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Badge Medal System Getting Out of Hand like WoW

SystemSystem Member, NoReporting Posts: 178,019 Arc User
Dear Cryptic,

First off, I just want to say what a great job on the Season 2 patch so far, I know you guys work hard and do your best to keep whole community happy despite the split between ideas on how to do things.

Second I want to nip a problem in the butt as its getting out of hand already, just like it did in WoW. And that is the Mark/Badge/Medal System. Somethings are that many lower badges/medals for items of lower rank go unused occupying pointless space in the Assets window, second there is to make the badges/medals universal as one grows in rank, rather then becoming a cumbersome unused code.

What I propose is to change ALL mark/badges/medals into a universal badge, medal, and marks, then allow each badge or medal to access items based on current rank or items below that rank. In order to accomplish this change you would have to convert the old badges and medals into what could be called Starfleet Badges and Starfleet Medals, and change each badge and medal rank into accolades and wearable items.


So for example Assets tab would look like this for a Commander level character for example:

Energy Credits: 1224554
Starfleet Merits: 44345
Gold-Pressed Latinum 4587

Current Reward Rank Access: Commander
Starfleet Marks: 47
Starfleet Medals: 23
Starfleet Badges 265


You would have to adjust the current costs of items accordingly, but this would create a better scalable reward system, and allow marks, badges, medals earned at all levels be useful throughout the progression.

Any civil comments or thoughts on the pros and cons of such an idea are welcomed.

Sincerely,
Prynce

Ticket Submitted ID# 914,171
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited July 2010
    I understand the potential need and definite want to have a universal 'currency' in this manner. What I don't understand is why it would need an accolade or why it would need costume pieces.

    As far as combining the currencies, I think it should be done. Obviously higher end traders would want much larger amounts of it than lower end traders. I'd like something such as this.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited July 2010
    Prynce wrote: »
    Second I want to nip a problem in the butt as its getting out of hand already, just like it did in WoW. And that is the Mark/Badge/Medal System. Somethings are that many lower badges/medals for items of lower rank go unused occupying pointless space in the Assets window, second there is to make the badges/medals universal as one grows in rank, rather then becoming a cumbersome unused code.

    It's a window. This "problem" is about a display window?

    There's nothing cumbersome about it. The currencies get used at the appropriate levels. The window is readable. Find the appropriate area (they're the ones on the top of your list in your window) and you're good to go.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited July 2010
    superchum wrote: »
    It's a window. This "problem" is about a display window?

    There's nothing cumbersome about it. The currencies get used at the appropriate levels. The window is readable. Find the appropriate area (they're the ones on the top of your list in your window) and you're good to go.

    Its about the unused badges at lower levels plus why waste all that real estate on the UI for something you never use once you reach Admiral? It can be used for other things.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited July 2010
    Prynce wrote: »
    Its about the unused badges at lower levels plus why waste all that real estate on the UI for something you never use once you reach Admiral? It can be used for other things.

    It's not a waste of real estate. And since this is a tooltip display issue, the "solution" to fixing it is to organize the window better ... not change the way loot works.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited July 2010
    superchum wrote: »
    It's not a waste of real estate. And since this is a tooltip display issue, the "solution" to fixing it is to organize the window better ... not change the way loot works.

    uh yeah. Why change whats not broken?
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited July 2010
    Star Trek never realy was about gear. Accolades we need a billlion one of them plus a way to show them off to over players..
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited July 2010
    superchum wrote: »
    It's not a waste of real estate. And since this is a tooltip display issue, the "solution" to fixing it is to organize the window better ... not change the way loot works.

    what do I need 276 3rd order of badges of exploration for when I'm Rear Admiral? whats hte point in even displaying them if they are gonna go unused.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited July 2010
    The point is you coulda spent them when you were doing those missions at that rank.

    If that point then is argued by you saying you earned them after the rank, then the real question would be, "why did you even bother to do those missions when the skillpoint rewards would be too low to bother?"

    Before RA its near impossible to max out say, lt.cmdr gear via badges long before you reach commander.

    So I really do have to say, you coulda used them, or you wasted your time by doing those missions when you had no need to.

    The error is the player, not the system

    I believe you just want an easier way to just get max level gear without the max level grind. My answer is, "no."
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited July 2010
    Lets not forget that the points are only worthless if you do nothing with them. So you're now an admiral with 300+ 3rd order badges. You can sit and grumble at how that fact upsets you, and keeps you up at night. And clutters your assets tab.Or you can simply buy something with a nice badge to credit exchange rate, like consoles, and sell those for quick E-credits at the nearest vendor. Converting unused points to cash.

    Seems far easier way to exchange unused points then to convert the whole system we have currently.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited July 2010
    Prynce wrote: »
    what do I need 276 3rd order of badges of exploration for when I'm Rear Admiral? whats hte point in even displaying them if they are gonna go unused.

    use them to buy stuff...sell them on the exchange.....make more money ? or give them to alts...or fleet mates & freinds.


    an alternative I suppose would be to be able to trade them for higher tier badges?
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited July 2010
    lol TRIBBLE missed this thread... just posted something similar:

    http://forums.startrekonline.com/showthread.php?t=168977
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited July 2010
    use them to buy stuff...sell them on the exchange.....make more money ? or give them to alts...or fleet mates & freinds.


    an alternative I suppose would be to be able to trade them for higher tier badges?

    Exactly this. When I leveled out of these badges on my latest Admiral toon, I just bought up stuff, sold it on the exchange and made a nice deal of credits towards my new rank so I had to far less at that level. If you feel your badges are going to waste, use them!

