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What Do You Think: The Crystalline Cataclysm

ambassadorkael#6946 ambassadorkael Member, Administrator Posts: 2,674 Community Manager
Post your feedback for the Crystalline Cataclysm here!
Post edited by baddmoonrizin on
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  • salacnar070890salacnar070890 Member Posts: 425 Bug Hunter
    Awesome, loving the the knockback your get from the Energy wave
    Salacnar
    =/\=Priority One Armada=/\=
    32 | Introvert | ADD (W/O Hyperactivity) | He/Him | Hetro-Demisexual | 6’9” ft-in tall | Avatar by: foodcu_be | Gunpla | STO | Yu-Gi-Oh!
  • markhawkmanmarkhawkman Member Posts: 35,231 Arc User
    I love the changes. It's not really harder, and only a little more time consuming.
    -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
    My character Tsin'xing
    Costume_marhawkman_Tsin%27xing_CC_Comic_Page_Blue_488916968.jpg
  • asuran14asuran14 Member Posts: 2,335 Arc User
    Seems pretty good, the changes to how the energy wave works that makes it more apt for you to get out of the area since you can deal no damage during the power up phase is interesting. The Tholians though are still semi non-existent as you can pretty much disregard them without much issue, would have been interesting if they actually were to interact with the entity or the shards it spawns in some ways, like they tow them into players, or use their web walls to block player fire giving them more of a presence in the que. Bringing back some method of the entity healing would be interesting too, like above maybe the shards could either deal damage to players, or if they get grabbed by a Tholian ship could be dragged back to the entity healing it for a percentage.

    The energy wave is abit still on the disregard side as you can use a damage immunity to bypassing moving outside the range. Would say keep it that you can immunity the wave damage, but maybe if you do it gives you a short term disable from the shockwave hitting your ship. It would give you that getting out of range has a purpose outside of just if you do not have a immunity to use, but also using a immunity has a drawback yet is still usable. I will also say that the random anomalies that can be in the que has been a nice touch, but again as before are easily avoidable negating alot of the potential of them, if there were a method of them being more interactive in the que they would be more interesting an serve more of a purpose.
  • tunebreakertunebreaker Member Posts: 1,222 Arc User
    I don't understand why doesn't the queue, nor the completion of the event give the possibility of obtaining gamma marks as a reward. Been quite a while already since ViL launch.
  • pottsey5gpottsey5g Member Posts: 4,177 Arc User
    edited August 2018
    The CE was my favourite event but I feel it’s been partly ruined and isn’t as fun anymore.

    As others have said in other threads the static on the entire screen is absolutely awful. It’s as bad as the terrible grain in the old ToS content. That grain is so bad it ruined the Tos content and I never replay any Tos content due to that and the static in CE is at the same level of horrible. It doesn't even make sense to me when my ship is out of combat in perfect condition is has this horrible static effect. Then when I get hit by weapons and is damaged the static clears up. Which is the reverse of what is expected.

    Even after all these runs I still have no idea what those random anomalies do. Like the Tholians and pulse I just ignore them. I park 1km from the CE and have them to the rear of my ship so I cannot even see them.

    I don’t understand why you made an easy queue even easier. Damage from the CE has been lowered so much I don’t even have to think about tanking. The pulse is still zero threat to me; all it does is cause mild frustration my moving my ship around 8km.

    This constant dumbing down of content and making it to basic and to too easy is what is hurting player retention. You need to add real challenging content back like the old STF raids. STO at the moment has less challenging raid style end game content then when the game first shipped. That is crazy for an MMO the age of STO, personally I feel like that's a massive mistake that is hurting the game.

