How are duty officer assignments broken in sector space? They work perfectly find for me. Might just be you.
The list of assignments doesn't update correctly when you cross sector borders. People are reporting some assignments as missing, but who knows if they are actually missing or if they are simply vanishing from the UI.
[QUOTE=lindseylewis;24002451I'm in no hurry to get to endgame rep grind fests. [/QUOTE]
STO does not have rep grinds. You can only do 4 rep projects a day, and you can get enough marks to complete them from 1 stf. That is not even remotely close to a grind.
First, no one is forcing you to level fast. It may feel that way at first especially through 1-50 but there is lots of content that doesn't provide a lot of exp.
Secondly, there is more to it than just leveling. There is rep, earning gear, specialization points etc. If your a person who likes the feel of progression, there is lots of other things to do besides just leveling.
Thirdly, if your really up tight about it, make another character. To some, it's their favorite part of the game, so they just keep making characters. So much so, they'll delete and remake even.
Point is, you have options. As a side note; I don't feel that leveling is super slow or super fast with this game, I think it's fine. The main problem I have with it is certain content is gated, especially with the story content making it choppy and very, well, 'unsmooth'.
Retired. I'm now in search for that perfect space anomaly.
Ah, yes. "Everything handed to you". I'd missed that one. Now my "nostalgic Old-Skool hardc0re gamer" bingo card is complete :P
(Reminds me of the good old days on the WoW forums, where someone might say "Hmm, the rate of earning <whatever> is a bit long. Perhaps a 5-10% improvement in currency gain?" and would be instantly bombarded with "So you just want full sets of raid gear in your mailbox when you log in, is that it?!?!?!" :rolleyes:)
Eh, whatever. It may just be that I'm an Experience gamer, not an Accomplishment/Challege one. I play through the game for the quests & storyline. The only thing levels mean to me is unlocking new arcs and new ships to play around with. There's no "accomplishment" in the number next to my character name being 50 or 60 or whatever. And the title they stick next to it could be Captain, or Admiral, or Protagonist, or Redshirt. Only time I really notice it is when some "insert rank here" dialogue box hands me something absurdist like "You'll never get away with this, Rear Admiral Lower Half!"
My gut instinct is to say that leveling should be a curve. Early levels should be absurdly easy to reward people for just picking up the game.
Mid-levels may be too fast.
But the late levels should speed up again to provide a sense of momentum. And there just isn't the content to support a slowdown like we have at endgame. If there were 30 Delta Rising missions, the current rate might be okay but it feels like rummaging for scraps to have to farm.
And I did the original Wintersaber rep in WoW. And farmed the Baron's mount. And hit Bloodsail Admiral. I don't believe farming for progression in any sense is good because it stratifies players and creates gaps that hinder easy cooperative play, even with a sidekicking system like STO has. I BELIEVE in grinds... as long as they're for cosmetics.
A thing to keep in mind with STO is how controlled our leveling is as well. Many things don't provide XP. DOffing is not something I think the average player would ever be interested in and making it essential or catering excessively to people who use it at all is a recipe for bleeding users without a major overhaul.
XP in STO dries up when you run out of missions which the OP will do long before 60. And it sounds like she played some during the recent double XP event. If everything provided XP (crafting, killing, reps, etc.) then maybe a slowdown would be warranted. As it stands, it's really mainly just missions and truly massive kill counts outside of events like the Double XP week. Many people don't WANT massive kill counts and when missions dry up (and the OP's will before 60), things grind to a halt.
STO started without a fully clear idea as to the business model. Multiple devs have said they were overwhelmed by response to ships in the store and deeply disappointed by the sale of bridges and costumes.
I think it's a matter of the right thing in the right place.
I would advocate putting cosmetics like the store costumes and bridge bundles behind grinds and possibly not offer them in the store at all since people are not motivated by buying them... and because cosmetics can be a source of pride if earned.
For money, people want mechanical changes to gameplay. We can go all day long about P2W but people are motivated to spend by play experiences, whether ships or new races (not so much here because we have aliens and species doesn't change things that much)/classes/content (Cryptic is opposed to selling content and it isn't the PWE way so that leaves ships).
