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[PODCAST] [INTERVIEW] Tribbles in Ecstasy Take Take 233: "Banter with Bort"

midniteshadow7midniteshadow7 Member Posts: 787 Arc User
Tribbles in Ecstasy Take 233: "Banter with Bort" has warped on to Holosuite Media, you can download and stream it from:
Tribbles233.png


This week we are joined by Jeremy "Borticus" Randall, Staff Systems Designer from Cryptic Studios where we ask questions from the community and talk about some of the latest updates in Star Trek Online.

After we chat the Borticus the crew discuss this week's news from Star Trek Online (1:26:39), Star Trek Timelines (1:49:59), Conventions (2:03:54), Fan Productions (2:27:59), Listener Feedback (2:30:00) and more!


Our community question this week is:
What conventions have you or will you be attending and what are you looking forward to?

LLAP

Comments

  • borticuscrypticborticuscryptic Member Posts: 2,478 Cryptic Developer
    Thanks again for having me on to ramble, and ramble, and ramble, and ramble, and ramble...
    Jeremy Randall
    Cryptic - Lead Systems Designer
    "Play smart!"
  • mustrumridcully0mustrumridcully0 Member Posts: 12,963 Arc User
    Thanks again for having me on to ramble, and ramble, and ramble, and ramble, and ramble...
    You answered my question about the UI backend changes exactly the same I hoped for. I don't need the UI itself, but if the backend changes improve performance, that's what we want in STO.
    Star Trek Online Advancement: You start with lowbie gear, you end with Lobi gear.
  • gerwalk0769gerwalk0769 Member Posts: 1,095 Arc User
    Thanks again for having me on to ramble, and ramble, and ramble, and ramble, and ramble...

    And sing. Thanks for sharing on the show. What did you mean by "prove food and drink"?
    Joined STO in September 2010.
  • borticuscrypticborticuscryptic Member Posts: 2,478 Cryptic Developer
    What did you mean by "prove food and drink"?

    IMprove. As in, make them more meaningful and/or fun.

    Jeremy Randall
    Cryptic - Lead Systems Designer
    "Play smart!"
  • markhawkmanmarkhawkman Member Posts: 35,231 Arc User
    the holiday foods are a good step. :)
    -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
    My character Tsin'xing
    Costume_marhawkman_Tsin%27xing_CC_Comic_Page_Blue_488916968.jpg
  • gerwalk0769gerwalk0769 Member Posts: 1,095 Arc User
    edited September 2016
    What did you mean by "prove food and drink"?

    IMprove. As in, make them more meaningful and/or fun.

    I see. Thanks. Perhaps start simple; some fruits provide a bonus energy or attack/defense/dodge to simulate the prolonged sugar rush (energy) you get-E.G. eating orange slices while playing soccer. Veggies could provide a bonus to base energy (overall fullness or well being ((simulated in any number of ways: perhaps you could doff more, get an admiralty bonus, develop especially effective attack plans with a fully fueled brain, have ingenious scientific/tactical/engineering breakthroughs or inspirations combat or noncombat)) and/or specific bonuses (sight/perception/prolonged running/improved sprinting/etc.) over time. Eating veggies can give stable energy you can call on for exercise or learning (perhaps improves crafting). In short "Eat your Veggies".

    A full meal (either a complete meal or parts of a meal-fruits,veggies, proteins from number of sources, could promote general well-being and fullness resulting in general bonuses (bonuses outlined above, physical and psychic defenses, etc.) for a certain period of time.) Some people need to eat three meals a day, some less, others more or snack-doing more with limited food energy could be a bonus trait i.e. you eat less. Or not eating could give one an advantage-some people use hunger to sharpen their ferocity, focus, edge, drive, ruthlessness. Humanity is on a spectrum and there are many different types of people who react physiologically different. Maybe you jump higher, run faster, think and focus quicker, and fight harder on a full stomach, maybe you do not. I see many different traits that can develop, from optimal performance on a full stomach or any gradation of operated efficiently on eating less (benefits over time would be extended if you could operate efficiently/optimally on say one meal a day).

    Caffeine has its uses.

    Water has it's benefits, especially when someone is exercising or to help them recover after exercising or help you prepare for it and other strenuous activities. Or just to keep the body running-it could boost general well being.

    Sugary desserts could provide sugar rushes.

