I can NEVER get into ESD except around 2 or 3 AM... there's too much traffic there during regular times... but during events it's just impossible... I'll sit for 30 min, finally get in and be auto-logged for 15 min of idle that isn't my ******* fault. in short, I HATE ESD. Cryptic PLEASE stop putting events there. stop putting quests there as well. I avoid that place like the plague... I even try to avoid Sirus and Sol now due to bad load times, lag and traffic...
sol is just as bad as ESD if not worse... Sirus is getting pretty bad too... I can't tolerate WASTING my day waiting for loads then getting kicked and having to start all over... it's insane... it makes me mad and sad at the same time, putting events there is simply not fair. I can barely get into Quonos but I can't seem to get into Sol or ESD pretty much at all, and it's not my fault, it's YOURS Cryptic.

I rarely complain about STO, but seriously, this ESD/Sol stuff needs to stop. I can't be on at the small hours of the morning for to play an event... and yes, I have to play the event... saying I don't have to play it is bull crap, it's the first real content in 11 months. and I'm not able to be online when the Defera events happen either... so really, Cryptic, you are being unfair and intolerant.

ESD loads fine for me--and the only problems I usually hear are peak-time latency or the occasional disconnect. Sounds like a user-end issue.

people have reported less problems by limiting their graphics settings just for entering ESD. Worked for me after the ESD update

Indeed knock your video settings down to lowest before you go there.

The fact that your computer is (apparently) at the minimum spec to run the game is not Cryptic's fault, nor is it something they should "fix". Invest some money into a better computer (or internet connection, if you have low-speed DSL) and stop complaining.

Cryptic has no control over what you use to play the game, but they DO say, plain as day, what the requirements are, and what they RECOMMEND you use as a minimum.

I've never had those issues.

Perhaps your transporter chief needs some further training :p

Umm... if I loaded ESD fine before the so-called 'Season 5' and I have changed no settings, and now after the so-called 'Season 5' in which Cryptic said they did a bunch of playing around with ESD to supposedly make it easier for new F2P with LOW systems/ graphics settings, I now have load problems... explain to me again who's fault the load time is?

I've had no issues before or after Season 5 with ESD. I'm not going to point the finger at anyone but if one person loads fine, and the other doesn't, what conclusion would you draw?

It seems the same, if not a tad faster, to me. I assume it's a system configuration matter.

If you're trying to get to Q's Winter Wonderland and would like to avoid ESD, here's a quick workaround:

* Press "J" to open your Mission Overview (or whatever you have it mapped to)
* Click the "Calendar" button at the bottom of the pane.
* Look for Dec 8th, 2011.
* Double-click on that day's event to bring up the event pop-up.
* Click the "Transwarp" button at the bottom of the pane that pops up.
* Wait for loading screen to complete.
* Profit!

I sympathize with folks that have an issue loading ESD, and it's not an issue that's going completely ignored. Until things improve, please remember functions like the Event Calendar that can help you move around in Star Trek Online.