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Captain's log, Stardate 20130527 Romulan expansion is now live. [STO]

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Posts

  • MuddypawsMuddypaws Lactodorum, UKRegistered User regular
    edited July 2012
    Owenashi wrote: »
    The Tactical DO Officer's up and on the Tactical deck and the Communications Array project is up for resource donations. Donate today so that the sooner it's done, the sooner we get to the Transwarp Gate project.

    The main slowdown in project completion right now seems to be fleet marks. I am trying to do 3 or 4 Fleet defence missions per day when I can and the daily base mission. Also the Klingon side is a snails pace. If even a few more people with Klingon alts could log on once a day just to do the base daily that would help out greatly.
    Muddypaws wrote: »
    A question about the Doff system. Do they make new missions or are the ones currently in game the same as those at release?

    It would be nice to have a few new ones slipping in with each major release. Certainly I expected to see some Tholian related Doff activities beyond the box duty officers.

    Oh and the base is looking better. It doesn't now look like a ramshackle mess that would eject the user into space when they flush the toilet.

    The Doff system itself wasn't in the game at release. They have been adding new doff missions I believe the Caitian chain is the newest but I could be wrong.

    I loved the Caitan chain. Interesting well written storyline. That and others, like the Jem'Hadar ship, are fun to follow and give great rewards. I recommend anyone try and seek out the starter missions for each one for some good Purple Doffs and repeating missions for further doffs.

    Muddypaws on
  • Librarian's ghostLibrarian's ghost Librarian, Ghostbuster, and TimSpork Registered User regular
    I have been stuck on the Jem'hadar ship for a long time. I can never find the next mission in the chain.

    (Switch Friend Code) SW-4910-9735-6014(PSN) timspork (Steam) timspork (XBox) Timspork


  • OwenashiOwenashi Registered User regular
    edited July 2012
    Does anyone know how the Mirror-verse Vor'cha match up against the vanilla Bortas?

    EDIT: I was thinking of perhaps trying to get as many of the Fleet together as we can one night for the 15-20 Fleet Alert. Having the three or four groups all come from the same Fleet oughta make defending the base easier. Plus having our base and it's weapons, shields and hull-regen active (the last two kicking in once we have both the Com Array and Industrial Replicator built) will help out a lot too during the fight.

    Owenashi on
  • Regina FongRegina Fong Allons-y, Alonso Registered User regular
    As mentioned previously, all of my Starfleet ships are named after Royal Naval warships present at the Battle of Trafalgar. Leave it to the British to consistently come up with awesome ship names.

    My Tuffli Freighter however is named Aluminum Mallard in homage to Space Quest 3.

    I name my escorts after WWII U.S. submarines. :o

  • TallahasseerielTallahasseeriel Registered User regular
    My Miranda is called the USS Rumpus.

  • WrenWren ninja_bird Registered User regular
    I name my ships after my hometown, just so I can catch people who are from here as well

    tf2sig.jpg
    TF2 - Wren BF3: Wren-fu
  • MasterOfPupetsMasterOfPupets Registered User regular
    I plan on playing the game again when I get home, so that will give you guys a little more input of Fleet Credits. Won't be for a little over a month yet though. Hopefully people aren't tired of the new changes yet and it's still pretty lively in the fleet so I can start a new character and be productive.

    XBL = MoP54
    PSN = PessimistMaximus
    camo_sig2.png
  • HevachHevach Registered User regular
    Owenashi wrote: »
    Does anyone know how the Mirror-verse Vor'cha match up against the vanilla Bortas?

    It's basically a star cruiser, but with higher turn rate and a cloak. Closest thing the KDF has to it right now it the Marauder.

  • HerothHeroth Registered User regular
    I wonder if they are going to rename the 'c-store' doesn't make much sense anymore...

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  • NocrenNocren Lt Futz, Back in Action North CarolinaRegistered User regular
    It's a legacy name.

    Also, I really don't want the Ball ship for my next vessel. Any good substitutes?

    newSig.jpg
  • Just_Bri_ThanksJust_Bri_Thanks Seething with rage from a handbasket.Registered User, ClubPA regular
    Why would they change the name?

