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The PRO ELITE-SETTING - Thread

SystemSystem Member, NoReporting Posts: 178,019 Arc User
Hi Folks,


with all those massive negative Feedback from some part of the Community, i have the Feeling that its time to counter all claiming and crying for nerfs from a (small ?) part of the Community :o



Me, and i think many others out there, are actually enjoying the new Challenge and the much much more interesting Space Battles on this new Setting !!! :)


In fact, some of us waited since the End of Closed Beta and the following massive nerfs on the demands which STO had to the player, for a better gameplay-experience, for more than Enemys who were plopping in seconds under our fire...

Yes, there are still some problems, yes there is still some balancing to do, especially with Ground Combat against some buggy races, but the new direction of STO, to give the players some challenge, something to think about, is the right one !!!!

STO was much too easy before, and now, the only problem is, that some players who might had been thinking, they were good ones, experience now a new and unknown challenge and got beaten the first time... instead of thinking about their poor performance, they claim the game that it would be too hard now :p
Thats really a silly behavior...If ELITE is too hard, just play on ADVANCED or NORMAL !!!

So Cryptic dont listen this time in this single topic to all the negative Feedback !!


THERE ARE ENOUGH PEOPLE, WHO ARE SUPPORTING YOU IN THIS TOPIC and ARE QUITE ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT IT !!! :D

KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK CRYPTIC
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    It could use some fine tuning - there are a few bugs in damage calculations (for both players and enemies) with the full-auto sweep and dual pistols.

    That said, ELITE does require players to prioritize their targets, use appropriate weaponry (mixing expose/exploits, flanking, and damage types to match the species).

    For example, don't just stand there pointing your exploit Purple Tetryon Rifles at a Undine.
    You should switch to something like Plasma to counter them (they don't have shields and most don't use "weapons" per se)

    As for borg, try using Tetryon weapons to cut through their massive shielding. A plasma that can stun may allow you to go in for the melee strikes.

    I just beat an Elite Borg Ground Mission (5 mobs) with zero player deaths (I did have to revive the occasional BOFF who decided not to use their tricorder). :rolleyes:
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    I love the new elite setting, can't fight against +X guys though, but i think thats me ^^'
    Would be nice if the rewards wold ramp up a bit, but i do it for the bragging rights mostly.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    I love it personally. It makes the space battles a real challenge.

    That said, the award system needs to be more dependable. When you get 3 greens and a blue during one a fight patrol set and a battery the next, it begins to bring the entire hamster wheel to a halt.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    I love it. had a 15 minute fight with a battle ship, and for the first time I was worried that I would lose my ship. it was fun.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    Indeed this is what made the boring plow through NPC's into formidable foes, I choose this setting mainly for challenge instead of the steam roll. I do not play elite on my escort, but my cruiser and science RA5's I do, but my Tactical capt is capt grade 6, and have a bit of trouble on elite with a escort, so I choose advanced on him only.

    My main toon which is Engineer/Assault Cruiser captain I enjoy the most and truely feel a worthy challenge on Elite. Honestly has nothing to do with rewards/skill points/etc....I just like the challenge.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    Yes, leave Elite alone outside of loot and ground tweaks (spray attacks). It makes the game interesting again.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    oh i love the new difficulty setting, like the OPs said it makes space battle last lot longer and more realistic. What i find funny is those people that wanted to change is now saying to nerf the change LOL. /2thumbsup to the changes.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    I love the new elite setting, before this I just ignored everything while I was pressing 1 and 2 with my weapons (on ground) and killing everything in one or two passes in space. Now I actually have to pay attention to what I'm doing and adapt. Helps keep me on my toes for PvP too in the downtime between matches. :cool:
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    I have raised a few issues regarding things such as very OP NPCs (swordmaster etc) one hitting armoured and trained BOs and not dying when the status bar clearly shows they have no 'life'. In space, some NPCs are firing through obstacles or even flying through them! I have not tested these since patching today though.

    Thing is, these issues will get ironed out (I suspect).

