I'm flying around in this dopey Defiant because the cloak on it makes it pretty stupid not to use. Are the fleet escorts still fine? Yes. But the advantage of the cloak is so high that you just GOTTA use the Defiant refit.
Now my problem is, I hate the Defiant. I hate the look of it, I hate the size of it (too tiny), I pretty much dislike everything about it EXCEPT the cloak. No problem, I figure, because more ships will come out. This is true, but so far, all I've seen are cruisers and science vessels, cruisers and science vessels. Where's the escort love? Is any in the works?
At the very least, Cryptic should come out with a refit of the Akira class or something. Balance out the playing field a little!
NX01 Refit Replica (the existing NX01 being added tomorrow is, itself, billed as a "Replica class" rather than an authentic NX01; if they add Drexler's proposed hull addition and maintain that it's a new ship class)
Yeager-class (a DS9 kitbash of Maquis raider and Intrepid saucer, the parts should all be in game eventually)
NX01 Refit Replica (the existing NX01 being added tomorrow is, itself, billed as a "Replica class" rather than an authentic NX01; if they add Drexler's proposed hull addition and maintain that it's a new ship class)
Yeager-class (a DS9 kitbash of Maquis raider and Intrepid saucer, the parts should all be in game eventually)
An original ship.
The Yeager is an ugly ugly ugly ugly ship. I'd sooner the Enterprise-J was added than that hideous Yaeger kitbash.
The most obvious escort additions are the Steamrunner and a retrofit Akira. I'd prefer the Steamrunner first, since it could be added as a Commander and Admiral tier ship, like the Nebula and Excelsior were.
So far nothing, but they should bring in the Norway and Steamrunner.
Yeah, well, my problem with that is that I think most ships that would qualify as escorts, in canon, are pretty underwhelming designs. In fact, I'm willing to bet money that's the reason we haven't gotten one yet -- there is no EXCELSIOR of the escorts, or AMBASSADOR of the escorts, or anything like that, because more escorts look ... well ... terrible. Tiny and ugly and wimpy ... not inspiring or impressive at all. The only ones in the game that really impressed me were the Cryptic-designed ones. I know a lot of people think the Fleet Escorts are butt-ugly, but the idea to do what they did with the hull and saucer is pretty unique and ... unique is attractive to me.
Maybe we need to see some new Cryptic-designs added to the C-Store instead of trying to come up with old, weak canon designs and attempting to make them desirable?
Norway and Steamrunner are the only other escort types i know from canon. People do have to realiza that escorts are a new variety of federation ship, relatively. The cruisers and sci ships have a lot more to draw from, because their roles tend to overlap in many ways.
Maybe we need to see some new Cryptic-designs added to the C-Store instead of trying to come up with old, weak canon designs and attempting to make them desirable?
They're welcome to do that too, but since they already have the Zepher and Oslo, might as well bring in their older siblings.
Norway and Steamrunner are the only other escort types i know from canon. People do have to realiza that escorts are a new variety of federation ship, relatively. The cruisers and sci ships have a lot more to draw from, because their roles tend to overlap in many ways.
Exactly. The concept of a Starfleet escort didn't enter the official canon until DS9 introduced the Defiant. There have only been, what, six escorts (Defiant, Saber, Akira, Prometheus, Steamrunner, Norway) seen on screen? We have four of those in game now, and variations of the two left out.
Personally, I'd like to see the Steamrunner and Norway added before Cryptic adds any of their own designs.
What about that old first pass of the Intrepid they drew up while they were developing Voyager? It's a nice design, it fits the period, and it looks predatory enough that it could probably be rejiggered into a medium-sized escort without much work. I think it has potential.
What do you guys think?
What about that old first pass of the Intrepid they drew up while they were developing Voyager? It's a nice design, it fits the period, and it looks predatory enough that it could probably be rejiggered into a medium-sized escort without much work. I think it has potential.
What do you guys think?
I'm partial to the Yeager. It looks uglier and more predatory without looking like a box.
I'd also be happy with a Maquis or Bajoran design being drafted into service as an escort.
What about that old first pass of the Intrepid they drew up while they were developing Voyager? It's a nice design, it fits the period, and it looks predatory enough that it could probably be rejiggered into a medium-sized escort without much work. I think it has potential.
What do you guys think?
I am not fond of the overly triangle saucer, but it does not look to bad.
What about that old first pass of the Intrepid they drew up while they were developing Voyager? It's a nice design, it fits the period, and it looks predatory enough that it could probably be rejiggered into a medium-sized escort without much work. I think it has potential.
What do you guys think?
Not sure what I think TBH. It's not sexy, but escorts really shouldn't be, lol.
Not sure what I think TBH. It's not sexy, but escorts really shouldn't be, lol.
Well true, I don't think escorts should look "sexy" ... but one should also consider that escorts are really all about two things -- speed and power. At the very least, they ought to look "awesome", and that's what most modern escort designs are missing. That jealousy factor. That ability to look at an escort laying into a Klingon bird of prey with heavy cannons and having your cruiser buddies think "Damnit, that thing is badass ... I want it!"
