DR;TL version of your post: The Devs don't have to do their jobs.
Just out of curiosity...what do you think the devs do all day long ? Twiddle their thumbs ? Pie-eating contests ? It's not like they're sitting around thinking "God, I wish I had something to do after pressing the magic content creation button.....". :P
Just out of curiosity...what do you think the devs do all day long ? Twiddle their thumbs ? Pie-eating contests ? It's not like they're sitting around thinking "God, I wish I had something to do after pressing the magic content creation button.....". :P
They have to grind dilithium for Gecko so they can reuse the content creation button.
Well, this is sure depressing. So many people using the excuse for Devs to slack off cuz HURR DURR CODING IZ TOO HARD. If they have the time to turn the entire platform in Winter Wonderland from wood to ice and toss in an old-school WarcraftIII tower defense map, then they certainly can spare a little time to allow Caitans to have some hair.
Yep, there are totally more players interested in playing as a cat and having a Jennifer Aniston hairdo than there are that play the winter event. DERP DERP DERP.
If it cannot be made profitable for cryptic, there is little incentive to do anything. And with all the furry people running around, most people seem fine with it enough to purchase their existing pack. If nobody purchased the Caitan race for a long time, then they might see that as something to improve to get that revenue stream back.
Sardak (Science Officer): Captain of a 23k DPS R'Mor Temporal Science Vessel, R.R.W. Vathos Odan Brota (Science Officer): Captain of a 28k DPS Scryer Intel Science Vessel, U.S.S. Kepler Patiently waiting for a Romulan Science Vessel
I'm finding the developer's word suspect. There is nothing I can see about the shape of the standard Caitian / Ferasan skull that would prevent standard human hairstyles from being used. It doesn't pass the smell test.
But the point of comparison is a little skewed. If you mapped the caitain geometry out onto a head with human facial featuers and textures the differences might become a lot more apparent (such as the placement of the ears or proportion of face to skull.)
Bipedal mammal and senior Foundry author.
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Look - it's about finally fixing something in-game that should have been done on the day they released Caitians. Giving a single CANON hairstyle to them.
I play a Caitian on my main, a Starfleet Science officer, and I think the Caitian models look great.
I'm sure it's not easy to make such an anthropomorphized model without it looking ridiculous. STO succeeded at making the models believable. If anything, I'd like more textures and patterns, so we could make Tabby Caitians and that sort of thing.
I also find it funny to play my Caitian while summoning my cat pet
The only example of a female Caitan was M'Ress, and although animated- she's connected to TOS.
Their rejection of things TOS is rather epic outside the one TOS bundle, so maybe that explains things.
Somewhat related, what happened to the Gorn? They look nothing like either TOS or ENT (I expect limits of the engine is responsible for the latter). And am I remembering wrong, but did they ship on release with a more TOS appearance?
Somewhat related, what happened to the Gorn? They look nothing like either TOS or ENT (I expect limits of the engine is responsible for the latter). And am I remembering wrong, but did they ship on release with a more TOS appearance?
You know if they would let us play as dinosaurs with laser guns like in the craptastic Star Trek movie game, that would actually be pretty boss. :P
Doesn't Cryptic have a standing policy of "once something is released never update it, even if it's only half done"?
There are exceptions. The Gorn updates I mentioned (they did happen, I just don't remember the details), the expansion of the Klingon story missions, etc.
But they *are* exceptions. I fear this is true of MMOs in general.
Somewhat related, what happened to the Gorn? They look nothing like either TOS or ENT (I expect limits of the engine is responsible for the latter). And am I remembering wrong, but did they ship on release with a more TOS appearance?
Gorn used to look like TOS Gorn. But they were ridiculous IMO, just like the TOS Gorn, and were changed.
Some people (a very few, I think I saw one, once) still have TOS Gorn pre-change, I think if you never visited the tailor afterward, you kept the old Gorn.
As for why it was changed, either because players asked or something else, I don't know, it was before my time in STO (I played during beta, but then I joined when the game was F2p).
Gorn used to look like TOS Gorn. But they were ridiculous IMO, just like the TOS Gorn, and were changed.
Some people (a very few, I think I saw one, once) still have TOS Gorn pre-change, I think if you never visited the tailor afterward, you kept the old Gorn.
