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Proposal: Starbases - The United Front
azurianstar
Member Posts: 6,985 Arc User
There is a phrase that best fits what many of you are encountering right now with the Starbase system: "Too Rich for my Blood".
I know many of you small fleets are feeling the burn when it comes to contructing your Starbases. The wealth that you saved up for years, gone within weeks (especially with your dilithium). And now you are having to either "Expand or Die" (by recruiting), "leave the sinking ship" (abandon your fleet and merging with another fleet), or just give up.
Many players just don't really get small fleets. While there are a ton of 1-man fleets (who are soloists who just didn't want to get into a fleet for their own reasons), there are some small fleets who were composed of close friends or relatives and recruiting just to do this Starbase system was purely out of the question.
Some small fleets simply fell apart, because some members wanted to get to Tier 5 and didn't believe their small fleet was ever going to get there, so they joined a large fleet.
Or you're in a small fleet that tried, but the grinding for Marks and Dilithium became too much. That or you simply ran out of money, and decided to just stop while you were ahead. Thus giving up on ever seeing higher Tiers.
As a leader of two small fleets, I wholeheartedly understand this plight and came up with a few ideas that might be mutually beneficial to not only us, but to Cryptic as well. Simply put, this is our way of putting up a "United Front", where everyone can enjoy the Starbase System.
Idea 1: Task Forces
With real Navies around the world, Fleets are composed of Task Forces.
So in STO, all small fleets (lets say with a population of 10 or less players) could unite under a single "Fleet" and you all share resources as if you were a member of a Large Fleet. But you retain your own fleet's identity.
HOWEVER, unlike fleets with larger populations, there won't be any competition fighting over credits, prestige, or whatever. Instead, you take on the responsiblity of provisioning for your own fleet / task force, while the "fleet" is mainly focused on the overall advancement (I.E. Starbase Construction).
As for the "Fleet", its mainly going to be operated by PW / Cryptic or a representative of PW / Cryptic. They set the goals or direction. That way, they can speed things up so we feel like we are progressing, or slow us down as to buy larger fleets time to enjoy Tier 5. (Which is better than small fleets staying at Tier 0 or 1 and giving up).
Idea 2: The Fleet Umbrella
Basically a small fleet falling under the umbrella of a larger fleet. The large fleet shares it's starbase progress and you share by contributing to that progress. But you retain your own fleet's identity and have to provide your own provisions.
This idea was inspired by large fleets that became so large, they had to split up into multiple or recruitment fleets. While technically seperate, they were under the umbrella as a "fleet". So those recruitment or secondary fleets can stay with their mother fleet and enjoy the benefits without having to wait for a spot or have a rotation to enjoy the benefits.
Also, friendly small fleets could also benefit from a system by falling under the umbrella of another fleet.
Idea 3: The Fleet Alliance
Fleets simply ally with one another as equals, and share resources without having to merge or players leave for another fleet. This alliance of small fleets could put you on the same level of a medium or large fleet. Thus you both benefit from progress.
EDIT:
Idea 4: Player Starbases at Existing Hubs
Small Fleets have the option of being stationed at Existing Hubs (ESD, K7, SB39, DS9). And with the resources already there, there is no need for unlocking the resources like banking NPCs or mail terminals. Instead, fleets can focus on smaller priorities like Weapon Development (for Advanced and Elite Weaponry) or Ship Development (for Fleet Ships).
This also benefits Hubs in keeping them viable as centers of activity.
I'm sure many of you can see flaws in the system like abuses or exploiting that could happen. But if we could work this out, small fleets won't be left behind in the dirt and never experience the joys of upper levels the Starbase System.
At the same time, this opens up possiblities for larger event / raids that could put STO in a positive light.
So I like to hear your input.
I know many of you small fleets are feeling the burn when it comes to contructing your Starbases. The wealth that you saved up for years, gone within weeks (especially with your dilithium). And now you are having to either "Expand or Die" (by recruiting), "leave the sinking ship" (abandon your fleet and merging with another fleet), or just give up.
Many players just don't really get small fleets. While there are a ton of 1-man fleets (who are soloists who just didn't want to get into a fleet for their own reasons), there are some small fleets who were composed of close friends or relatives and recruiting just to do this Starbase system was purely out of the question.
Some small fleets simply fell apart, because some members wanted to get to Tier 5 and didn't believe their small fleet was ever going to get there, so they joined a large fleet.
Or you're in a small fleet that tried, but the grinding for Marks and Dilithium became too much. That or you simply ran out of money, and decided to just stop while you were ahead. Thus giving up on ever seeing higher Tiers.
As a leader of two small fleets, I wholeheartedly understand this plight and came up with a few ideas that might be mutually beneficial to not only us, but to Cryptic as well. Simply put, this is our way of putting up a "United Front", where everyone can enjoy the Starbase System.
Idea 1: Task Forces
With real Navies around the world, Fleets are composed of Task Forces.
So in STO, all small fleets (lets say with a population of 10 or less players) could unite under a single "Fleet" and you all share resources as if you were a member of a Large Fleet. But you retain your own fleet's identity.
HOWEVER, unlike fleets with larger populations, there won't be any competition fighting over credits, prestige, or whatever. Instead, you take on the responsiblity of provisioning for your own fleet / task force, while the "fleet" is mainly focused on the overall advancement (I.E. Starbase Construction).
As for the "Fleet", its mainly going to be operated by PW / Cryptic or a representative of PW / Cryptic. They set the goals or direction. That way, they can speed things up so we feel like we are progressing, or slow us down as to buy larger fleets time to enjoy Tier 5. (Which is better than small fleets staying at Tier 0 or 1 and giving up).
