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AoY and the 25th. Century
yreodred
Member Posts: 3,527 Arc User
First, i must clarify that i deliberately didn't look into the missions and other things about AoY on tribble prior to release of AoY in order not to get spoiled too much. Mostly because i wanted to be surprised when playing the missions and have a unprejudiced mind.
Without going into details of each mission, i must say that they where decently enjoyable and evoked the TOS feel pretty well in my opinion. Sure some aspects, like using sound clips from the original show, could have needed some polishing, but that's not that important to me. The much more important thing to me is how everything feels.
And man, the guys at Cryptic really set a new standard! I mean that without any sarcasm, i really like the 23rd century stuff.
But that's where the problems start.
I don't blame the people who did the work with designing models and made the missions and all the technical stuff. Everything is great and really conjure TOS feel in a beautiful way. The problem is the writing.
Following: SPOILERS!
Do yourself a favour and continue reading only if you have already played a AoY character to level 10.
If Cryptics writers wanted to come up with a plausible excuse for the player to wear 23rd century uniforms and use 23rd century ships, they should have made AoY faction more distinctive to other factions and NOT make them basically 25th century FED characters with a different tutorial.
The most obvious thing would be to provide some sort of central hub/zone for them, similar like the Romulans have.
Another thing that would add to the distinctiveness of AoY would be to add R&D projects for 23rd. century weapons and equipment. Seeing 23rd century themed characters /ships using 25th century weapons looks just horribly wrong.
Unused Opportunities:
If cryptics writers went that route, Station K-13 would have served as unique social zone and base of operations for AoY characters, similar to the romulan central command. Of course they would be aligned with 25th. century Starfleet, but Cryptics writers could have come up with some excuse why they had to stay partially independent.
At least AoY characters would have had a much more plausible excuse to wear 23rd. Century uniforms, fly 23rd. century ships and have 23rd. century UI/ FX, instead of
And still, no changes in the following 25th century missions would have been necessary. The player still could hunt for temporal probes within normal story missions and do things as now.
The only difference would be that it would make some SENSE to have a 23rd century themed character!
The most baffling thing to me is that they wouldn't had to do any additional artwork or create any more content for the most part. Surely R&D stuff could be added later, but apart from that, everything is already there (Station K-13 exterior/interior, uniforms, ships, etc.).
How do you guys think about the whole blend in to the 25th century issue?
Without going into details of each mission, i must say that they where decently enjoyable and evoked the TOS feel pretty well in my opinion. Sure some aspects, like using sound clips from the original show, could have needed some polishing, but that's not that important to me. The much more important thing to me is how everything feels.
And man, the guys at Cryptic really set a new standard! I mean that without any sarcasm, i really like the 23rd century stuff.
But that's where the problems start.
I don't blame the people who did the work with designing models and made the missions and all the technical stuff. Everything is great and really conjure TOS feel in a beautiful way. The problem is the writing.
Following: SPOILERS!
Do yourself a favour and continue reading only if you have already played a AoY character to level 10.
After Daniels reveals himself as temporal Agent, things become pretty standard STO routine. Instead of enjoining the missions as they are, you run from mission to mission without paying much attention to what's happening any more, the focus of the story lies on the temporal stuff that is making everything else seem insignificant.
Sounds familiar? (Delta recruitment)
But still, the 23rd century stuff is great and more than welcome to the usual daily routine in STO. I especially enjoyed the mission "Return to Babel" which evoked pure TOS nostalgia.
Things make a hard turn as soon as you leave the 23rd century and get thrown to ESD and being told to blend in. It felt like a unexpected slap in the face!
All the previous hype of 23rd century gameplay and content (ships, uniforms UI, etc.) just for the first 10 Level of the game and that's it?
After the destruction of the characters ship in the 23rd century (Mission "Battle of Caleb IV"), all bonds to the 23rd century are basically cut permanently and the player is essentially transformed into a temporal agent.
I have no idea why we still use 23rd century animations and UI sounds. Same for the ships and uniforms. They could have basically used a 25th century character, as they did in Delta Recruitment Event. It wouldn't have any significant effect for the further story.
Seriously, i don't get why Cryptics writers made that decision. This is the best they could come up with explaining a 23rd century themed character in the 25th century?
It's completely baffling to me that they couldn't come up with something that makes more sense.
Sounds familiar? (Delta recruitment)
But still, the 23rd century stuff is great and more than welcome to the usual daily routine in STO. I especially enjoyed the mission "Return to Babel" which evoked pure TOS nostalgia.
