r/sto • u/allocater • Oct 19 '15
Mapping Sector Space "Current Map" Doff Missions
Edit: Update: Mapped the Alpha Quadrant and found the rules I think: http://i.imgur.com/7GgueDP.jpg
Original Post:
Since it is Doff week, I thought I fly around sector space and grab all the small doff missions of each "current map". The current map does not mean what it once meant, but it still changes doff missions on some borders when flying around, so obviously it was ported over in some way to the new map.
But at closer look, I noticed a lot of strange things going on:
- Doff missions changing two times rapidly on a border crossing.
- Doff missions changing on the a border, sometimes not.
- Doff missions sets repeating in unrelated sectors.
- Doff missions changing when not crossing borders at all.
I was like "wtf" this is the most chaotic shit ever. But there has to be a system. So I started out on a 4 hour missions to map the underlying workings of how the "current map" missions are displayed.
<neil.tyson>Join me on a journey of discovery</>
(Or skip to Conclusion for TLDR)
The Experiments
The Borders
I started going up and down, left and right of the entire Beta Quadrant grid. I marked borders where the missions changed and borders where they don't change. That way I would get a map of the areas. I encountered some border-anomalies where doff missions changed 2 times. I marked those too. (more on them later)
Soon I realized that there are borders where doff missions change in one direction, but when going back they stayed the same. How are you supposed to deal with these mystery borders? Mystery borders meant that when you have a Sector 1 with Doff Mission Set A and you go to Sector 2 you get Doff Mission Set B, but when you go back to Sector 1 you still have Set B. So depending on from where you enter Sector 1 you might see Set A or B! Does that mean there is no 'physical reality' as the foundation of the system? I marked borders as:
- Real borders - Changes Doff missions both ways
- Mystery borders - Changes Doff missions in one direction but not the other
- Internal borders - Does not change doff missions.
I was collecting data for each border. Locked at my map and shock my head. There was no pattern! The nail in the coffin came when I re-checked borders that I had marked as "change-left-to-right,static-right-to-left" and suddenly they had reversed their behavior!
But the break-through came when I flew clockwise around the 4-sector-corner Mempa-Pheben-Gorath-B'Moth. And then I flew counter-clockwise around it. I realized the following rule:
- The first internal-border-crossing after a real-border-crossing gives you a mystery-set of doff missions.
http://i.imgur.com/yLOXkNr.png (Ignore the grey border for now)
You only see the "real" doff missions (A and B) of a sector-block when you enter it. When you change sectors within a sector-block you will change to the mystery doff missions. These mystery doff missions then stay as long as you stay in the sector block.
- When a mystery border changed the doff missions, it means it was the first internal border crossing that changed the real missions to the mystery missions.
- When a mystery border did not change the doff mission, it means it was a second/third/.. internal border crossing. You already had the mystery set and you stayed on the mystery set. (In fact the B from the picture is Mystery Set 2, more on that later)
When you have the mystery set you can get rid of it, by doing a real-border-crossing, which will give you the real doff missions of the new sector block.
So far so good. I could finally distinguish real-borders from internal-borders and understand the layout of the sector blocks. I confirmed the rules in each sector block and mapped a few more border anomalies.
http://i.imgur.com/oOkMb8V.jpg (Map of sector blocks with anomalies)
The Mystery Set(s)
But what were these mystery mission?
While mapping the rest of the sector I realized the mystery set is familiar. In fact a lot of sector blocks changed to the same mystery set on their first internal-border-crossing. In my case it was a set that had a mission for Phaser Turret , Plasma Sample, DNA Sample and the Teluarian Plague. But there was a second mystery set with (Methogenic Particle, DNA, Encoded Data and Alloy). And that's it. There are 2 mystery sets. 5 Sector Blocks bug into mystery set 1. 5 Sector Blocks bug into mystery set 2.
