Ugh, it's like the producers are trying to see how quickly they can make us hate the people on the show.

---

VOLERON'S MOST BOGUS WEEKEND
& COMPLETLY COINCIDENTAL SCREENSHOT CONTEST ENTRY
So this is the story of my weekend out, the highlights of which just happen to work with Q's challenge this week. It's kind of a long story that I don't really want to get into, so I'm only going to tell this once.




So this was me on Friday night... starting out in good spirits and headed to Earth Space Dock after a long tour of duty out in the Delta Quadrant. I had plans to meet up with my good buddies, Varel and Armek of Borg, to tear up the Dance Floor at Club 47. Now I know what you're thinking... "you're friends with Armek?" Well the truth is that several years ago, I was on this kick where I'd run "The Cure Ground (Elite)" at least once a day. It was during one of our nightly encounters during the boss fight... probably on about the 350th go-around or so, that Armek and I got to talking, and I was able to help him out with some family issues that he'd been having. You might think that you have it tough with a large extended family, but think about having to cope with billions of whiny siblings, with new ones being assimilated each day... it can just get a bit overwhelming is all. Also, I helped him move out of his parent's Cube and into a Sphere of his own, so as far as "guy favours" go, he owes me. We've pretty much been close ever since.




So anyways... as it turns out, Armek and I are both fans of Riverdance and on this occasion, we decided to show off our mad skillz at the club, but not before a 30 minute debate with Varel on how illogical the whole exercise of dancing was. He finally agreed to humor us by joining us on the dance floor, though he didn't think much of our dancing. Bet you can't guess which one of us in the holo-photo is the Vulcan?




Apparently, Varel wasn't the only one who didn't think much of our dance routine, because twenty minutes into it, a group of loud-mouthed, good for nothing Nausicaans confronted us and compared our dancing to that of an engorged Denebian Slime Devil in heat. Now Armek and I aren't ones to back down from a good bar brawl and things got pretty messy. I took a few good shots to the money maker, but in the end, those Nausicaans got what was coming to them. I choked out one while Armek literally picked up another and ripped him in half on the dance floor, with his guts spewing everywhere. I heard later that they had to close down the whole club for three hours while they disinfected the dance floor, ha! The last Nausicaan found a new family on Armek's sphere! His new Borg implants really suit his already ugly face, lol. Count on our pacifist Vulcan friend to call station security, though, and the weekend spiraled downhill from there.




Had to get my first officer to come bail us out of the holding cells on Monday morning when I finally got my sub-space phone call. There's nothing more embarrassing than being escorted out the security office by your second in command, while parading past the junior officers on the way to the transporter pad in this kind of shape, let me tell you. Anywho, I know this picture isn't really a "selfie" per sé, but one of the security guys I got to know over the weekend had a pretty good sense of humour and let me keep the mugshot.

Admiral Quinn's already on about some sort of Code of Conduct investigation, but he promoted me all the way to Captain based on my spontaneity, so I doubt very much that he'll have the gall to cause me any real problems. Back to the Delta quadrant for some more boring system patrols... ouch... just after a visit to sickbay for some dermal regeneration.

Keep this all in the vault, though... I really don't want this to become the Monday morning replicator talk at coffee break.

Here I am again. I need a fleet morrigu build.

http://skillplanner.stoacademy.com/?build=saihsafltmorrigu_0

More then a chill, it was more like, oh good another governor ::rolls eyes:: Why couldn't we get the nice national guard units from the east coast

Always gotta check Quinns work!

All challenges completed!

Stereotypes must be observed, mom had to fall when being chased, young ones want to sneak out (the teen girl, carl), and military commanders have to start good and go towards dictator quickly.

Anyone else get a chill when one of his squads took out the mirror person outside the camp?

I would probably go with antiproton unless I were doing a drain build with this (maximize flow caps) and go with regular polarons. I prefer another decent mod to a proc, and ap's proc is just a critd mod.

Maybe go for some cheap turrets from the exchange to test this out first since protonic polarons cost dil? Usually that's what I do when I'm trying out something weird - get cheap stuff to see if it's any fun at all, then invest in good gear if it is.

