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Should LCARS be in this game??

SystemSystem Member, NoReporting Posts: 178,019 Arc User
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqLxGssSR-o&feature=related

In this clip if you go to about 9mins in then Dr Bashir makes an interesting comment which implies control interfaces have changed and moved away from LCARS into a 3d style- maybe something like the controls for the Normandy in Mass Effect.
Given how clunky the traditional LCARS system always looked to me in terms of trying to use it to control a massive starship this seems like a long overdue move by Starfleet.
So I guess the question is would a new 3d interface be canon, and would people be happy to see it being used on their bridge?
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    I still want a colored LCARS, Voyager-style. It's just a matter of recognition for me. >_>

    By the way, in the future episodes that have shown bridges in the era that STO is set in Starfleet still had the traditional LCARS as well.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    I don't know about a 3-d interface being canon, as to be honest I don't pay much attention to that type of detail, but it would be nice to have. If you look back at the 2 recent Iron Man movies that type of 3-d interface just seems to me to be... REALLY cool, i'd love to see something workable like it in the game myself.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    LCARS is impossible due to license issues, one of the devs made a post on this a while ago, can't remember who it was tho. Pity really, I like the LCARS interface.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    That sounds weird. :confused: We already have the interface, it's just that they are mono-coloured, missing out on the yellow, orange, red and white. Actually, the classic TNG-style LCARS is even used on a couple maps (e.g. the bridge of the ship you beam to as part of the Wormhole mission).

    If that were so, let me propose the work-around to make the existing interface textures customizable so that everybody can enter his own colours. :D
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Valias wrote:
    That sounds weird. :confused: We already have the interface, it's just that they are mono-colored, missing out on a couple other colours. Actually, the classic TNG-style LCARS is even used on a couple maps (e.g. the bridge of the ship you beam to as part of the Wormhole mission).

    If that were so, let me propose the work-around to make the existing interface textures customizable so that everybody can enter his own colours. :D

    Suppose that could work, but Cryptic does need to be careful with the entire license thing, CBS is very strict on stuff like that. I'm actually surprised they allowed the devs to create the Excelsior ship... even more so to see the Nebula. Still I guess if they cleared it up with CBS it would be possible.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    In the Voyager Episode with the Relativity from the 29th century the ship from the future used TCARS. Here is a link about the TCARS. http://memory-alpha.org/wiki/TCARS
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Volpe wrote: »
    In the Voyager Episode with the Relativity from the 29th century the ship from the future used TCARS. Here is a link about the TCARS. http://memory-alpha.org/wiki/TCARS

    I want that ship in game so frigggen bad u have no idea!

    http://memory-alpha.org/wiki/USS_Relativity
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    LCARS?


    I don't know what you're talking about.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    I think LCARs has become too "old" compared to today's technology. Sure it worked for the series' but now I think it's time for a new style with either 3D view like Avatar or More intuitive like Minority report. I know it's only thirty years since the last on screen appearance in Star Trek, but look how far our technology has come in the last 30 years.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    MavrykDH wrote: »
    I think LCARs has become too "old" compared to today's technology. Sure it worked for the series' but now I think it's time for a new style with either 3D view like Avatar or More intuitive like Minority report. I know it's only thirty years since the last on screen appearance in Star Trek, but look how far our technology has come in the last 30 years.

    One would expect that neural interfaces would be the primary means of controlling systems 400 years from now. After all, why bother having to move hands to select buttons when you can just think of an action and have it performed immediately? At that point the ship kind of becomes an extension of the body.

    Or given the advances from 400 years of artificial intelligence developments, the need for corporeal beings to man spaceships seems rather superfluous. There's little reason ships of the future couldn't be fully autonomous.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    One would expect that neural interfaces would be the primary means of controlling systems 400 years from now. After all, why bother having to move hands to select buttons when you can just think of an action and have it performed immediately? At that point the ship kind of becomes an extension of the body.

    Well with the Borg and other technological life forms I am sure that Starfleet is cautious about said things, that mind game that wesley saves the ship from is an example of the nueral interfaces gone wrong. Lets face it, what piece of Trek technology hasn't malfunctioned at one point or another, do we really want our minds plugged into it.

    Plus the fact that even though its the future, the technology in the series mirrors our own understanding of it. Eg 23rd century computers compared to what we have now...
    Or given the advances from 400 years of artificial intelligence developments, the need for corporeal beings to man spaceships seems rather superfluous. There's little reason ships of the future couldn't be fully autonomous.

    I would like to see the Emergency Command Hologram taken one step forward and integrated into the ships computers similar to the same way in the Andromeda series. Sure it's not completely automated, but where would the good drama/stories come from without a crew.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Geoduck360 wrote:
    LCARS?


