How on Earth are you getting hit that hard by anything outside of an overgeared player doing a Rombush on you?
In that build you linked that I linked - there's no skill build.
No Threat Control? No Hull Plating? No Armor Reinforcements?
That BOFF layout had no TT for debuff cleanses, had ET and ST - which offer no resist boosting. It has a single E-Neut giving +21.2 DRR.
Borg shields with 0.9 shield mod (unless you've upgraded to the Fleet Ha'feh in the interim)...
It kind of looks like a ship built for PvE - where the combination of their slower rate of fire and lower damage - would allow for all the passive healing and proc healing and lack of resist...and well...yeah...
Go into the middle of Kerrat and blow up whatever is in sight. My BOFF layout abilities is different then what I have on the Academy page.
Yea. On tribble first round around the rift I was dropped to 20% constant shield. I was able to do the usual damage but I felt it on the defense side. My ship was hurting.
The second time around, A bio ship hit me and my shield/hull dropped to 20%. I was able to pull the same damage level to the ships but against my shields/hull hurt.
Now, on Holodeck. I can have a few(2/3) cubes blow up around me and a Klingon doing a alpha-strike, I hit 70%. If It's direct hits from all three I drop down to 30% but 6/7 seconds I can go back up to 80%. Iif I do a quantum singularity with my heal buffs, I can go back to 90%+.
That's the disparity between my build on Tribble and Holodeck.
You know they also fixed an issue with the 2pc Borg proc...right? That's going to affect your bounce back up...it's not going to be as much as on Holo.
You know they also fixed an issue with the 2pc Borg proc...right? That's going to affect your bounce back up...it's not going to be as much as on Holo.
Yea. My build is going hurt from that and the reputation change, defensively. These changes make me feel like Cryptic is throwing me under a rug and then punching me in the face.
I want some of whatever cryptic had been smoking lately... It must be good to make them carry out this horsefuc* :mad: some people enjoy this game (for now) and like the traits they earned... Cryptic, kindly fuc*k off
I guess it's good you missed the part where Hawk commented that they may split the Captain Traits up again into Space/Ground like before so that a player can't pick all space or all ground traits.
That is an awful idea since space oriented players will hit their 300k skill cap for space and ground-oriented will hit their 100k. Changing traits or skilltree to maximize space or ground will cost you at anytime lots of Zen. Since you could make tons of characters it's much easier to chose their role from the get-go.
With the rep change you could use only 4 passives at any given time because you can't play simultaneous ground or space, and that's a fact. But at same time, you can change those passives at will while out of combat; so what's the use of already having chosen space passives since you're are fighting ground at one point? None, that choice is uterly useless since you will undobtfully swap ground passives on the run if you don't like your setup. But only ground passives.
And the passive separation (even if it doesn't make much sense if you take in account what i've writtern above) looks very similar tu doff separation space-ground. I believe a new fleet holding will be setup for tier 2 to award another ground passive slot and tier 3 a space passive slot.
And yes, i also read the devs incredible strong denial of such an option.
does anyone (besides me) actually read the EULA? (and, ah...I do spend both time, and money, as well as effort in this game. one result being that all three of my mains have quite a bit of Fleet Gear kit on them, and I've been here since season 5 or so... so Nyaah!)
If you'd read the EULA (with the application of this thing we call comprehension-not everyone bothers to read, and fewer still have the vocabulary to understand what they're being told...) youi'd realize that you have zero rights to anything in this game.
Yeah, zero. They could decide to replace everyone's characters with pink bunnyrabbits in frocks and convert ESD and Qo'noS to pastel rabbit warrens, and guess what?
The Developers are allowed. They could REALLY take everything you've "worked so hard and long for" away and put it all behind a pay-gate, and guess what?
You have zero legal recourse.
The game developers and the game designers can do pretty much what they want to the game-even at the risk of losing their license with CBS-that's in the terms and conditions you acknowledged when you downloaded the game and started playing it.
It's Their Sandbox, you aren't entitled to a ****ing thing. It's not a violation of your "rights" or "Fraud", you SIGNED THAT YOU UNDERSTOOD THIS. You affirmed it. get it?
You don't like what they're doing? fine-but Rebalancing is what MMO's do, kind of like how back in days probably too early for you, game companies would put out new editions of tabletop fare- you know, first edition, second edition, etc.?
and in those editions, some rules get changed, classes get rebalanced, class requirements and races get some rearrangement and fine-tuning, combat mechanics get adjusted, systems are re-done.
