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theuser2021
Member Posts: 170 Arc User
Even after this resent patch that lowered NPC hull points, advanced STFs are still fairly "challenging" compared to what they once were. Making objectives that were once optional into mandatory requirements has also dramatically increased the DPS that is required of each participant. Substandard damage outputs of less than 10k should not be allowed into the public queuing pool. Hardcore difficulties need to require hardcore gear scores if we are going to properly maintain the integrity of public queues (otherwise it is pointless to have them). Those who cannot reach a proper DPS are being carried by the team and need to be purged. If this sounds overly harsh, I would remind you that if you fail the optional, you fail the STF. I've already watched a Khittomer space nearly fail because a person on the probes didn't have enough DPS to stop them.
I'm half being facetious and half serious. Increasing the hull points of all the NPCs was one thing. But, making the bonus optionals into mandatory requirements or risk complete failure is a dramatic shift in both the social aspect and tone of endgame game play. Especially in consideration that old STFs were updated to this all or nothing aspect. You simply cannot trust that a queued PuG will not have a few lemons that won't ruin an advanced or elite STF. This new absolutism is going to make end game content home to smaller elite social circles.
I love this game, I really do. But, I really do not like the changes to end game content. It's one thing to create a difficult challenges and reward success, but these changes only punish failure. it's important for people to fail. Failing is the first step at getting better, But I fear people this overly harsh failure condition will discourage people from attempting success for fear of failing.
I'm half being facetious and half serious. Increasing the hull points of all the NPCs was one thing. But, making the bonus optionals into mandatory requirements or risk complete failure is a dramatic shift in both the social aspect and tone of endgame game play. Especially in consideration that old STFs were updated to this all or nothing aspect. You simply cannot trust that a queued PuG will not have a few lemons that won't ruin an advanced or elite STF. This new absolutism is going to make end game content home to smaller elite social circles.
I love this game, I really do. But, I really do not like the changes to end game content. It's one thing to create a difficult challenges and reward success, but these changes only punish failure. it's important for people to fail. Failing is the first step at getting better, But I fear people this overly harsh failure condition will discourage people from attempting success for fear of failing.
Post edited by theuser2021 on
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Secondly, the differences between ships and purpose can make a huge difference depending on what you're doing. The best tank in the game is of little use during a run of Breach but is a godsend in Mirror Invasion. Pick up the most terrifying vaper in Ker'rat and drop him into NWSe and watch him flail about. Score won't account for all the possible tactical variations or how the strengths of one mission are a wekness in another.
Lastly, pilot skill makes a crazy difference in this game, more than most 'scorable' games. Look at those DPS channel people, where you get hundreds of people flying near identical ships, but some of them do three times the damage outputs of others. It makes a bigger difference than the hardware, but its not something you can effectively quantify.
Mechanically alone, it just wouldn't work.
My main uses 5 Mk xii romplas beams, ROM rep torp/console/beam, cutting beam, and 360 Mk xiii plasma. 4x xi plasma consoles.
I have no idea what my DPs is, nor do I care to check. I shoot, things die.
Until BNPs are awarded in normal, and purple crafting mats, expect to see me in "advanced" *at least* until I've completed my collection of rep gear, which I likely will only use intermittently.
Why?
I preordered this game, and pay a monthly fee to play it. The rep system (including rep gear collections) *is* the endgame content, post 50. That's it. There is nothing else.
If I pay for it, I'm bloody well going to participate in it, even if I have to zerg it 1000 times per piece
I would also add that "casuals" like myself don't farm advanced queues for BNPs to turn in for dil, as to me that seems grossly wasteful. Once we have a all the rep gear we want, we move on to something else. In my opinion, BNPs should have been put in "normal" only, with straight dil rewards in advanced and elite, because that's what the Uber goobers are running them for anyway.there's no need to even *have* a BNP/dil turn in.
That'd neatly remove the "substandard" players from your "elite" queues, and give everyone what they want..
GEAR IS NOT AN INDICATION OF SKILL.
Sorry but its not the gear that should be rated, but the player controlling it. I had no problem going through old elites in a stock T4 ship with mk 8 common gear. The bar most STO players set for how good they manage their ships is so low i can crawl over it.
I'm not a raging badass, I dont spend billions of credits or min max my builds. I have a brain in my skull that I somehow manage to use to push buttons.
Gear rating systems focus on numbers, but give all the gear in the world to some people and they still wont pull decent numbers so why even bother with gear scoring at all?
As an example, I've been playing another MMO lately and I went from lvl 9 to lvl 47 with only my lvl9 gear! Its not the gear or the ships its the player. Pay attention to what your doing and actually LEARN the game and you will have very little trouble with almost anything in STO.
However, as most players in STO aren't the hard-core type, encouraging them to come well-equipped would not be a bad idea, IMHO. Even better yet, link them to 2 or 3 basic fits that are solid performers, in case they would like some ideas.