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Tribble *MAY* go live as early as tomorrow (Friday, 19 Feb 2016). But yeah, I'll likely hop in there sometime next week to see how it looks.
For myself, it's a mixed bag, but i also understand that this is a change that Cryptic has been talking about making since BEFORE Specializations came out. Once Specializations came out they went on record saying they wanted to model the new Skill system on the Spec Tree. So I have known this was coming.
For the most part I feel that the systems that have come out with reiterations over the years have generally improved the game. The second Skill system was light years beyond the first, the second version of the DOFF system was an improvement, the second version of the Reputation system was a vast improvement, and the second, and third Crafting updates were each progressively (and significantly) better than their predecessors.
However, each time that something has changed, the system has inevitably become a little more costly to the player as well. Usually in Dilithium or other time-related investments somehow, but this "Could" be an exception. We'll just have to see how they fiddle with the amounts and ways a player can earn XP.
I have also become a bit nervous when hearing Cryptic make statements like "You won't lose anything"... We have actually, pretty much every time, however the overall improvements have probably been worth it.
As to power creep, that's been an ongoing issue for some time, and maybe this will help mitigate some of it since they basically have a chance to do a clean re-balance of the game. However, it does mean that min/ maxing builds will inevitably change, and I suspect that initially at least, it may feel like we are not hitting as hard as we used to against PvE targets--primarily because enemies will have the same simplified Skill system we use now and may not be as generalist. We have seen this with new enemy types anyway.
My biggest concern, as it is with all of these major overhauls, is that we will be Beta-testing the system for the next six to eight or more months, because this will change EVERYTHING combat related in STO. That could be a good thing long-term, as I can't imagine Cryptic would invest the time (=money) in a major undertaking like this if they did not intend to keep going for a while. In the short-term however, we all know from experience that stuff like this has historically broken unexpected parts of the game... And it often takes a really long time to get fixes in on some issues--oh and Foundry?
Anyway, overall I have been waiting a LONG time to see what Cryptic was planning for a Skill revamp, so part of me is excited about it.
It also kind of marks the end of an era in a way, because the last major Skill overhaul was the starting point for a series of big changes that have been discussed between players and the Devs for years now. A third Faction, Crafting, DOFFs, Starbases/ Holdings, Reputations, BOFF abilities, Admiralty, and now, finally we return to Skills.
The only two things really missing from the long haul to do list are; First Officer and Bridge Officer appointments (Which was mostly scrapped in favor of DOFFs, Specializations, and the Admiralty systems), and Ship customization which itself was replaced with Upgrade-able Ships, (via T-6 Ship Traits that can be slotted once earned), and to some degree the vast array of consoles and Space Sets now available.
Over the years STO has continued to change, and each time it has, someone, somewhere, has lost something they loved about the game. However, and again thinking long-term here, *IF* Cryptic takes the opportunity (or has taken I should say), to truly do a balance pass to every skill in the game (and all of the abilities they affect), we could see smoother and less "Cryptic" interactions between Skills, BOFF abilities, and Equipment... But it will almost certainly feel different and take time to adjust to.
Okay, thus ends my wall of text on the matter except to say; since it's going to change whether I like it or not, I may as well look forward to playing with it and seeing what it's all about--and that's what I have been doing since day one in this game and I'm still playing it. I have always been a casual player as they say, and min/ maxing has never been a thing for me, so that may make it easier to be philosophical about such majors changes.
maj!
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So much for Photo Bucket.
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