Borg Ship as a Practical Playable Vehicle‏

willdekay

Okay I get these moments of clarity when I wake up. It feels like my brain was on overdrive while I slept and when I awake I get these outlandish ideas that I think will work, but only after writing them down and sharing do I find out if the idea was good or just the residual sleepiness talking.

In the past I've seen several surveys regarding desired ships. Star Trek Online from it's beginning has always been a work in progress. So to add a ship whose dynamics haven't been created yet isn't out the question if the concept is sound and players register genuine interest.

So enough build up, heres' the idea. I would like to pilot a Borg Sphere. I suppose in theory a Borg Cube could be possible, but a Borg Sphere makes more sense to me based on the playing dynamics I wish to propose. Which is essentially a group required vehicle. Meaning if you own the ship you have to pick your role via the 5 Borg Interfaces located on the bridge of the ship at the center of the vehicle. If you opt to pilot the ship, you can navigate like normally, but you do not have any command capabilities just movement.

When you invite 2 to 4 players to join your ship they have to choose a Borg Interface which of course looks like those standing beds we often see on Borg vehicles. When you click the interface you will now see a class based view. The command and navigator Interfaces do not involve your class abilities. Everyone gets the navigators view screen, but you also get a display that work as a sort of mini game allotting you to use your player buffs and receive commands from the command interface which will further enhance your game.

The interfaces are labeled as such: Tactical, Science, Engineering, Navigation and Command. Once again if you own the ship you could pilot like any other ship but you wouldn't be able to fire weapons or use buffs. If you are lacking a Science Officer in your group, then you don't get to use any science buffs for your ship, but you will still be able to operate the ship. The core concept of this vehicle is cooperative play.

The Borg Command Interface is the bridge with main view screen which shows the navigators view. There are 4 displays that correlate to your navigation, tactical, science and engineering stations. Each screen will display the officer's buffs that are at your disposal.

The Borg Navigation Interface is the very similar to our normal outside the ship view of our ship and surrounding area. But your abilities have been honed down to to speed direction and other navigation buffs only. When the Command gives you a command and you perform it, you get automated buffs that enhance your actions. If you fail to do so in 5 seconds you get an anti-buff.

The Borg Tactical display is a view screen that shows the targets. They are color coded by optimal target indicators such as weakened shields, The player on the Command Interface will offer you suggested targets and if you hit them within 5 seconds you get a bonus. Miss the time limit and you of course get a negative damage modifiier.

The Engineering and Science get the same buffs and anti-buffs when we follow the players commands, but that doesn't mean you can't impose you're own strategies, but you'll have to cope with the negative modifiers.

Now watching a static display of your section may seem boring, but if your treat your role as a mini game I think it could still be entertaining. Also, when the ship is out-of-combat, you can leave your station and switch with any of the other officers. However if you're a tactical officer using a engineering tactical display you only get the basic ship buffs and cannot add the buffs a normal Tactical officer would bring to the role. Also if a level 20 tactical officer takes up the role, he will lack the buffs normally afforded a level 50 tactical player, but they will still have full access to the ships basic tactical buffs.

So I believe this concept gives a level of Star Trek realism that we've been missing in the game so far, It also offers a dynamic that could possible translate eventually to Federation, Klingon, and Romulan command ships as well as Fleet ships.

If I had to guess, I think my sleepy time brain picked this idea up from Star Wars Galaxies. They had large craft you could only navigate with no weapons interface. You had to invite players to your deck to take up a gunner position in order to attack anything. If players opted to be on your port side, you'd have to compensate by constantly moving your ship with the port side facing the enemy. But if no one was covering your aft section you'd be taken out pretty fast. I was part of a few guild events and sitting at gunner's station for an hour was a bit tiring, but still kind of cool on a cooperative play aspect. We did blockade runs and planet invasions and such and that was actually a lot of fun.