No one looks at a Defiant and says that, because the defiant is just too small and too weak looking.
Apart of the problem is the whole concept of the escort itself. A ship that gets rid of all the fluff and keeps only the necessities -- design wise, it equated to a tiny vessel. But aesthetically, its not an IMPRESSIVE ship. To me, a ship of war should be a ship of size, strength, and armenants. And I think that's what Cryptic ought to do with its next escort design if it does one.
The Akira is the only escort in the game that seems to throw out the idea that an escort needs to be small to be an escort. Cryptic should take a hint from it and make a larger, more impressive vessel.
What about that old first pass of the Intrepid they drew up while they were developing Voyager? It's a nice design, it fits the period, and it looks predatory enough that it could probably be rejiggered into a medium-sized escort without much work. I think it has potential.
What do you guys think?
Too big. I think escorts should be the size of the Defiant. This ship is too big to fit in the escort category IMO.
Heh they basically reused that old prototype and turned it into the Prommie.
The escorts of Starfleets past are commonly called Destroyers, and they've never really been canon, though they're fairly common in RPG Books and some of the computer games.
If the Constitution was the Heavy Cruiser, then the Miranda was the light cruiser and something like the Akula was a Destroyer. Even before that was the Saladin.
I think for the escorts to get any love it is going to take a whole new design by Cryptic. At the same time, I also think that people aren't going to be too happy. Most escorts are small and are built for speed and power attacks. They aren't meant to be in sustained fights. (As a rule) So they aren't going to be massive like a cruiser. Personally I would think something sleek that just by looking at it shows speed.
It looks Star Wars-y, even though it was designed first. But Escorts are a bit closer to the Star Wars model anyway and I think it would be a fun jab at the competition.
(And funny point, it MAY have been seen in part in one film but the only confirmed sightings are in TNG. Which probably makes it easier for Cryptic to get approval on it.)
Too big. I think escorts should be the size of the Defiant. This ship is too big to fit in the escort category IMO.
What we have here is a difference of opinion!
Technically, I guess the evidence is more on your side that an escort should be "small". I just like to argue against that from a design perspective. Most everyone here would agree that the few canon escorts we have are not impressive designs ... they're ugly, and I argue that part of that revolves around this minimalist attitude of tiny-ness, and its unnecessary. The Akira isn't as large as a cruiser, but its not the freakin microscopic size of the Defiant. Why can't we have more Akira sized escorts? Why can't we give the ships some size so they can actually be impressive to others playing the game?
I'm flying around in this dopey Defiant because the cloak on it makes it pretty stupid not to use. Are the fleet escorts still fine? Yes. But the advantage of the cloak is so high that you just GOTTA use the Defiant refit.
Now my problem is, I hate the Defiant. I hate the look of it, I hate the size of it (too tiny), I pretty much dislike everything about it EXCEPT the cloak. No problem, I figure, because more ships will come out. This is true, but so far, all I've seen are cruisers and science vessels, cruisers and science vessels. Where's the escort love? Is any in the works?
At the very least, Cryptic should come out with a refit of the Akira class or something. Balance out the playing field a little!
fly a fleet or advanced escort and load a copy or mes 1 or 2, walla, any ship can cloak with a ensign or lt sci slot power. at 125 aux you wont be spotted till they are within 5 km, then theyll see your dark ship and be able to target at around 3 km with mes 2 at 125 aux or 5 km with mes 1, you have shields up, and you get a defense bonus that last 5 more seconds as your weapons come online. you cant say this doesnt work, as alot of carriers manage it, and theyre the biggest easies to spot ship in game, and they can sneak up on you like this.
I've seen this thing before ... theoretically, Cryptic SHOULD have this, as they got all the concept art. Honestly, I wouldn't be against this ship at all. Well ... I'm not sure about the moving nacelles. That's always been a really cheesy thing to me ... I think I even remember someone in charge of Voyager saying that the fact the nacelles moved was something that made no sense and he regretted the design. BUT, if it happened, I'd probably like this thing more than I do the Defiant.
Comments
Devs should make it so *Jedi mind trick*
NX01 Refit Replica (the existing NX01 being added tomorrow is, itself, billed as a "Replica class" rather than an authentic NX01; if they add Drexler's proposed hull addition and maintain that it's a new ship class)
Yeager-class (a DS9 kitbash of Maquis raider and Intrepid saucer, the parts should all be in game eventually)
An original ship.
Special should be a gaseous anomalie torpedo that will seek out the tail pipe of a cloaked vessel with in 7k and then uncloak them with CPB2.
seems cool tho
The most obvious escort additions are the Steamrunner and a retrofit Akira. I'd prefer the Steamrunner first, since it could be added as a Commander and Admiral tier ship, like the Nebula and Excelsior were.