The only person who "cheated'' you, is YOU-because you "Spent a lot of HARD WORK and MONEY" and assumed nothing would change, and that nothing would change in a way that you didn't like.
That, my friend, is on YOU, not the Developers, or the company..they covered their bases-they TOLD YOU UP FRONT that they could-and-would make changes.
...I think you where speaking in favor of the company...I could be wrong lol.
I guess no matter how you spell it out, it looks bad for us.
I guess no matter how you spell it out, it looks bad for us.
There is a great number of us that believe this is a good and even needed change. Frankly I don't know why they are trying to buff them and in some cases double them. The traits should not get changed at all but the new system is great and shout be put in place.
There is a great number of us that believe this is a good and even needed change. Frankly I don't know why they are trying to buff them and in some cases double them. The traits should not get changed at all but the new system is great and shout be put in place.
You over exaggerate how many think it is a good change.
However, IF their true intention is to quell power creep, then doubling most of the skills makes little sense honestly.
And no matter how much you try to plead your case about it being a good thing, your opinion of it being a good thing does not make it a fact.
I understand their stated reasoning. It just doesn't jive with what is actually causing power creep.
There is a great number of us that believe this is a good and even needed change. Frankly I don't know why they are trying to buff them and in some cases double them. The traits should not get changed at all but the new system is great and shout be put in place.
Actually the the buff enhances the power creep ; also the weapons offline thingy will be very harmfull for pvp unless it's tweaked. I say keep the passives as they are but make 8 free choices , space or ground.
So I'm losing...well...almost nothing. But dayum - dayum - double dayum...look at what I'm gaining?
From +40% base Weapon Damage to +37.5% base All Damage and...AND...+10% non-base All Damage. Going from +3% CrtH to +5% CrtH...going from +10% CrtD to +20% CrtD. Hell, I'm even picking up +3.8% Accuracy in the process...
That would be an example of showing how uh...yeah...I'm gaining out the wahzoo compared to what I'm losing.
So how is your build being dropped by 60%?
A lot of the reputation powers are not doing what you expect or what they say. Those +xx% to damage ones only work on select weapons. On my build zero of my weapons gained damage so I lost a lot of damage, lost a lot of tank and lost all the other nice side effect ability. Not far off a nerf of 60%.
For example I gain zero damage from Omega Graviton Amplifier as the new one doesn't boost the weapons I use. But the old one did. Anyone who users mines or torpedoes is having a large nerf.
What makes them useful? And the others not useful?
All reputations are still useful because it is advancement system for characters beyond lvl 50...
If the new system was implemented yesterday valuable items for me would be:
Romulan Rep:
T1 and T2 crit, T2 Zero Point Console, T4 Romulan Hyper Plasma Torpedo, T5 Elite Scorpion Fighters and Experimental Plasma Beam.
Omega Rep:
T2 Omega Weapon training, T3 Shield Augment and T4 Shield Repair... MK XII Omega Personal Armor\s, MK XII Omega Borg and Adapted sets, T1 Assimilated Console, T2 Kinetic Beam, T4 Omega Torpedo, Borg Prosthetics and DOFFs.
New toons will skip Nukara completely... there is nothing for me there to squeeze in the new "traits" slots nor there is equipment I could really use...
Dyson Rep:
T1 and T2 crits...
and that's it... no more slots for space anyway...
Keep in mind, they made the actual rep grind itself overall easier. It's less of a hassle in season 9.
That is cool and I have nothing against that change, but it is kinda meaningless because I won't be able to use\squeeze in the few slots I have' new skills...
Wait, I'm a little confused. You say you have everything you need right now. So why are you bothering with PVE queues right now?
Mostly for new toon(s) rep... I have a story-line of my own with toons I wanted to build... and also for:
Omega PvE's because I like them all... I play them with my fleets team, we have fun and they are really great...
Starbase Alerts\Defense... I play them with my fleets team, we have fun and get fleet marks
Crystalline will be out... I played it for Nukara Marks but I'm not big fan of it.
Azure Nebula is ok too from time to time... I get marks and it's good for me to test my ship going solo against Tholians various levels...