I think the Command Interface will be the most popular since it will feel like you're on the bridge commanding the ship, but when players don't follow through with your commands I'm certain the role could get frustrating; especially when each of your displays give you feedback of what isn't being done and of course the main viewer will show you the fruits of your labors, good or bad. The Navigation Interface has the potential of getting you yelled at; especially if someone is attempting to line up a particular strategy and you're never facing in the right direction. So any ideas have the possibility of being a total flop and I see that with this concept.

I'm also not sure is how this works with PVE or if it even should be accessible for current PVE missions. Obviously any mission with 5 players should be able to take part, but I do not believe a Borg Sphere should be any more powerful that any current carriers in the game. This is essentially what the Borg Sphere would represent; a carrier where you click your commands and its up to your fellow players to comply at your peril. I think the only edge this vehicle would have are the cooperative buffs which has the potential of creating some epic situations. Anyhow, hope you at least enjoyed the concept regardless of its actual practicalities.

gardat

Never going to happen. Ever since the game launched someone asks for a flyable borg ship every week or so.

kagasensei

gardat wrote: »

Never going to happen. Ever since the game launched someone asks for a flyable borg ship every week or so.

And I do sincerely hope Cryptic will never do so, DESPITE the fact that Borg ships, mostly Cubes and Spheres, would have by far the most potential for BIG revenue amongst all ships that have not yet been added to the game... It would simply be ridiculous... in terms of ship size, in terms of playbility, in terms of -credibility- ...


For quite some time now, that menacing shadow of a possible "Hugh-like liberated Borg faction" has been looming over STO. Realistically, the Borg are the only remaining culture/species that would offer enough meat (especially in terms of iconic and thus desirable, i.e., worth-paying-a-lot-for, ship classes) in order to be implemented as another playable species. The Cardassians lack further ships designs beyond the Galor/Keldon and Hideki (Galor is already playable), and all Dominion ships are already playable, too.

That simply leaves us with the Borg. They are "cool", they have a rich back story (which could easily be tied in as yet another mini-faction ? la Romulan Republic), AND, most importantly they have the iconic ships. Just imagine... sitting next to ESD/Qo'noS, with dozens of gigantic friendly Borg cubes around you... *chuckle*

Sadly I somehow already know that it IS going to happen

starkaos

Your idea is similar to what Perpetual was suggesting how to do space combat back when they had the Star Trek Online license. Cryptic threw out that idea since players want to be the Captain not have to pilot a ship with a group of friends.

As far as a Borg Sphere goes, just no. Assuming that Cryptic finally develops a Liberated Borg faction, then such a faction would alter or destroy any such vessel to remove the stain of their former lives. Liberated Borg ships might have similarities to Borg ships, but I would assume that their ships would have a more chaotic look.

captainbailey

All for a liberated borg faction. not at all for piloting with my friends. sometimes I just want to kill them let alone fly around with them lol. although I would shell out money for a sphere and cube any day of the week

f9thaceshigh

yeah. group controlled ships might work in a LAN environment, like Artemis, but it won't work if you have to team up with a group of total strangers.

nightmarechi1d

starkaos wrote: »

As far as a Borg Sphere goes, just no. Assuming that Cryptic finally develops a Liberated Borg faction, then such a faction would alter or destroy any such vessel to remove the stain of their former lives. Liberated Borg ships might have similarities to Borg ships, but I would assume that their ships would have a more chaotic look.

I agree 100% with this. Hugh's group of Borg used a completely different design of ship in "Descent" (TNG). I could see maybe having one of those in the game but not the standard Borg ships.

miirik

won't happen. not to mention with such a shape, it basically completely negates the raider's new flanking ability since it doesn't have a discernable rear facing. They do have them but it's really just guess and check.

ejsphcrisp

What about more Borg console kits that allow for more cosmetic change? The more Borg parts, the more the ship looks like a Borg ship.

rock3tman

Don't you just hate it when you're sitting peacefully by the warp-in points at ESD and someone warps in and pushes you out the way? Now imagine several friendly Borg Cubes entering the system...