Adding a few days later: Have you seen this?

http://www.arcgames.com/en/forums/startrekonline/#/discussion/1204175/its-time-for-an-all-turret-build-opinions-welcome

so weapon type is not set in stone, right now thats just the one that jumps out at me as most likely being the most useful. given the large array of weapons in the game and the different abilities you can have on them its just a starting point to get discussion going.

Like if you where going to build a turret ship Alex what would you choose. Are the choices doable?

Keybinds are an easy way to make the game simpler to handle by attaching useful things to the keys you use.

Here's the short version:

1. Copy the two files below (what's in between the asterisks at the bottom, without the asterisks themselves) into 2 separate text files. Name the first file "keysspace.txt" and the second "keysground.txt"
2. Put the two files into the "Live" folder that holds the GameClient.txt file. For me, this is C:\Program Files (x86)\Star Trek Online_en\Star Trek Online\Live, but it may be different on your computer.
3. In the game, write "/load_bind_file keysground.txt" when you're on the ground and "/load_bind_file keysspace.txt" when you're in space.

You're done!

Here are some tips:

• You can make your own keybinds file. Use the following format, with the key you want on the left, the command in quotation marks right after it, and double commands separated with "$$+". This should be a list and there is nothing else in this file.
  
  
  
  
  For example, if you wanted to attach your journal to the J key and distribute shields and fire all weapons to the C key:
  
  
  
  
  A more complete list of possible commands is on STO wiki.
• Don't attach "distribute shields" and "fire all weapons" to the same key you keep on tapping all the time because this messes up your weapons' firing cycles and will lower your damage. Some older online guides to keybinds do this, so be sure to change the keybinds so that those abilities are on another key.
• Putting some things into your space bar is good because it'll make you use them when they're ready. Putting too many things in the space bar is bad because then you can't optimally time them. It will take some experience to sort this out.
• FAW has a 20-second group cooldown while most other tactical abilities have a 15-second cooldown. So don't just tap away, keep an eye on FAW.

Below are my keybinds. The first is space and the second is ground. Feel free to modify them to your preferences.

The space file attaches your tray 10 to the space bar. I use this for short-cooldown buffs (FAW, CSV, EPTW, TT, etc.). Tray 9 is attached to B, tray 8 to H, and tray 7 to G. You can use these for any ability or abilities that you want quick access to. I put hull heals on H and shield heals on G and sometimes carrier pet deployment on B, but I switch it around for some builds. It's up to you. C fires all weapons - toggle autofire for all your weapons and then press it once at the beginning of a battle so you're not tapping on it.

The ground file follows the same format for power trays as the space file, but contains a few things important to ground combat. Make sure to turn on autofire!

