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Non violent suggestions for ways to play?
maxlevelgod69
Member Posts: 0 Arc User
I love Star Trek.
But let's face it. It's a poor man's knock off of Worlds of ******** in space with the amazing diversity WOW offers in contrast to the severely limited and restricted possibilities of assignments, gameplay, and missions.
How anyone can gripe about balance is beyond me. The game has created a one size fits all equation that has every captain acting the same, sure they look different, but all dialog options limited to a tight controlled chain so they don't sound different, and all missions and assignments are the same with only factional variations.
So I have been trying to find ways to make Star Trek more fun, hoping a little pressure I inspire through alternative modes of playing can inspire a little variation and attention to diversity.
Here's a list of things I've been doing:
1) I got rid of all my armor and weapons, chosen to use non violent tactics, dismissed all my officers, and tried to 'role play' pretending I am promoting an individualistic sense of exploration - you know - like a Doctor who only with space ships. Now this has only gotten me so far. the game is programmed to make you level up to fight. For instance:
2) Leveling up via assignments. MY GOD is this slow. I was hoping that the game might be 'smart enough' to increase variety and expand options if you choose this path. But it doesn't. Assignments never change, missions repeat to the point of oh my f-in g boredom. It would be nice experience some different dialog for a change. But ye... no.. it aint happening. Static, unlike electricity, and predictably monotonous.
3) Not fighting at all, and choosing to treat the game like real life and choose to be non-violent - and choose missions accordingly and choosing to walk away from the fights if I get into one. Now this ain't as slow as assignment leveling. But it is pretty painful walking into a mission thinking I aint gonna have to fight and spending 30 minutes then getting into a situation where fighting becomes a requirement. So I cut the mission. The missions still do not vary though, and the scenery doesn't adjust based on your desire to be non violent. Weird. one would think that a Star Trek game predicated on exploration would actually let you explore non violently. After all, to me, exploration isn't about conquering and is about collaboration and cultural exchange. Weird.
4) Relenting to the demands to fight and choosing to use flying fists of fury. After a few times dying I realized I was on veteran level. I changed that real fast. Then I realized my security guys ain't going to heal me like my officers do when I die. So i do as much damage with my security AFTER I die then when forced to because my security guys die, I resurrect. In the end, this is an effort in frustration because (a) it doesn't promote my non violent sense. and (b) i wish there were more explorative missions where I truly could explore new worlds like I saw on the tv show itself.
5) I've tried trading, but the economic system is made to adjust to your attempts to make money in game and rebalances it by putting in countering trades, making it all but impossible to make credits for long in game. That and the exchange system limits you to 40 items, and simply does not offer experience to level up. Weird. But true.
6) Exploration. Yep. You can earn credits like this but the static universe never changes. It's fixed in size and despite all the dialogs you have with races, species, and trade routes that aren't catalogued nor have a home planet documented within the game, the system never changes nor adds in what you just discovered. Weird. One would think as you explore and found more, that your system might add in these to the maps.... but noooo...
In any case. Look, I enjoy the Star Trek Universe. Let's be clear about that.
But the game is not doing the universe justice.
I was engaged in Star Trek the television series and movies because I was fascinated with exploration, meeting people, seeing different alien races, seeing different planets, different ideas, to visit the holodeck, meet the q's of the galaxy, to see alternate realities, alternate timelines, see time bubbles, space anomalies, and those outfits - see those gorgeous women firsthand in the sexy outfits... you know - all that stuff that really drew me into the Star Trek universe to begin with.
This game clearly does not do the series justice. The series was far more than war.
yet it dominates this game.
The series glorified sexuality, companionship, friendship, exploration, odd personalties,and diversity of thoughts and ideas.
this game. Falls short.
Now I do believe this game can become so much more.
In fact I know it does.... err... can...
On that note - does anyone have any suggestions on how to 'shape' a richer experience using non violent tactics in game? Any suggestions and idea on things to level up. Foundry, sure, but even then the missions are in many cases static and often require violence.
Ideas?
But let's face it. It's a poor man's knock off of Worlds of ******** in space with the amazing diversity WOW offers in contrast to the severely limited and restricted possibilities of assignments, gameplay, and missions.
