Based on what I probably spent the most time doing...
-The old Exploration system.
-Patrols(I leveled my first character almost exclusively from visiting each system and doing their unique patrol mission)
-Battlezones(I confess I enjoy them more with fewer players per node - less spam/cheapshots)
I enjoy crafting as well, but both collecting and crafting can be a very shallow experience with a lot of uncontrollable randomness.
This topic was spurred by a complaint I've seen a couple of times, about Space Battlezones reducing queue populations. I started ruminating on that because I consider space battlezones as probably the most successful kind of content STO has ever produced, personally; at the same time, I consider queues to be a general failure of the original design goals of the game.
One is an open area in which content can be accessed at leisure, with overarching goals but open ended objectives. There's no punishment for participation and the content is generally engaging (with a couple of exceptions). There's no time restrictions on when it can be used, and the content evolves with or without you. If this sort of content could be applied across a whole sector, or with deep space instances, I'd consider it a large step forward for the game. I'm just disappointed there's not one for every reputation, with some Battlezone marks either having no BZ or being relegated to Ground BZs (I detest ground combat).
The other (queue) is content that splits its own population into three (or more if you consider queues to be competing) parts. It has a defined population that will not allow participation until it's met. It's static, completely instanced, extremely repetitive and requires everyone's active participation for sometimes very extended periods of time. So not only is it segregated and restricted, but it also ensures the content dies permanently if players tire of meeting these various conditions, perhaps even to be punished with ship and personal injury debuffs. I'm not saying they should be removed, but seeing them as the defined end game content for STO I always felt was foolish and extremely contrary to being an MMO at all - something STO doesn't utilize very often.
So, my pick is personally space battlezones. Specifically the Badlands, as my favorite. I'd probably like the Tzenkethi BZ a lot if it worked correctly, or at least rewarded you with marks for defending the zones you have to patrol, due to the constant flipping. They're probably my favorite STO content.
I kinda agree. Battlezones are great as content but queue would be too if the devs would've stayed on the same path prior to Delta Rising. Queues back then were fun, engaging, with clear objectives and all... After DR we got twisted missions, with as much randomness as possible in them, random objectives, random things to do, random paths etc. We got in one form or another just heal/protects npc on ground and "intrerupt clicky" mechanics, wich are anything else but fun They may think this is great and all but its not. The players hate those. Players want a mission that they can learn and know what to expect. Players dont want a mission failure objective to be thrown in the hands of a stupid AI where you could do everything by the book and still fail. That is not fun. At all.
But unfortunatly the developers have no intent whatsoever to make more of that preDR content. In fact even the elites from the old borg STF are been denied to us So until they will start to make fun queues, those will stay dead and the only good alternatives will be battlezones.
I like the battlezones for drop-in/drop-out capacity. I often like the missions that drop as several in an arc at a time than an arc made of a slow accumulation of FEs - they tend to flow a bit better, story-wise, in writing, though some of the FEs are absolutely stand-out.
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-The old Exploration system.
-Patrols(I leveled my first character almost exclusively from visiting each system and doing their unique patrol mission)
-Battlezones(I confess I enjoy them more with fewer players per node - less spam/cheapshots)
I enjoy crafting as well, but both collecting and crafting can be a very shallow experience with a lot of uncontrollable randomness.
"I was here before you, I will be here after you are gone. I am here, regardless of your acknowledgement or acceptance..." - The Truth
I kinda agree. Battlezones are great as content but queue would be too if the devs would've stayed on the same path prior to Delta Rising. Queues back then were fun, engaging, with clear objectives and all... After DR we got twisted missions, with as much randomness as possible in them, random objectives, random things to do, random paths etc. We got in one form or another just heal/protects npc on ground and "intrerupt clicky" mechanics, wich are anything else but fun
But unfortunatly the developers have no intent whatsoever to make more of that preDR content. In fact even the elites from the old borg STF are been denied to us
Member Access Denied Armada!
My forum single-issue of rage: Make the Proton Experimental Weapon go for subsystem targetting!
Things with fun activities
Things with interesting settings/environments
Things that allow me to be creative
Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
"I was here before you, I will be here after you are gone. I am here, regardless of your acknowledgement or acceptance..." - The Truth