Memory Alpha Tweaks

[Darren_Kitlor]

Background:

With the most recent memory alpha changes, everyone can now track their crafting progress easily.

However, the major complaints are that:

• There is not sufficient enough variety
• The gear is largely underpowered for those who hit Rear Admiral 3 (and can get said gear from dailies)
• It's an item mall

The last item may require extensive redesign to ameliorate. However, the first two could be solved quite easily (and balanced according to systems already in place).

As we know, most items have an attribute in [blocks] for each level of rarity it gains (there are exceptions).

• Common = no additional attributes
• Uncommon = [attr.]
• Rare = [attr.][attr.]
• Very Rare = [attr.][attr.][attr.]

For example, my shields could say:

• Covariant Shields Mk X [Dis][Pha]

This means I have X% Disruptor resistance and X% Phaser resistance in addition to the base value of Covariant Shields.

What follows may already be the developers' intentions all along.

_____________________________
Proposed Changes:
I. Attribute Selection

Why not let us select what attributes we're looking for, based on the tier we have unlocked?

For example, if we've unlocked rare Covariant Shields Mk II - we should be able to craft a ship shield with two appropriate attributes of our choosing.

Examples of shield attributes include:

• Reg = increase shield regen rate
• Dis = increased resistance to Disruptor
• Pha = increased resistance to Phaser
• Pla = increased resistance to Plasma
• Pro = increased resistance to Antiproton
• Tet = increased resistance to Tetryon
• Pol = increased resistance to Polaron
• Cap = increased max shields

This change would allow players to craft what they want. No new items would need to be created - all the possible combination exist as random loot at the moment (as far as I know).

This would grant the freedom and flexibility that players desire until a new (possibly ship-board) crafting system were developed.

II. Reverse Engineering

With all the items added from above, we could then reverse engineer them. The anamolous data would then be placed in our inventory (assuming we have enough space for it).

For example, if an uncommon mk II item would use:

• 2 Tetryon Particles
• 2 Antimater Samples

We could then reverse engineer it to get those anomalous materials (either consuming the base item in the process or adding that to our inventory as well.

This would meet many players half-way. It may not remove the "item-mall" feel but it would go a long toward letting players craft the gear that interests them at every tier.

[Darren_Kitlor]

Ship Item Attributes:
Shields

• [Cap] increases Maximum Capacity by 10%
• [Reg] increases Shield Regeneration by 10%
• [Dis] reduces Disruptor Damage by 20%
• [Pha] reduces Phaser Damage by 20%
• [Pla] reduces Plasma Damage by 20%
• [Pol] reduces Polaron Damage by 20%
• [Tet] reduces Tetryon Damage by 20%
• [Ap] reduces Antiproton Damage by 20%

Deflector

• [Ast] +10 Astrometrics
• [Def] +10 Starship Deflectors
• [DefD] +10 Starship Deflector Dish
• [DefF] +10 Starship Deflector Field
• [EM] +10 Starship Emitters
• [HS] +10 Starship Hazard System
• [Sen] +10 Starship Sensors
• [SenA] +10 Starship Sensor Array
• [SenP] +10 Starship Sensor Probes
• [Spa] +10 Spatial Anomaly
• [ST] +10 Photonic Theory
• [TB] +10 Starship Tractor Beam

Engines

• [Spd] adds +1 to Flight Speed
• [Turn] adds +1 to Flight Turn Rate
• [Full] adds (7 + Mk number) to Full Impulse Flight Speed.
• [Aux] adds a "Thrusters" bonus: 25% when engines are disabled.

Weapons

• Acc: +0.1 Accuracy
• CrtD: +20 Critical Severity
• CrtH: +2% Critical Chance

Ground Item Attributes:
Personal Shields

• [Cap] - Extra Shield Capacity
• [PBKB] - Chance to knock down nearby foes when you take damage.
• [Ap] - 20% bonus resistance to Antiproton damage
• [Dis] - 20% bonus resistance to Disruptor damage
• [Pha] - 20% bonus resistance to Phaser damage
• [Reg] - Increases shield regenerate rate
• [Tet] - 20% bonus resistance to Tetryon damage

( --| thanks STOwiki |--)

[Darren_Kitlor]

• Added Reverse Engineering Section

[Superchum]

I think you've mentioned the reverse engineering idea before. It's a really solid idea. I hope they consider it.

[Sizman]

Posting in yet, another epic and needed thread.

[Darren_Kitlor]

Originally Posted by superchum

I think you've mentioned the reverse engineering idea before. It's a really solid idea. I hope they consider it.

I had an older thread where you could experiment with items (to adjust their stats ever so slightly).

However, the above system would work with the existing item database.

Reverse engineering is essentially STO's answer to disenchanting and wouldn't require modifying the item tables. The attribute selection would open up the Crafting component exponentially.

With that in place, we could then move on to what we'd like to see for crafting (with an experimentation sytem similar to SWG, pre-NGE).

[Darren_Kitlor]

Added:
Base list of item atrribute suffixes and their meaning (thanks to stowiki)

Next Questions:
What attribute suffixes should be added? (for example [Man] to engines - lowers enemy [Acc] )

[Captain_Revo]

yes to more variety in memory alpha at all ranks
yes to new super rare items, let say 'red' items you cant get anywhere else but from crafting
yes to blueprints found in game to make unique items that have something better/different than + 10 critical or + 10 accuracy
yes to the ability to craft consoles
yes to the ability to craft on your ship once interiors are done
yes to add new items that we can use on our ships and crew (like the red matter or tribbles)

[Harmony-Jade]

Nice post, well thought out with some good ideas.

Reverse engineering seems like such an obvious feature. In fact, now you've mentioned it, I can't believe it wasn't included from the start.

[Darren_Kitlor]

Originally Posted by Harmony-Jade

Nice post, well thought out with some good ideas.

Reverse engineering seems like such an obvious feature. In fact, now you've mentioned it, I can't believe it wasn't included from the start.

Legos. That's the best source of inspiration.

You can build anything - or take it apart to build something else.