test content
What is the Arc Client?
Install Arc

Massively Visits Cryptic (Pt. 5)

SystemSystem Member, NoReporting Posts: 178,019 Arc User
edited April 2012 in Galactic News Network [PC]
Massively's STO Columnist Terilynn Shull recently visited Cryptic Studios to talk to the team. In this week's Captain's Log entry, she writes about her interview with Lead Writer Christine Thompson.


Link to the column.
Post edited by Unknown User on
«1

Comments

  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2012
    I'm curious; is the Captain's Log column going to catch up on all the news and community reactions(such as the new lock box) that have transpired in the time between the beginning of these "field trip" articles and whenever they finally end?
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2012
    Nice read, though I concur with Nagus.

    Frankly, I think the whole "Front" system should be abolished and the missions all lumped into one storyline that goes in chronological order.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2012
    Nice read, though I concur with Nagus.

    Frankly, I think the whole "Front" system should be abolished and the missions all lumped into one storyline that goes in chronological order.
    A better system would be to have all the Fronts listed in column format, with the rows being a range that encompasses, say, 50 stardates. The Fronts would list the missions where they chronologically are, that way you can see where parallel missions take place, etc.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2012
    Not to mention a lil over 2 years and still in the same year in the time line... time must not really fly by like they say...
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2012
    That was a real painful read. Its so disconcerting to see how much Cryptic constantly ties its own shoe laces together before starting a marathon. (Like not prioritizing species dialogue toggles from day one so your writer could craft a better story. Practically a copy/paste of the Rank lookup.)

    I hope things improve in the future, but with such a small team and resources, its back to tying those shoe laces.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2012
    Christine, you have my respect for bouncing back from that conversation. I just can't imagine getting that email from CBS, "We have to talk."
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2012
    So we have JJ to thank for pretty much killing the main story behind STO...lol great. Another reason to not like him / his work.

    In regard to SWTOR, she's particularly interested in how BioWare dealt with the story. She admits freely that SWTOR was able to do many things that she wishes Cryptic had been able to do in STO, but she was also quick to say there were also other things about the game she would have done differently.

    Yeah, b/c BW had a working Story. And yes many things BW has done will be things that STO will never accoomplish.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2012
    We need more Diversity in STO for the Romulan Arc. Viable Factions that are strong and well done keep MMOs open.

    This was not a rushed Nemesis Movie Tie in with a Solo Campaign ;with On line multi-player co-op and pvp Dynaverse play.

    Starfleet Command changed DEV TM and was put into the Armada engine eliminated hundreds of avid Star Fleet Command and Star Fleet Battles Factions fans to the few shown in the Movie
    it almost Killed Trek Gaming . My long time fleet of avid gamers and their kids didn't want just to Be Fed Borg or Rom or an abridged Klingon on a revisionist Star Map. They wanted more not less and voted with their feet and pocket books. Then Legacy came out with serious Voice acting Budgets.. and DC Fontana.
    But absolutely no Star Empire Conquest system or real galaxy map or Canon Founders of Federation Maps
    containing more player control and interaction options for player toons of those Factions. As you have ideally a healthy reason beyond RP to invest in a certain Species .. Here's its very generic Empire Boarder Lands and Few Core Species Specific Story reactions from NPCs.. The Engine Limits C.T. to Vulcan Contacts acting like our Vulcan is Some Ouslander Tribble.. or our Gorn in the 2048 Dominion Start as some unaffiliated Corporal instead of a Peer of the Realm..

    Sounds Colours great Story Arc every Generations Captain had a common mystery and goal..

    STO launched with a good first two seasons of Episodic play on the Fed Side but only one writer and limitations on story arcs Caused by continuity issues perpetuated by writers in a series making simple mistakes in filler eps. STO should have been able to look at TOS a present day star map and place Wolf 359 and Sherman's planet K-7 in better relation to the constellations.
    Staffing issues aside if you have planets provided with some nice integrity to Core Trek Values its now time to use them.

    This wasn't supposed to be an ALt Trek MMO it was supposed to be in the Prime Universe.. Hobus event wasn't the Indonesian Tsunami here.. Romulus Remus Should still be here and the Gorn Home World should be on the Star MAp.. Like Ferengor and Betazoid.. Those weren't Paramount Lic IP only either.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2012
    ^ What SenshiBat said.