I favor easy progression despite being close in age to some posters here because every MMO I have played saw social groups torn apart by power progression. Power progression for grind matters more to achiever and killer/PvPer mentalities and those are small subsets of who MMOs attract.
It's important for Cryptic to capture time and money from players for a variety of reasons.
I favor simple, easy power progression.
I favor alternate mechanics that may be mostly lateral in power to be paygated.
I favor cosmetics like bridges and ground costumes to be gated by major playtime grinds, feats, and exploration.
First, no one is forcing you to level fast. It may feel that way at first especially through 1-50 but there is lots of content that doesn't provide a lot of exp.
If the post was, "I've been playing two days and I'm level 52" then yes, nobody's forcing them to level that fast. No mention of time played, only story progression. You can't really control that, you do the content and get the exp. You can skip missions, but the OP is likely a delta recruit and therefore missing out on some hefty rewards by doing so.
I can only really say that... Level 52 isn't even past the halfway point to the level cap, it slows down incredibly by 60, and 60 is not actually the level cap. Numbers stop incrementing, but level progression continues. At 60, you've got 10 specialization points out of 45 to fill a loadout in-the-moment, and 95 to actually fill out the system (which is a moving goalpost), with each one taking just shy of 160,000 exp.
Ground game is clunky,awkward and one of the worst ive played...hell even SWG was better.
Space wise yeah its fantastic but potential? Nah the potential for that was lost when Cryptic decided to make STO a theme park mmo instead of a sandbox mmo,i mean come on everything related to Star Trek screams sandbox mmo but then again i guess this generation of gamers prefer to be spoon fed the content hence Cryptic going the themepark route instead of sandbox.
*raises hand in shame*
Yeah me too,and before the xp buff...what a nightmare.
/performs a headdesk with a CrtDx85
Pfft. That's nothing. Worst level grind ever? Battlestar Galactica Online. And guess what after level 20 of 255, the rest are basically meaningless. Enjoy if you're a Colonial being called captain 235 times after you get past level 20.
Star Trek Battles member. Want to roll with a good group of people regardless of fleets and not have to worry about DPS while doing STFs? Come join the channel and join in the fun!
Sorry about the necro in the old thread, I've made a new one.
The speed is WAY (and I mean WAY WAY WAY) too fast. I only used my Doffs and did the story missions, and I'm Level 52 without even being done with the Cardassian storyline.
Lindsey I too with my delta toon got to lvl 50 pretty easy and had not completed the cardasian arc. I continued to do the arcs, and managed to go through all of them and finish every story arc accept delta and got to about lvl 58 when I had to begin grinding.
Before DR expansion you could get to lvl 50 without completing the story arcs too. Back then though lvl 50 was the level cap. That you've reached lvl 52 only means that your only 1/4 to 1/3 of the way done in leveling actually.
GAME NOTE: Now while Cryptic says there are only 60 levels to the game. This is not true and is a false statement. This is because the specializations give you a boost, and it is bascially you still leveling up.
Specialization is like hidden levels...it is here technically that the game is the most broken. Here is the best example two players are at lvl 60. Player A just reached it....player B has completed all the specializations tabs. They are not really equal, I know this. My high specialization character can pretty much beat my basic lvl 60 (alt)characters easy the things I can do in both space and ground make it look like they are at different levels. Actually they are.
Before DR lvl 50 was max, and you got a little boost from completing rep and grinding for good gear. There was still a difference between toons yet the difference was limited and defined. With DR expansion and beyond the difference is just huge, and it has become too hard for them to balance out the game properly.
I don't see anything verifying your statement. Memory Alpha (and the shows) contradict your statement altogether. Yes, the U.S. changed the ranks, but Star Trek didn't.
Aside from that, "Rear Admiral Lower Half" just SOUNDS PLAIN STUPID. I can't figure out why the U.S. changed it, honestly. I digress, though.
That's kind of funny...Memory Alpha contradicts him, eh?
I don't see anything verifying your statement. Memory Alpha (and the shows) contradict your statement altogether. Yes, the U.S. changed the ranks, but Star Trek didn't.
