My Fleet played through and fnished 'the Cure' last night. Here are my observations:
The space combat was fun ... though there isn't much of it until the end.
On the ground however, the fun is non-existent. Not only does the map not work and wind in an "S" like pattern, when you respawn, getting your bearings is difficult (even more difficult with a non-working map). Not to mention that whomever on the developer team that is responsible for respawn points is a failed developer. FAILED.
No one wants to run the ENTIRE length of the map every time they respawn, which is often in Borg STF's. I have noticed this trend though as it's the same in Infected. In fact, that brings me to another problem. Constant swarms of unkillable enemies. Even after you have taken out the nodes, it takes four if not five of your team to drop an Elite and that's with Purple weapons and gear. God forbid you are the last man standing which as the healer, I often was.
Seriously, there are just too many enemies. If the inital groups weren't too much, you get beam in after beam in, node after node of mind-numbing tedium while you try to use the emitters to drop the shields. Oh, and they send in workers to impede your progress, which would be cool if there weren't already SO MANY enemies to contend with. On top of this, shields are damn near worthless. So, they took an already challenging enemy and made them even more impossible to contend with ... geez thanks for nothing. I literally lost interest and only stuck in there for the team after the about the fifth ground battle.
This task force sucked the joy of life out of me. I ended up tanking the final boss with a Batleth because I am a Sci Officer and could spam heals on myself. That battle wasn't too bad ... it was tough but not as impossible as constant swarms of Elite Borg and other Borgs who spam root holds. As a person who uses healing, I was especially frustrated as the team is required ot be in different spots in order to make the generators work ... which makes healing a thankless and frustrating job.
When we killed the boss, we had the final space battle which was actually kind of cool. Yeah it was hard and there were lots of enemies to contend with but it just wasn't as frustrating as the ground mission. I will NEVER do this task force again. If not for the space battles, it would be unforgiveable. Whomever designed the spawn points has earned my animosity.
A word of advice. Heroes shouldn't have to die OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER again. Did you guys not watch the television show? I don't mind a challenge and and i realize this is a game and don't mind even getting killed once in a while ... but a TF where you are constantly overwhelmed and constantly getting killed is simply put: NO FUN.
Heh tried it this weekend and took 2.5 hours just to make it to the first shield. . .never could get it down. They *are* borg. . .technically your weapons should do no damage to their shields after a few shots right? It seems to me that STF's require a bit more balanced group makup, IMO 2 sci 2 eng and 1 tac is a good group. . .the one I was with had 3 tacs. STO is just too tac heavy, not sure I get what everyone's thing is with them. Could it be made easier? Most definately, it took us over 5 failed attempts before we could figure out how not to agro the group from the second node, including the run back and being forced to clear the area of borg before we could try again. In spite of I'm sure everyone's frustrations people were very encouraging and polite about it. We tried numberous ways of getting through and none of them worked. Live and learn I like to say. I just need 2 more points for my bat'leth so I'll definately be trying again
And the STFs just get worse from there, though personally I like "The Cure" the least of all. Eventually if you keep doing them over and over, with the same group, you'll get them down to where you don't feel like you want to dismember the dev who made them (Who by the way was "Gozer" and is no longer part of STO. My favorite quote of his regarding 'The Cure' is... "If you die, you deserve the run.")
I know some love to post how super easy the STFs are and that they shouldn't be changed, but it's not about hard/easy, it's about "fun" and the only "fun" people have are telling those struggling how easy they are.
I'd love for them to give the STFs an extreme makeover, focusing less on just throwing hordes of enemies at you and more at making them challenging AND enjoyable. As it stands now a lot of people make it through once and swear they're never doing it again.
After my group completed Terrardome, we pretty much quit doing ANY of the STFs... they're just not fun and that was the proverbial straw which broke the camel's back.
I think if they halved the Repair Drones' HP it might make the Cure alot easier to get past. I like the challenge it provides, I just don't like that once you figure out how to do it your still a bit at the mercy of how quickly you can kill them (Repel rifles do zilch damage).