************************

space "TrayExecByTray 9 0$$+TrayExecByTray 9 1$$+TrayExecByTray 9 2$$+TrayExecByTray 9 3$$+TrayExecByTray 9 4$$+TrayExecByTray 9 5$$+TrayExecByTray 9 6$$+TrayExecByTray 9 7$$+TrayExecByTray 9 8$$+TrayExecByTray 9 9$$+TrayExecByTray 9 9$$+TrayExecByTray 9 8$$+TrayExecByTray 9 7$$+TrayExecByTray 9 6$$+TrayExecByTray 9 5$$+TrayExecByTray 9 4$$+TrayExecByTray 9 3$$+TrayExecByTray 9 2$$+TrayExecByTray 9 1$$+TrayExecByTray 9 0$$"
b "TrayExecByTray 8 0$$+TrayExecByTray 8 1$$+TrayExecByTray 8 2$$+TrayExecByTray 8 3$$+TrayExecByTray 8 4$$+TrayExecByTray 8 5$$+TrayExecByTray 8 6$$+TrayExecByTray 8 7$$+TrayExecByTray 8 8$$+TrayExecByTray 8 9$$+TrayExecByTray 8 9$$+TrayExecByTray 8 8$$+TrayExecByTray 8 7$$+TrayExecByTray 8 6$$+TrayExecByTray 8 5$$+TrayExecByTray 8 4$$+TrayExecByTray 8 3$$+TrayExecByTray 8 2$$+TrayExecByTray 8 1$$+TrayExecByTray 8 0$$"
c "GenSendMessage HUD_Root FireAll$$+power_exec Distribute_Shields"
h "TrayExecByTray 7 0$$+TrayExecByTray 7 1$$+TrayExecByTray 7 2$$+TrayExecByTray 7 3$$+TrayExecByTray 7 4$$+TrayExecByTray 7 5$$+TrayExecByTray 7 6$$+TrayExecByTray 7 7$$+TrayExecByTray 7 8$$+TrayExecByTray 7 9$$+TrayExecByTray 7 9$$+TrayExecByTray 7 8$$+TrayExecByTray 7 7$$+TrayExecByTray 7 6$$+TrayExecByTray 7 5$$+TrayExecByTray 7 4$$+TrayExecByTray 7 3$$+TrayExecByTray 7 2$$+TrayExecByTray 7 1$$+TrayExecByTray 7 0$$"
g "$$+TrayExecByTray 6 0$$+TrayExecByTray 6 1$$+TrayExecByTray 6 2$$+TrayExecByTray 6 3$$+TrayExecByTray 6 4$$+TrayExecByTray 6 5$$+TrayExecByTray 6 6$$+TrayExecByTray 6 7$$+TrayExecByTray 6 8$$+TrayExecByTray 6 9$$+TrayExecByTray 6 9$$+TrayExecByTray 6 8$$+TrayExecByTray 6 7$$+TrayExecByTray 6 6$$+TrayExecByTray 6 5$$+TrayExecByTray 6 4$$+TrayExecByTray 6 3$$+TrayExecByTray 6 2$$+TrayExecByTray 6 1$$+TrayExecByTray 6 0$$"

o "options"
p "dutyofficer"
j "journal"
k "PvEQueues"
l "fleetwindow"
; "Target_Button_Next"
' "Target_Button_Prev"
home "killme"
delete "logout"
, "lootrollgreed"
n "LootRollNeed"

shift+0 "combatlog 0"
shift+1 "combatlog 1"

***************

***************

space "TrayExecByTray 9 0$$+TrayExecByTray 9 1$$+TrayExecByTray 9 2$$+TrayExecByTray 9 3$$+TrayExecByTray 9 4$$+TrayExecByTray 9 5$$+TrayExecByTray 9 6$$+TrayExecByTray 9 7$$+TrayExecByTray 9 8$$+TrayExecByTray 9 9$$+TrayExecByTray 9 9$$+TrayExecByTray 9 8$$+TrayExecByTray 9 7$$+TrayExecByTray 9 6$$+TrayExecByTray 9 5$$+TrayExecByTray 9 4$$+TrayExecByTray 9 3$$+TrayExecByTray 9 2$$+TrayExecByTray 9 1$$+TrayExecByTray 9 0$$+"
b "TrayExecByTray 8 0$$+TrayExecByTray 8 1$$+TrayExecByTray 8 2$$+TrayExecByTray 8 3$$+TrayExecByTray 8 4$$+TrayExecByTray 8 5$$+TrayExecByTray 8 6$$+TrayExecByTray 8 7$$+TrayExecByTray 8 8$$+TrayExecByTray 8 9$$+TrayExecByTray 8 9$$+TrayExecByTray 8 8$$+TrayExecByTray 8 7$$+TrayExecByTray 8 6$$+TrayExecByTray 8 5$$+TrayExecByTray 8 4$$+TrayExecByTray 8 3$$+TrayExecByTray 8 2$$+TrayExecByTray 8 1$$+TrayExecByTray 8 0"
h "TrayExecByTray 7 0$$+TrayExecByTray 7 1$$+TrayExecByTray 7 2$$+TrayExecByTray 7 3$$+TrayExecByTray 7 4$$+TrayExecByTray 7 5$$+TrayExecByTray 7 6$$+TrayExecByTray 7 7$$+TrayExecByTray 7 8$$+TrayExecByTray 7 9$$+TrayExecByTray 7 9$$+TrayExecByTray 7 8$$+TrayExecByTray 7 7$$+TrayExecByTray 7 6$$+TrayExecByTray 7 5$$+TrayExecByTray 7 4$$+TrayExecByTray 7 3$$+TrayExecByTray 7 2$$+TrayExecByTray 7 1$$+TrayExecByTray 7 0"
g "$$+TrayExecByTray 6 0$$+TrayExecByTray 6 1$$+TrayExecByTray 6 2$$+TrayExecByTray 6 3$$+TrayExecByTray 6 4$$+TrayExecByTray 6 5$$+TrayExecByTray 6 6$$+TrayExecByTray 6 7$$+TrayExecByTray 6 8$$+TrayExecByTray 6 9$$+TrayExecByTray 6 9$$+TrayExecByTray 6 8$$+TrayExecByTray 6 7$$+TrayExecByTray 6 6$$+TrayExecByTray 6 5$$+TrayExecByTray 6 4$$+TrayExecByTray 6 3$$+TrayExecByTray 6 2$$+TrayExecByTray 6 1$$+TrayExecByTray 6 0$$"