Yeah, well, my problem with that is that I think most ships that would qualify as escorts, in canon, are pretty underwhelming designs. In fact, I'm willing to bet money that's the reason we haven't gotten one yet -- there is no EXCELSIOR of the escorts, or AMBASSADOR of the escorts, or anything like that, because more escorts look ... well ... terrible. Tiny and ugly and wimpy ... not inspiring or impressive at all. The only ones in the game that really impressed me were the Cryptic-designed ones. I know a lot of people think the Fleet Escorts are butt-ugly, but the idea to do what they did with the hull and saucer is pretty unique and ... unique is attractive to me.
Maybe we need to see some new Cryptic-designs added to the C-Store instead of trying to come up with old, weak canon designs and attempting to make them desirable?
They're welcome to do that too, but since they already have the Zepher and Oslo, might as well bring in their older siblings.
Personally, I'd like to see the Steamrunner and Norway added before Cryptic adds any of their own designs.
Making the New Orleans into a T5 escort... *subliminal message*
What do you guys think?
I'm partial to the Yeager. It looks uglier and more predatory without looking like a box.
I'd also be happy with a Maquis or Bajoran design being drafted into service as an escort.
I am not fond of the overly triangle saucer, but it does not look to bad.
Not sure what I think TBH. It's not sexy, but escorts really shouldn't be, lol.
It kind of reminds me of a boat with a giant arrowhead.
Well true, I don't think escorts should look "sexy" ... but one should also consider that escorts are really all about two things -- speed and power. At the very least, they ought to look "awesome", and that's what most modern escort designs are missing. That jealousy factor. That ability to look at an escort laying into a Klingon bird of prey with heavy cannons and having your cruiser buddies think "Damnit, that thing is badass ... I want it!"
No one looks at a Defiant and says that, because the defiant is just too small and too weak looking.
Apart of the problem is the whole concept of the escort itself. A ship that gets rid of all the fluff and keeps only the necessities -- design wise, it equated to a tiny vessel. But aesthetically, its not an IMPRESSIVE ship. To me, a ship of war should be a ship of size, strength, and armenants. And I think that's what Cryptic ought to do with its next escort design if it does one.
The Akira is the only escort in the game that seems to throw out the idea that an escort needs to be small to be an escort. Cryptic should take a hint from it and make a larger, more impressive vessel.
Too big. I think escorts should be the size of the Defiant. This ship is too big to fit in the escort category IMO.
The escorts of Starfleets past are commonly called Destroyers, and they've never really been canon, though they're fairly common in RPG Books and some of the computer games.
If the Constitution was the Heavy Cruiser, then the Miranda was the light cruiser and something like the Akula was a Destroyer. Even before that was the Saladin.
http://www.ex-astris-scientia.org/fleet-charts.htm
Ships on that chart like the New Orleans, Challenger, Niagara were the smaller ships that served alongside the cruisers of their time.
So.. the ships are out there in fiction. And they're pretty ugly (except the New Orleans, totally use that)
Did my subliminal message get you?
http://memory-alpha.org/wiki/Star_Trek:_Planet_of_the_Titans
It looks Star Wars-y, even though it was designed first. But Escorts are a bit closer to the Star Wars model anyway and I think it would be a fun jab at the competition.
(And funny point, it MAY have been seen in part in one film but the only confirmed sightings are in TNG. Which probably makes it easier for Cryptic to get approval on it.)
HEY!
What we have here is a difference of opinion!
Technically, I guess the evidence is more on your side that an escort should be "small". I just like to argue against that from a design perspective. Most everyone here would agree that the few canon escorts we have are not impressive designs ... they're ugly, and I argue that part of that revolves around this minimalist attitude of tiny-ness, and its unnecessary. The Akira isn't as large as a cruiser, but its not the freakin microscopic size of the Defiant. Why can't we have more Akira sized escorts? Why can't we give the ships some size so they can actually be impressive to others playing the game?
Im not sure if cryptic acquired this with its deal with perpetual but I think this would make a great bleeding-edge 25th century escort.
http://www.deningart.com/gallery/concept_STO_Sacaga.html
Thoughts?
Looks like a Sabre class that got squished.
fly a fleet or advanced escort and load a copy or mes 1 or 2, walla, any ship can cloak with a ensign or lt sci slot power. at 125 aux you wont be spotted till they are within 5 km, then theyll see your dark ship and be able to target at around 3 km with mes 2 at 125 aux or 5 km with mes 1, you have shields up, and you get a defense bonus that last 5 more seconds as your weapons come online. you cant say this doesnt work, as alot of carriers manage it, and theyre the biggest easies to spot ship in game, and they can sneak up on you like this.
Yeah, keeping in mind the guy before CapnLogan liked to tweak and cartoonify ship designs, I'm pretty sure that IS the Sabre class.
I've seen this thing before ... theoretically, Cryptic SHOULD have this, as they got all the concept art. Honestly, I wouldn't be against this ship at all. Well ... I'm not sure about the moving nacelles. That's always been a really cheesy thing to me ... I think I even remember someone in charge of Voyager saying that the fact the nacelles moved was something that made no sense and he regretted the design. BUT, if it happened, I'd probably like this thing more than I do the Defiant.