Exploration improvements?

the1tigglet · September 2013

Please tell me that an update for this kind of thing is on the way to vastly improve explorations for Fed players because it's really bad old stuff in there like ships that just appear out of nowhere, almost no aid the planets, or just scan computer consoles constantly.

I'm hoping we'll see more of what we saw with the romulan missions where we were scanning things on new Romulus (science), Disarming explosives in a station (Tactical), or fixing items in a ship or station (engineer).

markhawkman · September 2013

Last I checked Aid the planet sucked because you didn't get Level-appropriate items for it... I'd rther scan 5 consoles than give away a few thousand ec worth of commods for nothing.

My fave mission script is the one for scanning 5 anomalies. The actual mission is to collect data samples! ^_^ Love it!

Most of them are a bit boring, but I do like the Decalithium prospecting script since you get to fight off claim-jumpers.

ufpterrell · September 2013

I'd love to see a revamp of the exploration system. Would go something like this in my mind.

You get orders from Starfleet Command to investigate sector blah blah blah as part of a survey. You warp to this sector of space where you have to send out probes or scan nearby systems for signs of life or technology. If you get a positive hit you would get a mission giving screen pop up, here's where it could get interesting. Either Cryptic provide a set of missions for us to do, or we could create a new Foundry category like the spotlight missions. They would have set parameters in terms of length and content. With a system like this we could in theory have unlimited missions to do as long as the community has the appetite to make them.

markhawkman · September 2013

Either Cryptic provide a set of missions for us to do,

have you played the existing exploration missions?

or we could create a new Foundry category like the spotlight missions.

that would be so much fun.

damix4 · September 2013

have you played the existing exploration missions?

Those current exploration missions are boring..and they should put canon races to explore so we can learn more about them and not some generated aliens.

ufpterrell · September 2013

Yes, I have played through the current exploration missions and they're damned awful. I don't even bother with them. Which is a shame, since when I started playing STO three years ago I wanted to explore and was disappointed when I realised it was just a case of flying to the asteroid run around the maze of corridors looking for computer consoles. Doesn't stop Cryptic making a few NEW missions themselves to start the system off and then accept new player submitted missions every week or so. Hell maybe they should introduce the much hoped for crafting revamp into this system, some of the rewards could be used to craft new items for your ships or crew.

davidwford · September 2013

markhawkman wrote: »

Last I checked Aid the planet sucked because you didn't get Level-appropriate items for it... I'd rther scan 5 consoles than give away a few thousand ec worth of commods for nothing.

My fave mission script is the one for scanning 5 anomalies. The actual mission is to collect data samples! ^_^ Love it!

Most of them are a bit boring, but I do like the Decalithium prospecting script since you get to fight off claim-jumpers.

I agree. My thought is that the mission should have three dialoge options:

1. Not right now, we'll get back to you on it. (wait to come back to the mission)
2. We'll get our industrial replicators to work on it. (Basic mission complete)
3. We have a full supply prepare for transport (Mission complete, commodites given for dilithium bonus)

yreodred · September 2013

the1tigglet wrote: »

Please tell me that an update for this kind of thing is on the way to vastly improve explorations for Fed players because it's really bad old stuff in there like ships that just appear out of nowhere, almost no aid the planets, or just scan computer consoles constantly.

I'm hoping we'll see more of what we saw with the romulan missions where we were scanning things on new Romulus (science), Disarming explosives in a station (Tactical), or fixing items in a ship or station (engineer).

I have the impression exploration is not on their "important" list, rather they where doing it when there's nothing more important for them to do.

Here's a LINK to the Upcoming content List on the STO Wiki
You'll find exploration revamp at the Undetermined Release section.

Like you i wish it had a much higher priority.
But stuff that sells is more important (to them) than classical Star Trek themes.

roxbad · September 2013

markhawkman wrote: »

Last I checked Aid the planet sucked

Because there's nothing to it. It's just ridiculous as an exploration mission.

"Hi people we've never met before."

"Hi. We need stuff. Do you have any stuff."

"Yeah. Here, have some stuff."

"Thanks. Bye."

yreodred · September 2013

roxbad wrote: »

Because there's nothing to it. It's just ridiculous as an exploration mission.

"Hi people we've never met before."

"Hi. We need stuff. Do you have any stuff."

"Yeah. Here, have some stuff."

"Thanks. Bye."

Lol, really creative.
That's the best Cryptic came up with for a Exploration mission.

Do you really want more of that?

:D

jetwtf · September 2013

Mission type 1, ground.

Step 1. Check computer/scan object.
Step 2. Check/scan 3 more.
Step 3. Check/scan final one.
Step 4. leave system.

Variations to that is random enemy beams in when step 1 is achieved.

Mission Type 2, ground.

