onboard graphics processor

I have been asked by a few in the fleet how I get the DPS I do and its a bit hard to explain how its done over chat given the breadth of what is required for a good build. So I'm hoping I can point them here as well as help others in the fleet with the information required to help improve. Since in game information is just non existent.

So back to basics of ship building in STO ( Warning - this is a very PVE point of view, while most if not all can be applied to PVP I tend to focus on PVE builds).


Engineering Abilities Build Types

There are 3 major types of build (and a few derivatives) in STO that you find just about everywhere and they are all focused on one thing - Maximum uptime of engineering abilities (I'll be covering Tac abilities in a later post). So the goal of these build types is to keep up (applied) Eng abilities (Emergency power to X) to increase our damage and / or defense abilities.


The Dragon Build

One of the oldest because it is so simple a build type uses duplicate abilities to keep up Emergency power to X (EptX) i.e. weapons (EptW) to boost power to our weapons subsystem (+15 Weapon Power Setting for 30 sec for EptW1) and increase damage output via an applied boost (+10% all Energy Damage for 30 sec for EptW1). Shields (EptS) to boost power to the shields subsystem and apply a resistance boost to the shields (Reduces damage to shields by 18% for 30 seconds for EptS1) and the same with Engines (EptE) (speed and turn rate boost) and Aux (EptA) (boost to Graviton Generators, Particle Generator and Subspace Decompiler) along with boosting their respective subsystems.

So how does it work? Well all that is required for a Dragon build is to slot 2x the engineering ability you want to keep up and cycle them every 15 seconds. i.e. 2x EptW. The beauty of this build type is you can choose any 2 EptX and have them constantly applied via slotting 2x 1type of EptX and 2x or another type (but only two types can be applied at any one time). You see this done a lot with EptW and EptS as you get a damage boost at the same time a shield resistance buff while EtpS is applied

As an example lets use the layout below in the image. We have and EptS1 and EptW2 in both rows.



We start by firing the first EptW (setting its cool down to 45 secs - Top row)



It sets the duplicate cool down on the other EptW to 30 secs and 15sec for each of the EptS


Then we fire the EptS, setting the duplicate cool down to 30 on the other EptS (setting its cool down to 45 secs - Top row)



Then the second EptW comes off cool down and we fire it (setting its cool down to 45 secs - Bottom row)



Then lastly we fire the second EptS once it comes off cool down (setting its cool down to 45 secs - Bottom row)



then we repeat.

This gives us the EptW and EptS buff up constantly on our ship providing a boost to damage and damage absorption from the resistance buff applied.




The 1/2 Dragon

The other form of this build type is what is called the 1/2 dragon.

This is where we only cycle one set of EptX, the reason for this is usually to save active doff slots for another purpose (the other 2 types all require doffs to work) and use those slots for other purposes (i.e. Tac team cool down).

The next build type we will look at in part 2 is the Aux to Bat (A2B)

This is something that would interest me i think.

Some three years in and I'm still updating the mission from time to time, as it's very dear to my heart.

In a recent update I changed the costumes for many characters, since more appropriate outfits are now available. All Bajoran Militia officers wear Bajoran uniforms now, while some of the Resistance fighters wear worn clothing. Faces have been updated to make the best of many of the new options. And of course I'm using standard Federation uniforms where it seems fit. Some other assets have also been updated.

I'm even working on the sequel, Terrors of the Past. But it's a slow progress and my life has changed quite a bit, since the release of Shadows. But I'm getting there and I'll hope that the community will like the idea I have for the continuation.

By the way, I'm very honored that the mission appears in the top list for the Toron System Foundry doors. This has brought in many new players over the last month and I'm excited to see their feedback. It's somewhat surreal that almost 500 people have played (=rated) the mission and most of them thoroughly enjoyed it.

Quote by Qmonster

I want to get back into SWTOR. Is the guild still active?

Its alive. Activity fluctuates. We've been trying to reinvigorate it for sometime and would welcome any assistance you could bring.

I want to get back into SWTOR. Is the guild still active?

Unfortunately, there's no way other solution than uping your graphics card. If you were PC users, I'd just tell ya to go to Best Buy and get whatever Nvidia card they have for about $100 cause that aught to do it, but I'm not sure how it works with Macs.

Quote by Romario

I thought this might be a good place to post this, since there were many on Vulcan screenshotting in their zones.

Such a sad day. Glad I was able to make it to Vulcan though. It was so moving see all those people turn up to pay their respects.

I'm really out of the loop. :P I need to watch these shows.

Sounds like a pretty interesting theory to me!

Quote by Baothezar

Annyywayys. From my understanding of the article, the proposed treatment uses a modified virus that use the machinery of cells to create mimic receptors that would bind onto the virus and render it inert. So this isn't a traditional "Vaccine" where it would use attenuated viruses to stimulate the body to produce antibodies against the real thing. I wanted to know how long the protection last and whether or not that if you were exposed while on the treatment would infection still happens after the effects wore off. My thought on this was that what if we were able to simply produce the mimic receptors with out the use of virus?

Not a modified virus; a completely new virus that they just created for this treatment. The only thing that is carried within is the DNA for the modified compound that binds to the HIV Virus. This is a Recombinant Vector Vaccine.

The article states that the recombinant vector is injected into muscle tissue which is then used to replicate the modified compound. If that's the case, then the the vaccine would last as long as the muscle did. Skeletal muscle generally last about 15 years. After the modified protein has bonded to the virus, it would relatively be inert meaning the immune system would remove it or the kidneys would be able to filter it from the blood easily. You wouldn't be infected by the virus later on.

I've unfortunately seen the separation between the genders firsthand. It's one of the sad facts of the glbt community that we have opposite interests when it comes to attraction and that can often leave us separated. That's why we've pushed hard to keep that kind of content out of Stonewall and to make sure it's a welcoming place for all genders.

In Queer History this is very evident. After the Stonewall Riots, cooperation between gays and lesbians began to break down. Many male leaders were very sexist and pushed lesbians out of the leadership. We didn't really come back together till the AIDS Crisis.

Sent! Goodness, I'm nervous now that a pro will be checking it out. Please don't mock me. lol

It can hold it's own in elites, packs a nifty punch and is a hard nut to crack.

Yes! I've been learning Javascript myself.

Quote by Voleron

I feel that I have a basic understanding of HTML, but CSS is something that I could definitely use some more info on. I would probably join ya!

As someone who's helped you with the BBCode more than once, I can tell you, no, you don't. You need a course on HTML.

Jacien,
So many changes!! I am still trying to come to terms with how much this game has changed since day 1 release.. I only wish i could remember my day one user information **chuckles**

Philip

Andrea,
Thank you so much for the welcome back and the link!

Philip

Thank you Parker!! Tis a pleasure to be back and able to enjoy some of the time.

Philip

Welcome back, you couldn't have picked a better time. :)

Yes, that would actually help with the work I do.