The first bridges they made, which are still in the game, are utter ****, and many of the ones you're supposed to buy aren't much better. The comparison between the art quality then and what the team is producing now is night and day, why would anyone pay for such poor work when they can look around in game and see so much better? Plus the lack of ability to customize and personalize makes for less incentive still, along with the lack of things to do.
A combination of better art up to the current excellent standards, more ways to make it our own (model it off player housing in other games which does seem to be successful) and the possibility of missions in our own ship interiors and you could have a winner. I was disappointed when I realized I couldn't staff and customize my ship interior my own way, and if there were more and better options I would have loved to drop a few zen for them.
Maybe, but "some people would pay" is not at all :"enough people would pay to make it worth Cryptic's effort."
Developers could work on "stuff to do in your ship" or a new story episode. Which one gets more people spending money on new ships and gear?
It's similar to supporting Mac and XP. Cryptic loses some money by dropping their support, but it clearly is not enough money to be worth the effort and costs.
I'm in the minority that would pay to be able to do things like customize interiors, pick the bridge crew, and assign my choice of uniforms to other crew. But I'm afraid it's too small of a minority to matter.
Are you certain of that? The last time they made any effort to sell the things it was non-customizable subpar art assets, is it really any wonder it didn't sell? It's not like the idea is unprecedented, other games make a mint from customizable player housing that is nothing but cosmetic. If they can be successful, and the idea has enough support that people frequently ask for it, is it really so far fetched that there could be money in it?
Not certain of course. I'm just reasonably certain that Cryptic marketing has a better handle on the potential income than either of us and they've said no to development, at least for now. Maybe if the consoles grow the player base enough that will change.
"Money in it" has to be "enough money in it."
But I'm flying my KDF and Romulan T6 science ships, so miracles do happen
To make ship interiors viable, it is necessary to add functionality. Adding just the ability to add Bank, Exchange, Dabo Table, Tailor, and Mailbox to ship interiors would make more players use their ship interiors instead of going to ESD, their Fleet Starbase, or some other social zone. After all, it is far easier to go to your Bridge compared to Transwarping to ESD, docking with ESD, and then traveling back to your previous location.
To make ship interiors viable, it is necessary to add functionality. Adding just the ability to add Bank, Exchange, Dabo Table, Tailor, and Mailbox to ship interiors would make more players use their ship interiors instead of going to ESD, their Fleet Starbase, or some other social zone. After all, it is far easier to go to your Bridge compared to Transwarping to ESD, docking with ESD, and then traveling back to your previous location.
Except, of course, Cryptic wants you to use social zones, so they won't go for that.
Cryptic wanting us to use social zones may be true, but it raises a question in my mind: Why doesn't Risia and QWW have a Ship Selector? The two most (seasonally) popular cross faction social zones in game? Both of which have a prize ship associated with it? Seems only natural...
"Logic is a little tweeting bird chirping in a meadow. Logic is a wreath of pretty flowers which smell BAD." - Spock
Cryptic wanting us to use social zones may be true, but it raises a question in my mind: Why doesn't Risia and QWW have a Ship Selector? The two most (seasonally) popular cross faction social zones in game? Both of which have a prize ship associated with it? Seems only natural...
You meant Risa? Good question. They do have an Exchange and a Bank, I think (way in the back).
Mind you, I'd love to be able to do everything from my bridge! And social zones?! Has anyone at Cryptic ever *seen* ESD Zone chat!? :P
What would be wickedly cool, IMHO, if you could go to your bridge and do battle via the large view screen. I know, I know, that can't be done using a ship-perspective, as it were (as, in space, we're essentially the ship), but I mean just the same view you're getting now, but only projected on the big viewing screen on your bridge.
The TOS Bridge that I rock on my T6 Temporal Light Cruiser is absolutely perfect! Along with the interiors. When I beam up from K-13, to my Tier 6 Connie, I then go onto my bridge and sit in my chair and patiently wait for a yeoman to bring me a tablet to sign! This is Star Trek the way it was meant to be!
Was it not mentioned that when bridges were made back then, that they didn't make enough to justify continuing making additional bridges. At least ships now get custom bridges. So it isn't like the dropped the idea completely.
