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Our Friends the Developers Nerfing DOFFing XP

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    foxrockssocksfoxrockssocks Member Posts: 2,482 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    Yes, but as linked in the Tribble thread, Heretic said the following:



    Somebody spending an hour DOFFing would see "mildly better than half the speed" of somebody spending an hour leveling through other methods.

    It wasn't a set 'n forget system.

    It was a I don't want to blow stuff up system but I still want to level...and...keeping in mind the speed that would take place with that.

    Somebody logging in for 5-10 minutes should have expected to level mildly better than somebody logging in for 2.5-5 minutes...and...that's that.

    Don't want to blow stuff up, then it's going to take you just under twice as long to level...but you're still going to have to put in the time. Not just set 'n forget it.

    edit: And based on how well one can set 'n forget it up to 50 without running anything over 8 hours, I'm guessing they never got around to reigning anything in. ;)


    I would actually say they achieved that goal. Doffing was very little of my delta recruits' leveling. It is exceedingly easy to level much quicker via the regular missions. I mean honestly, in the time it takes to get a bunch of 1 hour doff missions done, I can probably get 3-4 actual missions done and get ~10x the XP, even assuming I could find 20 1 hour doff missions instantly.
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    aesicaaesica Member Posts: 736 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    when at 60 you should be getting Mk. XIV?
    Now THIS is what I want to know. The whole point of a level cap increase (in any sane mmo) is to reset power creep. I thought that's what Cryptic was doing when they bumped us up to 60, and that the upgrade system would be a way to "catch up" any favorite items we had to the new stuff. instead, we get more Mk XII stuff and, at this point, I want to know why I should even give a rat's TRIBBLE about [new rep rewards of the moment] when they only come in at Mk XII. Last I checked, my Mk XIV gear has bigger numbers on it, even if it's not the newest thing.

    The new rep rewards should've come in at Mk XIII, and then later, Mk XIV. I should be enticed to get the new stuff because of bigger numbers. Shouldn't I?

    They also had an interesting option to take with the various lobi ground/space gear. They could've made them account-wide unlocks, as sort of "heirloom item" system. If I could level new characters with cool toys like that, I'd probably consider buying them. Right now, I look at them and turn up my nose because they're irreleveant junk.
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    virusdancervirusdancer Member Posts: 18,687 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    deokkent wrote: »
    My words and will are absolute.

    I used to like Absolut Kurant...Citron was pretty good too...had a girlfriend try to get me into Pears. With what Trendy said though, is there an Absolut Fava? ;)
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    virusdancervirusdancer Member Posts: 18,687 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    aesica wrote: »
    Now THIS is what I want to know. The whole point of a level cap increase (in any sane mmo) is to reset power creep. I thought that's what Cryptic was doing when they bumped us up to 60, and that the upgrade system would be a way to "catch up" any favorite items we had to the new stuff. instead, we get more Mk XII stuff and, at this point, I want to know why I should even give a rat's TRIBBLE about [new rep rewards of the moment] when they only come in at Mk XII. Last I checked, my Mk XIV gear has bigger numbers on it, even if it's not the newest thing.

    The new rep rewards should've come in at Mk XIII, and then later, Mk XIV. I should be enticed to get the new stuff because of bigger numbers. Shouldn't I?

    They also had an interesting option to take with the various lobi ground/space gear. They could've made them account-wide unlocks, as sort of "heirloom item" system. If I could level new characters with cool toys like that, I'd probably consider buying them. Right now, I look at them and turn up my nose because they're irreleveant junk.

    The newer Rep stuff doesn't require one being 60 though. It's still all based on the horizontal 50 that existed previously.

    T6 ships still calculate heals at T5 level.

    The 50-60 increase...er...wasn't the typical level cap increase one might see in games. There was no resetting of anything...just adding even more on to it.

    I mean, how many queues are Elite only and thus require one to be 60?

    The level cap increase was just a means to sell more ships, a way to introduce more ways that people might stick around and potentially pay to get various upgrades, whether just to get them or to get them in the hopes of increasing the rate at which they gained Spec points, etc, etc, etc.

    It was like getting a radio for the treadmill...that treadmill to nowhere that folks are so intent upon running faster and faster.
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    sheldonlcoopersheldonlcooper Member Posts: 4,042 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    Doffing however is a way to make alts more viable as they may all be done simultaneously. Obviously, for whatever reason, alts are no longer desired? Strange.

    It occurred to me recently that the game wants us to level up multiple sets of equipment not just one. The fact that most people are not doing that must be a disappointment. But aren't we meant to do this with every character as well?

