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Official Feedback thread for the Solanae Dyson Sphere Adventure Zone

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    johnny111971johnny111971 Member Posts: 1,300 Arc User
    edited October 2013
    I like that space zone,

    besides the points already mentioned...

    The most dangerous part of the Voth are their warp core explosions, when you are to close.

    They hardly move, they sit nice and clustered for scatter volleys and torpedo spreads.

    Quality over quantity. So far its just another bunch of hit points that slow you down, nothing more.

    Seconded... i think the current space voth are too easy... and can stand a HP raise, and Dmg Raise.

    Star Trek Online, Now with out the Trek....
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    ladymyajhaladymyajha Member Posts: 1,427 Arc User
    edited October 2013
    Seconded... i think the current space voth are too easy... and can stand a HP raise, and Dmg Raise.

    I agree with the dmg raise, and I think they should raise the shield resist (not the hp raise), but I think if they moved a bit more, they'd be harder to hit. My cruiser moves more then their frigates I think.
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    azurianstarazurianstar Member Posts: 6,985 Arc User
    edited October 2013
    Try 3: Was told there was more than one Space Adventure zone and went back. Did not know this because of how the map is laid out.

    Suggest map revision that better reflects that there is more zone, because of how there are map borders, that gives the impression that they are hard borders and can't be crossed.

    Also the titles at the bottom of the map are confusing, even though after a while they appear to be saying its the name of this zone, the way it's placed, gives me the impression the zone to the south is the "allied zone" or the "contested zone".

    (FYI, please get away from those whites, it hurts the eyes after a while.)


    Anyhow, as I stated above, I was unaware there was a "Contested Zone" and a - yet added "Voth Zone". So you might want to improve that message that they are out there. Where part of that message is the map itself.



    The Contested Zone: Like my previous comments about the Allied zone, its still filled with a ton of uninterested little errand missions that just aren't fun.

    This zone was higher in lag due, especially in the industrial area that caused the game to drop to a crawl, especially with when the Voth spawned and attacked. Personally deters me from playing in this zone since it pushes the graphics card to unnecessary levels.


    The Sector Territorial Control constantly was flip flopping and the battles just was uninteresting and generic. Due to the accolades, doubt I will play after the first couple of days.


    Sorry for the criticism, but this is how I feel. This space adventure zone just doesn't have the interesting factors outside of the Dyson Sphere backdrop.
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    hevachhevach Member Posts: 2,777 Arc User
    edited October 2013
    Suggest map revision that better reflects that there is more zone, because of how there are map borders, that gives the impression that they are hard borders and can't be crossed.

    If you copy a fresh character that didn't use cryptic's little cheat NPC to access the battle zone and follow the hails, you're given a little sphere tutorial series of missions that shows you how to move between the command center, both zones, and the battle zone. The hack to skip us through to the battle zone broke all that.
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    tacofangstacofangs Member Posts: 2,951 Cryptic Developer
    edited October 2013
    Still, that's good feedback on the overhead map, and we'll talk about it today with the people involved, and see if we can clear some of that up.
    Only YOU can prevent forum fires!
    19843299196_235e44bcf6_o.jpg
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    leethorogoodleethorogood Member Posts: 302 Arc User
    edited October 2013
    I must agree the map graphic needs some work! I can't help but wonder if a more computer display graphic type design might work better, with clear borders and colour coding/shading (similar to faction territories in sector space map graphics) for the different neighbourhoods. You could even go with a hybrid design which uses an unmarked version of the existing terrain map graphic in the background and some kind of computer overlay graphic design in the foreground.

    I would also like to suggest/request that you add an auto-navigation system to the Adventure Zone similar to what we already have in sector space as this would make navigation and finding your way around such a large map much easier!
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    kalder77kalder77 Member Posts: 27 Arc User
    edited October 2013
    After some hours passed inside the sphere, here my thought :)

    1. Its need more sound ambiance, its war inside and it will be better to have "battle chatter" and voice command from Joint Command Operations.
    like, Voth ships are coming there, all ships are ordered to go help...bla bla bla. VOICE ACTING please !

    2. We need plottable directions ! Like the one we have in sectors map. Because its really hard to head there or there...i want to say my ship : go there !

    3. A timer before starting "big" plot could be a godd idea, it will give the time to the fleets to meet where Joint Command Operations ask us to help !

    4. Keep a eye on possible leechers, because i have seen people doing nothing but just waiting other players to do the job.

    5. Boost ship speed at high altitude to make travel easier, maybe a speed boost like the one we have inside the dreadnought (breach fleet action).

