Star Trek Online: Here We Go Again!

[Surlyboi]

Yeah, I just hit Vice Admiral and picked up a Defiant Retrofit with a cloaking device.

And worse than the Breen are the Devidians. 

[Strazos]

I'm only a few hours of gameplay away from hitting Captain and loading a new TactEscort up on new DHCs and Turrets.

Anyone want to talk about builds at all? I generally go full DHCs in front with a Quantum torpedo launcher, with turrets in the rear.  Current my Tac/Tac/Eng/Sci officers are using Rapid Fire I/II/TacTeam, Torp High Yield, Power to Shields/Reverse Polarity, Tachyon Beam/Tractor.

[01101010]

I'm only a few hours of gameplay away from hitting Captain and loading a new TactEscort up on new DHCs and Turrets.

Anyone want to talk about builds at all? I generally go full DHCs in front with a Quantum torpedo launcher, with turrets in the rear.  Current my Tac/Tac/Eng/Sci officers are using Rapid Fire I/II/TacTeam, Torp High Yield, Power to Shields/Reverse Polarity, Tachyon Beam/Tractor.

Amateur.

I am really just talking shit. I have no clue since I was Battle Cruiser full phaser arrays with a single quantum launcher in the front. Wading into a swarm of birds-of-prey and hitting DEM and FaW was pure hilarity. I was a flying laser light show.

[Surlyboi]

My standard build on any ship now tends to be anti-proton arrays front and rear. A tetryon or polaron array to compliment that, quants or chronitons in the torpedo slots.

Shield buffs are standard as is engineering team, torpedo buffs and miracle worker. (I think that's one of my skills as an engineer)

[Rishathra]

I'm only a few hours of gameplay away from hitting Captain and loading a new TactEscort up on new DHCs and Turrets.

Anyone want to talk about builds at all? I generally go full DHCs in front with a Quantum torpedo launcher, with turrets in the rear.  Current my Tac/Tac/Eng/Sci officers are using Rapid Fire I/II/TacTeam, Torp High Yield, Power to Shields/Reverse Polarity, Tachyon Beam/Tractor.

If you have or can get a BO with Beam Overload III, it's worth it to replace one of your DHCs with a dual beam bank.  I would ditch Tachyon Beam as the shield damage is pretty underwhelming.  I had Tachyon Beam III on a science ship at full Aux power and it still wasn't worth it.  Don't ever use anything other than Tractor Beam I.  Higher versions don't have a more powerful tractor, they just do more damage, which is still shit.  I like to use Attack Pattern Beta II instead of Rapid Fire II, because the damage difference between RF I and II is hardly noticeable, and the attack patterns don't share a cooldown with it, so you can chain them more smoothly or hit both at once for a nice burst.

Three DHCs in front and three turrets in back is pretty hard on your energy drain.  You won't see much of an increase in damage, if it even goes up at all.  A tricobalt launcher or maybe a beam array (especially if you have Overload III) would serve you better.

Keep in mind that this is all min/max kind of stuff.  As has been mentioned in this thread before, you don't really need to do that to succeed.  What you have going right now will work just fine.  That being said, I would highly recommend you get a dual beam bank in front, because it just looks cooler having cannons and beams firing together, and finishing off an opponent with a well timed Overload is very satisfying.

And what's special about those images is that it is one weapon firing.  You aren't looking at 2 DHCs.  Supposedly for the next Feature Series, which is going to be set in and around DS9, the reward for one of the missions is going to be twin heavy cannons like you saw the Defiant fire on the show.

If you need any help outfitting your tactical escort when you hit captain, I'd be happy to supply you.  I have more resources than I know what to do with, and a maxed crafter.  I'm @Rishathra.

[Strazos]

Well, I agree on the Tachyon piece - was considering replacing it with Science team. Suppose I could hunt for an officer with ST II, and drop to Tractor I, but that would be a lot of wasted points at once.

I have RF I and II because, well...I didn't see any other options I liked, and I can chain them back-to-back. My head TacOff will get AP Beta II when I hit captain. So far, with 2 DHCs and 2 turrets I have zero energy drain issues (my weapon power rarely drop below ~95). I hadn't really considered the beam bank since 1) they do less damage by default than DHCs, and 2) most of my weapon skills don't apply, so the damage difference will be even more depressing.

Thanks for the crafting offer, but...I somehow maxed my crafting skills already - can already make all the Mk X gear.