Dyson's PvE's I don't like and don't play... and although I'm not ground combat fan this one I like... but only for rep marks... still need them for 2 reps... T1 and T2 crits
Also, when you stop doing PVE queues, what space combat will you be doing instead? PvP?
I did PvP both with random and Fleets Teams... and I will again... I have 2 nice PvP builds on my Fed Toons...
I'll do episodes for new toons...
And I won't stop playing PvE... I will keep playing Omega and Starbase with my teams and occasional Azure and some events... but not the others and\or new ones unless they offer same quality\fun as Omega PvE's... and I'm pretty skeptical about that...
To summarize... because of aforementioned facts, I'll spend less time in PvE than before... so from hardcore I'll go to casual... I think' I'll spend less time in the game overall because there will be less challenge for me and no opportunity for advancement... And I'm not the only one... I talked to people in both KDF and Fed fleets I belong to, and they share the sentiment... not those players that log in couple of times a week but those regular active daily players like me...
I think change is just something to complain about.
I agree on this with Master Salieri (love your handle... tells so much)... People resist to change because it is in our nature... but changes are needed and sometimes you don't like them but you have to accept... but this change is plain robbery of players invested time. It will make them\us not to trust to invest time and\or money in the game that much again... This change will alienate all real players and make many hardcore players casual and occasional...
Edited:
Originally I wrote in the last sentence "This change will alienate all current users and make many hardcore players casual and occasional...
So, to avoid someone defining term 'users' I corrected it...
A lot of the reputation powers are not doing what you expect or what they say. Those +xx% to damage ones only work on select weapons. On my build zero of my weapons gained damage so I lost a lot of damage, lost a lot of tank and lost all the other nice side effect ability. Not far off a nerf of 60%.
For example I gain zero damage from Omega Graviton Amplifier as the new one doesn't boost the weapons I use. But the old one did. Anyone who users mines or torpedoes is having a large nerf.
Possibly a bug on the test server. Perhaps it's broken? Keep in mind that nothing is quite finalized yet. All plans subject to change and so on. Everything is still being worked out and updated. Maybe file a bug report in the tribble bug report section and tell them what weapons you're using maybe?
Omega Graviton Amplifier: Updated this proc's description to explain that it has a chance to be triggered with each weapon attack instead of once per cycle like other procs. This is merely a text change, this power has always worked like this. In addition, this proc's damage is doubled against the Borg.
It says nothing about only working for a specific damage type.
I'm really starting to get sick of everybody jumping to conclusions based on what others have claimed and/or what they saw on the test server. Nothing is finished yet. We have a ways to go, so instead of making claims about something not working being intended as such, maybe file a bug report in the tribble bug report section. Sheesh.
I'm really starting to get sick of everybody jumping to conclusions based on what others have claimed and/or what they saw on the test server. Nothing is finished yet. We have a ways to go, so instead of making claims about something not working being intended as such, maybe file a bug report in the tribble bug report section. Sheesh.
It's easier to jump to conclusions and panic than it is to sit down and think things through rationally. The only people they're hurting is themselves, mostly because instead of educating themselves into what is out there, they want to play the blame game and proclaim that this is all the work of those "greedy b-words" in Cryptic and not the idea of trying to balance things because they're out of whack.
There is a great number of us that believe this is a good and even needed change. Frankly I don't know why they are trying to buff them and in some cases double them. The traits should not get changed at all but the new system is great and shout be put in place.
The new system is, as another poster put it earlier, using a band-aid to stanch an arterial would. A proverbial sacrificial lamb being slaughtered, in an attempt to placate the hardcore players that raise hell about such things. I'm willing to bet that most true "casuals" could give two-s**ts less about it, as long as there is a game for them to play.
And I seriously doubt, despite your faith in them to do so, Cryptic's developers will "finish what they started" in regards to the perceived "power creep" problem.
The reasons are simple (not counting the broken build mechanics regarding some duty officers)
Romulans are big money makers for them right now.
Lockboxes (and the pursuit of the elusive ships within) are their "bread and butter"
C-Store ships are another source of revenue for the company, both directly and indirectly.
These three areas are HUGE reasons for concern when it comes to so-called "power creep". It's natural that people want their money's worth, and they want better. "Bang for the Buck", as it were. So, the devs are going to make the items above as enticing and bleeding edge as they can get away with, without completely breaking the game.