    ..which shows how serious this is... ;)
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2012
    nynik wrote:
    That was a real painful read. Its so disconcerting to see how much Cryptic constantly ties its own shoe laces together before starting a marathon. (Like not prioritizing species dialogue toggles from day one so your writer could craft a better story. Practically a copy/paste of the Rank lookup.)

    I hope things improve in the future, but with such a small team and resources, its back to tying those shoe laces.

    Believe me when I say they wont, if they haven't by now, they never will.... :(
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2012
    SenshiBat wrote: »
    This wasn't supposed to be an ALt Trek MMO it was supposed to be in the Prime Universe.. Hobus event wasn't the Indonesian Tsunami here.. Romulus Remus Should still be here

    Why? They got destroyed in the prime universe, not the Abramsverse.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2012
    I'm curious; is the Captain's Log column going to catch up on all the news and community reactions(such as the new lock box) that have transpired in the time between the beginning of these "field trip" articles and whenever they finally end?

    As the column said, next week is my last interview segment, TGN. After that I will be picking back up with other issues.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2012
    She answered that Foundry authors actually have quite a bit of freedom that she doesn't. They're not limited to writing missions that could be used by both factions...

    Is every mission from here on out going to be faction-neutral? That... is terrible. There has to be faction-specific missions! Heck, there should be species specific missions for the KDF! It's clear that Kestrel wants to write a lot more than she's allowed to... I say let her write what she wants, and design missions for the story, instead of limiting the story because it's supposed to be played by everyone.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2012
    As she told me, "We've just gotten the ability to have species-specific dialogues, and it's just sort of an editor trick at this point. While I would love to see this added to the Foundry, I have no idea whether or not that could happen. I would also like to have the ability for gender-specific dialogue in the Foundry. I don't even have that! You don't know how much it was killing me to write for Scotty and not have him able to use the words lad or lassie!"


    Okay, we have at least one Cryptic employee who wants species-specific and gender-specific dialogue.

    Dan Stahl! Put it in! We all want it! It's worth having! At (nearly) any cost!

    We really, really want it in the Foundry, too.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2012
    TerilynnS wrote: »
    As the column said, next week is my last interview segment, TGN. After that I will be picking back up with other issues.

    Just for clarification, when you say "picking up" do you mean with whatever is current then, or catching up on issues that have already happened like the temporary events people have missed and the latest lock box and new currency?
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2012
    Just for clarification, when you say "picking up" do you mean with whatever is current then, or catching up on issues that have already happened like the temporary events people have missed and the latest lock box and new currency?

    :confused: Why would she need to touch on lock boxes or temporary events 2 weeks from now? The lock boxes are not news, she's also made her opinion of them widely public in more than one occasion and place. The temporary events have also been discussed by several people (including her) in more than 1 show by now. I'm unsure what new perspective or insight she could bring to these topics, especially 2 weeks from now. Personally I would like to read on current events when she completes her "Cryptic visit" series.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2012
    Wilv wrote: »
    :confused: Why would she need to touch on lock boxes or temporary events 2 weeks from now? The lock boxes are not news, she's also made her opinion of them widely public in more than one occasion and place. The temporary events have also been discussed by several people (including her) in more than 1 show by now. I'm unsure what new perspective or insight she could bring to these topics, especially 2 weeks from now. Personally I would like to read on current events when she completes her "Cryptic visit" series.

    To put it rather simply, I think that reaching a larger audience such as those that read Massively can shine more light on the issues than they would otherwise get by simply containing them on STO fan sites.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2012
    You know what TGN? I'm simply not sure. Seeing as though that's two weeks from now and we will be in May and several things are supposed to be happening by then. I'll determine what to write about when I get there.

    :)
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2012
    So if Cryptic want to bury bad publicity on the only general MMO site that regularly covers STO; they just have to invite that site's correspondent to HQ a few weeks before.

    Gotcha.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2012
    So if Cryptic want to bury bad publicity on the only site that regularly covers STO; they just have to invite that site's correspondant to HQ a few weeks before.

