One of the hokiest things left over from when the game launched (or rather, just shortly after open beta started) is the scanning feature in STO.
I like the wavelength minigame, but the flashlight graphic both in space and on the ground is pretty lame. Sorry if that's harsh, just no other way for me to express how I feel about it.
On the ground, I'd really like to see a popup window we could resize and have open all the time, kinda like setting your tricorder to active scanning. It could even perhaps include the mini map from the top, and we could renegotiate that UI realestate for other things. OR even cooler might be having one of your Boffs actively scan, kind of like how we assign unofficial healing roles to our sci boffs...
In space, it'd be cool if when we scan, the ship somehow interacts more directly w/ whatever it is we're scanning. The sound for the scanning feature could also be revisited, and maybe include voice overs from the computer or maybe even the BOff voice system, whenever that gets re-established...
AND for my last suggestion...
What if we could initiate level scans, which would increase the difficulty of the mini game (shortening the time, etc.) but yield better loot? So scanning at say level 5 might yield a better particle, but you'd have an even more finite amount of time to solve the wave algorithm. Failure might mean receiving nothing too.
I would add that the search beam of the scan feature is very difficult to see in certain environments, at least on my video chipset.
I think a more suble effect would be to have the scan actually turn your character in the direction of the scan target. This might involve rooting your character during the scan, which could be problematical.
You could also paint a temporary line on the minimap.
I'm all for variable degree of difficulty in the scanning minigame.
How about the ability to determine what we are scanning for? The most frustrating part of the game is trying to locate the next mission point, only to have the scan default to the nearest anomaly...you could have a dropdown menu when you click on the scan button with options for mission waypoints, anomalies, supplies etc...
Comments
I think a more suble effect would be to have the scan actually turn your character in the direction of the scan target. This might involve rooting your character during the scan, which could be problematical.
You could also paint a temporary line on the minimap.
I'm all for variable degree of difficulty in the scanning minigame.