More Balancing Updates Warping into Star Trek: Online
By Ketwolski
Cryptic Studios have unveiled their initial plan to bring balance back into the space combat of their beloved game, Star Trek: Online.
With the recent announcement regarding balancing changes to Star Trek: Online’s ground combat system still ringing in our ears, Cryptic Studios have unveiled yet another group of sweeping game-changing updates.
This time they are targeting the games space combat capabilities.
“…players will have the opportunity to re-discover a lot of abilities and items they may have cast aside….should become a lot more fun and enjoyable to use,” said John “CrypticSpartan” Leavens, associate systems designer for STO.
The goals defined by Leavens are fairly simple and straightforward. Focusing on “increasing the fun, player investment retaining value and meaningful long lasting combat choices.”
While the majority of updates are being kept under wraps, Leavens did provide a few tidbits regarding some game-altering abilities.
Carrier pets.
I have a love-hate relationship with carrier pets. They are great in a pinch and when you need some extra firepower, but looking at them wrong causes the little buggers to explode.
For me, the biggest improvement mentioned in this article is that carrier pets will no longer be affected by warp core breaches, ie when an enemy ship explodes.
Why is this important? The pets are ALWAYS in close combat range for targeting, so then the ships around them explode, they too go the way of the dodo.
Carrier pets are also getting an AI update, torpedo immunity and a slew of other things.
Tactical Ability Nerf.
In an effort to force players into using some of the ‘less popular‘ tactical abilities available in the game, Cryptic has elected to apply a few ‘nerfs’ against the game’s two frequently used abilities: Beam Overload and Fire at Will.
Both abilities will be receiving a damage reduction, with Beam Overload losing its ability to always critically hit.
Why is this important? Becuase most players don’t have the time to ‘grind out‘ for the best gear, so they use Tactical abilities to offset their lack of DPS (damage per second). Nerfing these abilities will undoubtedly change the way a lot of Captains fly their ships into a battle.
Tactical Officer = Lame Officer.
In another effort to push players into a specific direction, Cryptic will be boosting up the career abilities for Engineering and Science Officers.
For those of you that don’t know, there are three classes to pick when making your character in STO: Tactical, Engineering, and Science. Each once gets unique career-specific abilities based on their profession.
So if your playing as either an Engineering or Science character currently, then you’re in for a treat!
But if you play a Tactical character…well you can just sit there and activate your ‘stupid‘ attack patterns.
I must admit, I am biased by this news because I typically play Engineering and Science characters and their career boosts are jazzing me up…but I still feel that my Tactical brethren should get at least some updates.
NEXT: 10 Reasons Picard Was The Best Captain
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