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Our Friends the Developers Nerfing DOFFing XP

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  • mustrumridcully0mustrumridcully0 Member Posts: 12,963 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    Wouldn't it be better if they just left the XP alone and made those missions 20h instead? Most are probably not in the game for 12 hours to see the end of the Doff mission anyways.

    Even at 20h, they would be outliers. Regardless of whether they want to "nerf" or "normalize" them, this woldn't really do it.
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  • grayfoxjamesgrayfoxjames Member Posts: 1,516 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    Even at 20h, they would be outliers. Regardless of whether they want to "nerf" or "normalize" them, this woldn't really do it.

    Huh, I didn't realize how much of an outlier they were. Funny thing I remember Geko saying those are the ones he does too and the ones in the Solonae Dyson Sphere too. One there for about 1,900
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  • sqwishedsqwished Member Posts: 1,475 Bug Hunter
    edited May 2015
    So you think it was always completely intentional that the 12 hour missions would reward much more skill points than comparable missions with longer duration and similar or more stringent requirements?

    Does it make sense to you? If you were setting up a Duty Officer assignments, you would naturally say: "Oh yeah, 12 hour missions will grant a particular large amount of skill points, because that makes sense. 20 Hour missions however will reward less, of course, for evident reasons."

    I didn't say it was intentional, but ok lets look at some other missions for example Treat for Minor Laceration, its a common 30min mission in the Medical assignments it awards 46 skill points & 5 expertise. So now we move onto Experimental Cannon Upgrades, this is a Rare 8 hour missions and it awards 54 skill points and 8 expertise. Does that seem a unbalanced because it sure does to me. Again look at Create Map of Longitudinal Social Trends in the Klingon Empire, again its a rare mission but only runs for 6 hours except this time it awards 441 skill points and 52 expertise. What cryptic needs to do, is take a step back and say right for every 15mins a mission runs we want it to award x amount of y item, then scale this accordingly based on the rarity of the mission and how often it pops up.

    It really looks like cryptic didn't pay to much attention when setting up these missions in the first place. And since the dev that designed the system left, every time they mess with it, they make it that little bit worse. You've only got to look back to summer last year and the issues and complaints they received because they altered the UI and underlying systems. Cryptic in its entirety doesn't look at the big picture. One example being the Alien Artifacts, as I've mentioned in another thread, they remove these items from the drop boxes, because they're obsolete in the new crafting system, yet they fail to remove them from the duty officer missions that drop them.
    Oh, it's not broken? We can soon fix that!

  • farmallmfarmallm Member Posts: 4,630 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    Wouldn't it be better if they just left the XP alone and made those missions 20h instead? Most are probably not in the game for 12 hours to see the end of the Doff mission anyways.

    They could done this. Since I only do a full round and collect the next day. So at least you can still get the points.

    Oh well, it will just take me a little longer. To level up now.
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  • mustrumridcully0mustrumridcully0 Member Posts: 12,963 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    Huh, I didn't realize how much of an outlier they were. Funny thing I remember Geko saying those are the ones he does too and the ones in the Solonae Dyson Sphere too. One there for about 1,900

    I'll be honest, it's probably my fault that they get nerfed. I recently asked in the DOFF forums why rewards are so all across the board. That must have made someone curious...

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  • trennantrennan Member Posts: 2,839 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    In most game this is called Normalizing. It not that they're nerfing the rewards. As they started, they were giving more than intended. They just adjusted them to reward what they're suppose to accoding to the time frame.

    Its like when they adjust the reward for patrol missions and such to be normal compared to other mission rewards. So its not a nerf. They're just bringing the reward down to what it's suppose to be.
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  • farmallmfarmallm Member Posts: 4,630 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    I do agree on making them more equal via time and rarity. Its kinda odd seeing a 8 hour white having more exp than a 8 hour rare. It does need some adjustments.

    In all just have to see how it really effects once I start collecting them, after this fix.
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  • grayfoxjamesgrayfoxjames Member Posts: 1,516 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    I'll be honest, it's probably my fault that they get nerfed. I recently asked in the DOFF forums why rewards are so all across the board. That must have made someone curious...

    Mustrum "So you can blame a former PvPer turned solo PvEer whale" Ridcully

    I'm 99.9% sure you're not to blame. I'm sure their metrics show what Doff missions get done the most and they could easily find out why on their own. They knew about this, usually nerfs come at a time when something that will be released would be affected by them.

    Don't forget they want us grinding in game playing all the time. With new specialization trees coming they want it to be slow...
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  • mustrumridcully0mustrumridcully0 Member Posts: 12,963 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    sqwished wrote: »
    I didn't say it was intentional, but ok lets look at some other missions for example Treat for Minor Laceration, its a common 30min mission in the Medical assignments it awards 46 skill points & 5 expertise. So now we move onto Experimental Cannon Upgrades, this is a Rare 8 hour missions and it awards 54 skill points and 8 expertise. Does that seem a unbalanced because it sure does to me. Again look at Create Map of Longitudinal Social Trends in the Klingon Empire, again its a rare mission but only runs for 6 hours except this time it awards 441 skill points and 52 expertise. What cryptic needs to do, is take a step back and say right for every 15mins a mission runs we want it to award x amount of y item, then scale this accordingly based on the rarity of the mission and how often it pops up.

