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First Officers - The Solution to Multi-Speccing/Multi-Classing?

SystemSystem Member, NoReporting Posts: 178,019 Arc User
Okay... Here's a nutty idea.

Say you can select an officer as a first officer, something Cryptic has discussed.

But what if that had functionality to it?

Here's my idea:

- Your first officer may be of any division.
- Your first officer may equip and use kits.
- Your first officer has a simplified version of the player skill tree.
- You can play AS your first officer.

Effectively, a first officer would be a means of multi-speccing/multi-classing. It would never be as effective as a true second character because of the rank limitations. Cryptic could limit where you could play as your first officer (ie. not in STFs, perhaps).

However, it would give you a taste of another class or spec and give you more content/more ways to play without leveling an alt, which can be repetitive. However, if you want the full benefit of playing, say, a Science Officer at endgame, you will want to roll one. If you want to dabble, you can dabble with a first officer.

Likewise, if you want to fly two different types of ships, one for PvE and one for PvP, you could spec your first officer for the other ship type.

Its basically a second spec for your character with the provision that when you play the "second spec", you are one rank below your Admiral. You still get the admiral ships and gear. But in terms of levels/skillpoints, you're playing your alternate spec/class at a partial disadvantage.
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2010
    Okay... Here's a nutty idea.

    Say you can select an officer as a first officer, something Cryptic has discussed.

    But what if that had functionality to it?

    Here's my idea:

    - Your first officer may be of any division.
    - Your first officer may equip and use kits.
    - Your first officer has a simplified version of the player skill tree.
    - You can play AS your first officer.

    Effectively, a first officer would be a means of multi-speccing/multi-classing. It would never be as effective as a true second character because of the rank limitations. Cryptic could limit where you could play as your first officer (ie. not in STFs, perhaps).

    However, it would give you a taste of another class or spec and give you more content/more ways to play without leveling an alt, which can be repetitive. However, if you want the full benefit of playing, say, a Science Officer at endgame, you will want to roll one. If you want to dabble, you can dabble with a first officer.

    Likewise, if you want to fly two different types of ships, one for PvE and one for PvP, you could spec your first officer for the other ship type.

    Its basically a second spec for your character with the provision that when you play the "second spec", you are one rank below your Admiral. You still get the admiral ships and gear. But in terms of levels/skillpoints, you're playing your alternate spec/class at a partial disadvantage.

    If they made it where i could play my first officer i would only use it on ground missions.

    It never made sense to me that my captain was always beaming down for away missions. it just doesnt happen that much.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2010
    I agree, we should get a "first officer" playable character.
    I'm not sure that their skills should be limited when compared to your captain though.
    After all, Spock, Ryker, and Chikote were no less skillful than their captains.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2010
    nileight wrote: »
    I agree, we should get a "first officer" playable character.
    I'm not sure that their skills should be limited when compared to your captain though.
    After all, Spock, Ryker, and Chikote were no less skillful than their captains.

    Well... Maybe you actually have to play as your 1st officer to get them skill points beyond commander at least.

    As in, they start off at Commander 1 and you play as your 1st Off to earn the remainder of the ranks.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2010
    nileight wrote: »
    I agree, we should get a "first officer" playable character.
    I'm not sure that their skills should be limited when compared to your captain though.
    After all, Spock, Ryker, and Chikote were no less skillful than their captains.

    Spock is the only one of those for which I'd agree with that assessment. However, Riker gets a +20 beard bonus to awesome so he makes up for it.

    That said, I agree that having the First Officer be a 'diet captain' avatar would be a great idea and allow for actual split missions where we go between ground and space without recovering the team first.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2010
    Spock is the only one of those for which I'd agree with that assessment. However, Riker gets a +20 beard bonus to awesome so he makes up for it.

    That said, I agree that having the First Officer be a 'diet captain' avatar would be a great idea and allow for actual split missions where we go between ground and space without recovering the team first.

    Riker beat Picard in every single combat the two of them had, including one where he was on a ship with no warp engines.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2010
    Spock is the only one of those for which I'd agree with that assessment. However, Riker gets a +20 beard bonus to awesome so he makes up for it.

    That said, I agree that having the First Officer be a 'diet captain' avatar would be a great idea and allow for actual split missions where we go between ground and space without recovering the team first.

