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What Did You Think: Mirrors and Smoke?
xyquarze
Member Posts: 2,130 Arc User
Okay, was hoping for an official feedback thread, but I will give my opinion. Spoilers may be included.
Overall, I am not really a fan of this episode.
Let's start with the good: The first ground map is again an absolute piece of art. Second, not so much, but given the theme it makes sense. Space map and cut scenes also work fine. The "opposing propaganda" news stands were interesting. And the theme of the episode was good - for me, not everybody may like it, but let's face it, Star Trek is a tree hugging franchise, so it is appropriate to cuddle some plant life once in a while. But it's not all good, more on that later. Also, more exploration and "new faces", that's welcome.
Less convincing to me:
Gameplay: Two major turn offs for me: first, the "enemy warp out when whittled down enough". After all, it's a decent boss fight, I'd like to get rewards for it. Also with the rebel faction: I get that the first encounter is "disable only", but not the second time they come after you. Also a disconnect: on ground we should have "phasers set to stun" then... would make the second ground map quite crowded though. Second turn off: time gate. Okay, not an actual time gate, but "Kuumaarke slowly plays on the console and we have to keep her from getting shot at" feels similar enough to me. Maybe only my problem: neither on ground nor in space seem I to be able to draw enough aggro to keep enemies focussing on me. Especially in the boss fight that is a disadvantage/inconvenience when the dreadnought always turns away from you.
Story: While I love to hug-a-tree, as mentioned before, I feel like this was a little heavy handed. Actually: very heavy handed. It lacked any kind of subtlety. Possibly an effect of the other problem: too much was going on story wise in too little time - what happened here could/should have easily been two to three episodes to fit stuff in. Would probably not have sat well with those not liking the theme though. But the end "Thank you, we have to thank you for all of it" by the prime minister just minutes after thousands or maybe even millions of her people have been eradicated was a bit too easy. And who's going to do the farming now? After all, all people trained in it are gone. (And how did the protomatter know what exactly to recreate? After all, all organic stuff was gone as well...). I also hope it wasn't intended as a surprise that defence guy turned traitor. Because that reminded me a lot of the infamous Divide et Impera, ehm, "plot twist". While I was more hoping for a revamped Saturday's Child, which could very well fit into this arc.
Overall, I am not really a fan of this episode.
Let's start with the good: The first ground map is again an absolute piece of art. Second, not so much, but given the theme it makes sense. Space map and cut scenes also work fine. The "opposing propaganda" news stands were interesting. And the theme of the episode was good - for me, not everybody may like it, but let's face it, Star Trek is a tree hugging franchise, so it is appropriate to cuddle some plant life once in a while. But it's not all good, more on that later. Also, more exploration and "new faces", that's welcome.
Less convincing to me:
Gameplay: Two major turn offs for me: first, the "enemy warp out when whittled down enough". After all, it's a decent boss fight, I'd like to get rewards for it. Also with the rebel faction: I get that the first encounter is "disable only", but not the second time they come after you. Also a disconnect: on ground we should have "phasers set to stun" then... would make the second ground map quite crowded though. Second turn off: time gate. Okay, not an actual time gate, but "Kuumaarke slowly plays on the console and we have to keep her from getting shot at" feels similar enough to me. Maybe only my problem: neither on ground nor in space seem I to be able to draw enough aggro to keep enemies focussing on me. Especially in the boss fight that is a disadvantage/inconvenience when the dreadnought always turns away from you.
Story: While I love to hug-a-tree, as mentioned before, I feel like this was a little heavy handed. Actually: very heavy handed. It lacked any kind of subtlety. Possibly an effect of the other problem: too much was going on story wise in too little time - what happened here could/should have easily been two to three episodes to fit stuff in. Would probably not have sat well with those not liking the theme though. But the end "Thank you, we have to thank you for all of it" by the prime minister just minutes after thousands or maybe even millions of her people have been eradicated was a bit too easy. And who's going to do the farming now? After all, all people trained in it are gone. (And how did the protomatter know what exactly to recreate? After all, all organic stuff was gone as well...). I also hope it wasn't intended as a surprise that defence guy turned traitor. Because that reminded me a lot of the infamous Divide et Impera, ehm, "plot twist". While I was more hoping for a revamped Saturday's Child, which could very well fit into this arc.
My mother was an epohh and my father smelled of tulaberries
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At least we didn't get the blame for once and the new enemy/allies were statted just right, powerful enough for their civillisation but with nothing that was really a danger - although if I may ask, any chance we could buy rebreathers from the vending machine if we never got them from ashes to ashes? I was rather dissapointed we didn't get that option
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This storyline shows a classic failure in scifi writing, the lack of realization of impact of a conceit upon future stories. You really want instant rebuilding of destroyed planets to be a thing? Just go back an rebuild Alderaan (yes, I'll mix settings because- analogy) with five minutes of work?
I guess it's in line with the whole post-scarcity concept that ruined Star Trek in the first place. So why not?
and why was the kentari bad guy wearing random preexist uniform pieces... also why was his head so big. was the mission rushed?
if I stop posting it doesn't make you right it. just means I don't have enough rum to continue interacting with you.
