STO(console) final day reward....

It may have been a glitch(reward was only initially available for 24 hours) but it's back/fixed.... Time to claim it.

Choices....

 

 

 

No Mans sky has seen a lot of news with it's updates of late; Even with all the new systems etc I've not been able to 'get into' the game again. I've blogged and waffled a lot over the years suffice it to say the more the game has 'become', the more the game is over the top in getting me to play again. All that said there is a NMS youtuber I watch that has also done Planet Crafter content. Jason Plays. As Plane Crafter has had a big update I checked back on his channel to see if I'd missed any Crafter content. Which I didn't..... Long story short he did have a new series started on 'getting into' No Mans Sky.

A Fresh Start Part 1 No Man's Sky Beginners Guide 2024 Well worth a watch. For me even watching it I can see from those vids that I'd still not be 'into' redoing the game. Much as I 'feel' I could, I know I'd be wasting a lot of time for little reward. TheYamiks did a video on it recently as well.

 

Speaking of TheYamiks he's also done a good video on Star Citizen. So 'what he said'.

Star Citizen WORTH IT in 2024?!

PowerWash Simulator's next paid DLC is based on Warhammer 40,000 and I quiet like the trailer. Another DLC to add to the wish-list for some sale down the line.... Very down the line.

The 2024 roadmap is interesting but no sign in sight of it slowing down.... So a sale on DLC seems very far away.

 

 

Gameranx had a recent video on 10 WEIRD Gaming Stories of February 2024, interesting to me in that they had two sections Part 6 regarding Xbox and Part 5 regarding Deca and Star Trek Online. More on the Star Trek Online angle later down the post....

 

Darkest Dungeon saw a good bit of game-time this last week. That time was a 90% RNG nightmare.

 

 

My first run getting back to the Crimson Court was a great success; It all went downhill from there and fell further with every run no matter what and where. I made a lot of mistakes. The Hero Roster is back to a declining state. The available heroes are no longer in sync with compatible groupings which I prefer. The need to mix and match is there but the heroes I can choose is far from ideal. RNG just makes it worse.

 

A Casual Carebear Gamer

 

 

In playing Planet Crafter I've realized that after the patch my active on launchpad rockets are not missing; Just invisible. I'm sure that will be 'resolved in time'. Maybe?

 

 

Patches for the most recent update seems to have updated the randomly generated biomes you reach via portals. I've still been doing a lot of them. New is the new new after all.

 

 

 

 

Star Trek Online is still the 'old reliable'. The game had a 50% off on it's Lifetime Subscription. Again I'll say that if you are into STO and you get a lot from 'just' playing, the Lifetime is well worth it. Pays for itself over time(rewards, details).

 

MC Stu had details regarding the CEO To Address Star Trek Online Community On Ten Forward Live

 

CasualSAB  has two recent relevant videos:

Jonathan Herlache is no longer at Cryptic / Star Trek Online

&

More STO Devs Leaving? - DECA/Cryptic Update

Of the recent updates to the game a patch brought a nice quality of life tag to new items in a players inventory/mats inventory etc.

 

That said recent patches have brought back to me an old bug... walking in space(take that Eve Online). So STO, it's only happened 2 or three times, tis haha funny.

STO on Xbox still has the zoom issues but fingers crossed the fix will be here in a couple of weeks(apparently it's fixed and internally developed to 'work'). As for overall PC/Xbox gameplay; Gameplay is gameplay. I've been doing it more and enjoying it. Events/Dailies/R&D..... Gameplay.

 

 There can never be enough Borg balloons in the bank! 

 

World of Warcraft has seen a slight uptick in gameplay but I'm still not 100% 'into it'. I have a feeling I'm definitely wasting game-time. That said I did get a tour from herself with the Emerald dream etc. 

 

 

Getting some gear to get me into the last of the raid wings for LFR. For the first time in a long time I'm considering not getting the next expansion.... If not for the overarching multi-expansion plans I think I'd have fully checked out. 

 

 

Eve, Eve, Eve online. I've been doing the 'usual' for my preferred gameplay; No surprise's there(that's a good thing).  PvE,R&D with a side of rock harvesting.

 

 

OZ_Eve has been interesting re the markets. The Oz Report (Mar 2nd, 2024) - Eve Online Market Insights. A 'show' that makes me think about 2 previous market youtubers(EVE-Prosper and delonewolf if anyone is interested).

Loru Gaming is a tuber I came across but his 'excitement' about Vanguard makes my eyes roll.

EVE Vanguard UNRECOGNIZABLE In 6 Months   I look forward to being surprised at the epic game that will be Vanguard by the end of the year; I just don't think that's gonna happen(*see meme about google app graveyard).

 

I've seen Eve Status tweets more in the last week than in a long time. https://twitter.com/EVE_status

Eve is Eve; Eve'n after their patch of a patched patch.

 

Only it won't

Initial client run is confused it's already running.

 

 

 

 

Star Trek Online....

Despite having resubbed(again) to WoW; STO has for the past week been my most played MMO.

Since the last couple of posts(here and here)I've been more into the Winter event on PC, specifically my new Breen themed character. That said I've still kept the Kuumaarke Visionary ground set on him and his crew. So it's not all themed.