    It really looks like cryptic didn't pay to much attention when setting up these missions in the first place. And since the dev that designed the system left, every time they mess with it, they make it that little bit worse. You've only got to look back to summer last year and the issues and complaints they received because they altered the UI and underlying systems. Cryptic in its entirety doesn't look at the big picture. One example being the Alien Artifacts, as I've mentioned in another thread, they remove these items from the drop boxes, because they're obsolete in the new crafting system, yet they fail to remove them from the duty officer missions that drop them.

    I am trying to remember who designed the DOFF system originally. It could be the Dev isn't even in the team anymore, but I could be wrong.

    But it seems like it wasn't really actively touched ina while. Sure, they changed the UI, but an UI change doesn't require looking in the underlying game design.


    If I was developing something like the DOFF system, I would have tried to make it very standardized, so you could basically have a script generating them or even create them on the fly. Some of that probably has happened. I remember back in the days that they were talking about how longer missions would not reward as much XP per time unit as shorter missions, to reward micro-mangement. So there was probably some kind of calculations involved, but how much of that was automated and how much was that just sanity checks?


    I could see something like this:

    There is a base reward for a DOFF assignment. Then they add a time based modifier, say, SQRT(t).

    Then we have inputs. Each required DOFF adds, say 25 % to the rewards. Each failure/critical failure trait +5 %, each critical / success trait -5 %.
    Items add another percentage based on EC cost perhaps.

    In addition, you have a "special reward point". For each rarity step, you add +1 reward point. If the DOFFs can be hurt or killed, +1 reward pack. If they are destroyed, add 3 reward point.

    THe reward points can be "spend" (by the designer) on:
    • Bonus skill points. Scale by time and input requirement. 1 Point
    • Bonus DOFF XP. Scale by time and input requirement. 1 Point
    • Bonus Dilithium. Scale by time and input requirement. 1 Point
    • Bonus EC. Scale by time and input requirement. 1 Point
    • Latinum. Scale by time and input requirement. 1 Point
    • Temporary Skill Bonus t. 1 Point
    • Common DOFFs or items, scaled by time and input requirements: 1 Point
    • Uncommon DOFFs or items (including Contraband), scaled by time and input requirements: 2 Points
    • Variable (Common to Very Rare) Quality DOFF: 3 Points
    • Rare or Very Rare Quality DOFF: 4 Points




    I'd keep the DOFF grinder assignments from the Academy out of this system, probably. They work as is and are unique enough to warrant it.
    Star Trek Online Advancement: You start with lowbie gear, you end with Lobi gear.
  • heckgoblinheckgoblin Member Posts: 685
    edited May 2015
    Well, at least this removes the need to travel to the Delta quad.

    And in a way, since doffing was the last thing I did in STO regularly (now that PVP is dead) it also removes the need to keep playing.
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  • drake122svkdrake122svk Member Posts: 731 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    It would seem they systematically want to remove everything that allows meaningful XP progression. Thankfully I've almost completed all of my toons, so I can give them the middle finger now, but for people still working on spec points, my deepest condolences.
  • redvengeredvenge Member Posts: 1,425 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    Hmm.

    First, no science-magic murder ship for KDF. Now, nerfage of at least 5 KDF exclusive DOFF missions. I'm beginning to think the "devs hate KDF" posters are not as full of hyperbole as I thought.
  • thlaylierahthlaylierah Member Posts: 2,987 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    ANY work on anything that doesn't have to do with the LAG problem is wasted effort.

    STOP nerfing stuff and get back to work!
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  • jellico1jellico1 Member Posts: 2,719
    edited May 2015
    This is not a smart move on cryptics part , The payout on the other missions should be brought up to match these missions in scale not more nerfing of XP

    The amount of crew on your ship means nothing to your doffing rewards

    The type of ship ,means nothing to your xp rewards

    The type of character means nothing to your xp rewards

    your Doffs could be your ships crew..but means nothing

    Too few space Doffs affect your rewards or missions doffing when slotted

    If cryptic used that knot on there shoulders they would be doing things like I pointed out to ( improve ) and make the game more fun and offer incintives to aquire more purshable items

    NOT keep hammering there player base down

    It just shows how out of touch they are with there game and there players

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  • robyvisionrobyvision Member Posts: 293 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    This was obviously a exploit which the casual greedy players used too much.
    The cryptic nerf special forces team saw through your greed and now they are preparing for a surgical strike asap. :D
    Now get back to the delta quadrant and grid Argela!!!:P
  • carlosbflycarlosbfly Member Posts: 682 Arc User
    edited May 2015

    New EP seemed like he was getting things back on track, but it looks like he's not.

    STO, dashing hopes since forever.

    Looking more and more like a wolf in sheeps clothing. I had my hopes up at the start as they honestly seemed to understand the issues that have damaged and driven players away from the game but when one of their actions is to nerf XP gain yet again (knowing this is a key complaint with the game) I think you've got a clear idea of their true colours.