    I'm guessing that on principle STO wants to reward players for eating, not punish them for not eating so there will be little to no negative consequences. People eat so that they can live and think. I can see food in STO providing people with benefits over time (BoT). Eating a full meal or series of foods provides + number of benefits over time, so my toon could eat when I first log in, the meal would sustain me for x time period after which I eat another meal. After another x period of time I eat another meal or snack (maybe I just graze while I'm logged in). If I had a new "eating" racial or character trait then maybe a food benefit over time is lengthened by x amount meaning I could eat less over a certain duration. Maybe a different efficiency trait gives additional bonuses over time to any bonuses I receive after eating items or full meals. That would make traits more interesting to me, and build choice.

    Eating would not be mandatory, like in the current system, but it just benefits me to eat and perhaps drink. This is not much different from what can be done currently except that the BoT could be lengthen and applied in non-combat situations.

    Taking this steps further (to theorycraft) enemy attacks (sonic/psionic/chemical/etc.) could induce simple benefits over time penalties (sickness, confusion (heat stroke), thirst-humidity, indigestion, sluggishness (low energy state), etc.) that could be counteracted by eating (power-bars, water, electrolytes). Ok, so this is a step too far, but you might see where I'm coming from.
    Post edited by gerwalk0769 on
    Joined STO in September 2010.
  • tousseautousseau Member Posts: 1,484 Arc User
    edited September 2016
    Just listened to the show...

    Yes, my name was pronounced correctly... :p
    Good listen,,, ty
  • chozoelder2ndchozoelder2nd Member Posts: 440 Arc User
    edited September 2016
    1.) I've never been to any convention and don't plan on attending any in the near future.


    Feedback


    On the Cardassian-Dominion Lockbox.

    I wouldn't worry about it. I may have worried if it was one single ship available through the C-store or some other easy means of acquiring a ship, but we're talking about a lockbox with two grand prize ships and a lobi ship. (We all know how successful those are.) I don't think they would make any lockbox exclusive. There's just too much profit there to not have. In addition, it was confirmed that the new T6 Jem'Hadar consoles and the previous Jem'Hadar consoles are part of the same set bonus.

    From
    arcgames.com/en/games/xbox/star-trek-online/news/detail/10142442-cardassian-dominion-lockbox-stats
    Dominion Set

    This three piece set includes the consoles from the Jem’Hadar Dreadnought Carrier (both T5 and T6), Jem’Hadar Heavy Escort Carrier (both T5 and T6) and the Jem’Hadar Recon/Strike Ship [T6].
    I know that this isn't necessarily definitive proof that it's coming, but it's a pretty good clue that it will. I don't think they'd pass up the demand for it after making the assets. Like I said, I wouldn't worry about it. It's just a matter of 'when'.



    On the Eucl3D models.

    I've always wanted models of STO ships. There are quite a lot of STO exclusive ships that I would want merchandise of.

    Regent, Concorde, Guardian, Avenger, Ning'tao, Mogh, Bortasqu', Qib, Aelahl, Deihu, D'Khellra, Khaiell, Khnial (Tal Shiar Adapted Battlecruiser)

    The list goes on, but I'll stop. Just marking out is all. There are so many ships in this game that are eye candy for me.

    Then someone pointed out the website's prices of their other models. They are exorbitantly expensive, even for the smallest size. Thirty dollars for 3 or 4” is really pushing it, and that's assuming if they're even offering to sell them at those sizes.

    That being said, something stated in the blog was very interesting.
    Captains will be able to print any ship they own with all of the customization options, material variants, shield material variants, color variants, and of course their personal ship name and registry.
    Like Timber Wolf said, they are offering 100% complete customization. They were willing to go the extra two dozen miles. This kind of deal is hard to pass up, and I'm sure they opened the doors to at least a few customers just from this move alone.

    I personally can't justify a purchase based on the other prices when you consider their corresponding sizes. It's there for the people who are willing, but I don't see these selling like hotcakes to everyone. It's still fair I guess. When I saw an amiibo of Little Mac got announced, I freaked out and said to myself, "I HAVE to get this. Where else am I gonna get Punch-Out!! merchandise?" It depends on how much a person wants it.



    On the 50th anniversary.

    I know that AoY was the main celebration of the 50th and that there's been plenty of other stuff celebrating it as well. I wasn't expecting anything big or any C-store giveaways, but I was expecting at least something on the actual birthday. At least a blog that would be enjoyable to read or perhaps giving a title akin to the 25th anniversary of TNG. It was a tad bit disappointing to see nothing at all show up. They're just really busy with the console launch I suppose, but it's fine.

    Then again, if it was a blog or a title then it's likely that some people would still be upset. It's sort of a lose-lose situation.