    I would expect a doffing revamp would look pretty much like this 12 hour nerf. I would guess we'd be looking at a pretty flat 10 exp/hour/mission, along with a massive nerf to crits and dilithium.

    Expecting everyone to slowgrind each character without doffing some 60 to 100 spec points is like expecting people to buy the current exp boosters. It's like expecting to win the lottery.

    Again I would advise - 'Pray I don't alter it further' - have a moment of silence for the 12 hour missions - shed a lone tear - then pray again.
    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."

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    virusdancervirusdancer Member Posts: 18,687 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    Doffing however is a way to make alts more viable as they may all be done simultaneously. Obviously, for whatever reason, alts are no longer desired? Strange.

    It occurred to me recently that the game wants us to level up multiple sets of equipment not just one. The fact that most people are not doing that must be a disappointment. But aren't we meant to do this with every character as well?

    I would expect a doffing revamp would look pretty much like this 12 hour nerf. I would guess we'd be looking at a pretty flat 10 exp/hour/mission, along with a massive nerf to crits and dilithium.

    Expecting everyone to slowgrind each character without doffing some 60 to 100 spec points is like expecting people to buy the current exp boosters. It's like expecting to win the lottery.

    Again I would advise - 'Pray I don't alter it further' - have a moment of silence for the 12 hour missions - shed a lone tear - then pray again.

    With what Geko mentioned in PO219 (probably how this got noticed and thus directed to be fixed)...well, it's going to be more and more that mix of Magic the Gathering and Farmville. So I'd expect there's going to be all sorts of "nerfs", changes, and increased monetization of it.
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    olliereportolliereport Member Posts: 721
    edited May 2015
    aesica wrote: »
    Oh I know, and for those purposes, it's fine. I just don't see how fixing a bug that minor is worth getting upset over.

    ah, I see. well first there's some discussion on whether or not it's a bug. outlier ya, bug, probably not. but that's just language.

    personally, for me? what I'd be terribly upset about is the fact that without these uncommon 1k xp doff missions my offline alt-leveling would grind to a near halt. It's not fast now, but at least it moves with the occasional crit. it would completely blow away my gameplay, as it is now it's (my gameplay) has evolved away from a single main to a little cadre of characters.

    as for other people, I can't specifically say, but I do know that there are a _lot_ of hurt feelings and pent up anger over other xp nerfs. and this is being lumped in with those. it's getting extra anger-by-proxy or something.
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    aesicaaesica Member Posts: 736 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    The newer Rep stuff doesn't require one being 60 though. It's still all based on the horizontal 50 that existed previously.
    Yeah I know. I'm just confused from the perspective of both a player and a person who understands game design very well. I don't like buying into conspiracy theories such as "it was just a way to sell more ships etc" but the more I think about it, the more I think that either that really is the case, or that the team really did want to reset power creep, but weren't quite aware of how to go about doing so properly.

    The 50-60 increase...er...wasn't the typical level cap increase one might see in games. There was no resetting of anything...just adding even more on to it.

    I mean, how many queues are Elite only and thus require one to be 60?
    I know, but in terms of adding more, I'm not sure what exactly it added except for more missions (many of which are just bundled exploration TRIBBLE) and more time spent spent leveling overall.

    When 50 was the cap and Mk XII was the "endgame," I was always enticed to get the latest and greatest set to match the content. But now that I'm 60, that incentive is gone because, as I mentioned before, what reason do I have to replace a Mk XIV torpedo with a Mk XII one? Sure, I could upgrade that new torpedo to Mk XIV, but even if I upgrade the Mk XII, it's still more of a break-even than an upgrade. With as expensive as upgrades can get, I have to ask myself: why bother?

    I don't know if this new iconian rep gear is going to be any good outside of its new-and-shiny factor, but I'm probably not going to find out. It's just not worth it.
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    gofasternowgofasternow Member Posts: 1,390 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    With what Geko mentioned in PO219 (probably how this got noticed and thus directed to be fixed)...well, it's going to be more and more that mix of Magic the Gathering and Farmville. So I'd expect there's going to be all sorts of "nerfs", changes, and increased monetization of it.

    First of all, is it me, or does it seem saner in here than it does over this same discussion over at the Reddit forums?

    Second of all, I'm shocked they haven't done any sort of monetization of this sort at all at this point. I mean, seriously, all of this is just screaming "XP BOOSTS FOR SALE~!" and... we just got the pathetic ones that give you extra 10k.
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    phantrosityphantrosity Member Posts: 239 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    ah, I see. well first there's some discussion on whether or not it's a bug. outlier ya, bug, probably not. but that's just language.

