Hey folks,
SOrry if this has been posted before.

I have just gotten into STFs, so far its been a mixed bag, some really great sessions with great teams, thanks for those who take the time to show us 'noobs' around. Some others not completed because people ditiching at the end, and I have noticed it is usually the so called 'leaders' doing the ditching. I am guessing about 50% of the time the ground STFs have not been completeable due to lack of personnel. Space STFs seem to be completed at a much better rate.


How about this, recode the STFs to hand out the rewards at the end section if less than 3 people remain, regardless if the mission is completed or not. That might encourage more to stay. I know the 'leaders' might not care about getting the EDCs because they already have their gear but a lot of us are trying to get ahead and get that stuff, spending 40mins running through the thing only to be unable to complete it is frustrating.

Sorry, rant off.

Thanks all for those who make it fun.

Cheers
TJ

Well first off Solution*

Question to your thread here, are you playing elite or normal stf runs? I find the main reason most experienced people tend to leave runs that contain "noobs" is because most of the time the runs never go anywhere, and last up to hours on end doing the same thing over and over again. I dont know about you but I dont plan on sittin in a run for 3hrs for someone to "learn" how to do them. Especially if your rushing into elite runs where really "no affence" you shouldnt even be in there to begin with.

Most noobies learn from doing the normal runs, and most that do the groups in the ques are learning. Odd times if experts cant get a game going theyll resort to going in there hoping for a solid team which does happen time to time.

We all have to learn, some people pick up how to do these quickly others take along long time,and you cant blame someone from leaving if your part of the "long time" group. We all have lives, real life obligations and some of us just cant stand around for hours like I mentioned earlier just so you can figure out how they work.

In the end the only solution is to learn how to do them and be aware that if a run is going sour you may have someone leave on yah, hopefully its just 1 person, but you can still accomplish the run with 4 people, heck even 3.

I have been doing only normal because I know my equipment isn't good enough yet for the elite stuff. Thats why I am trying to make it through the normals to get the edcs to get the good stuff. I think I am better off sticking with space STFs, those seem to complete almost all the time. If your are going to spend 40 or so mins a pop to get an EDC, might as well stick with the space STF then. Thats too bad because I bet it is discouraging to noobs trying to learn and get ahead too. The ground STFs can be good fun, but not if there is a 50% chance if it won't be completed.

If the vets don't like wasting time with noobs, why not just stay with the elite then.

Maybe another solution is to have more 'levels' of the STF...say a noob/practice level...then say after 3-5 completions, you get an accolade that lets you join the normal ones. Then maybe 'X' many completions let you join the elite.


Cheers
TJ

I like where your head's at, but the problem is, people would just go AFK. Enter the PUG, go AFK, do your laundry, make some eggs, watch an episode of House, come back and collect your reward when two frustrated players have left because they can't complete the task.

I don't think giving rewards for an incomplete mission is a good thing. In fact, I completely disagree with the idea.

I would suggest that you join a fleet to find some people to run with. Or at least join one of the STF channels to get a group together.

I don't mind teaching new players how to run the missions. Heck, I even wrote a guide about it. The problem, and the reason most 'leaders' leave, is because players don't listen to instruction. All it takes is 1 person to be a Rambo and it can screw it up for the rest of the team. If a leader at the beginning of a CSE run says "please do not blow up the cube yet", but 1 person goes ahead and does it thereby spawning Raptors, there is no reason to stay. It will be a fail mission.

I once ran a KAGE with a PUG group. I was trying to do the 'room'. But one of the players came in with me, and was randomly de-activating the shields. I couldn't activate the right one because he kept clicking on all the options randomly. I tried explaining that he should go back and help the rest of the group, but he didn't listen. He just stayed in the room with me, activating all the shields. So there really is no point in staying in a situation like that, no matter how willing I am to teach players what to do.

Couldn't such a thing be tied to the idle timer? While in an STF, the idle timer goes way down, say 5 mins. If you reach the idle timer, dont recover within say 5 mins after tthat, you forfeit chance to get the reward. That will encourage them not to go AFK and cook their eggs.

If there are 2 left, and it requires 3 to operate the controls, the 2 are screwed then. I think they should get at least somthing for trying to stick with it. Maybe the end mission outcome requirements change based on the number of people left. If there are 2 left on infected ground, then the map adjusts itself to fit.