    I have started a new 'Pakled' and I am playing that toon on ELITE and loving it. Elite makes you think more about the way you play the game, it makes you plan fights and use tactics. ELITE also affects other parts of the game - you have to think more about equipment, training and selection of BOs for example.

    My one gripe is that I do not seem to be getting much in the way of better than normal play drops. My two best drops (as I remember) have come from 'aid planet' mission 'goody bags' - both green! I am still only Lt6 as yet though.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    imo they should have removed "normal" settings. just "advanced" and "elite" ... but then name advanced normal and elite advanced ... :P
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    I found the elite setting very challenging but having only batteries drop over 2 nights I ramped it back down to normal. It became pointless apart from using the medical and repair features, well Ive done that now!

    Elite setting will make me team up more though, looking forward to some good missions.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    Elite is definitely epic battles. I fought a Romulan battleship for 15 minutes. Before beating him. With T3 cruiser. You have to stay involved the whole fight. Keep your strongest shield facing him while try to maneuvering to keep my broadsides firing on him. The game is a challenge now.

    It's a different game on elite. I think a lot will be mad because they are not elite players. Don't have the traits, skill builds or right abilities trained for their bridge officers.

    I love the new option with the difficulty setting. Thanks for the improvement on game play.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    Yes keep it as it is, just some tweaking when it comes to ground npc that will kill you in 3 seconds no mather what you do. I really enjoy space battles on elite ..
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    Elite mode is one of the best things for this game. It is awesome playing on it. The battles take longer, you have to use your noodle. It's great.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    AtomicFB wrote:
    Elite mode is one of the best things for this game. It is awesome playing on it. The battles take longer, you have to use your noodle. It's great.

    I have to agree, it's awesome. Never before had I been so aware of my cool-down timers and the need to carefully time my abilities. For the first time, I've had to flee from battle to make repairs before returning.

    I love it!
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    SFCO wrote:
    I have to agree, it's awesome. Never before had I been so aware of my cool-down timers and the need to carefully time my abilities. For the first time, I've had to flee from battle to make repairs before returning.

    I love it!

    It's even better when your with fleetmates who's skills complement yours. My Engineer went in first to draw fire on full defensive doing what cruisers are supposed to do and soak damage before our Tac guy came screaming in making short work of the first two Battleships, by then I was recharging his shields while he was cooling down. The Science officer was doing his thing locking 'em down, best fight I've been in since the game launched.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    So, I hopped on my Captain Engi for a little testing of the Elite setting at non-RA5 levels (ok, so he's a Cap9... well, Cap10 now... *rimshot*). After a few rounds of Zanas Expanse exploration, I finally get a real space combat mission. Now, I'm used to my Tac Escort... lots of damage, one wrong turn and boom, I'm dead. So I was looking forward to seeing how my cruiser held up.

    Most annoying. 3 Frigates. Seriously, they really got to bothering me, and I had to put up with two sets of them. But, they maybe got me down to half hull with three of them, and whittling away, the last was barely scratching the shields. OK, cool. But the battleship's coming up. And those mothers were the bane of my escort's existance. Literally.

    10+ minutes later of inching it down percent by percent by percent, I've got a dead battleship. And I think maybe he had me down to 60% once. Seriously, the shields on those things are ridiculous how quick they firm up. Botch the timing on any skill, and you're toast.

    Complaint? Heck no! It's actually cool that these big capital ships are actually bears to take down! Granted, that's 10 freaking minutes that anything could go wrong that's not in your control, but hey, no one said space was safe. But having that kind of battle is epic.

    Not sure I want to have it EVERY space mission, but hey, I like the loot.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    My experiences with Elite have done a couple of things for me.

    1- Inspired me to start up a bit of story/lore for the random races in the B'Tran Cluster. Now that these guys are a huge threat everytime I beam my away team down to an asteroid station ... I'm starting to ascribe more personality to them. I have an idea for some of them. I will probably post on it in a separate thread when I get it from my head and onto paper.

    2- Made me rethink some strategies.

