i would wish that STO be split into the distinct time periods, similar to the way AoY is set up, basically a way to do TOS themed missions on a TOS galactic map, a TNG galactic map and one for the ENT time period, (voy) is a special case because they are in the delta quadrant and (ds9) would be on the TNG galactic map. anyway i hope you can make sense of my mostly incoherent rant.......kinda like what angrytarg said......
Sounds like a multiple server type of setup. TOS/TMP server, TNG/DS9/VOY server and ENT server. Create your character and it's stuck on that server with those available ships etc. Such a thing isn't even remotely financially feasible in this game but sounds awesome.
When you see "TRIBBLE" in my posts, it's because I manually typed "TRIBBLE" and censored myself.
That every player would make an effort to properly learn how the game works. And no, I don't mean figuring out all the complicated formulas like brightest minds in r/stobuilds do. Just simple stuff like what abilities, equipment and traits synergize, what is pointless to expect to work etc.
STO's episodes play out like old time RPGs like Bauldurs Gate - a set of triggered encounters that occur as the player is co-erced along invisible rails.
Games have moved on. We have titles like Witcher 3 now. If the game design team havn't played this, give them a time out to do so. If they have, tell them to up their damn game.
I feel that the space part of episodes should offer
* a view of the entire target solar system. This means a map at each planet that the player can warp to once "in system".
* Extensive use of the normal scan mechanic rather than triggers.
* Encounters and Patrols that can be bypassed by flying around, stealth, combat, diplomacy or even other strategies like diversions. Player choice is important to immersion.
* Extensive use of the normal scan mechanic - and perhaps even probes launched by the science officer - rather than triggers.
Basically, vast parts of episodes should be completable in an "open world" kind of way, where the player uses emergent problem solving, rather than predefined quest triggers, to progress.
I'd like to see an AoY-scale option to create a captain from the Kelvin Timeline. A couple of missions, maybe a recruitment event, some different sound fx, beaming fx, alternate ability fx and maybe some lens flare. ANd a run for KT-inspired ships to fly while leveling from 1-50/60.
That every player would make an effort to properly learn how the game works. And no, I don't mean figuring out all the complicated formulas like brightest minds in r/stobuilds do. Just simple stuff like what abilities, equipment and traits synergize, what is pointless to expect to work etc.
In practical terms that's all pronounced "Hey Devs, add some gear setup/ship setup tutorial missions. Nao, please."
I'd like to see an AoY-scale option to create a captain from the Kelvin Timeline. A couple of missions, maybe a recruitment event, some different sound fx, beaming fx, alternate ability fx and maybe some lens flare. ANd a run for KT-inspired ships to fly while leveling from 1-50/60.
That would be awesome
"I fight for the Users!" - Tron
"I was here before you, I will be here after you are gone. I am here, regardless of your acknowledgement or acceptance..." - The Truth
really?? but...what if someone's got a Gorn on for Gorn?? Hardcore Gorn? (I suppose it could motivate them to let us make Female Gorn-you knonw, the eleven foot tall monsters who throw boulders...)
My STO fantasy?
No bugs.
I'd love when they make a change that they take the time to fix the bugs. Back when the sector walls came down they broke doffing, and it STILL isn't working right, and there's no indication that they'll ever fix it. It's just one in a long list of really noticeable bugs that take months to year to fix, if they ever are.
My STO fantasies involve my fed main (betazoid female) an uninhabited island some wesson oil ,salad tongs, edible panties , knee pads , velcro gloves and a bungee cord...and a crate of chimichangas and some juice boxes, OH and those little wooden umberellas you get in fruity drinks, and a coconut bra grass skirt and a red spandex suit for myself , and a picture of bea arthur on far wall of the hut, and call it Jorans' Fantasy Island where all MY fantasies are about to come true.
wait this isnt really about my STO fantasies is it O.o
Commodore(pet/summoner) Class/Specialization
As a Class/Career, you unlock a 'squadron ship' feature at level 20, and unlock additional 'pet' slots at level 40 and 60.
Three pet types
-Tactical (pew pew)
-Logistics (healer/buffer)
-Interdiction (control/drain/disable)
You can assign any ship type to any of your three Squadron/Pet slots(you could run 3 interdiction pets, or one of each, in any order), but only the first/primary slot will immediately warp in when you enter combat. The Second and Third slots are temporarily called in via captain abilities(to the point where you should be able to juggle your second and third pet so that one of them is always in combat at max level).
