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Suggestion: Shield Power Distribution Toggle

SystemSystem Member, NoReporting Posts: 178,019 Arc User
EDIT: I think that dontdrunkimshoot's idea in post #9 - reinforcing multiple shield facings - is better than what I suggest here.

I feel that choosing a shield for your ship has become a Hobson's choice. You either fly with [Cap]x3 Covariant shields, or you're toast. But I do prefer the idea of Regenerative shields. The problem I have with using these, at least on an Escort, is that I constantly have to distribute shield power.

Using the default controls, I use my left hand on the keyboard to fly the ship, target, and fire weapons (with autofire). My right hand is on the mouse, where I try to change the camera angle, use my BOff and Captain skills, and keep my shields in order.

Changing the camera angle is doable, but it's very difficult to use upwards of twenty skills effectively, especially in PvP, when my mouse can barely move from the shield icon on my HUD. A keybind would be of no use to me with autofire, since I'm not using any one button constantly.

I don't see how spamming buttons can be good for your hands or your equipment.

So, I'd like to suggest a toggle for directing shield power.


When pressing one of the shield buttons (Fore, Aft, Port, Starboard, or Balanced), instead of a brief moment of redirecting power to a given area, the transfer would be ongoing, until it is redirected again or disabled. Shield facings would still go down with enough pummelling, but a selected area would begin to recover power almost immediately. I see it as an attempt to lengthen space combat time, in a good way.

Those who are surrounded by enemies can balance their shields, and try to put up more of a fight; Those who prefer frontal assaults can reinforce their fore shields; Those retreating can reinforce aft shields; Anyone "kiting" the Crystalline Entity can reinforce port or starboard shields, depending on which direction they're flying.

Simple.

I imagine those that use a keybind may wish that they had shield power in a different area at times, and this toggle would allow anyone to adapt quickly.

Any thoughts?
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    I agree completely.

    I've currently mapped distribute shields to Spacebar ... and it's become habit for me to tap it every few seconds whenever I enter combat.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    I would make a very nice option (like auto-fire). I get really tired of mashing my facing shield button constantly during combat.

    We can set our speed, we can set our weapons to fire, why not set our shield distribution?
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    robwill80 wrote: »
    I feel that choosing a shield for your ship has become a Hobson's choice. You either fly with [Cap]x3 Covariant shields, or you're toast. But I do prefer the idea of Regenerative shields. The problem I have with using these, at least on an Escort, is that I constantly have to distribute shield power.

    Using the default controls, I use my left hand on the keyboard to fly the ship, target, and fire weapons (with autofire). My right hand is on the mouse, where I try to change the camera angle, use my BOff and Captain skills, and keep my shields in order.

    Changing the camera angle is doable, but it's very difficult to use upwards of twenty skills effectively, especially in PvP, when my mouse can barely move from the shield icon on my HUD. A keybind would be of no use to me with autofire, since I'm not using any one button constantly.

    I don't see how spamming buttons can be good for your hands or your equipment.

    So, I'd like to suggest a toggle for directing shield power.


    When pressing one of the shield buttons (Fore, Aft, Port, Starboard, or Balanced), instead of a brief moment of redirecting power to a given area, the transfer would be ongoing, until it is redirected again or disabled. Shield facings would still go down with enough pummelling, but a selected area would begin to recover power almost immediately. I see it as an attempt to lengthen space combat time, in a good way.

    Those who are surrounded by enemies can balance their shields, and try to put up more of a fight; Those who prefer frontal assaults can reinforce their fore shields; Those retreating can reinforce aft shields; Anyone "kiting" the Crystalline Entity can reinforce port or starboard shields, depending on which direction they're flying.

    Simple.

    I imagine those that use a keybind may wish that they had shield power in a different area at times, and this toggle would allow anyone to adapt quickly.

    Any thoughts?

    cant you just rearrange your hud and move your power box closer to your boff abilities?
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Karvashio wrote: »
    cant you just rearrange your hud and move your power box closer to your boff abilities?

    Not really, no. I keep a compact HUD. Those boxes are as close together as they can get without overlapping and covering each other. But that's not the problem, exactly.

    I have to react very, very quickly to activate those skills, while still keeping my shields up. With over twenty skills and small HUD icons, I have to be very careful where I click my mouse. Not the easiest thing to do when you have to move fast to constantly work on your shield.

    It's all crazy button mashing that I'd rather do without, because it can cause mistakes - missing buttons or hitting the wrong ones through having to be fast.

    What I suggested seems like a better option for my fingers, my keyboard and mouse, and ship combat overall.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Hmm, I'd like for them to enable 'autofire' on the shield rebalancing powers, that would be nice. Give some real value to the Regen variants as you say.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    reiella wrote: »
    Hmm, I'd like for them to enable 'autofire' on the shield rebalancing powers, that would be nice. Give some real value to the Regen variants as you say.

