Star Trek Online

[Grand Admiral]

I started over, trying Tactical in an Escort.

I really dislike the LtC level Escorts. I would use the Saber class, but one nacelle is WAY off from the other one. You can't unsee it.

Anyway, here's my ugly little ship. Can't wait to get to the next tier.

Here's a couple of pretty screenshots with my Star Cruiser. I think I may have found the least shovel-y look for it.

Edited February 25, 2010 by Grand Admiral

[kung flu]

I decided to start all over again, i think i may have messed up my skill points. I mean i leveled some skills which i didn't really need.

Edited February 25, 2010 by kung flu

[eugimon]

the whole skill point thing needs to be redone.

It's easily the worst skill tree I've ever seen.

[mikeszekely]

the whole skill point thing needs to be redone.

It's easily the worst skill tree I've ever seen.

I hate how the game forces you to spend X amount of skill points before you can get promoted. I maxed a couple of skills I knew I'd want, then invested into crap I didn't care for just to move up to Lt. Commander.

Oh, yeah. I forgot to mention, I'm playing again. A friend of mine bought the collector's edition and gave me a 10-day pass. I'm 72 hours or so in, and I hit Lt. Commander this morning. I'm trying to learn from my mistakes in the first one, but the Lt. Commander Escorts may be the ugliest ships in the game, so I stuck with my Constitution/Excalibur hybrid (I tried to make it look as much like the one I had in the beta as possible, even modifying the Registry number to be the "B" version). It was either that or a Nova, since the Science ships look like a good balance of Escort's speed and the Cruiser's strength.

If I can make it to Commander before my pass expires, I'm definitely going to go with an Akira.

[Ghost Train]

Man, y'all need to have your eyes checked. I love my Saber escort (peformance & how it looks) If aesthetically they butchered anything it would be the heavy escort tier. Zephyr looks horrid (should have just stuck with steamrunner design), and Akira looks a bit strange... can't put a finger on it, something about how the saucer connects to the double secondary hull that seems a bit off.

Also, isn't respec supposedly on its way? I'm probably going to wait until that comes out before deciding to start over.

[kaiotheforsaken]

Respec is on the way. I'm not sure if it'll be included with the first raidisode patch or not, but it's one of the things they are fast tracking. Adjusting ship models and connections is also high up there, the Saber may be bad but the Galaxy is just awful.

Additionally, they said in a recent developer posting that Rear Admiral 10 is the intended max level, whether indefinitely or not who knows. That being said, I imagine you will see that open up when there is enough content done to support it. I think a lot of the games faults are a result of it being pushed out the door quickly. They can and seem to want to fix and polish this game to be the complete Trek experience, lets just hope fans can hold out to see it happen.

http://www.startrekonline.com/node/1182

A "State of the Game" article talking about short term and long terms plans for STO. If they can deliver on even part of what's listed I will likely not need another multiplayer game for years.

Edited February 26, 2010 by kaiotheforsaken

[one_klump]

That state of the game post is pretty inspiring, and I hope those issues are worked out, because that might just make the game a keeper for me.

I canceled my account until the game matures a bit more. I really love the basic setup, and the space combat rocks my world.

My biggest issue is ground combat, which basically takes the Halo model, and makes it clumsy and not fun. Other than that, I really enjoyed leveling up to Rear Admiral. It was fun, had some great lore moments, and never seemed like a grind at all.

Keeping players around at the endgame is where most games spend 80% of their development cycle, and Cryptic needs to spend a bit more time here.

I really want to come back, but there has to be more waiting for me. I don't feel like I wasted $50, because I truly had a great experience for the month I played.

Edited February 26, 2010 by one_klump

[Vostok 7]

Finally made it to commander and bought myself a runabout as a present. Now I should start getting into content I haven't tread before so I should be a little more motivated to go forward. Retreading everything from Beta was getting a little tiresome (though it was nice to see just how much the game has improved since Beta began!), so I'm excited to get into fresh material.

[kaiotheforsaken]

It definitely helps, and you are getting into the areas with some of the best quests and story imo. I really love commander and ups experience.

[Warmaker]

I'm a hardcore KDF player, and I will say the Klingon faction is absolutely hurting in this game. There never was that many of us to begin with, and it sucks to see our numbers bleed down even more. Players in this faction are really looking at this first major patch to take care of the issues because so much is wrong or outright missing for the KDF. If Cryptic impresses me with this patch and actually makes the KDF worthwhile, I'm sticking around alot longer. But until then, the Empire is on the verge of total collapse.