Aside from captain abilities that enhance and keep the squadron in action, Commodores also get access to the contextual "Priority Target" ability that functions similarly to the Science Career's Sensor Scan, but also makes that target the priority of the Squadron(either to defeat a hostile or defend/assist a friendly). Priority Target will also override the current commands of any fighters and other combat pets so long as it is active.
As a Specialization, it would be a watered down version of the above, with two spec lines for temporary Offensive and Defensive pets as well as the Priority Target ability.
Revamped Ship Interiors - R&D and Doff integration.
Corridor appearance customization
-Floor/carpet, walls, bulkheads/framing, lighting are all independently interchangeable - akin to ship materials/parts.
-Special customization options can come from Missions/Accolades, Reputations, C-store, and Lockboxes.
Branching room upgrades.
-Mess Hall can be upgraded(visually and functionally) to provide benefits(higher success/rarity chance) to either Recruitment or Trade
-Medical Lab can be upgraded to improve Medical or Development
-Science Lab can be upgraded to improve Science or Exploration
-Operations can upgrade to improve Tactical or Security
-Engineering can upgrade to improve Engineering or Colonization
-Diplomacy/Marauding are excluded
Different room/corridor layouts provide pros and cons.
-Layout A is completely neutral
-Layout B improves favors Energy Weapon Development, but inhibits Projectile Weapon and Ground Weapon Development
-Layout C improves favors Science Development, but inhibits Engineering and Shield Development
-etc.
Modular/Mastercrafted Items
At level 20 R&D, captains are able to craft modular equipment "frames".
-Frames level up with experience and Dilithium, unlocking additional slots and native performance as quality improves
-Effectively a "socket" system that allows you to custom tailor items to your personal desires
-You can replace the contents of each 'socket', but you cannot remove them; the old one will be destroyed
White/Common Beam Frames start with two slots
-Frequency(Phaser, Disruptor, etc. - includes native proc)
-Hardpoint/Type(dual bank, array, emitter)
Green/Uncommon Beam Frames
-Experience requirement: roughly as much as you need to hit level 10
-Dilithium requirement: 1000
-Adds a Focus slot(Damage, CritH, CritD, etc.)
Blue/Rare Beam Frames
-Exp: rough cost is level 10-25
-Dil: 4k
-Adds an addition Focus slot
Purple/Very Rare Beam Frames
-Exp: cost of level 25-55
-Dil: 12k
-Adds a third Focus slot
Ultraviolet/Ultra Rare Beam Frames
-Exp: cost of 5 spec points(@level 60)
-Dil: 30k
-Adds an Augmentation slot(Arc, Over, Speed, etc. - can also take Focus enhancements)
Gold/Epic Beam Frames
-Exp: 30 spec points(@level 60)
-Dil: 75k
-Adds a Hybrid slot(akin to current epic modifiers. - can also take Focus enhancements)
Frequencies
-Standard damage types readily available
-Reputation visuals/procs are a random drop from Tier 5 Reward Boxes
-Lockbox visuals/procs are a random drop from their corresponding Weapon Packs
-Aside from weapon visual/procs; engine trails, deflector emissions and shield effects are also rarely available.
Three qualities of Focus enhancements
-Lesser(-dmg, etc.) available for crafting at level 5 in a respective R&D line
-Normal(dmg, etc.) available at level 10 R&D
-Greater(+dmg, etc.) available at level 15 R&D
-Augmentation enhancements become available at level 20 R&D
-Hybrid enhancements come from critical successes of Greater Focus enhancements
No bugs. No unskippable cutscenes. No parsing. No bunnyhopping assclowns. No injury-crippled leeches queueing for elites. No AFKers in queues.
What I'd really like to see is a robust exploration system with procedurally generated missions. Are these guys the evil aliens of the week or a nascent warp civilization in need of aid (or conquest)? Basically a spruced-up version of what we used to have, without the Third Borg Empire.
Ships interiors are a wonderful, thus-far-missed opportunity for player housing and base building activities. This stuff can be monetized handily, too, so maybe it's not a complete fantasy. We have officers sitting inside their chairs, sunken into the floor, Tovan Khev stinking up the Romulan bridge. Customization is limited to setting up trophies in the ready-made ready room and in some cases deciding the size of the interior layout (both welcome features, but nowhere near enough). No wonder players don't spend time on their ships - they don't feel like our ships.
What if we could design the ship layout somewhat similar to building a base in City of Heroes? Set up rooms, hallways, decorations, stations, uniforms, security... the works. You could have a setup as lore-friendly as it gets, or fill the place with bridge bunnies and/or tribbles. Just imagine a mission using an exact copy of YOUR custom ready room or conference lounge for negotiations between alien civilizations. And it might not even involve shooting or disarming three spatial charges!
