"Critics who say that the optimistic utopia Star Trek depicted is now outmoded forget the cultural context that gave birth to it: Star Trek was not a manifestation of optimism when optimism was easy. Star Trek declared a hope for a future that nobody stuck in the present could believe in. For all our struggles today, we haven’t outgrown the need for stories like Star Trek. We need tales of optimism, of heroes, of courage and goodness now as much as we’ve ever needed them." -Thomas Marrone
Excellent idea. I fully agree they would be awesome to have. I would likely purchase them (I say "likely" as it would depend on if I thought the cost per slot was agreeable when considered how they were sold as per BOff, Captain, or Account).
You can find/contact me in game as @PatricianVetinari. Playing STO since Feb 2010.
Excellent idea. I fully agree they would be awesome to have. I would likely purchase them (I say "likely" as it would depend on if I thought the cost per slot was agreeable when considered how they were sold as per BOff, Captain, or Account).
Nothing more of a bummer than wanting to change you BOff uniforms to fit a particular mission and reconsidering it because it would take an insane amount of time to do it.
I'd likely buy more costumes too!
I'll have to put that suggestion in the UI section of the forums a week or two ago.
Star Trek Battles Channel - Play Star Trek like they did in the series!Avatar: pinterest-com/pin/14003448816884219Are you sure it isn't time for a "colorful metaphor"? --Spock in 'The Voyage Home' SCE ADVISORY NOTICE: Improper Impulse Engine maintenance can result in REAR THRUSTER LEAKAGE. ALWAYS have your work inspected by another qualified officer.
How is everybody able to read this article? I can't get rid of the Perfect World popup on any browser, or any computer.
Are you viewing it on a 4:3 monitor? I think they designed it for 16:9.
Luckily I have two 4:3 monitors to be able to stretch it.
Star Trek Battles Channel - Play Star Trek like they did in the series!Avatar: pinterest-com/pin/14003448816884219Are you sure it isn't time for a "colorful metaphor"? --Spock in 'The Voyage Home' SCE ADVISORY NOTICE: Improper Impulse Engine maintenance can result in REAR THRUSTER LEAKAGE. ALWAYS have your work inspected by another qualified officer.
Nothing more of a bummer than wanting to change you BOff uniforms to fit a particular mission and reconsidering it because it would take an insane amount of time to do it.
I'd likely buy more costumes too!
I'll have to put that suggestion in the UI section of the forums a week or two ago.
Excellent idea. I fully agree they would be awesome to have. I would likely purchase them (I say "likely" as it would depend on if I thought the cost per slot was agreeable when considered how they were sold as per BOff, Captain, or Account).
Well, if it were possible to give BOFFs extra costume slots, then maybe Cryptic could sell them in "packs" of 10 like the Ship Loadouts.
Star Trek Online Volunteer Community Moderator and Resident She-Wolf
Community Moderators are Unpaid Volunteers and NOT Employees of Gearbox/Cryptic
Views and Opinions May Not Reflect the Views and Opinions of Gearbox/Cryptic
I just figured out that the article is readable at 1920 x 1080 resolution, but only if the browser is at full screen, which it usually isn't. At 1440 x 900 with the browser at full screen, the text is still occulted.
The side bard does NOT auto scale in my experience.
The only thing that bothers me is that the flag officer uniforms are for veterans.
I wish you guys made them for free for silver members to use as well.
Do you guys think maybe someday you'll hold a event for silver members to win all the veteran uniforms? Just the uniforms?
Noticing the references to the crew uniforms in the bulletin, I would like to strongly reinforce the idea that setting your own crew uniforms is a major element for this game. With ship bridges and officer uniform customization, there is often a contrast between the customized and the default uniforms on when in the ship or on the ground.
Big atmosphere killer, which is important to me.
Thanks for your ear, and all your efforts and are noticed and appreciated.
I'm a little miffed that F2P players are excluded from the codified uniform options. I'd love to see the Uniform-Code-Endorsed Odyssey Long Coat become a C-Store or Fleet unlock, with veterans getting their due in some other way.