    It's not even an outlier. 12 hour missions reward less on a per-hour basis than shorter missions do.
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    virusdancervirusdancer Member Posts: 18,687 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    It's not even an outlier. 12 hour missions reward less on a per-hour basis than shorter missions do.

    To demonstrate that, you'd need assignments that match where all the criteria outside of time are at play.

    It gets into cherry picking there...

    Cause how about this one, yeah?

    http://i.imgur.com/D0pzk8s.png

    6 * 72 = 432

    Etc, etc, etc...

    Here's a 30 minute one that does 96 compared to that 2 hour one that did 72...

    http://i.imgur.com/sGI5WEg.png

    Here's another 96 one...but this one is 4 hours...

    http://i.imgur.com/hN7arPI.png

    Cause it gets into a bunch of different variables. One would need to compare like to like with the different times to make the comparison.
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    phantrosityphantrosity Member Posts: 239 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    To demonstrate that, you'd need assignments that match where all the criteria outside of time are at play.

    The example you used gives an item upon completion - it's a poor example

    The missions given are all uncommon missions (of the same rarity), as well as ones that don't give items, buffs, doffs, boffs, or boosted dil output. So ones where XP is the primary reward, basically.

    If you pick missions that are primarily based around giving other rewards, you're comparing apples to oranges.
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    virusdancervirusdancer Member Posts: 18,687 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    The example you used gives an item upon completion - it's a poor example

    The missions given are all uncommon missions (of the same rarity), as well as ones that don't give items, buffs, doffs, boffs, or boosted dil output. So ones where XP is the primary reward, basically.

    If you pick missions that are primarily based around giving other rewards, you're comparing apples to oranges.

    Everything but the time would have to be the same...
    An assignment's degree of reward is based on several factors:
    • Rarer assignments have better rewards
    • Longer assignments have higher absolute rewards, but lower per capita/per second rewards (i.e., they are less efficient)
    • Assignments that have a higher chance of injury or death will have higher rewards
    • Assignments that have higher inputs (commodities, anomalies, energy units, etc.) will have higher rewards
    • Assignments that have no chance of disaster or failure will have lower rewards
    • Assignments that have a lower chance of success will have higher rewards; most assignments start at around 75% chance of success, but some are closer to 50%, meaning you need to put better duty officers into them for a more reliable chance of success
    • Assignments with more specific requirements will have higher rewards; for example, a requirement of "Projectile Weapons Specialist" will generally reward more than one that will take any Tactical officer
    • Assignments with tougher trait modifiers will tend to have higher rewards
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    virusdancervirusdancer Member Posts: 18,687 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    Like this one, eh? http://i.imgur.com/1adbWtW.png

    Three different 6 hour assignments. Two are Rare and one is Uncommon.

    Just looking at what's listed there, there's no visible difference as why the Create Map rewards 441 compared to the Describe Map rewarding 294. Everything looks the same there.

    Then what's up with the one in the middle? It's Uncommon and requires one less DOFF...but rewards 360...more than the Rare requiring 4 DOFFs that does 294.

    There are other factors involved...not displayed just by looking there.
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    phantrosityphantrosity Member Posts: 239 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    Everything but the time would have to be the same...
    No, we can still do an analysis provided the non-time factors are either equal, or more favorable to the 12 hour.


    Provide Intelligence of Rival House to Rival of House Whatever:
    Requirement (any duty officer)
    Rarity: Uncommon
    Casualty Risk: None
    Success Chance: Slightly better
    Critical Success: 5%
    Success: 54%
    Failure: 38%
    Disaster: 3%
    Reward: 57 xp/ 30 min (equivalent to 1680 xp/12 hours)


    Compare with

    Assignment: Blackmail Local Governor
    Input: 1 Contraband <- Very valuable input

    Requirement: One of three Specific Doff Types (Advisor or Diplomat or Security Officer) < Far more restrictive

    Casualty Risk: Medium

    Success Chance: Slightly worse
    Critical Success: 4%
    Success: 43%
    Failure: 43%
    Disaster: 9%

    Reward: 1154 XP / 12 Hours


    So let's go down the list. Remember, the theory you're proposing is that Blackmail Local Governer is getting a 10x modifier it shouldn't be.

    Thus, for the reward/hour to be equal, the other factors must be pushing it down. Let's see if the other factors are pushing Blackmail over Provide Intelligence, based on the criteria provided
    Rarer assignments have better rewards:

    Assignments are equal rarity. Let's move on

    Longer assignments have higher absolute rewards, but lower per capita/per second rewards (i.e., they are less efficient):

    This is the section in question. Let's assess whether it's true at the very end.

