Concerning Episodes

phalanx01 · February 7

I'm playing through all the episodes again, both the newer ones in the Episodes list and the old ones from way back that are a bit "hidden" you might say. I enjoy most of them I mean there are a few stinkers out there but I simply and sorry to say it like this... I DETEST the episodes that force you to play as some other character. I detested those quests in FFXIV (reason I quit that game because you NEEDED to do them to progress to more dungeons and raids) and I always detested them. I was very disappointed when I ran into the first one with the Ferengi and there's a lot of them during the Terran mission lines. Those episodes really annoy me to the point of quitting the story content.

Please Cryptic stop forcing us into these characters, they're badly build, badly equipped and make the overall experience really horrible.

At least during the Ferengi episode, one of the characters you played with wasn't half bad.

Quick note, not using specific episode names for people that haven't played them yet. And also this is my opinion on these episodes.

thay8472 · February 7

Speak for yourself. I like playing as the Inquisitor.

krisxr400 · February 7

I really do like playing quarks lucky seven, oh man playing as lek is really just the bomb! lol Doesn't anything blow up here? The inquisitor missions are ok, i like his knife attacks. And one of his abilities are kind of op. I think if memory serves those types of missions were suggested or requested years ago. The ship missions aren't bad, simplified but powerful. I wasnt as crazy about the tzenkethy (spelling?) space mission, gosh op and civilian targets. I suppose it adds to immersion that the tzenkethy are blood thirsty animals, which makes no sense at the end of the mission to let the tzenkethy and nes pa off the hook, regardless of her hindsight. I think she could have stayed in her jail cell and still told her story just fine. I think its intent is a change up from the same ole routine of game play and a chance for the player to learn or deal with an unfamiliar set of tools.

leemwatson · February 7

phalanx01 wrote: »

I'm playing through all the episodes again, both the newer ones in the Episodes list and the old ones from way back that are a bit "hidden" you might say. I enjoy most of them I mean there are a few stinkers out there but I simply and sorry to say it like this... I DETEST the episodes that force you to play as some other character. I detested those quests in FFXIV (reason I quit that game because you NEEDED to do them to progress to more dungeons and raids) and I always detested them. I was very disappointed when I ran into the first one with the Ferengi and there's a lot of them during the Terran mission lines. Those episodes really annoy me to the point of quitting the story content.

Please Cryptic stop forcing us into these characters, they're badly build, badly equipped and make the overall experience really horrible.

At least during the Ferengi episode, one of the characters you played with wasn't half bad.

Quick note, not using specific episode names for people that haven't played them yet. And also this is my opinion on these episodes.

Yes, that's your opinion, but it's a minority opinion. I really enjoy 'creature' play episodes. I don't see the point in complaining over something that does not permanently or fundamentally change the character you have built.

fleetcaptain5 · February 7

I only dislike it when they do this in TFO's, because they cannot always be avoided. If you queue through the random system because you don't have the time to wait for an hour for a specific mission to start, you might end up in a mission where another ship visual is forced upon you.

An episode, on the other hand, is something you always choose to play.

fleetcaptain5 · February 7

And to be honest, the few episodes where we have these mechanics, at least present a good reason for changing your character.

In the mission where you play a Tzenkethi, it is because they're literally showing the other side of the story than the one your captain and even your faction has experienced.

As opposed to the TFO simulations, where you're just seeing the same thing history has already told us and of which we are already aware (because if it hadn't and we weren't, we wouldn't have the data required to recreate the situation).

captainkoltar · February 8

I just wish you could alter your power tray layout during them. I'd be happy then.

n0vastarone · February 8

the only reason I dont like playing as other characters, my kit is much stronger then theirs, and I play on a higher difficulty setting.

nixie50 · February 10

with the exception of quarks lucky seven, and the tzenkethi, you are playing your alt self. your alt self should have your layout

phoenixc · February 10

nixie50 wrote: »

with the exception of quarks lucky seven, and the tzenkethi, you are playing your alt self. your alt self should have your layout

Usually not (in fact I don't know of one where nothing changes). For example, the Inquisitor is supposed to be your character's mirror self, but instead has an entirely different set of gear and abilities rather than a copy of the non-mirror character's stuff. There is no way they could have the same layout.

questerius · February 11

The monster play in several episodes is interesting from a storytelling perspective, but often aggravating from gameplay perspective.

