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Let's talk Boffs -- TOO much customization??
nabreeki
Member Posts: 2,657 Arc User
I recently -- and I know I'm way behind on this -- experimented with my first Roluman toon about a week or two ago, and overall I had an incredibly pleasant experience. I guess I never fully ventured into what made LoR great when it was released (too busy grinding on my Fed, I'm sure you've seen him around), so this delayed bit of new content was refreshing, especially as we wait for the new expansion.
One thing, though, and I realize I might be in the minority here: I really like Tovan Khev. I think, in the missions, his insights, advice, and voice acting make me feel like I'm on a team, not just followed around by a few bumbling, otherwise easily forgettable NPCs. I like the way he is implemented in the game, and I think Cryptic can do one better.
I was thinking: Why can't everyone just have a few assigned boffs that match their level and expertise (since you'll be playing with them from the beginning)? We don't have to worry about choosing a name, agonizing over race, spending hours customizing the appearance, and so forth. We can start the game with a few well-developed, right out of the package boffs that communicate with us as we play?
I know this could present a problem with skills -- people like choosing boffs/training them with specific skill sets -- how about having a kind of kit system were we can just buy kits with several built-in skills that cannot be altered, but can be switched out with other kits? Sounds like a pretty plausible idea (to me, anyway)?
Realizing fully that the Devs are busy at work on the next expansion, I realize that this kind of system wouldn't get implemented right away, or maybe not until 10.5 or something, but I think it's worth thinking over and considering for future release. Cut out all the extras and just give us a solid team.
One thing, though, and I realize I might be in the minority here: I really like Tovan Khev. I think, in the missions, his insights, advice, and voice acting make me feel like I'm on a team, not just followed around by a few bumbling, otherwise easily forgettable NPCs. I like the way he is implemented in the game, and I think Cryptic can do one better.
I was thinking: Why can't everyone just have a few assigned boffs that match their level and expertise (since you'll be playing with them from the beginning)? We don't have to worry about choosing a name, agonizing over race, spending hours customizing the appearance, and so forth. We can start the game with a few well-developed, right out of the package boffs that communicate with us as we play?
I know this could present a problem with skills -- people like choosing boffs/training them with specific skill sets -- how about having a kind of kit system were we can just buy kits with several built-in skills that cannot be altered, but can be switched out with other kits? Sounds like a pretty plausible idea (to me, anyway)?
Realizing fully that the Devs are busy at work on the next expansion, I realize that this kind of system wouldn't get implemented right away, or maybe not until 10.5 or something, but I think it's worth thinking over and considering for future release. Cut out all the extras and just give us a solid team.
Post edited by Unknown User on
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As you mentioned the biggest issue would be skills. What would we do about different ships? Or if we want to change builds? Or use instance-specific equipment (as in reps)? Your idea isn't as workable as you assume it is.
If anything I'd like more customization, not less.
You have to consider not everyone plays the same, so we need the ability to be flexible, and be able to have a diverse crew of our own. My Tac still has the Green quality Andorian BOff from when she went through the old tutorial a couple years ago. I made her my First Officer. I did get Flores because she was a free purple quality BOff.
Tovan doesn't really bother me personally, but maybe some people wanted an all female Bridge Crew. I know one of my fleetmates does already.
Mine does too. lol.
A lot of my chars have rosters based on whatever random boffs I got while leveling, and the race choices are pretty interesting at times. Somehow my Romulans keep getting Klingons... And some of the aliens I've gotten a really weird, but cool.
My character Tsin'xing
It's not even that people hate Tovan, they hate that they can't get rid of them.
the lack of choice angers them.
Perhaps some of us like agonizing over names, races, and looks. All of my toons (4 fed, 2 Klingon, 2 Romulan) each have completely different crews (with unique looks, names, and uniforms).
The devs just got done gutting the game with 9.5, and now you want more options removed?
Star Trek: The Original Grind
Star Trek: The Next Grind
Star Trek: Deep Space Grind
Star Trek: Voyage to the Grind
That's an easy fix; don't slot him to a station. He will eventually be forgotten as you progress.
Star Trek: The Original Grind
Star Trek: The Next Grind
Star Trek: Deep Space Grind
Star Trek: Voyage to the Grind
My officers are my circle of friends.
USS Casinghead NCC 92047 launched 2350
Fleet Admiral Stowe - Dominion War Vet.
JUST NO.
A little much, the mask is slipping.
I'd scale it back a teense.
And, I will kindly disagree as there is nothing baring you from customising and personalising your Boffs while still remaining a 'functional, capable team'... If anything, the ability to customise their abilities makes this even more so as you can then tailor them to your personal game and play style preferences...
If you want your own little core team who never change for RP purposes, that's actually really easy to do (just stick with the first assigned crew members that are awarded as part of the tutorial/introductory episodes) where as I personally am ardently against being forced to play with a fixed crew list simply because certain players want a more RP-focused experience...
Besides, does the Captain of the ship not choose his/her crew at the end of the day?
As for Tovan, soon as I find an airlock that will take him, he's gone.
there is no such thing as too much customization. only too little and bad UIs.
and tovan is annoying. telling my captain what to do. who the captain here. me thats who. k'gen knows how to show respect I still think it's because he saw me kill the last captain.
if I stop posting it doesn't make you right it. just means I don't have enough rum to continue interacting with you.