Star Trek Online, since it's transition to free to play, has relied on micro transactions, gamble box key sales, and powerful additions to bring in the dough. Cryptic still has major expenses and big checks to cut, even if they are a small-time developer running tight on budget and hired help.
The result? You will never see a significant nerf to what I listed above, to bring the "power creep" down to a level that will satisfy the hardcore people. Because that will hurt the bottom line.
Period. Game companies/developers are not in it because they are gamers. They are in it to make money. And development staff are in it to put food on the table and keep the bill collectors happy.
Reputation passives are just one small variable in the greater equation. And factoring that one variable, and leaving out the others, doesn't solve anything. Which is what is going to happen. The vape builds in PvP are going to continue. STFs are going to continue to get soloed. And the gulf between the hardcore players/min-maxers and average joe players/newly minted 50s will remain wide. All because going the distance will put a kink in the money spigot. Which would not be good for the health and future of the game.
In any case, this "nerf", "adjustment", or whatever the hell else you choose to call it, is a wasted effort, and only screws over those that earned those passives through dedicated play. The buffing of some of the key abilities just means the min/maxers will find away around it.
The "creep" marches on.
If the developers are not going to go all the way and do it right, they shouldn't do it at all.
So, enjoy that bone being thrown to you, of whom whose stance on "power creep" leads them to support this move. A portion of your fellows in the community are getting shafted for it.
In any case, this "nerf", "adjustment", or whatever the hell else you choose to call it, is a wasted effort, and only screws over those that earned those passives through dedicated play. The buffing of some of the key abilities just means the min/maxers will find away around it.
The "creep" marches on.
If the developers are not going to go all the way and do it right, they shouldn't do it at all.
So, enjoy that bone being thrown to you, of whom whose stance on "power creep" leads them to support this move. A portion of your fellows in the community are getting shafted for it.
I agree on the latter. So Why is limiting something that might give a player 5 to 10% advantage? I don't think that means a significant power creep. It's a difference that makes a difference of winning or not winning that's it. There are so many other things the developers could have messed with like putting redlines on weapons. If you go 150 percent up you start getting critical system failures on the ship. Weapons goes offline for 3 mins. Trust me a player wouldn't over power there weapons if that happens.
But no Cryptic decided to take what players on. TRIBBLE.. and Cryptic you have a grand scale of idiot incompetence.. Cryptic and everybody who is darn playing to Cryptic toon like little rosy peaches.
I agree on this with Master Salieri (love your handle... tells so much)... People resist to change because it is in our nature...
Yes, but this is perfectly sensible. Change, in general, SHOULD be resisted. The entropy of a closed system must always increase, so any change must necessarily be a net negative. Unless you're TRIBBLE someone over to benefit yourself, but then, of course, they will rightly oppose the change.
you mean the powers that all can earn once they get to 50 without much effort...yeah that's the power creep that needed attention...not the lockbox ships with the I win consoles...or the cstore ships that make the basic ships feel dumb for not showing up to the party dressed the right way....
why does everyone think the powercreep is from skills everyone can earn?
EXACTLY
The key point here being, "that EVERYONE can EARN".
Without spending ANY money on Zen to Dilithium, or lockbox keys, or Zen Ships, etc.
Case in Point: my FLEET avenger (that I had to EARN i.e. WORK for via Fleet Credits & a chunk of EC for 1 Fleet Module bought off the Exchange) performs BETTER than my Zen avenger that was basically a "test-bed" ship to play around with till I could EARN the Fleet ship.
Likewise Reputation (a MERIT system) is something to WORK for & if player "A" whom has been in the game for a longer time than player/payer "B", has a SLIGHT edge, that was EARNED, the newly "christened" level 50 Vice Admiral or any new(er) player should feel COMPELLED to WORK towards bettering themselves.
Not rely on a "leveled" playing field, but EARN/WORK for the skills/traits to be better at the game. Isn't that what PROGRESSION is all about anyway?
It is said that there is truth in fiction vs real life: well there also may be truth in RL vs fiction -
Would you expect a "raw" recruit to be as (or more) effective after graduating Boot Camp, then the Drill Sergeant that trained him?
Without spending ANY money on Zen to Dilithium, or lockbox keys, or Zen Ships, etc.