Prime examples are the Tzenketti mission with natives tossing spears at him from 5 meters distance or the Assimilated Stage.
Playing from a Terran point of view was a bit better, but the limited kit module options was less than optimal in a setting where you go from ambush to ambush.

Quarks Lucky Seven stood out in quality despite some Ferengi being in need of glasses/ practice for their weapons.

I would suggest adding an autoplay feature for those missions once finished on an account.
With autoplay the story gets told, while awkward gameplay goes out of the window,

spiritborn · February 11

phoenixc#0738 wrote: »

nixie50 wrote: »

with the exception of quarks lucky seven, and the tzenkethi, you are playing your alt self. your alt self should have your layout

Usually not (in fact I don't know of one where nothing changes). For example, the Inquisitor is supposed to be your character's mirror self, but instead has an entirely different set of gear and abilities rather than a copy of the non-mirror character's stuff. There is no way they could have the same layout.

Indeed it's clear that while they're a mirror version of our character the Inquisitor does not share the history with their prime counterpart, for example Mirwast (my main) in the prime universe still has her natural voice instead being forced to use a voice box.

Yes I know the STO main universe has since branched from the Prime Universe but it's easier to say it that way.

annemarie30 · February 14

phoenixc#0738 wrote: »

nixie50 wrote: »

with the exception of quarks lucky seven, and the tzenkethi, you are playing your alt self. your alt self should have your layout

Usually not (in fact I don't know of one where nothing changes). For example, the Inquisitor is supposed to be your character's mirror self, but instead has an entirely different set of gear and abilities rather than a copy of the non-mirror character's stuff. There is no way they could have the same layout.

I think you misunderstood her. she should have emphasized the SHOULD have your equipment

annemarie30 · February 14

even in the old star fleet command game you faced off with your mirror, and that ship was identical to yours. why WOULDN'T you mirror have an affinity for the same weapons you have?

thay8472 · February 14

annemarie30 wrote: »

even in the old star fleet command game you faced off with your mirror, and that ship was identical to yours. why WOULDN'T you mirror have an affinity for the same weapons you have?

I remember that fight. Mirror me was a nightmare to bringdown in that Mirror Yamato and its missile spam.

thunderfoot · February 15

I enjoy the episodes where I play as someone else. QL7 was hilarious the first time I played it. I spent more time laughing and reading the narratives than I did playing. The primary difference I've noticed is the lack of gear the alternative characters carry and use. Which is to be expected. Due to the dev team being unable to put together proper builds for either ground or space.

annemarie30 · February 15

thay8472 wrote: »

annemarie30 wrote: »

even in the old star fleet command game you faced off with your mirror, and that ship was identical to yours. why WOULDN'T you mirror have an affinity for the same weapons you have?

I remember that fight. Mirror me was a nightmare to bringdown in that Mirror Yamato and its missile spam.

yup that's why you do that episode flying a frigate with your main ship as the wingman. the Mirror showed up in a frigate, you swap control to your main ship and game over

thay8472 · February 15

annemarie30 wrote: »

yup that's why you do that episode flying a frigate with your main ship as the wingman. the Mirror showed up in a frigate, you swap control to your main ship and game over

Yeah. I wish I thought of that at the start. I lost so many fights to the damn Yamato!

nixie50 · February 20

yes i was not clear. your mirror SHOULD have your equipment, else they are not a true mirror.

leemwatson · February 20

nixie50 wrote: »

yes i was not clear. your mirror SHOULD have your equipment, else they are not a true mirror.

No...that's not how it works. It's a different universe, with different choices, not a mirror. 'Mirror' is just a name given to that universe. There's no way you'd have the same stuff unless that universe was an almost exact match, which the 'Mirror' Universe is most certainly not.

nixie50 · February 20

leemwatson wrote: »

nixie50 wrote: »

yes i was not clear. your mirror SHOULD have your equipment, else they are not a true mirror.

No...that's not how it works. It's a different universe, with different choices, not a mirror. 'Mirror' is just a name given to that universe. There's no way you'd have the same stuff unless that universe was an almost exact match, which the 'Mirror' Universe is most certainly not.

and yet all of the prime people have counterparts which is impossible. Spock certainly would not had been born, nor any interspecies hybrids, and due ti the violent nature of that universe, many if not most couples would have had different partners, so after 3-4 generations, only a few if any counterparts should be around. if that can be ignored (and it has) the probability of counterparts having similar affinities for tools and weapons would be higher to match than their existence at all.

leemwatson · February 20

nixie50 wrote: »

leemwatson wrote: »

nixie50 wrote: »

yes i was not clear. your mirror SHOULD have your equipment, else they are not a true mirror.