Step 1. Kill 5 groups of random enemies.
Step 2. leave system.

Mission type 1, space.

Step 1. Scan 5 objects. (anomolies or random freighters)
Step 2. leave system.

Variations to that is random enemy is at each object.

Mission Type 2, space.

Step 1. kill 5 groups of random enemies patroling the same empty nothing there spot in space.
Step 2. Leave system.

I think that covers all of them.

markhawkman · September 2013

jetwtf wrote: »

Mission type 1, ground.

Step 1. Check computer/scan object.
Step 2. Check/scan 3 more.
Step 3. Check/scan final one.
Step 4. leave system.

Variations to that is random enemy beams in when step 1 is achieved.

Mission Type 2, ground.

Step 1. Kill 5 groups of random enemies.
Step 2. leave system.

Mission type 1, space.

Step 1. Scan 5 objects. (anomolies or random freighters)
Step 2. leave system.

Variations to that is random enemy is at each object.

Mission Type 2, space.

Step 1. kill 5 groups of random enemies patroling the same empty nothing there spot in space.
Step 2. Leave system.

I think that covers all of them.

There's a bit more variety than that. you left out the exterior ones. In those you look around a planet surface for something.... not computers it varies based on the mission. Sometimes you fight, sometimes not, a common variant is looking for Decalithium deposits.

There's one mission script where your goal is actually to defeat a Gorgan invasion!

jetwtf · September 2013

markhawkman wrote: »

There's a bit more variety than that. you left out the exterior ones. In those you look around a planet surface for something.... not computers it varies based on the mission. Sometimes you fight, sometimes not, a common variant is looking for Decalithium deposits.

There's one mission script where your goal is actually to defeat a Gorgan invasion!

The exterior one you mention is what i listed as Type 1, ground. to "find" you have to scan it.

The gorgan invasion is probably Type 2, ground. Type 2 can also be interior or exterior as well.

captz1pp · September 2013

I'd say the only way to improve this is adding more* alien (not necessarily earth-like) animals either for your ship or your away team for Fed players to investigate.

*For those un-able to access New Romulus.

capnmanx · September 2013

Last word on the matter that I'm aware of was in the April 'Ask Cryptic'; which was that they were hoping to exploit the foundry to improve exploration, sometime within the next 2 years.

Can't say that either their solution to exploration's troubles, nor their time frame for it, pleased me much.

markhawkman · September 2013

jetwtf wrote: »

The exterior one you mention is what i listed as Type 1, ground. to "find" you have to scan it.

The gorgan invasion is probably Type 2, ground. Type 2 can also be interior or exterior as well.

The Gorgan one is different in that the location/race is the only random part of the script. You don't go around scanning randomly chosen objects. you scan the radiation cloud graphic that was later used on Mol'Rihan.

I've actually noticed that, despite the similarities in objectives, the interior and exterior ground missions use very different mission scripts.

My #1 idea is to be able to save and return to the locations you've visited. IE: I helped raceX repel a Gorgan invasion, where are they now?

logos1326 · September 2013

I've always thought they should have deep exploration quest chains that unlock hidden worlds that you can visit. Sorry but scan 5 objects, kill 5 groups, or deliver 10 cargo to a planet isn't exploration it's just boring grind.
Hope they do take a second look at exploration. Kind of silly that a game based on a show with the motto "seek out new life and civilizations, boldly go where no one has gone before" has almost zero exploration in it.

markhawkman · September 2013

I did a few today just to collect data. here's the data:

T'Ong nebula:

1:
Investigate Base(Hovtay' Hurgh M'rek Qab)
-approach target(capture enemy ship)
Expel enemy forces (ChIS tIn Starad Dung qab wa'maH jav)
-defeat enemy squads(5)
notes: in this mission script the actual mission doesn't start until you beam to the ship.

2:
Investigate Base(Hovtay' chIS Mow'ga Soch)
-approach target(beam down and confront Sterenko invaders)
Expel enemy forces(Qab tIn Sochvatlh SochmaH Hut Hurgh)
-defeat enemy squads(5)

3:
Investigate Base(Hovtay' Hurgh Gorkon chorghmaH chorgh)
-approach base(reclaim a base captured by the Federation months ago)
Expel enemy forces(Qach Hutvatlh cha'maH vagh poS)
-defeat enemy squads(5)

Azlesa Expanse:

1:
Secure System(Hovtay' wov Marqagh wej)
-defeat enemy squadrons(8)(feds)

2:
Investigate planet(Hovtay' wa'vatlh HutmaH vagh blng Dung qIj)
-approach planet(unidentified weapon caches)
Illegal caches(YuQ poS Sochvatlh SochmaH wa' wov)
-Destroy Weapons caches(Terran Empire)
-reprogram cache transponder
notes: for this mission you find and SHOOT the objects you destroy

3:
Investigate planet(Hovtay' wov Klavek Dung Dub wa'maH wej)
-approach planet(undine transmissions)
Thwarting Invaders
-Enemy Squad Defeated(1)
-Enemy Squads Defeated(4)

yeah, I got variations of the same mission script for the first 3 I did... O_o' this was interesting because, despite having the same mission script the story was different. In the first, I was hijacking a Fed freighter. In the second, I was repelling invaders in a KDF base. In the third, I was reclaiming a colony the Feds had previously captured.

