important that you can not bear to wait a couple minutes for the next match to start?

    Use the time to get a drink, grab a snack, lean back and rest. Check forum, skill up, etc...

    They will get the team in instance thing fixed, im sure. But to say that this is a "armageddon" type change is a lttle over the top.

    My 2 Energy Credits worth:
    1.Let it be MY choice to "Use the time to get a drink, grab a snack, lean back and rest. Check forum, skill up, etc..." Don't take the choice away of being able to begin a new match right away.

    2. The previous nerf of the 30 min timer of being able to re accept the mission to do the defense sector block and get the reward was allready bad enough. It was on the annoying side for the Feds, but downright malicious to the Klingons already suffering from lack of content.

    3. This latest nerf had put the nail in the coffin for many folks. Think about the purpose for this. Basically to Stop the Power Gamers from using an overlooked game mechanic to Power Level. Shame on us for finding a way to do it. I guess this means that Cryptic has set the precedent to hurt the Power Gamers whenever they feel like it. All I got to say that is, Day Late, Dollar Short. There are other methods we have been using and will continue to use to gain the fastest XP. So guys, who did Cryptic REALLY hurt here? Wasn't the Power gamers. It was the rest of you, which makes up the majority of the player base.

    You folks have to admit that this instance hopping was no great secret and most of you were using it for the couple/few hours a day you could play. Also, there just wasn't all that much complaining about it except from a very select few who think it's not fair that a Power Gamer has the time to find ways to Power Level.
    So what happened was, Cryptic listened to a very minute minority, thought to themselves "Hey, we can use this to slow everyone down to give us time to add in new content." Perfect excuse.
    What they didn't think through was the consequence of doing so: ****ing off MOST of the players, Feds AND even more so Klingons. Us Power Gamers *shrugs* we don't care all that much as we are already capped and again this wasn't the only way to Power Level in STO.

    So guys, lookout. Observe the boards, Observe the cryptic responses on board and their patches. Pretty soon Cryptic will take EVERY avenue out that might even hint of a way to make a few extra Xp per hour.
    The only way to counter that is to let Cryptic know as a community that this is not acceptible.
    Don't go fixing things that aren't broke. Which reminds me... there are still other issues that need fixing ie., a few missions out there that need fixing, some bridge officer powers over stacking and bugging, some weapons which stop firing for no reason... All these issues reported since beta and not fixed.
    IMO, the last 2 patches impacted the main player base more negatively than positively. Who cares about UI changes when there are game mechanics ****ing us off?
    I hope that Cryptic employees will stop hitting those Mary J vending machings and come back to their senses soon.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    thank you, cryptic, for fixing this like the bug it is.

    :D
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