A simple animated viewscreen would be nice, but quite frankly, I'm not terribly interested in Bridge Commander style gameplay / ship travel / transwarp from the ship interior - the current tactical view does those jobs good enough.
I'd simply like the ship interior map to be made heavily customisable, and used as FE/PvE/PvP maps, meeting places or even an adventure zone of sorts that people can invite each other to.
The company previous to Cryptic that was supposed to make STO was going to make the only way to travel in space was by controlling the ship and commanding it from the Bridge. However because they didn't share the codes, it was lost.
My undertstanding is that all PE had to show for their efforts were loads of concept artwork as well as UI and environment mockups. The few games they had developed never made it past beta, and there were issues in developing their propiertary game engine. So there really wasn't any code that could be sold to Cryptic by the time of PE's bankruptcy.
Laws of thermodynamics as applied to life: 0 - You must play the game. 1 - You can't win. 2 - You can't break even. 3 - You can't quit.
What I would like to see is have viewscreen be a sort of intractable "character" of sorts.
Where it changes based on where you are, you could interact with it during missions, and have branching dialog trees with just your bridge officers and the viewscreen. You could have entire missions like that!
Cryptic seems to forget that one of my favorite missions is actually "Cold Comfort". Not a single shot fired, not a single explosion, just you and a Breen that you need to find a heart in. There needs to be more of that!
And it's not like you don't need to fight. You could TRIBBLE up a negotiation, or intentionally provoke an enemy into a fight. There's so much that could be done! And since it would be confined to the bridge, it wouldn't be that hard to crank out a few really quickly.
The other problem with viewscreens is that, whatever you see in it has to also be reflected in the viewports and windows of any interior rooms near the edge of the hull. This is additional workload for the devs in return for a relatively non-functional gimmick.
I'd be fine if my viewscreen was permanently stuck on the Federation emblem as a wallpaper or something.
Laws of thermodynamics as applied to life: 0 - You must play the game. 1 - You can't win. 2 - You can't break even. 3 - You can't quit.
The other problem with viewscreens is that, whatever you see in it has to also be reflected in the viewports and windows of any interior rooms near the edge of the hull. This is additional workload for the devs in return for a relatively non-functional gimmick.
I'd be fine if my viewscreen was permanently stuck on the Federation emblem as a wallpaper or something.
Not really. As the viewscreen is a screen, it wouldn't have to be reflected by the viewports at all.
As the viewscreen is a screen, it wouldn't have to be reflected by the viewports at all.
For the most part, that is true.
However, let us consider an example. Assume an Intrepid-class in in orbit over Earth near ESD, where the viewscreen would show the big green-blue ball of rock and the giant space mushroom. What would be shown on the forward facing windows in the following rooms?:
- Conference Room on port side of bridge
- Ready Room on starboard side of bridge
- Deck 2 Officer's Mess
- Captain's Quarters on Deck 3
Perhaps have it so that only the forward facing viewports in any ship interior map see whatever's on the viewscreen, and all other windows can have generic starfields?
Laws of thermodynamics as applied to life: 0 - You must play the game. 1 - You can't win. 2 - You can't break even. 3 - You can't quit.
Perhaps have it so that only the forward facing viewports in any ship interior map see whatever's on the viewscreen, and all other windows can have generic starfields?
This is probably the case. As awesome as it would be, making that happen would be tricky. I wouldn't be bent up about it too much.
Updated the proposal in light of recent developments with the New Romulus / Omega Force Reputation Systems
It is suggested that interior rooms/decks/functionalities could be unlocked in a similar manner, along with opening the interiors up into Adventure Zones for other captains to visit and gather marks*/resources for their own projects.
*Starfleet Marks?
Laws of thermodynamics as applied to life: 0 - You must play the game. 1 - You can't win. 2 - You can't break even. 3 - You can't quit.
Updated the proposal in light of recent developments with the New Romulus / Omega Force Reputation Systems
It is suggested that interior rooms/decks/functionalities could be unlocked in a similar manner, along with opening the interiors up into Adventure Zones for other captains to visit and gather marks*/resources for their own projects.
*Starfleet Marks?
Ah, good, good. I think the question we need to ask ourselves now is: what kind of missions would take place on a starship?
Ah, good, good. I think the question we need to ask ourselves now is: what kind of missions would take place on a starship?
How about roleplay missions?
Meaning playing from the bridge and act as one of the crew for particular missions?
This is what I previously mentioned on this thread regarding how to make interiors functional. We effectively "act" as the crew, but the battles wouldn't be held in normal space as we do now, but instead its similar. Almost like playing Bridge Commander, without the tactical outside view.
All Cryptic has to do is make a default area for the ship plaque on the bridge set, have it clickable, and it enlarges to display your Ship name and Registery. Right?
I mentioned MSDs in another thread as well, when you load a ship, they would display your ship type.
All Cryptic has to do is make a default area for the ship plaque on the bridge set, have it clickable, and it enlarges to display your Ship name and Registery. Right?
I mentioned MSDs in another thread as well, when you load a ship, they would display your ship type.