    The big thing I see is... Well, imagine an STF where the Science Officer quits and the group can't find a new one.

    Instead of saying, "We'll give up against the Borg", you say, "My first officer is a science officer. Obviously it's not the same as having a Science Admiral but it will do in a pinch."

    Like Sisko saying, "I'll send Dax in my place". (I know Kira was first officer aboard DS9 but wasn't Jadzia Dax first officer aboard the Defiant? Then Worf, later on?)

    There was always a balance if you think of the series from a game mechanics POV.

    Kirk was Tactical but Spock was Science. Picard was Science but Riker was Tactical. Sisko and Janeway were Engineers but Worf, Kira and Chakotay were Tactical and Dax was Science.

    It makes Treksense(tm) to think of your First Officer as Tactical.

    That said, I think it would also be neat to have solo missions that can call for one member of a specific class and you can play as your Captain or any BO (kinda like those solo missions Geordi had in TNG). It would be a way to have class-specific missions and, at the same time, let anyone do them. It's just that you would have an easier time doing them with a class appropriate Captain.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2010
    themadarab wrote: »
    Riker beat Picard in every single combat the two of them had, including one where he was on a ship with no warp engines.

    Riker was a Tactical officer fighting a Science officer and he was in command of a Captain rank ship against a Captain. He was overcoming the odds a bit but I think it would be reflected well in terms of game mechanics for an Admiral to have a Captain-rank first officer or a Captain have a Commander-rank first officer who can still command the next tier up of ships.

    Oh... And if you want, this could play into functional ship interiors.

    You go to your ready room or quarters and, from there, can leave the ship in your First Officer's command.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2010
    I support this message.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2010
    As nutty ideas go, this one could be workable. Not too shabby really. We'll have to see I guess.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2010
    modemfox wrote: »
    It never made sense to me that my captain was always beaming down for away missions. it just doesnt happen that much.
    That's only because Riker wanted the solo XP.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2010
    Okay... Here's a nutty idea.

    Say you can select an officer as a first officer, something Cryptic has discussed.

    But what if that had functionality to it?

    Here's my idea:

    - Your first officer may be of any division.
    - Your first officer may equip and use kits.
    - Your first officer has a simplified version of the player skill tree.
    - You can play AS your first officer.

    Effectively, a first officer would be a means of multi-speccing/multi-classing. It would never be as effective as a true second character because of the rank limitations. Cryptic could limit where you could play as your first officer (ie. not in STFs, perhaps).

    However, it would give you a taste of another class or spec and give you more content/more ways to play without leveling an alt, which can be repetitive. However, if you want the full benefit of playing, say, a Science Officer at endgame, you will want to roll one. If you want to dabble, you can dabble with a first officer.

    Likewise, if you want to fly two different types of ships, one for PvE and one for PvP, you could spec your first officer for the other ship type.

    Its basically a second spec for your character with the provision that when you play the "second spec", you are one rank below your Admiral. You still get the admiral ships and gear. But in terms of levels/skillpoints, you're playing your alternate spec/class at a partial disadvantage.

    I like the idea but I would like to be able to have all my BO's in STF's
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2010
    nileight wrote: »
    I agree, we should get a "first officer" playable character.
    I'm not sure that their skills should be limited when compared to your captain though.
    After all, Spock, Ryker, and Chikote were no less skillful than their captains.


    I would like to have all my player characters be a part of my crew.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited April 2010
    Spock is the only one of those for which I'd agree with that assessment. However, Riker gets a +20 beard bonus to awesome so he makes up for it.

    That said, I agree that having the First Officer be a 'diet captain' avatar would be a great idea and allow for actual split missions where we go between ground and space without recovering the team first.

    Chikote was a wimp. He should have thrown or killed Janeway and taken the Voyager instead of kissing her back side and supporting all her idiotic descions.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    themadarab wrote: »
    Riker beat Picard in every single combat the two of them had, including one where he was on a ship with no warp engines.


    how many starships did picard crash under his comand though . i know everyone blames deanna cause she was driving but still ... responsiblity moves up the chain of command Riker not down .
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    themadarab wrote: »
    Riker beat Picard in every single combat the two of them had, including one where he was on a ship with no warp engines.

    the episode you are talking about is called War Games
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