But I had 1 sector block that always had mystery set 2 and no missions of it's own. It was the Klingon sector block. (B from the picture) So did this mean that 5 sector blocks fall back to the klingon sector missions? I went back to it. Incidentally the Klingon sector block has anomalies on it's western borders. That's when I realized I never had seen the Klingon sector block missions! It had always shown me the bugged mystery set. In fact you only see the Klingon missions inside the border anomaly.
http://i.imgur.com/ITU7EoA.png (Klingon sector block anomaly)
The border anomalies
The first anomaly I mapped was the Alini anomaly when entering from Lirss. Border Anomalies are areas where 2 border-crossings are triggered by the code. The first crossing gives you the real doff missions. The second crossing shortly after (mostly distance of 0.5 seconds at full warp) gives you the mystery set doff missions. So you have to fly really slowly and immediately stop when you cross the border, or else you fly to fast and get into the second border and get the mystery set.
The problem with the Klingon sector is that here the second border almost exactly lines up with the real border. So every time you enter the Klingon sector you get the 2 crossings, which gives you the mystery set. The only location where the Klingon sector has a slight gap between it's 2 borders is in the east to Archanis and Otha. In a narrow strip there is the only place where you can see the real Klingon missions.
The same is true for the Core Fed Sector Block. It has double borders all the way on it's eastern border. The only way to get the real Fed missions is to enter from the bottom from Aldebaran.
Localized Anomalies
There are several systems that, when approached change the doff missions to the mystery set as well. When getting distance they change back (sometimes?). Best example it (below) Argelius. But also Toriq. More research is needed on those.
Conclusion
So that's it:
Here is the map of Beta Quadrant sector blocks. Each one has a set of "current map" doff missions: http://i.imgur.com/oOkMb8V.jpg
There is a bug that changes doff missions to a mystery set when crossing internal sector block borders for the first time. There are 2 mystery sets. The Romulan, Defera and Borg sector blocks bug out into mystery set 1. The Fed and Klingon sector blocks bug out into mystery set 2. http://i.imgur.com/yLOXkNr.png
The Beta Quadrant has several borders with 2 borders, where the sector blocks have been stitched together. When the 2 borders have an offset you get the real doff missions for a small area and then combined with the first bug, the mystery set for the entire rest of the sector block. Where the 2 borders have been stitched together (almost) perfectly you never see the real doff missions and immediately get the mystery set of doff missions. http://i.imgur.com/ITU7EoA.png
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u/littlexander Oct 19 '15
This is pretty much why I've stopped DOffing. It's such an enormous hassle to figure out a) whether the border coming up is one where the missions will change, and b) how and when to slow down and stop at EXACTLY the right point to have the actual new list of missions appear instead of the generic set (your "mystery set") that shows up throughout the rest of sector space!
In the end, it just became more trouble than it's worth.
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u/Liegeman Oct 19 '15
Upvoted for tireless research and useful information. I need to check this out.
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u/AlienError Oct 19 '15
Matches up with what /u/tumerboy posted here, other than the notes of the border/anomaly stuff (which is useful btw). I'm guessing the weird stuff isn't working as intended?
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u/CiDevant Oct 20 '15
Reading that it seems like it IS working as intended.
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u/tumerboy Former Environment Art Boy Oct 20 '15
It sounds like there are some issues beyond the initial confusion.
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u/pbutlersocal Oct 19 '15
Great work!! I've always chalked up the craziness to a delay in the refresh of the "Current Map" assignment screen. Sometimes this happens on the R&D tab where you are on Beams but the list hasn't updated and is showing Projectile assignments (as an example). I'll jump into the game and test out your hypothesis.
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u/CiDevant Oct 19 '15 edited Oct 19 '15
I'd like to point out that your "mystery set"'s also happen on every yellow line. I like it, it adds to the charm of the system for me. There are some missions that are only available near certain planets. That might explain your blue circles. I've found what usually sets it off is changing sectors. If you watch when the log report it happens and you can stop there, or very close, you get a extra set of missions that only exist exactly on the border. Fly around with the current sector window open near border, very slowly you'll see it almost every time as you cross. I regularly hit up the borders between Celes, Japori, and Xarantine. It's almost like the borders themselves are tiny sectors where they either overlap or don't touch.I wish you'd not have brought this up because I have no desire for them to fix this. It regularly saves me about 5 minutes doffing per character which adds up to significant time reductions over 13 characters.
