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So Cryptic, Klingon content... can you start with the starting experience?
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Member, NoReporting Posts: 178,019 Arc User
So I decided to try out Klingons today (actually on the test server Tribble, but hey, I figured I'd see the latest and greatest possible experience). Well colour me beige - it's kind of a let-down. Now hold on, don't reach for the bat'leth yet - hear me out.
For a bit of background, I'm the type of player who really prefers to get into their character - not really a roleplayer per se though I can get into that - more just seeking real immersion. I'm not one to worry about the precise capabilities of skill X or get hot & bothered about debates over nerfing or buffing skill Y - not to dismiss those that do; your running phaser-fights through the forums have been both entertaining and quite useful to read. If I'm going to play a Klingon I want the experience to feel Klingon.
So where am I going with this meander, I hear you impatiently ask. Well, if you want more Klingon players, the starting experience is where you need to... start. I'm aware that some players would prefer Klingons to be PvP only, but lets' be fair - playstyle and race are really orthogonal choices. If a Federation player wishes to entirely level up via PvP and loves that, more power to them. If conversely a Klingon player wishes to PvE, then consider it one more person who will be there, arguing for Klingons to receive appropriate treatment by the developers, and who knows, you might tempt them into PvP and they get involved, love it, and learn to do it well. Stranger things have happened.
So without further ado, the following would be my constructive criticism on the opening first few minutes of the Klingon Experience (open 9-5, Earth time):
On the plus side, I'm liking some of the newer stuff - racial transporter beams, klingon voice computers, and so on. Like so much of STO, the Klingon side has great potential. In summary, I applaud those of you who have stuck through and battled for honor and a place in Sto-Vo-Kor, because you've had to put up with all of this and more.
Let us hope that we will begin to see much more done to address the glorious Klingon Empire as it deserves.
For a bit of background, I'm the type of player who really prefers to get into their character - not really a roleplayer per se though I can get into that - more just seeking real immersion. I'm not one to worry about the precise capabilities of skill X or get hot & bothered about debates over nerfing or buffing skill Y - not to dismiss those that do; your running phaser-fights through the forums have been both entertaining and quite useful to read. If I'm going to play a Klingon I want the experience to feel Klingon.
So where am I going with this meander, I hear you impatiently ask. Well, if you want more Klingon players, the starting experience is where you need to... start. I'm aware that some players would prefer Klingons to be PvP only, but lets' be fair - playstyle and race are really orthogonal choices. If a Federation player wishes to entirely level up via PvP and loves that, more power to them. If conversely a Klingon player wishes to PvE, then consider it one more person who will be there, arguing for Klingons to receive appropriate treatment by the developers, and who knows, you might tempt them into PvP and they get involved, love it, and learn to do it well. Stranger things have happened.
So without further ado, the following would be my constructive criticism on the opening first few minutes of the Klingon Experience (open 9-5, Earth time):
- Right from the word go, the loading screens don't imbue you with a sense of being Klingon - just what is that Starfleet symbol doing on this Klingon warrior's screen, hmm? Same goes for other loading screens; we should have an appropriate house symbol and pictures of glorious Klingon battle.
- A topic I don't really need to mention, but I'm going to anyway - character customisation is, frankly, atrocious, especially for a game that prides itself on that aspect. Clearly beta combo box options that are 'textured or not textured'? As for the range of off-duty uniforms? Don't get me started (and just when are Klingons off-duty anyway?)
- So I arrive in the Great Hall - I get a one-liner from someone, who later turns out to be the Chancellor (which I kinda knew) - it's not exactly much compared to the dramatic and well-thought-out tutorial for the Federation, is it? I know we are level 6 Feds by definition, and so don't need our hands holding, but still, it's a rubbish welcome. 'Hi, welcome, go do stuff, rah'.
- Indeed even subsequent PvE or PvP content is very much 'hope you know what you're doing, because we're not going to tell you much'; compared and contrasted with the Federation experience, it's much harder to know where to go and what to do.
- Distinctions between NPCs and players is just plain awful in the Great Hall. We're all yellow smudges on a beige/yellow background.
- The complete lack of signs is going to play hell with less dedicated players (who struggle to find Sulu, it seems). Now, true, signs strictly would have to be in Klingon, but perhaps in deference to their new allies the High Council will consent to Klingon and English as a common alternative for Gorn/Orion/Nausicann?