Aside from that, "Rear Admiral Lower Half" just SOUNDS PLAIN STUPID. I can't figure out why the U.S. changed it, honestly. I digress, though.
This post shows a few things.
1. You've never served a day in your life. RA Lower Half has been in use in the USN since the late 70s early 80s.
2. You don't pay attention much. Last time Commodore was used in Star Trek was in TOS. Hell Kirk went straight to guess what rank when he was promoted? Rear Admiral Lower Half.
Might sound silly, but it's been in use since Star Trek the Motion Picture.
Star Trek Battles member. Want to roll with a good group of people regardless of fleets and not have to worry about DPS while doing STFs? Come join the channel and join in the fun!
1. You've never served a day in your life. RA Lower Half has been in use in the USN since the late 70s early 80s.
2. You don't pay attention much. Last time Commodore was used in Star Trek was in TOS. Hell Kirk went straight to guess what rank when he was promoted? Rear Admiral Lower Half.
One thing I'm wondering, though... how are those Navy ranks (like RALH) used in general speech/conversation? Do people just address them as Admiral?
Because I will admit (as I mentioned earlier in thread) that it was kind of goofy when the <insert rank here> MadLibs dialogue throws that entire mouthful of words into villain rants. :P
1. You've never served a day in your life. RA Lower Half has been in use in the USN since the late 70s early 80s.
2. You don't pay attention much. Last time Commodore was used in Star Trek was in TOS. Hell Kirk went straight to guess what rank when he was promoted? Rear Admiral Lower Half.
Might sound silly, but it's been in use since Star Trek the Motion Picture.
I'm pretty sure there was 1 commodore in TNG. I could be wrong; it's early here, but I'm pretty sure.
I'm pretty sure there was 1 commodore in TNG. I could be wrong; it's early here, but I'm pretty sure.
The link provided above lists the names of every person who had the Rank of Commodore in canon. There were 4 in 2364 - which was Season 1 of TNG. That was the last year the Rank was used, though. It was changed to Rear Admiral with Season 2+.
STO is about my Liberated Borg Federation Captain with his Breen 1st Officer, Jem'Hadar Tactical Officer, Liberated Borg Engineering Officer, Android Ops Officer, Photonic Science Officer, Gorn Science Officer, and Reman Medical Officer jumping into their Jem'Hadar Carrier and flying off to do missions for the new Romulan Empire. But for some players allowing a T5 Connie to be used breaks the canon in the game.
First, I'm female. Second, I'm actually completely serious and not baiting anything or anyone. I really am Level 52 and not even done with the Cardassian storyline (have one episode left in it). ... I'm old school. I was born in 1980. ... For the first 20 levels, I gained one after every single mission. It just seems out of whack.
I haven't read the next 17+ pages of this thread but I'm probably one of the very few that agrees to some extent. As others have mentioned, the progression really ramps up in the last 5 levels or so - I felt progression was about right from 55 - 60. Early on, yeah, it feels like "What do you mean, i get a new ship? I haven't finished setting *this* one up yet!"
As for the old school comment, I won't tell you what *I* was doing in 1980...
"You Iconians just hung a vacancy sign on your asses and my foot's looking for a room!"
--Red Annorax
The link provided above lists the names of every person who had the Rank of Commodore in canon. There were 4 in 2364 - which was Season 1 of TNG. That was the last year the Rank was used, though. It was changed to Rear Admiral with Season 2+.
On the topic of the original post, even ignoring the drop off in progression speed that you hit around level 55, and ignoring the fact that there just isn't enough story progression in the game to accommodate any sort of significant increase in the time it takes to level, I still need to disagree. There is nothing to be gained by increasing the amount of time it takes to get from 1 to 52.
But before I explain why, let me explain what this topic is not about. This topic is not about how much early or mid-game content is included in this game. This topic is not about whether reputation grinds are good or bad. Now, since this game uses a scaling power system for the encounters making any encounter viable as a source of progression, lengthening the time it takes to get from 1 to 52 is not necessary to add new content in the lower levels.