o "options"
p "dutyofficer"
[ "costume"
j "journal"
k "PvEQueues"
l "fleetwindow"
; "Target_Button_Next"
' "Target_Button_Prev"
n "lootrollneed"
, "lootrollgreed"
. "holstertoggle"
/ "+up"
home "killme"
delete "logout"
shift+0 "combatlog 0"
shift+1 "combatlog 1"
shift+2 "walk 1"
shift+3 "walk 0"

*****************

" So how to keep energy flowing to them well enough."

The same way that you keep weapons energy high on any other build. You can use a warp core from the spire, the assmilated 2 piece set (although that has the cutting beam...), cruiser weapons efficiency commands, the nandi greedy emitters trait, the arbiter's EWC trait...

"Optimal range to use this build at."

Highest damage for any energy weapon is 1km and then it drops from there.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1tznTTgfDTyTX136HHNhOGsSyPqwKn_8mHxEHbORqfOs/edit?pli=1#gid=3


"Optimal Ship to fly this build on."

I would imagine this would be the sort of thing for a slow ship because you wouldn't need to turn - a carrier or a cruiser.

"Energy type and procs."

You seem set on protonic polaron, which is fine. I would imagine that the same ideals that apply to all energy weapons apply here - antiproton with [pen] [crtd]x3 or [pen] [dmg]x3.


"My basic idea for this is polaron turrets from the dyson rep, utilizing that reps tac cons to get the extra proton damage. Cause as far as I know there is no defense against proton dmg. The tac cons give boost to the two dmg types plus a bonus to acc. I have no idea what the drop off rate on boosting damage percentages is in the game or if there is one."

There is no drop off rate for energy weapons buffs. Each console will add the same amount of damage to your weapons (just check your tooltips in space if you don't believe me), but not the same percentage. That is, 1 tac console will add, say, 100 damage to your weapons and another one of the same mark and rarity will add 100 as well. But if you started with 500 damage, then the first is adding 20% (100/500 = .2) but the second is adding only 16.7% (100/600 = .167). So you'll find people online talking about "diminishing returns" on tac consoles but it's just because they don't understand the math (which is, if you forgive the pun, cryptic).

Of course, this ship isn't going to do as much damage as one using beam arrays. But if you're OK with that going in, then have fun!

Okay so this is just for simple fun brainstorming and what not but over all I would just like to get s solid conversation started on this.

I would like to build a viable turret ship. No cutting beam or omni-beams maybe a torp at each end for the last bit of impact but pretty much turrets.

So how to keep energy flowing to them well enough.
Optimal range to use this build at.
Optimal Ship to fly this build on.
Energy type and procs.
Im sure there is a lot more to go on with but this should be a start.

My basic idea for this is polaron turrets from the dyson rep, utilizing that reps tac cons to get the extra proton damage. Cause as far as I know there is no defense against proton dmg. The tac cons give boost to the two dmg types plus a bonus to acc. I have no idea what the drop off rate on boosting damage percentages is in the game or if there is one.

Ship set using a mix of the Jem set for the added polaron dmg, and probably parts from anything else that will give a solid boost to survivability. With the dyson turrets I know a high critical hit rate is needed to make it more effective so probably best on a romulan captain.

I dont see this as a front line fighting ship but one to keep a constant pressure on a target and give support as needed in close quarters.