    Edit: Never mind. They were a tiny bit late is all and I happened to post this just a few minutes before it went live. Thanks again, Cryptic!
    Post edited by chozoelder2nd on
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  • vengefuldjinnvengefuldjinn Member Posts: 1,520 Arc User
    Always liked Borticus from his podcast days on Stoked.

    Any podcast he's on is always a good listen.
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  • alex1geralex1ger Member Posts: 141 Arc User
    edited September 2016
    Let's get this over with...



    Community questions:

    I have not attended any Star Trek convention nor do I plan to in the foreseeable future. Maybe one day I can fit something into my budget (well, both budgets... the time budget and the money budget :p ), but it's not really possible right now.

    What did I expect for the 50th anniversary? Well, I'm still waiting for the annual "end of summer" giveaway, but those tended to be closer to the end of the Risa event, so I guess they're gonna skip it this year. *shrug*

    I guess we got this 24 hour TOS bundle giveaway instead. Hey, Cryptic, turning it into a 50 hour giveaway might have been a nice little twist. And why did they do it at 2 pm pacific time? Does someone know when the first episode aired? I mean at what time...
    Anyway, I'm used to the 10 - 11 am window, but I guess they are too busy counting all the monies they got because of the expansion and the Kelvin (and infinity) lockbox and the R&D pack promo and the console launch... And now that I said it, can anyone remember this kind of rapid-fire money making attempts by Cryptic? But hey, they probably needed the money to pay for the T6 nagus battlecruiser and the Wrath of Khan dilithium uniforms, right?
    It'll be REALLY interesting to see what they spend all those dollars and euros and other currencies on.



    Feedback:



    Well, that was a great interview. It's always nice to have a dev who explains why something might or might not be happening and who seems to really like his job and Star Trek. It makes all those questionable decisions all the more heartbreaking.
    And when he talked about how great customizable ship interiors would/could be, if they ever found a way/reason to make them happen. Yes, please. Me wants!
    It reminds me of when DanStahl talked about being able to use the foundry or some foundry-like tool to customize our ship interiors years ago. I think it was DanStahl because he liked to share his visions. *sighs* That's why we can't have nice things.
    But I digress, later on we heard that customizable ship interiors might mess up missions that take place on our ships. Remind me, how many of those do we even have in-game?

    And when Borticus talked about how it would fit the vision of Trek better than some random attempt at making housing happen... Well, you could argue that Sisko had a house on Bajor and most people on those ships/stations had a place they'd consider "home" that was not their quarters, but I agree that the ship interior should be the first choice for "housing", because that's what the shows focused on.



    By the way... since we're talking about "the vision of Trek", what does that mean to you, tribbles?
    I mean, some people have cried for an endgame Connie and now they got... the temporal ships and THEN the Konnie and THEN the Connie.
    Since Cryptic/Perfect World (and CBS) decided to cross ALL the lines, people have also been asking to be able to wear risian swimwear outside of Risa, so when is that gonna happen? And when do we get the borg lockbox with the T6 (or T6.5?) borg cube? You know there's money inside that borg lockbox.
    And since I haven't tried it, I think I read somewhere that the Enterprise, Defiant and Voyager registry numbers are supposedly blocked. Can you imagine how much money some people might be willing to pay to get access to those?
    What? My "vision of Trek"? Good question. I guess if someone had believed in the 2409 setting and immersion and telling good stories and just shot down all the Connie (and Excelsior) requests right away or offered true 2409 versions instead. Maybe offer an RP shard like a lot of mmoRPGs do. There was so much potential in this game... *sighs* Happy 50th anniversary, Star Trek?



    Btw. Blizzard just published or is about to publish the World of Warcraft companion app. I still haven't bought the recent expansion, Legion, but if the class order stuff is anything like the garrisons in Warlords of Draenor (the previous expansion), you could compare it to the DOff/admiralty systems. Maybe Cybyl could correct me if I'm wrong?
    So... other, more successful, (if I might add that) companies actually produce apps for these "mini-games", but Perfect World can't be bothered to put the DOff (and admiralty) stuff into the already existing gateway. *golf clap*
    Hey, Perfect World, any news on a dev tracker for these supposedly great new forums?



    Edit:
    RP blog "Of Hawks and Doves":

    Remember how I usually like these blogs until they mention something unbelievably stupid? I thoroughly enjoyed this blog. Not a single mention of the whole temporal disaster and yes, the blog still tries to sell me on the idea that that skirmish with the Iconians was supposed to be a war... *shrug* But the rest? I enjoyed it.
    It's actually funny how Nog is happy about doing science and exploration again. That probably won't happen, because we were told the exact same thing about season 11.5 "New Dawn", but just looking at the blog and ignoring any future implications? Great blog.
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