    6. Make more visual sign where there is things to do, actually you have to watch the map ( and there is too much info inside)

    7. A better explanation of buffs gain inside could be a good thing to lead people to do the tower control part.

    8. Make voth ship, harder, because right now its easy ! More hp and make them hit harder !

    9. More info is needed about what other teams are doing, something like, team 1 is controlling this, team 2 attempting to control this zone...maybe add the possibility to players to call for help to a precise location.

    I am giving you a big congratulation on the work done, its superb ! Really love the sphere ! I will be inside it for long hour without feeling bored ! But please add more ambiance !
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    Badaboom
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    brigadooombrigadooom Member Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited October 2013
    The golden pretzels have me flying around like a headless chicken.
    ----
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
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    azurianstarazurianstar Member Posts: 6,985 Arc User
    edited October 2013
    tacofangs wrote: »
    Still, that's good feedback on the overhead map, and we'll talk about it today with the people involved, and see if we can clear some of that up.

    Ah then, Kudos. :D
    hevach wrote: »
    If you copy a fresh character that didn't use cryptic's little cheat NPC to access the battle zone and follow the hails, you're given a little sphere tutorial series of missions that shows you how to move between the command center, both zones, and the battle zone. The hack to skip us through to the battle zone broke all that.

    I did, didn't really seem to be very informative. And it's not really going to help the click-happy people who just want to zoom through the dialogue and get right to the action. Know what I mean?

    IMHO, maybe they could add some kind of help button that's next to the mission that explains the map. "Access to the Fleet spire, go to the Northwest of the Allied Zone", "Access to the Contested zone do TRIBBLE". Something like that.

    But right now, having it go "Go to Contested Zone" is pretty much like "huh", especially when you start to bury it with all these errand missions. Its like Foundry missions that don't detail where that door is. You are likely to drop it than go hunting for it.

    kalder77 wrote: »
    After some hours passed inside the sphere, here my thought :)

    1. Its need more sound ambiance, its war inside and it will be better to have "battle chatter" and voice command from Joint Command Operations.
    like, Voth ships are coming there, all ships are ordered to go help...bla bla bla. VOICE ACTING please !

    I like this.
    4. Keep a eye on possible leechers, because i have seen people doing nothing but just waiting other players to do the job.

    Now that you mention it, it really does seem like that might be trouble. Like them going to a contested tower and wait for someone to do the fighting and they sneek in to grab the point and still get credit for "helping".
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    lostusthornlostusthorn Member Posts: 844
    edited October 2013
    How are AFK players supposed to be handled i the adventure zone?
    Because right now, if the zone is really going with players and capturing etc, you can just sit over the ground battle zone for hours and rake in the marks without doing anything.
    Tested this out today, and made close to 1500 marks doing nothing.

    Of course this could be a moot issue if the method of the marks handout is changed before going live.
    But if not, I think it requires a change to prevent not participating players to gain marks.
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    aleaicaleaic Member Posts: 352 Arc User
    edited October 2013
    I noticed last evening, when I was in the Adventure zone in my Fleet AC, that once I exited the intro cut scene for the Contested Zone, my ship literally vanished from view. Dunno if it was just me, or if other players couldn't see me either, but could only clear if, by traveling to my ship bridge, and then back out to area play. That fixed it, but would prefer not to encounter this again, on future entries into transitioned zoning.
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    gerwalk0769gerwalk0769 Member Posts: 1,095 Arc User
    edited October 2013
    So I noticed a cluster of Voth ships around the ground battle zone stuck in the side of a building. I picked up a mission to destroy them but dropped it. I also played a transfer of goods zone mission but failed it when two ships appeared below and beyond the range where I could shoot them. I dove to the floor and still could not reach them.

    Initial suggestions:

    Color coding/Legend on the map.

    Different colored/Bright text on the labels (ship names for example) for map missions (the Gold/Yellow Markers) would help differentiate the mission items from player ships (both are currently blue in color).

    As I'm sure others have said before, the 3rd dimension makes finding Sphere atmosphere missions more difficult. Some are accessed by flying near buildings and some are in the atmosphere. Sometimes I've spent a bit of time trying to find where the dailies missions are once I get to the position. Color coding, flashing sections, or including text on the mini-Map to indicate high, middle or low mission positions could be potential solutions.
    Joined STO in September 2010.
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    orondisorondis Member Posts: 1,447 Arc User
    edited November 2013
    Was in the contested zone as the voth fleet spawned. Got all 4 dreads down to zero, but none died.
    Previously Alendiak
    Daizen - Lvl 60 Tactical - Eclipse
    Selia - Lvl 60 Tactical - Eclipse
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    duncanidaho11duncanidaho11 Member Posts: 7,871 Arc User
    edited November 2013
    There are quite a few issues now in the sphere adventure zone gameplay since the last update.