One thing that still annoys me is the lack of a unified resource to explain exactly what all the skills do - some are pretty vague.

[Stormwaltz]

Here's my rig. I'm no min-max'er, but it works for me. I'm a Science Officer flying a Deep Space Science Vessel (2x Engineer stations), which basically makes me a shield tank with a bunch of stupid tricks. I have enough skill points to be capped, but I haven't decided how to spend them all, so I'm still considered a RAdm Upper Half 6.

FRONT: Tricobalt Torpedo Mk X (CritH x2), Hargh'peng Torpedo Mk XI, Tetryon Beam Array Mk IX (CritD)
REAR: Breen Transphasic Cluster Torpedo, Disruptor Beam Array Mk XI (CritD), Disruptor Beam Array Mk XI (Dmg)
SHIELDS: Reman Prototype Covariant (9180 per facing with my skills  )

CAPTAIN SKILLS: Photonic Fleet II, Fleet Support I (I can summon enough AI pet ships to be my own damn fleet)
SCIENCE CMDR: Jam Targeting Sensors I, Jam Targeting Sensors II, Feedback Pulse II, Feedback Pulse III (I love FP - it's a damage reflection skill, great for dealing with swarms)
SCIENCE LTC: Science Team I, Tachyon Beam II, , Feedback Pulse II
ENGINEERING LT: Emergency Power to Shields I, Engineering Team II
ENGINEERING ENSIGN: Emergency Power to Shields I
TACTICAL LT: High Yield I, Fire at Will II

[Ingmar]

What is it about threads about Cryptic games that they always fail to go to the newest unread post when I click on them?

[Lantyssa]

They're FAIL, just like their games.

[Rishathra]

Well, I agree on the Tachyon piece - was considering replacing it with Science team. Suppose I could hunt for an officer with ST II, and drop to Tractor I, but that would be a lot of wasted points at once.

I have RF I and II because, well...I didn't see any other options I liked, and I can chain them back-to-back. My head TacOff will get AP Beta II when I hit captain. So far, with 2 DHCs and 2 turrets I have zero energy drain issues (my weapon power rarely drop below ~95). I hadn't really considered the beam bank since 1) they do less damage by default than DHCs, and 2) most of my weapon skills don't apply, so the damage difference will be even more depressing.

Thanks for the crafting offer, but...I somehow maxed my crafting skills already - can already make all the Mk X gear.

One thing that still annoys me is the lack of a unified resource to explain exactly what all the skills do - some are pretty vague.

Aside from Beam Overload III, all the skills mentioned are trainable at Earth Spacedock.  You don't need to find an officer with them.  

Yeah, when you have 2 DHCs and two turrets, the energy drain is just fine.  Three and three is when it starts to get hairy.  As to your weapon skills not applying, that's why I recommend Attack Pattern Beta II instead of Rapid Fire II, because it gives you the same damage boost, and it applies to all weapons, not just cannons, so it will boost the dual beam banks and your torpedoes as well.

As to worrying about wasted points, don't.  Soon enough you will have more points than you know what to do with.  When you hit VA1, all skill points you earn get converted to bridge officer skill points, so you rapidly end up with plenty of them to do whatever you want.

Oh, and I was just looking at the stats for the tactial escort, and remembered that you only have six weapon slots at this point.  I've been max level for so long I forgot that you have fewer weapon and BO skill slots available, so take my advice with that in mind.

[Surlyboi]

I'm only a few hours of gameplay away from hitting Captain and loading a new TactEscort up on new DHCs and Turrets.

Anyone want to talk about builds at all? I generally go full DHCs in front with a Quantum torpedo launcher, with turrets in the rear.  Current my Tac/Tac/Eng/Sci officers are using Rapid Fire I/II/TacTeam, Torp High Yield, Power to Shields/Reverse Polarity, Tachyon Beam/Tractor.

If you have or can get a BO with Beam Overload III, it's worth it to replace one of your DHCs with a dual beam bank.  I would ditch Tachyon Beam as the shield damage is pretty underwhelming.  I had Tachyon Beam III on a science ship at full Aux power and it still wasn't worth it.  Don't ever use anything other than Tractor Beam I.  Higher versions don't have a more powerful tractor, they just do more damage, which is still shit.  I like to use Attack Pattern Beta II instead of Rapid Fire II, because the damage difference between RF I and II is hardly noticeable, and the attack patterns don't share a cooldown with it, so you can chain them more smoothly or hit both at once for a nice burst.