The only thing that bothers me is that the flag officer uniforms are for veterans.
I wish you guys made them for free for silver members to use as well.
This is the one bit of ambiguity left with an otherwise truely excellent document. One way around squaring the circle, between tailor advice & non-premium content availability, is to consider that due to STO's ludicrous rampant rank inflation, most lvl50 players are in fact 'flag-less' officers.
Many militaries even today (your own country's service traditions may vary!) have the difference between OFFICER OF FLAG RANK and FLAG OFFICER. Only the latter having an establishment, headquarters or formation command that allow them to fly a real or notional flag.
Taking that idea, the majority of lvl50 players could perhaps consider the Commanding Officer uniform as first choice (note: no longer 'Captain' as it was in the original blog, even through the rank pins still say Captain rather than Various); certainly the description fits:-
"...Officers who wear this variant don't necessarily have the RANK of captain, but they do fill the position of captain/commanding officer of their posting."
That would then leave the Flag Officer uniform for yes Vets, but mainly as a distinguishing mark for those NPCs that order us fighting Admirals around; once again the description aligns nicely, depending on how you treat the "..not just.." as either an AND or an OR clause:-
"...They routinely make decisions that affect thousands of lives, controlling not just single ships but whole squadrons and fleets."
With the potential therefore to move to this uniform as a freebie (substituting a future vet reward), should we ever get in the Boffs-as-ship-captains, mini-fleet feature that has been talked about in the past.
Several of my F2P Fleeties have gone for the CO uniform but with the addition of the Flag variant gold rank & command insignia. I'm sure Cryptic management would by more than happy for everyone to fork out on a subscription but maybe Thomas can post his thoughts on what was intended at the story/design level?
Excellent idea. I fully agree they would be awesome to have. I would likely purchase them (I say "likely" as it would depend on if I thought the cost per slot was agreeable when considered how they were sold as per BOff, Captain, or Account).
I support this.
A good way would be to get 1-2 additional costume slots for all Boffs on a given character for say 200 Zen. (Two more costume slots for all captains on an account cost 250 Zen.) Pricing it per account would get way out of hand and pricing it per individual Boffs would be nnsensical (would require dozens of purchases sometimes for a single char's Boffs).
TOIVA, Toi Vaxx, Toia Vix, Toveg, T'vritha, To Vrax: Bring in the Allegiance class. Toi'Va, Ti'vath, Toivia, Ty'Vris, Tia Vex, Toi'Virth: Add Tier 6 KDF Carrier and Raider. Tae'Va, T'Vaya, To'Var, Tevra, T'Vira, To'Vrak: Give us Asylums for Romulans.
Rewarding paying players is all well and good (PWE and Cryptic need them to keep STO running, after all), but I'm a little miffed that F2P players are excluded from the codified uniform options. I can even handle having to get the academy package for my dress uniform, and TWOK for the enlistees, but the cost to become a 200-day veteran to wear Starfleet's standard officer uniform is prohibitive. I'd love to see the Uniform-Code-Endorsed Odyssey Long Coat become a C-Store or Fleet unlock, with veterans getting their due in some other way.
I'm sorry, but no. Veterans Rewards are perks for a reason. And if you start chipping away at those perks, then there will be no incentive for anyone to ever become a Veteran.
But let's humor you and say that Cryptic decides to give away the Odyssey/Bortasqu' 200-day Veteran Long Coat for free and replace it with another jacket option. You and others like you might be satisfied, but then you or someone else might decide that they want that new 200-day Jacket option, too. Then again it's with the "it's not fair that Veterans get it, but F2P players can't!" And it all starts over again. What's next? Do you want the Android BOFF in the C-Store, too? How about the 1000-day Ship? So again, I'm sorry, but no.