    First of all I have found that good ole Phaser Stun Pistols kick butt at this level. Because of the hold. I immediately started switching to them the day after I got smoked on tribble repeatedly. So like day 2 of this patch being on test. I had always kept some around because I'm a big enough fan of the shows that I wanted to have phasers for the looks. But then when I could get an entire away team outfitted with very rare mk X phaser stun pistols I just went with it. I remember how effective the stun is in PVP. And since it was my experiences in PVP that had me using full auto against people (it's probably one of the most powerful ground attacks to use as it tears shields away and rips away at the lifebar in just one spray) ... I leaned back on the counter ... phasers set to stun.

    The trek geek in me loves this little turn of events.

    Then I started noticing debuffs. Just like I noticed how in space, the escorts that activate attack pattern alpha do a TON of damage with a torp salvo ... I noticed that some clusters mixed the dual pistols with a dude that shot a cylinder attack that would kill my shields fast ... and if the disruptor debuff hit ... my god the damage was sick.

    So that got me to bring back a science officer and make adjustments to his skills accordingly.

    Then I realized how useful weapons malfunction was. The full auto can't kill me if the weapon is malfunctioning.

    So I think Elite's been good at getting me to pay closer attention to combat. I still think it needs some fine tuning. There's still certain clusters that are just pure murder. Insta kill. And simply not worth the effort.

    And now I've been thinking about some of the battles in space. The LONG battles. Against cubes and battleships.

    The shields are super strong.

    Which has me thinking if Transphasics, Antiprotons, and Tricobalts might have more use in these fights. Transphasics were always marginal because shields dropped fast so you couldn't get any mileage out of their special-ness. But on elite, against a battleship where bleedthrough becomes much more important ... Transphasics might have more use.

    Tricobalts were nice and got some use. But their cooldown was somewhat prohibitive. But on elite. Against these mega-ships that take forever, you get to use more Tricobalts because the fight takes longer.

    Antiprotons, well, they have that secret bypass the shields tech.

    Tetryons almost fully drop shields when their special fires. And since the battles are longer you get the procs more noticably.

    Polarons, same deal.

    Heck, on my phasers, I'm seeing subsystems go down more often. It used to be so rare I'd never notice it. Now I notice it. It's still rare. But I notice it.

    Longer fights ... have me analyzing combat more.

    So that's a good thing.

    But oh my, the B'Tran is making me think of stories. That's gonna be crazy.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    Haven't tried Elite yet, I'm affraid....

    But I play advanced all the time now :)

    The challenge is one thing, but actually having to worry about loosing the battle is awesome! :)

    Good job Cryptic!!
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    I just started a new captain and I intend to play Elite all the way up.. I'll probaly have to drop it at some point, but I'm going to do my best.

    I've been playing on Advanced, and the random aliens in Cluster missions SUCK. Definitely a problem there, and with a few klingons in some other missions, but it's still FUN.

    It's Cerebal, not random button smashing. Excellent job. srsly.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    Well, i basically want them (NPC) be able to do the same stuff as i do. (high yield, jam sensors and stuff) but those insanely unpredictable and devastating crit strikes makes it unplayable for me in either advanced or elite mode. When teaming up for explorations we get the number of enemies by the tripple if we are three.
    Means certain death or we just suck. Not gonna bother with it since noone needs to loot stuff badly. The game lacks smart combat maneuvers like dodging torpedos, short warp jumps, 3 dimensional maneuvering. As long as it is arcade style i play the normal mode.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    Support abilities that didn't mean a thing on Normal really do count on Advanced/Elite.

    Weapons Malfunction is a must for spray (along with stun attacks).

    I'm starting to compile some notes: I think the different energy resistances by culture are a huge factor - along with ensuring flanking.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    I love Elite very much. Careful planning, Flanking, and now the Kits are very useful on the ground. Suppress fire and focus fire are real life savers. In normal mode you never needed to bother with kits. Now you have to care what abilities and equipment you give a Boff.

    In space, Tactics are important, Many useless abilities actually become useful. Careful timing and planning is important, especially with the enemy alpha strikes. In large teams The PvE is nothing short of epic.

    It is like a brand new game for me, and i am enjoying it a ton. I could never go back to normal.
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