They said that but since the intentional messing up of the TNG interior it should be pretty clear they just don't care. Instead of making the bridge, like they have game-canonized it even before STO release, modular so Intrepid and every other TNG ship fan could use the interior with their bridge of choice that made most sense with whatever ship they are flying. Instead of that they; regardless of having been told multiple time before, during and after the Intr.Int. release; in their infinite wisdom decided to tie the distinctive Intrepid bridge to that TNG interior AND then even have the nerves to pout for not enough sales? Its pretty much known that the interiors already only attract a fraction of the player base; and then release it only for a tiny fraction of that small fraction? Do they really need their holy metrics to calculate that? "Only listen, never act" must have been never paid out more.
From the missions I know its a great looking interior. I would have loved to add it to a lot of ships I have; with each their bridge. The Oddys Aquarius bridge with that interior? Awesome thought; would have been a day one purchase for that alone. But since that does not work and I do not even have an Intrepid for any of my chars in use: no deal.
There are several missions in game already that take place on board a ship, and I'm sure there will be others in the future.
Cryptic could make a standard ship interior layout, and if possible, re-skin the walls, etc for the appropriate type ship.
Then replace the mission maps on older episodes with the new layout, and use it for future missions as well. This could give the initial incentive to revamp interiors.
Once done, the map could then be made available to players for their ship's interior. The ability to re-skin the walls, etc could also be made available to players allowing for customization.
Additionally or separately, they could implement something similar to Fleet Starbases and Holdings, except on a smaller scale for the individual, i.e. Starship Interiors. Every so often, they could release a new deck of your ship with various cosmetic projects to complete as you desire. Perhaps allowing a certain amount of color/style customization through the C-Store that can be toggled off and on like the Starbase Christmas Ornaments.
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Not certain of course. I'm just reasonably certain that Cryptic marketing has a better handle on the potential income than either of us and they've said no to development, at least for now. Maybe if the consoles grow the player base enough that will change.
"Money in it" has to be "enough money in it."
But I'm flying my KDF and Romulan T6 science ships, so miracles do happen
Except, of course, Cryptic wants you to use social zones, so they won't go for that.
You meant Risa? Good question.
Mind you, I'd love to be able to do everything from my bridge! And social zones?! Has anyone at Cryptic ever *seen* ESD Zone chat!? :P
What would be wickedly cool, IMHO, if you could go to your bridge and do battle via the large view screen. I know, I know, that can't be done using a ship-perspective, as it were (as, in space, we're essentially the ship), but I mean just the same view you're getting now, but only projected on the big viewing screen on your bridge.
... ops, wrong thread & year.
They said that but since the intentional messing up of the TNG interior it should be pretty clear they just don't care. Instead of making the bridge, like they have game-canonized it even before STO release, modular so Intrepid and every other TNG ship fan could use the interior with their bridge of choice that made most sense with whatever ship they are flying. Instead of that they; regardless of having been told multiple time before, during and after the Intr.Int. release; in their infinite wisdom decided to tie the distinctive Intrepid bridge to that TNG interior AND then even have the nerves to pout for not enough sales? Its pretty much known that the interiors already only attract a fraction of the player base; and then release it only for a tiny fraction of that small fraction? Do they really need their holy metrics to calculate that? "Only listen, never act" must have been never paid out more.
From the missions I know its a great looking interior. I would have loved to add it to a lot of ships I have; with each their bridge. The Oddys Aquarius bridge with that interior? Awesome thought; would have been a day one purchase for that alone. But since that does not work and I do not even have an Intrepid for any of my chars in use: no deal.
Cryptic could make a standard ship interior layout, and if possible, re-skin the walls, etc for the appropriate type ship.
Then replace the mission maps on older episodes with the new layout, and use it for future missions as well. This could give the initial incentive to revamp interiors.
Once done, the map could then be made available to players for their ship's interior. The ability to re-skin the walls, etc could also be made available to players allowing for customization.
Additionally or separately, they could implement something similar to Fleet Starbases and Holdings, except on a smaller scale for the individual, i.e. Starship Interiors. Every so often, they could release a new deck of your ship with various cosmetic projects to complete as you desire. Perhaps allowing a certain amount of color/style customization through the C-Store that can be toggled off and on like the Starbase Christmas Ornaments.
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