Don't get me wrong, I empathize with you about wanting but not having those things that are locked behind that Veteran pay wall. I get it. I wanted those things, too, that's why I scrimped and saved over the course of a year to get the money together so that I could purchase my own LTS. But I wasn't about to start demanding that everything in STO be given away for free just so that I didn't have to subscribe.
EVERYTHING else in STO can be acquired through time and dedication without having to spend a single penny. So, let's leave the Veteran Rewards alone.
The only thing that bothers me is that the flag officer uniforms are for veterans.
I wish you guys made them for free for silver members to use as well.
Do you guys think maybe someday you'll hold a event for silver members to win all the veteran uniforms? Just the uniforms?
And another thing, the guide is just as much for immersion and help Players identify NPCs as it is to help Players recreate the looks. So, now we know who's a Flag Officer at a glance. We really shouldn't be Flag Officers anyway. We're the Captain! If there's any mistake that's been made as far as that goes, Cryptic should've topped us out at Captain rather than Vice Admiral, and if there are to be Player Admirals, then they should be the Fleet Leaders.
But that's just my opinion.
Star Trek Online Volunteer Community Moderator and Resident She-Wolf
Community Moderators are Unpaid Volunteers and NOT Employees of Gearbox/Cryptic
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Many militaries even today (your own country's service traditions may vary!) have the difference between OFFICER OF FLAG RANK and FLAG OFFICER. Only the latter having an establishment, headquarters or formation command that allow them to fly a real or notional flag.
Despite my own interest in military history, that was a distinction of which I was not aware, and given the noted rank inflation, one that seems quite applicable to STO in general. Knowing this really does help my sense of immersion, and I thank you for sharing.
I'm sorry, but no. Veterans Rewards are perks for a reason. And if you start chipping away at those perks, then there will be no incentive for anyone to ever become a Veteran.
But let's humor you and say that Cryptic decides to give away the Odyssey/Bortasqu' 200-day Veteran Long Coat for free and replace it with another jacket option. You and others like you might be satisfied, but then you or someone else might decide that they want that new 200-day Jacket option, too. Then again it's with the "it's not fair that Veterans get it, but F2P players can't!" And it all starts over again. What's next? Do you want the Android BOFF in the C-Store, too? How about the 1000-day Ship? So again, I'm sorry, but no.
Don't get me wrong, I empathize with you about wanting but not having those things that are locked behind that Veteran pay wall. I get it. I wanted those things, too, that's why I scrimped and saved over the course of a year to get the money together so that I could purchase my own LTS. But I wasn't about to start demanding that everything in STO be given away for free just so that I didn't have to subscribe.
EVERYTHING else in STO can be acquired through time and dedication without having to spend a single penny. So, let's leave the Veteran Rewards alone.
You have point about Veteran reward sharing becoming a potential slippery slope, but I think you missed a key point; I don't want Veteran rewards made F2P available (that would seriously devalue subscriptions, and even as a F2P player, I recognize the vital importance of monetizing STO), I want the Uniform Code to actually be uniform. Right now, any F2P player who disregards the distinction russellca so helpful pointed out (or who wants to dress a medical profession BOFF in a non-tactical uniform) cannot conform to the uniform code. For that matter, anyone who doesn't scrape together the Zen for the Academy set can't conform to the code for dress uniforms. The uniformity the code is theoretically meant to enforce is lost in all but the most basic of cases (vanilla boffs and COs).
I get that we have freedom to dress our toons however we want. The thing is, some players want to abide by the uniform code to enhance our immersion and make us actually feel like Starfleet officers. The problem, then, is that most players (being level 50) cannot follow the code without also being 200 day Veterans. I don't care if Veterans get some costume option at the seven month mark (or an android later, or a ship after three years), I care that I can't wear the proper uniform because I don't happen to subscribe to a F2P game.