    1. In the contested zone its taking what seems like an unreasonable amount of work to hold the spires. Voth come in too frequently (making the zone feel frantic), they take down the points too fast (preventing adequate responses unless you're right on the point), it takes too much work to drive them out even with multiple players, and it takes too long to recapture the point (which is agony if you're frantically trying to keep pace with a never-ending deluge of large voth battlegroups.) I want to explore and do other assignments, but I'm having to allocate most of my time (even with a good group) to grinding the spires which is killing a lot of the zones entertainment value. Nerfing all of the above qualities would certainly not be advisable, the control mechanic should take SOME work but it shouldn't be the be-all-end all of the area. There's plenty of other stuff too and the player should have the opportunity to enjoy it without having to completely disregard the higher-levels of group gameplay.

    2. Voth in the adventure zone should NOT be this hard to kill (post 10/31 update). For most what I'm doing its solo combat against small to medium sized groups of ships. Before the update this worked out quite well, the voth died as expected and that let you fly around, feel like a big man, and have fun. It was a bit too easy, but this is much too far in the other direction.

    Now its an unsatisfying struggle even to take down the smaller battlegroups. And to be clear, this isn't just me. I have no problem with any of the Elite space STF's but here I'm finding my ships (fleet cruisers, battleship, and escorts on a well spec'ed and equipped tac officer) woefully underpowered and far too susceptible to exploding with few work arounds except for "respawn and try again." The four components of this are: the voth have just a bit too much health, all the voth ships are putting out quite a bit too much damage, and they're using grav wells and rifts much too frequently and when those hit its causing WAY too much pain of all kinds (especially when multiple hit you simultaneously.)

    Toning all this down for the adventure zone (at least) is probably the way too go, and I'd also look into replacing either one of the Voth's two more frustrating throw-away abilities, grav well or rift, with some other science ability which isn't doubling the voth's annoyance factor (feedback pulse or photonic shockwave?).

    3. Respawning. Put us in the center of the contested zone, not a far edge. (this probably isn't new to the update but I'm noticing for the first time now because of point 2, above.)


    As for positive feedback, I like the diversity of missions, I haven't had any performance issues lately (in this part of the sphere), I love the change in color pallet in the contested zone, the new voth abilities are very engaging, and with a little gameplay rebalancing it should be a really awesome addition to STO.
    Bipedal mammal and senior Foundry author.
    Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
    Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
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    tmichctmichc Member Posts: 164 Arc User
    edited November 2013
    Overall, I like the feel of the Zone, I just wish I wasn't overwhelmed with this small missions every few seconds when flying around.

    The number of interacts that pop up when you're flying around performing another small mission get in the way somewhat, and it doesn't feel like a cohesive experience.

    Also, the first mission you acquire (Find Missing Ship) is bugging out for me. I go to the marker for the mission and the ShiKahr frigate keeps warping in, vanishing, warping in, vanishing, etc... Most strange, and preventing me from proceeding to part 2 (Defend the ship). I submitted a bug report (#43,144 for those that are also having issues).

    Tim
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    hevachhevach Member Posts: 2,777 Arc User
    edited November 2013
    I noticed today that the overlay that showed mission points in the allied zone is gone now, is it possible the space zones have been afflicted with the same bug as the battle zone, or was this intended for some reason?
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    erei1erei1 Member Posts: 4,081 Arc User
    edited November 2013
    Can we have a "leave the adventure zone" option anywhere on the map ? Having to move all the way back to the allied zone, or transwarp, is a bit annoying.
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
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    zeuxidemus001zeuxidemus001 Member Posts: 3,357 Arc User
    edited November 2013
    I tested out a fleet b'rel on a sci with all dyson gear available for testing with space there are just a few problems to address on the mechanics.

    First one is they were super easy to kill before but with their changes and their ability to continually fire off CPB's it just strips down the b'rel way too quickly even buffed up.

    The second thing is that resists and mods like the tactical ones it feels quite a bit off when trying to use the torpedo/energy weapon/console set when you have to choose between 2 different weapon damage types for energy it should be all proton or all polaron can't really test adequately when your damage is nerfed so much along with being nuked to death lol.

    So I like the set its really nice design just need a better way to defend and needs a bit more damage output being I'm torn between using 2 types with the set.

    Edit: Oh yeah is the experimental proton weapon supposed to work with enhanced battle cloak? When I tested it I could use it in that mode LOL.

    Also Cryptic there is a huge problem that has been going on and this upcoming season unless there is something I don't know about its going to cripple the inventory of the long time player. There are just too many items that have been pushed out and not enough storage capacity to address them all.