Several days ago I hit Brigadier General. I've been keeping with the Battlecruisers on the KDF ship lineup, so at Tier 5, I stuck with the Negvhar. Thinking on toying with a Carrier next, but until then, I'm doing fine with the Negvhar. My gear sucks for it at the moment as a BG2.

Can't customize jack with the Klingons in the current state of the game. Can't even get a true, all green warship like the Klingons are supposed to have.

[Ghost Train]

Farming in noob fleet action again (it's ok, I'm still a noob!) . Oh... the delicious loot, think I made like 10k in just 2 runs, also "accidentally "outdamaged a Sovereign class - he might have arrived late or switched ships, this I concede for it defies the laws of physics.

Edited February 26, 2010 by Ghost Train

[Grand Admiral]

Man, y'all need to have your eyes checked. I love my Saber escort (peformance & how it looks)

The starboard nacelle is too far forward. You cannot unsee it. I would be using the Saber right now if the model wasn't f'd up.

Farming in noob fleet action again (it's ok, I'm still a noob!) . Oh... the delicious loot, think I made like 10k in just 2 runs, also "accidentally "outdamaged a Sovereign class - he might have arrived late or switched ships, this I concede for it defies the laws of physics.

One thing I have noticed is that some people in top tier ships have made the mistake of switching to top tier weapons that they haven't spent skill points in. Using a weapon type matched to a skill, Phaser Weapons, for instance, will give you lots of extra damage versus using a weapon in which you haven't spent skill points.

All weapon types of the same level do the same base damage, and only their secondary effects differ. So an Admiral using phasers with a maxed phaser skill is going to do FAR more damage than he would if he were using another beam type in which he hadn't spend any skill points.

If I recall correctly, the base damage of my MkX phasers is around 180, but with my maxed skill I do over 500 base damage. (Numbers estimated because I'm at work )

Edited February 26, 2010 by Grand Admiral

[Ghost Train]

One thing I have noticed is that some people in top tier ships have made the mistake of switching to top tier weapons that they haven't spent skill points in. Using a weapon type matched to a skill, Phaser Weapons, for instance, will give you lots of extra damage versus using a weapon in which you haven't spent skill points.

All weapon types of the same level do the same base damage, and only their secondary effects differ. So an Admiral using phasers with a maxed phaser skill is going to do FAR more damage than he would if he were using another beam type in which he hadn't spend any skill points.

If I recall correctly, the base damage of my MkX phasers is around 180, but with my maxed skill I do over 500 base damage. (Numbers estimated because I'm at work )

That's why I'm sort of avoiding non-conventional weapon types until later, and just sticking with plain-vanilla phasers until the specialization skills for said beam types become available to me at later ranks.

But from the SC... it sure looks like a plain old phaser beam to me coming out of that Sovereign.

[Ghost Train]

And my Saber looks ok, there might be a slight crook, but nothing I can notice readily - perhaps I am just lucky. My build is pretty much a standard Saber, the nacelles are from another class though - can't remember which atm. The engines do bend around the saucer, which is an eye-sore, but that is a symmetric crooking . I think it does that for all nacelle types.

Edited February 26, 2010 by Ghost Train

[Grand Admiral]

And my Saber looks ok, there might be a slight crook, but nothing I can notice readily - perhaps I am just lucky. My build is pretty much a standard Saber, the nacelles are from another class though - can't remember which atm. The engines do bend around the saucer, which is an eye-sore, but that is a symmetric crooking . I think it does that for all nacelle types

You're not using a straight Saber class. you're using a Saber with the Ushaan nacelles. No problem there. The problem lies entirely in the Saber nacelles.

[mikeszekely]

Are there some quest-givers I'm missing?

Right now, I'm a Lt. Commander 4. I have two quests, both LC 6. One is from Admiral Quinn, and it's the only one available to me from him at the moment. One is from Commander Sulu, and it's the only Patrol mission available from him at the moment. I can get 3 Defense missions from him, if I want them, but they're kinda boring. The only other quest-givers I have are Lieutenant Grall (three available, all repeats), Commander Makza, Captain Calhoun, and Admiral Yanishev. The quests from the last three are all the sort where you jump into a conflict that's already in play and spend an hour sniping at a couple of ships while you wait for the rest of the players to take out the other 50 required to finish the mission... again, not the sort of mission I want to play.