You have point about Veteran reward sharing becoming a potential slippery slope, but I think you missed a key point; I don't want Veteran rewards made F2P available (that would seriously devalue subscriptions, and even as a F2P player, I recognize the vital importance of monetizing STO), I want the Uniform Code to actually be uniform. Right now, any F2P player who disregards the distinction russellca so helpful pointed out (or who wants to dress a medical profession BOFF in a non-tactical uniform) cannot conform to the uniform code. For that matter, anyone who doesn't scrape together the Zen for the Academy set can't conform to the code for dress uniforms. The uniformity the code is theoretically meant to enforce is lost in all but the most basic of cases (vanilla boffs and COs).
I get that we have freedom to dress our toons however we want. The thing is, some players want to abide by the uniform code to enhance our immersion and make us actually feel like Starfleet officers. The problem, then, is that most players (being level 50) cannot follow the code without also being 200 day Veterans. I don't care if Veterans get some costume option at the seven month mark (or an android later, or a ship after three years), I care that I can't wear the proper uniform because I don't happen to subscribe to a F2P game.
The Uniform Code IS uniform. Go anywhere that Starfleet is deployed, and you will see most if not all of these uniform variations on NPCs. (Let's not forget that the real reason Thomas the Cat did this standardizing of the uniform was for NPCs) The real gripe that you and others are having it seems, is that you seem to want ALL variants represented in your own Captains and crew. And I can empathize with that.
But then, what about the Players who do not what to be in, or a part of, or contribute in any way to Fleets? (Believe me, there are those who are that adamant about not having anything to do with Fleets.) Should they then be able to demand that Fleet exclusive uniforms be made available to all just so they can conform to the uniform code? I should think not.
The basic uniform is available to everyone. You can make your Captain and your Bridge Officers conform to the uniform code with the freely available Odyssey Basic uniform.
And least anyone forget, the original Odyssey Flag Officer Duty Uniform did not utilize the Long Coat, so I imagine one could still use it when commanding a starship.
So, if a person feels that strongly about just having to have all those variant uniforms, then I would think that they would do what is necessary to obtain them: join/start a Fleet, contribute, go to the Tailor; bite the bullet and subscribe. But just because you don't have every possible combination in your wardrobe doesn't mean that you can't meet the basic standard.
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The uniform code is great and so well written! It really does make a huge difference to the immersion for there to BE an official Starfleet uniform, even though not everybody has to WEAR it. And it being such a satisfyingly convincing-looking one, not to mention smart, I'm sure lots of people will - good design job, somebody.
Yes, KDF and RR versions would be good, but that's just a case of if you do something really good, people naturally want more.
Since the KDF are supposed to be so little centralised, with a little clever writing it could probably work even if there isn't time to redo all the NPCs to match. Maybe you could show a uniform that's the uniform of House Martok, or the flagship, or whoever, and say that that style is copied by other Klingon crews, with variations, out of solidarity/swank? I can't write it pretty like Thomas would, not at this time of night anyway, but you get the idea. Kind of like Cavaliers and Roundheads, or the whole sorry green vs. orange thing. If it was a matter of pride rather than a uniform regulation, it wouldn't be particularly odd if not all the NPCs' costumes matched it.
Same would probably work for the RR, who really are very much of a political movement anyway, in theory.
Maybe instead of spelling out many different variations of the Klingon one, you could have one, or a few, that are Klingon ones, and then add Orion and Gorn captains and their crews in their typical dress codes?
As for the uniforms not all being openly available ones, that is a pity - I don't mind about the Flag Officer uniform since I'm one of the ones who thinks the Vice-Admiral thing is silly, and anyway RusselCa's suggestion helps resolve that, but I'd like the medical one. But enough of the basic ones ARE freely available to do a good job without that. It's still great.
But yes... it would be even more great if we had BOff uniform slots. Come on, it makes sense, even from a business point of view - people buy extra costume slots for money.
And least anyone forget, the original Odyssey Flag Officer Duty Uniform did not utilize the Long Coat, so I imagine one could still use it when commanding a starship.
Since I have neither access to the long jacket or Jupiter vet belt for my flag officers, I would use this version but substitute the TWOK belt (Q1, Q12) :-)..problem solved.