The 5th and 6th ones used the same base map but with a different script. One had no combat, the other was nothing but combat.

One thing that would be nice is if the missions had more than one or 2 maps. Take the first one I did. Fighting the ship THEN boarding and capturing it would be nice.

davidwford · September 2013

I would like to see the randomly generated species have a randomly selected energy weapons type. Right now they all use disruptors. I would like to see them sometimes use Phasers, Tetryons, Plasma, or Polarons (still debating on use of antiprotons or not) in addition to disruptors.

Further, I would like to see the standard species have an increased drop rate for the type they use. (Hirogen, and Tholian have increased Tetryon weapon drop; Breen, and Jem'Hadar have indcreased Polaron drop, etc.)

starswordc · September 2013

What I'd really like right about now is some kind of check to make sure the enemies that spawn for an exploration mission make sense in context. I'm data farming in the B'Tran Cluster and just got a mission hook that said the Borg have been arming rebels.

I'm like, "That's not possible: the Borg aren't that subtle."

markhawkman · September 2013

starswordc wrote: »

What I'd really like right about now is some kind of check to make sure the enemies that spawn for an exploration mission make sense in context. I'm data farming in the B'Tran Cluster and just got a mission hook that said the Borg have been arming rebels.

I'm like, "That's not possible: the Borg aren't that subtle."

I've heard rumors that the B'Tran variants can include the Borg looking for lost relics of their 5th dynasty, or something like that...

yaisuke15 · September 2013

Don't you just love copypastas? They are so fun!

But seriously, a little context would help. Immersion goes a long way in making a game last longer. If only they added in other things to make STO more Star Trek like, ie the interaction between crew memebers and senior staff, then the game would seem five or maybe ten times better.

andy1884 · September 2013

Lol.

Odd this should come up now as after not having done any for a year or so I've decided to start doing them again to complete the accolades and help me get some of the 'Kill 1000 xxxxxx's ' accolades whilst gettin some dilithium thrown in for the daily.

My biggest qualms -

Ground - you usually have to actually get to the planet first, through broad empty space, which can take minutes. why not quicken it like Qo'nos is?

Ground - Never any respawn points on the 'kill 5 sets' missions, you die on the last one and have to run through the whole damn maze base again.

Space - All your sensors can pick up is bloody data samples! Why not tweak that so they also pick up the enemy you have to kill?

markhawkman · September 2013

andy1884 wrote: »

Lol.

Odd this should come up now as after not having done any for a year or so I've decided to start doing them again to complete the accolades and help me get some of the 'Kill 1000 xxxxxx's ' accolades whilst gettin some dilithium thrown in for the daily.

My biggest qualms -

Ground - you usually have to actually get to the planet first, through broad empty space, which can take minutes. why not quicken it like Qo'nos is?

Hmm... I occupy my time by scanning data samples. there's usually 4 in the pre-ground space maps.

Ground - Never any respawn points on the 'kill 5 sets' missions, you die on the last one and have to run through the whole damn maze base again.

yeah that would be nic eto have tweaked.

Space - All your sensors can pick up is bloody data samples! Why not tweak that so they also pick up the enemy you have to kill?

yeah all missions are like that...

EDIT: here's a few more missions logged:
Hromi:(fed)
1:
Discover Ship's Fate: (System Gamma Coronae DS-436)
-Scan Vessel(Dalankrit)
-scan more wrecks(2)
-scan for antiprotons(2)

2:
Relief effort: (System K105-M)
-Aid the planet: (Pirx, 10 comm arrays)
NOTE: I got 100 dip xp for this

3:
Investigate planet: System J-876
-Approach planet
Alien Defense Artifacts: Planet Zeta Kappa 377
-examine one artifact
-artifacts disabled(4)

4:
Investigate Planet: System Lambda Draconis IO-441
-Approach Planet
Deposits investigation: Planet Rho Horologii 0442-Xi
-investigate deposit
-decalithium deposits investigated(4)
NOTE: I got 100 dip xp for this

markhawkman · September 2013

Now I'm actually thinking about making a serious effort to list all of the misison variants you can get in exploration clusters.

Exploration improvements?

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