How anyone can gripe about balance is beyond me. The game has created a one size fits all equation that has every captain acting the same, sure they look different, but all dialog options limited to a tight controlled chain so they don't sound different, and all missions and assignments are the same with only factional variations.
So I have been trying to find ways to make Star Trek more fun, hoping a little pressure I inspire through alternative modes of playing can inspire a little variation and attention to diversity.
Here's a list of things I've been doing:
1) I got rid of all my armor and weapons, chosen to use non violent tactics, dismissed all my officers, and tried to 'role play' pretending I am promoting an individualistic sense of exploration - you know - like a Doctor who only with space ships. Now this has only gotten me so far. the game is programmed to make you level up to fight. For instance:
2) Leveling up via assignments. MY GOD is this slow. I was hoping that the game might be 'smart enough' to increase variety and expand options if you choose this path. But it doesn't. Assignments never change, missions repeat to the point of oh my f-in g boredom. It would be nice experience some different dialog for a change. But ye... no.. it aint happening. Static, unlike electricity, and predictably monotonous.
3) Not fighting at all, and choosing to treat the game like real life and choose to be non-violent - and choose missions accordingly and choosing to walk away from the fights if I get into one. Now this ain't as slow as assignment leveling. But it is pretty painful walking into a mission thinking I aint gonna have to fight and spending 30 minutes then getting into a situation where fighting becomes a requirement. So I cut the mission. The missions still do not vary though, and the scenery doesn't adjust based on your desire to be non violent. Weird. one would think that a Star Trek game predicated on exploration would actually let you explore non violently. After all, to me, exploration isn't about conquering and is about collaboration and cultural exchange. Weird.
4) Relenting to the demands to fight and choosing to use flying fists of fury. After a few times dying I realized I was on veteran level. I changed that real fast. Then I realized my security guys ain't going to heal me like my officers do when I die. So i do as much damage with my security AFTER I die then when forced to because my security guys die, I resurrect. In the end, this is an effort in frustration because (a) it doesn't promote my non violent sense. and (b) i wish there were more explorative missions where I truly could explore new worlds like I saw on the tv show itself.
5) I've tried trading, but the economic system is made to adjust to your attempts to make money in game and rebalances it by putting in countering trades, making it all but impossible to make credits for long in game. That and the exchange system limits you to 40 items, and simply does not offer experience to level up. Weird. But true.
6) Exploration. Yep. You can earn credits like this but the static universe never changes. It's fixed in size and despite all the dialogs you have with races, species, and trade routes that aren't catalogued nor have a home planet documented within the game, the system never changes nor adds in what you just discovered. Weird. One would think as you explore and found more, that your system might add in these to the maps.... but noooo...
In any case. Look, I enjoy the Star Trek Universe. Let's be clear about that.
But the game is not doing the universe justice.
I was engaged in Star Trek the television series and movies because I was fascinated with exploration, meeting people, seeing different alien races, seeing different planets, different ideas, to visit the holodeck, meet the q's of the galaxy, to see alternate realities, alternate timelines, see time bubbles, space anomalies, and those outfits - see those gorgeous women firsthand in the sexy outfits... you know - all that stuff that really drew me into the Star Trek universe to begin with.
This game clearly does not do the series justice. The series was far more than war.
yet it dominates this game.
The series glorified sexuality, companionship, friendship, exploration, odd personalties,and diversity of thoughts and ideas.
this game. Falls short.
Now I do believe this game can become so much more.
In fact I know it does.... err... can...
On that note - does anyone have any suggestions on how to 'shape' a richer experience using non violent tactics in game? Any suggestions and idea on things to level up. Foundry, sure, but even then the missions are in many cases static and often require violence.
Ideas?
Post edited by maxlevelgod69 on
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I call it, the Stoutes paradox.
Gray? Oh right, I forget not everyone is using this.
OP, disappointed that Cryptic hasn't contacted him about his desire to earn a living by getting paid in Bitcoins for making "adult" Foundry content, has fallen back on trying to do a "pacifist" character but is complaining that the game won't sense his intentions and alter its own code to accommodate a "no killing" play style.
Alois, I'm merely trying to change the game, if that much hasn't been made clear by now.
I have no one 'style' of trying to achieve that, just trying different things out.
If you have constructive insights or ways to offer, I'd love to hear them.