If it matters at all, between giving it some thought and comments from baddmoonrizin and russellca, I'm satisfied with my uniform options. As a 'non-flag' Vice Admiral, the commanding officer pattern is appropriate to my character, and I have appropriate standard options for my bridge crew (Nelen Exil nonwithstanding, but that has nothing to do with the uniform code). The remaining options are simply cosmetic alternatives, paying for which is a practice as old as microstransactions and for which PWE/Cryptic should not be faulted.
The release of the Uniform Code in the form it took is both a meaningful guide to NPC appearances and, cleverly done, an advertisement for STO paid products. The first function is a free service to players and should be lauded, and I'd be a fool to complain about companies advertising (especially when said advertisement is as enjoyable and useful as this).
That said, if you're as cheap as I am, using an Odyssey Dress top with the flag color scheme gives a uniform with 'proper' coloration and a retro, TWOK aesthetic, somehow managing a modern feel.
...We really shouldn't be Flag Officers anyway. We're the Captain! If there's any mistake that's been made as far as that goes, Cryptic should've topped us out at Captain rather than Vice Admiral...
Oh, I so agree... I wish Cryptic would have left "rank" and "level" separate. This would have allowed our characters to level-up (increasing skills, abilities, determine access to ships, gear, missions/content, reps, etc.) and unlock rank (along with associated costume parts for the pips) as titles, with a recommended "Captain" title being the default, but still allowing people to RP as Admirals or whatever... That would have made so much more sense than having zillions of Vice Admirals out in the field fighting (sometimes hand-to-hand) or tagging eppohs/fixing equipment, and so on...
<sigh>
Sorry, don't want to start this age-old "argument" again. lol :rolleyes:
...giving it some thought and comments from baddmoonrizin and russellca, I'm satisfied with my uniform options... The remaining options are simply cosmetic alternatives, paying for which is a practice as old as microstransactions and for which PWE/Cryptic should not be faulted.
The release of the Uniform Code in the form it took is both a meaningful guide to NPC appearances and, cleverly done, an advertisement for STO paid products. The first function is a free service to players and should be lauded, and I'd be a fool to complain about companies advertising (especially when said advertisement is as enjoyable and useful as this)...
Anyone with this sort of common sense, logic, and class is a great addition to the STO forums:
Welcome aboard SirMayDay!
You can find/contact me in game as @PatricianVetinari. Playing STO since Feb 2010.
When using the one for commanding officers (the white toped one), do we use blue for science, or gold for engineering or do we just use red regardless?
Oh, I so agree... I wish Cryptic would have left "rank" and "level" separate. This would have allowed our characters to level-up (increasing skills, abilities, determine access to ships, gear, missions/content, reps, etc.) and unlock rank (along with associated costume parts for the pips) as titles, with a recommended "Captain" title being the default, but still allowing people to RP as Admirals or whatever... That would have made so much more sense than having zillions of Vice Admirals out in the field fighting (sometimes hand-to-hand) or tagging eppohs/fixing equipment, and so on...
<sigh>
Sorry, don't want to start this age-old "argument" again. lol :rolleyes:
I know. It would've made much more sense to have rank and level divorced from one another. For one, level cap increases would be much easier to do. Honestly, where would you go after full Admiral anyway? Retirement?? Then, as you said, there's the whole notion of admirals running around the galaxy dealing with matters firsthand. I know we have a canon precedent in Kirk, but still.
Anyway, yeah, didn't mean to bring up that old argument again.
Anyone with this sort of common sense, logic, and class is a great addition to the STO forums:
Welcome aboard SirMayDay!
Hear! Hear! Seconded!
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When using the one for commanding officers (the white toped one), do we use blue for science, or gold for engineering or do we just use red regardless?
I believe Thomas said use the division colors, hence the white shoulders to denote command. But I believe he also stated that regardless, Flag Officers wear red.
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Comments
Huh, I'm using the same version and the only problem I'm having is the images are (as usual) screwed up and not viewable.