I can just see those clusters of ships disperse faster than criminals in a drug bust

ejsphcrisp

I'm not saying as large as a cube or sphere, but the probes are "normal" size. The cosmetic changes wouldn't make the ship any "bigger" just more borgified.

giannicampanella

The only way to do it would be like with the Roms being able to side with Fed or KDF, all factions can side with a 3rd Hugh-Borg faction, that basically amounts to missions hostile to Fed and KDF or one one side or another, and starts with a free Borg space set that Borgifies your ship, and maybe a character Borgifying Kit, Armour, & Shield ground set.

As you say, true, non-Hugh, Borg faction would have to simulate a Collective with co-op play, and that seems too foreign to the STO model to be probable. However, I would like a Hugh-Borg faction, as I described above, as it would fit STO's solid single-player-centric MMO style, and then maybe add modified Spheres as their T5 ships, and a Borg faction rep. A relatively easy to make and no doubt profitable expansion.

snoggymack22

They're pretty dated ships, so like T1 science alternative might work. Anything else is too old.

erei1

f9thaceshigh wrote: »

yeah. group controlled ships might work in a LAN environment, like Artemis, but it won't work if you have to team up with a group of total strangers.

It works. But it's not the same game.

As for Borg ship, no. As in never.

burstorion

Actually... this idea is not bad


..but the idea needs to do something other than be a usable ship in the traditional sense - for the sake of sto, the borg should never become playable


..So why not a player controlled boss instance?

We all complain estfs, cce, ect are too weak so why not introduce the human element by creating a ship boss that can be controlled by a team like the OP suggests?


My idea is as follows (fantasy game mode: engaged)


Temporal Strike

10 man instance divided into two halves (to allow both sides to be the borg)

A 31st century borg cube appears in eta eridion - your team is to destroy it at all costs or be destroyed


1. Teams are selected at random unless in a team pre-instance entry
2. The 'present' team uses their normal ships, ect
3. The borg team have a boff station layout each - skewed depending on class (so a sci has com sci but lt tac - the type of ship balance already employed)
4. Each player has a directional thruster - as in it two steer left and three steer right, the cube travels right at one unit of speed (so if all steered left, the cube would go fast at 5 units left)
5. The thrust, weapon, shield, aux ect is determined with traditional subsystem power - thus in a tie, the highest impulse would force a movement
6. The boff stations use traditional skills ( trained as per normal with the standard training) - in effect you have another ship on your layout (to make it easier to code)
7. The cubes weaponry is preset on arcs -
8. Doffs do not work when in the cube
9. photonic fleet, ect spawn photonic spheres
10. the 'present' team have unlimited (weak) npc allies (low xp, maybe drops items)


From here, it is then a semi pvp boss battle - the ship team trying to destroy the cube and vica versa

If the ships destroy the cube, they win -they gain a loot pod

If the cube destroys them all at least once, the borg win -they gain a loot pod (although the fleet did enough to stop it damaging the past/present before its generator forces it back to the future)

If its a draw (time out and at least one player did not die), the cubes temporal generator is damaged and takes the cube back to the future - neither gains a loot pod

(in other words, there is a condition both get a pod - namely the borg kills all ally ships once but the fleet kills the cube before the game ends)

then the roles are reversed, both sides getting a dilithium reward at the end

ejsphcrisp

I was just thinking equipping additional consoles and devices, such as; engineering alcoves, science alcoves, tactical alcoves as consoles, and nodes, such as; distribution, power, data, and encryption nodes ind the device slots.
When all slots are filled with Borg equipment, then the ships would start taking the form of certain Borg vessels:

Tier 1: Borg Assembler, or Regeneration Probe
Tier 2: Borg Detector
Tier 3: Borg Pyramid or Cylinder
Tier 4: Borg Probe
Tier 5: Borg Tactical Drone

These ships I found most in the ST Armada games, the regeneration probe is already in the game, and the tactical drone I found in the following thread,
http://sto-forum.perfectworld.com/showthread.php?t=839281

mewmaster101

This idea.....this......idea....just......NO........NO......NO

killdozer9211

1) since no one's said it, NECROOOOO
2) no borg ships.

shpoks

Unholy necro-thread, Batman! :eek:

samt296

willdekay wrote: »

Okay I get these moments of clarity when I wake up. It feels like my brain was on overdrive while I slept and when I awake I get these outlandish ideas that I think will work, but only after writing them down and sharing do I find out if the idea was good or just the residual sleepiness talking.

