A big BOO! HISS! at the Summer Event!

autumnturning

Please remember that swimsuits and shirts covered in horga'hns and dancing girls do not fall under the uniform code for members of the various exploratory and military services, and thus such items are non-regulation for mission duty.

Someone needs to explain to me why THIS is considered "non-regulation for mission duty" before I use SCIENCE! on them.

phenomenaut01

That's traditional...um...something or other...Orion...slavegirl...heritage...yadda yadda yadda...captains prerogative...something something...metal bikini.

bltrrn

Because Orion fashion.

thunderfoot

Easy there, Big Guy! The madness known as the Summer Event has a simple explanation:
Whenever you see a char attired as such in an obviously off limits location, it is an indicator the player owning it has never, ever been within one hundred kilometres of a relationship with a real live girl. XD

autumnturning

I just find it unintentionally hilarious that I can wear an asymmetrical yet still balanced costume like that with "flowers everywhere" that actually covers up more skin than most Orions do ... and the costume Devs have decreed it a "verboten" combination. Indeed, I'd argue that my Big Green Girl has one of the more tasteful costume combinations possible, and now I can't change a thing about it because Stupid Rules.

warpangel

Arbitrary restrictions are arbitrary.

I seem to be saying that a lot when outfits are concerned. But it's true.

The outfit map restriction mechanism is a top contender on my list of stupidest things I've ever heard a game company would spend money developing. Seriously, who the asterisk spends money making their own product less valuable?

jodarkrider

I may outright hate the skimpy outfits, but... at the same time - yepp, arbitrary restrictions are arbitrary. If they let Orions wear this, they should not be all that concerned about swim-wear to be worn anywhere; that's just an odd double-standard there. Just saying.

autumnturning

jodarkrider wrote: »

yepp, arbitrary restrictions are arbitrary

To me, it just smacks of "play the game OUR way ... not YOUR way" enforcement from the person responsible for this decision, which is just ... sub-optimal.

Request a review of the policy of (foolishly?) locking costume parts to exclusivity when such exclusivity stomps on creative gameplay and expression of personality.

You would think that after Cryptic's success with City of Heroes in this regard (which is STILL held up as a gold standard benchmark in this area), there would be at least a modicum of institutional memory that letting players freely costume their characters can be an extremely major selling point for a game that enhances its popularity ... not only with the existing playerbase but also with new and prospective players.

jodarkrider

autumnturning wrote: »

jodarkrider wrote: »

yepp, arbitrary restrictions are arbitrary

To me, it just smacks of "play the game OUR way ... not YOUR way" enforcement from the person responsible for this decision, which is just ... sub-optimal.

Request a review of the policy of (foolishly?) locking costume parts to exclusivity when such exclusivity stomps on creative gameplay and expression of personality.

You would think that after Cryptic's success with City of Heroes in this regard (which is STILL held up as a gold standard benchmark in this area), there would be at least a modicum of institutional memory that letting players freely costume their characters can be an extremely major selling point for a game that enhances its popularity ... not only with the existing playerbase but also with new and prospective players.

Trust me, I'm with you 100% on that. I've been speaking up about character-customization restrictions for last (almost) 3 years.

autumnturning

Paging the Community Team ...
Sounds like a dialogue with the person(s) responsible for this decision (that I'm complaining about) might be in order, even if it has to be done by proxy.

jodarkrider

autumnturning wrote: »

Paging the Community Team ...
Sounds like a dialogue with the person(s) responsible for this decision (that I'm complaining about) might be in order, even if it has to be done by proxy.

I did, repeatedly. Trust me, I'm with you on this all the way. Creativity should not be restricted, not when 'canon' is "broken" by the fact we can fly Tholian, Undine or even Krenim Weapon ships. These even affect the gameplay, whereas how our characters look like is purely cosmetic. It's no longer a valid argument. Likewise, 'canon' and its' perception differs from person to person. Wanting to restrict people, just because someone else doesn't want to see this & that on other people's character is hardly any fair, and shouldn't be catered to. There's that we can easily co-exist with people, even if they choose to do something I or they dislike about other people's characters.