    I don't know what you're talking about.

    Ya i've been using that LCARS mod for months now and i still appreciate it when i walk past beautiful multi-colored panels
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    I had heard that they couldn't use TNG era LCARS colors because of licensing issues. CBS said that they wanted to keep the game away from feeling too TNG ish or wanted to distance the game from that time or something like that.

    Thats completely understandable, make something up that isant blue, light blue, and dark blue.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    MavrykDH wrote: »
    I think LCARs has become too "old" compared to today's technology.
    So what? It still is Star Trek, and is what people expect. Recognition is key.

    Trek tech isn't realistic, anyways, so I don't see why we would need to make an exception for the computer interface. With some very few exceptions, all sci-fi sticks to "familiar" means of interaction.
    Fenrir1536 wrote: »
    I had heard that they couldn't use TNG era LCARS colors because of licensing issues.
    I still don't buy that. It's only colours - and we see "proper" LCARS used in some missions.
    Fenrir1536 wrote: »
    CBS said that they wanted to keep the game away from feeling too TNG ish or wanted to distance the game from that time or something like that.
    That must be why everyone is running around in TOS and TNG uniforms, half the Admiralty consists of known characters from the series, and two third of all ships are from the TNG era. :D
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Valias wrote:
    That sounds weird. :confused: We already have the interface, it's just that they are mono-coloured, missing out on the yellow, orange, red and white. Actually, the classic TNG-style LCARS is even used on a couple maps (e.g. the bridge of the ship you beam to as part of the Wormhole mission).

    If that were so, let me propose the work-around to make the existing interface textures customizable so that everybody can enter his own colours. :D

    You can customize in-game textures. Pendra has been doing it for a while. In fact, if you want 'real' LCARS, Pendra has even made a texture pack for it. It's Client-side only, so if you install it then invite someone to your bridge they will only see the proper LCARS colors if they've installed the mod too.

    LCARS Mod @ Star Trek Online Advanced
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    I know, so far that only works on ESD and very few bridges though. :/

    Sadly I lack the skills to edit textures myself (I draw on paper a lot but totally suck at digital post-production), so I can only wait for either Cryptic to add a customization option, or for Pendra releasing a new version.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Valias wrote:
    So what? It still is Star Trek, and is what people expect. Recognition is key.

    Trek tech isn't realistic, anyways, so I don't see why we would need to make an exception for the computer interface. With some very few exceptions, all sci-fi sticks to "familiar" means of interaction.

    Sorry, yeah I didn't mean to get rid of it completely just in its current form. If our bridge officers can have small holographic displays for some abilities then why can't our ships LCAR's be new and exciting.

    Keep it identifiable but with an upgrade.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    MavrykDH wrote: »
    Keep it identifiable but with an upgrade.
    Better yet, make it customizable, so that we can choose what we prefer.

    Personally, I want to keep things as close to the Trek I know as possible. That's the primary reason I'm playing this game, after all. ;)
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Valias wrote:
    I know, so far that only works on ESD and very few bridges though. :/

    Sadly I lack the skills to edit textures myself (I draw on paper a lot but totally suck at digital post-production), so I can only wait for either Cryptic to add a customization option, or for Pendra releasing a new version.

    Actually, now that I have learned how to completely extract client resources and get to the individual sound/image/texture files, I will likely be able to expand on Pendra's work and finish converting the last few textures that were missed. (The ones that are still blue are likely really only 1-2 texture files, since almost all of them are constantly reused through the client, stretched, flipped, etc.)
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Actually, now that I have learned how to completely extract client resources and get to the individual sound/image/texture files, I will likely be able to expand on Pendra's work and finish converting the last few textures that were missed. (The ones that are still blue are likely really only 1-2 texture files, since almost all of them are constantly reused through the client, stretched, flipped, etc.)
    Oooh, that does sound promising! Will you get in contact with Pendra as well, if only for distribution? He did post a "call for help" on his website.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Valias wrote:
    Oooh, that does sound promising! Will you get in contact with Pendra as well, if only for distribution? He did post a "call for help" on his website.

    Once I start work on it, absolutely. I have great respect for Pendra, and use all of the mods on STO-Advanced, so once I start picking my way through all the game resources and making my own mods I intend to compare notes with Pendra and possibly collaboration if he would like to go that route.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Valias wrote:
    Better yet, make it customizable, so that we can choose what we prefer.

    Personally, I want to keep things as close to the Trek I know as possible. That's the primary reason I'm playing this game, after all. ;)

    Well having an option to which version of LCARs is in our interiors would be a great idea. However this would not affect the ones at social hubs, though I could see it becoming apart of our game options ?
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