Case in Point: my FLEET avenger (that I had to EARN i.e. WORK for via Fleet Credits & a chunk of EC for 1 Fleet Module bought off the Exchange) performs BETTER than my Zen avenger that was basically a "test-bed" ship to play around with till I could EARN the Fleet ship.
That is a terrible argument, since your argument defeats itself: Lockbox ships can be bought in exactly the same way.
That is a terrible argument, since your argument defeats itself: Lockbox ships can be bought in exactly the same way.
Well, the nerfs to power seem like they will be to earned things like rep. and in this suggestion, fleet credits, which take a person's time - instead of things which take a person's wallet.
Since the pay to win here is about 1/100 of BSGO I can live with it fine.
Captain Jean-Luc Picard: "We think we've come so far. Torture of heretics, burning of witches, it's all ancient history. Then - before you can blink an eye - suddenly it threatens to start all over again."
"With the first link, the chain is forged. The first speech censured, the first thought forbidden, the first freedom denied, chains us all irrevocably."
We shouldn't have to have "legal rights" to the game.... A lot of us have been with this game for quite some time and spent a crapload of money... It is not my fault they are TRIBBLE us over like this :mad:
We shouldn't have to have "legal rights" to the game.... A lot of us have been with this game for quite some time and spent a crapload of money... It is not my fault they are TRIBBLE us over like this :mad:
Yes, you spent a "crapload of money", but ask yourself this: did you use that money for the rep? No, that was free. You didn't have to do it. But, you did.
Now, if they massively changed a ship, that would be an entirely different story.
I agree on the latter. So Why is limiting something that might give a player 5 to 10% advantage? I don't think that means a significant power creep.
This is basically change of balance ratio... by lowering value of skills you work for you get higher value for things you buy...
In reality this is just closing in on pure pay 2 win strategy... and it won't work... I bet my dilithium Cryptic revenues for STO will in fact get lower. Real Trekkies\Trekkers (whichever term you prefer) are somewhat different target audience and guys who run Cryptic don't understand that. I just hope decision makers will find right balance before they kill the game for most of us.
This is basically change of balance ratio... by lowering value of skills you work for you get higher value for things you buy...
In reality this is just closing in on pure pay 2 win strategy... and it won't work... I bet my dilithium Cryptic revenues for STO will in fact get lower. Real Trekkies\Trekkers (whichever term you prefer) are somewhat different target audience and guys who run Cryptic don't understand that. I just hope decision makers will find right balance before they kill the game for most of us.
I'm a trekker.
This argument is seen in every game with a famous franchise. I'm not sure if it applies to Trek fans more or less than average. I guess it more depends on if the Trek fan has a good job.
Honestly none of this matters for pve. But it can matter for pvp. Even if I were to get hardcore into pvp the game would still be about Trek for me. The joy of getting to fly around the galaxy and visit my favorite places - the rest is just gravy. For me the most important thing is what will keep the game going as long as possible. And I do worry some. I hear about the item reward for Undine is phaser disruptor turret. Well, I can't use that. The equipment would have to be something special to get me to grind it. And I like to grind.
Captain Jean-Luc Picard: "We think we've come so far. Torture of heretics, burning of witches, it's all ancient history. Then - before you can blink an eye - suddenly it threatens to start all over again."
"With the first link, the chain is forged. The first speech censured, the first thought forbidden, the first freedom denied, chains us all irrevocably."
This argument is seen in every game with a famous franchise. I'm not sure if it applies to Trek fans more or less than average. I guess it more depends on if the Trek fan has a good job.
Knowing or learning about your target audience is important in any business as well as in this one... And doing the analysis about your target audience average income is part of that... and I have a feeling they have not done the right job here...
I hear about the item reward for Undine is phaser disruptor turret. Well, I can't use that. The equipment would have to be something special to get me to grind it. And I like to grind.
I'm not sure what you mean by the reward, or that you can't use it. The Rep system rewards are always for all classes so nothing will stop you using your faction's rewards.
Here is a picture showing the basic Rep rewards for the new Undine rep system. The images etc are all still place holders.
For the ground set weapon, there appears to be a phaser and disruptor version. It doesn't specify that these are faction restricted so I assume you can use either or.
Join date is wrong, I've actually been around since STO Beta.
True alters don't have a "main". Account wide unlocks for all unique event rewards!!
If you could choose the energy type I would absolutely get it.
But I don't use phaser or disruptor.