Problem you have then is that your fleet just isn't very good at the game. This STF was nerfed ages ago, you should have tried it before hand. It is now ridiculously simple and straight forward and many established fleets (min included) just farm this for fun in 30 minutes every day.
I don't say this to offend you, rather to point out that you will improve - the problem is with your tactics/build/skill/ability not with the STF.
Agree with you about the ridiculous map and spawns.
They are frankly utter and complete trash.
Make them 10man at least so we can try for fun and open instances.
Million spawns and like ds9 fa who spam another million nades.
Problem you have then is that your fleet just isn't very good at the game. This STF was nerfed ages ago, you should have tried it before hand. It is now ridiculously simple and straight forward and many established fleets (min included) just farm this for fun in 30 minutes every day.
I don't say this to offend you, rather to point out that you will improve - the problem is with your tactics/build/skill/ability not with the STF.
Agree with you about the ridiculous map and spawns.
You don't say that to offend me? Well, why is it that someone always does this? My complaint about the TF is legitimate. We beat the TF, re-read ... we BEAT the TF ... but only after hours of tedious repeatable boredom. Sure, experience at playing it will make it easier but I'll never play it again so the point is moot. It's just a horrible TF. I liked Terradome, that was actually a fun TF that I would replay.
My team/Fleet is VERY experienced and we have been playing MMO's/TF's for years in this and other games. We use Vent and coordinate and even watch the strategy videos before attempting them. So, please take the elitism and stick it.
The map is still broken, the respawns are broken, and the sheer number of enemies need to be scaled down. You don't have to agree but don't make assumptions about my team either.
All of us used build planners and not only our ships but our officers are specc'd out for these TF's. Again ... assumption. You can chalk it up to having done it for the first time I suppose but my review is simply that . My experience having done this TF the first time. It was an awdul and tedious experience. There seems to be a concensus on this TF as well if you read the other posts.
My Fleet played through and fnished 'the Cure' last night. Here are my observations:
On the ground however, the fun is non-existent. Not only does the map not work and wind in an "S" like pattern, when you respawn, getting your bearings is difficult (even more difficult with a non-working map). Not to mention that whomever on the developer team that is responsible for respawn points is a failed developer. FAILED.
The map used to work when the STF came out, in one of the patches it was broken for Federation side. One of my fleet mates tells me the map works for Klingon players. I hope this is a bug that will be addressed in due course.
No one wants to run the ENTIRE length of the map every time they respawn, which is often in Borg STF's. I have noticed this trend though as it's the same in Infected. In fact, that brings me to another problem. Constant swarms of unkillable enemies. Even after you have taken out the nodes, it takes four if not five of your team to drop an Elite and that's with Purple weapons and gear. God forbid you are the last man standing which as the healer, I often was.
Between the beginning of the Ground portion and the Boss there are two respawn points, gained after dropping a forcefield. At times it is a long run if you are working on gaining the next spawn point. This is where a healer who knows when to run is handy. The Borg will stop following after a very short distance and despawn, the healer can then run back and revive any fallen team mates and save everyone a run back.
The Elites have a 20 second period of invulnerability when they have sustained at least 20% health damage (not shield damage). One of the tactics I've seen used to effect is to swap targets once the Elite hits immunity, and then swap back once the immunity has passed. They die rapidly after that.
Seriously, there are just too many enemies. If the inital groups weren't too much, you get beam in after beam in, node after node of mind-numbing tedium while you try to use the emitters to drop the shields. Oh, and they send in workers to impede your progress, which would be cool if there weren't already SO MANY enemies to contend with. On top of this, shields are damn near worthless. So, they took an already challenging enemy and made them even more impossible to contend with ... geez thanks for nothing. I literally lost interest and only stuck in there for the team after the about the fifth ground battle.
