test content
What is the Arc Client?
Install Arc

Sector Space and my feedback on why I dislike it.

SystemSystem Member, NoReporting Posts: 178,019 Arc User
First off I'm trying to keep this feedback constructive so devs and players alike can understand what I am trying to say.

Okay first thing about sector space is that in no way shape or form is it actually space to sum it up a friend stated it as "a blue grid with instances" you get no feeling of actual space when flying around you don't feel like your traveling anywere your simply clicking on an instance and loading it up by moving to it, I really dislike this when I first heard of star trek online and when I beta'ed it I found sector space interesting at first but then grew tired of it. You don't really feel like your exploring space your not transversing deep space, sure the NPC enemies flying around the blue grid is nice and adds some flavor but it still lacks the depth of space one would expect from a star trek based game. Without that depth sector space is to me just a big loading list of instances and I basically just click the one I want to load and move to it and it loads, nothing more, in other many other MMO's have huge expanding and vast territories with miles and miles of virtual landscape that help give you the feel that your this small person running around righting wrongs and fighting evil, here I feel nothing at all except point click and loading screen. I really do hope one day sector space becomes more then it is 'blue grid with instances' but i am not certain of how that can be done of if it can be done, the main fault I see with it is the instancing ever since that was created it has been the new "fad" for MMO development and I can understand why it helps balance out the load of all the players loading into the same zone but that at the same time detracts from the immersion immensely. While im not a fan of EvE online they have done a marvelous job of making a huge expanded galaxy running from one server but unlike STO each zone does get instanced multiple times Ive seen some pretty epic battles on YouTube of massive fleets of 100's on each side duking it out in the same zone.

Okay to break this up to make it easier to read, as I was saying the instancing detracts from immersion aswell as it whats the word isolates players from each other when on episodes or explore missions as it is private and only you or a team you bring can get in so if you need help you have to either find someone on friends list or be in a large enough fleet to have people to group with constantly if your play-style is more leaned towards group play like myself, which brings up another reason I and this is only me as from the title these are just my reason and opinions and should be treated as such , I like team play flying around doing the solo act is great but only to an extent deep team-play is vital to me which is why I love the STF's by the way even if its only a 5 man team and not something larger...though not to large (Hated WoW 40 man raids too much drama) but i am off topic here, the Sector space as it is currently feels more to me like a nice graphical dropdown list with instance choices and not much else I just wanted to toss my two-cents I am unsure on how it could be imrpoved id much rather see it gone and replaced with REAL space but thats just my suggestion, Anyways all are welcome to state their like and dislike and feed back on sector space and maybe ideas to improve it and make it more fun for all I want to hear both sides of this so those of you who love SS please post here and tell me why it will help me maybe to understand it better and gain a new perspective I am missing.

Thanks!
-Hikaru Ling- (Former Empress and Leader of the Fleet Robotech Expeditionary Forces)
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    That was tough to read. There's a hell of a lot of information and not a lot of thought placed into layout. I'm not trying to be mean, but next time write it down and the revise it a little.


    I do think sector space should be improved. I agree that it is wholly unlike traversing a gigantic open world, and a little love could be shown to it. I'm not against instancing however.

    I guess sector space is supposed to be like being in warp, so its not highly detailed in that regard. I mean Star Trek was all about, Set a course, Engage. It was never like EVE. The map does a fine job of emulating that you are just transiting. There is another post here, which I think is a good way to 'improve' sector space and I think you'll agree.

    http://forums.startrekonline.com/showthread.php?t=157019
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    everyone said this from the beginning, sector space = no immersion. you know all those people clamoring for full auto fire in space? well 3 times that many wanted sector space out since open beta.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    My gripe is that Sector space feels like a neighborhood...crossing and navigatinmg it feels like a romp around the block.

    All the other ships(NPC/Player alike) feels pedestrian...like you are passing folks on the street. That guy is going to the corner store, that guy is walking to work, thats a couple of kids over ther at Kerrat playing hoops...oh snap, there goes Pooky and them hanging out at Sol/Qo'noS.

    Nothing about Sector space feels expansive, exploratory, "spacious"...its like a street side shell game...or it feels like a kid in a back yard checking under rocks. Each sector is like a whack-a-mole board.

    We never feel like we are moving across an expanse, because evrything is right out there in front you at an arm's length.


    Sector Space in its current form just falls short...apparently the Devs agree and they plan to re-do it...but there is no info on how they desire to change and approach it.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    Another thing I noticed recently was enemies warping in. I don't feel like my ship is at warp but is at impulse as it acts and handles exactly the same as system space.

    There has to be a better way to do it. It's not even a good place to form groups and there are no gameplay elements in it.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    cocoa-jin wrote: »
    My gripe is that Sector space feels like a neighborhood...crossing and navigatinmg it feels like a romp around the block.