Normally dedication plaques have a short message of some type as well, but yeah. I would like it so the plaque actually displays what you wrote, rather than a generic texture.
Normally dedication plaques have a short message of some type as well, but yeah. I would like it so the plaque actually displays what you wrote, rather than a generic texture.
Sure they could add the motto to your ship with your paperdoll. Maybe even the icon be selectable or maybe displaying your Fleets Logo.
I'd image interacting with the plaque object on the bridge would bring up a little window with something like this.
I also think it would be neat to be able to view other people's ship plaque whilst in sector space i.e. Click on other player's ship, select "View Dedication Plaque"
Laws of thermodynamics as applied to life: 0 - You must play the game. 1 - You can't win. 2 - You can't break even. 3 - You can't quit.
My personal feeling is that there should be little customization on layout. If you have an Intrepid, you get an Intrepid class layout. If you have a Defiant, you get a Defiant class layout.
Agreed. Unfortunately, what we are getting is (with the exception of the Belfast) a Starbase layout.
So I've given the viewscreen/viewport idea a little more thought.
According to Trek canon, viewscreens use the same technology as holodecks, and so the images viewed through them are more or less three dimensional.
My current idea, based on what is currently used at Earth Space Dock, would be to suspended the deck within a space map, with the backdrop based on the last space or ground location the player was in.
So I've given the viewscreen/viewport idea a little more thought.
According to Trek canon, viewscreens use the same technology as holodecks, and so the images viewed through them are more or less three dimensional.
My current idea, based on what is currently used at Earth Space Dock, would be to suspended the deck within a space map, with the backdrop based on the last space or ground location the player was in.
Interior maps are already in a "space map", or rather, a map with a regular starfield skybox. This can be seen in the /demorecord playback tool when moving the camera out of bounds from the normal playable area. I would suggest making the skybox change to match the last space map's skybox.
Interior maps are already in a "space map", or rather, a map with a regular starfield skybox. This can be seen in the /demorecord playback tool when moving the camera out of bounds from the normal playable area. I would suggest making the skybox change to match the last space map's skybox.
That's..... surprisingly simple.... why don't we do this already?
Not sure if this has been mentioned anywhere, but the thought occurred to me and this figured like a good thread to include it in.
The ability to toggle Red Alert from the bridge. A few alarm blasts, lighting change, flashing red - all things we've seen in a few different missions. Perhaps change the random crew NPCs to run in the corridors rather than walk.
More fluff than a necessity, but I think it would be pretty fun feature for interiors.
Not sure if this has been mentioned anywhere, but the thought occurred to me and this figured like a good thread to include it in.
The ability to toggle Red Alert from the bridge. A few alarm blasts, lighting change, flashing red - all things we've seen in a few different missions. Perhaps change the random crew NPCs to run in the corridors rather than walk.
More fluff than a necessity, but I think it would be pretty fun feature for interiors.
Hee hee hee. That would be hilarious and great for RPers too!
I'd image interacting with the plaque object on the bridge would bring up a little window with something like this.
I also think it would be neat to be able to view other people's ship plaque whilst in sector space i.e. Click on other player's ship, select "View Dedication Plaque"
I think either the Akira or Intrepid bridge has a blank-ish dedication plaque on the bridge. One (seemingly) less-invasive option could be using the "view memorial plaque" option from the academy, but allowing customization of the message displayed.
Granted it wouldn't be as detailed as examples like this, but could be a compromise.
Interior maps are already in a "space map", or rather, a map with a regular starfield skybox. This can be seen in the /demorecord playback tool when moving the camera out of bounds from the normal playable area. I would suggest making the skybox change to match the last space map's skybox.
Not sure if this has been mentioned anywhere, but the thought occurred to me and this figured like a good thread to include it in.
The ability to toggle Red Alert from the bridge. A few alarm blasts, lighting change, flashing red - all things we've seen in a few different missions. Perhaps change the random crew NPCs to run in the corridors rather than walk.
More fluff than a necessity, but I think it would be pretty fun feature for interiors.
These alert conditions can also be used during episode missions or PvE/PvP boarding action matches (in the latter, it would be on Red Alert by default)
Foundry missions could also have triggers that change a ship interior's alert state
I think either the Akira or Intrepid bridge has a blank-ish dedication plaque on the bridge. One (seemingly) less-invasive option could be using the "view memorial plaque" option from the academy, but allowing customization of the message displayed.
Granted it wouldn't be as detailed as examples like this, but could be a compromise.
I'd like to think that all ships will have a generic-blurred out plaque object that the player that interacts with the bring up a separate window with the actual customised plaque.
Laws of thermodynamics as applied to life: 0 - You must play the game. 1 - You can't win. 2 - You can't break even. 3 - You can't quit.
I'd like to think that all ships will have a generic-blurred out plaque object that the player that interacts with the bring up a separate window with the actual customised plaque.
I would prefer if you could actually read it like you can read your ship name and number... but eh.