At least I have organicmanfred's PDF version, and holy TRIBBLE Thomas these are awesome outfits.
Thank you very much. Actually it wasn't a complicated task. I did my best to copy & paste Tomcat's link to provide you some satisfaction.
I've downloaded my own copy. Very handy, indeed.
Boff uniform slots.
Yes./10chars
"Critics who say that the optimistic utopia Star Trek depicted is now outmoded forget the cultural context that gave birth to it: Star Trek was not a manifestation of optimism when optimism was easy. Star Trek declared a hope for a future that nobody stuck in the present could believe in. For all our struggles today, we haven’t outgrown the need for stories like Star Trek. We need tales of optimism, of heroes, of courage and goodness now as much as we’ve ever needed them."
-Thomas Marrone
Definitely.
Excellent idea. I fully agree they would be awesome to have. I would likely purchase them (I say "likely" as it would depend on if I thought the cost per slot was agreeable when considered how they were sold as per BOff, Captain, or Account).
You can find/contact me in game as @PatricianVetinari. Playing STO since Feb 2010.
Nothing more of a bummer than wanting to change you BOff uniforms to fit a particular mission and reconsidering it because it would take an insane amount of time to do it.
I'd likely buy more costumes too!
I'll have to put that suggestion in the UI section of the forums a week or two ago.
SCE ADVISORY NOTICE: Improper Impulse Engine maintenance can result in REAR THRUSTER LEAKAGE. ALWAYS have your work inspected by another qualified officer.
Are you viewing it on a 4:3 monitor? I think they designed it for 16:9.
Luckily I have two 4:3 monitors to be able to stretch it.
SCE ADVISORY NOTICE: Improper Impulse Engine maintenance can result in REAR THRUSTER LEAKAGE. ALWAYS have your work inspected by another qualified officer.
Not to mention having to find a tailor every time
Well, if it were possible to give BOFFs extra costume slots, then maybe Cryptic could sell them in "packs" of 10 like the Ship Loadouts.
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The side bard does NOT auto scale in my experience.
Member since December 2009
I wish you guys made them for free for silver members to use as well.
Do you guys think maybe someday you'll hold a event for silver members to win all the veteran uniforms? Just the uniforms?
View My gallery at http://captricosakara.deviantart.com
Big atmosphere killer, which is important to me.
Thanks for your ear, and all your efforts and are noticed and appreciated.
This is the one bit of ambiguity left with an otherwise truely excellent document. One way around squaring the circle, between tailor advice & non-premium content availability, is to consider that due to STO's ludicrous rampant rank inflation, most lvl50 players are in fact 'flag-less' officers.
Many militaries even today (your own country's service traditions may vary!) have the difference between OFFICER OF FLAG RANK and FLAG OFFICER. Only the latter having an establishment, headquarters or formation command that allow them to fly a real or notional flag.
Taking that idea, the majority of lvl50 players could perhaps consider the Commanding Officer uniform as first choice (note: no longer 'Captain' as it was in the original blog, even through the rank pins still say Captain rather than Various); certainly the description fits:-
That would then leave the Flag Officer uniform for yes Vets, but mainly as a distinguishing mark for those NPCs that order us fighting Admirals around; once again the description aligns nicely, depending on how you treat the "..not just.." as either an AND or an OR clause:-
With the potential therefore to move to this uniform as a freebie (substituting a future vet reward), should we ever get in the Boffs-as-ship-captains, mini-fleet feature that has been talked about in the past.
Several of my F2P Fleeties have gone for the CO uniform but with the addition of the Flag variant gold rank & command insignia. I'm sure Cryptic management would by more than happy for everyone to fork out on a subscription
I've often wondered about that.
Would Starfleet have a dedicated branch for auxiliary craft operations? Similar to the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm, or US Navy Aviators?
Where personnel are highly specialised in auxiliary craft (shuttles, fighters) operations.
In my RP stuff I use orange for their departmental/division colour, but haven't yet pinned down a name for the branch I'm happy with.
