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Issue about the new FBP

SystemSystem Member, NoReporting Posts: 178,019 Arc User
Some people will see this as merely whining from an Escort jockey. They're welcome to do so, but that's not what this is.

The new Feedback Pulse introduced with 1.1 removes choice in the way one designs their ship and its equipment loadout. It wasn't meant to do so, I'm sure, but that's one effect of the way it now works.

Simply put: Cannon-based escort builds are no longer viable at the top end of the game.

While legion players are often quick to point out the "right" way to load out a ship, and in this case I'm sure I'll receive many "stop whining and use some torpedoes" response, they ignore a simple truth: The real value of having different ships, weapons, damage types, consoles, engines, etc. is in the diversity of choice in how to create your particular ship.

I'm not saying change Feedback Pulse to what it was, because what it was also had issues. However, the fact that the only effective counter to it is a Science Captain skill really makes it a kick in the stomach to Escrot drivers like me.

By the way, while one of my alts is an Escort-driving Science Officer, my main is an RA5 Tactical flying an Advanced Escort loaded with cannons and turrets. That means there's no way for me to counter FBP currently other than running off and hiding somewhere until it runs out (which I have no way of knowing), and then cutting loose.

I should also point out that even with the reduced damage dealt, this makes FBP more invincible than before. Whereas previously, a cruiser and/or science vessel could simply let me buzzsaw down the offending vessel's shields before ripping their torps loose, now nobody can get a FBP-wielding vessel's shields down except by indirect means.

So my appeal is this: give us poor tactical and engineering types who fly cannon-stoked vessels (mostly escorts) some way of fighting back.

Trolls and those who tell me my ship is "wrong" don't bother to reply.

Comments

  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    In general I too am miffed by the increasing trend towards forcing cookie-cutter builds. It's a trap many MMOs fall into and STO is going there.

    FBP needed a toning down. It was broken. But making it affect cannons too just to "balance" it is pandering. You don't need to compensate for fixing something that's broken!
    Doesn't make sense canonically either; a feedback pulse uses the beam to send energy back to the source, because the beam connects both ships. Cannons can't do that by definition!
    How did CBS not catch thi... oh right they don't care lol.
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