Idea 2: The Fleet Umbrella
Basically a small fleet falling under the umbrella of a larger fleet. The large fleet shares it's starbase progress and you share by contributing to that progress. But you retain your own fleet's identity and have to provide your own provisions.
This idea was inspired by large fleets that became so large, they had to split up into multiple or recruitment fleets. While technically seperate, they were under the umbrella as a "fleet". So those recruitment or secondary fleets can stay with their mother fleet and enjoy the benefits without having to wait for a spot or have a rotation to enjoy the benefits.
Also, friendly small fleets could also benefit from a system by falling under the umbrella of another fleet.
Idea 3: The Fleet Alliance
Fleets simply ally with one another as equals, and share resources without having to merge or players leave for another fleet. This alliance of small fleets could put you on the same level of a medium or large fleet. Thus you both benefit from progress.
EDIT:
Idea 4: Player Starbases at Existing Hubs
Small Fleets have the option of being stationed at Existing Hubs (ESD, K7, SB39, DS9). And with the resources already there, there is no need for unlocking the resources like banking NPCs or mail terminals. Instead, fleets can focus on smaller priorities like Weapon Development (for Advanced and Elite Weaponry) or Ship Development (for Fleet Ships).
This also benefits Hubs in keeping them viable as centers of activity.
I'm sure many of you can see flaws in the system like abuses or exploiting that could happen. But if we could work this out, small fleets won't be left behind in the dirt and never experience the joys of upper levels the Starbase System.
At the same time, this opens up possiblities for larger event / raids that could put STO in a positive light.
So I like to hear your input.
Post edited by Unknown User on
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Comments
the large fleets are dying
Also, sliders for all donation windows would be welcome. Putting in 150 data samples one at a time is grueling.
This is why many small fleets aren't too happy, because they have to work 10x as hard for the duration of years to get to the same place Large Fleets will enjoy within a few months. So be nice if the Dev Team went back to the drawing board and revise the system for smaller, casual fleets.
larger fleet's would pay more to get it built, but have way more resource income and so more stuff in the shops for the players to buy - smaller fleets won't have to spend day and night doing nothing but grinding their TRIBBLE's off and living on the wrong side of the poverty line just to get the thing built, but will still have to stay prtoactive to keep the base supplied for their consumption needs.
Me playing UT2k4 (red guy) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wz0DnP7wXnU
It depends... that could annoy a lot of people. But I think reducing the Marks and the Dil cost even if only slightly would make all the difference.
Scaling is also feasable, but you think that would've been something they considered when they created the Starbase system. Else Large fleets wouldn't be having trouble with not being able to contribute to earn Fleet Credit.
But yes, small fleets easily can profit by selling their extra ships and provisions, however that small fleet would have to get to the point, where they can sell their extra supplies to those larger fleets and get people to pay up with marks and dilithium to advance progress. So if a large fleet is already at Tier 2+, and the small fleet is at Tier 1, then there wouldn't be much to offer in means of goods.
So what I proposed would seem to be more of an attractive venture where progress is maintained with the larger fleet, yet the small fleet's resources are intact and both fleets prosper. The smaller fleet gains progress, while the larger has that extra resource, and everyone is happy in getting what they want.
Though would Cryptic be up for such a system? Or was this already thought of and rejected to give larger fleets something they can claim as their own?
To throw in my thoughts, I also agree with folks about lowering the D demand a bit to start - and monitor the change in social response to it (and possibly bring down the Marks demand on some projects to help alleviate frustration). I also agree that making data sample contributions easier will contribute to alleviating players' frustration. Every little bit helps.
As for small fleet assistance, if changes / updates are currently in the works, then they are part of a massive improvement project that is helped by this kind of constructive input from players (in-game and forum). Things also change when they go from Test to Live...the amount of players and styles of play increases dramatically and create an abundance of different reports to sort through.
We don't yet know what resources it would take to put in action all, some, or one of the changes suggested by players - We don't know if the devs see a bigger/different/better picture for fleet development or if they agree with these player reports and suggestions. We don't know if the current system can even handle all those options for smaller fleets. Good questions for Cryptic team members.
~ Adrianne
STO @agrady
Cs: Oranne, Adrianne, Shekklah
They haven't even finished adding more ways to earn Fleet Marks, like Dan Stahl mentioned they were going to do in the State of the Game.
While I can sympathize with the slow-going of building a starbase, as I am in just such a small fleet, I think we need to allow for a little more time for the Devs to reach conclusions that work for everybody. The system has only been on Holodeck a couple of weeks.
I do believe there is more than enough room in the game to permit some kind of mechanism for fleet alliances, but cooperatively contributing to projects is not one of those things an alliance should be used for. I don't believe that can be pulled off in a fair way in this design.
Making it easier to cooperatively gather resources is another thing entirely, and alliances could facilitate that through new mechanics for inter-fleet trade, communications, and teaming. Anything, really, that makes it easier for people to play together without relying on PUG's.
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^^^
And such a system would be so easily exploitable it isn't funny. Break you large fleet down to the minimum required and rotate members in and out untuil the Starbase is all maxed out is short order - then invite everyone back. <--- Max Starbase with minimal effort.
PWE ARC Drone says: "Your STO forum community as you have known it is ended...Display names are irrelevant...Any further sense of community is irrelevant...Resistance is futile...You will be assimilated..."
I disagree. You would still be limited by the number of active projects and their cooldowns. And really wouldn't be any different than it is now.