Things make a hard turn as soon as you leave the 23rd century and get thrown to ESD and being told to blend in. It felt like a unexpected slap in the face!
All the previous hype of 23rd century gameplay and content (ships, uniforms UI, etc.) just for the first 10 Level of the game and that's it?
After the destruction of the characters ship in the 23rd century (Mission "Battle of Caleb IV"), all bonds to the 23rd century are basically cut permanently and the player is essentially transformed into a temporal agent.
I have no idea why we still use 23rd century animations and UI sounds. Same for the ships and uniforms. They could have basically used a 25th century character, as they did in Delta Recruitment Event. It wouldn't have any significant effect for the further story.
Seriously, i don't get why Cryptics writers made that decision. This is the best they could come up with explaining a 23rd century themed character in the 25th century?
It's completely baffling to me that they couldn't come up with something that makes more sense.
If Cryptics writers wanted to come up with a plausible excuse for the player to wear 23rd century uniforms and use 23rd century ships, they should have made AoY faction more distinctive to other factions and NOT make them basically 25th century FED characters with a different tutorial.
The most obvious thing would be to provide some sort of central hub/zone for them, similar like the Romulans have.
Another thing that would add to the distinctiveness of AoY would be to add R&D projects for 23rd. century weapons and equipment. Seeing 23rd century themed characters /ships using 25th century weapons looks just horribly wrong.
Unused Opportunities:
While playing "Painful Omens", i was pretty much convinced that Station K-13 which was pulled into a time distortion (or whatever they called it) will end up in the 25th century.But no, for SOME reason the writers decided not to go that way.
(Daniels could have made the station unreachable to normal 25th century inhabitants, via some time travel techno babble thingy.)
Another unused opportunity was the mission "Tangled Webs" (23rd century), the crew of the Defiant didn't need to die at all, they could have been saved by the player and then later be put on Station K-13.
(Daniels could have made the station unreachable to normal 25th century inhabitants, via some time travel techno babble thingy.)
Another unused opportunity was the mission "Tangled Webs" (23rd century), the crew of the Defiant didn't need to die at all, they could have been saved by the player and then later be put on Station K-13.
If cryptics writers went that route, Station K-13 would have served as unique social zone and base of operations for AoY characters, similar to the romulan central command. Of course they would be aligned with 25th. century Starfleet, but Cryptics writers could have come up with some excuse why they had to stay partially independent.
At least AoY characters would have had a much more plausible excuse to wear 23rd. Century uniforms, fly 23rd. century ships and have 23rd. century UI/ FX, instead of
being told to blend in to the 25th century and become basically a normal FED character.
AoY Characters would have access to 23rd. Century BOFF powers and potentially other 23rd. Century themed equipment, instead of having to use 25th century stuff.And still, no changes in the following 25th century missions would have been necessary. The player still could hunt for temporal probes within normal story missions and do things as now.
The only difference would be that it would make some SENSE to have a 23rd century themed character!
The most baffling thing to me is that they wouldn't had to do any additional artwork or create any more content for the most part. Surely R&D stuff could be added later, but apart from that, everything is already there (Station K-13 exterior/interior, uniforms, ships, etc.).
How do you guys think about the whole blend in to the 25th century issue?
"...'With the first link, the chain is forged. The first speech censured...the first thought forbidden...the first freedom denied--chains us all irrevocably.' ... The first time any man's freedom is trodden on, we're all damaged. I fear that today--"
- (TNG) Picard, quoting Judge Aaron Satie
A tale of two Picards
https://youtu.be/d-f3bscZa0E?t=105(also applies to Star Trek in general)
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Comments
That would have been amazing and explained the ships a whole lot better. But hey, in my head canon, that's what happened.
I second this as well, this is exactly what should have happened
I was thinking about this in the shower. Someone ought to create a foundry mission specifically for this.
To play Devils advocate, here Ill just say this Enigma Nebula.
As for the starting in the 31st going to the 23 then forward to the 25th. That would have made a lot more sense. As it is for me, I see my AoY as a 25c sent back to the 23rd then returned to the 25th.
Fleet leader Nova Elite
Fleet Leader House of Nova elite
@ren_larreck
"With the first link, the chain is forged. The first speech censured, the first thought forbidden, the first freedom denied, chains us all irrevocably."
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I don't see why the (so-called) temporal cold war had to be brought into this to begin with: have captain start out in the 23rd century without any asinine meddling from the future, and at around level 10 the player has to execute a slingshot maneuver (or visit the Guardian of Forever, etc.), and accidentally wind up in the 25th century on their own. Then ensues a series of missions where the player is trying to get back to get back to the 23rd century, and Temporal Affairs will get involved, that sort of thing. I can't help but think the involvement of the 31st century TimeCops was superfluous, and should have been left out to begin with.
