Custom species names for Alien toons

avoozuul · July 2017

I know this may be a very pointless idea but I think it would be great if you could give your Alien toons custom species names, whether it be a completely new species you made up yourself or a canon species which wasn't already made available for any faction as a species choice.

But if not a completely custom species name then perhaps a list of existing species names of aliens not available as a species choice in a faction to choose from.

avoozuul · July 2017

Well as I said, if not a completely custom name then a list of actual existing species names not directly available outside of using a custom Alien such as Cardassian and Jem'Hadar for a few examples.

jodarkrider · July 2017

valoreah wrote: »

Going to have to say no to this. One can only imagine the colorful species names people will come up with....

That argument imo doesn't work. People can already name their character and ships in terrible way already. Are you saying that we should not let players name their characters/ships either? The games shouldn't be restricting access to features just because there are some people who will abuse it.

I feel it'd be nice small feature to be given to people who play custom aliens.

warpangel · July 2017

You have a large free-text field in the character sheet to type whatever custom details you want.

There is no reason overwrite factual in-game information with user text, when they can both be displayed together already.

duncanidaho11 · July 2017

jodarkrider wrote: »

valoreah wrote: »

Going to have to say no to this. One can only imagine the colorful species names people will come up with....

That argument imo doesn't work. People can already name their character and ships in terrible way already. Are you saying that we should not let players name their characters/ships either? The games shouldn't be restricting access to features just because there are some people who will abuse it.

I feel it'd be nice small feature to be given to people who play custom aliens.

Indeed, I'd like to have this as someone who spends a lot of time in STO and in the Foundry creating new species. Species name is also a lot less visible than fleet, player, and ship name. It's also lot smaller than the bio field, which is part of the same public info pane as species.

If player behavior is something to be concerned about here, it would have already brought down the fabric of civilized STO with the tools we have available.

duncanidaho11 · July 2017

valoreah wrote: »

And I'm sure you aren't one of those who would come up with racially charged or other crude species names.

Sure but that kind of behavior isn't prohibitive to having custom player names, fleet names, and ship names (which are displayed in the HUD by default, not relegated to an info pane you have to click into). And that info pane already has a blank canvas for anyone to use for any purpose.

It's inconsistent to suggest that species names will present significant problems for the STO community when that isn't happening (to a prohibitive degree) with these other public inputs. The balance of probability strongly suggests that it would be fine.

duncanidaho11 · July 2017

valoreah wrote: »

I never used the words "present significant problems for the STO community".

It's what makes the concern a relevant one. Any system thrown open to the public is subject to abuse. The concern is whether it presents significant problems for the community in question. If not, then we don't need to worry. Individual abuses can be handled with the reporting tools currently available.

risian4 · July 2017

warpangel wrote: »

You have a large free-text field in the character sheet to type whatever custom details you want.

This.

In general:
I actually have some characters that are members of made-up species. Since they're made up, I wanted to write a short description anyway.

While I wouldn't mind if they did something with the OP's proposal, I would prefer to see more effort directed at creating new unique species. The Lukari and Deferi are both interesting species, and there's many others that are in-game and even allied with or part of the Alliance that have been under-used so far. The Xindi are just one example.
Adding some contents to the tailor isn't enough for me. I really wish to see more species with unique abilities. We only have one of those, the Caitians.

Until now, the Alien species and the addition of Xindi foreheads for example have mostly felt as an excuse not to release interesting new playable species. I'd like to see some more work being put in developing such truly unique species first.

silverlobes · July 2017

avoozuul wrote: »

I know this may be a very pointless idea but I think it would be great if you could give your Alien toons custom species names, whether it be a completely new species you made up yourself or a canon species which wasn't already made available for any faction as a species choice.

But if not a completely custom species name then perhaps a list of existing species names of aliens not available as a species choice in a faction to choose from.

+1 I think this would be a nice option

[In general, not to OP]
On the issue of 'no, because of potential abuses', there is already a filtering system in place preventing specific words or names from being used. For example, I wasn't able to call a Bajoran Inteligence officer 'Li' (as in the family name of Li Nalas) because the system required there to be more characters in the name. So if someone's that desperate to put in a stupid or offensive name, they'll find a way to do it anyway.

So there's some yahoo flying around a system with USS StupidName. So what? They joke's on them, for having the lack of restraint for not making a public spectacle of themself. Or, it could even be a genuinely witty pun worthy of a lol. Either way, laugh. Better than getting oneself riled up about someone else's stupidity (unless someone's one of those control freak sociopaths who can't stand anyone else to have a good time which they weren't invited in on. The 'I can't sit at the Cool Kids Table, so there can't be Cool Kids or a Table!' mentality)

duncanidaho11 · July 2017

valoreah wrote: »

I just don't see Cryptic/PWE wanting players to have to scroll through a list of "very colorful" alien species names when creating an alien character.