    Assignments that have a higher chance of injury or death will have higher rewards

    Blackmail has a higher chance of injury or death, so should have a reward boost

    Assignments that have higher inputs (commodities, anomalies, energy units, etc.) will have higher rewards

    Blackmail has a higher input, so should have a reward boost.

    Assignments that have no chance of disaster or failure will have lower rewards

    Both of these have a chance of disaster and failure, so let's move on.

    Assignments that have a lower chance of success will have higher rewards; most assignments start at around 75% chance of success, but some are closer to 50%, meaning you need to put better duty officers into them for a more reliable chance of success

    Blackmail has a lower chance of success than Provide intelligence. So it should get a higher reward boost.

    Assignments with more specific requirements will have higher rewards; for example, a requirement of "Projectile Weapons Specialist" will generally reward more than one that will take any Tactical officer

    Blackmail requires specific doffs, instead of literally any officer. Higher reward there too

    Assignments with tougher trait modifiers will tend to have higher rewards

    Neither has any trait modifiers, so let's move on.

    Final assessment: Under the criteria provided, in every category Blackmail should be getting equal or higher rewards than Provide Intelligence.

    However, on a per-time-unit basis, it's far lower than Provide Intelligence. By about 30%, in fact.

    Thus, we can say conclusively that this mission isn't granting too many rewards due to a bad time multiplier.

    If blackmail is changed to only give a 'fixed' 10% of the rewards, it would be granting xp at a rate SEVEN PERCENT as fast as Provide Intelligence. For a mission that is - in every category - as hard or harder.
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    mimey2mimey2 Member Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    One thing I'd to your write-up is that the more specific the doff requirements are the more the mission should reward. I wouldn't change rewards based on numbers of doffs needed as higher numbers means a larger quality reward bonus. But there are several that have requirements like: diplomat, security officer, entertainer, chef, bartender. And that's just to be able to START the mission, never mind getting a crit... Stuff like that should definitely pay better than assignments that don't care what you throw at them. Such as the EVA suit training one.... ANY doffs work. Resolve adds crit, telepathic is disaster trait.... aside from that it makes almost no difference what you use. And of course this applies to things that require certain traits. Especially telekinesis and shroud.

    Actually that's a good idea. I agree that merely 'numbers' isn't enough to justify more rewards, but specific stuff would be a good reason to do so. I would say maybe a 1% increase if you need something semi-specific, or 2% if you need something very specific. Might not sound like much, but it can add up if factored in with the other stuff I proposed.
    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.
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    phantrosityphantrosity Member Posts: 239 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    Anyway, the point is that the 12 hours missions give you xp at rates well within the range that's demonstrated on other missions.

    Reducing rewards by a factor of ten, will, in fact, turn them into low-end outliers

    Which makes sense - how often do you see a 1 hour mission that grants 10 xp?
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    olliereportolliereport Member Posts: 721
    edited May 2015
    you know, all this is kind of a moot point at the moment

    post-patch, with the new map, only about 1/8th to 1/10th of the wonderful 1k awesome missions are accessible

    they used to show up in several areas, current map, military, operations, marauding, etc

    now, only once in a while do they show up in marauding

    outside of the gorn ones and delta quadrant,

    the damage is already done, this discussion is about the last coffin nail

    kind of sad






    EDIT: I'm hitting rank 4 in the various doffing skills on my chars, I used to buy the purple doffs from the personnel officer, I'm not doing that anymore, no point really with crappy rewards. if I crit on a doff mission that normally returns 50 xp, so what
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    mainamaina Member Posts: 430 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    The cardassian lockbox contains a prize called Gamma Quadrant Elite Duty Officer Pack.

    One of the 7 doffs you can get from it is called Dae Marron, and is one of the only doffs in the game with 3 crit traits for Suppress Gorn Uprising.

    The 12 hour gorn uprising missions were meant to reward a lot of xp, and this was a selling point to doffers for the cardassian lockbox and the doff pack you could win from it.

    It was never marketed as such and was a "build secret", that savy doffers figured out. It might even not be intentional on the designers part. Not a valid arguement against this nerf.

    ****

    I'm not in game, or willing to go through my notes right now.

    Are any of the above arguements showing payouts taking into account the differance in payouts for a crit? Some missions offer items if crit (including contraband) when they don't indicate a item reward. Some xp on a crit is insane on low paying missions, others offer titles on crits.

    If I wasn't so busy maintaining a steady spc gain on my main and forcing myself through the Card missions on my delta, I'd spend some time on tribble testing this but, meh, not sure they listen anyways....

    NOTE- The haggle missions need to come back. eventually I will run low of these items, and their uses generate alot of xp in doffing.
    gHF1ABR.jpg
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    peterconnorfirstpeterconnorfirst Member Posts: 6,225 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    Thanks for distributing the news OP.