In what way is doffing "broken", swam? I run doff missions every day, and they seem to be working just fine.
1) When you pull up the list of missions, you get a short list, and then a couple of seconds later the list expands to a full list. Often I'll select a mission while the short list is displayed, only to find the mission that I'm trying to do is a completely different one off the long list.
2) Every other mission, the scroll bar resets. This is annoying if I'm trying to do a bunch of exploration missions via my department heads.
3) We still have the tiny zones along the sector boundaries in Beta quadrant.
4) Mission lists are still dependent on how you entered a sector. If I want to look for the embassy missions around DS9, I often have to go to DS9, then go to the sector to the south, and then return.
5) In the old system, missions would be sorted in order of when they would be completed (and the list of recent missions were also sorted in how recently they were completed).
6) Andoria Space has nothing.
The doffing system's definitely usable, but there are bugs that make it annoying to use, and every time I pull it up and encounter them it's a reminder that some things will never get fixed. (Like how the Tholean RA drops you next to Sol, when you enter it from the Alpha quadrant. It's not a game breaker, but it's darn annoying.)
Pipe dream: Updated character models. I know the devs recently upgraded the lighting engine and it did quite a bit of Justice but the character models themselves are just dated (I'm referring specifically to ground the recent ship models actually look pretty fantastic). That's not to say the chars look BAD, they're fine, abd the customization is still some of the best, but going from a more recent title to STO you can see it's age (in my head I'm thinking of Mass Effect). For legacy compatibility the other excel-driven space MMO did something similar a while back and branded the upgraded engine "premium" I think it was if your rig could handle it. I am aware this isn't likely because of engine limitations and the sheer nightmare if what this entails technically but you asked so just my thoughts . And I do not want a sequel as some ppl earlier in this thread commented on.. last MMO I played early 2000's (Ragnarok) abandoned the awesomeness of the original to a much better looking but crappier gameplay Ragnarok 2 and it tanked. Hard. Because it blew. Definitely don't want to see that happening.
Split between current timeline and TOS/JJ TRIBBLE. TOS map, TOS ships TOS everything. The map already exists. All we need is some kind of portal to switch between timelines. And something to do there.
A Nausicaan asteroid base (including dilithium mines) in the remains of Praxis, and a revamped imperial shipyard next to it. Let's say the Nausicaans brougt their advanced roid mining tech along with them.
The Klingon empire is no red federation: Gorn, Nausicaans and Orions are vassals, not members. No bloody reason to have them make up equal parts of the first citys polutation and Klingon ship crews. Some named NPC's/traders and so on, but not random joe strolling around.
Maybe a starting mission for each of those races, to explain why they are loyal to the empire, or pretend to be.
Which leads me to: Gorn, Nausicaan and Orion specific ship interiors... and crews !
Moar homeworlds ! Gornar, Andorian underground city, New Romulus lower city and so on. Basically places you can just admire for their beauty.
More realistic graphics. Many of the newer ship releases look like plastic toys. More realistic ship interiors, too.
Race specific mission variations or at least different dialogues (and less inflationary use of the word "honor" in the Klingon version)
Comments
Sounds like a multiple server type of setup. TOS/TMP server, TNG/DS9/VOY server and ENT server. Create your character and it's stuck on that server with those available ships etc. Such a thing isn't even remotely financially feasible in this game but sounds awesome.
That every player would make an effort to properly learn how the game works. And no, I don't mean figuring out all the complicated formulas like brightest minds in r/stobuilds do. Just simple stuff like what abilities, equipment and traits synergize, what is pointless to expect to work etc.
U.S.S. Buteo Regalis - Brigid Multi-Mission Surveillance Explorer build
R.R.W. Ri Maajon - Khopesh Tactical Dreadnought Warbird build
My Youtube channel containing STO videos.
STO's episodes play out like old time RPGs like Bauldurs Gate - a set of triggered encounters that occur as the player is co-erced along invisible rails.
Games have moved on. We have titles like Witcher 3 now. If the game design team havn't played this, give them a time out to do so. If they have, tell them to up their damn game.
I feel that the space part of episodes should offer
* a view of the entire target solar system. This means a map at each planet that the player can warp to once "in system".
* Extensive use of the normal scan mechanic rather than triggers.
* Encounters and Patrols that can be bypassed by flying around, stealth, combat, diplomacy or even other strategies like diversions. Player choice is important to immersion.