I don't know, for all the technology and programming in STO, there should be some good solutions available for this that encourage noobs to participate and learn, and that also encourage vets to teach.

TJ,

Thats good then, your on the right track. Doing normals will give you a good idea on how to do stfs. All the runs are very dub'd down for you especially IGN = Infected Ground Normal. The Boss part instead of jumping from box to box you can simply run along the force field walkways. And good on yeah, get the gear youll need and also in the process getting experience on the way so I applaud you for doing the right thing

For the most part, I myself and I can only really speak for myself is that Ill give some guidance to those if I do happen to do a normal stf run. But If I have to repeat myself a dozen times theres only so much patience in me to give out hehe. Iam sure alot of people can say the same thing. I want the "noobies" to learn and get better. A good example is a guy in my fleet, didnt no a smuck about stf runs and I showed him the ropes, now hes a full on elite stf runner, and knows how to roll them. But going back here, people will help for the most part but theres a point in the run where you gotta look at it and go.. ok this isnt going to go no where and really.. its not worth spending 4 hours trying to teach someone if.. they are unteachable.. know what Iam saying. And eventually that comes to people leaving the runs.

Yes Ill admit there are some hot heads out there that have no patience at all and just leave for the sake of leaving. I know theres been a few runs that have gotten the better of me and I pretty much "raged quit" but for the most part ill help or guide someone to a certain extent then its on their own.

Well thats a good question, why do vets go into runs and not stay, then just rather stick to the elite runs and not par take in the troubles of those "normal runs". Could be a slow night, no one running and some people out there would rather do something then nothing. For myself I rarely do normal stfs these days.. I cant even recall the last time I did one.

I really think the devs should create a set of stf tutorials at Starfleet Academy where they learn different techniques. Kinda like an obstacle course of sorts. From jumping to box's, to learning line of sight..ect. I think it would help greatly to those that are a little rouph when it comes to stf's. Actually I did something similiar with the guy in my fleet, we spent a few hours jumping tables, and he wasnt allowed to touch the floor. Good way to learn the jumping techniques for Infected Groud Elite.

Locutus

stfs need a complete overhaul..

the problem is under geared people who have no idea what they are doing and joining an elite stf cause it "gives better loot" and after s7 they are going to get worse.. nobody going to do normal ones..


there were many times i wish i could leave without a penalty.. like when you go 15 minutes past the opt on ise cause nobody on your team can kill the tac cube and it seems like you are soloing it.. same with donatra in kase
one time i had kase take like an hour.. sigh


or when you say MRRML in cse and 3 of the 5 people say what is MRRML?

or when you enter a stf and you check your team mates and one of them is flying a galaxy cruiser or the defiant.. not the refit but the level 3 one..

ohh i know the best solution is to not pug, but with the 60 minute CDs how can you form a team every time you want to do a stf.. i log in and i ask in my fleet chat that i want to do stfs and half is on cd on one stf and the other half is on cd on the rest.. most of the time you gotta wait 20 minutes for everyone to get on the same clock.

finding 5 people not on cd is really hard in a large active fleet.

not all CSE runs are blown bc a cube blows early... i have been on many and my boat does enough dps and survivability to still continue the match ... so maybe he has a point? people leaving too early? It also involves ppls boat set up i really think STO should have an in game accurate DPS tracker cause i thought i was doing well... till i saw then numbers... then a respec and Boff change and boom i can do 4 mil dps in cure... soloing cubes and neg vars...

not about boasting me sorry if it came out that way just to say a lot of ppl leave too early (ie if optional is blown) or if they think the match will fail... hell i stayed in a kitomer run i REALLY should have left for 45 min extra just on donatra cause an ELITE STF channel player insisted he sit upon donatras head... causing her to cloak every 1-2min... total match time was over 1hr !! We tried nice to tell that klink to recall his pets and back off... he didnt listen... =(

cheers

Really I think the only fair solution to this problem is a vote kick system. Its not a perfect answer cuz if someone joins a match in progress they may not be eligible for optional bonus or what not, but it would at least give the power to the group to get rid of someone that's afk or is hindering the groups progress.