    All the other ships(NPC/Player alike) feels pedestrian...like you are passing folks on the street. That guy is going to the corner store, that guy is walking to work, thats a couple of kids over ther at Kerrat playing hoops...oh snap, there goes Pooky and them hanging out at Sol/Qo'noS.

    Nothing about Sector space feels expansive, exploratory, "spacious"...its like a bog shell game...or it feels like a kid in a back yard checking under rocks. Each sector is like a whack-a-mole board.

    We never feel like we are moving across an expanse, because evrything is right out there in front you at an arm's length.


    Sector Space in its current form just falls short...apparently the Devs agree and they plan to re-do it...but there is no info on how they desire to change and approach it.

    I do hope they redo it and yeah you said what I did only better I'm not a very good writer I tend to just write chunks of text with little organization something I need work on.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    HikaruLing wrote:
    I do hope they redo it and yeah you said what I did only better I'm not a very good writer I tend to just write chunks of text with little organization something I need work on.

    bah, you said it just fine.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    I'm not trying to be picky as I did understand you argument. A few periods or commas couldn't hurt ;). I double-space sentences but that's just a habit.

    If you haven't I do suggest you all check that link I posted though, I'm sure some of you have read it already but it makes some good points. Sector space is fine, but you should be allowed to romp around your ship and occupy yourself with other tasks while 'in warp'.

    And yes, your ship acts and flies like it is at impulse. I suggest making all the ship models 1/100th of their current sizes. I guarantee it will feel like warp ;)
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    Hyomoto wrote: »
    I guess sector space is supposed to be like being in warp, so its not highly detailed in that regard. I mean Star Trek was all about, Set a course, Engage. It was never like EVE. The map does a fine job of emulating that you are just transiting. There is another post here, which I think is a good way to 'improve' sector space and I think you'll agree.

    http://forums.startrekonline.com/showthread.php?t=157019

    Sector Space is, unfortunately, just supposed to be an advanced astrometrics, or stellar cartography, display of the sector you're in. It's not supposed to represent a real view of your ship moving through space, or a Star Trek themed miniature golf course.

    Examples of the evolution:

    http://www.st-minutiae.com/graphics/academy/command420/epsilon_map.jpg

    http://www.arksark.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Enterprise-Stellar-Cartography.jpg

    http://cdn.themis-media.com/media/global/images/galleries/full/61/61488.jpg

    The problem is the game does a poor job of explaining this. It's only mentioned in the online manual and not anywhere within the game. This information should probably should pop up in one of those tips upon entering sector space, because most people don't look at sector space as astrometrics and are subsequently disappointed.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    Many of us know it is supposed to be sector space. At first I wasn't sure but I have come to dislike it and the instance system. In fact I think I would rather have that first LCARs system of maps.

    This high level view doesn't feel right. I think the folks that have mentioned the bridge and an astrometrics termianl to set course might have a point. At least then we would be socializing and interacting as our characters from within our ships.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    nothing against sector space just wish my ship moved a bit faster
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    Space = BIG

    STO sector space = small

    Klingon Empire = tiny
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    sector space should be completely gotten rid of, and be replaced by a bridge view...that shows your viewscreen with warp effects and you plot coordinates and it takes however many minutes to reach a destination...much more immersive.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    sector space has been done.

    i believe everyone who was against it quit after the free month. leaving 1/4 of the population who either liked it or thought it was just ok and could live with it.

    sector space was not liked by a large majority from closed to open to launch.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    Hyomoto wrote: »
    I'm not trying to be picky as I did understand you argument. A few periods or commas couldn't hurt ;). I double-space sentences but that's just a habit.

    If you haven't I do suggest you all check that link I posted though, I'm sure some of you have read it already but it makes some good points. Sector space is fine, but you should be allowed to romp around your ship and occupy yourself with other tasks while 'in warp'.

    And yes, your ship acts and flies like it is at impulse. I suggest making all the ship models 1/100th of their current sizes. I guarantee it will feel like warp ;)

    By the statement you can not be a Trekkie or even understand star trek. Sector space is not fine. It is cheap and fake form of space. It is all cryptic could come up with rather then create 1 instance of space. Actually view the game, understand what people are typing and come back with a real form of logic. Sector space is not how canon star trek works or has ever played out. They as in cryptic say it is suppose to resemble warp but in truth you could fire in warp in star trek. If it is warp then you most certainly can not stop in warp. after 6 months of this game sector space should be thrown away and a new system implemented.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    just wanted to chime in here...

    Do not change sector space. It is more than fine the way it is. In fact it is one of the things about STO that provides a good measure of immersion for me. I love the 3D astrometrics map view. It is very much what I think navigation in the Star Trek universe would be like. I am a life long trekker (40 years). I advocate this design feature.
Sign In or Register to comment.