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Why does rear admiral upper half/lower half even exist?
snakethefox2
Member Posts: 15 Arc User
Someone want to tell me? I just got a character up to level 40, and imagine my surprise when I find out that in 5 more levels, I'm going to go up a rank... in nothing except gear. Why would you split 10 levels between 2 ranks? It makes it so there's zero viable reason to buy equipment for that entire 10 levels, because anything you buy that's RALH-quality will be outdated in 5 levels (which is a blink of an eye in STO), and anything RAUH-quality is outdated in 5 more.
It's just an unnecessary obstruction. Now I know a lot of people that have been playing this game for awhile and have it all figured out are going to say stuff like "You shouldn't even buy equipment until you're level 50 anyway" or something equally silly, but I myself don't play to grind the endgame, I play because I enjoy it, at any level. And one of the cornerstones of almost any RPG is gear selection. But it's impossible to find any enjoyment at rear admiral upper/lower half because anything you buy is simply far, far too transient. You've barely even touched it before it's outdated, there's not even any point to playing through these ranks except to grind past them.
Am I missing something here, or were the rear admiral ranks really made to be such a damn useless chore?
It's just an unnecessary obstruction. Now I know a lot of people that have been playing this game for awhile and have it all figured out are going to say stuff like "You shouldn't even buy equipment until you're level 50 anyway" or something equally silly, but I myself don't play to grind the endgame, I play because I enjoy it, at any level. And one of the cornerstones of almost any RPG is gear selection. But it's impossible to find any enjoyment at rear admiral upper/lower half because anything you buy is simply far, far too transient. You've barely even touched it before it's outdated, there's not even any point to playing through these ranks except to grind past them.
Am I missing something here, or were the rear admiral ranks really made to be such a damn useless chore?
Post edited by snakethefox2 on
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In reality however, its because when the game launched, leveling stopped at what is now known as Rear Admiral lower half.
Way back in TOS, the rank of 'Commodore' was the rank above Captain. It was the first level of admiralty in Starfleet at the time.
In later shows, the Commodore rank was dropped, and just replaced with 'Rear Admiral'. This is more represented in the game as 'Rear Admiral, Lower Half' (aka one admiral pip), and 'Rear Admiral, Upper Half' (aka two admiral pips). Then above that was 'Vice Admiral', or three admiral pips, where we are now.
Though to REALLY add to the confusion, they were mostly referred to in any show or movie as just 'Admiral', unless it was a TOS episode where someone was specifically mentioned to be the rank of 'Commodore'.
Your issue is that this is 2013 not 2009 when it was needed.
The Devs have so many game play bugs, they do not have the time/resources to take out obsolete systems.
You shouldn't really bother with RALH stuff to be honest. With the exception of the Aegis set, none of it will last you to end game and some of the Mk XII stuff can be used immediately at lvl 45.
RAUH Stuff isn't outdated at 50, most of it you will find can be used at end game as it is mostly mark XI and some mark XII stuff.
They said they want to wait to increase the level cap until they advance the story. With the level cap would come the rank of Admiral (or Fleet Admiral). They could do it now without the new rank title. This how I would do it.
Starfleet Command has decided to reinstate the rank of Commodore. The rank structure would then change as so: 40-49 =Commodore - Mk X. 50-59= Rear Admiral (split it if you must but, I prefer not) - Mk XI. 60= Vice Admiral - Mk XII.
No new rank or equipment level.
The ranks should be as follows:
* Ensign (0 - 9)
* Lieutenant Jr Grade (10 - 19)
* Lieutenant (20 - 29)
* Lieutenant Commander (30 - 39)
* Commander (40-49)
* Captain (50/+)
In Star Trek you do not see fleets of Admirals flying their star ships about. Sure, some Admirals have ships, but for the most case they're usually on loan. The highest achievable rank for STO should have always been the rank of Captain. The rank of Admiral should either be an accolade unlock (optional) or restricted to Fleet Founders.