    ...and when you are done with that; take a folding
    chair to Creation and then suplex the Void.
  • NocrenNocren Lt Futz, Back in Action North CarolinaRegistered User regular
    edited July 2012
    I mentioned this in chat, but I'm surprised at the lack of cat people I this game given there's an actual race of bipedal felines available. Guess putting them behind a paywall is life spaying and neutering.

    Nocren on
    newSig.jpg
  • OwenashiOwenashi Registered User regular
    I have a Caitian character in the game. I'm just focusing on my top-level characters at the moment to properly help out the base-building.

  • Just_Bri_ThanksJust_Bri_Thanks Seething with rage from a handbasket.Registered User, ClubPA regular
    I have one as well, but when I do log in I use my Vulcan.

    ...and when you are done with that; take a folding
    chair to Creation and then suplex the Void.
  • Librarian's ghostLibrarian's ghost Librarian, Ghostbuster, and TimSpork Registered User regular
    Nocren wrote: »
    It's a legacy name.

    Also, I really don't want the Ball ship for my next vessel. Any good substitutes?

    If you want a science ship you could get the Nebula class. There is a commander version and it has an extra universal ensignbo slot. Gotta buy it from the cstore though.

    (Switch Friend Code) SW-4910-9735-6014(PSN) timspork (Steam) timspork (XBox) Timspork


  • NocrenNocren Lt Futz, Back in Action North CarolinaRegistered User regular
    Ehhh... I just spent my zen on Jupitor ans Sec 31 clothes....

    Guess I'll take my ball-ship.

    newSig.jpg
  • HevachHevach Registered User regular
    Could give the Akira a spin. Science officers do fairly well in escorts, sensor scan is a better defense debuff than the one tacticals get, and escorts benefit greatly from anything that decreases incoming damage, like subnucleonic beam and scattering field.

  • NocrenNocren Lt Futz, Back in Action North CarolinaRegistered User regular
    I have been eyeing the Akira because it does look damn sexy...

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  • MuddypawsMuddypaws Lactodorum, UKRegistered User regular
    I've placed 10 x 5000 Fleet XP boost consumables in the fleet bank, feel free to grab one if you have a use for it.

  • Librarian's ghostLibrarian's ghost Librarian, Ghostbuster, and TimSpork Registered User regular
    Muddypaws wrote: »
    I've placed 10 x 5000 Fleet XP boost consumables in the fleet bank, feel free to grab one if you have a use for it.

    I used a couple of the max fleet xp boosts I got from boxes. My boost meter now reads something like, 999345. Maybe higher. There were a lot of nines

    (Switch Friend Code) SW-4910-9735-6014(PSN) timspork (Steam) timspork (XBox) Timspork


  • seasleepyseasleepy Registered User regular
    It's super obvious but I still love the ball ship I ran across named the USS Wheatley.

    Steam | Nintendo: seasleepy | PSN: seasleepy1
  • HevachHevach Registered User regular
    Don't queue for fleet defense. There's a bugged instance that's been stuck for 52 hours and counting and most people who queue for it will end up in there, where they'll have to warp out and get back in line. At least its leaver penalty expired Saturday, so you can requeue to get stuck in it again.

  • OwenashiOwenashi Registered User regular
    Sending out a beacon again for the KDF Starbase as we need at least a couple of folks donating other then me. :) We do have several on the Leaderboard but we need more stuff other then Fleet Marks to get our projects started. Right now we can use three White-tier Security DOs for one Tac project to get it started and two Tac/Sec DOs for the other. Let's not let the House of M'rch fall behind to the ADF.

  • TallahasseerielTallahasseeriel Registered User regular
    I wanna name my Galaxy class if I ever get one, the Metathesis

    My Constitution will be Broccoli.

  • Khade97Khade97 PE10, UKRegistered User regular
    After starting to rewatch DS9 I am getting the urge to zip around in a star ship, noticing the STO has now gone free to play this is very tempting. Does free to play mean it is dieing a slow death, or is it surviving (and keeping popular) on micro-transactions?

  • HevachHevach Registered User regular
    edited July 2012
    Financially, it's probably doing better than it did its entire subscription run. There's way more players, and every time a new ship comes out fucking EVERYBODY is flying it for the first few hours until it becomes clear the PVP community's ruling of "so PV a terrible player will dominate any other ship in the game" was bullshit and they go back to their preferred ship instead. It's also gotten more development under F2P than before - duty officer system at the FTP launch and fleet starbases earlier this month, more new ships since December than were released in the entire subscription run, entire new enemy faction (light on related content, but it's coming "soon").