Yes, I'm sort of recalling that now. I don't think I've ever seen one of the pre-change Gorns when I'm online.
Interesting isn't it that they didn't offer the option to still use the old models, but forced the new one on all but the first group of players.
Gorn used to look like TOS Gorn. But they were ridiculous IMO, just like the TOS Gorn, and were changed.
Some people (a very few, I think I saw one, once) still have TOS Gorn pre-change, I think if you never visited the tailor afterward, you kept the old Gorn.
As for why it was changed, either because players asked or something else, I don't know, it was before my time in STO (I played during beta, but then I joined when the game was F2p).
I remember all that. I've been around since beta. Frankly, it was a good change, although I think it's silly that they actually REMOVED options from the tailor for it.
I remember all that. I've been around since beta. Frankly, it was a good change, although I think it's silly that they actually REMOVED options from the tailor for it.
If Cryptic had the habit of keeping things, we would still have the exploration cluster. Or the old borg stf. Or Terradome. Or the old Mirror Universe queued mission.
Cryptic's way : when you can't fix it, remove it. When it works but you don't like it : remove it.
If Cryptic had the habit of keeping things, we would still have the exploration cluster. Or the old borg stf. Or Terradome. Or the old Mirror Universe queued mission.
Cryptic's way : when you can't fix it, remove it. When it works but you don't like it : remove it.
Yeah. Maybe it's just me, but my philosophy when it comes to game design is OPTIONS. The problem too many game developers have, is that they think they know what's fun. They don't. They only know what they think is fun. The fact of the matter is, the only person who knows that your player wants to play, is the player.
So I'm a big fan of giving people options, ESPECIALLY in what should be a largely sandbox game like STO. Older Gorn model looked stupid? Who cares, it doesn't cost anything to leave in and it gives people options. Now you have more people happy and it didn't cost anything. It's pure win.
However, that doesn't seem to mesh with their philosophy of removing options, then claim people are using what's left because they like it, and not because it's the only option remaining.
One issue with options is that each one adds addition regression testing to updates and future additions and thus expense. Would the new Christmas hats work on the old Gorn and how much pain would they catch if it didn't?
They may have decided to remove the TOS Gorn on that basis alone, and for the same reason used what I consider boring and simple Caitan models as well. That it fed the anti-TOS approach of STO was likely another bonus.
If this was their thought, IMO its flawed. An IP like this needs those options to make fans of it feel at home and able to make the characters they want, it's an overheard that can't be dropped without reducing the player base. I for example never brought the Caitan from the C-Store because they just looked wrong.
For now, while they're making money- they can pat themselves on the back for controlling expenses. But in the end each decision like this is a nail in the coffin. Drive enough nails, and like Star Wars Galaxies- the game is dead no matter how wonderful the IP.
One issue with options is that each one adds addition regression testing to updates and future additions and thus expense. Would the new Christmas hats work on the old Gorn and how much pain would they catch if it didn't?
They may have decided to remove the TOS Gorn on that basis alone, and for the same reason used what I consider boring and simple Caitan models as well. That it fed the anti-TOS approach of STO was likely another bonus.
If this was their thought, IMO its flawed. An IP like this needs those options to make fans of it feel at home and able to make the characters they want, it's an overheard that can't be dropped without reducing the player base. I for example never brought the Caitan from the C-Store because they just looked wrong.
For now, while they're making money- they can pat themselves on the back for controlling expenses. But in the end each decision like this is a nail in the coffin. Drive enough nails, and like Star Wars Galaxies- the game is dead no matter how wonderful the IP.
Well, I'm not going to NOT play as a race with a tail in any given game, regardless of how bad. That's just not an option.
That said though, the Christmas hat argument makes sense, but is flawed because they clearly don't care. For example, the Risian sunglasses on Caitian characters. They clearly don't have a problem with old parts not being compatible with new costume bits.
Comments
Just out of curiosity...what do you think the devs do all day long ? Twiddle their thumbs ? Pie-eating contests ? It's not like they're sitting around thinking "God, I wish I had something to do after pressing the magic content creation button.....". :P
They have to grind dilithium for Gecko so they can reuse the content creation button.
We at least need that doff in-game.