Otherwise, thank you for your 2 cents. not really! :-)
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My character Tsin'xing
I actually agree with all of your points completely (though making the sexuality of trek your first point probably wasn't the best plan). It would be nice to see more non violent content in the game for those who like that part of trek. Personally I'm a "pew pew" lover and find the exploration missions tedious, but that in itself is a result of the points you raised.
Sadly though I do think that explosions,weapons fire and fighting for your life does seem to sell better overall than more pacifistic methodologys.
I think sci is probably the closest you will get to a non combat style of play if that's what you're shooting for but I wouldn't hold your breath for cryptic to code all those random alien species I found in the delta volanis cluster (gotta be over 50 by now at least) into the game. I know you said you play sci but I think that's probably about it mate.
"If this will be our end, then I will have them make SUCH an end as to be worthy of rememberance! Out of torpedos you say?! Find me the ferengi!".
The Federation is in a state of War, although after the early missions it turns into more of a Cold War, and combat is a part of it. Enemies willing to take advantage of the situation everywhere, and the ultimate puppet masters playing everyone like a game of Chess. Until you hit the group content like STFs and the Dyson Sphere, STO is pretty much the story of your character making a name for him/herself in this turbulent time.
I remember those threads, they are pretty funny....as in "you have got to be kidding me!" funny. :rolleyes:
This gave me the mental image of him running around a planet's surface sans clothes trying to hunt up the local red light district.
Heh. See above. This is the lens that the OP uses for his vision of how Star Trek should be.
You're doing it wrong?
Silliness aside, you need to modify your game play to fit the game's model, not the other way around.
The foundry is an excellent place to go for special purpose content. I am willing to bet there are missions that fit this bill. If there are not, make some.
Do the nebula exploration missions. Remember that nonviolent does not mean "I am stupid." If you do an exploration mission,and you have hostiles, many of those missions do not require you to actually kill the enemy, the hostiles are just an obstacle, and can be circumvented.
Duty officer mission can supplement, your regular game play.
Dilithium mining, can also award a small amount of experience.
...Oh, baby, you know, I've really got to leave you / Oh, I can hear it callin 'me / I said don't you hear it callin' me the way it used to do?...
- Anne Bredon
what
Okay. Exploration is about one of two things: conquering and enslaving everything you meet OR trying not to get killed by those who chose the first option. Both of those require blowing stuff up, much to the delight of audiences everywhere. Not very Roddenberrian of me, but that's just how humans, as well as everything else in this universe, operate.
Also: the series had just as much combat (er, not as much, but close enough) as the game, but it was done in different ways, due (out-of-universe) probably to budget constraints. So, Janeway was still trying to blow up the alien of the week while trying not to let it blow up Voyager, but she did it with technobabble, whereas we do it with phasers. Actually, it probably has less to do with budgets and more to do with the fact that blowing stuff up with phasers, even repeatedly, is moderately fun, whereas watching people blow stuff up with phasers gets old really quickly. Er, quickly enough, I guess. I mean Sacrifice of Angels proves it takes a little while to get old.
*drops mic*
-Leonard Nimoy, RIP
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I typed up at least two arguments against this. I'm watching season 3 over right now. But, after looking over some of the episodes, even after encountering the Founders Starfleet continues to send ships into the quadrant.
( perhaps I am spolied by playing RPGs such as Fallout, and Skyrim) But I expect to be able to make choices and for those choices to have some kind of impact, though in all fairness Cryptic has introduced that to an extent in their recent featured episode, so on that count i am very happy
I personally think that every mission should have at least one optional path of Minimal combat , for those seeking a more diplomatic approach, yes sometimes you have to kill them because they are going to kill you, But other times you should be able to circumvent them using stealth or trickery, Maybe incapacitate them with the Bloody STUN SETTING instead of vaporising the target? ( as in the prison mission where you can choose between killing and stunning)
Ideally the choice of diplomatic or at least non lethal option should unlock somekind of alternate dialouge or ending of the scenario, For instance, if you have to fight cloaked klingons in a random patrol How about you can find a way to cripple them with technical trickery, and then Persuade them to leave without firing a shot ?
edit:
About your fistfight problems. Instead of getting rid of all officers pick a few sci-boffs with healing skills and set them to passive mode; so they will just heal but not attack.