    FTP usually isn't life support anymore. The game would probably be on its way out by now if things had continued like they were up to season 4. Right now it looks like it'll hold out for the time being. If season 7 lives up to promises (being focused on heavy story development and mission content rather than big systems like season 3-6), it might be doing very good around the end of the year.

    Their lockboxes seem to be one of their big things to keep the game making money. They use them to add unique ships with weird setups and powers in a way that the license allows. There's been a lot of complaining about the lockboxes, but the last couple have actually done things fairly well. The Tuffli class freighter is a rare prize from an existing purchase that kept its normal value, and the Tholian lockbox has a lot less useless crap and a lot more high end prizes than the last few boxes.

    Hevach on
  • Khade97Khade97 PE10, UKRegistered User regular
    Cool, sounds like it is worth downloading then.

    Are there requirements to be in the "biggest" ship you can find (i.e. is everyone flying round in Sovereign wannabe's), or could a old workhorse like the Excelsior be viable?

  • initiatefailureinitiatefailure Registered User regular
    Khade97 wrote: »
    Cool, sounds like it is worth downloading then.

    Are there requirements to be in the "biggest" ship you can find (i.e. is everyone flying round in Sovereign wannabe's), or could a old workhorse like the Excelsior be viable?

    basically every ensign stars out controlling an old crappy miranda (the ship khan stole if you didn't know). It has a few customization options that affect appearance but not play. then each rank give you newer and newer ships. basically starfleet is giving their old ships to basically anyone. after you hit 10, you get your first new ship and the first choice between crusiers (think all the enterprises), science ships and escorts. I'm pretty sure there is an excelsior model, but it may be in the c-store. if that's the case, don't buy the one you have access to while leveling. there's a high level refit (basically they treat it like they take the old ship and add all their modern tech to it, lorewise) that you can buy at max level.

    I haven't spent a dime though and I've been able to try out a nice range of ships. I kind of wish I'd gone with cruisers on my fed just for a more classic "ships from the shows" look and feel, but there's so much raw power in my advanced escort it's crazy.

  • HevachHevach Registered User regular
    edited July 2012
    Size isn't really the thing - the highest DPS ships are the Fleet Defaint and the Jem'hadar fighter, and they're two of the smallest tier 5 ships there are. The key point is having a tier 5 (i.e. admiral) ship.

    If you're interested in the Excelsior in particular, there is a tier 5 version, and it's one of the best cruisers in the game. It's faster, has a lieutenant commander tactical station, and has unusually high hull strength. It has no fleet version, but it already has the hull of a fleet ship. In fact, thanks to that hull buff, it stands pretty solidly above other cruisers with the exception of the Odyssey class (much more expensive) and fleet ships (lots of grind and at least the same price tag).

    Hevach on
  • Librarian's ghostLibrarian's ghost Librarian, Ghostbuster, and TimSpork Registered User regular
    Hevach wrote: »
    Size isn't really the thing - the highest DPS ships are the Fleet Defaint and the Jem'hadar fighter, and they're two of the smallest tier 5 ships there are. The key point is having a tier 5 (i.e. admiral) ship.

    If you're interested in the Excelsior in particular, there is a tier 5 version, and it's one of the best cruisers in the game. It's faster, has a lieutenant commander tactical station, and has unusually high hull strength. It has no fleet version, but it already has the hull of a fleet ship. In fact, thanks to that hull buff, it stands pretty solidly above other cruisers with the exception of the Odyssey class (much more expensive) and fleet ships (lots of grind and at least the same price tag).

    You forgot that with the right Doff, the Excelsior can transwarp anywhere every five minutes. It is pretty minor, but I find it very useful.

    (Switch Friend Code) SW-4910-9735-6014(PSN) timspork (Steam) timspork (XBox) Timspork


  • Khade97Khade97 PE10, UKRegistered User regular
    Excellent, even if itisn't the "best" choice I love the Excelsior-Refit I don't care if it isn't optimal in game. Really I just need to stick with Cruisers then and work up to lvl 51for the Excelsior as a reward :)

    Any other good advise for a newbie? Skills / feats to focus on (game is patching so not even sure how char creation works)?

    Also, how does one go about joining the PA fleet? Is there an "application", or do I just like... ask somone?