- The new exploration missions play Starfleet happy music at you when you complete objectives. This is incredibly off-putting. As a famous Klingon once said 'I am not a merry man!'.
- Vendors seem to buy from the Federation a lot (lots of phaser weapons about...)
- The Great Hall is theoretically full of Klingons - have you ever heard of a quiet Klingon? So why is the entire Great Hall so completely noiseless?
- Klingon space is apparently incredibly cramped. Two whole sectors to work within - it's a little underwhelming.
On the plus side, I'm liking some of the newer stuff - racial transporter beams, klingon voice computers, and so on. Like so much of STO, the Klingon side has great potential. In summary, I applaud those of you who have stuck through and battled for honor and a place in Sto-Vo-Kor, because you've had to put up with all of this and more.
Let us hope that we will begin to see much more done to address the glorious Klingon Empire as it deserves.
Post edited by Unknown User on
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the people who are already playing klingons will, of course, see little benefit from this. by the time summer rolls around, all they'll be interested in is level 45+ content (45+ because by then, there will surely be a lot of wailing on both sides about raising the skill cap. more wailing than we have now, I mean). this will of course require more missions (because what's the point of leveling past 45 if it's just the same missions as before?) which will in turn require resources to be diverted from klingon content so that the feds can have a few token fed-only missions (so they won't feel shafted, seeing as how they're the biggest portion of the customer base and shouldn't have their monthly fees being used to subsidize content for a faction hardly anybody plays anyway).
really, Cryptic can't win here. no matter what they do somebody will complain.
-ken
A "my life as a Klingon player" diary.
Yes better klingon starting quests and experiance.
Then add new content all over.
You are Klingon , you cut there necks open and bath in the blood.......I know as a real life human it sounds bad , but to klingons we are giving them the greatest thing in the universe a Honorable death in battle.Its a gift they now can enter Sto-vo-kor if they wish.
The honor is hard to understand for humans , but not soooooo hard to understand look at warrior races like spartians.....infact i would have liked to ask gene if the klingons were based off them if he were still alive today.
Did not mean to get off topic btw , this is the only thing that really bothers me it should not be messed with. We klingons are sink or swim I honestly don't want ppl who wont take the time to figure things out.We do want more players but if you can't handle your own weight we don't want you.
Thats why so many of us have not thats right NOT reported the bug that seens you to the wrong NPC early on we want smart hard to rattle players , this isnt a stab at the OP he seem to easly figure out whats going on and got past it.
As I alwlays say we don't need dumb players this side im dumb enogh for everyone.
I posted a fix for lower level pvp, change the pvp to be by ship level and not captain level. Locking the pvp to shiip type and max weapon level allowed will make pvp on any level possible and allow people to use their character to play with friends and fleet members that are coming up thru the ranks.
No one so far seems to like the idea but it would solve that problem.
Its not just the total lack of content. Its like ok you have nothing and were not giving you anything and now were going to listen to every fed playing newbie and continue to take away what little you have.
That really seems to be a recurring theme I run into. I may only be seeing a small portion of people but it sure seems to be the feeling I get and others have expressed.
Klingons seem to get into their ships and play style at a much more dedicated level than the fed side does. Changes effect them more than the fed side since they have so little to start with. No ship variants and a smaller ship pool even at the top rank makes the player identify with their ship more which isnt bad but it also makes even the smallest change a drastic thing to them.
I have 1 fed ra5 and 2 other fed characters close to the top. My feds have no problem handling any klingon ship anywhere. Yet there are constant calls for nerfing the klingons because they are overpowered. If Im not having problems with the klingon ships with my feds then I have to conclude the ones that do lack the skills to play pvp effectively. My friend had the same complaints and I got him to make a klingon and he took it to the top. Then he went back to his fed character and had no problem going to the top with it. He complained klingons were overpowered but after playing a klingon he realised it was his skills that were the problem. Not the ships themselves.
As your level increase you can use higher level equipment on the lower tier ships. Also as you level up your character gets additional powers (spells). The BOs are limited by the station they occupy.
So, a high tier player flying a T1 or T2 ship has better weapons, engines, shields, consols. And he has more powers (spells). Under the current PvP 1 or 2 upper tier players would be overpowering to lower tier people they are in battle with.
What I think STO needs are some all-tier PvP areas. Not 5 on 5, but many on many battles (ground and space) on big maps where several low tier players can escort larger ships and gang up on upper tier players.