In the past I've seen several surveys regarding desired ships. Star Trek Online from it's beginning has always been a work in progress. So to add a ship whose dynamics haven't been created yet isn't out the question if the concept is sound and players register genuine interest.

So enough build up, heres' the idea. I would like to pilot a Borg Sphere. I suppose in theory a Borg Cube could be possible, but a Borg Sphere makes more sense to me based on the playing dynamics I wish to propose. Which is essentially a group required vehicle. Meaning if you own the ship you have to pick your role via the 5 Borg Interfaces located on the bridge of the ship at the center of the vehicle. If you opt to pilot the ship, you can navigate like normally, but you do not have any command capabilities just movement.

When you invite 2 to 4 players to join your ship they have to choose a Borg Interface which of course looks like those standing beds we often see on Borg vehicles. When you click the interface you will now see a class based view. The command and navigator Interfaces do not involve your class abilities. Everyone gets the navigators view screen, but you also get a display that work as a sort of mini game allotting you to use your player buffs and receive commands from the command interface which will further enhance your game.

The interfaces are labeled as such: Tactical, Science, Engineering, Navigation and Command. Once again if you own the ship you could pilot like any other ship but you wouldn't be able to fire weapons or use buffs. If you are lacking a Science Officer in your group, then you don't get to use any science buffs for your ship, but you will still be able to operate the ship. The core concept of this vehicle is cooperative play.

The Borg Command Interface is the bridge with main view screen which shows the navigators view. There are 4 displays that correlate to your navigation, tactical, science and engineering stations. Each screen will display the officer's buffs that are at your disposal.

The Borg Navigation Interface is the very similar to our normal outside the ship view of our ship and surrounding area. But your abilities have been honed down to to speed direction and other navigation buffs only. When the Command gives you a command and you perform it, you get automated buffs that enhance your actions. If you fail to do so in 5 seconds you get an anti-buff.

The Borg Tactical display is a view screen that shows the targets. They are color coded by optimal target indicators such as weakened shields, The player on the Command Interface will offer you suggested targets and if you hit them within 5 seconds you get a bonus. Miss the time limit and you of course get a negative damage modifiier.

The Engineering and Science get the same buffs and anti-buffs when we follow the players commands, but that doesn't mean you can't impose you're own strategies, but you'll have to cope with the negative modifiers.

Now watching a static display of your section may seem boring, but if your treat your role as a mini game I think it could still be entertaining. Also, when the ship is out-of-combat, you can leave your station and switch with any of the other officers. However if you're a tactical officer using a engineering tactical display you only get the basic ship buffs and cannot add the buffs a normal Tactical officer would bring to the role. Also if a level 20 tactical officer takes up the role, he will lack the buffs normally afforded a level 50 tactical player, but they will still have full access to the ships basic tactical buffs.

So I believe this concept gives a level of Star Trek realism that we've been missing in the game so far, It also offers a dynamic that could possible translate eventually to Federation, Klingon, and Romulan command ships as well as Fleet ships.

If I had to guess, I think my sleepy time brain picked this idea up from Star Wars Galaxies. They had large craft you could only navigate with no weapons interface. You had to invite players to your deck to take up a gunner position in order to attack anything. If players opted to be on your port side, you'd have to compensate by constantly moving your ship with the port side facing the enemy. But if no one was covering your aft section you'd be taken out pretty fast. I was part of a few guild events and sitting at gunner's station for an hour was a bit tiring, but still kind of cool on a cooperative play aspect. We did blockade runs and planet invasions and such and that was actually a lot of fun.

I think the Command Interface will be the most popular since it will feel like you're on the bridge commanding the ship, but when players don't follow through with your commands I'm certain the role could get frustrating; especially when each of your displays give you feedback of what isn't being done and of course the main viewer will show you the fruits of your labors, good or bad. The Navigation Interface has the potential of getting you yelled at; especially if someone is attempting to line up a particular strategy and you're never facing in the right direction. So any ideas have the possibility of being a total flop and I see that with this concept.