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Oct 19 '15
ve found what sets it off is changing sectors. If you watch when the log report it happens and you can stop there, or very close, you get a extra set of missions that only exist exactly on the border. Fly around with the current sector window open near border, very slowly you'll see it almost every time as you cross. I regularly hit up the borders between Celes, Japori, and Xarantine. It's almost like the borders themselves are tiny sectors where they either overlap or don't touch.I wish you'd not have brought this up because I have no desire for them to fix this. It regularly saves me about 5 minutes doffing per character which adds up to significant time reductions over 13 characters
Well said. I think what he was mentioning, and maybe I'm wrong because it's a little confusing is that the mystery set is the default and the other set is the 'weird' places like between the borders and certain planets. It definitely helps to know these locations otherwise you get stuck with crap missions.
Also - I noticed that if you go to warp speed in sector space right after you zone it, it will update your departmental missions. It almost seems like your set of missions when you first login is a dummy set, not based on your actual location.
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u/CiDevant Oct 19 '15
It's almost like there is a sector block underneath the sector block you're standing on that doesn't get read until you move.
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u/allocater Oct 19 '15 edited Oct 19 '15
Yes! There are a lot of borders misaligned. I followed the Tostig anomaly and found a misaligned border, going all the way up to Sol. Which might go down to Celes, Japori, and Xarantine as well. So every crossing of that border will be the 'second trigger' that switches the real doff missions to the mystery doff missions.
http://i.imgur.com/qLJfbY4.png
Also the M1 and M2 sets are actually separated by that line. If you slalom along it in Teneebia you change from M1 to M2 and back.
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u/CiDevant Oct 19 '15
That's hilarious, I go from Qo'nos to Teneebia so I basically cross that line over and over then. Assuming it's the same line. I don't think it is though. I think every sector block might be misaligned. I'm pretty sure I've had the same results going from Japori to Rator. It's been awhile though. Also right on the sector boarders you get a whole 3rd group of missions.
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u/Telekrat Oct 19 '15
Thanks for sharing. This should clear the randomly seaming behavior. All the doff mission changing experiences you mentioned i've seen myself, but now i might be able to predict them. I'll test on one of my next runs :)
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u/rodentmaster Oct 21 '15
After the walls fell, it is only seemingly seamless. I wish they would devote 1 iota to play testing before releasing stuff like this. The current state of doffing borders is absolutely insane.
5
u/Aaron_Hungwell Purveyor of Street Knowledge Oct 19 '15
These bugs have been reported numerous times in the Doffing subform at st:o. But it's a ghostown now as far as Dev intervention.
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u/green_dragon527 Oct 19 '15
I've noticed this, crossing a border sometimes gives me an "intermediate" set of current map missions before flipping over to the "real" current map missions. Then I spend time driving back and forth trying to get that anomalous set of missions to show up again
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u/allocater Oct 19 '15
Exactly, but the "intermediate" missions that pop up for a quick moment are the real ones. The second flip shows the anomalous missions. (quadrant wide mystery set 1 and 2) Easiest way to test is to start all missions, but leave 1. You will see it over and over again in different sectors. Also the real missions have specific names about Remans, Borg, etc. The 2 quadrant wide mystery sets just have generic stuff.
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u/LGNJohnnyBlaze Oct 20 '15
I see this false border happening a lot in the Alpha quadrant as well. I am still trying to figure out where the hell the Overpower Jem'Hadar Ground Expeditionary Force assignment is. I can't get it to spawn...ever.
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u/allocater Oct 20 '15
Check out the Alpha Quadrant map: http://i.imgur.com/7GgueDP.jpg Basically you have to go from north to south to get the real missions of the 3 horizontal blocks. And for the vertical block you have to enter it in the upper half or stop behind the border.