    After extensive testing the gear I already have in space is way better than this space TRIBBLE from this rep :(
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    dukedom01dukedom01 Member Posts: 462 Arc User
    edited November 2013
    I agree that overall it feels just like too much happening at once. Especially when entering the first time the amount of mini missions is overwhelming. And the contested zone is running on supersonic speeds. I am not Hammy, so I wouldn't mind for it to be just a tiny bit slower.

    And what is the beef with the special doffing assignments (the ones with their own minor interaction popup)? I've run maybe 20 of them yet, haven't seen a repeat though so I have 'questions'. Do they repeat themselves or are they 'meta'-chains?
    Ceterum censeo Otha supplendum in praemiis.
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    szerontzurszerontzur Member Posts: 2,724 Arc User
    edited November 2013
    I think this really hard to give feedback on until we see how it is handled in a Live situation.

    Currently, the Voth ships are definitely tuned to an 'elite' difficulty. For my better geared characters, it is quite enjoyable and is more likely to provide a better challenge when the zones are flooded with people at launch. However, I can see this potentially causing issues for newer/lesser geared captains who might linger around lesser populated areas/once the excitement dies down. I hope the road map has potential plans to adjust the encounters a couple months down the road.


    The Mission 'hotspots' are an interesting concept and, from what I see, are taking some people time to adjust to how they work. Personally, I like them, but it is hard to judge how well they work without having a lot of people all playing the system at once. I'm still not entirely clear how doing the non-zonewide stuff with other players works just yet.


    The hidden duty officer assignments are a nice touch, but it can be hard to keep from accidentally flying out their range or trying to deal with spawns while you're slotting them. I'm not really sure what a good solution for those issues would be though. Zone-wide takes away from their 'treasure-hunting' appeal. Also, big kudos for actually have duty officer assignments in the sphere. I missed having them with the previous updates.
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    azurianstarazurianstar Member Posts: 6,985 Arc User
    edited November 2013
    Maps still need improved. And still have no idea what the arrow icons are for.

    Still too many minor missions that's hard to tell what's going on.

    Campaign Meter needs to be removed in the Allied zone. Because what's the point if there is nothing to contest?
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    sordnaxelassordnaxelas Member Posts: 6 Arc User
    edited November 2013
    Jolan tru,

    I really enjoyed my first 3h of SEason 8 on tribble. Although it's not CORE TREK, it's fun and has potential :D.


    Some fields which might need some improvement:
    • Navigation in the sphere is still a bit odd
    • Where is the Iconian gateway inside the sphere ?
    • A nice cut-scene showing how the Voth entered the Sphere (NO 2nd GATE please, just the main door with a common black starfield in the background)

    Furthermore the backstories need to be expanded or altered as well i.e. It's a bit hard to imagine that a middle power which receives development aid from major powers can lead such a massive expeditionary force into another quadrant of the galaxy.
    So CRYPTIC should abolish this republican facade with its Romulan head and install an EXPEDITIONIARY council instead.
    Starfleet should play the scientific and diplomatic roles, the Klingons should guarantee security and plan space and ground combat and the Romulans should manage intelligence and covert-ops incursions into the VOTH SECTOR.

    As who might lead the expeditionary council itself ? a politician of course.
    Why not a middle aged romulan-klingon hybrid female called Ba'el?


    As for the upcoming 4 Year Anniversary Event, I AM COUNTING on a U.S.S. Voyager MISSION in the Sphere! :P
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    markfalconemarkfalcone Member Posts: 245 Arc User
    edited November 2013
    Still hoping that you guys fix the fact that this is a D Sphere INSIDE and not a D Sphere OUTSIDE, which means the horizon curves up, not down. If anything, there should be a disappearing horizon moving up into the sky. The way it looks now, we're looking down on the outside of a planet. That's just wrong.
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    mikamochamikamocha Member Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited November 2013
    erei1 wrote: »
    Can we have a "leave the adventure zone" option anywhere on the map ? Having to move all the way back to the allied zone, or transwarp, is a bit annoying.


    I was thinking that it would be nice to have a shuttle back to "Joint Command Operations" in the allied zone, just like there is a shuttle from there to the "Dyson Sphere Battlezone" (Or talking to the contact inside the "Joint Command Operations" map)

    Especially when I just want to stay logged on for an extra 10 min to finish the reputation mission, but I am done playing the zone. I feel guilty taking up 1 of the 15 spots on the ground map and watching the remaining players struggle to solo the entire map.