Did you felt that? Yeah. Goooood, that was me mentally slapping you with a 3 week old dead fish. Did you even read the OP? Did you even read the short simple part you quoted?
Did you actually watched the show for yourself? Can you count the "War-Centric" Episodes of TNG which where actually about Picard/Federation fighting a war(!) and not preventing it?
The series was MASSIVLY FAR more than war. That even goes for DS9 which was the most federation-at-war ST show of them all.
The Fed-KDF war. Romulan Civil War, Terran Empire invasion, True Way Terrorism. Borg incursion. Tholian invasions. Undine infiltration. Voth offenses. All of this in our universe. Not to mention the short conflicts with the Fek'Ihri, the Dominion, the Devidians.
And now we have a pacifist player that won't defend himself against all of these? Interesting.
If you want to level as fast as possible without being in combat, forget playing the storyline missions. Take "Stranded in Space", the very first Fed mission. You rescue a Civilian transport from marauders that are at war with you. It is your duty to end them. Not to talk them away so they can raid somewhere else. Not if they are at war with you.
But as for suggestions:
- Exploration missions. If you do enter combat, warp out.
- Patrols. If you do enter combat, warp out and drop the mision.
- Doffs. Long and boring, but it'll get you there.
- Special Event playing. I know somebody who got 3 levels out of the Winter Wonderland daily race.
- Get Masked Energy Signature and fly with your fleet. They do the killing while you are out of combat. At best, you'll be healihg your fellow fleet member.
As for getting marks: the Defera missions that don't involve combat. New Romulus. Dyson Allied zone. Nukara will be tough, though.
My advice, if you want to have a RP pacifist character, don't bother leveling him, but let him/her be a RP character and use your other characters for grinding.
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To save you tearing your own eyes out from desperation, it's probably an idea to play the game normally until you hit level 50. Then the captain can have an attack of conscious and decide to never touch a gun again. But orders are orders.
So, and it's a bit cheaty and not quite what the OP has in mind, but rather than avoid combat missions all together - play them but make sure the captain themselves never get involved in combat.
So for ground sections/missions rely on the Boffs to do the fighting for you. Whatever career you go with use a kit that has support powers. Don't bother with a weapon and just focus on healing and buffing the Boffs as they fight. Even the Squad Leader tac kit can use smoke grenades and rally.
In space you could either follow the same logic and go carrier, letting the pets do all the fighting, or build a full support vessel designed to aid team mates in endgame content. Like a drain/debuff science ship or a traditional engineer tank.
Sure you'll be bottom of the leader boards when it comes to loot and marks, and yes perhaps a few players might not be happy with you because you lack DPS. But it's not really a problem is it? DPS is certainly not in short supply these days.
The dev's fain listening and just do what they like regardless of feedback and suggestions. The community has its head so far up its own TRIBBLE it can see its own teeth and anyone who shows a little sign of independence is troll bait ! Why would you wana stick around for that.
I thought self harm was a cry for help ?!?!?!?!
Yeah, though most of this could be altered with a simple implimentation of stunn settings, and some non despawning bodies that represent them being unconisous
You still get to fight, and they still loose, except you don't have to worry about the digital blood on your hands
As it stands I'll routinely engage and destroy approximately 6 frigates, 2 cruisers and a battleship per average mission, they are often so woefully outmatched that disabling them would be simple for the captain of a vastly superior vessel, This kind of ridiculous body count, not only unrealistic, is moraly apprehensible ( though culturally proper when it comes to Klingons)
I am not suggestion we be pacifists, but can you really say this kind of carnage is accpetable?
OP I am with you, I always dream of having two alternative path in this game, one a peaceful one, sort of:
1- Merchant (Ferenghi style or others we have seen in the tv series)
-Diplomat like in the episode where the betazoid was acting as an intermediary for the Federation
2- Pirate (someone who abides by his own laws, if you want you can be peaceful or you can be violent)
"To an extent" indeed. The extent is also commonly termed "lip service." As in they're making a token attempt at the illusion of choice, but when it comes down to it you've still got absolutely zero influence on the final outcome of the mission. A bit like dealing with Farek- you decide whether to blow her and her ship away or let it run, but it takes place in a vaccum and makes no difference to the end result. "What happens at the other end of the wormhole stays at the other end of the wormhole?"