Someone else wrote this in another thread and it got me thinking. Perhaps new "i quit" threads are being created nearly everyday because STO doesn't give people a sense of investment or allows them to feel apart of a greater whole.
I won't speak to the "community" issues facing this game. But what about the design decision that essentially causes a role/class mechanic that effectively blurs the lines of distinction between players. We may look different due to our customized ships and avatars... but does that have any real gameplay value, or grant any sense of accomplishment?
Granted this design mechanic prevents the problems we had in WoW (LF Tank... LF Healer... LF A FRACKING TANk< WHERE ARE ALL THE TANKS!!!) but was it done properly and/or are we better off for it?
Its a crude revelation for me to realize "I'm not really needed." Is this what gives me a slight detachment from the game or is it something else. Does anyone else feel the same way? Or are the rest of you liking this. I'd really be interested to know, and may even help the dev's form opinions on what to work on/not work on next.
I actually like being able to play solo most of the content.
I am, however, greatly annoyed in fleet actions when I group with people and they neither talk nor listen to the team chat. There is a lack of communication in this game to be certain. I feel like I'm the only sociable person on the server sometimes.
It was especially aggravating a week ago during a fleet action, can't remember which one, but there was a nasty boss at the end. I think it was the Gorn Minefield fleet action, but I wanna say it was a Klingon-related fleet action. Anyway, there was a nasty boss at the end, and there were only five people in the instance. Way not enough to take on the boss plus its two carriers and two battleships. It was a Klingon fleet action. Can't remember the name of it.
Anyway, I digress. I formed a team, and half the people never said anything, they just kept rushing in, and when they realized we weren't gonna zerg rush with them, they left the instance. I ended up taking the reigns and announced in Zone chat that we were at the end boss in instance number whatever if anyone would be willing to come help (and thus get the rewards and the mission completion for it without as much work), and soon we had about ten people in there and we killed the boss.
So I'm pretty good at coordinating stuff, but it took a lot of effort to get people to actually talk and pay attention. We need more communication. Even for mostly solo play. Personally, I like to play solo while chatting with friends, but that's just me. YMMV.
I love the game. I am very attached to my character and even more to my Bridge Officers and Away Team.
They have my back. As well I have a few friends in the game that I have a great time playing along side of.
I also, occasionally, enjoy Fleet Actions with the right people.
But I am not that big on using a game as a chat network or a social club. So don't go by me.
OTOH, I have helped a lot of people that i don't know by:
1. Selling items for incredibly low prices on the Exchange. I mean way below the NPC 50%. Sometimes for just 1 credit just to get the items into circulation. Yeah i know, somebody may have scooped them up and resold them. I hope not.
2. i Give free credits to new players. Or at least i used to. Lately when I offer someone (an Ensign or Lieutenant) free cash they run away. I guess they think I'm a gold farmer. Sad that.
3. Sometimes i just go to a bar and hang out and talk. Roleplay. It's fun.
But ultimately I'm mostly a loner an I like the game that way too. It's a matter of mood.
Sorry if this rubs anyone the wrong way. It's just me.
I played WoW for around 3 years and have plenty of experience in raiding. But one of the things that made me quit ... and almost had me swear off MMOs altogether, was the horrible, horrible waiting. I was so tired of the "need a healer" or "need a tank" problem that could stagnate a raid for considerable lengths of time.
Fortunately, STO doesn't have that problem. I enjoy the fact that I can log into STO and play the game and not have to worry about who else is on so I can accomplish something. Going back to the old "role" system only means going back to long waits for specific people.
I think STO has a good framework. There are only 3 variants - engineer, science, and tactical - which cuts down on wait times because skills are not so specialized. Another problem with a "role" system is the tendency for devs to make endgame content that requires a very specific class mix to complete. Not only does it make it difficult to build a group, it makes it difficult to get into a group, especially if you play that class that is rarely ever essential (hunters in WoW, for instance).
Also, since you can switch between ship types, you can rig up your ships to fulfill different roles.
Granted, the system still needs some work, but the potential is there. I don't want to see STO become WoW in space. This is a different game and so it has to be approached differently. It has to be seen for what it does, rather than trying to make it just like the last MMO you played.
I love the game. I am very attached to my character and even more to my Bridge Officers and Away Team.
They have my back. As well I have a few friends in the game that I have a great time playing along side of.
I also, occasionally, enjoy Fleet Actions with the right people.
But I am not that big on using a game as a chat network or a social club. So don't go by me.
OTOH, I have helped a lot of people that i don't know by:
1. Selling items for incredibly low prices on the Exchange. I mean way below the NPC 50%. Sometimes for just 1 credit just to get the items into circulation. Yeah i know, somebody may have scooped them up and resold them. I hope not.
2. i Give free credits to new players. Or at least i used to. Lately when I offer someone (an Ensign or Lieutenant) free cash they run away. I guess they think I'm a gold farmer. Sad that.
3. Sometimes i just go to a bar and hang out and talk. Roleplay. It's fun.
But ultimately I'm mostly a loner an I like the game that way too. It's a matter of mood.