What I am struggling to comprehend is why we have segregated item tiers for levels 40-45 and 46-50. This is a more gameplay/game flow oriented concern. In every tier up until now, buying good or at least above average equipment was useful and enjoyable. But having only 5 levels to utilize equipment means that buying anything expensive is a drastic waste of money, because you're only going to be using it for half as long.
I mean sure, fine, if rear admiral is meant to be the most inane, unfulfilling, and monotonous grinds of all the ranks in STO, then whatever. But it's completely unnecessary, in my opinion.
If you go by that it's not viable to buy anything unless you hit max level since binging a toon from 1-50 takes a dedicated player probably just a couple of hours/days. Until you hit 50 you can safely use mission rewards and drops, after that you can worry about buying new stuff.
Why they have to split it I don't know. I'd guess like other people said it has something to do with outdated game mechanics and nobody gives a targ's TRIBBLE about that anyway
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Yet this is the kind of thing people are screaming for at the moment.
I don't think they CAN raise the level cap, really. Imagine the rage when all our purple MKXII buy and rep gear becomes obsolete
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It's the next "big thing" to happen with the game with little to no contextual support for it.
But people in other certain MMOs love it when all their purple TRIBBLE is obsoleted, they get to grind for more purple TRIBBLE!
Wrong, aside from the VA ships, all endgame equipment is RAUH leveled, weapons, armor, ground equipment, all of it is designated as ''Read Admiral: Upper Half''.
Any more questions?
I've long said that RA should just be consolidated into one 10-level rank like the rest, just called Rear Admiral, but I have no idea how much coding would be involved in doing that. I do think they could just change the existing titles to just say Rear Admiral, though.
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The explanation is that Star Trek has follow the real life US naval ranks through it's production. In TOS, they used the rank of Commodore because it was in use in the 1960's. When TNG started production, they never used Commodore because the US NAvy drop the used of Commodore in the 1980's. It's us was replaced with Rear Admiral. STO continues that use that same connotation.
You were told. Originally, there were only 45 levels, and RALH, was the rank at 45. They added 5 more levels - which were in the original plans, but got put on hold as they rushed to meet their deadline - I guess. This is how they solved the problem.
No, it is not elegant.
Oh, and I still have a lot of Mk X equipment that I use daily.
STO Forum member since before February 2010.
STO Academy's excellent skill planner here: Link
I actually avoid success entirely. It doesn't get me what I want, and the consequences for failure are slim. -- markhawman
best thing to do when hitting lvl 40 is buy your gear for the next 10 levels, blue and purple MK X are rather cheap and will last until lvl 50. Upgrade at lvl 50 but dont go spending a mint because the reputation and fleet gear you will be getting is what you really want.
Do the jem hadr or breen set missions for impulse engines, shields, and deflector when you hit lvl 50. Do the jem hadr ground set as well. Save money because those all will be replaced with rep or fleet gear. The warp core you bought at LvL 40 is good enough until you get a fleet core.
Armor or RCS? use the LvL 40 stuff you already got and replace with fleet when you can. Sci consoles have quality fleet versions.
Buy better weapons and better tac consoles only!
MK XI in any color is not really worth buying So save that money for stuff that is.
"I'm drunk, whats your excuse for being an idiot?" - Unknown drunk man. :eek:
I will always consider myself Commodore of my ship!
*Remembers the amazing Commodore Decker*
I hope STO get's better ...
Commodore isn't used because it creates too much confusion. Anytime an Admiral detaches ships from his fleet for an independent mission the senior Captain gets called Commodore for the duration. Also, the U.S. Navy uses it for sub-fleet organizations such as destroyer squadrons.
Personally, I wish they would change it to Commodore & Rear Admiral. This is fantasy after all and there is no need to follow U.S. Navy ranks that religiously.
Actually there is no reason why a multispecies organization several centuries into the future should follow the ranking system of a one particular earth nation whatsoever.