So thats a very base idea of a turret build ship i think i would make and run.

how great!!!!!!

I don't agree! I think people should play the ship they like with the captain they like because STO is a game and the point of games is to have fun, and I don't think you provide a good argument to the contrary.

"Escorts and raiders can equip dual heavy cannons which do significantly more damage than beam arrays and even dual beam banks."

No, DHCs do less damage than beams.

Beams have a wider arc, so players can spend more time hitting enemies. Beams access more weapons power overcapping (4 times more). Beams have less of distance damage drop-off than cannons. FAW is a bigger damage multiplier than CSV. FAW has the same arc as your beams do while CSV has an even narrower arc than DHCs do. Beams travel faster than cannons so an enemy is less likely to die in the time it takes the energy to get there.

You don't even have to have that much gear to see the benefit. When I played my new delta recruit, I just got the ship with the most tac consoles at every opportunity, put on cheap, common beam arrays from the EC vendor at ESD, and as many copies of FAW as I could. I was blasting through content so fast that the NPCs were saying things like "We have to hold out for 30 more seconds" after everything was dead.

"You don’t need to have a dedicated science ship to take advantage of the Cdr LvL Science abilities"

If a ship has a commander level sci seat, then it's a sci ship, or at least a sci carrier. By definition, you need a sci ship to use commander level sci abilities.

"You can really make do with Lt. Cdr Science abilities simply because this is as much as your captain skills and ship’s power level will only be able to take advantage of the Lt Cdr abilities."

What is it about tactical captains that adversely affects a ship's science skills as compared to a science captain? Science captains get sensor scan (all damage multiplier), sub-nuc (doesn't buff sci skills), photonic fleet (doesn't buff sci skills), and scattering field (doesn't buff science skills). They get the traits photonic capacitor (doesn't buff science skills) and conservation of energy (exotic damage buff). They get nothing that benefits non-damage science abilities.

So it's conservation of energy and sensor scan vs. APA, GDF, and FOMM, all of which buff exotic damage and to a greater degree than the science abilities.

As for power levels, the only career-specific ability that affects auxiliary power is an engineering ability, so both science and tactical captains are at the same disadvantage there.

"And while Science and engineering captains have skills like Scattering Field and Miracle Worker, the tactical Captain have Attack pattern Alpha and Go Down Fighting. Neither of which help with Survivability."

First, killing things actually helps a *lot* with survivability. The damage you take from something that's dead is 0.

Second, APA, GDF, and FOMM all buff exotic (that is, science) damage. Sci captains get... sensor scan. That's it. This is why tac captains get the most damage from science ships.

Third, GDF gives a damage resistance buff.

"Now, Escorts in cruisers, while on paper this looks like a great idea, 4 fore and 4 aft vs the 5/2, 4/3 or 4/2 Escort/Raider configuration. Higher Hull, higher shields and I get to Separate my Saucer/chevron! You’re also slower and unable to equip Dual Cannons. These two factors affect damage output and survivability."

Cruisers have a lower damage output than ships with a commander tac seat, but the career of the captain has nothing to do with this.

Cruisers turn slower than escorts, but, again, the career of the captain has nothing to do with this.

And not being able to equip dual cannons increases damage output because beams do more damage.

"While you have abilities like Evasive Maneuvers and Emergency Power to Engines, you’re still slow in space and do not have the speed to evade many attacks which will melt a ship’s shields and hull down to 0 no matter how high it is. Engineers have the benefit of abilities like Rotate Shield Frequency and Miracle Worker as well as Engineering Fleet to heal and add damage resistance. "

Several problems:

1. In order to get high defense, escorts have to move. Defense is based on speed. But if you're using DHCs (like you keep saying people should), you can't move as much because of that tiny firing arc. Ships with beam arrays can keep moving at top speed. My scim gets around 90% bonus defense when moving at top speed, which is more than any escort will get while standing still.

2. RSF is crap. MW is great but has a long cd - if you really have problems with taking damage it won't completely solve them.

3. Again, what does this have to do with career? Cruisers' survivability is better than escorts' and their damage output is worse. Career doesn't change that.