    Bring back the previous CE, the changes to this one have just made it worse.
  • tharsonius42tharsonius42 Member Posts: 49 Arc User
    Copy from the announcement post. I didn't see this one at first:

    The new map version is alright I guess. The energy wave now actually being deadly is no issue, should always have been tbh. The 30 sec timer sounded annoying but 30 secs seems to actually a rather sweet spot for not being too long or short. I like it. Decreasing the timer in other instances to 30 secs would be greatly appreciated (also adding the 30 secs to ISA would be nice so you can start it from space without people already fighting when the pointless and very annoying warp-in sequence is done when entering from space instead of a ground map).
    I also have Zero issues with any build, even with the rather new Jem's. It's not overly difficult especially as it seems there are less/weaker Tholians buzzing around.
  • postagepaidpostagepaid Member Posts: 2,899 Arc User
    I don't understand why doesn't the queue, nor the completion of the event give the possibility of obtaining gamma marks as a reward. Been quite a while already since ViL launch.

    They probably want to flog the dead horse that is the gamma waiting zone a wee bit longer before dumping marks into the choice box. Doing so for lukari was done very quickly as it was easier to do that than fix actual content (the BZ) folk might opt to participate in.

    As for the event, its quick and dirty to the point where you wonder why now just give the token for clicking on the journal button.

    Static effect serves no purpose, is hideous and seems to be buggy as sometimes it goes while sometimes it stays throughout a run.

    Tholians don't seem to do anything of consequence, not seen any disruption torps, webs or other stuff you see in the RA.

    Was the pulse meant to have any visual FX because I've not seen any linked to it, just a red disc telegraph that doesn't cover the radius of the pulse. That said with the visual vomit on screen not having another effect stirred in isn't necessarily a bad thing.
  • ltminnsltminns Member Posts: 12,569 Arc User
    When the Lukari Restoration Reputation released at the end of January last year, by the time the new shortened Breech 14-day Event occurred in the middle of March a month and a half later, Lukari Marks were a choice. Not so here with Gamma. :(
    'But to be logical is not to be right', and 'nothing' on God's earth could ever 'make it' right!'
    Judge Dan Haywood
    'As l speak now, the words are forming in my head.
    l don't know.
    l really don't know what l'm about to say, except l have a feeling about it.
    That l must repeat the words that come without my knowledge.'
    Lt. Philip J. Minns
  • iamynaughtiamynaught Member Posts: 1,285 Arc User
    I can't say I hate the changes. It's nothing new but if you want feedback, this is mine.

    My only issue is with the "Sensor Interference" random hazard that can pop up. I mean really, what's the point of it? No one really uses their mini map for this mission anyway, so having it full of static is kinda dumb. But, the big issue for me is the static effect it puts on the entire screen. That thing makes me ill for some reason, and I'm talking queasy and headache inducing ill.

    It takes me a minute or two to get over the effects and during that time it's difficult if not nearly impossible for me to play. Considering this entire mission only takes 2-3 minutes to complete, that means I can be out of action long enough to not get rewards and potentially get hit with the AFK penalty.

    Please consider removing the static effect from this hazard. I'll keep plugging along as best I can.
    Hello. My name is iamynaught and I am an altaholic.

    Losing faith in humanity, one person at a time.
  • postagepaidpostagepaid Member Posts: 2,899 Arc User
    The random hazards don't seem to have any gameplay effect other than what we see on screen.

    The grav wells despawn and never comeback. Don't seem to have much pull to them either making the "hazard" ineffective.

    The static, which I can't see anyone liking, is nonsense as why does it matter we can't see the minimap when all the navigation required is go straight ahead.

    The blobs of black keech which have a larger catch radius that the visual blob so its possible to skim one and lose sight of everything. However the red targetting stuff is still there so nothing to really stop or hinder you.
  • echattyechatty Member Posts: 5,914 Arc User
    I liked it a lot. I park myself 9km above it, when I see the orange ring, I move out of range and then go back down and help kill it. I like that it doesn't take less than a minute anymore and hope you bring it to the regular CC maps.
    Now a LTS and loving it.
    Just because you spend money on this game, it does not entitle you to be a jerk if things don't go your way.
    I have come to the conclusion that I have a memory like Etch-A-Sketch. I shake my head and forget everything. :D
  • omegapaladinomegapaladin Member Posts: 29 Arc User
    I don't understand why doesn't the queue, nor the completion of the event give the possibility of obtaining gamma marks as a reward. Been quite a while already since ViL launch.