No...that's not how it works. It's a different universe, with different choices, not a mirror. 'Mirror' is just a name given to that universe. There's no way you'd have the same stuff unless that universe was an almost exact match, which the 'Mirror' Universe is most certainly not.

and yet all of the prime people have counterparts which is impossible. Spock certainly would not had been born, nor any interspecies hybrids, and due ti the violent nature of that universe, many if not most couples would have had different partners, so after 3-4 generations, only a few if any counterparts should be around. if that can be ignored (and it has) the probability of counterparts having similar affinities for tools and weapons would be higher to match than their existence at all.

It's contrived, but not impossible. But the chance your counterpart has the exact same skills, abilities, knowledge and equipment in the 'Mirror' Universe is almost zero, nevermind talking about affinity because that is cancelled out because the Mirror Terrans etc mostly have exactly opposing drives. The only 'recent' observation of someone having even similar skills in canon, is 'Smiley' O'Brien....he certainly didn't have the same equipment or knowledge as Miles O'Brien. Mirror Bashir was not a Doctor, nor even anything medical; Dax didn't remotely appear scientific in nature...etc., etc. The only reason the tech in the Mirror Universe is similar is because most of it was stolen from the Prime Universe. And before you say Voyager, none of the Mirror Voyager have displayed similar abilities to our versions because they are all suped-up former borg

thay8472 · February 20

Just more than the three abilities given would have been nice. They could have used the Inquisitor to show off some of the lockboxed abilities.

theraven2378 · February 20

Having access to the stuff our character usually have would have been absolutely helpful

phoenixc · February 21

Originally (in TOS) the Mirror universe was not supposed to be something long term, according to behind-the-scenes comments it was another one of the Many-Worlds-Interpretation based scripts in the show, in this case exploring the idea of arriving at the same point in time and space by way of opposite choices (along with more of the Good-Self vs. Evil-Self seen in other episodes like The Enemy Within and The Alternative Factor) without too much focus on outside factors like how unstable such a society would be and whatnot.

Why they converged like that was never made clear in the shows or even in behind-the-scenes information, but it could be a retrocausal multiverse time effect something like the crossing points in the "spaghetti effect" from DC's The Flash:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUl5HoR4ksY

Anyway, the main takeaway of the behind the scenes anecdotes about what they were thinking was that the universes were only synchronized in the moment of transfer by chance and would move out of alignment fairly quickly (why they had to get back within so many hours or be trapped) so anything much before or after that space/time point in one of the universes is irrelevant to the other universe though it may in turn align reasonably well with another thread (or strand of spaghetti in the DC illustration) it happens to cross sometime before or after the crossing point in consideration, which in turn means that while they look the same it is actually a different "mirror" in each case.

leemwatson · February 21

phoenixc#0738 wrote: »

Originally (in TOS) the Mirror universe was not supposed to be something long term, according to behind-the-scenes comments it was another one of the Many-Worlds-Interpretation based scripts in the show, in this case exploring the idea of arriving at the same point in time and space by way of opposite choices (along with more of the Good-Self vs. Evil-Self seen in other episodes like The Enemy Within and The Alternative Factor) without too much focus on outside factors like how unstable such a society would be and whatnot.

Why they converged like that was never made clear in the shows or even in behind-the-scenes information, but it could be a retrocausal multiverse time effect something like the crossing points in the "spaghetti effect" from DC's The Flash:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUl5HoR4ksY

Anyway, the main takeaway of the behind the scenes anecdotes about what they were thinking was that the universes were only synchronized in the moment of transfer by chance and would move out of alignment fairly quickly (why they had to get back within so many hours or be trapped) so anything much before or after that space/time point in one of the universes is irrelevant to the other universe though it may in turn align reasonably well with another thread (or strand of spaghetti in the DC illustration) it happens to cross sometime before or after the crossing point in consideration, which in turn means that while they look the same it is actually a different "mirror" in each case.

Exactly. The 'Mirror' Universe started it's divergence as early as Zefram Cochrane shooting the Vulcans when they landed. Whilst there were similarities in the people in the couple of centuries we have seen, they were hugely xenophobic, and it's clear by the DS9 era that the divergence was huge.

Concerning Episodes

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