The tier 2 tactical precision seems good.
Captain Jean-Luc Picard: "We think we've come so far. Torture of heretics, burning of witches, it's all ancient history. Then - before you can blink an eye - suddenly it threatens to start all over again."
"With the first link, the chain is forged. The first speech censured, the first thought forbidden, the first freedom denied, chains us all irrevocably."
Comments
Go into the middle of Kerrat and blow up whatever is in sight. My BOFF layout abilities is different then what I have on the Academy page.
You know they also fixed an issue with the 2pc Borg proc...right? That's going to affect your bounce back up...it's not going to be as much as on Holo.
Yea. My build is going hurt from that and the reputation change, defensively. These changes make me feel like Cryptic is throwing me under a rug and then punching me in the face.
That is an awful idea since space oriented players will hit their 300k skill cap for space and ground-oriented will hit their 100k. Changing traits or skilltree to maximize space or ground will cost you at anytime lots of Zen. Since you could make tons of characters it's much easier to chose their role from the get-go.
With the rep change you could use only 4 passives at any given time because you can't play simultaneous ground or space, and that's a fact. But at same time, you can change those passives at will while out of combat; so what's the use of already having chosen space passives since you're are fighting ground at one point? None, that choice is uterly useless since you will undobtfully swap ground passives on the run if you don't like your setup. But only ground passives.
And the passive separation (even if it doesn't make much sense if you take in account what i've writtern above) looks very similar tu doff separation space-ground. I believe a new fleet holding will be setup for tier 2 to award another ground passive slot and tier 3 a space passive slot.
And yes, i also read the devs incredible strong denial of such an option.
...I think you where speaking in favor of the company...I could be wrong lol.
I guess no matter how you spell it out, it looks bad for us.
There is a great number of us that believe this is a good and even needed change. Frankly I don't know why they are trying to buff them and in some cases double them. The traits should not get changed at all but the new system is great and shout be put in place.
You over exaggerate how many think it is a good change.
However, IF their true intention is to quell power creep, then doubling most of the skills makes little sense honestly.
And no matter how much you try to plead your case about it being a good thing, your opinion of it being a good thing does not make it a fact.
I understand their stated reasoning. It just doesn't jive with what is actually causing power creep.
Actually the the buff enhances the power creep ; also the weapons offline thingy will be very harmfull for pvp unless it's tweaked. I say keep the passives as they are but make 8 free choices , space or ground.
For example I gain zero damage from Omega Graviton Amplifier as the new one doesn't boost the weapons I use. But the old one did. Anyone who users mines or torpedoes is having a large nerf.
All reputations are still useful because it is advancement system for characters beyond lvl 50...
If the new system was implemented yesterday valuable items for me would be:
Romulan Rep:
T1 and T2 crit, T2 Zero Point Console, T4 Romulan Hyper Plasma Torpedo, T5 Elite Scorpion Fighters and Experimental Plasma Beam.
Omega Rep:
T2 Omega Weapon training, T3 Shield Augment and T4 Shield Repair... MK XII Omega Personal Armor\s, MK XII Omega Borg and Adapted sets, T1 Assimilated Console, T2 Kinetic Beam, T4 Omega Torpedo, Borg Prosthetics and DOFFs.
New toons will skip Nukara completely... there is nothing for me there to squeeze in the new "traits" slots nor there is equipment I could really use...
Dyson Rep:
T1 and T2 crits...
and that's it... no more slots for space anyway...
That is cool and I have nothing against that change, but it is kinda meaningless because I won't be able to use\squeeze in the few slots I have' new skills...
Mostly for new toon(s) rep... I have a story-line of my own with toons I wanted to build... and also for:
Omega PvE's because I like them all... I play them with my fleets team, we have fun and they are really great...
Starbase Alerts\Defense... I play them with my fleets team, we have fun and get fleet marks
Crystalline will be out... I played it for Nukara Marks but I'm not big fan of it.
Azure Nebula is ok too from time to time... I get marks and it's good for me to test my ship going solo against Tholians various levels...
Dyson's PvE's I don't like and don't play... and although I'm not ground combat fan this one I like... but only for rep marks... still need them for 2 reps... T1 and T2 crits
I did PvP both with random and Fleets Teams... and I will again... I have 2 nice PvP builds on my Fed Toons...
I'll do episodes for new toons...