    I really thought cryptic would be done nerfing XP by now. I mean Delta Rising is 7 month released and they still haven’t got it right. How embarrassing but that’s cryptical.

    Same reason why I won’t post on twitter/facebook or whatsoever (even though the idea itself is good)!

    Because of a few decisions by Geko STO is turning more and more into an embarrassing game for me to play, one I really don’t want to be associated with (or recommend it to my friends - lol).

    If their next step really is to nerf doffing they may do so and give me another reason to log less. So far I adjusted my daytime that even when I’m busy elsewhere I at least try to log 20 mins for doffing. Take that away? Sure, I’m barley motivated to play as it is so I see it as favour.
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    janus1975janus1975 Member Posts: 739 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    They can nerf it if they feel the need to fiddle some more...

    But no, it will not result in me playing Delta Rising patrols, it will not result in me doing more PvE queues, it will not result in me buying more zen, or buying more dilithium off the exchange.

    So they can nerf, and I'll continue to doff as I already do, with no benefit to Cryptic in their latest spreadsheet tinker.
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    bridgernbridgern Member Posts: 709 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    The one thing people have the biggest problem with since the launch of Delta Rising are the XP rewards.

    Since 7 months you are unable to come up with a solution that would work for both sides but no, because people had enough they were doffing instead of playing and now you have to fix doffing because you think people would start to play the queues again.

    YOU ARE WRONG!

    PS: Delta Recruits are successful because we are getting good account wide stuff out of it, and not because the game is awesome after Level 50.
    Bridger.png
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    mainamaina Member Posts: 430 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    bridgern wrote: »

    PS: Delta Recruits are successful because we are getting good account wide stuff out of it, and not because the game is awesome after Level 50.

    Not to nit pick, but delta rewards are about getting to 50.....:P
    gHF1ABR.jpg
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    bridgernbridgern Member Posts: 709 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    maina wrote: »
    Not to nit pick, but delta rewards are about getting to 50.....:P

    No problem but I actually meant the mark boxes, traits and gear.
    Bridger.png
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    trillbuffettrillbuffet Member Posts: 861 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    Let's work on this together, eh?

    Delusions of grandeur so funny but still so serious. You would make a good cardassian pretending we are your bajoran subjects. Although you can think of our wallets and our *time* as the prophets of the worm hole. We had to send your profits to another time where Cryptic and PWE did not exist so then hold out our giant bags to collect all our time and currencies to be refunded.

    What was that? I can't hear you.... Oh wait thats because we no longer view you as a viable product.
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    jellico1jellico1 Member Posts: 2,719
    edited May 2015
    Thank you. That is exactly the point.

    If you have an underlying concern that you feel has been waylaid in regards to the leveling curve and XP, then I need to discuss that. I cannot assume nor exact the actions of my predecessors, but if there's an underlying concern that is longstanding with this then I mean to address it with people, not shy from it.

    Let's work on this together, eh?



    Well this ball is in your court isn't it ?

    you moniter the forums...you see the feedback

    Start a sticky thread like...............

    leveling of spec points

    Then in you page of the thread ask the questions needing feedback

    As the thread progresses add to your page with good responses and good feedback

    When you get all the ideas from the players take them to ..whomever and then give us some feedback from that meeting

    basically tap into the player resources here make us feel were helping pro active to our complaints and concearns ...Not reactive

    A good point here ... Where is exploration at....What are the plans for it.....how can we help with Idea's

    Right now we know nothing at all so our collective response will be Reactive and most likely Negative...We don't evewn have any idea which way you will be going with it

    Don't let a Fire start and you don't have to put it out
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    Saphire.. Science ground......Ko'el Romulan space Tac
    Leva........Tactical ground.....Koj Romulan space Eng

    JJ-Verse will never be Canon or considered Lore...It will always be JJ-Verse
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    gofasternowgofasternow Member Posts: 1,390 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    Delusions of grandeur so funny but still so serious. You would make a good cardassian pretending we are your bajoran subjects. Although you can think of our wallets and our *time* as the prophets of the worm hole. We had to send your profits to another time where Cryptic and PWE did not exist so then hold out our giant bags to collect all our time and currencies to be refunded.

    What was that? I can't hear you.... Oh wait thats because we no longer view you as a viable product.

    Y'know, it's players like you who are the reason Devs are like this. "Oh, something's broken and needs to be fixed? Oh, I know - I'll insult them with my knowledge of Star Trek and then tell them how superior I am over them because I throw my money elsewhere. OHOHOHOHOHOHO!"
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