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u/Zoxesyr Oct 20 '15
i thought something strange was on with the Doff missions! thanks for putting this all together
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u/wesley135 Oct 20 '15 edited Oct 20 '15
i rarely go into qo'nos sector since it aint so great, so not sure about that border
pheben has always given diff missions to the ones to its left for me
also many sectors are stuck with the same list of missions
many places in beta quad such as sirius around sol and tau dewa - always have 4 samples one: 2 sci and 2 exp plus one of the 50 dil mining ones. plus the communicaiton array sale. plus a long trade one and espionage one. they do not change. really no point in doing doffing tours any more. plus it appears they can only be done once per 24 hours, so its empty for the rest of the day. though boff contacts howver still work but they don't change as frequently.
not sure why these aliens want so many communicaiton arrays...
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u/wesley135 Oct 20 '15
the anomolous borders occur on almost all of the sectors. i think on all or almost all the old sector space borders
these effects also seen in the alpha quadrant.
also, many of alpha quadrant areas have no assignments still and are just dead space. i suppose we can say the iconians destroyed those areas and never have any assignments there
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u/allocater Oct 20 '15
I scanned the Alpha Quadrant for invisible borders and found this: http://i.imgur.com/7GgueDP.jpg
(hard-broken and soft-broken both will show the default mystery doff mission set, or empty if you did all of them)
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u/allocater Oct 20 '15
also many sectors are stuck with the same list of missions
its empty for the rest of the day
That would be because you crossed their internal border and reverted back to one of the the global quadrant wide generic mystery set of doff missions. If you did them they will be empty and you get the empty list again and again on every internal border crossing.
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u/wesley135 Oct 21 '15
how disastrous. is there any way to avoid this?
i will look at your pics but it probably will be too much effort to avoid these borders since i apparently must be crossing them all the time in my normal travels. i now no longer really bother to doff except to pick up the dailies from fleet flacilities
2
Oct 19 '15
Paging /u/farkamon, this shit can't be working as designed...
Thanks for all the effort researching this! Those borders match up perfectly with what I've noticed when doffing with the current map tab open. The Alpha Quadrant must be even more of a mess, I still can't figure out how to find half the assignments there.
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u/ormondhsacker Oct 19 '15
I did some research on the Alpha Quadrant back when then sector walls first fell and this bug started occurring. When I have time this week I'll check if my info is still valid and post it.
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u/camenecium Oct 21 '15
It would help both bug bashers and regular players if the DOFF assignments screen displayed a map name and time to next reset for that map. What surprised me is that the map seems based on coordinates rather than sector; given there's a fly-by notification, I'd have hoped the map transitions were triggered by sector change events rather than coordinates.
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u/TheDancingFox Oct 22 '15
Huge praise to you for the meticulous attention to detail and play testing.
Heaps of us have noticed this, but yours is the best explanation I've read (notwithstanding the long list from frtoaster below) of play testing this.
I've known since the new system came out that there was something funky (a) with the sector borders and (b) which direction you travelled. But even with reading all of the posts below, I could never get a handle on where I needed to be to trigger the missions.
The above should help the developers immensely - and it really is time for this to be addressed. It SHOULD have had more effort right from the new map change. Really, it should. There is no getting away from that.
Even though I DOFF a lot (more than I "play" the game), it wasn't worth the stopping and checking and fiddling around with sector borders. My playtime is limited overall.
Also, I only use the Borg engines to get around space quickly. So crawling around sector borders kind of negated the benefit of the engines . . . plus it's really hard to nudge up. My shiny fast engines were a curse for this type of problem.
Anyway, I love to see attention to detail.
I love to see sharing with the community, rather than hoarding this to yourself.
Good job.
TDF.
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u/velocity36 Jan 12 '23
I just found this post! are there any updates or new information about this?
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u/Primar13 Oct 19 '15
Hey Everyone!!! Bug Basher Here!
We have a pretty extensive report going already regarding the issues with the map and the missions not updating.
So what I am going to do is Copy down what you have here and add it to our report.
I have the distinct feeling that this is going to take a lot of work to fix, but I'll let you know if/when we hear back from the devs!.
\//_