One of the strategies my team has used to good result is the no-aggro approach on the Transformers. The Workers are not linked to a node and can be killed without affecting it. Additionally, attacking the workers will not aggro the node-linked Borg as long as you do not come too close or accidentally tag one with an area effect skill or weapon. Using High Density (+25 Repel) and Sniper rifles (66% Knockback) team members can keep workers off the Transformers. The workers are also squishy compared to other Borg.
With the number of enemies when dealing with patrols or free-standing nodes, falling back in an organised fashion with the healer maintaining line of sight on team mates and a Tac calling targets, the advancing Borg can be slowed and broken up without entering melee range. I usually identify a rock or tree I will take cover behind, the team sets up so I am in line of sight. The Tac pulls the patrol/node to the ambush site so I can heal without being targeted and contribute to focus fire if all is going smoothly. We also have "node team" of two that take the node down first before we deal with the node-linked Borg.
This task force sucked the joy of life out of me. I ended up tanking the final boss with a Batleth because I am a Sci Officer and could spam heals on myself. That battle wasn't too bad ... it was tough but not as impossible as constant swarms of Elite Borg and other Borgs who spam root holds. As a person who uses healing, I was especially frustrated as the team is required ot be in different spots in order to make the generators work ... which makes healing a thankless and frustrating job.
One of the strengths of the no-aggro approach for Transformers is no-one needs healing, or at least very little and that can be covered with their own Hypos. CC kits for the Science officers, such as the Xenobiologist, are more useful for slowing or halting the workers. I swap between that and a Medic kit for the free-standing nodes and patrol encounters..
A word of advice. Heroes shouldn't have to die OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER again. Did you guys not watch the television show? I don't mind a challenge and and i realize this is a game and don't mind even getting killed once in a while ... but a TF where you are constantly overwhelmed and constantly getting killed is simply put: NO FUN.
When we started doing Cure we faced constant and repeated defeats and spawn runs. Once we learned the weaknesses of the Borg mobs we find that "deaths" are far less frequent. Mobility is the player strength, hence the biggest challenge is maintaining distance from the Borg and using hypos to cancel their roots.
A Science Officer fighting the Boss is pretty much our standard approach, either a Bat'leth or Martial Arts with the team doing the serious dps.
I do feel the STF repeats ideas, it would be a lot more interesting to me if the progression on the ground was
Patrol
Node
Node and Patrols
Tutorial Transformers
Node
3-set Transformer shield
Node/patrol
4-set Transformer shield
<something new to overcome version #1>
Nodes/patrols
<something new to overcome version #2>
Three-node and generator destruction (I'd like this reworked it is a very easy part of the encounter and has no feeling of pressure)
Boss
Throughout the game, Captain level npcs are presented as boss-level npcs, and can at times be extremely difficult to defeat, yet these STF seem content to drop several of them on you like it's nothing. All it ends up being is frustrating.
The second problem with ground missions is that we should be doing group ground missions with our Boffs.
In Space, boffs provide our self-heals, our dps, our tanking, and in the same way, on the ground our boffs do this as well. by taking away our boffs and grouping us with players, it is not all that different from removing our Boff space powers when we're in a group.
Some good points Dory. We did try to not agro the nodes at times but found that we had to be pretty split apart in order to be able to cover all of the workers and often the node spawns agro'd anyway due to movement. At one point I did as you are suggesting and just stayed back to rez but that is almost as boring as constant repeated death. If I can ever bring myself to do this TF again, I will bring some of your suggestions along with me but I fear it wont be for a very long time, if ever. Thanks again.
Glad to hear the map works on Klingon side. I do have an Orion who is not yet BG level but quickly getting there. Chances are, if I do this again it will be with her.
You don't say that to offend me? Well, why is it that someone always does this? My complaint about the TF is legitimate. We beat the TF, re-read ... we BEAT the TF ... but only after hours of tedious repeatable boredom. Sure, experience at playing it will make it easier but I'll never play it again so the point is moot. It's just a horrible TF. I liked Terradome, that was actually a fun TF that I would replay.