    I remain convinced the EP and STO team will ignore any of the game killing issues (those queues are still a carwreck loaded with toxic optionals, poor payouts and no one playing and there is no excuse why this hasn't been fixed by now) and continue to abuse the playes and punish them at every turn with nerfs.

    I'm glad I closed my wallet on this game late last year. There is not enough give and take with the players and the key complaints are still being ignored and in this case, actually enhanced further.
  • knuhteb5knuhteb5 Member Posts: 1,831 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    Nerfing in typical fashion without properly boosting other missions to compensate for it. This EP is turning out to be the same as as Geko and I can't wait to see what other nerfs they have in store for us.
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  • carlosbflycarlosbfly Member Posts: 682 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    knuhteb5 wrote: »
    Nerfing in typical fashion without properly boosting other missions to compensate for it.

    If they even bother to explain it, they'll come in with a PR calming promise to boost the other DOFF missions to compensate at some never disclosed date. They'll be no reason given of course for why they won't do both at the same time but will apply the nerf first.

    Just a way to sneak in a nerf and never deliver the promised improvement. New EP, same old tricks.
  • architect13architect13 Member Posts: 1,076 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    It's not the right thing to do, but it's the easy thing to do.

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  • ltminnsltminns Member Posts: 12,572 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    and everyone though salami was going to be so different :rolleyes:

    Probably not him. Lay this all at the feet of Geko. Until he's gone expect him to intrude on a periodic basis to have them swing the nerf bat.

    After they upped the XP, etc. Point levels for 50-60 they stated that they were going to scale Doffing back up as they did not normalize it enough, as I recall. I don't believe it ever happened.
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  • spyralpegacyonspyralpegacyon Member Posts: 408 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    More sound and fury over not getting those spec point rat pellets fast enough. Well, I'm sure someone's listening, but I don't think they're hearing what you think you're saying, though.
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  • carlosbflycarlosbfly Member Posts: 682 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    ltminns wrote: »

    After they upped the XP, etc. Point levels for 50-60 they stated that they were going to scale Doffing back up as they did not normalize it enough, as I recall. I don't believe it ever happened.

    I remember that. Even if it didn't follow through on a positive change for the players (as usual), they could at least have left things as is. I can only assume its the dreaded metrics - were the last lot not god enough? Perhaps they need to find even more aggressive ways to force people to log in and play longer in order to make any kind of remote exp progression.
  • olliereportolliereport Member Posts: 721
    edited May 2015
    ANY work on anything that doesn't have to do with the LAG problem is wasted effort.

    STOP nefing stuff and get back to work!


    harsh, but this fella has a point

    you guys (cryptic) need better priorities
  • guilli88guilli88 Member Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    Well, in their defense, they have to sell those luxurious xp boosts somehow right?

    :rolleyes:

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  • olliereportolliereport Member Posts: 721
    edited May 2015
    aelfwin1 wrote: »
    Ah but it is ... , if someone on the other side got it into their heads to have a system (Specialization Trees) that even the heavy grinders won't be able to complete .

    Mean while they sell a few XP Boosts to the obsessive-compulsives , and pat themselves on the back for adding a feature found only in "hard core MMO's" .


    ... no more kiddie time with finishing all the Rep's on your Alt's , STO's now hard core yo ...




    you know, one of the things that attracted me to this game is that it had a low key dollhouse style experience,

    it doesn't have enough content or enough to do to be obsess-inducing

    I don't care how slow they make the xp, I have zero interest in purchasing boosts
  • mimey2mimey2 Member Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    I am trying to remember who designed the DOFF system originally. It could be the Dev isn't even in the team anymore, but I could be wrong.

    If memory serves, I believe it was Heretic who made the DOFFing system, and it was his pride and joy. He had pretty much total control over it as well, which is why originally DOFFs were all pretty balanced. The moment he left that went out the window.



    Anyways, the only surprise I have about this is that I am surprised it didn't happen sooner. Even if all they claim to be 'normalizing' these DOFFing missions, nothing is stopping them from 'normalizing' all other DOFF missions under the same reason, which would simply mean a nerf overall. I rarely go to the DQ and do those missions anyways, but I feel that they are not going to stop there.

    Even if this is purely Geko's hand in causing all this, I still think some blame must go to Salami for not pulling on Geko's leash. I mean D'stahl kind of did so (though not too much), D'angelo didn't at ALL, and now Salami doesn't seem to be doing that much to stop him either. Seriously, is the EP position for the damned game an honorary title?
    I remain empathetic to the concerns of my community, but do me a favor and lay off the god damn name calling and petty remarks. It will get you nowhere.
    I must admit, respect points to Trendy for laying down the law like that.
  • jermbotjermbot Member Posts: 801 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    On the one hand, the level grind is a way to encourage subscription via the xp bonuses so xp being too available could effect income.

    However, since turning STO into a korean content grinder is a way for them to pursue income that I'd much rather they avoid I'll just point out this. Issues of scale can be resolved two ways and another way to look at this is that doff missions that fall outside of the 12 to 15.9 hour range reward too little xp.
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