test content
Logo
What is the Arc Client?
Install Arc
Galaxies really need saucer UI like hangar pets
monkeybone13
Member Posts: 4,640 Arc User
When the new hangar pet user interface in the HUD was announced, players asked about the Galaxy class saucers getting their own UI HUD. The answer was no. I don't remember if a reason was given other then "No".
For a while players had requested it. So I'm going to put out another request for it.
The damned saucer is hard to keep track of, mainly because it prefers to wander around aimlessly on its own, but when it is actually doing something a UI would make things easier to heal it and recover its shields like we can with hangar pets.
Edit: To be honest the separated saucer needs major AI improvements also.
For a while players had requested it. So I'm going to put out another request for it.
The damned saucer is hard to keep track of, mainly because it prefers to wander around aimlessly on its own, but when it is actually doing something a UI would make things easier to heal it and recover its shields like we can with hangar pets.
Edit: To be honest the separated saucer needs major AI improvements also.
Post edited by Unknown User on
0
Comments
The AI on these parts are ridiculous, once you cut them loose you have no control over what they do or where they go, they're fine if you are only fighting a single target, but in an area where targets are spread out and you are trying to concentrate in one area at a time, you often have your detached part wandering off, aggroing a group you didn't want to deal with yet and your only options are to throw heals at it and hope for the best, let it get itself destroyed or call it back to reattach, you can't even direct it to attack or assist your target.
The whole point of having these functions was not merely to be able to say "Oh lookey my ship can separate just like on TV". It was to have a functional asset in battle. As it is I feel like Robin Williams in Robots with his head on the floor looking at his body wondering off and saying "Hey Idiot. I'm over here!"
They tend to die a lot, from various things like warp core breach and you can't see if they are dead or not so having a UI would help there. I would also like to set them between attack mode and recall when I don't want to aggro everything on the map.
Harden up Princess
Looking for an Oceanic fleet? Check out our website:
www.ausmonauts.com
Good point about the other ships. I don't own any of them so I forgot, or didn't realize, they had separation abilities and such.
The problem I'm having is that after a while I notice my saucer isn't attacking anything. When this happens I think ti wandered off to the other side of the map, only find once the event is over and the last enemy ships fade out, oh look!, it's over there, DEAD!. Had I known it was taking heavy damage I would have healed it.
And that's another thing. I'm starting to not separate my saucer anymore because it gets killed to quickly.
I really think something needs to be done about these things. It's stupid to have it in game as nothing more than a gimmick. It has to be effective for it to be worth the price I payed to get the Dreadnaught Cruiser from the c-store, then a fleet ship module for it, as well as a fleet Exploration Cruiser Retrofit. And that's both on the same character. He has a fleet avenger battle cruiser too, which actually IS useful, instead of being just a gimmick.
Looking for a dedicated Star Trek community? Visit www.ufplanets.com for details.
Fix those things and you have a REAL DREADNAUGHT.
If the AI was locked into "Attack My Target" mode at least you wouldn't have to worry about it going too far and it would be far easier to keep track of, but I think it is deployed in "Intercept" mode so that it will automatically seek out the nearest threat, which isn't very helpful with the AI being dumb as a post, often diving into a fight even if it's health is near destruction.
=/\=USS Lindsey Stirling =/\= NCC-116747 =/\=
=/\= Liberty Task Force =/\= Diplomatic Advisor =/\=
Get the Forums Enhancement Extension!
+1
We need to be able to direct the part to attack or defend specific targets or by default attacking our targets or defending us rather than randomly creating havoc in their path. If that means giving them a team member UI that shows up on the HUD when separated that consequently also shows their status so much the better.
But all that aside, if I could issue an Attack My Target command and it would respond, I would be satisfied.
Then again, after eating a Borg torp the first time, I can't blame them for not holding their post.
On a sidenote I must say I like your signature, which is one of the few images Ive seen in a while of a Dreadnaught with properly proportioned saucer components.
From what I see I agree that it does seem like red shirts run the separated section. To that end I propose a two part fix of sorts. The first part would require that the BOFF that you set as your XO would need to be separate from the other BOFF's giving him unique abilities in all non-separated ships, with or without the ability. These abilities are in the to be determined category for now. It would not be an extra BOFF slot persay, because the XO would not have his normal skills to use, It would be either something universal to all XO's or career path based.