But I actually kinda like this subject so I'll actually respond to it now that I've pointed out the obvious.
I don't hate Khev either, personally. He helped add a bit of a personal element beyond those fabricated by players. I believe for a lot of gamers, that helps them enjoy their games more.
But while I applaud the attempt, I don't think Khev is what STO really needed. Elisa Flores and her KDF counterpart are the best balance, I think. They give a voice to the early game to help people get invested, and then are allowed to function naturally as a BOff. It's a win-win; you get pre-established characters for people who like that, and can dispose of those characters if you favor total customization. The only real drawback is it's somewhat limiting in terms of storytelling, but seeing as STO is a themepark first and foremost, no one should be expecting deep meaningful stories out of it.
In short, I really disagree with the idea that there might be too much customization. I think there's enough in general, though some certain BOffs could use a little more.
I Support Disco | Disco is Love | Disco is Life
I do like the idea of Tovan, K'gan, and fedy equivalent. That being a unified story telling device because all who created a character after there implementation should have them. I believe there should heave been more customizable options for them when creating your character. Case in point for the Romulans Tovan should have had a m/f option, a Romulan/Reman option, and perhaps what class they are. And his traits should have increased in quality over his rank increased. I would actually use him on my romulan characters but why use a Romulan operative when I can slot a Superior Romulan Operative.
Options at creation and the scaleing up of these special bridge officers would have caused extra work yes but you may not have had so meny kill Tovan threads. I must admit I would love to have seen players reaction in the KDF tutorial to setting the K'gan to and Orion female or Naussican/Gorn male only to then go wait the female Klingon first officer was married to X.
As to the Op comment about the Kit like equipping of bridge officer abilities there was talk by the devs about a similar system used in conjunction with the in production crafting system to make bridge officer moduals. My best guess is we may see the test of this system with white quality powers from the new Bridge officer class in expansion 2.
http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Shelby
In the end they might enbiggen your trust...
Addicted: January 2012
batlh QIH 'ej!
indeed. on ground one one thing i want for all three, grenades on the most destructive for my tacs, shield healz for engineers and healz for sci. in space it depends what i plan on. for example a dhc build later on wont work if my supposed well worked boffs have bfaw and dispersal pattern.
fail by the op.
Been around since Dec 2010 on STO and bought LTS in Apr 2013 for STO.
There are also several times in the storyline where Tovan butts in. I dont even care that part of the storyline involves his sister being kidnapped. The focus of the storyline should not be some scrub NPC. IE there is a mission where you are fighting a bunch of Elachi on a space station. Eventually you get to their commander and you trap him in a force field. But guess what happens? Tovan is the one that comes up and he is the one talking. He says something like "ok you elachi scum time to see what you know". And i'm behind him looking at him going who the hell are you? Or another one was when you are at the Khitomer conference and Empress Sela shows up and Tovan gets all emo.
I dont like that because it's not like i'm reading a book watching the protagonist doing this and that. This is a video game and *i am* the protagonist (at least i think i am?). If anyone is going to get all emo at Empress Sela it should be me and i should be given the dialogue choice to do so or not. If anyone is going to be questioning any Elachi it should be me, not some NPC who i thought i left back on my ship scrubbing toilets.
Now as far as boff abilities and appearances go? i dont want devs deciding that for me either. They already decide what weapon slots and what consoles my ships can have. I dont want them deciding what boff abilities i can use too.
Then stick with the ones provided, or feel free to replace them with VR remakes if you don't like the green/white issue - one of the best parts of STO is how open for player choice customisation is. It is a very bad idea to take away that.
My Vulcan has VR remakes of Zarva, T'Vrell and Kolez, my KDF has VR remakes of B'ellena and Ch'gren, and my Rom... has done nothing apart from uniform changes as VR replacements means tonnes of EC, or Rom character Boff farming, and I lack the motivation right now to farm SRO Boffs that way...
And equally, it is just as fine to go for an all Saurian/Human, or all SRO, or all Nauassican (sp?) for the space trait bonuses.
Or to create your own Boffs entirely, and craft your own story.
The Tovan side of the issue is another thing entirely...
actually there is a system in place, ranks and structure, rules and regulations. an officer shouldnt speak out of turn every chance he or she gets just to advise their captain how to undermine and belittle the captain for his or her own responsibilities on their ship. tovan khev was a bit much for that type of behavior and shouldnt be repeated, i mean occasionally is fine as long as its needed, but most of the time the officer shouldnt speak like that unless addressed about recommendations.
Been around since Dec 2010 on STO and bought LTS in Apr 2013 for STO.
I find it interesting that Starfleet Dental & co. were promoting their increased operations
in west Africa, specifically Abidjan (Ivory Coast) and Lagos (Nigeria) just prior to an outbreak of Ebola.
You still have that image you can share with the good people of the fora? I've misplaced it.
Maybe we should be talking about that instead?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urglg3WimHA
That uniform load/save feature is not all that reliable, so it's easier to just go through every Boff manually.
I'd be happy with a compromise - something exactly like Flores or K'Gan but give them a voice and a bit of back story interweaved with the tutorial and first few missions. Don't base all the script around them, just give them enough spotlight to gain an identity.