And I won't stop playing PvE... I will keep playing Omega and Starbase with my teams and occasional Azure and some events... but not the others and\or new ones unless they offer same quality\fun as Omega PvE's... and I'm pretty skeptical about that...
To summarize... because of aforementioned facts, I'll spend less time in PvE than before... so from hardcore I'll go to casual... I think' I'll spend less time in the game overall because there will be less challenge for me and no opportunity for advancement... And I'm not the only one... I talked to people in both KDF and Fed fleets I belong to, and they share the sentiment... not those players that log in couple of times a week but those regular active daily players like me...
I agree on this with Master Salieri (love your handle... tells so much)... People resist to change because it is in our nature... but changes are needed and sometimes you don't like them but you have to accept... but this change is plain robbery of players invested time. It will make them\us not to trust to invest time and\or money in the game that much again... This change will alienate all real players and make many hardcore players casual and occasional...
Edited:
Originally I wrote in the last sentence "This change will alienate all current users and make many hardcore players casual and occasional...
So, to avoid someone defining term 'users' I corrected it...
Possibly a bug on the test server. Perhaps it's broken? Keep in mind that nothing is quite finalized yet. All plans subject to change and so on. Everything is still being worked out and updated. Maybe file a bug report in the tribble bug report section and tell them what weapons you're using maybe?
http://community.arcgames.com/en/news/star-trek-online/detail/3039033 It says nothing about only working for a specific damage type.
I'm really starting to get sick of everybody jumping to conclusions based on what others have claimed and/or what they saw on the test server. Nothing is finished yet. We have a ways to go, so instead of making claims about something not working being intended as such, maybe file a bug report in the tribble bug report section. Sheesh.
It's easier to jump to conclusions and panic than it is to sit down and think things through rationally. The only people they're hurting is themselves, mostly because instead of educating themselves into what is out there, they want to play the blame game and proclaim that this is all the work of those "greedy b-words" in Cryptic and not the idea of trying to balance things because they're out of whack.
The new system is, as another poster put it earlier, using a band-aid to stanch an arterial would. A proverbial sacrificial lamb being slaughtered, in an attempt to placate the hardcore players that raise hell about such things. I'm willing to bet that most true "casuals" could give two-s**ts less about it, as long as there is a game for them to play.
And I seriously doubt, despite your faith in them to do so, Cryptic's developers will "finish what they started" in regards to the perceived "power creep" problem.
The reasons are simple (not counting the broken build mechanics regarding some duty officers)
Romulans are big money makers for them right now.
Lockboxes (and the pursuit of the elusive ships within) are their "bread and butter"
C-Store ships are another source of revenue for the company, both directly and indirectly.
These three areas are HUGE reasons for concern when it comes to so-called "power creep". It's natural that people want their money's worth, and they want better. "Bang for the Buck", as it were. So, the devs are going to make the items above as enticing and bleeding edge as they can get away with, without completely breaking the game.
Star Trek Online, since it's transition to free to play, has relied on micro transactions, gamble box key sales, and powerful additions to bring in the dough. Cryptic still has major expenses and big checks to cut, even if they are a small-time developer running tight on budget and hired help.
The result? You will never see a significant nerf to what I listed above, to bring the "power creep" down to a level that will satisfy the hardcore people. Because that will hurt the bottom line.
Period. Game companies/developers are not in it because they are gamers. They are in it to make money. And development staff are in it to put food on the table and keep the bill collectors happy.
Reputation passives are just one small variable in the greater equation. And factoring that one variable, and leaving out the others, doesn't solve anything. Which is what is going to happen. The vape builds in PvP are going to continue. STFs are going to continue to get soloed. And the gulf between the hardcore players/min-maxers and average joe players/newly minted 50s will remain wide. All because going the distance will put a kink in the money spigot. Which would not be good for the health and future of the game.
In any case, this "nerf", "adjustment", or whatever the hell else you choose to call it, is a wasted effort, and only screws over those that earned those passives through dedicated play. The buffing of some of the key abilities just means the min/maxers will find away around it.
The "creep" marches on.
If the developers are not going to go all the way and do it right, they shouldn't do it at all.
So, enjoy that bone being thrown to you, of whom whose stance on "power creep" leads them to support this move. A portion of your fellows in the community are getting shafted for it.