My team/Fleet is VERY experienced and we have been playing MMO's/TF's for years in this and other games. We use Vent and coordinate and even watch the strategy videos before attempting them. So, please take the elitism and stick it.
The map is still broken, the respawns are broken, and the sheer number of enemies need to be scaled down. You don't have to agree but don't make assumptions about my team either.
All of us used build planners and not only our ships but our officers are specc'd out for these TF's. Again ... assumption. You can chalk it up to having done it for the first time I suppose but my review is simply that . My experience having done this TF the first time. It was an awdul and tedious experience. There seems to be a concensus on this TF as well if you read the other posts.
No your fleet is not very experienced if you are only just doing the cure now and it took you 'hours' considering it used to be a lot harder than it now is. I agree with you that it could be improved - but i'd hate to see it get easier as it is no challenge as it is. Having done it a few more time you will probably take about 40 minutes to run thorugh it.
It's not elitism its just plain cold truth by the way - which is why someone 'always says this' as you point out. This time it happens to be my turn.
My fleet isn;t elitest because we took the time to do progression runs and really nail it so we can now clear it in half an hour - we just chose to do that rather than complain on the forum and announce that we're never doing it again like you did lol.
Some good points Dory. We did try to not agro the nodes at times but found that we had to be pretty split apart in order to be able to cover all of the workers and often the node spawns agro'd anyway due to movement. At one point I did as you are suggesting and just stayed back to rez but that is almost as boring as constant repeated death. If I can ever bring myself to do this TF again, I will bring some of your suggestions along with me but I fear it wont be for a very long time, if ever. Thanks again.
Glad to hear the map works on Klingon side. I do have an Orion who is not yet BG level but quickly getting there. Chances are, if I do this again it will be with her.
Do aggro the node groups instantly and violenty - they shopuld all be dead bar the heavy tac by the time the next generator lights up.
Assuming you have a couple of tacs in your group you should have a red army by now anyway (security escourt combined with tactical initiative).
Slaughter the spawns as a group and move on, the workers that spawn later and approach generator 1 spawn way down the map and have to walk through your group to get there so they die instantly anyway. There is absolutely no need to leave anyone on generator 1 for long after number 2 is lit.
Trick is to avoid the old tactic of leaveing a man on every generator as there really is no need.
Rezzing should not be an issue because no-one should be dieing at any point during any of these sequences if you are kitted correctly, have hypos and play well.
Put simply people abuse these missions because they can't do them when you get right down to it. Sorry but it is the truth. And taking hours of repeated zerg spawning qualifies and 'can't do it'. But then you have a fleet so you now go through the process we all went through and refine your tactics, practice until you can do it in your sleep - or you do what you have done - whine and never play it again.
Put simply people abuse these missions because they can't do them when you get right down to it. Sorry but it is the truth. And taking hours of repeated zerg spawning qualifies and 'can't do it'. But then you have a fleet so you now go through the process we all went through and refine your tactics, practice until you can do it in your sleep - or you do what you have done - whine and never play it again.
See what you are describing doesn't sound interesting or fun. Zerg mobs spawning. Truly, I would send an entire army down to deal with that many borg, not 5 people. This is grinding at it's worst and apparently it's something you like to do as you mentioned in your earlier statement.
I don't want to grind Task Forces. I want to play them and complete them. I have only so many finite hours in this life and do not want to spend them all in front of a computer "perfecting" how to not die over and over because a task force is unneccesarily difficult. Your idea of a seasoned player is someone who never leaves the house and is willing to toil away for hours on a game. I'm sorry, as much as I love playing, I already have a job. This is relaxation for me, this is fun, this is Star Trek. Sure, I have played these types of games for years but always in moderation.