I'm not so sure. Seems to me like they're using elements of the Genesis Device from Wrath of Khan, which was supposed to be capable of doing exactly what the Lukari did in the FE. We're seeing two sides of the same tech coin. One to destroy, the other to create.
Although I WILL say the Federation may have been a bit more advanced in deployment system but... details.
I'm fully expecting some kind of tie in to Project Genesis down the road.
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The anti-eco-terrorists reminded me of Captain Planet villains. Not necessarily a bad thing, but unless they were going for 80's cartoon nostalgia they should've at the very least left out the part where the terrorists try to sabotage captain K's magic wand to cause another protomatter bomb explosion on their own moon.
I would've liked an option to help the sick people in the streets.
The gameplay was same old same old. I liked exploring the city for the accolades. How nice of us not to blow up the kentari ships, but I'd have liked to make that choice myself. Could've done without yet another "wait for Kuumaarke to tinker with her gadgets" scene, since actually defending her is as usual entirely optional. But at least it gave an accolade so not a total waste of time...on the first playthrough anyway. I do expect to AFK it next week, though. Overall there didn't seem to be much for the player to do. Once again Kuumaarke is the magician (literally this time) and the player is the lovely assistant.
And yeah, that city map is pure awesome.
It felt very TNG, to be honest... but, that isn't necessarily a good thing. Early TNG was often heavy-handed and/or pompous and blasé about morality. I think this FE was more the former than the latter, but it DID feel like wiping out an entire population didn't quite matter. Add to that the double "bonk-bonk-on-the-head" over the environmental and xenophobic issues...
Not the best, IMO.
Agree with a lot of the points mentioned before me.
As for the twin aesops, it's not what you think. All of the world's problems (xenophobia, propaganda, and environmental issues) are a direct reference to (albeit an exaggeration of) a certain political figure who has dominated the headlines for at least the last 12 months. (edit: the kicker is when Pentaaro said he wants to "make New Kentar safe [ag...]once more")
Well it wasn't the whole population? They said "thousands" were on the moon, presumably they were agricultural workers? Maybe restoring the planet with the protomatter is going to be built on going forward?
Still i usually prefer of a bad event in a story, book, game etc. is permanent. If you can reverse a tragedy with a snap of your fingers it takes away the impact of a tragedy.
Well... in all honesty... the Lukari are offshoots of the Kentari and there's still some animosity between them. Kinda understandable. But also a welcome bit of character development.
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It's very welcome, yes. At least, she doesn't act like a typical Deferi whose only way of defense is to plead not to upset the Balance.
That's what I thought, as well, especially with the several attempts to justify what they're doing with the classic "but it will create many jobs!".
http://forum.arcgames.com/startrekonline/discussion/1230699/what-did-you-think-mirrors-and-smoke
#LegalizeAwoo
A normie goes "Oh, what's this?"
An otaku goes "UwU, what's this?"
A furry goes "OwO, what's this?"
A werewolf goes "Awoo, what's this?"
"It's nothing personal, I just don't feel like I've gotten to know a person until I've sniffed their crotch."
"We said 'no' to Mr. Curiosity. We're not home. Curiosity is not welcome, it is not to be invited in. Curiosity...is bad. It gets you in trouble, it gets you killed, and more importantly...it makes you poor!"
Well... I figure by this point the Lukari have streamlined the setup process as, if you went through the Lukari rep, they've already performed several already. So odds are they have everything they need to quickly set up. The fact the Tzenkethi attacked was just a coincidence, and since the main Lukari ship with the tech, the Reskava, was present, she was able to respond immediately. Combined with the data provided by the Kentari... I can actually understand the rapid response.
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I think Star Trek's post-scarcity includes lives. No one ever seems concerned about them no matter how many are lost.
Which makes sense, without either religion or economics to give them value- they really don't matter until you can't crew your ships anymore.
A much better plot twist would have been the prime minister offering one hand in friendship while holding a weapon in the other.
Kumaarke was much less likeable in this, she went from curious explorer taking first steps out the door to overly judgemental and self righteous. The waving magic wand to heal the moon happened way too soon in the story, protomatter is sold as a really bad thing but she has the gear on her ship to terraform any world she wants at a whim. At the very least there should have been a trip back home to collect the proper gear and staff.
Feel sorry for any low levels during that tzeench fight as I can see it taking WAAAAAY to long for ships that lack the abilities for the frontal missile that appears to have no cooldown, I had it three times back to back salvo-like.
Yeah the maps were nice new kntar reminded a little of bladrunner , but the points you make are spot on kimaarke went from likable to arrogent pris , the moon was restored to soon couldve banged another FE out of that and made the story longer, speaking of that the mission overall felt to small and the end was just abrupt.
The tzen portion was fun but as you said players without the gear and or experiance fighting the tzen will have a tough go of it.
So they fixxed the protomater decay problem from the original Genesis torpedo ?
Thanks for the easy spec point
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LOL, it was easier than the battle before the moon got nuked. I got 1 shotted by the dread and the resulting explosion killed all the enemies. On respawn, the encounter was already over, and I had won.
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