Some of the dialogue in AoY bugged me too, in particular Garret's constant use of "Stay safe," it's a contradiction of ToS Starfleet's zeitgeist: "Risk is our business." That, and "That said" was used erroneously twice, but I suppose that's nitpicking.
But, yeah, I haven't played past level 10 yet, but so far this is a far cry from LoR, or even DR. It's great having ToS resources, but the way they've been used feels like a squandered opportunity, much like most of the run of ST: Enterprise.
I like this idea and with our main TOONS not creating another 1 to do the same old stuff After te AOY mission are done with.
but now I'm in 25c with a new character. I couldn't believe it. I got to go through all that TRIBBLE again with another character?
I've got three delta recruit's that I haven't leveled up yet because I cant be bothered and now I've got another one.
why couldn't we stay in 23c? there was a star map with nine entire sectors, a space dock of sorts, the romulan neutral zone.
this could (should) have been a separate area that could have expansions like new missions, patrol mission,s STF's. seems like such a lost opportunity to me. if I'd known it was getting wiped after last mission I'd have waited and had a really good look around.
I figured I'd have time because this is a separate area to 25c. I feel sorry for people who spent money on this, what a swindle.
This! The whole 23c sector map part is a waste, it's empty. We could have just jumped from mission to mission directly. Maybe we get more 23c content in the future but that's a lot of "maybe". It would have been nice to have the 23c as a separate part of the game with 23c ships and missions and a fleet holding, the character just being linked via the account but not the actual time. Sort of your character in the past you come back to.
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And not only the TOS events to the Defiant, but also the ENT events; there were dead bodies on the Defiant in "In a Mirror, Darkly" meaning they couldn't do time-stuff to save them then either.
And another thing on that STO episode; since when were the Tholians, hermaphrodites with a Tholian Assembly, a matriarchal monarchy?
Don't pretend to understand the intricacies of the Tholian Queenly Imperial Court, foolish Humanoid.
"He shall be my finest warrior, this generic man who was forced upon me.
Like a badass I shall make him look, and in the furnace of war I shall forge him.
he shall be of iron will and steely sinew.
In great armour I shall clad him and with the mightiest weapons he shall be armed.
He will be untouched by plague or disease; no sickness shall blight him.
He shall have such tactics, strategies and machines that no foe will best him in battle.
He is my answer to cryptic logic, he is the Defender of my Romulan Crew.
He is Tovan Khev... and he shall know no fear."
From a gameplay point of view, i understand that they couldn't create a 23rd. Century copy of the Current STO game, that would have been simply too much work.
I could understand when Cryptic where just making a 23rd. Century themed Delta Recruit event. It would have been much more honest to the players in my opinion.
But even the Character creation screen heavily implies that AoY characters are seperate from the other factions. Ending up playing just a common FED is just lame and disappointing to be honest. After level 10 there's basically noting that distinguishes playing a AoY character from a normal FED character. At least they could have implemented a "visual" tab (ships) for weapons FX so they don't have to use 25th century weapons.
What baffles me the most is that Cryptics writers couldn't come up with something permanent for AoY characters and why they players are supposed to fly (faux) 23rd century ships in endgame. Nothing in the game i have encountered so far encourages the player to ever think about playing a 23rd century character.
I understand that Cryptic has limited resources, but that doesn't justify lazy/bad writing or blatantly misleading players.
@admrenlarreck
I like that idea!
Repurposing Enigma Nebula Station (which basically no one uses anyways) and reimagening it as a 23rd. Century Station would have been more than enough to FEEL like playing something 23rd century related.
@somtaawkhar
Maybe Daniels alone wouldn't be able to do that, but the organisation he works for surely would have had the means to create SOME scenario that makes that Station a permanent Base for AoY characters. If everything fails to make sense, just have that station be in some sort of Nexus, without the help of daniels at all. We have see stranger things in Star Trek.
I would rather been going around doing things. Similar like the mission with the Ambassadors in the meeting. Trying to find the bad guy before something major happens. With a whole new leveling experiences, and you could use part of the old story arcs as well. But in that form. This to me is what a Temporal Agent is supposed to do.
They told it was going to be a Temporal Recruit. Many players wanted another event like Delta Recruit. So instead of doing as recruit, they call it a faction. I'm leveling mine for now, as I came up with an idea on how to use them.
USS Casinghead NCC 92047 launched 2350
Fleet Admiral Stowe - Dominion War Vet.