I approach these things as an experienced casual player. Perhaps task forces are not for casual players is what you are saying. I should be "serious" and devote all of my free time to learn how to beat a game (and I already spend enough of my free time on it). But I don't see it that way. It should be completable by a team of 5 on their first run (or at least second or third) without so much frustration and aggravation. If you want more diffculty, then there should be an accolade system where you can make the task force more difficult as you get better at mastering it and that way all of the players get some sort of incentive to at least play it, if not master it at harder levels.
These forums are here for feedback. I gave mine. You don't have to agree with it but you also don't have to tear it apart either. You are in the minority on this thread. The other guy who had your position came in offered constructive criticism on how to accomplish the Task Force (and I thank him for that) whereas you decided it would be better to insult me and say I'm a whiner. No sir, I am giving FEEDBACK. So, we don't agree ... fine let's just call it that and that we both have our very important reasons why we feel the way we do. I don't like to grind and you do. Easy enough.
See what you are describing doesn't sound interesting or fun. Zerg mobs spawning. Truly, I would send an entire army down to deal with that many borg, not 5 people. This is grinding at it's worst and apparently it's something you like to do as you mentioned in your earlier statement.
I don't want to grind Task Forces. I want to play them and complete them. I have only so many finite hours in this life and do not want to spend them all in front of a computer "perfecting" how to not die over and over because a task force is unneccesarily difficult. Your idea of a seasoned player is someone who never leaves the house and is willing to toil away for hours on a game. I'm sorry, as much as I love playing, I already have a job. This is relaxation for me, this is fun, this is Star Trek. Sure, I have played these types of games for years but always in moderation.
Despite being able to beat the STFs, even with a modified old strat such as no-aggro, I find that a zerg of mobs does not equal difficult (or interesting), it just equals a bloodbath that somehow doesn't immerse me in a Star Trek MMO. Cure is a first generation STF, it is a Hack 'n Slash through masses of opponents with one idea, the Transformers, reused. I think it is one of the reasons I like the mixed aggro/no-aggro approach as it at least appears as Starfleet are outthinking the Borg and not being lured into a massive ground war.
I approach these things as an experienced casual player. Perhaps task forces are not for casual players is what you are saying. I should be "serious" and devote all of my free time to learn how to beat a game (and I already spend enough of my free time on it). But I don't see it that way. It should be completable by a team of 5 on their first run (or at least second or third) without so much frustration and aggravation. If you want more diffculty, then there should be an accolade system where you can make the task force more difficult as you get better at mastering it and that way all of the players get some sort of incentive to at least play it, if not master it at harder levels.
I had thought I read at some point there would be a difficulty slider for STFs, I'm not sure if that is still on the table or not. To expand on my ideas I suggested before, I would like to see more variety in an STF and more that depends upon player thought and co-operation rather than body count. The Scan portion of Terradome is an example or the forcefield/platform portion of Infected's Boss fight. Those two require some thought and co-ordination and I think are a fun part of an otherwise trench-style combat STF.
These forums are here for feedback. I gave mine. You don't have to agree with it but you also don't have to tear it apart either. You are in the minority on this thread. The other guy who had your position came in offered constructive criticism on how to accomplish the Task Force (and I thank him for that) whereas you decided it would be better to insult me and say I'm a whiner. No sir, I am giving FEEDBACK. So, we don't agree ... fine let's just call it that and that we both have our very important reasons why we feel the way we do. I don't like to grind and you do. Easy enough.
It is a truth unfortunately that some players will dismiss any complaint and any experience that differs from theirs as "whinging" ("whining" for you US readers). They don't see themselves as elitest, of course, they are "better" than that. I have found in doing STF with both PUGS and fleet groups that there are many levels of time, practice, skill familiarity and STF familiarity that greatly affect how smoothly a run goes. Some players will be helpful others will simply take the opportunity to blame the inexperienced (in this specific instance) for their lack of success. It is harder to assist someone through an STF they find difficult than it is to simply write the issue off as "their fault".