Am I stuck doing them anyway? I didn't mind doing a quest or two that was one rank above me, but I just finished one that was two above me, and it was a pain.

[kaiotheforsaken]

Do the defense missions, even if only once, they give 300 exp each turn in. Same with the exploration mission that is closest to your applicable level. I milk repeatable quests for all there worth. My Fed-Klingon is Lt. Commander 9.5 and is just hitting Romulan space. I'll probably do 2 defense missions there and hit Lt. Commander 10 before I even start the story missions up there.

You aren't missing any, the quest givers basically appear in your little hail Starfleet thing when applicable. Skipping defense or exploration missions can stretch things a little thin in certain sections.

[eugimon]

If you're going to do the memory alpha crafting stuff, you NEED to redo those explore missions... over and over and over and over and over and over...

[mikeszekely]

If you're going to do the memory alpha crafting stuff, you NEED to redo those explore missions... over and over and over and over and over and over...

What's the use in doing the Memory Alpha crafting stuff? I swung by when I had a quest to go there, and it seemed like mostly what they do is take something you've already got and improve it... like take a Small Hypospray and make a Large Hypospray. Which seemed kinda of stupid, since I sell all the hyposprays I find anyway.

I decided to do the Defense missions I hadn't done... they're kind of easy, since the highest level one I have available is LTC 1. They don't seem to be worth much xp, though. I also tried doing a Hostile Engagement for Calhoun. I think they need to balance those better... my team (Federation) lost 15-1. I was the only one to score a kill on the Fed side, because the first Klingon I saw happened to be two levels below me. Unfortunately he was hanging out near a player four levels above me, and another six levels above me. I guess the other Feddies were close to me in levels. About the only good thing I have to say about the experience is that I seemed to get a decent amount of XP, and even though the quest said I needed to win I still got credit for having done it.

If I can make it to LTC 5, I should be happy. I'll only be one level below my next patrol mission, and once I've done that (and maybe another Defense mission) I should make it LTC 6 before the next story mission.

[eugimon]

What's the use in doing the Memory Alpha crafting stuff? I swung by when I had a quest to go there, and it seemed like mostly what they do is take something you've already got and improve it... like take a Small Hypospray and make a Large Hypospray. Which seemed kinda of stupid, since I sell all the hyposprays I find anyway.

I decided to do the Defense missions I hadn't done... they're kind of easy, since the highest level one I have available is LTC 1. They don't seem to be worth much xp, though. I also tried doing a Hostile Engagement for Calhoun. I think they need to balance those better... my team (Federation) lost 15-1. I was the only one to score a kill on the Fed side, because the first Klingon I saw happened to be two levels below me. Unfortunately he was hanging out near a player four levels above me, and another six levels above me. I guess the other Feddies were close to me in levels. About the only good thing I have to say about the experience is that I seemed to get a decent amount of XP, and even though the quest said I needed to win I still got credit for having done it.

If I can make it to LTC 5, I should be happy. I'll only be one level below my next patrol mission, and once I've done that (and maybe another Defense mission) I should make it LTC 6 before the next story mission.

if you do it enough times (buy enough crap, like 10 upgraded torps, etc) then you get to go on to the next tier and so forth. It's one of the ways to get upgraded weapons in the game, the others being exploration badges and pvp badges

[mikeszekely]

if you do it enough times (buy enough crap, like 10 upgraded torps, etc) then you get to go on to the next tier and so forth. It's one of the ways to get upgraded weapons in the game, the others being exploration badges and pvp badges

If you have to do the Exploration missions to get the crap to upgrade, wouldn't you wind up with the badges you need to buy the stuff in the first place?

Honestly, between quest rewards and loot drops, I'm pretty content with most of my stuff. I could use some better consoles and some better torps, but I've got a Plasma-Disrupter Hybrid Beam Array Mk IV in the front and a Phaser Turrent Mk III and Disrupter Beam Array Mk III in the back. In one Defense mission I was out-damaging a Nova with two levels on me.

As for ground gear, that's even less of a concern for me. I don't even wear armor, because I don't think it's as authentic as a plain uniform.

EDIT: Is my character still going to be around after my 10-day pass is up? I'm enjoying the game enough that I want to buy a retail copy and subscribe and all that, but financially that doesn't really work out for me until probably April sometime. If I can pick up where I left off then, great, but I'm not going to bother if I have to start over again. I'm still doing stuff I did in the beta for crying out loud.