Commander, Starfleet Corps of Engineers • 7th Fleet
Commanding Officer, U.S.S. HEART OF OAK • NX-1759-B • Odyssey class Star Cruiser ( Lexington Tactical Configuration))
(Steam - feel free to follow/friend me : )
I support this.
A good way would be to get 1-2 additional costume slots for all Boffs on a given character for say 200 Zen. (Two more costume slots for all captains on an account cost 250 Zen.) Pricing it per account would get way out of hand and pricing it per individual Boffs would be nnsensical (would require dozens of purchases sometimes for a single char's Boffs).
Toi'Va, Ti'vath, Toivia, Ty'Vris, Tia Vex, Toi'Virth: Add Tier 6 KDF Carrier and Raider.
Tae'Va, T'Vaya, To'Var, Tevra, T'Vira, To'Vrak: Give us Asylums for Romulans.
Don't make ARC mandatory! Keep it optional only!
I'm sorry, but no. Veterans Rewards are perks for a reason. And if you start chipping away at those perks, then there will be no incentive for anyone to ever become a Veteran.
But let's humor you and say that Cryptic decides to give away the Odyssey/Bortasqu' 200-day Veteran Long Coat for free and replace it with another jacket option. You and others like you might be satisfied, but then you or someone else might decide that they want that new 200-day Jacket option, too. Then again it's with the "it's not fair that Veterans get it, but F2P players can't!" And it all starts over again. What's next? Do you want the Android BOFF in the C-Store, too? How about the 1000-day Ship? So again, I'm sorry, but no.
Don't get me wrong, I empathize with you about wanting but not having those things that are locked behind that Veteran pay wall. I get it. I wanted those things, too, that's why I scrimped and saved over the course of a year to get the money together so that I could purchase my own LTS. But I wasn't about to start demanding that everything in STO be given away for free just so that I didn't have to subscribe.
EVERYTHING else in STO can be acquired through time and dedication without having to spend a single penny. So, let's leave the Veteran Rewards alone.
And another thing, the guide is just as much for immersion and help Players identify NPCs as it is to help Players recreate the looks. So, now we know who's a Flag Officer at a glance. We really shouldn't be Flag Officers anyway. We're the Captain! If there's any mistake that's been made as far as that goes, Cryptic should've topped us out at Captain rather than Vice Admiral, and if there are to be Player Admirals, then they should be the Fleet Leaders.
But that's just my opinion.
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Despite my own interest in military history, that was a distinction of which I was not aware, and given the noted rank inflation, one that seems quite applicable to STO in general. Knowing this really does help my sense of immersion, and I thank you for sharing.
You have point about Veteran reward sharing becoming a potential slippery slope, but I think you missed a key point; I don't want Veteran rewards made F2P available (that would seriously devalue subscriptions, and even as a F2P player, I recognize the vital importance of monetizing STO), I want the Uniform Code to actually be uniform. Right now, any F2P player who disregards the distinction russellca so helpful pointed out (or who wants to dress a medical profession BOFF in a non-tactical uniform) cannot conform to the uniform code. For that matter, anyone who doesn't scrape together the Zen for the Academy set can't conform to the code for dress uniforms. The uniformity the code is theoretically meant to enforce is lost in all but the most basic of cases (vanilla boffs and COs).
I get that we have freedom to dress our toons however we want. The thing is, some players want to abide by the uniform code to enhance our immersion and make us actually feel like Starfleet officers. The problem, then, is that most players (being level 50) cannot follow the code without also being 200 day Veterans. I don't care if Veterans get some costume option at the seven month mark (or an android later, or a ship after three years), I care that I can't wear the proper uniform because I don't happen to subscribe to a F2P game.
good work.
free jkname
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The Uniform Code IS uniform. Go anywhere that Starfleet is deployed, and you will see most if not all of these uniform variations on NPCs. (Let's not forget that the real reason Thomas the Cat did this standardizing of the uniform was for NPCs) The real gripe that you and others are having it seems, is that you seem to want ALL variants represented in your own Captains and crew. And I can empathize with that.