My last thought on STFs which we haven't touched on yet is the reward. I don't look for overpowered rewards, I like STO not being as gear-centric as other games. However something more interesting than what is offered would pique my interest. Ideas other than slightly altered kits might be as follows
The "each time" loots are a single item which is rolled on just like an item loot
Respec token for first time completion
Transwarp skill (5 uses) to Gamma Orionis Fleet each time (stackable)
Additional Ship token each time
Very Rare (Purple) Bridge Officer drop each time*
Just some ideas off the top of my head.
* I know about Terradome's Borg Officer but seriously....I knock myself out to get one? I don't recall the Captains ever saying in a show "Y'know I really want this officer on my staff, I'll knock myself unconscious so that will convince them!"
The "each time" loots are a single item which is rolled on just like an item loot
Respec token for first time completion
Transwarp skill (5 uses) to Gamma Orionis Fleet each time (stackable)
Additional Ship token each time
Very Rare (Purple) Bridge Officer drop each time*
Just some ideas off the top of my head.
* I know about Terradome's Borg Officer but seriously....I knock myself out to get one? I don't recall the Captains ever saying in a show "Y'know I really want this officer on my staff, I'll knock myself unconscious so that will convince them!"
This wouldn't be that hard to implement. They already do it in City of Heroes (minus BOff's of course) and it's an excellent suggestion. Thanks again for your insight and more than adequate ability to communicate. It is appreciated.
Comments
~D
I know some love to post how super easy the STFs are and that they shouldn't be changed, but it's not about hard/easy, it's about "fun" and the only "fun" people have are telling those struggling how easy they are.
I'd love for them to give the STFs an extreme makeover, focusing less on just throwing hordes of enemies at you and more at making them challenging AND enjoyable. As it stands now a lot of people make it through once and swear they're never doing it again.
After my group completed Terrardome, we pretty much quit doing ANY of the STFs... they're just not fun and that was the proverbial straw which broke the camel's back.
~D
I don't say this to offend you, rather to point out that you will improve - the problem is with your tactics/build/skill/ability not with the STF.
Agree with you about the ridiculous map and spawns.
Make them 10man at least so we can try for fun and open instances.
Million spawns and like ds9 fa who spam another million nades.
My whole fleet avoids this cheap trash.
You don't say that to offend me? Well, why is it that someone always does this? My complaint about the TF is legitimate. We beat the TF, re-read ... we BEAT the TF ... but only after hours of tedious repeatable boredom. Sure, experience at playing it will make it easier but I'll never play it again so the point is moot. It's just a horrible TF. I liked Terradome, that was actually a fun TF that I would replay.
My team/Fleet is VERY experienced and we have been playing MMO's/TF's for years in this and other games. We use Vent and coordinate and even watch the strategy videos before attempting them. So, please take the elitism and stick it.
The map is still broken, the respawns are broken, and the sheer number of enemies need to be scaled down. You don't have to agree but don't make assumptions about my team either.
All of us used build planners and not only our ships but our officers are specc'd out for these TF's. Again ... assumption. You can chalk it up to having done it for the first time I suppose but my review is simply that . My experience having done this TF the first time. It was an awdul and tedious experience. There seems to be a concensus on this TF as well if you read the other posts.
The map used to work when the STF came out, in one of the patches it was broken for Federation side. One of my fleet mates tells me the map works for Klingon players. I hope this is a bug that will be addressed in due course.
Between the beginning of the Ground portion and the Boss there are two respawn points, gained after dropping a forcefield. At times it is a long run if you are working on gaining the next spawn point. This is where a healer who knows when to run is handy. The Borg will stop following after a very short distance and despawn, the healer can then run back and revive any fallen team mates and save everyone a run back.
The Elites have a 20 second period of invulnerability when they have sustained at least 20% health damage (not shield damage). One of the tactics I've seen used to effect is to swap targets once the Elite hits immunity, and then swap back once the immunity has passed. They die rapidly after that.