Comments
I'd simply like the ship interior map to be made heavily customisable, and used as FE/PvE/PvP maps, meeting places or even an adventure zone of sorts that people can invite each other to.
My undertstanding is that all PE had to show for their efforts were loads of concept artwork as well as UI and environment mockups. The few games they had developed never made it past beta, and there were issues in developing their propiertary game engine. So there really wasn't any code that could be sold to Cryptic by the time of PE's bankruptcy.
Where it changes based on where you are, you could interact with it during missions, and have branching dialog trees with just your bridge officers and the viewscreen. You could have entire missions like that!
Cryptic seems to forget that one of my favorite missions is actually "Cold Comfort". Not a single shot fired, not a single explosion, just you and a Breen that you need to find a heart in. There needs to be more of that!
And it's not like you don't need to fight. You could TRIBBLE up a negotiation, or intentionally provoke an enemy into a fight. There's so much that could be done! And since it would be confined to the bridge, it wouldn't be that hard to crank out a few really quickly.
I'd be fine if my viewscreen was permanently stuck on the Federation emblem as a wallpaper or something.
Not really. As the viewscreen is a screen, it wouldn't have to be reflected by the viewports at all.
However, let us consider an example. Assume an Intrepid-class in in orbit over Earth near ESD, where the viewscreen would show the big green-blue ball of rock and the giant space mushroom. What would be shown on the forward facing windows in the following rooms?:
- Conference Room on port side of bridge
- Ready Room on starboard side of bridge
- Deck 2 Officer's Mess
- Captain's Quarters on Deck 3
Perhaps have it so that only the forward facing viewports in any ship interior map see whatever's on the viewscreen, and all other windows can have generic starfields?
This is probably the case. As awesome as it would be, making that happen would be tricky. I wouldn't be bent up about it too much.
Alright, SpongeBob Squarepants it is!
Yay! Popcorn and Milk Duds all around! It's Cartoon night!
Whoopie! Me bags Captain's chair!
It is suggested that interior rooms/decks/functionalities could be unlocked in a similar manner, along with opening the interiors up into Adventure Zones for other captains to visit and gather marks*/resources for their own projects.
*Starfleet Marks?
Ah, good, good.
How about roleplay missions?
Meaning playing from the bridge and act as one of the crew for particular missions?
This is what I previously mentioned on this thread regarding how to make interiors functional. We effectively "act" as the crew, but the battles wouldn't be held in normal space as we do now, but instead its similar. Almost like playing Bridge Commander, without the tactical outside view.
How did we not think of this before!??!?! :eek:
All Cryptic has to do is make a default area for the ship plaque on the bridge set, have it clickable, and it enlarges to display your Ship name and Registery. Right?
I mentioned MSDs in another thread as well, when you load a ship, they would display your ship type.
Normally dedication plaques have a short message of some type as well, but yeah. I would like it so the plaque actually displays what you wrote, rather than a generic texture.
Sure they could add the motto to your ship with your paperdoll. Maybe even the icon be selectable or maybe displaying your Fleets Logo.
In addition to ship name/registry/class and motto, what about a dropdown menu for the name of the shipyard where the ship was constructed?
Still thinking about how to get the viewscreen / front viewport images to work, though.
http://sumghai.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d59yb84
I'd image interacting with the plaque object on the bridge would bring up a little window with something like this.
I also think it would be neat to be able to view other people's ship plaque whilst in sector space i.e. Click on other player's ship, select "View Dedication Plaque"
I like that idea
The map size issue has been addressed in the actual proposal document.
Too be honest, the Starbase interiors make my inner Engineer cry.
According to Trek canon, viewscreens use the same technology as holodecks, and so the images viewed through them are more or less three dimensional.
My current idea, based on what is currently used at Earth Space Dock, would be to suspended the deck within a space map, with the backdrop based on the last space or ground location the player was in.
Thoughts?
*Passes box of Holographic Tissue Paper*
Interior maps are already in a "space map", or rather, a map with a regular starfield skybox. This can be seen in the /demorecord playback tool when moving the camera out of bounds from the normal playable area. I would suggest making the skybox change to match the last space map's skybox.
Raptr profile
That's..... surprisingly simple.... why don't we do this already?
The ability to toggle Red Alert from the bridge. A few alarm blasts, lighting change, flashing red - all things we've seen in a few different missions. Perhaps change the random crew NPCs to run in the corridors rather than walk.
More fluff than a necessity, but I think it would be pretty fun feature for interiors.
Hee hee hee.
I think either the Akira or Intrepid bridge has a blank-ish dedication plaque on the bridge. One (seemingly) less-invasive option could be using the "view memorial plaque" option from the academy, but allowing customization of the message displayed.
Granted it wouldn't be as detailed as examples like this, but could be a compromise.
Yay for adaptation of existing tech! Added to proposal document
I briefly touched on this a while back, but now that you've mentioned it, I think we can flesh it out a little more:
I'd like to think that all ships will have a generic-blurred out plaque object that the player that interacts with the bring up a separate window with the actual customised plaque.
I would prefer if you could actually read it like you can read your ship name and number... but eh.