What? As far as I see it, the idea is to let players write overwrite "alien" for themselves (like any other name field now.) It wouldn't then become available for players to select from through an elaborate (and totally unusable, think of how many names would be on offer) system of published community names. I think the OP offered " a list of existing species names of aliens not available as a species choice" in reference to species like Deltan, Denobulans, Efrosians, Kretassans, (ie. canon) as a compromise if this wasn't possible (to cover this one particular base, not all that might be satisfied by custom species names).

cbrjwrr · July 2017

I think the utility of having somewhere formally in game to note down what headcanoned species an Alien character is vastly outweighs the risk someone might write something stupid there. (and tools already exist for dealing with that)

The more realistic problem is potential licensing issues really.

nommo · July 2017

I find if I'm attempting to create a Jem'Hadar, for example, using the Alien template then during the naming process I could incorporate the "Jem'Hadar" into the name as a preface maybe.

So, that could be done for any & all "alien" creations.

Also, there is the more in-depth Biography to give one's creation a backstory which Cryptic was nice enough to include & others could read.

I think the potential for abuse needs to be restricted here, & it's just a little bit, because just like with character names & ship names it can be flagged & if needed be restricted for abuse.

It would be nice of course, but I think Cryptic did a good job weighing all the considerations on this.

byozuma · July 2017

Honestly, the real issue has already been mentioned. Given the potential of the Alien character creation options it's possible to recreate a fair number of races that have appeared in film and television. If Cryptic were to give a means of saving these creations in an identifiable format beyond the limits of our characters, it'd make them official in the game and we'd run into the issue of PWE being sued for copyright and trademark violations. They're already skirting the issue as is by just allowing us such a wide range of alien design options. By leaving aliens as Alien they at least keep the issue in a grey area. Besides, all that really matters is that we know what it is and that's good enough for me.
Completely related note, check out all the races I made in my banner! (Yes, been waiting a long time to find a thread where I could do that.)

baddmoonrizin · July 2017

I'd rather they add more parts to the AlienGen options.

echatty · July 2017

Oh yes, more parts to aliengen, and the ability to put spots on their other body parts too. Like on the back/torso/arms/legs.

IOW: Full body spots for other aliens if we want it.

baddmoonrizin · July 2017

valoreah wrote: »

baddmoonrizin wrote: »

I'd rather they add more parts to the AlienGen options.

I'd be down for that too.

Yeah, there were some Cryptic original aliens that we'd run into in the old Exploration Cluster missions that I would love to recreate, but am unable to due to the fact that we don't have access to the parts.

As to the naming an AlienGen species, it's something that I wanted in the past, too, but not so much anymore since I use my AlienGen characters now to play as many different alien races. Renaming the race wouldn't help when I switch the costume to a different species. I agree, though, that the option has potential to abused, not that that should keep it from being done. But I have the feeling that it's not something we'd be likely to get assuming it has anything to do with how the engine recognizes the character.

brian334 · July 2017

This follows my 'if it's easy' philosophy. It's certainly something that should if all that's needed is to overwrite the word alien in a textbox. But if it consumes time, then no.

Perhaps the idea could be considered again if badmoonrisin's added parts idea is incorporated. I'm not sure the race field and the tailor are in any way related though.

tyler002 · July 2017

I like the idea of naming the species, especially if it's also extended to the Boffs.

They could also extend it to Liberated Borg (Captain & Boff); give them all AlienGen options and a custom species name (one that always starts with an unchangeable Liberated Borg).

rattler2 · August 2017

The problem I see with this is people using it as a way to circumvent faction restrictions more than they can now. I mean I do admit one of my older Fed Engie characters is a phOrion, but if we give people the ability to NAME the species... we'll have Fed Orions, KDF Humans... might as well just do away with species restrictions at that point.

So I'll just throw my support behind more Alien parts. I especially wouldn't mind a few tail options added as well.

tyler002 · August 2017

rattler2 wrote: »

The problem I see with this is people using it as a way to circumvent faction restrictions more than they can now. I mean I do admit one of my older Fed Engie characters is a phOrion, but if we give people the ability to NAME the species... we'll have Fed Orions, KDF Humans... might as well just do away with species restrictions at that point.

I don't see how that's a problem. They can name them after the races of other factions, but they still won't be able to use
the exclusive traits and costume options of the proper race.

rattler2 · August 2017

That would probably be the only silver lining. However I don't think a C-Store Fed Klingon can use KDF exclusive costume parts either. So giving people the ability to actually name their alien species outside of the bio would probably make people feel cheated for spending money on a cross faction species.

tyler002 · August 2017

I suppose that could be a concern, since you could make a Klingon for free. Putting the race rename in the C-Store could be a possible way to cover that, either as a single purchase or a cheaper one-use option.

Don't C-Store ones also have race-exclusive traits the Aliens don't, though? I haven't used one for a long time.

rattler2 · August 2017

Yes. Unfortunately I don't have Joined Trill or Fed Klingon. I only have Caitian, and they're rather unique from the stock species.

avoozuul · August 2017

Then they can

rattler2 wrote: »

So giving people the ability to actually name their alien species outside of the bio would probably make people feel cheated for spending money on a cross faction species.

Not if they restrict you from using already available species names.

Custom species names for Alien toons

Comments