One of the strategies my team has used to good result is the no-aggro approach on the Transformers. The Workers are not linked to a node and can be killed without affecting it. Additionally, attacking the workers will not aggro the node-linked Borg as long as you do not come too close or accidentally tag one with an area effect skill or weapon. Using High Density (+25 Repel) and Sniper rifles (66% Knockback) team members can keep workers off the Transformers. The workers are also squishy compared to other Borg.
With the number of enemies when dealing with patrols or free-standing nodes, falling back in an organised fashion with the healer maintaining line of sight on team mates and a Tac calling targets, the advancing Borg can be slowed and broken up without entering melee range. I usually identify a rock or tree I will take cover behind, the team sets up so I am in line of sight. The Tac pulls the patrol/node to the ambush site so I can heal without being targeted and contribute to focus fire if all is going smoothly. We also have "node team" of two that take the node down first before we deal with the node-linked Borg.
One of the strengths of the no-aggro approach for Transformers is no-one needs healing, or at least very little and that can be covered with their own Hypos. CC kits for the Science officers, such as the Xenobiologist, are more useful for slowing or halting the workers. I swap between that and a Medic kit for the free-standing nodes and patrol encounters..
When we started doing Cure we faced constant and repeated defeats and spawn runs. Once we learned the weaknesses of the Borg mobs we find that "deaths" are far less frequent. Mobility is the player strength, hence the biggest challenge is maintaining distance from the Borg and using hypos to cancel their roots.
A Science Officer fighting the Boss is pretty much our standard approach, either a Bat'leth or Martial Arts with the team doing the serious dps.
I do feel the STF repeats ideas, it would be a lot more interesting to me if the progression on the ground was
Patrol
Node
Node and Patrols
Tutorial Transformers
Node
3-set Transformer shield
Node/patrol
4-set Transformer shield
<something new to overcome version #1>
Nodes/patrols
<something new to overcome version #2>
Three-node and generator destruction (I'd like this reworked it is a very easy part of the encounter and has no feeling of pressure)
Boss
Elite drones are a real pain.
Throughout the game, Captain level npcs are presented as boss-level npcs, and can at times be extremely difficult to defeat, yet these STF seem content to drop several of them on you like it's nothing. All it ends up being is frustrating.
The second problem with ground missions is that we should be doing group ground missions with our Boffs.
In Space, boffs provide our self-heals, our dps, our tanking, and in the same way, on the ground our boffs do this as well. by taking away our boffs and grouping us with players, it is not all that different from removing our Boff space powers when we're in a group.
Glad to hear the map works on Klingon side. I do have an Orion who is not yet BG level but quickly getting there. Chances are, if I do this again it will be with her.
No your fleet is not very experienced if you are only just doing the cure now and it took you 'hours' considering it used to be a lot harder than it now is. I agree with you that it could be improved - but i'd hate to see it get easier as it is no challenge as it is. Having done it a few more time you will probably take about 40 minutes to run thorugh it.
It's not elitism its just plain cold truth by the way - which is why someone 'always says this' as you point out. This time it happens to be my turn.
My fleet isn;t elitest because we took the time to do progression runs and really nail it so we can now clear it in half an hour - we just chose to do that rather than complain on the forum and announce that we're never doing it again like you did lol.
Do aggro the node groups instantly and violenty - they shopuld all be dead bar the heavy tac by the time the next generator lights up.
Assuming you have a couple of tacs in your group you should have a red army by now anyway (security escourt combined with tactical initiative).
Slaughter the spawns as a group and move on, the workers that spawn later and approach generator 1 spawn way down the map and have to walk through your group to get there so they die instantly anyway. There is absolutely no need to leave anyone on generator 1 for long after number 2 is lit.
Trick is to avoid the old tactic of leaveing a man on every generator as there really is no need.
Rezzing should not be an issue because no-one should be dieing at any point during any of these sequences if you are kitted correctly, have hypos and play well.