Edited February 27, 2010 by mikeszekely

[Chewie]

You can right click on your armor/kits on you or any of your crew and select "hide on costume" to show your uniform while still wearing either.

Edited February 27, 2010 by Chewie

[Vostok 7]

As for ground gear, that's even less of a concern for me. I don't even wear armor, because I don't think it's as authentic as a plain uniform.

Simple: Equip the armor, right click the icon, click "Hide Armor" and voila, your armor gives you all the benefits with none of the ugly.

Same can be done for your equipment kits.

You should definitely wear armor.

[eugimon]

If you have to do the Exploration missions to get the crap to upgrade, wouldn't you wind up with the badges you need to buy the stuff in the first place?

Honestly, between quest rewards and loot drops, I'm pretty content with most of my stuff. I could use some better consoles and some better torps, but I've got a Plasma-Disrupter Hybrid Beam Array Mk IV in the front and a Phaser Turrent Mk III and Disrupter Beam Array Mk III in the back. In one Defense mission I was out-damaging a Nova with two levels on me.

As for ground gear, that's even less of a concern for me. I don't even wear armor, because I don't think it's as authentic as a plain uniform.

I think it's different stuff, like alpha gives you X, badges you Y and Z and each weapon type has different bonuses so depending on the weapons you want there's different things to do.

If you right click on the item on your character status you can set it so it doesn't show up but you still get the bonuses

[mikeszekely]

If you right click on the item on your character status you can set it so it doesn't show up but you still get the bonuses

I seriously didn't know that. I'm glad you told me! I'm off to find some new armor now!

[Grand Admiral]

Are there some quest-givers I'm missing?

Right now, I'm a Lt. Commander 4. I have two quests, both LC 6. One is from Admiral Quinn, and it's the only one available to me from him at the moment.

I'm pretty sure getting quests is tied to your level. Just grind some of the Defend or Explore missions until you hit LtC 5 and I bet some new missions will show up.

I don't bother with collecting anomalies because right now, the Memory Alpha stuff takes so long to collect for that you'll have better equipment by the time you unlock the higher tiers of items. I think that's something they need to re-spec.

[David Hingtgen]

40 bucks and 90 days free: http://atari.com/games/startrek_online/ (it's 60 days EXTRA, in addition to the standard 30)

[eugimon]

I'm pretty sure getting quests is tied to your level. Just grind some of the Defend or Explore missions until you hit LtC 5 and I bet some new missions will show up.

I don't bother with collecting anomalies because right now, the Memory Alpha stuff takes so long to collect for that you'll have better equipment by the time you unlock the higher tiers of items. I think that's something they need to re-spec.

and it needs to be made clear you can advance in tiers and get better stuff.

Personally, I think it should be something your engineer and science BOs can do for you on ship without having to go back to memory alpha

[Ghost Train]

I can envision running around your ship, like to main engineering or to a science lab, and give your Officers stuff to do and research, ... with the off chance that one of them will burst into Gilbert & Sullivan.

[mikeszekely]

40 bucks and 90 days free: http://atari.com/games/startrek_online/ (it's 60 days EXTRA, in addition to the standard 30)

Hot damn! I'm broke right now, but I might have to seriously consider that one. In 90 days, I can probably get my fill of the game and quit after that.

[kaiotheforsaken]

Not really STO related, but Trek in general. Looks like Enterprise B and Excelsior are getting the Art Asylum treatment this year.

http://trekmovie.com/2009/02/16/toyfair-ds...toys-announced/

[Warmaker]

If you right click on the item on your character status you can set it so it doesn't show up but you still get the bonuses

THANK you for this bit of info. Now my Fed toon doesn't have to look like some goofball anymore.

[Vostok 7]

Not really STO related, but Trek in general. Looks like Enterprise B and Excelsior are getting the Art Asylum treatment this year.

http://trekmovie.com/2009/02/16/toyfair-ds...toys-announced/

I really hope they do release them, but the last time anyone talked about them was a year ago and there's been no news since so I'm not holding my breath.

I'd kill for the Ent-B though.

[UN Spacy]

40 bucks and 90 days free: http://atari.com/games/startrek_online/ (it's 60 days EXTRA, in addition to the standard 30)

I just picked up a new laptop...looks like I'll be joining you guys in a few days.

[eugimon]

sweet, it'll be nice to have enough active players to be able to do the raids