    That's an interesting idea. An "auto-adjust". Every time your shield is hit it automatically rebalances it. Interesting....
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    I just switched position so that my mouse is on the left hand and I use that to steer and look around and my right hand, which is more dextrous is controlling abilities by key presses. I mapped distribute shield power to one of the number keys so it's always in reach of my little finger.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    i was just thinking about this last night. my idea was you right click the shield facing just like a weapon to set it to 'auto fire'. if you want available shields to be transferred to the front and left shields, just right click the front and left shields. maybe you want all but aft shields reinforced? right click all but the aft facing. right click again to cancel. this would leave the current reinforcement method in place too
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    i was just thinking about this last night. my idea was you right click the shield facing just like a weapon to set it to 'auto fire'. if you want available shields to be transferred to the front and left shields, just right click the front and left shields. maybe you want all but aft shields reinforced? right click all but the aft facing. right click again to cancel. this would leave the current reinforcement method in place too

    Hmm. That sounds like a great idea. I was thinking of it as similar to the old weapon autofire function, with each shield button tied to the same toggle. Selecting one would canel the old selection.

    But, you're right. An ability to reinforce multiple shield facings sounds much better. Selecting one shield would still work by drawing power from all other facings. Selecting all but one shield would draw power from that shield to all others. Selecting all 4 shield facings would try to keep the shield balanced.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Brilliant Idea. One that keeps coming up again and again. I have suggested this very thing my self once before. But Cryptic doesn't seem interested in implementing it. I guess they like us having to smash our key boards or mouse buttons every few seconds to divert shield power.

    Also the last thread I read about this there were some misguided fools who claimed that "auto fire" type shield power transfer buttons would be an "I win Button". I have no idea how they could think this, as all it is just a slight change so we don't have to click something every 3 seconds and just change it to where we divert shield power to match were on our shields the enemy hits us as needed.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    I think that if you're flying an escort with Regenerative Shields - there's a problem with your build.

    Regenerative shields fare much better on ships with higher shield levels (like a Engineers or Science Vessels)
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    I think that if you're flying an escort with Regenerative Shields - there's a problem with your build.

    Regenerative shields fare much better on ships with higher shield levels (like a Engineers or Science Vessels)

    I'll put it to you this way - I'm a Trek fan first, and a game player second.

    With that in mind, someone in the canon thought it would be a good idea to equip a Tier 5 Escort, the USS Prometheus, with a Regenerative Shield. Granted, the ship was taken over by Romulans, but still... *shrugs*

    In this game, I appreciate the properties that these shields offer. They can't take as much damage but they recover quicker.

    When it comes to playing a game, if I equip something, I expect it to work. I think these shields do work on an Escort, but the means of controlling them are extremely poor. As I said, the current way of doing this makes choosing a shield a Hobson's choice. Why offer something else if there is only one viable option?
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    I figured more people than those who've replied would've been in favour of this. It is more control to the player, after all. Ah, well. I gave it a try.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Question - would it redirect shields until the facing is even the others? when the facing is full? as long as they're toggled on - even if it causes the other facings to fail?
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Question - would it redirect shields until the facing is even the others? when the facing is full? as long as they're toggled on - even if it causes the other facings to fail?

    If it were me making the choice, the selected shield facing would take all available power to bring it to full. Even at the expense of completely draining other facings, if need be. There is a balance shield button already there, so a toggle for that would try to keep it even on all sides.

    I imagine this would work similar to the current weapon autofire icons in the HUD. Left-clicking the icon would activate a brief power transfer as it does now, and right-clicking it would make it a continual process.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    robwill80 wrote: »
    I figured more people than those who've replied would've been in favour of this. It is more control to the player, after all. Ah, well. I gave it a try.

    way to much complaining about the new mission on the front page, so alot of people probably haven't even seen this topic. id really like to see this addressed, consistent tapping a key so you stay alive sucks
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    way to much complaining about the new mission on the front page, so alot of people probably haven't even seen this topic. id really like to see this addressed, consistent tapping a key so you stay alive sucks

    That makes me wonder how useful this forum is as a method of listening to the players. I did find a couple of threads on this subject, one 14 pages long. I can't really make the thread title more eye-catching, as it describes exactly what it is. There is no way of knowing if a dev has even seen this unless one replies, or this suddenly ends up on some release notes or an engineering report.

    It's a shame that I can't really file this as a bug report in game, as the shield mechanics are functioning the way the devs intended. I still say that it's not good enough.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    I agree with perhaps having an autofire setting for redirect power to shields or balance power to shields. My main flies resilients (Mk VIII, Cap, Reg), and my two Fed alts have covariants. I don't use the mouse, so HUD arrangements make no difference.

    That said, regardless of what character I play, I have "balance power to shields" as a must-have in my power tray, because I am always on it. Even with the Resilients my main has, I am always on it. It can make coordinating attacks using other abilities a little difficult at times.

