Star Trek Online Discussion Thread (now free to play!)

[CorporalClegg]

ProwlAlpha wrote:

---

However, I, for one, will enjoy having the last member of the Enterprise team.

Save one. And, honestly, I wouldn't totally hate it if they found an excuse (however contrived) to put it in the game.

[Timelord_Victorious]

CorporalClegg wrote:

---

Save one. And, honestly, I wouldn't totally hate it if they found an excuse (however contrived) to put it in the game.

Which one? We have NX, Original Constitution, Refit Connie, Excelsior, Ambassador, Galaxy, Sovereign (Odyssey)... are you counting the J?

[CorporalClegg]

No, I was talking about the nuPrise.

[Timelord_Victorious]

CorporalClegg wrote:

---

No, I was talking about the nuPrise.

Ah, right... well, cosider the Exeter the closest thing we will ever get. Movie rights issues won't be resolved any time soon.

[Trek]

Yeah. Cryptic don't have the rights to the abramsverse. I doubt that well see anything from there in the game.

[ProwlAlpha]

Timelord_Victorious wrote:

---

Which one? We have NX, Original Constitution, Refit Connie, Excelsior, Ambassador, Galaxy, Sovereign (Odyssey)... are you counting the J?

I was just talking about NX, Nil, A, B, C, D,E. J has been said it was too big and the games doesn't have NuNil's rights.

[TheRoyalFamily]

ProwlAlpha wrote:

---

Now, only we can dispel the K'vort rumors. If Cryptic gives an 2409 K'vort that looks nothing like a BOP on miracle grow

But if they do, they can just make all the existing T5 B'rel ships xbawkshueg, which makes a whole lot more sense than having T5 B'rels in the first place That way, the people that bought it can get another for free

[Rocketeer]

Yep, I've never liked the Galaxy and most likely due to the oval saucer. If I have to use a Galaxy, I go with one of the other looks, like the Celestial.

That oval saucer works well on the Nebula though.

[Xhiandra]

Tbh, none of the Enterprise classes were that good-looking:
- Constitution v1: Always looked "wrong" to me. The thick and too small saucer with its top and bottom warts, the too cylindrical nacelles and hull, the height/angle of the pylons, the fact that the saucer is only linked to the hull by a thin pylon and that awful, awful deflector.
It might be iconic, but it's quite ugly.

- Constitution v2: nacelles are much better, saucer a bit better, deflector a lot better, but the hull is still too cylindrical/fat and pylons unchanged.
Overall, an improvement, but still quite ugly.

- Excelsior: saucer too small, hull just weird (why does it just taper off so abruptly at the tail end?), the pylon/hull contraption looks like pointless complication (they can attach pylons to the hull directly, why add that tumor and center them?), still insisting on having the nacelles at the same height as the saucer.

- Ambassador: Galaxy, McDonalds version! Damn, that thing looks fat!
On one hand, it is indeed a perfect middle-point between the Excelsior and the Galaxy: the pylons have the Excelsior's right angles, but are placed like the Galaxy's, the saucer is starting to be more streamlined but still retains some thickness, the fat hull is reminiscent of the Constitution (but very much overdone) but has a Galaxy deflector and the nacelles are the Galaxy's, but in true ToS fashion are at the same height as the saucer.
On the other hand, it's very ugly.

- Galaxy: a vast improvement, the Galaxy looks good under some angles, but flawed under others.
The major culprits (and very unusual for an 80s design!) are curves. Curves start to replace straight lines, and that always looks better... and ages better!
It's the reason why cars of the 70s and 90s both look better now than those of the aforementioned 80s (Lamborghini V12 examples: the Miura and the Diablo both aged better than the Countach).
The non-cylindrical hull is an improvement, the lower-placed nacelles (though they look pudgy) too, the thin saucer as well... though it is indeed too big.
The neck, highly depends on the viewing angle.