    And moving to space, would be the same problem. I will take up a spot for those who want to do the space battle; and I don't want to take the time to fly back to the allied zone.
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    lucho80lucho80 Member Posts: 6,600 Bug Hunter
    edited November 2013
    sunfrancks wrote: »
    Doing some of the little missions was harder than it should have been. One I just gave up on, at the supply depot. I had to scan the inventory on pallet 1. I tried to, but there was no pallet and it was not marked in the hud, only a small circle on the map.
    After spending 10 minutes trying to find it, I just gave up; as did quite a few people who were also in the same boat....

    I tired this one as well. I got the supplies, but couldn't find where to drop them off.

    The industrial zone one is a bit of a pain, because you start it up, blast all the swarmers (or so you think), the clock ticks down to zero and you fail.

    I also failed the one about destroying shield because you have to keep pressing M to look at the map and finding where the next one is. An arrow would be nice.

    On a more general note. The map identifies the points where you must be for specific missions, BUT the map is also pretty big vertically. You could find the point and then have to fly up or down to find where the objective really is. Maybe the color of the spot could gradually change as you get closet to it.

    I love the doff missions at specific points, but I'm going to have to make a map and mark where they are because there are many. Same goes for the Voth crates in the Battlezone. I have two marked, 7 more to go.

    Will the Voth section open mid season? Last time around (LoR) you guys said of New Romulus that we would get to explore the Reman section of the colony. It seems you never got around to it. At least this time you have accolades that point to the Voth section, so it must be a work in progress.

    Also, like it was mentioned before, an option to warp to/from the two command centers (Battlezone/Joint) would be a nice additon. I just flat out warp out of that whole map after doing the battlezone. You made a huge map like New Romulus(but in space), but at least New Romulus had unlockable transporters so you didn't have to run all over the place.
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    lucho80lucho80 Member Posts: 6,600 Bug Hunter
    edited November 2013
    I think this one goes out to tacofangs. Any reason why a lot of the Battlezone ramps were designed so you have to jump in order to use them? In general, at the ends of a lot of pathways and ramps, it feels like there are invisible walls not letting you through.

    http://i.imgur.com/gF5lPkl.jpg
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    hunter7385hunter7385 Member Posts: 1 Arc User
    edited June 2014
    I have arrived at the SDS, and I am not understanding the point to this thing?... I would like it much better if it had some story mode or something that went with it instead of the "do it yourself" feel it has... Maybe I am not understanding the purpose behind the sphere... I admit I am kinda thinking that I am gonna start spend more time out of the sphere because it is not nearly as fun as I thought it would be... aside from starting another faction is there another story mode to begin in the federation line?...


    Thanks...

    Keith...
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    doctheopdoctheop Member Posts: 34 Arc User
    edited November 2014
    Tells me to "wait for detonation" (in cloud, presumably - but which ones? the orange black ones or the black smokey ones??)

    I had completed all the mission requirements (green check marks shown in In-Progress window), but now those are gone and the rewards can't be gotten.

    https://www.dropbox.com/s/gdfcmrluggfil4o/STO_Dyson_AlliedZone_error.PNG?dl=0

    Kinda wanting my marks and Dil for all the time I've spent in here trying to figure out!
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    captaingalaxy1captaingalaxy1 Member Posts: 202 Arc User
    edited December 2014
    Personally I love the Solanae Dyson Sphere adventure zone and its my favorite place in the game, I really appreciate the design (architecture, sounds, e.t.c) of it and the atmosphere it has and all those little touches that has been put in during the creation Season 8. I consider it my home base in the game.

    I wished there was more to do In the 3 zones on the ground battlezone putting the other area's (space) aside for the time being. Back when I had not maxed out my reptations ex I wanted there to be an expansion of the ground battlezone, but not where it was all erased and redesigned but just added levels on the same map or instance. For example, you have an invisible wall and a lovely backdrop of what would/could lie beyond the zone expand it to create content for those Level 60 players allowing access to these expanded zones of for example The City or the Park, Outskirts e.t.c) for all those Tier V Dyson Joint Command Agents.

    I still hope will one day in the not so distance future an their to be an expansion to it.

    One bit of critque however that I must share is recently the generic multisectional doors of the Solanae architecture design in the zones and ships I think have had art alterations making there central section dark and if I remember correctly a darker shade of purple on the lights. This has made the door area's very odd to the eye and before they looked really nice. Hopefully you will consider restoring the centre of the door to its silver colour to the (central locking zone) please. with it being dark it dosen't look right and very puzzeling and not eye candy.

    How I personally would prefer it -
    c6694502d08bd541dcea2cd81a7ac6cf1391628593.jpg Note the colours of the door area and the central locking mechnasim cover.
    "Omega Class will prevail she cannot be defeated!"
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