* Extensive use of the normal scan mechanic - and perhaps even probes launched by the science officer - rather than triggers.
Basically, vast parts of episodes should be completable in an "open world" kind of way, where the player uses emergent problem solving, rather than predefined quest triggers, to progress.
In practical terms that's all pronounced "Hey Devs, add some gear setup/ship setup tutorial missions. Nao, please."
"I was here before you, I will be here after you are gone. I am here, regardless of your acknowledgement or acceptance..." - The Truth
IDIC applies to naughty holodeck fun too.
This could be a problem if your bridge crew is all Nausicans.
find me a cute one, and it won't be that bad. XD
No bugs.
I'd love when they make a change that they take the time to fix the bugs. Back when the sector walls came down they broke doffing, and it STILL isn't working right, and there's no indication that they'll ever fix it. It's just one in a long list of really noticeable bugs that take months to year to fix, if they ever are.
Ok you ask for it
My STO fantasies involve my fed main (betazoid female) an uninhabited island some wesson oil ,salad tongs, edible panties , knee pads , velcro gloves and a bungee cord...and a crate of chimichangas and some juice boxes, OH and those little wooden umberellas you get in fruity drinks, and a coconut bra grass skirt and a red spandex suit for myself , and a picture of bea arthur on far wall of the hut, and call it Jorans' Fantasy Island where all MY fantasies are about to come true.
wait this isnt really about my STO fantasies is it O.o
Well kept mane, clean fangs, a butt that won't quit and a good conversationalist.
Member Access Denied Armada!
My forum single-issue of rage: Make the Proton Experimental Weapon go for subsystem targetting!
"I was here before you, I will be here after you are gone. I am here, regardless of your acknowledgement or acceptance..." - The Truth
Commodore(pet/summoner) Class/Specialization
As a Class/Career, you unlock a 'squadron ship' feature at level 20, and unlock additional 'pet' slots at level 40 and 60.
Three pet types
-Tactical (pew pew)
-Logistics (healer/buffer)
-Interdiction (control/drain/disable)
You can assign any ship type to any of your three Squadron/Pet slots(you could run 3 interdiction pets, or one of each, in any order), but only the first/primary slot will immediately warp in when you enter combat. The Second and Third slots are temporarily called in via captain abilities(to the point where you should be able to juggle your second and third pet so that one of them is always in combat at max level).
Aside from captain abilities that enhance and keep the squadron in action, Commodores also get access to the contextual "Priority Target" ability that functions similarly to the Science Career's Sensor Scan, but also makes that target the priority of the Squadron(either to defeat a hostile or defend/assist a friendly). Priority Target will also override the current commands of any fighters and other combat pets so long as it is active.
As a Specialization, it would be a watered down version of the above, with two spec lines for temporary Offensive and Defensive pets as well as the Priority Target ability.
Revamped Ship Interiors - R&D and Doff integration.
Corridor appearance customization
-Floor/carpet, walls, bulkheads/framing, lighting are all independently interchangeable - akin to ship materials/parts.
-Special customization options can come from Missions/Accolades, Reputations, C-store, and Lockboxes.
Branching room upgrades.
-Mess Hall can be upgraded(visually and functionally) to provide benefits(higher success/rarity chance) to either Recruitment or Trade
-Medical Lab can be upgraded to improve Medical or Development
-Science Lab can be upgraded to improve Science or Exploration
-Operations can upgrade to improve Tactical or Security
-Engineering can upgrade to improve Engineering or Colonization
-Diplomacy/Marauding are excluded
Different room/corridor layouts provide pros and cons.
-Layout A is completely neutral
-Layout B improves favors Energy Weapon Development, but inhibits Projectile Weapon and Ground Weapon Development
-Layout C improves favors Science Development, but inhibits Engineering and Shield Development
-etc.
Modular/Mastercrafted Items
At level 20 R&D, captains are able to craft modular equipment "frames".
-Frames level up with experience and Dilithium, unlocking additional slots and native performance as quality improves
-Effectively a "socket" system that allows you to custom tailor items to your personal desires
-You can replace the contents of each 'socket', but you cannot remove them; the old one will be destroyed
White/Common Beam Frames start with two slots
-Frequency(Phaser, Disruptor, etc. - includes native proc)
-Hardpoint/Type(dual bank, array, emitter)
Green/Uncommon Beam Frames
-Experience requirement: roughly as much as you need to hit level 10
-Dilithium requirement: 1000
-Adds a Focus slot(Damage, CritH, CritD, etc.)