Sorry if this rubs anyone the wrong way. It's just me.
Have heart brother, you are not alone in your actions.
Anyway, as far as the team communication issues go, simply put this title needs built-in VoIP. Honestly, it is so casual now as it is that typing is likely considered work by many of those players. If they even took the time to set up a team tab and of course did so properly.
Personally, I use Ventrilo with my fleet and we always have a blast doing stuff together and voice commo is a large element of that fun.
There isn't enough content to make it take longer to reach the end. Hell, there's barely enough as is.
That's kind of what i mean , this game was released too early , everyone knows that . It would have "maybe" been ready if they released in June or July . Ah well theres always Modern Warfare 2
People have ultimately become accustomed to the leveling progression. And frankly, Cryptic has had real problems in the past with adjusting leveling progression in Champions. The smart thing to have done would have to made the difficulty setting high to begin with and then gradually ease off on it in patches. The problem with this however, is that it would make STO seem even MORE repetitive than it already is. And that would likely drive people away en masse.
I would be okay with this, but they would NEED to have a public test server... which they dont currently (it was last stated that it would be launched "very soon" and that was said a month ago). Changing the level of difficulty is a simplistic solution, but it comes with its own problems. Undoubtedly people will start QQing over making the game harder, and some will say that it feels impossible (whether it actually is or isnt).
Yes. Start hard and back off would have been the way to go. They had it about right near the end of open beta but then bang! Easy mode. Battleships should require 3+ ships to beat. It' really bothers me that they don't
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I actually like being able to play solo most of the content.
I am, however, greatly annoyed in fleet actions when I group with people and they neither talk nor listen to the team chat. There is a lack of communication in this game to be certain. I feel like I'm the only sociable person on the server sometimes.
It was especially aggravating a week ago during a fleet action, can't remember which one, but there was a nasty boss at the end. I think it was the Gorn Minefield fleet action, but I wanna say it was a Klingon-related fleet action. Anyway, there was a nasty boss at the end, and there were only five people in the instance. Way not enough to take on the boss plus its two carriers and two battleships. It was a Klingon fleet action. Can't remember the name of it.
Anyway, I digress. I formed a team, and half the people never said anything, they just kept rushing in, and when they realized we weren't gonna zerg rush with them, they left the instance. I ended up taking the reigns and announced in Zone chat that we were at the end boss in instance number whatever if anyone would be willing to come help (and thus get the rewards and the mission completion for it without as much work), and soon we had about ten people in there and we killed the boss.
So I'm pretty good at coordinating stuff, but it took a lot of effort to get people to actually talk and pay attention. We need more communication. Even for mostly solo play. Personally, I like to play solo while chatting with friends, but that's just me. YMMV.
They have my back. As well I have a few friends in the game that I have a great time playing along side of.
I also, occasionally, enjoy Fleet Actions with the right people.
But I am not that big on using a game as a chat network or a social club. So don't go by me.
OTOH, I have helped a lot of people that i don't know by:
1. Selling items for incredibly low prices on the Exchange. I mean way below the NPC 50%. Sometimes for just 1 credit just to get the items into circulation. Yeah i know, somebody may have scooped them up and resold them. I hope not.
2. i Give free credits to new players. Or at least i used to. Lately when I offer someone (an Ensign or Lieutenant) free cash they run away. I guess they think I'm a gold farmer. Sad that.
3. Sometimes i just go to a bar and hang out and talk. Roleplay. It's fun.
But ultimately I'm mostly a loner an I like the game that way too. It's a matter of mood.
Sorry if this rubs anyone the wrong way. It's just me.
Fortunately, STO doesn't have that problem. I enjoy the fact that I can log into STO and play the game and not have to worry about who else is on so I can accomplish something. Going back to the old "role" system only means going back to long waits for specific people.
I think STO has a good framework. There are only 3 variants - engineer, science, and tactical - which cuts down on wait times because skills are not so specialized. Another problem with a "role" system is the tendency for devs to make endgame content that requires a very specific class mix to complete. Not only does it make it difficult to build a group, it makes it difficult to get into a group, especially if you play that class that is rarely ever essential (hunters in WoW, for instance).
Also, since you can switch between ship types, you can rig up your ships to fulfill different roles.
Granted, the system still needs some work, but the potential is there. I don't want to see STO become WoW in space. This is a different game and so it has to be approached differently. It has to be seen for what it does, rather than trying to make it just like the last MMO you played.
Have heart brother, you are not alone in your actions.
Anyway, as far as the team communication issues go, simply put this title needs built-in VoIP. Honestly, it is so casual now as it is that typing is likely considered work by many of those players. If they even took the time to set up a team tab and of course did so properly.
Personally, I use Ventrilo with my fleet and we always have a blast doing stuff together and voice commo is a large element of that fun.
That's kind of what i mean , this game was released too early , everyone knows that . It would have "maybe" been ready if they released in June or July . Ah well theres always Modern Warfare 2
Yes. Start hard and back off would have been the way to go. They had it about right near the end of open beta but then bang! Easy mode. Battleships should require 3+ ships to beat. It' really bothers me that they don't