- Sovereign: well, the Sovereign looks like a Constitution done right:
Flimsy saucer-pylon replaced by a neck-like extension of the hull? Check.
Non-cylindrical, more streamlined, non-parallel nacelles ? Check.
Better pylon angles and height? Check.
Saucer finally reaching a good size, remaining thin and becoming oval? Check.
But there's something wrong with that deflector section and the hull still looks quite fat.

- NX: the NX isn't ugly, but still looks like a worse Akira.

- J: looks too flimsy. If the Ambassador was morbidly obese, this is anorexic!

And yes, I realise no one cares about all I wrote above. I still wanted to.

Anyway, form a pure gameplay point of view, I don't see the need for an Ambassador-class.
Afterall, what makes a new Ship unique in STO is its BOFF layout, in the end. And the Odyssey/Bortasqu' made many variations irrelevant for Cruisers.
They painted themselves in a corner by making a LC Uni and E Uni on the same non-lockbox Ships.

[Timelord_Victorious]

The more specialized cruiser have 2 advantages over the versatile Odyssey.
They are cheaper and handle better and of course come with different abilities.

I believe the Ambassador will be the science counterpart to the tactical Excelsior (allthough, in-universe I would have liked it better the other way around).
That means a Commander Engineer, a LC Science, a Lt Engineer, a Lt Tactical and most likely a universal Ensign.

Handling will hopefully be closer to the Excelsior than to the Galaxy, at least on Sovereign level.

Special ability could be anything. Maybe somehow a reverse version of the Wells' ability. Instead of a time reverse a time jump forward (whatever good that will do).

[Rocketeer]

Xhiandra - Don't hold back, tell me what you really think. ;-)

Yep, as someone that knows a little about engineering, the pylons on the NCC-1701 always struck me as flimsy. I thought the NCC-1701A was a much needed upgrade. That's my fav ship to use in a tabletop or computer game. It has the right balance of offense and defense (and maneuverability).

I avoid the Excelsior in most games because it's too sluggish. However, it's my fav cruiser in STO. Most players don't realize how good a tank it can be and the younger crowd avoids it because they don't think it looks "cool". I've roleplayed with the Excelsior. It's a flying fortress with lots of room for labs.

Timelord - Most of what I've studied about the Excelsior, it could be configured as a battleship or a large science platform. They could have went either way.

The Sovereign is a beautiful ship. I will switch to it if I ever tire of the Excelsior.

[CorporalClegg]

Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I'd meet someone who didn't like the Connie refit.

[Noname Given]

CorporalClegg wrote:

---

Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I'd meet someone who didn't like the Connie refit.

In 1979 when I first saw ST:TMP in theatres - While I did like some elements of the design (the new Saucer, the new torp launcher and the sleeker primary hill); I HATED the new rectangular nacelles (my quick quip line back then was: Intelligence now reports Federation now using Klingon designed warp nacelles...") - and didn't care for the swept Pylons either.

[I also HATED the new Bridge both in layout and color scheme - and TWO Turbolifts??!! <---- Even though I realized that functionality wise it was a good and understandable design improvement.]

As the years have gone on though, while I have now 'warmed up to the refit Connie; and are okay with and like many aspects I didn't back in 1979 - I STILL prefer the original 1701 Constitution Class from TOS over the Connie refit.)

YMMV.

[intrinsical]

And in other news, the Human trait Leadership is finally fixed... after almost 3 long years?

Yesterday, I did a random Starbase Fleet Defence and ended up protecting a T4 starbase against... the Borg. The final wave consisted of 4 Siege Cubes, 8 Tactical Cubes, at least 12-16 Cubes and countless spheres and probes. It was a huge disorganized mess, but it was fun. The way I see it, this encounter requires a well organized MMO raid-force. And it makes me wonder, is there fleet organized enough to take down SFD with maximum rewards.

[Rocketeer]

intrinsical wrote:

---

Apparently there's been some issue about the launcher not getting updated. I have no idea if its related to your problems, but you can try downloading the launcher found at this link: http://sto-forum.perfectworld.com/sh...d.php?t=505501

14GBs, yikes