With a lack of interest in other MMO's(WoW and Eve Online) in my gaming lineup; I've found STO moving from casual fun once in a while to a daily login. With more and more time. Not just because there've been events requiring a daily task, but to spend time in, faffing about and enjoying. The more time I've spent in the game the more I'm reminded that Star Trek Online (to me) is more a celebration of all things Star Trek. Like a giant interactive convention. Role play if you want, captain who you want how you want in whatever ship you want. Each player enjoying their own adventure, solo or not. It's all about the experience. You can be as immersed in Trek as much as you want to be.
This last week STO I've been all about upgrading my mains ship fits to get as much practical DPS out of each. Doing this I realised it's exactly what I'd be doing with WoW characters. WoW's loss is STO's gain. While I'm not as into it as much in STO as I was in WoW, I am still into it. My main is the only character that has a range of well fitted ships on par with being a max level. Most of my alts have that one main 'good' ship. I could just stick to one ship per character, but there's more fun to be had with different ships/fits. My main is where it's gotten some serious attention.
Unlike wow STO isn't modable. I have always felt daunted at the use of the external DPS program but I took the plunge. All in all it was easier than I thought to setup and use.
Install the program (https://dps.shivtr.com/pages/STOSCM / https://www.sto-league.com/guides/).
Start STO's launcher and add in a command line under 'options'(-noautorotatelogs).
Launch the DPS Combat meter.
Log in and enter STO proper.
Each login requires a console command that can be hot keyed so that combat logging can begin(/combatlog 1).
Play the game and combat will be logged.
That's really it. Finish the game and in the program select the combat log and see the data.
It's not all after action reporting. The button allowing the real-time parser is great for seeing you and your groups DPS during actual combat.
My main has had a clear out and dry dock of ships, leaving him with 7 that can be selected. 3 of those are not up to scratch. 2 T6 and a T5-Upgrade but all three are only fitted up to level XII(12) weapons/modules. So not fair game in a DPS test and I doubt I'll upgrade them. The only reason they haven't been dry docked is that they do have a semi decent build; Just not top of the line....
This leaves 4 ships.
The same character with the same traits, I ran the remaining 4 ships through the same TFO multiple times; With a few exceptions here and there to see overall levels of DPS in comparison to random groups. Not scientific but it's an good indication.
So my two best ships, the Vorgon Xyfius Heavy Escort and the Bajoran Interceptor have both been pushed down by the new Risian Corvette with it's 4 piece Discovery set. It just pips them on the DPS output.
Not by much, all three ships are the same build more or less. Overall the three could be averaged out around the 10k DPS mark. For a PvE carebear with no meta build knowledge, from what I know as a complete casual, that's not bad.
I admit I did give a bit of a whoop when I saw the numbers from the first combat log analysis. Proof in the pudding as a solo casual that I was bringing DPS to the party. I'm happy with that knowledge and these ships.
All of the above has me thinking that I can trust my gut for ships/fits and run with how things 'feel'.
The last ship is one I thought would have had bigger numbers with, but no...
The warship with it's cannon build in a TFO 'feels' like it shreds!
But there is a lot of other beams and bolts flying about in space. I may be seeing lots of large numbers in space but the DPS logs prove the ship and fit to be more bark than bite. All show, half the substance. An illusion in a group with higher DPS. I was a little disappointing.
It's a fun ship to fly, really fun; Like a Porsche on a race track. But in a TFO the Porsche doesn't handle the weekly shopping haul. It's not practical no matter how fun it feels. The numbers prove that.
Proof also that confirms what I've read in chat numerous times, which I had discounted "Ships with cannon builds suck".
All in all, I still can't shake the 'feel' that any other fit on this ship is wrong.
The ships chain gimmick to drag enemy ships behind and roast them with the flames from your engines is also an addictive trait. The ship is fun.... I wish it had the DPS.
With all these numbers and graphs I've come to a few conclusion on the make up of PUG TFO groups.
There is usually one or two elite players(or their alt) who know the Meta and how to get max DPS out of their ship/fit/traits (15K+ in DPS). Most higher DPS players run content within their Fleet/Armada.
There's another player or two in the middle ground like me(5ish to 12ish K DPS). Players who have a bit of savvy knowledge and can upgrade/buy gear to up the numbers. Maybe use traits but cover the jack of all trades methodology.
Then there's the bog standard player who uses the weapons the ship came with, slaps on whatever is in inventory even if there's no synergy. No upgrades and bits missing from the fit. Jalopy in space. I'm not assigning blame for that, all players start from somewhere and learn what they learn or not.
I still have a built in intolerance (from my WoW days) where if you ran a dungeon once you needed to remember every detail/group need/positioning/tactics. So if a new TFO is out and a few month's pass, it's my default position/brain hardwired to automatically noobify anyone who 'appears' to not know whats going on with it. Harsh on all counts, regardless of DPS count, yet true enough. As I've said previously, STO is an adaptable game allowing for different levels of players to join together and accomplish content. I've yet to do a normal TFO and fail it or been driven from it due to difficulty. Maybe once in a more 'pro' encounter ages ago. Fun is fun in different ways to different players. And all this stat guesswork is just that guesswork. Guesswork is guesswork, Interesting guesswork. I'm learning slowly as well, stats and attitudes.
The summer event is done and with it I've gained a new primary ship and it's fit.
The upcoming road-map of the game is promising in content and rewards if not the overall theme(for me). I've no interest in the Arena of Sompex or it's rifle reward. I've also no interest in the 'August' lockbox's.
I do have an interest in the new TFO for September's content due to it's rewards, specifically the new T6 ship. The Patrol system revamp, with luck should provide good ongoing content and should be interesting to see. October's Kobayashi Maru is also good content and rewards some sort of deployable drones this time round; More info on that reward needed.
Novembers Featured TFO is probably an extension of the September T6 ship grind reward from 'Awakening' to finish off that story-line.
Then we're into December and the usual Winter event with Q. That event see's yet another new ship but given that it's the same Fek'Ihri racial as my cannon build above I'll be hesitant. I'll do the event and claim the ship but I need to really see the stats and what gimmick is has. I presume there is one.
Then the big one. STO's 10th Anniversary in January. I hope the celebration lineup in game is as epic as I think it should be. Teased with the line "Ships you've been waiting for...". I only hope that things are free, involve no grind.... And.... Are not store specials.
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