Some 1 on 1 challenge arenas and maybe a 40 player all-on-all (last man/Klingon/whatever standing) cage fight. You know, sporting events where Fleets can organize bat'leth or other tournaments.
That would work too.
I covered the limits needed more detailed in another post.
Basically its :
Have your character play at the top rank of the ship your flying in pvp, limit weapons for the pvp to the top one for that ships rank.
I know that everything is backward compatible but putting a check in there to make sure the player has the right equipment to qualify for the pvp wouldnt be hard. This owuldnt effect pve just pvp.
Now with that said...I am still scouring the various forums looking for this, and if anyone else has seen it by all means please link it please.
IF it is true, then while it is still far out (3 and a half months) at least it would have been some sort of guideline for when we are going to see it.
Sure, it's not here now, but if I can find it at least I can be happy that some sort of answer has been given and a timeframe.
Havent found it so I don't know.
http://forums.startrekonline.com/showthread.php?t=140294
And yes before we all start lamenting the wait...our last big request we have been asking for is communication. Here it is. I will wait to see now. Will I wait in or out of game? Dunno. But our question has been asked and answered for the time being.
Sure, we would have liked more and sooner.....but who wouldnt in our positions. But now I have an informed position to go on.
Let us look towards Season 2. If it isnt there by then...well.....we will see, we will see.
QorChang , it's folks like you that allow MMO devs to pull this TRIBBLE . The more I see of people posting TRIBBLE like this , makes me think , you get what you deserve. Which won't be much .
Now your talking out the ridges on your backside.
You obviously have not read my past posts on this subject. I have been vocal...to the point and in no way soft or pulled any punches when I got frustrated over all this. You are speaking from emotion, nothing more.
I posted this because we demanded an answer...and an answer has been given.
And it's the FIRST time we have been given a serious answer. I have told no one to stay...or go.
I have even said in the post it should have happened a long time ago....but thats an old rant. Nothing will change what is or what was. Our latest request was for an answer. And the answer was given.
If you read what I said you'll also see I never even said I believe them 100%. You heard me say We'll see.
You didnt hear me say "Everyone should stay!" I even said I didnt know if I would stay that long.
Your post paints it out to be a call for us all to stay...my post was a message of "Hey! They finally said something!"
I personally wouldnt dream of advising any of the KDF to stay or go at this point. Each to decide on their own, but at least we have some information besides utter silence to make that decision.
I think your a little quick on the ole flame thrower there pal. If your that fed up, you have the same protest ability we all do. Which is only to cancel our subs, beyond that we really dont have a stronger form of protest.
I'll play a little longer...this is true....will it be all the way to July? I honestly couldnt say. I'll take it one day at a time.
My only advise to you would be try not to be so quick on the trigger. I have yelled as loud as the next and been as self righteous in my protests as any.
Again...I was just trying to spread the info that the devs FINALLY said SOMETHING about the KDF.
It's not personnal , although you may interpret it that way , it's about the game that Cryptic plays and the people that fall into that frame of mind of hanging on their words . This may or may not include you , only you really know. It's the last sentence that sums up the problem of your post . It's not like Cryptic has never discussed Klingons , it's the manner they discussed them . It's the utter comtemptuous manner in which they've addressed the faction that's the issue. It's the post that you have here that only encourages the behaviour, and tells Cryptic that you're willing to submit to their abuse as long as they say the right things.
Well thats just kind of it Vuk, you called me out personally so it IS personal LOL
Granted I can see where you might interpret it as call of support, but I also see in the conversation ensuing that the intent has now been clearly defined I hope.
And you are completely correct in that the problem arises from the fact that it took cryptic so long to really say something to the members of the KDF about all this. I am simply giving cred where due in at least they finally DID communicate with us.
No of course I am not happy that it ook so long and so many voiced raised in protest before they did say something. But my last requests from them was almost a challenge to at least tell us something...they did. Ok. For some it will be enough...for others it won't.
All we can do is sit and wait. Many of my friends that game with me have also already cancelled their subs and will wait and watch.
I can say this.....with TOR coming, Cryptic needs to do this right or TOR will steal most the rest.
But I am sure they know this.
You and I agree in almost all points if you look back and posts we have both made.
I honestly had no intent other than pointing out Cryptics response, or better that they HAD indeed responded.
So now all the rest of the KDF can decide what each of us wants to do about it.
Other than that.......