Three DHCs in front and three turrets in back is pretty hard on your energy drain.  You won't see much of an increase in damage, if it even goes up at all.  A tricobalt launcher or maybe a beam array (especially if you have Overload III) would serve you better.

Keep in mind that this is all min/max kind of stuff.  As has been mentioned in this thread before, you don't really need to do that to succeed.  What you have going right now will work just fine.  That being said, I would highly recommend you get a dual beam bank in front, because it just looks cooler having cannons and beams firing together, and finishing off an opponent with a well timed Overload is very satisfying.

And what's special about those images is that it is one weapon firing.  You aren't looking at 2 DHCs.  Supposedly for the next Feature Series, which is going to be set in and around DS9, the reward for one of the missions is going to be twin heavy cannons like you saw the Defiant fire on the show.

If you need any help outfitting your tactical escort when you hit captain, I'd be happy to supply you.  I have more resources than I know what to do with, and a maxed crafter.  I'm @Rishathra.

Got any spare Tron Aegis impulse drives?

[Der Helm]

Is there still no trial avaible ?

[Rishathra]

Got any spare Tron Aegis impulse drives?

I can make you the whole set if you want.  What's your mail address?

[Reg]

Is there still no trial avaible ?

Sure there is. You can play the first couple levels for free indefinitely. It's enough to give you an idea of what the game is like.

[Mrbloodworth]

Is there still no trial avaible ?

Sure there is. You can play the first couple levels for free indefinitely. It's enough to give you an idea of what the game is like.

Really? I keep looking on steam for one. Wonder why its not on there.

[Der Helm]

Got a friend referal from Strazos (thanks). So far I can give them mad props for supplying a torrent for the client which allowed me to download the whole client at 5mb/s. Now the client is patching another half gig of updates. 

[Reg]

I went back to the website looking for the trial but can't seem to find it anywhere. I swear it was there a few months ago. I tried it myself with no referrals or anything.

[luckton]

Seeing as how they're now undergoing their transition to their new Asian F2P Overlords, I imagine some of the fringe stuff like that's been turned off until they can get trial people to create new account with said-Asian Overlords' systems.

BTW, my earlier prediction of this game going F2P should be fulfilled within the next couple months ^_^

[Rishathra]

Here's my rig. I'm no min-max'er, but it works for me. I'm a Science Officer flying a Deep Space Science Vessel (2x Engineer stations), which basically makes me a shield tank with a bunch of stupid tricks. I have enough skill points to be capped, but I haven't decided how to spend them all, so I'm still considered a RAdm Upper Half 6.

FRONT: Tricobalt Torpedo Mk X (CritH x2), Hargh'peng Torpedo Mk XI, Tetryon Beam Array Mk IX (CritD)
REAR: Breen Transphasic Cluster Torpedo, Disruptor Beam Array Mk XI (CritD), Disruptor Beam Array Mk XI (Dmg)
SHIELDS: Reman Prototype Covariant (9180 per facing with my skills  )

CAPTAIN SKILLS: Photonic Fleet II, Fleet Support I (I can summon enough AI pet ships to be my own damn fleet)
SCIENCE CMDR: Jam Targeting Sensors I, Jam Targeting Sensors II, Feedback Pulse II, Feedback Pulse III (I love FP - it's a damage reflection skill, great for dealing with swarms)
SCIENCE LTC: Science Team I, Tachyon Beam II, , Feedback Pulse II
ENGINEERING LT: Emergency Power to Shields I, Engineering Team II
ENGINEERING ENSIGN: Emergency Power to Shields I
TACTICAL LT: High Yield I, Fire at Will II

Is that a PvP build?  I'm curious because I like the idea of Feedback Pulse, and I know it's popular there, but I've always assumed it wasn't any good for just PvE.

[Surlyboi]

Got any spare Tron Aegis impulse drives?

I can make you the whole set if you want.  What's your mail address?

Should just be @surlyboi, I think. Never really worked out the mail thing.

[Der Helm]

So... what are the limits of my referal ? I have found that my account status is "silver" (from an error message when I tried to chat in /zone  )

Had some fun and made it to Lt before I had to head for work, but WOW IS THIS GAME BAD AT TELLING YOU HOW TO PLAY...

Is there a decent online resource ? Like I said I am at work so my usage of google is a bit restricted.  