In truth, levels in this game affect the speed at which you get access to higher level bridge officer abilities via promotions and via the stations on ships, and some passive stat increases that require no thought and little comprehension. And so lower level ships have little use beyond selling people ships with unique consoles, and saving new players some head ache by more gradually introducing basic in game concepts. Advanced concepts you either never get into, or get into after end game and learn far more effectively while flying an end game capable ship. And since people can buy unique consoles anyway, and the basic concepts introduced don't take nearly as long to understand as it takes to level to 52, I don't see any real benefit to increasing the time it takes to get to 52.
Sorry about the necro in the old thread, I've made a new one.
The speed is WAY (and I mean WAY WAY WAY) too fast. I only used my Doffs and did the story missions, and I'm Level 52 without even being done with the Cardassian storyline.
I think everything is too fast, truth be told. I feel like I only get to be a Lieutenant and other ranks for a couple of days real time before my next promotion. I feel cheated and cheap and I get to be a Fleet Admiral, the highest rank in Starfleet, at Level 60. Star Trek is not like [other] MMORPGs and shouldn't be thought of as one. I would personally suggest the following changes:
First, halve he amount of XP given by EVERYTHING. Mobs, missions, Doffs, everything. Halve it. Then you change the ranks a bit. For one, Rear Admiral Lower Half IS NOT A REAL RANK in STAR TREK, get rid of it and change it to what it's supposed to be according to the shows: Commodore. Then divide them as such:
In addition, there should be actual challenging quests for the promotions from Commodore onward. Keep the level limit at 60 for now, but the ranks above Level 60 can be used for further expansions in the future
Nothing says you have to take the promotions as they come, I dont some times. But I do like the idea I can when Im ready.
I'm sorry to say this, kinda, but if that's how you feel, I don't think the game needs you. I don't mean offense, but it seems an RPG is not what you're looking for.
"Star Trek: Online" is not a role-playing game.
"Star Trek: Online" is a massive multi-player game (MMO).
'Star Wars: The Old Republic' and 'Elder Scrolls: Online' are MMORPGs.
Why would anyone want to subject themselves to more punishment? Sounds awfully narcissistic to me. Look at the floor and you'll still see the tear stains when everyone faced post 50 levelling for the first time after DR launched.
STO is an MMO in name only. It's barely an MMO but it's not really. It's a single player adventure game with role play and multiplayer elements. All traditional MMO roles, systems and player habits have been replaced with easy and casual friendly alternatives - or have just been scrapped all together.
If anything is going to change, I'd say it's more likely that in the future post 50 levelling will speed up.
One thing I'm wondering, though... how are those Navy ranks (like RALH) used in general speech/conversation? Do people just address them as Admiral?
Because I will admit (as I mentioned earlier in thread) that it was kind of goofy when the <insert rank here> MadLibs dialogue throws that entire mouthful of words into villain rants. :P
Well usually they are merely referred to as "Rear Admiral" or just "Admiral". Much like Generals.
I'm pretty sure there was 1 commodore in TNG. I could be wrong; it's early here, but I'm pretty sure.
According to others used in season 1 of TNG. oops. But last time I watched season 1 of TNG I think I was pre teen.
Star Trek Battles member. Want to roll with a good group of people regardless of fleets and not have to worry about DPS while doing STFs? Come join the channel and join in the fun!
Comments
The list of assignments doesn't update correctly when you cross sector borders. People are reporting some assignments as missing, but who knows if they are actually missing or if they are simply vanishing from the UI.
Read this post:
http://sto-forum.perfectworld.com/showpost.php?p=23920051&postcount=73
And it's not just me. See this thread:
Doffing on the Border...Hope This Helps.
STO does not have rep grinds. You can only do 4 rep projects a day, and you can get enough marks to complete them from 1 stf. That is not even remotely close to a grind.
First, no one is forcing you to level fast. It may feel that way at first especially through 1-50 but there is lots of content that doesn't provide a lot of exp.
Secondly, there is more to it than just leveling. There is rep, earning gear, specialization points etc. If your a person who likes the feel of progression, there is lots of other things to do besides just leveling.
Thirdly, if your really up tight about it, make another character. To some, it's their favorite part of the game, so they just keep making characters. So much so, they'll delete and remake even.