Now, if they ever implement the XO system then when you have a two part separation, you would loose you XO to the separated part, Yes we still need a UI component. Once the separation occurs your XO would command the second section and be able to use his BOFF powers along with the normal abilities of the section.
Now for the 3 part separation you would also loose one of your BOFF's, and that would be set in the 'stations' tab.
This would do a couple things for the game I think. One it would add a bit of emersion, two it would make your XO selection a bit more important.
At least to keep an eye on it (to try to keep it alive), I usually pin it to the target info window.
...but it's usually dead by the second or third time I look up.
SCE ADVISORY NOTICE: Improper Impulse Engine maintenance can result in REAR THRUSTER LEAKAGE. ALWAYS have your work inspected by another qualified officer.
It should be treated like a carrier pet at least. That would make it much better.
I can... almost sorta see that argument for the Galaxy and Odyssey saucers. Truth be told - and this is missed by like half the people who complain about the fact that the option even exists - the bonus of saucer separation was already explained on the show itself, and carries over to STO. The point is to get RID of the saucer. The fact that it hangs around is a bonus (usually, sometimes a disadvantage).
However, the Aquarius and MVAE units... no. The Aquarius is weak enough as-is, and is supposed to act like a tougher fighter - go out and engage threats in a firepower-licious fashion ahead of the main mothership, which it is arguably there to protect. As-is, it's a gnat that, when it actually does enough to get noticed, gets swatted and accordingly fares as well as a gnat does against a person's hand, except without any of the gnat's knack for survival.
The MVAE, the entire point is 3-vs-1 combat. That said, I have had a lot more luck with the MVAE than any of the other separation craft (and I own all of the Federation ones, as far as I know, except for the Fleet MVAE). That said, I think the AI on the MVAE is somehow superior to that of the other units, though it still needs improvement.
Note I do not agree that the separable pets should not have controls, merely that I can understand the arguments for the saucers.
If it ever comes, please add the function of manually applying the Lance. I would like to sync. it up with the Phaser wide-beam. Make it function as a the special abilities bar.
Make the ability of Antimatter Spread grey, for those who do not have that synergy yet. It would go well together. The Phaser Lance can be added to the bar as well.
I'm not in favor of losing boffs to the separated parts, that would involve sacrificing critical bridge officer powers and buffs to what would still be AI controlled ships even if we had a marginal carrier/away team type control interface. Spreading those powers over multiple parts would be complicated to manage and I've no doubt too complicated for developers to implement properly without a lot of work.
We're trying to get them to extend an already existing game asset, carrier commands, to separated parts, the amount of development time and effort required would be considerably less than that required to invent a whole new system for separated parts involving Boff assignments.
While I would concede your point on both the Oddy and the Galaxy-R, that argument is less convincing for the Galaxy-X. Yes, for the Galaxy-R, the families are suppose to evac to the Saucer and get out of Dodge. For the Galaxy-X, however, families would NOT be aboard as it is a BATTLESHIP. While the Galaxy-R would have luxurious accommodations for families, the Galaxy-X would have Spartan accommodations. They are likely bunkrooms much like on Navy ships today; 16 inches, and hot bunking (one guy gets into bed as soon as the other gets out). Therefore, the saucer WOULD be a combat component much like the MVAM of the Prommy. If not, what is the point of separation?
That would be great if the Saucer went away. But it doesn't behave like it did in the shows. :P
It's remarkable that something as substantial as an undocked section of a Starship doesn't have a better UI interface than throw away cannon fodder like hanger pets.
Well it was used in combat. It was used to defeat Locutus in The Best of Both Worlds.
If only it worked like that too.
Defend - keeps the separated pet close to you and it shoots at things shooting at you.
Support - uses special abilities to keep you alive or supports the defense of a designated object
Attack - goes after the nearest threat (but should return to you when the threat is gone or you move a certain distance away from the pet).
Overall, the pet AI needs to be improved in how the separated pet acts, especially hanging around exploding ships. The basic commands will also allow the player to determine what the pet does while separated from the base ship.
attack: close with enemy inflict as much damage as possible
Harass: stand off and engage long range, sci torp etc.
support: don't engage throw hull and shield heal, and buffs like attack patterns
Return/disengage