[Stormwaltz]

Is that a PvP build?  I'm curious because I like the idea of Feedback Pulse, and I know it's popular there, but I've always assumed it wasn't any good for just PvE.

No, I don't PvP at all. I find it useful against multiple targets (frigate swarms) because it gives me a sort of multi-targeting capability. I focus on taking down one while the others soften up their own shields for me. I find it useful against single targets (battleships) as a form of burst DPS when they unload their main batteries on me.

That said, I have spent skill points and fit consoles that boost my results, because it always struck me as a sensible approach to take with a shield-tanking ship.

[Der Helm]

Found a decent source of information at http://www.stowiki.org . This is the info on the trial limits.

    * The guest cannot trade player-to-player, send items via mail or use the Exchange.
    * The guest cannot send in-game tells except those on the friends list (but can receive all tells).
    * The guest cannot participate in zone chat.
    * The guest cannot send a friend request, or team/fleet invites (but can receive and accept them).
    * The guest cannot play beyond level 3, or access missions other than “Stranded in Space”, once outside of the tutorial.

I decided to give them my money. Should I go via steam or their own webpage. I prefer their option of paying by direct debit instead of going via paypal like steam does.

The digital deluxe version goes for 15$ at both stores at the moment, if anybody else wants to use that offer, send me your emails, I'd like to give you a referal myself once I upgraded my account, I want that free tribble. 

[Strazos]

Double XP weekend is on, FYI  

EDIT: Have to go to Earth Spacedock and talk to Q to activate the buff. Not sure why it's not just "on" but the advantage is that you should be able to renew the buff towards the end of the event and save it for later. Also stacks with other +XP mods, if anyone cares.

[Surlyboi]

So, how many people do we actually have playing this thing now?

[Strazos]

I have a friend playing as well. Unfortunately he's a tier below me...hopefully this XP boost helps alleviate that. 

[Der Helm]

EDIT: Have to go to Earth Spacedock and talk to Q to activate the buff. Not sure why it's not just "on" but the advantage is that you should be able to renew the buff towards the end of the event and save it for later. Also stacks with other +XP mods, if anyone cares.

I don't think the clock stops ticking when you log off, not 100% sure though.

[01101010]

EDIT: Have to go to Earth Spacedock and talk to Q to activate the buff. Not sure why it's not just "on" but the advantage is that you should be able to renew the buff towards the end of the event and save it for later. Also stacks with other +XP mods, if anyone cares.

I don't think the clock stops ticking when you log off, not 100% sure though.

If it works the same as it did last time, it won't matter... when the buff runs out, just go back to Q and get it again THEN turn in your quests. Be prepared for huge leveling increase... I played an entire Saturday with that buff and got well into the upper rear admiral from captain. Quest quest quest.... Wish this would go F2P - would love to get the USS Lovecraft out of dry dock.

[Surlyboi]

Played a couple more of the Devidian missions and got a personal weapon who's secondary effect looks like the proton pack from Ghostbusters. 

[Rishathra]

I can make you the whole set if you want.  What's your mail address?

Should just be @surlyboi, I think. Never really worked out the mail thing.

Well, @surlyboi how has an Aegis set in their mailbox.  Hope that's you!

[Surlyboi]

That is indeed me and I'm all tronified now. Thank you kindly. Now, as soon as Time Warner get their shit together and I can connect to the internet at faster than dial-up speeds, I'll enjoy it all. That said, if there's any way to repay your generosity, let me know.

[Stormwaltz]

Played a couple more of the Devidian missions and got a personal weapon who's secondary effect looks like the proton pack from Ghostbusters. 

As does it's model, and it has "Proton" in its name.

[Rishathra]

I used to love that weapon, until the combat changes came.  Now, you can pry my minigun from my cold, dead hands.

[Der Helm]

I used to love that weapon, until the combat changes came.  Now, you can pry my minigun from my cold, dead hands.

Why is that ? I still don't fully understand whats going on in ground combat :)

[Rishathra]

I used to love that weapon, until the combat changes came.  Now, you can pry my minigun from my cold, dead hands.

Why is that ? I still don't fully understand whats going on in ground combat :)

Because they are satisfying to fire and do good damage.  Also, miniguns were just added with the changes, so they have the new shiny effect going for them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mu1s2kI6vsY

What is it you are trying to understand?  I play way too much of this game, so I should be able to answer whatever questions you have.