Blue/Rare Beam Frames
-Exp: rough cost is level 10-25
-Dil: 4k
-Adds an addition Focus slot
Purple/Very Rare Beam Frames
-Exp: cost of level 25-55
-Dil: 12k
-Adds a third Focus slot
Ultraviolet/Ultra Rare Beam Frames
-Exp: cost of 5 spec points(@level 60)
-Dil: 30k
-Adds an Augmentation slot(Arc, Over, Speed, etc. - can also take Focus enhancements)
Gold/Epic Beam Frames
-Exp: 30 spec points(@level 60)
-Dil: 75k
-Adds a Hybrid slot(akin to current epic modifiers. - can also take Focus enhancements)
Frequencies
-Standard damage types readily available
-Reputation visuals/procs are a random drop from Tier 5 Reward Boxes
-Lockbox visuals/procs are a random drop from their corresponding Weapon Packs
-Aside from weapon visual/procs; engine trails, deflector emissions and shield effects are also rarely available.
Three qualities of Focus enhancements
-Lesser(-dmg, etc.) available for crafting at level 5 in a respective R&D line
-Normal(dmg, etc.) available at level 10 R&D
-Greater(+dmg, etc.) available at level 15 R&D
-Augmentation enhancements become available at level 20 R&D
-Hybrid enhancements come from critical successes of Greater Focus enhancements
What I'd really like to see is a robust exploration system with procedurally generated missions. Are these guys the evil aliens of the week or a nascent warp civilization in need of aid (or conquest)? Basically a spruced-up version of what we used to have, without the Third Borg Empire.
Ships interiors are a wonderful, thus-far-missed opportunity for player housing and base building activities. This stuff can be monetized handily, too, so maybe it's not a complete fantasy. We have officers sitting inside their chairs, sunken into the floor, Tovan Khev stinking up the Romulan bridge. Customization is limited to setting up trophies in the ready-made ready room and in some cases deciding the size of the interior layout (both welcome features, but nowhere near enough). No wonder players don't spend time on their ships - they don't feel like our ships.
What if we could design the ship layout somewhat similar to building a base in City of Heroes? Set up rooms, hallways, decorations, stations, uniforms, security... the works. You could have a setup as lore-friendly as it gets, or fill the place with bridge bunnies and/or tribbles. Just imagine a mission using an exact copy of YOUR custom ready room or conference lounge for negotiations between alien civilizations. And it might not even involve shooting or disarming three spatial charges!
BCW
1) When you pull up the list of missions, you get a short list, and then a couple of seconds later the list expands to a full list. Often I'll select a mission while the short list is displayed, only to find the mission that I'm trying to do is a completely different one off the long list.
2) Every other mission, the scroll bar resets. This is annoying if I'm trying to do a bunch of exploration missions via my department heads.
3) We still have the tiny zones along the sector boundaries in Beta quadrant.
4) Mission lists are still dependent on how you entered a sector. If I want to look for the embassy missions around DS9, I often have to go to DS9, then go to the sector to the south, and then return.
5) In the old system, missions would be sorted in order of when they would be completed (and the list of recent missions were also sorted in how recently they were completed).
6) Andoria Space has nothing.
The doffing system's definitely usable, but there are bugs that make it annoying to use, and every time I pull it up and encounter them it's a reminder that some things will never get fixed. (Like how the Tholean RA drops you next to Sol, when you enter it from the Alpha quadrant. It's not a game breaker, but it's darn annoying.)
A proper first city as seen here:
https://youtube.com/watch?v=2yBEvBZaEUk
A Nausicaan asteroid base (including dilithium mines) in the remains of Praxis, and a revamped imperial shipyard next to it. Let's say the Nausicaans brougt their advanced roid mining tech along with them.
The Klingon empire is no red federation: Gorn, Nausicaans and Orions are vassals, not members. No bloody reason to have them make up equal parts of the first citys polutation and Klingon ship crews. Some named NPC's/traders and so on, but not random joe strolling around.
Maybe a starting mission for each of those races, to explain why they are loyal to the empire, or pretend to be.
Which leads me to: Gorn, Nausicaan and Orion specific ship interiors... and crews !
Moar homeworlds ! Gornar, Andorian underground city, New Romulus lower city and so on. Basically places you can just admire for their beauty.
More realistic graphics. Many of the newer ship releases look like plastic toys. More realistic ship interiors, too.
Race specific mission variations or at least different dialogues (and less inflationary use of the word "honor" in the Klingon version)