  • HevachHevach Registered User regular
    edited July 2012
    Just say something in the Penny Arcade channel. I think every rank has invite powers now.

    Other advice:

    The max level is actually 50 now. Not actually a change, they just shifted Ensign to level 0 and made lieutenant run from 1 to 10 instead of 2 to 11, and so on.

    Character creation is pretty straightforward. Set your race, set your class, then a bunch of visual things. Most races you can re-create as an Alien to get more control over traits.

    The space game is pretty complex, but also fairly easy and not too hard to get into with some practice. The ground game, though, can be fairly hard now. Stronger enemies can shred your away team. Personally I find the best thing to do there is to focus yourself on offensive stuff (even if you're sci, load up with thermal vents and such), have an appointed medic boff with 4 heals (make sure one of them is nanite health monitor, at least against Borg), and load the rest of the team with engineers with phaser turrets, quantum mortars, and support drones in as many power slots as you can. Boffs aren't half bad at healing, but are stupid at everything else, and just jamming the battlefield with disposable pets is the best way around their stupid.

    Miniguns are probably the best weapons you can get... until you fight Borg, when they're the worst. Borg adapt now, and you need a remodulator (free from your replicator, there's some harder to get special versions available as well). Adaptation triggers per-hit, so high rate of fire weapons will trigger it faster. Sniper rifles and shotguns (pulsewave) are best against Borg. Single high damage shots.

    Hevach on
  • tiballaghertiballagher Ringer Team Tossgirl(s)TMRegistered User regular
    Hevach wrote: »
    Boffs aren't half bad at healing, but are stupid at everything else, and just jamming the battlefield with disposable pets is the best way around their stupid.
    Oh man, the powers Engineers get. I really want to use my Sci VA, but the Eng powers are just so great. I could use only Orbital Strike all day if it recharged quicker.

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  • Librarian's ghostLibrarian's ghost Librarian, Ghostbuster, and TimSpork Registered User regular
    edited July 2012
    It gets pretty hilarious when you transport in a phaser turret, shield generator, medical generator, cover shield to protect the two generators, and a bubble shield to keep guys from getting to you then hailing your ship to order them to fire one of the god damn phaser arrays at your target. Plus any turrets or generators created from your Boffs or other players.

    Plus a drone if you have one.

    Librarian's ghost on
    (Switch Friend Code) SW-4910-9735-6014(PSN) timspork (Steam) timspork (XBox) Timspork


  • TallahasseerielTallahasseeriel Registered User regular
    When about am I gonna have to start worrying about setting up my skills just right in this?

    I just got to 11 and am finally starting to feel hits.

    I've been kinda spending my points willy nilly.

  • OwenashiOwenashi Registered User regular
    edited July 2012
    Transwarp gate's up. You can use your transwarp option to zip to the gate but so far the only exit-option that the gate on the base-map has unlocked so far is Vulcan. We'll need to build more tiers of the gate to unlock the rest. Also, as of the time of this post, we need just 30 more Fleet Marks to get the Engineering project needed to unlock the Industrial Fabricator project started. We also need resources for the next major project, the base's Science DO-Officer. 900 Marks, 54K Dilithium, one purple-class Development Lab DO and one purple-class Research Lab DO.

    EDIT: Want one of those neat EV-Suits the NPCs at Nukara Prime are wearing? Then good news! Kinda...
    j4VUz.jpg9W77U.jpg

    The Environmental Suits you've been waiting for are almost here! After this week’s server maintenance, new Combat EV Suits will be available in the C-Store for both the Federation and KDF factions.

    Right when we added Environmental Suit areas to STO (first introduced with the DS9 spacewalk during the Dominion featured episode series), I (Lead Character Artist Matt Highison) knew we had to make the suits from First Contact. They are a favorite amongst both the Dev team and the fans, and it’s as much fun to hang out in your Starbase wearing one as it is to combat the Tholians, or go on a Dilithium mining expedition.

    We also wanted Klingon players to be able to join the EV suit party, so we created new EV suits that look distinctively Klingon, and feel like something that would be designed by the Empire around the same time period as the Starfleet EV Suits from First Contact. Both the Federation and Klingon EV suits are Very Rare items, and have enough upgraded capabilities to make any officer or warrior proud to wear one.