    This. I have done the Gamma Quadrant over and over. I'd really like some variety from killing Hurq all the time to grind Gamma rep.
  • pottsey5gpottsey5g Member Posts: 4,177 Arc User
    edited August 2018
    Well after a few more runs I am taking a break and not running it for a few days which is something I have never done before. For me this is the worst version of CE and I played the original. I used to love the CE it was in my top 3 content. The damage immunity on the CE feels pointless; it doesn’t make the CE harder all it does is mean I spend 50% of the queue sitting there doing nothing waiting which is a poor design for any content. Its just a hidden time gate.

    Why run a queue where you spend half of it sitting still waiting and while you waiting having to put up with terrible pointless static. I don’t even have to tank anymore with the damage from the CE being so low now. Making it super easy and making it so we sit waiting for half the time was a very bad move by the devs.
  • ltminnsltminns Member Posts: 12,569 Arc User
    edited August 2018
    I have gotten a few seconds of static at the beginning and that's it. That static is very weak and can easily be viewed through.
    'But to be logical is not to be right', and 'nothing' on God's earth could ever 'make it' right!'
    Judge Dan Haywood
    'As l speak now, the words are forming in my head.
    l don't know.
    l really don't know what l'm about to say, except l have a feeling about it.
    That l must repeat the words that come without my knowledge.'
    Lt. Philip J. Minns
  • anodynesanodynes Member Posts: 1,999 Arc User
    ltminns wrote: »
    I have gotten a few seconds of static at the beginning and that's it. That static is very weak and can easily be viewed through.

    Yeah, I'm not quite getting why something that's been part of this event since the last revamp is suddenly a problem.
    This is an MMO, not a Star Trek episode simulator. That would make for a terrible game.
  • pottsey5gpottsey5g Member Posts: 4,177 Arc User
    edited August 2018
    anodynes wrote: »
    ltminns wrote: »
    I have gotten a few seconds of static at the beginning and that's it. That static is very weak and can easily be viewed through.

    Yeah, I'm not quite getting why something that's been part of this event since the last revamp is suddenly a problem.
    Sometimes it get stuck and lasts more then a few seconds, it looks horrible, servers no purpose and makes no sense and worse makes some people sick. Its like that TOS grain that ruined the TOS content.
  • seaofsorrowsseaofsorrows Member Posts: 10,918 Arc User
    I like it, I would only propose one small change..

    Make the blast waves deal 10 Million Damage to make sure they're impossible to survive. Force people to actually move away and hold fire instead of allowing them to tank the blast. I would only propose this in Advanced, not normal.

    There needs to be some type of 'do this right or get killed' condition.. it doesn't have to fail the mission or anything crazy like that.. but the Entity needs something to make it seem powerful. The ability to one shot everything within 10km is a good power for advanced. Move.. or die.

    Other then that, it doesn't seem that different to me overall. I like the wait period to start the mission.. gives people the chance to get in, launch a wave of pets etc. The artificial time gate of not being able to hurt the entity doesn't bother me.. it only lasts a few seconds, I am good with it.
    Insert witty signature line here.
  • pottsey5gpottsey5g Member Posts: 4,177 Arc User
    I like it, I would only propose one small change..

    Make the blast waves deal 10 Million Damage to make sure they're impossible to survive. Force people to actually move away and hold fire instead of allowing them to tank the blast. I would only propose this in Advanced, not normal.

    There needs to be some type of 'do this right or get killed' condition.. it doesn't have to fail the mission or anything crazy like that.. but the Entity needs something to make it seem powerful. The ability to one shot everything within 10km is a good power for advanced. Move.. or die.

    Other then that, it doesn't seem that different to me overall. I like the wait period to start the mission.. gives people the chance to get in, launch a wave of pets etc. The artificial time gate of not being able to hurt the entity doesn't bother me.. it only lasts a few seconds, I am good with it.
    From a timing point of view I have to admit that part is better then the blog described. So far its always been 10 or 15seconds which is about perfect. 30seconds is way to long but a short 15seconds or less is fine. But it did create a new problem in my last run in my carrier which was I could not move after the timer ended.