I agree on the latter. So Why is limiting something that might give a player 5 to 10% advantage? I don't think that means a significant power creep. It's a difference that makes a difference of winning or not winning that's it. There are so many other things the developers could have messed with like putting redlines on weapons. If you go 150 percent up you start getting critical system failures on the ship. Weapons goes offline for 3 mins. Trust me a player wouldn't over power there weapons if that happens.
But no Cryptic decided to take what players on. TRIBBLE.. and Cryptic you have a grand scale of idiot incompetence.. Cryptic and everybody who is darn playing to Cryptic toon like little rosy peaches.
EXACTLY
The key point here being, "that EVERYONE can EARN".
Without spending ANY money on Zen to Dilithium, or lockbox keys, or Zen Ships, etc.
Case in Point: my FLEET avenger (that I had to EARN i.e. WORK for via Fleet Credits & a chunk of EC for 1 Fleet Module bought off the Exchange) performs BETTER than my Zen avenger that was basically a "test-bed" ship to play around with till I could EARN the Fleet ship.
Likewise Reputation (a MERIT system) is something to WORK for & if player "A" whom has been in the game for a longer time than player/payer "B", has a SLIGHT edge, that was EARNED, the newly "christened" level 50 Vice Admiral or any new(er) player should feel COMPELLED to WORK towards bettering themselves.
Not rely on a "leveled" playing field, but EARN/WORK for the skills/traits to be better at the game. Isn't that what PROGRESSION is all about anyway?
It is said that there is truth in fiction vs real life: well there also may be truth in RL vs fiction -
Would you expect a "raw" recruit to be as (or more) effective after graduating Boot Camp, then the Drill Sergeant that trained him?
Well, the nerfs to power seem like they will be to earned things like rep. and in this suggestion, fleet credits, which take a person's time - instead of things which take a person's wallet.
Since the pay to win here is about 1/100 of BSGO I can live with it fine.
"With the first link, the chain is forged. The first speech censured, the first thought forbidden, the first freedom denied, chains us all irrevocably."
Yes, you spent a "crapload of money", but ask yourself this: did you use that money for the rep? No, that was free. You didn't have to do it. But, you did.
Now, if they massively changed a ship, that would be an entirely different story.
Nerf the Scimitar! :P
This is basically change of balance ratio... by lowering value of skills you work for you get higher value for things you buy...
In reality this is just closing in on pure pay 2 win strategy... and it won't work... I bet my dilithium Cryptic revenues for STO will in fact get lower. Real Trekkies\Trekkers (whichever term you prefer) are somewhat different target audience and guys who run Cryptic don't understand that. I just hope decision makers will find right balance before they kill the game for most of us.
I'm a trekker.
This argument is seen in every game with a famous franchise. I'm not sure if it applies to Trek fans more or less than average. I guess it more depends on if the Trek fan has a good job.
Honestly none of this matters for pve. But it can matter for pvp. Even if I were to get hardcore into pvp the game would still be about Trek for me. The joy of getting to fly around the galaxy and visit my favorite places - the rest is just gravy. For me the most important thing is what will keep the game going as long as possible. And I do worry some. I hear about the item reward for Undine is phaser disruptor turret. Well, I can't use that. The equipment would have to be something special to get me to grind it. And I like to grind.
"With the first link, the chain is forged. The first speech censured, the first thought forbidden, the first freedom denied, chains us all irrevocably."
So what you're saying is that reputation skills are not used\calculated in PvE, right?
edit:
Sorry... too quick fingers...
Knowing or learning about your target audience is important in any business as well as in this one... And doing the analysis about your target audience average income is part of that... and I have a feeling they have not done the right job here...
I'm not sure what you mean by the reward, or that you can't use it. The Rep system rewards are always for all classes so nothing will stop you using your faction's rewards.
Here is a picture showing the basic Rep rewards for the new Undine rep system. The images etc are all still place holders.
http://i.imgur.com/O0l9GMt.jpg
For the ground set weapon, there appears to be a phaser and disruptor version. It doesn't specify that these are faction restricted so I assume you can use either or.
I'm talking about the biomolecular turret.
If you could choose the energy type I would absolutely get it.
But I don't use phaser or disruptor.
The tier 2 tactical precision seems good.
"With the first link, the chain is forged. The first speech censured, the first thought forbidden, the first freedom denied, chains us all irrevocably."