    Federation Combat Environmental Suit (700 Zen)/KDF Combat Environmental Suit (700 Zen)

    As seen in Star Trek: First Contact, DS9 and Voyager, this suit has the clean look of the 24th century with updated capabilities for the worst Nukara Prime has to offer. / Designed by the teams at Ganalda Station, this environmental suit provides extra protection for the warriors braving the dangers of Nukara Prime.

    This Very Rare item gives you the following bonuses:

    Environmental Protection
    Reaction Thrusters
    +30.5 Physical Damage Resistance
    +30.5 Kinetic Damage Resistance
    +5% Energy Damage
    +5.1 Energy Damage Resistance
    +15.2 Radiation Damage Resistance
    +30.5 Energy Damage Resistance
    +30.5 Radiation Damage Resistance
    +30.5 Toxic Damage Resistance
    +15.2 Fire Damage Resistance
    +15.2 Cold Resistance

    Note: This item is a Character unlock that can be traded or sold on the Exchange. If you discard, sell, trade or use a Federation Combat Environmental Suit/KDF Combat Environmental Suit, you will NOT be able to claim a free replacement from the C-Store.

    Owenashi on
  • initiatefailureinitiatefailure Registered User regular
    edited July 2012
    Uriel wrote: »
    When about am I gonna have to start worrying about setting up my skills just right in this?

    I just got to 11 and am finally starting to feel hits.

    I've been kinda spending my points willy nilly.

    i didn't go set my boffs up optimally until the tail end of captain for ships. I should probably do the same for ground but I hate ground so I avoid it and then end up doing a story missing and get violated by some cardassians while my stf geared ship looks on and does nothing to help!

    initiatefailure on
  • Librarian's ghostLibrarian's ghost Librarian, Ghostbuster, and TimSpork Registered User regular
    edited July 2012
    Yup they know my weakness. I will have that space suit. Sucks that it is per character and not an account unlock. Also when does it ever show up in DS9? I thought it was just in First Contact and that one episode of Voyager.

    Librarian's ghost on
    (Switch Friend Code) SW-4910-9735-6014(PSN) timspork (Steam) timspork (XBox) Timspork


  • OwenashiOwenashi Registered User regular
    I've heard that our base is looking pretty sparse when it comes to the main floor. Looks like we won't have to worry about that for much longer.
    From time to time, special projects will become available for fleets. With these special projects you can unlock new features to give your starbase more crew, more customization, and more recognizable features from Star Trek! Be quick, though – when a special project becomes available, it will only be available for a limited time. You must start the project before the end of the feature. Once you’ve started the project, though, you can keep working on it until it’s finished, even if the special event ends – but remember, you can only work on one special project at a time, so you’ll want to finish quickly to make sure that you can work on the next special feature!

    Our second special feature is “Interior Designer.” While starbases are made for battle and fleet support, they’re also places where crew members will work and live for months or years at a time. Naturally, your crew will be more satisfied and productive if their surroundings provide an uplifting mood that reflects their commitment to exploration and harmonious aesthetics (for the Federation) or the warrior ethos and the celebration of historic victories (for Klingons).

    Upon completion of this special project, decorations will be added to your Starbase’s interior. Plants, consoles, and panels will be made available for Federation Starbases, and statues and a special symbol will be made available for Klingon Starbases. This special project will be available around 10AM PDT on July 26, 2012, until around 10AM PDT on August 9, 2012.

  • MuddypawsMuddypaws Lactodorum, UKRegistered User regular
    edited July 2012
    Pot plants and comfy chairs for our starbase? Yay! Now all we need is a Starbucks franchise down from the transporter room and we're set 8-)

    Seriously, I hope we do this one too. At the moment the base feels like a banking foyer rather than the throbbing heart of interstellar exploration and battle.

    Oh and regarding fleet marks. Until today I hadn't really looked closely at Nukara but then I took all the mediums and easy missions during the fleet event and ground out for an hour getting probably 70 or 80 marks and some very nice loot into the bargain (purple weapons and envo suits). It's a hectic place when the Fleet mark event is live, but it's fun! At least the first few times....Also it's pretty easy even solo. With a friend or two it's easy-peasy.

    Edit. About the EV suits for the C Store. Really nice looking but worse stat wise then the box rewards at Nukara and too expensive for what I feel should be an account wide item.

    Muddypaws on
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