    Gotcha.
    I'd hardly think that a few constant malcontents on community forums rarely seen by the public would qualify as "bad publicity." :rolleyes:
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2012
    Obsidius wrote: »
    I'd hardly think that a few constant malcontents on community forums rarely seen by the public would qualify as "bad publicity." :rolleyes:

    How about the complaints Chris voiced about the new shuttle event on the last STOKed?

    http://youtu.be/y_n-XyAGUDU#t=03m30s

    Its like I said in my last post: reaching a larger audience such as those that read Massively can shine more light on the issues than they would otherwise get by simply containing them on STO fan sites.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2012
    How about the complaints Chris voiced about the new shuttle event on the last STOKed?

    http://youtu.be/y_n-XyAGUDU#t=03m30s

    Its like I said in my last post: reaching a larger audience such as those that read Massively can shine more light on the issues than they would otherwise get by simply containing them on STO fan sites.

    Correct me if I'm wrong, Nagus... but I don't think she's written anything critical of Cryptic. I wouldn't expect her to start now.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2012
    Sprint01 wrote:
    Correct me if I'm wrong, Nagus... but I don't think she's written anything critical of Cryptic. I wouldn't expect her to start now.

    http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/07/captains-log-will-two-cloud-bursts-cure-a-drought/
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2012
    I stand corrected. There was.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2012
    How about the complaints Chris voiced about the new shuttle event on the last STOKed?

    http://youtu.be/y_n-XyAGUDU#t=03m30s

    Its like I said in my last post: reaching a larger audience such as those that read Massively can shine more light on the issues than they would otherwise get by simply containing them on STO fan sites.
    STOked is a fan webcast. I can't say with any certainty, but I'm not sure how many players actually watch or listen to it, beyond people who pop into the forums. Again, limited audience, and to be honest, one fan on a mic. Almost certainly not as massive as Massively. Not that Chris' show is bad; on the contrary, it's a good podcast.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2012
    So if Cryptic want to bury bad publicity on the only general MMO site that regularly covers STO; they just have to invite that site's correspondent to HQ a few weeks before.

    Gotcha.

    Wow. Whatev.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2012
    TerilynnS wrote: »
    Wow. Whatev.

    Are you not also associated with UGC and the G&T show?
    If so, I enjoyed your comment on opening the ferengi lockboxes.
    Refering to the fact that certain words could not come out of your mouth fast enough.
    If not, my apoligies.
    Iether way I enjoy the massively articles.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2012
    So if Cryptic want to bury bad publicity on the only general MMO site that regularly covers STO; they just have to invite that site's correspondent to HQ a few weeks before.

    Gotcha.
    TerilynnS wrote: »
    Wow. Whatev.

    Yeap, they still can play rough in these parts of the forum! ;D

    Even so, at least the look of the forums have changed since I was last here. :)
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2012
    Roach wrote: »
    Are you not also associated with UGC and the G&T show?
    If so, I enjoyed your comment on opening the ferengi lockboxes.
    Refering to the fact that certain words could not come out of your mouth fast enough.
    If not, my apoligies.
    Iether way I enjoy the massively articles.

    I am. :) Thank you.

    I've never hidden my POV when it comes to this game, especially when it comes to the lockboxes and lately, my greater fury over restrictive scheduled play.

    I think it's funny that some people who don't know me assume I would risk my personal integrity over a video game. To those people I can only say that I wouldn't and hope they would believe me, but in the end it doesn't matter what they think of me. It's obvious they hold little knowledge of the facts and if they did, they wouldn't make such assumptions to begin with. I think their assumptions say more about them than they do me.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2012
    TerilynnS wrote: »
    I am. :) Thank you.

    I've never hidden my POV when it comes to this game, especially when it comes to the lockboxes and lately, my greater fury over restrictive scheduled play.

    I think it's funny that some people who don't know me assume I would risk my personal integrity over a video game. To those people I can only say that I wouldn't and hope they would believe me, but in the end it doesn't matter what they think of me. It's obvious they hold little knowledge of the facts and if they did, they wouldn't make such assumptions to begin with. I think their assumptions say more about them than they do me.

    I know you wouldnt, which is why I am looking forward to seeing these recent issues brought to a larger audience on Massively after your "visit" series' is over, rather than simply confined to the fan sites. Maybe you could do a "summary" of the news that has transpired since the time the "visit" articles started until you write the next article :)
Sign In or Register to comment.