Point is, you have options. As a side note; I don't feel that leveling is super slow or super fast with this game, I think it's fine. The main problem I have with it is certain content is gated, especially with the story content making it choppy and very, well, 'unsmooth'.
My gut instinct is to say that leveling should be a curve. Early levels should be absurdly easy to reward people for just picking up the game.
Mid-levels may be too fast.
But the late levels should speed up again to provide a sense of momentum. And there just isn't the content to support a slowdown like we have at endgame. If there were 30 Delta Rising missions, the current rate might be okay but it feels like rummaging for scraps to have to farm.
And I did the original Wintersaber rep in WoW. And farmed the Baron's mount. And hit Bloodsail Admiral. I don't believe farming for progression in any sense is good because it stratifies players and creates gaps that hinder easy cooperative play, even with a sidekicking system like STO has. I BELIEVE in grinds... as long as they're for cosmetics.
A thing to keep in mind with STO is how controlled our leveling is as well. Many things don't provide XP. DOffing is not something I think the average player would ever be interested in and making it essential or catering excessively to people who use it at all is a recipe for bleeding users without a major overhaul.
XP in STO dries up when you run out of missions which the OP will do long before 60. And it sounds like she played some during the recent double XP event. If everything provided XP (crafting, killing, reps, etc.) then maybe a slowdown would be warranted. As it stands, it's really mainly just missions and truly massive kill counts outside of events like the Double XP week. Many people don't WANT massive kill counts and when missions dry up (and the OP's will before 60), things grind to a halt.
Oh god, thank you for reminding me about that one. /headdesk
STO started without a fully clear idea as to the business model. Multiple devs have said they were overwhelmed by response to ships in the store and deeply disappointed by the sale of bridges and costumes.
I think it's a matter of the right thing in the right place.
I would advocate putting cosmetics like the store costumes and bridge bundles behind grinds and possibly not offer them in the store at all since people are not motivated by buying them... and because cosmetics can be a source of pride if earned.
For money, people want mechanical changes to gameplay. We can go all day long about P2W but people are motivated to spend by play experiences, whether ships or new races (not so much here because we have aliens and species doesn't change things that much)/classes/content (Cryptic is opposed to selling content and it isn't the PWE way so that leaves ships).
I favor easy progression despite being close in age to some posters here because every MMO I have played saw social groups torn apart by power progression. Power progression for grind matters more to achiever and killer/PvPer mentalities and those are small subsets of who MMOs attract.
It's important for Cryptic to capture time and money from players for a variety of reasons.
I favor simple, easy power progression.
I favor alternate mechanics that may be mostly lateral in power to be paygated.
I favor cosmetics like bridges and ground costumes to be gated by major playtime grinds, feats, and exploration.
If the post was, "I've been playing two days and I'm level 52" then yes, nobody's forcing them to level that fast. No mention of time played, only story progression. You can't really control that, you do the content and get the exp. You can skip missions, but the OP is likely a delta recruit and therefore missing out on some hefty rewards by doing so.
I can only really say that... Level 52 isn't even past the halfway point to the level cap, it slows down incredibly by 60, and 60 is not actually the level cap. Numbers stop incrementing, but level progression continues. At 60, you've got 10 specialization points out of 45 to fill a loadout in-the-moment, and 95 to actually fill out the system (which is a moving goalpost), with each one taking just shy of 160,000 exp.
Pfft. That's nothing. Worst level grind ever? Battlestar Galactica Online. And guess what after level 20 of 255, the rest are basically meaningless. Enjoy if you're a Colonial being called captain 235 times after you get past level 20.
Star Trek Battles member. Want to roll with a good group of people regardless of fleets and not have to worry about DPS while doing STFs? Come join the channel and join in the fun!
http://forum.arcgames.com/startrekonline/discussion/1145998/star-trek-battles-channel-got-canon/p1
Lindsey I too with my delta toon got to lvl 50 pretty easy and had not completed the cardasian arc. I continued to do the arcs, and managed to go through all of them and finish every story arc accept delta and got to about lvl 58 when I had to begin grinding.
Before DR expansion you could get to lvl 50 without completing the story arcs too. Back then though lvl 50 was the level cap. That you've reached lvl 52 only means that your only 1/4 to 1/3 of the way done in leveling actually.
