in my opinion the scanner minigame feels more like "Fisher Price" than "Enterprise" at the moment. I think it's quite annoying like a popup in a web browser at the moment, therefore I just ignore all missions which are scanner related.
But this doesn't have to be like this. With a little rework I think it can be really fun and more fit into the Star Trek scope featuring more tech background.
My idea about scanning for a residual radiation should start with a very noisy curve which is amplitude and frequency modulated - there are no clean sine curves in the world. Then to get the clearer image you should be able to jog through the timeline with a cursor and get a frequency/signal strength histogram at this specific timecode. Then you should be able to apply high-pass and low-pass filters to remove the noise. With multiple cuts through the timeline you should be able to define an envelope waveform to isolate the correct pattern.
And please remove the time limit. If somebody decides to analyze a pattern, then it is his choice to tinker with this tech in depth, so don't reduce his experience. Because of this time limit the feeling for doing something really important is totally gone.
To understand what I mean, here is an image...
http://sites.google.com/site/tobicochem/pics/scanner.jpg
Please post your comments. I love to get a comment from the dev's, too.
Comments
But I like the OP's suggestion as well.
the quality and amount of the reward should not be reversely depending on the time, but on your skill to operate the scanner which means, the more accurate you create this envelope waveform to get a clearer signal the higher would be the quality and amount of your reward. this could also mean the opposite of your suggestion, hence: the more time you spend tinkering with the scanner, the better is your reward. aborting the scanner minigame just earns you the minimum reward.
how to understand the envelope filter: actually there are multiple waves with different signal strengths modulated with each other. now you create an envelope wave which isolates one frequency with a little tolerance above and beyond. the trick is to create this envelope in such a manner that you filter out signals, which are too weak to produce trackable traces and to keep inside which are worth investigating.
lets say - to make it clear
in this graphs the frequency (Hz) is on the left-to-right axis and the signal strength (dB) is on the low-to-high axis
https://sites.google.com/site/tobicochem/pics/signal.jpg
you have a frequency of 440Hz (you can hear this) with a signal strength of 50dB (e.g. normal speaking voice loudness)
and there is another signal with 500Hz with a signal strength of 10dB (e.g. breathing noise loudness)
and the random background noise has a signal strength of 0dB (hearing limit)
https://sites.google.com/site/tobicochem/pics/isolate.jpg
the skill is to isolate the two signals from the backgound noise. each isolated signal will be de-modulated from the scanner leaving the remaining signals and the noise visible as AM waveform.
if you didn't carefully match the first signal, and isolate the waveform, then the remaining signal will become too weak or too noisy to isolate another waveform.
https://sites.google.com/site/tobicochem/pics/result.jpg
if you just isolate one signal, then you will lose the second trace and cannot get it's reward. this means you have to carefully create these envelopes to isolate each frequency and lock them in to track them down.
if you succeed in the end you have 2 isolated signals (frequency Hz and strength dB) and a scanner that shows just the random noise within the noise threshold (red lines) around the zero line and no more waveform. this means you have collected all possible traces.
I was just about to complain about the same thing.
I would also like to see some more mini games, e.g. for bypassing the curcuit of a door.
I cant stand that sound at the end of winning this so called mindless game.. I mean mini game..
Its like fingernails down a chalkboard !
A game like this is based on what your CHARACTER is able to do, not what the actual PLAYER can handle. Because none of us can actually align a warp-core or detect a spatial anomaly or whatever.
What if they implemented a TETRIS, PIPEMANIA, BUBBLES, BEJEWELLED, whatever-clone? This would be challenging.
Take a look for example at the minigames in MASS EFFECT 2. this would be a good compromise.
besides this, a minigame is not the main issue to make this game addictive - in my opinion it is the feels-like-being-a-real-trek-tech-diplomat-whatever-feeling that would make me come back to the game again and again. but even the new first contact missions are somewhat generic and you never have the feeling of actually having an influence on what will happen..
Cryptic, please make this game feel more like trek and not just scratch the surface.
If the Waveform mini-game is to stay, please correct the terminology to be mathematically correct. The up and down buttons do change the amplitude of the wave, but the left and right buttons affect the wavelength (or frequency--take your pick), NOT the phase shift of the wave.
just to add my thoughts..
if i'm running round a map and i know there is loot hidden, sure i'll use my tricorder to find it.
whether i use my tricorder or not - that same quantity of loot should be there. i wasn't aware my tricorder should be affecting my loot.
now if we were to use the complex methods from the previous posts to match waves and signals so that i could bombard my samples with different radiations to make ones i don't have - then we'd have one great crafting tool
I haven't played since this spastic, unplayable mini-game was added. It's that irritating.
Same here. Yay for 1 Radiation Sample!
And I can think of no way to make it entertaining, either, as the entire idea of a mini-game like this is ridiculous and should've been strangled in the craddle.
Erm. I vote for a removal of the STF's. Making it take longer or be more involved would be intensely frustrating. I just want my end rewards, I really don't want to have to waste more time than required gathering them. There is no joy in it.
And I can think of no way to make it entertaining, either, as the entire idea of a game like this is ridiculous and should've been strangled in the craddle. :rolleyes:
Heh.
STFs serve a different purpose, namely "end game content" or alternatively "group content". What purpose does the gathering mini-game serve? Currently it slows down gathering by a small margin, it allows you the random chance of getting a particle trace and ... well, and?
What benefit does it provide?
How I wish you could do the same with STF's
Oh sorry,in reply to your question,it entertains,now that doesn't seem to include you,but thats your perogative...... me,well it's part of STO and I do find it entertaining. ( The crafted sets are useful and sell for a pretty penny in the exchange,it's a win win situation as far as I can see )
Oh, no, I got the sarcasm. It produced neither entertainment nor enlightenment.
The current scanner mini-game has not always been a part of STO. It is a relatively recent addition. I happen to find it a waste of time, and as such react negatively to people making the suggestion of making it more difficult or more involved. It is their privilege to suggest "improvements", it is my privilege to suggest they either leave it as is or flat out remove it.
Or, put another way: Making the mini-game more difficult or move involved will reduce the amount of fun I have with the game. (Even if only by a small amount.) Something that will reduce my fun is seen, by me, as a bad thing.
Now! If you can show me a benefit, where it will objectively\universally improve the game and\or improve my fun? I'll support it. The suggestions being provided in this thread? No joy.
See that sentence,there's your answer,lets just agree to disagree,I'm losing the will to live here