TL;DR - Nobody should ever feel entitled enough to restrict other people from something on other people's characters, just because they don't want to see it/don't like it. They don't have to use it for their theme, but that doesn't give them right to dictate things for others. It's shame that Star Trek, in its' wide-variety, flavors and shades, there are people who go all the way to preach against freedom of creativity.

anodynes

The thing is that they get it from both sides on this issue. Up until 2 years ago, there were no map-based restrictions, and they released things like the somewhat revealing formal wear, not to mention the game launch Orion outfits, and allowed them to be used without restrictions, save for having to select a different slot for Formal or Off-Duty outfits. The reaction to this "let the community decide what to wear at any time" policy was at least one poster putting up threads with pictures of a female character in formal wear in STFs or dancing on Admiral Quinn's desk. So they can't win with this issue. You dislike the restrictions, while others mock them on their own forums if they let us use our own judgement about what to wear.

jodarkrider

anodynes wrote: »

The thing is that they get it from both sides on this issue. Up until 2 years ago, there were no map-based restrictions, and they released things like the somewhat revealing formal wear, not to mention the game launch Orion outfits, and allowed them to be used without restrictions, save for having to select a different slot for Formal or Off-Duty outfits. The reaction to this "let the community decide what to wear at any time" policy was at least one poster putting up threads with pictures of a female character in formal wear in STFs or dancing on Admiral Quinn's desk. So they can't win with this issue. You dislike the restrictions, while others mock them on their own forums if they let us use our own judgement about what to wear.

But those people are exactly the kind, who would go lengths to dictate what other people's characters can wear just because they expect other characters to conform to their own perception of Star Trek/canon, whatever. Ergo, not a good group to cater to; imho.

warpangel

autumnturning wrote: »

You would think that after Cryptic's success with City of Heroes in this regard (which is STILL held up as a gold standard benchmark in this area), there would be at least a modicum of institutional memory that letting players freely costume their characters can be an extremely major selling point for a game that enhances its popularity ... not only with the existing playerbase but also with new and prospective players.

The CoH people probably all ended up in Champions Online...which incidentally does have unrestricted costumes.

warpangel

anodynes wrote: »

The thing is that they get it from both sides on this issue. Up until 2 years ago, there were no map-based restrictions, and they released things like the somewhat revealing formal wear, not to mention the game launch Orion outfits, and allowed them to be used without restrictions, save for having to select a different slot for Formal or Off-Duty outfits. The reaction to this "let the community decide what to wear at any time" policy was at least one poster putting up threads with pictures of a female character in formal wear in STFs or dancing on Admiral Quinn's desk. So they can't win with this issue. You dislike the restrictions, while others mock them on their own forums if they let us use our own judgement about what to wear.

Of course you can win. Because there's no harm in "formal wear in STFs or dancing on Admiral Quinn's desk" and if someone thinks its fun to post pictures about that the correct response is "whatever floats your boat."

angrytarg

jodarkrider wrote: »

(...) Likewise, 'canon' and its' perception differs from person to person.(...)

Just have to hit that (who'd have guessed? ) but "canon" cannot differ from person to person. It's like saying "everyone has a different opinion on wether the Berlin wall fell". There is only canon and it is a hard fact, the "history" of Star Trek if you will. One can have a different view ON those events, but not wether or not these events happened. However, and that's the point here, canon does of course not restrict what anyone is wearing. Why should it, it makes no sense. Whatever your character wears cannot be dependant of historic events. We've seen characters in off duty even commanding their ship when they had to, so why should any of these options be restricted for duty, especially on the red side which shouldn't even follow strict protocols like Starfleet does.

Point is, canon cannot be an argument against character customization.​​

goodscotch

I think she looks terrific! She's just scrappin! Probably not the best uniform for an away mission though.

galactickiri

If you consider the basics of the game, we're either on the ground or in space. We're either moving our character around, or our starship. Both have customizing options...we're technically 'in costume' all the time, and I really support this being a fully freeform thing.

galactickiri

warpangel wrote: »

Arbitrary restrictions are arbitrary.

I seem to be saying that a lot when outfits are concerned. But it's true.

The outfit map restriction mechanism is a top contender on my list of stupidest things I've ever heard a game company would spend money developing. Seriously, who the asterisk spends money making their own product less valuable?

Agreed.

galactickiri

jodarkrider wrote: »

autumnturning wrote: »

Paging the Community Team ...
Sounds like a dialogue with the person(s) responsible for this decision (that I'm complaining about) might be in order, even if it has to be done by proxy.

I did, repeatedly. Trust me, I'm with you on this all the way. Creativity should not be restricted, not when 'canon' is "broken" by the fact we can fly Tholian, Undine or even Krenim Weapon ships. These even affect the gameplay, whereas how our characters look like is purely cosmetic. It's no longer a valid argument. Likewise, 'canon' and its' perception differs from person to person. Wanting to restrict people, just because someone else doesn't want to see this & that on other people's character is hardly any fair, and shouldn't be catered to. There's that we can easily co-exist with people, even if they choose to do something I or they dislike about other people's characters.