    Like the other day, trying to set up an attack run with Kim. Starbase 24 Fleet Action: I have a cruiser to starboard, escort to port. We had one Negh'var to go. It was in our sights, and its battlegroup was in tight and consisted of small ships, we knew that the best attack would be one that could hit the Negh'var, but also take on multiple targets: So, Gravity Well which is something only my ship had. My ship's attack would be then to tractor the Negh'Var and hit it with this: Beam Overload > High Yield > Plasma Mines, and then light off CPB2 while over the target and in the middle of the ship cluster.

    Lots of things I have to hit there, and I really don't have time to spam redirect power to shields, but I have to to keep them up or the attack run won't last long. I don't want to use too many self-heals too early while conducting this crazy move, either. I might have to heal my teammates, or myself in a pinch if something goes wrong (like if CPB2 finds cloaked ships).
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Didn't cryptic say they don't want automated shield facings because it would make fights easier? Also, wouldn't this completely mess up torpedoes? Only takes a little shield to nerf a torps kinetic damage.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Dahm_bomb wrote: »
    Didn't cryptic say they don't want automated shield facings because it would make fights easier? Also, wouldn't this completely mess up torpedoes? Only takes a little shield to nerf a torps kinetic damage.

    not sure if thats what was said...however..

    lets say this gets implimented...and say the escort is set for front shield facings...
    once the pass is made, he would need to adjust to rear or sides as well.

    the effect of weapons fire will still be felt, torp or beam, or whatever, since other facings are degenerating themselves to fill the front facing at all times. therefore making the ship open to damage from other facings.

    as far as cruisers, lets say, this may play an advantage at first, but once the Cpt depletes the other facings to secure the one facing, he/she is open and very vulnerable on the depleted facings...

    i like the idea, and i see nothing bad or OP about it, as it has the needed drawbacks.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Dahm_bomb wrote: »
    Didn't cryptic say they don't want automated shield facings because it would make fights easier? Also, wouldn't this completely mess up torpedoes? Only takes a little shield to nerf a torps kinetic damage.

    Depends on how you look at it. I don't think it will make fights easier, per se. I certainly think it will make fighting easier for those under attack.

    Also, the way fighting mechanics generally work at Vice Admiral are messed around. Ground combat takes too long, and space combat is over too quickly. When you start out as a Lieutenant, it's the right balance.

    As for the Torpedo damage you mention, well I constantly have to spam the shield balance button anyway. So, there always will be that tiny fraction of a shield there to offset kinetic damage. What I'm asking for is the ability to do the same thing without having to spam the button. The actual shield recovery rate from transferring power would be the same as it is now. It would make no difference to apparent vulnerability, except an opposing player won't instantly know how you govern your shields. This just allows an attacked player to fight back properly.

    Besides, when you watch the series, it's very rare that one lucky torpedo strike will take out a fully operational ship. It's usually when all the shields are gone that the ship is truly vulnerable. There was an Episode of TNG on TV the other day, and Picard fired one Torpedo at a Romulan Warbird, destroying it. The first words he said were "That was too easy", and they discovered the Warbird was a fake. Space combat in STO shouldn't lean towards this direction.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Dahm_bomb wrote: »
    Didn't cryptic say they don't want automated shield facings because it would make fights easier? Also, wouldn't this completely mess up torpedoes? Only takes a little shield to nerf a torps kinetic damage.

    I don't think it would make fights easier. If so, the people like myself who already spam RPtS and BPtS would be invincible I would think. There would be no need for other self heals like EPtS, or Sci Team, or RSP or anything like that.

    Even when spamming BPtS like no tomorrow, I can still be killed and I have had torpedoes take me down with a sliver of shields left simply because the shield that was up and my hull strength at the time wasn't enough to offset the damage inflicted by the torpedo. Kim is skilled pretty well for EPS power transfer and shield strength, and even when spamming BPtS she still gets killed.

    I would still have to think, though, about how to go about setting up an attack, or how to time heals if I or my teammates are being attacked. I still would be responsible for managing other aspects of damage control as well. It would, however, save my hand and my number pad by not having to hit that key all the time.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    It seems that most experienced PvPers use macros or repeated spam keys anyways now, so I do not thing this would change balance at all. All it would do, is relieve stress on the human and/or keyboard equipment, and allow players to do what they are already doing with 3rd party software.

    So, I support this.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Dahm_bomb wrote: »
    Didn't cryptic say they don't want automated shield facings because it would make fights easier? Also, wouldn't this completely mess up torpedoes? Only takes a little shield to nerf a torps kinetic damage.

    that's another thing i don't like about the current way shields work. a shield at 1% will end up causing a torpedo to do hundreds of damage instead of thousands. if a shield is at 25% or less it should be doing hull damage numbers with the shield absorbing what it can before it collapses. or maybe some scaling damage increase based on the percentage shield you have left, starting at 25%. a shield at 15% should have a 50% chance to by bypassed completely. a torp should be extremely dangerous, currently only a ship more tac slots than it knows what to do with them, or a ship having to big an energy drain issues make it worth wile to use them.

    well ether that or halfing the cool down on all torps, that would be quite a show!
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    I think that most players agree that torpedoes need to do more bleed through damage. And the amount that bleeds through should depend on how much shield strength.
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