test content
Logo
What is the Arc Client?
Install Arc
Options
Please bring back old Episodes as Patrol missions
suaveks
Member Posts: 1,736 Arc User
Cryptic, it's 5 Year Anniversary soon. 5 years of STO. 5 years of content. And for that anniversary you... remove a 5 year old content that's been there from the start. Of course I'm talking about the so called Romulan Arc "Revamp".
Ok, not to start from the wrong angle - I'm all for the revamp. It had to happen sooner or later. The problem is, with that "revamp" you're removing a lot of missions, which you've been doing quite often recently, with the most prominent examples being Federation starting content, and the removal of Exploration Clusters.
For new players that's nothing, I guess. It's better to have fewer interesting missions, than more of the "boring" ones.
For some of us older players though, who've run these episodes numerous times and had decent time with them this "revamp" is nothing more than a removal of content. A content, that's perhaps old and of low quality, but content nevertheless - a source of decent ground and space combat, unique locations, source of skill points, item rewards and so on.
Yet here we are, losing 11 missions, receiving only a handful of new ones.
So here's the idea, Cryptic - bring back these old missions as some sort of Patrol missions that would reward Romulan Marks upon completion. "The metrics say" that Delta Quadrant Patrols are quite popular right now. Personally I've always enjoyed all the Tau Dewa, Eta Eridani and Deferi daily/patrol content. The more the better, regardless of the quality. Would it really do harm to bring those non-story focused Romulan Episodes as Patrols of this type? Not only it would serve as an optional content for the game, it could also mean not losing some of the Accolades that would be going away.
Think about it, Cryptic. This goes not only for the Romulan Arc, but some of the older missions that were removed as well, like War is Good for Business or State of Q.
Ok, not to start from the wrong angle - I'm all for the revamp. It had to happen sooner or later. The problem is, with that "revamp" you're removing a lot of missions, which you've been doing quite often recently, with the most prominent examples being Federation starting content, and the removal of Exploration Clusters.
For new players that's nothing, I guess. It's better to have fewer interesting missions, than more of the "boring" ones.
For some of us older players though, who've run these episodes numerous times and had decent time with them this "revamp" is nothing more than a removal of content. A content, that's perhaps old and of low quality, but content nevertheless - a source of decent ground and space combat, unique locations, source of skill points, item rewards and so on.
Yet here we are, losing 11 missions, receiving only a handful of new ones.
So here's the idea, Cryptic - bring back these old missions as some sort of Patrol missions that would reward Romulan Marks upon completion. "The metrics say" that Delta Quadrant Patrols are quite popular right now. Personally I've always enjoyed all the Tau Dewa, Eta Eridani and Deferi daily/patrol content. The more the better, regardless of the quality. Would it really do harm to bring those non-story focused Romulan Episodes as Patrols of this type? Not only it would serve as an optional content for the game, it could also mean not losing some of the Accolades that would be going away.
Think about it, Cryptic. This goes not only for the Romulan Arc, but some of the older missions that were removed as well, like War is Good for Business or State of Q.
Post edited by suaveks on
0
Comments
I will add to that list the original STFs, and the original borg and undine story missions that were replaced with the revamped ones (and we lost some accolades because of that revamp).
I assume the decision is being made as they don't want 'filler' episodes, there seems to be a thing in modern serials that its bad form to have filler and have episodes which aren't contributing towards the arc of the series.
Okay I'm starting to ramble a bit, but I think I've made a point. So to summarize, don't remove any content without a lot of content to replace it.
The justification for the revamp can be simply stated as "the old missions were TRIBBLE." TRIBBLE of a sort that counts as content but I really don't feel that content is an all powerful word in game design that should be held above all other aspects. They could bring in the old missions in some form (though I think a special sub-section of the foundry would be a better home for it, a lot of those old episodes had some sort of plot which you couldn't easily slot into the game as it's progressed beyond the romulan episode arc) but any player spending time with that would be, by the admission of the revamp, be playing something with a better developed analog somewhere else in the game (ie. the new episodes.)
This was the problem with the old exploration system, its not as though that players couldn't find their way around it with that oft belittled capacity for human curiosity (though of course that's how the general forums glibly mis-interpreted it because forming attitudes is so much easier than thinking). Its just that just about any other concievable part of the game would be presenting a better alternative for playtime (according to the functional standards of game design). The dev's could let people spend their time with that content but given that they want to present the best game they're capable of making there is a point where they have to say "no" to content that doesn't meet with their approval (which a revamp is implicitly removing) as otherwise they wouldn't be doing their job (in a very fundamental way) as game designers.
Anyway as a nostalgic utility, sure let's have it, but no where in what you could consider "the live game." Again a special foundry sub-section, or out-of-the-way list somewhere else in the mission selection UI, of outdated missions would probably be the best way of implementing pre-revamp content.
Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
You're right! We aren't losing 11 missions, we are losing 14 missions (additionally: By Any Means, S'harien's Swords and the original Taris).
--Red Annorax
And we have lost some good missions previously, like Deja Q. Missions should be added, not removed! If they don't fit in line with tweaks to the story arcs, then make them stand alone missions.
> <
> <
>
Unlike other missions, that has a lot more work to do - they want to add Sisko, a new interior for the Saratoga, maybe even Q voice over. Who knows?
Read the notes again. (Nice sig btw
[Citation Needed]
Joined January 2009