I'm also not sure is how this works with PVE or if it even should be accessible for current PVE missions. Obviously any mission with 5 players should be able to take part, but I do not believe a Borg Sphere should be any more powerful that any current carriers in the game. This is essentially what the Borg Sphere would represent; a carrier where you click your commands and its up to your fellow players to comply at your peril. I think the only edge this vehicle would have are the cooperative buffs which has the potential of creating some epic situations. Anyhow, hope you at least enjoyed the concept regardless of its actual practicalities.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lITBGjNEp08

:rolleyes:

warmaker001b

The playable Borg would be depicted worse than the pansified Romulans.

That would be embarrassing.

aloishammer

willdekay wrote: »

Okay I get these moments of clarity when I wake up. It feels like my brain was on overdrive while I slept and when I awake I get these outlandish ideas that I think will work, but only after writing them down and sharing do I find out if the idea was good or just the residual sleepiness talking.

Interesting.

So enough build up, heres' the idea. I would like to pilot a Borg Sphere.

Yeah, that's definitely residual sleepiness talking.

deathsremnant

Yeah sorry it wont ever happen. Cubes have size issues (Already ships in game that are far too large...) And if you go by canon we really shouldnt even have this much borg tech installed on our ships. (Way too easy for the borg to tap into it during fights, 1 of the reasons voyager removed all its borg upgrades after the fight with the undine was over)

Also im sure someone in a CBS office is screaming no no no no no at his phone

anazonda

Your clarity isn't as clear as you think.

mushariagain

It would make a good special event mission where your character is temporarily assimilated to gain up to date insight/intel regarding borg ship dispositions or something but just wouldn't be practical for this style of game, not sure it should be a multi player only mission, interesting concept though.

mirrorchaos

willdekay wrote: »

Okay I get these moments of clarity when I wake up. It feels like my brain was on overdrive while I slept and when I awake I get these outlandish ideas that I think will work, but only after writing them down and sharing do I find out if the idea was good or just the residual sleepiness talking.

In the past I've seen several surveys regarding desired ships. Star Trek Online from it's beginning has always been a work in progress. So to add a ship whose dynamics haven't been created yet isn't out the question if the concept is sound and players register genuine interest...

<tl;dr>

people seem to forget the borg race is nothing more then hundreds of races forced to serve the queens voice over a subspace interplexing beacon, there is no free choice or free will, you do as expected from the queen or you get deactivated and taken apart for useful devices that other borg may need. now it wouldnt matter what type of vehicles you had open at this point, you are just a tool for the queens use without the choice.

however the hugh playable/borg renegade faction (axum/korok). if they came together then cubes are automatically off the cards, the biggest thing to take into account is its size, having 10-15 player cubes on sector space would block everything, doesnt matter how the boff layout goes or whatever, it would have to be no bigger then a sphere in size, which is usually powerful enough by itself, in player hands it could be devastating.

Unknown

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killdozer9211

1) still a necro
2) WHY ARE THE PAGE NUMBERS FOR THIS THREAD IN THE GENERAL DISCUSSION SUBFORUM NAME IN REVERSE ORDER

nightken

killdozer9211 wrote: »

1) still a necro
2) WHY ARE THE PAGE NUMBERS FOR THIS THREAD IN THE GENERAL DISCUSSION SUBFORUM NAME IN REVERSE ORDER

it's now a undead? we better get a cleric from neverwinter then

Unknown

This content has been removed.

revandarklighter

My 2 cents:

I see 2 possibilities to fly a borg cube:
1. As a mission ship (although I'd really favor a mission where I could fly my f**** own ship at this point, it feels like every mission outside the new romulan storyline we got had us fly another ship)

2. As a monster-play-pvp ship.
In a REAL pvp scenario that doesn't have exactly equal numbers on both sides in each map it wouldn't even need to be balanced.