In trying to be a little more thematic with the Officers I tried to buy the Cryo grenades but the vendor never had any. 50/50 chance every hour my azz. With him being out of my way it wasn't worth the effort to keep trying.

On a positive side I've been happy to mess about with the 'winter' space skills on said bridge officers. Nothing min/maxed, casual is casual in a mix and match fun kind of way.

With my friend new to the game I've realized how complex trying to explain the game systems is. Skills, traits, buffs and bonuses to the player, bridge officers, active space and ground Doffs ... All interconnected and different. The deeper you dig the bigger the hole, not sure if there will be a critical mass of information. Time will tell. I've said and he is thankful for not overloading the info on him. Which has all been an interesting process but there is so much that interconnects.

Some players obviously enjoy the winter more than others! Just look at this lil character!

Of course with the good and interesting comes the 'bad' and frustrating. Like a now old TFO I've complained about before. Where 90% of players are clueless as to the tactics of what to do. I mean even when a narrator says to close portals, defend the data center, they don't seem to understand never mind do. I still can't get over it..... I alleviate the frustration by watching the carnage. Should I type text to explain and focus players to do things. I could and probably should but I don't need the potential aggravation of interactions. WoW thought me that many moons ago. I'd like to think players would be nice but I'm not one to tempt fate. Plus it's not like the TFO lasts that long. 

When a group lacks DPS it's obvious what kind of TFO experience it's going to be no matter how 'good' players are and act; But a good underdog fight is still better than intentional bystanders. As for the rest I've done enough complaining for now.

Star Trek Online....

While there may be time constraints of a sort neither my wife or I have resubbed to WoW. The expansion is good, we just don't have the immediate need to play it full on. I'm sure that will change in the post winter holidays and new year. What hasn't been paused is STO! At least for me. My wife is just about doing the daily; Where for me the game is now my main MMO focus. 

That friend I spoke of is indeed 'into' the game. I'm glad he likes it. For the most part. He like me is less approving of most of the last decade of 'Nu trek'. I keep saying that at least in the game it has more 'leeway'. He gets that but is more of a purist than I ever was. Each to their own. 

It's been refreshing to have a new players perspective. A new new, really new new new players view. "How does this work", "What does that do", "What should I use"/"fit".... Talk of ships, mission, STO quirkiness etc etc etc.

I've played more of my Jem'Hadar Breen cosplay/themed character. Nothing special or amazing but a capable charecter.

Fitting out the Bridge officers was also 'interesting'. The armour and colour schemes done thanks to a handy guide on reddit.

If there is a down side due to the STO 'quirkiness' the setup and custom officers on the main login screen seem to default to 'generic' colours. I've tried swapping them around but if a Boff is in a Breen uniform it seems to get reset for me on the login. 

I've no idea why the visors are blue. My own character in the uniform was for the longest time a green (normal) visor colour and it was with luck and redoing the same actions of applying the outfit that it finally changed to the white I wanted(re that guide and personal interpretation)....

That's the thing with doing a theme. Some things don't work out and the next thing you know your 14 other decisions of compromise down a rabbit hole that leaves you in a place you never expected but are 'happy' with. Or at least 'happy enough'!

I do like the Reman Prototype shield look on the Breen Heavy Raider. The ship I've been surprised with given I've previously ignored it.

With both of the Breen sets on (winter event vendor and Cold War trio of mission rewards), the ship is in retrospect maybe even above average. Capable and very capable in certain situations. If it can get through an advanced Gravity Kills(and it did) I'll accept it as all good.

Mission rewards and event vendor gear have all been upgraded. Again not a min/maxed fit but one I'm happy in. 

Doing the missions to get the Reman shield was not just for the reward but to fill time. A Jem Hadar needs to be 65(+) with 20 hours of gameplay time logged to be able to claim the agent account unlocked rewards. While I did TFO's and tested the ship/fit I did 'cheese' the time; Having him stand at the bank while I alt-tabbed out to do something else. Worth it as the amount of rewards is Christmas for a character.

The mistakenly released duty officer changes are interesting. At least when it was put in game they kept it there. Donating officers to fleet is an area I've avoided as I never could tell which ones I could really get rid off. The ui now are least will allow a player to go through the roster and mark ones to keep.

Right click set to protect and a shield with a tick mark is visible.

I just need the motivation to go through each characters roster to then mark officers as 'locked'. I'm glad for the change but the motivation to donate is not really increased(for me). Those that have used the old methods are going to continue that way and those who have not will only be marginally incentivized to bulk flood fleet projects with doff's. Time will tell. Either way it's a good QoL improvement.

The winter event is a little lack luster for me this year. I'm sure that's a me thing as December and the real world Christmas season seems to have jumped out of nowhere. Decorations may be up and shops may be all lights and glitter but it doesn't 'feel' like it. I've heard a lot of people say the same. 

The in game event is still as it was and the daily is the daily. 

A Casual Carebear Gamer

I'm still running the Fastest Game on Ice as the daily of choice. On both PC and Xbox. I'm still in favour of the corner jump method on both platforms. A personal choice. On my friends first race he was a full on advocate of the roll method.

Speaking of themed characters, I saw the Devil in the shipyard over Qo'noS....