TL;DR - Nobody should ever feel entitled enough to restrict other people from something on other people's characters, just because they don't want to see it/don't like it. They don't have to use it for their theme, but that doesn't give them right to dictate things for others. It's shame that Star Trek, in its' wide-variety, flavors and shades, there are people who go all the way to preach against freedom of creativity.

This has actually nothing to do with 'canon', as others here have nicely explained.

But if you watch the threads whenever this topic comes up, there's a common theme. It's not about- hey look at that player that did a ground STF in a pinstriped suit. No...the common theme is, "I don't want to see characters in bikinis on ESD!"


It's not about canon...any night outside ESD it's an 'international' fleet of Caitian carriers, Xindi ships, Vulcan science vessels, etc. AND Breen, Voth, Nak'ul, etc....ships that are enemies to Starfleet that are being flown by Starfleet players.

Canon is already well past shot in space...this is ALL about social conservatism. It always worms its way into a game, somehow, with a (non)mentality of player that says 'if it's good enough for me, it's good for all the rest of you'. It's what got some of the more mature emotes disabled in the already mature-rated Age of Conan.

galactickiri

autumnturning wrote: »

I just find it unintentionally hilarious that I can wear an asymmetrical yet still balanced costume like that with "flowers everywhere" that actually covers up more skin than most Orions do ... and the costume Devs have decreed it a "verboten" combination. Indeed, I'd argue that my Big Green Girl has one of the more tasteful costume combinations possible, and now I can't change a thing about it because Stupid Rules.

Orion women are pretty much the closing argument on opening up costume slots to freeform. Starfleet did not always do everything in uniform, and it comprises many member worlds with different customs. I'm thinking if I want to do something more subtle in theme, such as my character in formal or off-duty dress, on a mission covertly, or at least not openly Starfleet, that's fine.


And sometimes, I want to be anything but subtle. I'd like the costume catagories mixable, and the swimwear opened up to any map. Why is Shahna's silver thrall suit 'swimwear' anyway? If I want to work that into a costume for a Barbarella or Aeon Flux style space vixen, and explore the galaxy like that...why shouldn't I?

daveyny

Cause the "Think of the Children" component of the player-base, would have a field day pointing out how "perverted" and "un-Godly" "Those Kind" of people are...

And PWE/Cryptic just doesn't want to have too deal with that kind of backlash.
<shrug>

galactickiri

daveyny wrote: »

Cause the "Think of the Children" component of the player-base, would have a field day pointing out how "perverted" and "un-Godly" "Those Kind" of people are...

And PWE/Cryptic just doesn't want to have too deal with that kind of backlash.
<shrug>

Raves the 'enraged' dad that's letting his kid play CoD in the meantime, or lets him sit on the couch with him watching as dad plays CoD, swearing like a 15-year old as he frag people.

warpangel

galactickiri wrote: »

But if you watch the threads whenever this topic comes up, there's a common theme. It's not about- hey look at that player that did a ground STF in a pinstriped suit. No...the common theme is, "I don't want to see characters in bikinis on ESD!"

The only response they deserve is "Didn't your mother teach you it's rude to stare?"

And of course the Orions make that argument moot, too. They can't (usually) make it to ESD exactly, but they're everywhere else.

daveyny wrote: »

Cause the "Think of the Children" component of the player-base, would have a field day pointing out how "perverted" and "un-Godly" "Those Kind" of people are...

And PWE/Cryptic just doesn't want to have too deal with that kind of backlash.
<shrug>

Obviously not true. Wearing a bikini everywhere is totally OK for them, as long as your character stats have "Orion" written in it. And as already said, Champions Online has an unrestricted tailor.

In any case, if they didn't want people to wear bikinis, they shouldn't have made any in the first place (and that includes the Orion bikinis). Making them and then preventing players from using them is just ridiculous.

autumnturning

Well ... I hadn't expected to get this sort of support out of the community! I can only hope that there's someone at Cryptic paying attention to all of this.

goodscotch wrote: »

I think she looks terrific! She's just scrappin! Probably not the best uniform for an away mission though.

On the contrary, that's my Standard Uniform for away missions!

My apologies for the poor quality of the screenshot. I was pressed for time and I was in the Klingon Academy and the holodeck(s) there were the only remotely suitable lighting I could think of to get for a One Shot like that. I didn't even have time to edit the pic before uploading it. I'll try to get some other screenshots to put up now that I'm Farming Risa for Favors, having not played in the past couple of years during the summer, to catch up on all the options that I've missed (and can't use freely! BOO! HISS!).