    It's not like it's WoW where the gear you buy can't be Disenchanted or sold to vendors.... heck you can even auction this stuff in sto! :D
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited July 2010
    I want to add that the way Cryptic set up the EC, Marks, Merits, etc.. system was very effective in killing the "Gold Spammers" which are so common in so many MMOs. The key to this success was that only EC can be traded... Which severely limited the demand for RMT for EC.

    Going to a universal system could bring back the "Gold Sellers" as that currency could be used for anything.. Rather than the few things EC is used for now.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited July 2010
    Asakara wrote:
    I want to add that the way Cryptic set up the EC, Marks, Merits, etc.. system was very effective in killing the "Gold Spammers" which are so common in so many MMOs. The key to this success was that only EC can be traded... Which severely limited the demand for RMT for EC.

    Going to a universal system could bring back the "Gold Sellers" as that currency could be used for anything.. Rather than the few things EC is used for now.

    Not if they keep the system decoubled from the credits system. my suggestion was to consolidate the badge/madel system, maybe even make it possible to trade badges/madels for marks. But everything still is based on the player itself, none tradable.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited July 2010
    Can you sell lower level marks on the exchange?

    The lowest thing you can buy is consoles for 64 marks, if you have only 63.....
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited July 2010
    use them to buy stuff...sell them on the exchange.....make more money ? or give them to alts...or fleet mates & freinds.


    an alternative I suppose would be to be able to trade them for higher tier badges?

    The only problem with that suggestion is that a number of the items you can get in exchange for badges are Bind on Acquire so you CANNOT TRADE them. All you can do is sell them.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited July 2010
    consoles are BoE not BoP, everything else is indeed BoP, I have yet to figure out why this is.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited July 2010
    Thlaylie wrote: »
    Can you sell lower level marks on the exchange?

    The lowest thing you can buy is consoles for 64 marks, if you have only 63.....

    Or you can go to center of the station and buy ground items for much less.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited July 2010
    The point of this thread is entirely true in my eyes. I strongly feel they should go and consolidate their present badge, medal, marks and emblem system.

    All PvP badges should be streamlined into one value and the same would go for the Exploration badges.

    For example, presently Exploration badges run through 5 orders. The missions granting badges give 75 of those apiece (most PvP matches give from 15 to 30 badges to the same effect). Seeing equipment distribution is already limited by the player character's rank, the badge banding in itself is pretty much redundant as well so simply granting lower level star cluster exploration mission less badge rewards with lower tier equipment being less expensive ought to work.

    Having a Star Cluster mission in Delta Volanis grant 15 exploration badges (rather than 75) and having beam arrays cost 12 badges (rather than 60) should allow this to work pretty well. all that would be needed would be to follow a conversion chart like the following:

    Lieutenant / 1st Order: 20% value.
    Lieutenant-Commander / 2nd Order: 40% value.
    Commander / 3rd Order: 60% value.
    Captain / 4th Order: 80% value.
    Admiral / 5th order: 100% value.

    This way, you'd only have one type of exploration badges that you'd be able to carry on over for at least 45 levels, at which point Marks would take over. Less clutter, everyone wins.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited July 2010
    2 points of interest for this brain bending topic ...

    1- The new currency for Mk XI items currently on Tribble are Emblems. The costs of items is pretty steep though. 30 emblems for a weapon or a console. And it goes up from there.

    2- They are not listed in your display windows anywhere. So you just kind of have to guess how many you have.

    Enjoy!
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited July 2010
    How are emblems earned?

    Where are the new Mk XI vendors?

    Do these take the place of marks for dailys?
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited July 2010
    Wow. The first question is answered better by Faithborn. But basically they're earned by doing Daily missions at Vice Admiral level. This included, for instance, a daily version of an STF ... a daily version of a fleet action ... and a daily version of B'Tran (it's called B'Tran Elite, it's the same zone, with a new name slapped on it).

    I'm not the best at explaining that one.

    The only new Mk XI Vendor I've found is in the middle room in Spacedock. Right near E'gen or whatever his name is. The Klingon one I haven't really looked for.

    They do and they don't replace marks. You still get marks. Because in B'Tran for example, you have the elite and non-elite version of the zone. And you can do the old daily mission in the old B'Tran. And the new Emblem granting missions in the new Elite B'Tran.

    My words are probably making it more confusing than it is when you're in game and doing it.

    Basically you can get I believe up to 9 emblems per day on the federation side. And prices are 30 emblems for a lot of the items. So it takes 4 days to get an item.

    The items themselves are a whole other can of worms. They're not that good. A tiny increase from Mk X's with different bonuses (like some really odd ones for shields and what not).
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited July 2010
    Thanks!

    Sounds fun.

    Can't wait until 7/27.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited July 2010
    Prynce wrote: »
    Second I want to nip a problem in the butt as its getting out of hand already, just like it did in WoW.

    The problem in WoW wasn't that there were too many "badges" it was that you need to use the all at end game, and every time they added a new tier of gear, you had to convert them that many more time to buy consumables. WoW and STO have fairly similar currency displays. What WoW is going to do is consolidate currency so its easier ot use and convert. WoW currency isn't Tiered like STO currency is, so the basic problem that the WoW devs were trying to solve, money exchange, does not exist in STO.

    All that said, it probably would have been better if the various Daily, STF, and PvP marks at RA5 had all been the same kind of mark, instead of three kinds, but that is more about efficiency in buying items then clunky currency exchange.
    Thlaylie wrote: »
    How are emblems earned?

    Where are the new Mk XI vendors?

    Do these take the place of marks for dailys?

    Superchum is pretty spot on on this. Both the Explore and Chart quests give Emblems. One gives 3 and the other 1. It looks like Emblems might be easier to get then the old RA5 Marks, so I expect that is why Ship Weapon prices are higher.
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