Because he's visible and friendly and angry people who dislike cryptic attack anything they see. Anger isn't logical.
Yep, there are totally more players interested in playing as a cat and having a Jennifer Aniston hairdo than there are that play the winter event. DERP DERP DERP.
Odan Brota (Science Officer): Captain of a 28k DPS Scryer Intel Science Vessel, U.S.S. Kepler
Patiently waiting for a Romulan Science Vessel
Someone needs to replace that Geko with the lil' Australian one who sells car insurance.
But the point of comparison is a little skewed. If you mapped the caitain geometry out onto a head with human facial featuers and textures the differences might become a lot more apparent (such as the placement of the ears or proportion of face to skull.)
Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
I think they were based upon a single canon style, perhaps this one:
http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Caitian?file=Caitian-black.jpg
That of course ignored this one:
http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Caitian?file=Caitian-brown.jpg
...which I like better, but that is more beard/sideburns than a hairstyle.
But really, M'Ress was the first one and should have been an option from day one.
I'm sure it's not easy to make such an anthropomorphized model without it looking ridiculous. STO succeeded at making the models believable. If anything, I'd like more textures and patterns, so we could make Tabby Caitians and that sort of thing.
I also find it funny to play my Caitian while summoning my cat pet
The only example of a female Caitan was M'Ress, and although animated- she's connected to TOS.
Their rejection of things TOS is rather epic outside the one TOS bundle, so maybe that explains things.
Somewhat related, what happened to the Gorn? They look nothing like either TOS or ENT (I expect limits of the engine is responsible for the latter). And am I remembering wrong, but did they ship on release with a more TOS appearance?
You know if they would let us play as dinosaurs with laser guns like in the craptastic Star Trek movie game, that would actually be pretty boss. :P
There are exceptions. The Gorn updates I mentioned (they did happen, I just don't remember the details), the expansion of the Klingon story missions, etc.
But they *are* exceptions. I fear this is true of MMOs in general.
Some people (a very few, I think I saw one, once) still have TOS Gorn pre-change, I think if you never visited the tailor afterward, you kept the old Gorn.
As for why it was changed, either because players asked or something else, I don't know, it was before my time in STO (I played during beta, but then I joined when the game was F2p).
Yes, I'm sort of recalling that now. I don't think I've ever seen one of the pre-change Gorns when I'm online.
Interesting isn't it that they didn't offer the option to still use the old models, but forced the new one on all but the first group of players.
I remember all that. I've been around since beta. Frankly, it was a good change, although I think it's silly that they actually REMOVED options from the tailor for it.
Cryptic's way : when you can't fix it, remove it. When it works but you don't like it : remove it.
Yeah. Maybe it's just me, but my philosophy when it comes to game design is OPTIONS. The problem too many game developers have, is that they think they know what's fun. They don't. They only know what they think is fun. The fact of the matter is, the only person who knows that your player wants to play, is the player.
So I'm a big fan of giving people options, ESPECIALLY in what should be a largely sandbox game like STO. Older Gorn model looked stupid? Who cares, it doesn't cost anything to leave in and it gives people options. Now you have more people happy and it didn't cost anything. It's pure win.
However, that doesn't seem to mesh with their philosophy of removing options, then claim people are using what's left because they like it, and not because it's the only option remaining.
They may have decided to remove the TOS Gorn on that basis alone, and for the same reason used what I consider boring and simple Caitan models as well. That it fed the anti-TOS approach of STO was likely another bonus.
If this was their thought, IMO its flawed. An IP like this needs those options to make fans of it feel at home and able to make the characters they want, it's an overheard that can't be dropped without reducing the player base. I for example never brought the Caitan from the C-Store because they just looked wrong.
For now, while they're making money- they can pat themselves on the back for controlling expenses. But in the end each decision like this is a nail in the coffin. Drive enough nails, and like Star Wars Galaxies- the game is dead no matter how wonderful the IP.
Well, I'm not going to NOT play as a race with a tail in any given game, regardless of how bad. That's just not an option.
That said though, the Christmas hat argument makes sense, but is flawed because they clearly don't care. For example, the Risian sunglasses on Caitian characters. They clearly don't have a problem with old parts not being compatible with new costume bits.