Now onto a2b, which I agree isn't optimal, but it's not terrible for people starting out.

" Great plan, except you would need to be super specialized and you would have very little room for healing abilities."

A2B doubles your boff slots at the expense of 2 boff slots, which hardly makes you "super specialized." Not all heals are based on aux power. You get extra sci teams and eng teams.

Also it buffs shield and engine subsystem power, increasing shield regeneration and strength and defense.

"And even if that wasn’t an issue we’d still be running into power issues. Even with the boost Aux to bat gives every other systems you’re still firing 8 weapons at the same time and remember higher weapons power = higher energy damage."

What does this have to do with a2b? You're still going to be firing 8 weapons with or without a2b. If you're saying that it's still a problem for cruisers to have 8 weapons, again, how's that an issue just for tactical captains?

Also, more overcapping power helps beams more than it does cannons (beams have access to 4 times more overcapping power than DHCs do), and a2b increases overcapping power. So A2B mitigates this problem.

"Also if you are able to mitigate your energy levels, Aux to Bat builds are not the cheapest builds. A Fully Realized Aux to bat Build will cost about 200 Mil EC"

A2B requires 2 copies of a2b (available at ESD for 2000 ec) and 3 technician doffs, which can be obtained for free at the B'Tran Cluster or found on the exchange for a few million ec. I have no clue how you got to 200 million ec.

I was running a2b back when I couldn't afford much in this game, with purple doffs even though you could get away with blue doffs. If you look at STO build discussions, a2b is always brought up as the *cheap* way to reduce cd on tactical abilities, and that's because it can be as cheap as you want it to be.

"Engineering Captains have EPS Power Transfer and Nadion Inversion they also have the trait EPS Manifold Efficiency. EPS Power Transfer gives a massive power boost to all Power Levels and Nadion Inversion reduces the drain abilities have on power levels. EPS Manifold Efficiency give a secondary boost to all subsystems when you use a battery or emergency power abilities."

EPS power transfer runs for 30 seconds with a 120 second cooldown. That's 1/4 uptime. 3/4 of the time an eng captain has the same subsystem power as any other career.

Nadion Inversion does not reduce the "drain abilities have on power levels." Just on weapons power. It's nice, but, again, there are lots of other ways to reduce weapons power drain, like, say, running beams and taking advantage of overcapping power, spire cores, the assimilated 2-piece, greedy emitters trait from the nandi....

EPS Manifold Efficiency helps some, true. But it's not game-breaking or even enough to compete with tactical captains' abilities.

Career affects 4 abilities and 2 trait choices in a game where you're likely to have 30 to 40 abilities to use and so many traits that are better than the ones that come from your career. In space, there really isn't much difference between the careers as they're all as capable of enough DPS to beat all the content in the game, and piloting, gear, and teamwork have far more affect on DPS and survivability than career does.

Quote by suigetsu

Ash shucks, but when it does come back, id love to play, if I remember correctly, I have my shirtless Orion at 40 who needs pushing up :P

oh hello :blush:

Quick question, if that's alright. Does the reverse apply? I'm a level 40 Engineering captain, just thinking about buying an Alita (when I get to 50, obviously). Is an Engineer in an Escort a bad idea? I've had much more fun flying the Akira than any other ship during levelling up.

Ash shucks, but when it does come back, id love to play, if I remember correctly, I have my shirtless Orion at 40 who needs pushing up :P

There is a simple compromise: if you live in an area where they are the only resource for charitable aid (and there are many of those areas), then by all means, support them with a clear conscious, because they are the ONLY charity for the destitute.

But if you live in an area (like me) with hundreds of alternatives, then skip them and donate to someone else whose politics are more palatable.

Yeah, now I'm not so keen on the military unit. Why are the army/national guard officers always such dicks in movies and tv shows. You'd think the National Guard would be nicer considering they live in the same communities and actually have training on how to handle a crisis situation.

i really enjoyed it when the Mum sneaked outside the camp, that for me was like old school walking dead, the episodes of late have been mundane and very ant climatic, i really hope things pick up pace in the final few episodes. If not they really need to rethink things through for the next season, i live in hope ....

Congrats Jacien!

Much glory and honor to you General! Maj'Qa!