But then, what about the Players who do not what to be in, or a part of, or contribute in any way to Fleets? (Believe me, there are those who are that adamant about not having anything to do with Fleets.) Should they then be able to demand that Fleet exclusive uniforms be made available to all just so they can conform to the uniform code? I should think not.
The basic uniform is available to everyone. You can make your Captain and your Bridge Officers conform to the uniform code with the freely available Odyssey Basic uniform.
And least anyone forget, the original Odyssey Flag Officer Duty Uniform did not utilize the Long Coat, so I imagine one could still use it when commanding a starship.
So, if a person feels that strongly about just having to have all those variant uniforms, then I would think that they would do what is necessary to obtain them: join/start a Fleet, contribute, go to the Tailor; bite the bullet and subscribe. But just because you don't have every possible combination in your wardrobe doesn't mean that you can't meet the basic standard.
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Yes, KDF and RR versions would be good, but that's just a case of if you do something really good, people naturally want more.
Since the KDF are supposed to be so little centralised, with a little clever writing it could probably work even if there isn't time to redo all the NPCs to match. Maybe you could show a uniform that's the uniform of House Martok, or the flagship, or whoever, and say that that style is copied by other Klingon crews, with variations, out of solidarity/swank? I can't write it pretty like Thomas would, not at this time of night anyway, but you get the idea. Kind of like Cavaliers and Roundheads, or the whole sorry green vs. orange thing. If it was a matter of pride rather than a uniform regulation, it wouldn't be particularly odd if not all the NPCs' costumes matched it.
Same would probably work for the RR, who really are very much of a political movement anyway, in theory.
Maybe instead of spelling out many different variations of the Klingon one, you could have one, or a few, that are Klingon ones, and then add Orion and Gorn captains and their crews in their typical dress codes?
As for the uniforms not all being openly available ones, that is a pity - I don't mind about the Flag Officer uniform since I'm one of the ones who thinks the Vice-Admiral thing is silly, and anyway RusselCa's suggestion helps resolve that, but I'd like the medical one. But enough of the basic ones ARE freely available to do a good job without that. It's still great.
But yes... it would be even more great if we had BOff uniform slots. Come on, it makes sense, even from a business point of view - people buy extra costume slots for money.
The Romulan Republic already has a standard uniform.
Since I have neither access to the long jacket or Jupiter vet belt for my flag officers, I would use this version but substitute the TWOK belt (Q1, Q12) :-)..problem solved.
The release of the Uniform Code in the form it took is both a meaningful guide to NPC appearances and, cleverly done, an advertisement for STO paid products. The first function is a free service to players and should be lauded, and I'd be a fool to complain about companies advertising (especially when said advertisement is as enjoyable and useful as this).
That said, if you're as cheap as I am, using an Odyssey Dress top with the flag color scheme gives a uniform with 'proper' coloration and a retro, TWOK aesthetic, somehow managing a modern feel.
<sigh>
Sorry, don't want to start this age-old "argument" again. lol :rolleyes:
Anyone with this sort of common sense, logic, and class is a great addition to the STO forums:
Welcome aboard SirMayDay!
You can find/contact me in game as @PatricianVetinari. Playing STO since Feb 2010.
When using the one for commanding officers (the white toped one), do we use blue for science, or gold for engineering or do we just use red regardless?
I know. It would've made much more sense to have rank and level divorced from one another. For one, level cap increases would be much easier to do. Honestly, where would you go after full Admiral anyway? Retirement?? Then, as you said, there's the whole notion of admirals running around the galaxy dealing with matters firsthand. I know we have a canon precedent in Kirk, but still.
Anyway, yeah, didn't mean to bring up that old argument again.
Hear! Hear! Seconded!
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I believe Thomas said use the division colors, hence the white shoulders to denote command. But I believe he also stated that regardless, Flag Officers wear red.
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