    I was jam packed in-between a bunch of ships and as those players didn't move once the timer hit zero, I could not move. Not had that in any other queues. Perhaps the player spawn point needs to be a bit wider.

  • seaofsorrowsseaofsorrows Member Posts: 10,918 Arc User
    pottsey5g wrote: »
    I like it, I would only propose one small change..

    Make the blast waves deal 10 Million Damage to make sure they're impossible to survive. Force people to actually move away and hold fire instead of allowing them to tank the blast. I would only propose this in Advanced, not normal.

    There needs to be some type of 'do this right or get killed' condition.. it doesn't have to fail the mission or anything crazy like that.. but the Entity needs something to make it seem powerful. The ability to one shot everything within 10km is a good power for advanced. Move.. or die.

    Other then that, it doesn't seem that different to me overall. I like the wait period to start the mission.. gives people the chance to get in, launch a wave of pets etc. The artificial time gate of not being able to hurt the entity doesn't bother me.. it only lasts a few seconds, I am good with it.
    From a timing point of view I have to admit that part is better then the blog described. So far its always been 10 or 15seconds which is about perfect. 30seconds is way to long but a short 15seconds or less is fine. But it did create a new problem in my last run in my carrier which was I could not move after the timer ended.

    I was jam packed in-between a bunch of ships and as those players didn't move once the timer hit zero, I could not move. Not had that in any other queues. Perhaps the player spawn point needs to be a bit wider.

    Agreed 100%.

    Had the same problem in my Scimitar.. if people don't move, I can't either.
    Insert witty signature line here.
  • lapprenticellapprenticel Member Posts: 254 Arc User
    The blast wave is already impossible to survive, though the damage dealt varies a lot - I've seen up to 1.5 million.
    I like it, I would only propose one small change..

    Make the blast waves deal 10 Million Damage to make sure they're impossible to survive. Force people to actually move away and hold fire instead of allowing them to tank the blast. I would only propose this in Advanced, not normal.

    There needs to be some type of 'do this right or get killed' condition.. it doesn't have to fail the mission or anything crazy like that.. but the Entity needs something to make it seem powerful. The ability to one shot everything within 10km is a good power for advanced. Move.. or die.

    Other then that, it doesn't seem that different to me overall. I like the wait period to start the mission.. gives people the chance to get in, launch a wave of pets etc. The artificial time gate of not being able to hurt the entity doesn't bother me.. it only lasts a few seconds, I am good with it.

  • seaofsorrowsseaofsorrows Member Posts: 10,918 Arc User
    The blast wave is already impossible to survive, though the damage dealt varies a lot - I've

    People have reported being able to survive it, though in my experience it's killed me every time.
    Insert witty signature line here.
  • postagepaidpostagepaid Member Posts: 2,899 Arc User
    I don't understand why doesn't the queue, nor the completion of the event give the possibility of obtaining gamma marks as a reward. Been quite a while already since ViL launch.

    This. I have done the Gamma Quadrant over and over. I'd really like some variety from killing Hurq all the time to grind Gamma rep.

    If you rolled a gamma recruit your other characters never had to go anywhere but the temporal bod to claim the mark boxes. Unless you want gamma based gear.

    I've survived blastwaves in a couple of different ships, both times I was killing the small fragments quite a bit due to where I was in relation to them. It is however much easier to stay at distance and reverse out when the absorb begins.
  • echattyechatty Member Posts: 5,914 Arc User
    I don't understand why doesn't the queue, nor the completion of the event give the possibility of obtaining gamma marks as a reward. Been quite a while already since ViL launch.

    This. I have done the Gamma Quadrant over and over. I'd really like some variety from killing Hurq all the time to grind Gamma rep.

    If you rolled a gamma recruit your other characters never had to go anywhere but the temporal bod to claim the mark boxes. Unless you want gamma based gear.

    I've survived blastwaves in a couple of different ships, both times I was killing the small fragments quite a bit due to where I was in relation to them. It is however much easier to stay at distance and reverse out when the absorb begins.