Put simply people abuse these missions because they can't do them when you get right down to it. Sorry but it is the truth. And taking hours of repeated zerg spawning qualifies and 'can't do it'. But then you have a fleet so you now go through the process we all went through and refine your tactics, practice until you can do it in your sleep - or you do what you have done - whine and never play it again.
See what you are describing doesn't sound interesting or fun. Zerg mobs spawning. Truly, I would send an entire army down to deal with that many borg, not 5 people. This is grinding at it's worst and apparently it's something you like to do as you mentioned in your earlier statement.
I don't want to grind Task Forces. I want to play them and complete them. I have only so many finite hours in this life and do not want to spend them all in front of a computer "perfecting" how to not die over and over because a task force is unneccesarily difficult. Your idea of a seasoned player is someone who never leaves the house and is willing to toil away for hours on a game. I'm sorry, as much as I love playing, I already have a job. This is relaxation for me, this is fun, this is Star Trek. Sure, I have played these types of games for years but always in moderation.
I approach these things as an experienced casual player. Perhaps task forces are not for casual players is what you are saying. I should be "serious" and devote all of my free time to learn how to beat a game (and I already spend enough of my free time on it). But I don't see it that way. It should be completable by a team of 5 on their first run (or at least second or third) without so much frustration and aggravation. If you want more diffculty, then there should be an accolade system where you can make the task force more difficult as you get better at mastering it and that way all of the players get some sort of incentive to at least play it, if not master it at harder levels.
These forums are here for feedback. I gave mine. You don't have to agree with it but you also don't have to tear it apart either. You are in the minority on this thread. The other guy who had your position came in offered constructive criticism on how to accomplish the Task Force (and I thank him for that) whereas you decided it would be better to insult me and say I'm a whiner. No sir, I am giving FEEDBACK. So, we don't agree ... fine let's just call it that and that we both have our very important reasons why we feel the way we do. I don't like to grind and you do. Easy enough.
Despite being able to beat the STFs, even with a modified old strat such as no-aggro, I find that a zerg of mobs does not equal difficult (or interesting), it just equals a bloodbath that somehow doesn't immerse me in a Star Trek MMO. Cure is a first generation STF, it is a Hack 'n Slash through masses of opponents with one idea, the Transformers, reused. I think it is one of the reasons I like the mixed aggro/no-aggro approach as it at least appears as Starfleet are outthinking the Borg and not being lured into a massive ground war.
I had thought I read at some point there would be a difficulty slider for STFs, I'm not sure if that is still on the table or not. To expand on my ideas I suggested before, I would like to see more variety in an STF and more that depends upon player thought and co-operation rather than body count. The Scan portion of Terradome is an example or the forcefield/platform portion of Infected's Boss fight. Those two require some thought and co-ordination and I think are a fun part of an otherwise trench-style combat STF.
It is a truth unfortunately that some players will dismiss any complaint and any experience that differs from theirs as "whinging" ("whining" for you US readers). They don't see themselves as elitest, of course, they are "better" than that. I have found in doing STF with both PUGS and fleet groups that there are many levels of time, practice, skill familiarity and STF familiarity that greatly affect how smoothly a run goes. Some players will be helpful others will simply take the opportunity to blame the inexperienced (in this specific instance) for their lack of success. It is harder to assist someone through an STF they find difficult than it is to simply write the issue off as "their fault".
My last thought on STFs which we haven't touched on yet is the reward. I don't look for overpowered rewards, I like STO not being as gear-centric as other games. However something more interesting than what is offered would pique my interest. Ideas other than slightly altered kits might be as follows
The "each time" loots are a single item which is rolled on just like an item loot
Just some ideas off the top of my head.
* I know about Terradome's Borg Officer but seriously....I knock myself out to get one? I don't recall the Captains ever saying in a show "Y'know I really want this officer on my staff, I'll knock myself unconscious so that will convince them!"
This wouldn't be that hard to implement. They already do it in City of Heroes (minus BOff's of course) and it's an excellent suggestion. Thanks again for your insight and more than adequate ability to communicate. It is appreciated.