GAME NOTE: Now while Cryptic says there are only 60 levels to the game. This is not true and is a false statement. This is because the specializations give you a boost, and it is bascially you still leveling up.
Specialization is like hidden levels...it is here technically that the game is the most broken. Here is the best example two players are at lvl 60. Player A just reached it....player B has completed all the specializations tabs. They are not really equal, I know this. My high specialization character can pretty much beat my basic lvl 60 (alt)characters easy the things I can do in both space and ground make it look like they are at different levels. Actually they are.
Before DR lvl 50 was max, and you got a little boost from completing rep and grinding for good gear. There was still a difference between toons yet the difference was limited and defined. With DR expansion and beyond the difference is just huge, and it has become too hard for them to balance out the game properly.
That's kind of funny...Memory Alpha contradicts him, eh?
http://en.memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/Commodore
"The rank of commodore was used by Starfleet until the year 2364."
This post shows a few things.
1. You've never served a day in your life. RA Lower Half has been in use in the USN since the late 70s early 80s.
2. You don't pay attention much. Last time Commodore was used in Star Trek was in TOS. Hell Kirk went straight to guess what rank when he was promoted? Rear Admiral Lower Half.
Might sound silly, but it's been in use since Star Trek the Motion Picture.
Star Trek Battles member. Want to roll with a good group of people regardless of fleets and not have to worry about DPS while doing STFs? Come join the channel and join in the fun!
http://forum.arcgames.com/startrekonline/discussion/1145998/star-trek-battles-channel-got-canon/p1
One thing I'm wondering, though... how are those Navy ranks (like RALH) used in general speech/conversation? Do people just address them as Admiral?
Because I will admit (as I mentioned earlier in thread) that it was kind of goofy when the <insert rank here> MadLibs dialogue throws that entire mouthful of words into villain rants. :P
I'm pretty sure there was 1 commodore in TNG. I could be wrong; it's early here, but I'm pretty sure.
As for the old school comment, I won't tell you what *I* was doing in 1980...
--Red Annorax
Oh good! I'm not crazy!
yeah, I missed virus' post lol
But before I explain why, let me explain what this topic is not about. This topic is not about how much early or mid-game content is included in this game. This topic is not about whether reputation grinds are good or bad. Now, since this game uses a scaling power system for the encounters making any encounter viable as a source of progression, lengthening the time it takes to get from 1 to 52 is not necessary to add new content in the lower levels.
In truth, levels in this game affect the speed at which you get access to higher level bridge officer abilities via promotions and via the stations on ships, and some passive stat increases that require no thought and little comprehension. And so lower level ships have little use beyond selling people ships with unique consoles, and saving new players some head ache by more gradually introducing basic in game concepts. Advanced concepts you either never get into, or get into after end game and learn far more effectively while flying an end game capable ship. And since people can buy unique consoles anyway, and the basic concepts introduced don't take nearly as long to understand as it takes to level to 52, I don't see any real benefit to increasing the time it takes to get to 52.
Nothing says you have to take the promotions as they come, I dont some times. But I do like the idea I can when Im ready.
"Star Trek: Online" is not a role-playing game.
"Star Trek: Online" is a massive multi-player game (MMO).
'Star Wars: The Old Republic' and 'Elder Scrolls: Online' are MMORPGs.
There are some Orions on Drozana that would be surprised to learn this.
I like those people on Drozana. As far as I am concerned, Cryptic should have made an over 18 access door for Drozana.
STO is an MMO in name only. It's barely an MMO but it's not really. It's a single player adventure game with role play and multiplayer elements. All traditional MMO roles, systems and player habits have been replaced with easy and casual friendly alternatives - or have just been scrapped all together.
If anything is going to change, I'd say it's more likely that in the future post 50 levelling will speed up.
According to others used in season 1 of TNG. oops. But last time I watched season 1 of TNG I think I was pre teen.
Star Trek Battles member. Want to roll with a good group of people regardless of fleets and not have to worry about DPS while doing STFs? Come join the channel and join in the fun!
http://forum.arcgames.com/startrekonline/discussion/1145998/star-trek-battles-channel-got-canon/p1