    I've survived one blast, but just barely. I generally park about 9 or so km above it and go up when the absorption phase begins, Don't have enough hull or immunities to survive and have blown up more often than not if I don't get about 12km away by the time it releases that pulse.
    Now a LTS and loving it.
    Just because you spend money on this game, it does not entitle you to be a jerk if things don't go your way.
    I have come to the conclusion that I have a memory like Etch-A-Sketch. I shake my head and forget everything. :D
  • markhawkmanmarkhawkman Member Posts: 35,231 Arc User
    The blast wave is REALLY variable now. I might get squashed with multiple +res powers up, to surviving a blast with note.
    -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
    My character Tsin'xing
    Costume_marhawkman_Tsin%27xing_CC_Comic_Page_Blue_488916968.jpg
  • echattyechatty Member Posts: 5,914 Arc User
    I'll just play it safe, stay around 9km above and run when it's absorbing. That's worked for me.
    Now a LTS and loving it.
    Just because you spend money on this game, it does not entitle you to be a jerk if things don't go your way.
    I have come to the conclusion that I have a memory like Etch-A-Sketch. I shake my head and forget everything. :D
  • r0m#7631 r0m Member Posts: 134 Arc User
    Love the new direction for this PVE Queue and I'm sure we'll see a bit of tweaking as it gets evaluated live.

    Good job! Now let's look at Azure Rescue's spawn rate ;)
  • shehchaoshehchao Member Posts: 20 Arc User
    I think depending on your ship and items, it may be possible to survive. Some buffs makes you immune to damage for a short time (eg. Aegis set).
  • ltminnsltminns Member Posts: 12,569 Arc User
    The Character I am running through CCA, my Jem'Hadar Gamma Recruit, uses the Aegis Set on the Vanguard Raider. I was hit once with the blast on the way out and blew up. My rear shield was down somewhat already. Otherwise, I have been retreating to about 12 or so kilometers.

    I do have other Characters that use Aegis and easily weather the blast on the normal Advanced Queue. I like Aegis with the negation.
    'But to be logical is not to be right', and 'nothing' on God's earth could ever 'make it' right!'
    Judge Dan Haywood
    'As l speak now, the words are forming in my head.
    l don't know.
    l really don't know what l'm about to say, except l have a feeling about it.
    That l must repeat the words that come without my knowledge.'
    Lt. Philip J. Minns
  • postagepaidpostagepaid Member Posts: 2,899 Arc User
    The pulse doesn't reliably proc continuity talent from temporal spec. Sometimes it will fail to proc while other times it does and combined with the knockback from the wave you end up 20km away.

    The rommie singularity ability will protect you but its wasting the weapon boost.

    The kar'fi phase cloak didn't work when I tried it.

    10.5km seems to be the safe minimum distance for the pulse.
  • majorhalcyonmajorhalcyon Member Posts: 199 Arc User
    I posted this in the thread in the 'News' section, but I'll post here again:

    From playing it the last two days, I've seen almost no difference in the playstyle from previous years; there are still those that ignore the obsorption/burst phase, some that ignore the shards (even on advanced I don't see much of the 'buff' they give the Entity, thankfully: I still have full memory of the old system, where they'd heal it to full from 40% *shudders*), so the actual play time is still around 30-40 secs. I've also had no issues with any of the changed mechanics being a problem (i.e. can't overcome, kill you more, etc...), so that's a good thing.

    However, my problem comes from this:
    •Once the Entity has been destroyed it will explode into many Small Salvageable Crystal Fragments, these fragments can be destroyed to gain 1-5 Salvage from each of them!

    This was fine...in theory; in practice, it's proving to be horribly implemented, as I've found myself doing nothing more than helping others get the salvage. One slavage out of 8 queues so far for any of my characters that have run it. Granting that small amount of salvage is fine, but the '1-5' should have been based on how much damage each person did to them, not who got the killing shot. As it stands, the queue is still awarding those with higher DPS than others, which gives little incentive for some to even bother with that part of it...
This discussion has been closed.