The next Star Trek MMORPG: Another Epic Fail?

[Syt]

Well, for what it's worth, my "serious" beta char.

[Berkut]

One way you could try to get away from the "tank" group encounter mechanic would be to create a substantial penalty for NOT engaging every target.

Lets say that in a typical fight, anyone who is not being fired at by someone (suppresssed) does 3x as much damage.

Then, the combat mechanics start revolving around trying to suppress everyone else, while having someone on your side NOT be suppressed. Maybe the better way to think of it is that anyone suppressed does 1/3rd damage, or whatever.

STO seems to be trying to break the paradigm a little bit with the flanking thing, which is cool, but a little limiting, since it won't always apply in every situation. What if there aren't any flanks? What if you are fighting in a corridor? Seems a little odd to have a core combat mecahnic be based on particular geography of a fight, but I like that they seem to be aware of the issue.

That is actually really important - much MORE important than whether or not their particular solution actually works, since all MMOs are works in progress, so whether some particular mechanic actually works is not nearly as important as whether or not they are trying to make something work.

However it works at release, we can be fairly certain it won't work that way 6 months out.

[Barrister]

This is actually the root of my earlier alarm over comments about "tank/healer/dps" - the concern that the game was going to try hard to be WoW In Space! rather than an actual Star Trek game, so as to appeal to as many as possible, even if that appeal is rather shallow.

I'm actually a tiny bit concerned that they should have gone more like WoW in space in this regard.  I've read some comments about fleet actions have very little strategy, with people just flying around aimlessly shooting at the enemy.

But it's very early days.  Maybe more co-ordination and tactics will be required.

[Caliga]

I do have to say that *so far* I strongly dislike the space navigation/combat model, but haven't messed with that for more than an hour tops, so it's kinda early to make any sort of call on it.

[Berkut]

This is actually the root of my earlier alarm over comments about "tank/healer/dps" - the concern that the game was going to try hard to be WoW In Space! rather than an actual Star Trek game, so as to appeal to as many as possible, even if that appeal is rather shallow.

I'm actually a tiny bit concerned that they should have gone more like WoW in space in this regard.  I've read some comments about fleet actions have very little strategy, with people just flying around aimlessly shooting at the enemy.

But it's very early days.  Maybe more co-ordination and tactics will be required.

Sounds like a WoW Pug to me! Which is really all we have seen so far- the real proof is whether that actually works when you get to decent content.

I mean, you can go run the Deadmines with a Pug and get by without any real strategy, right?

[Barrister]

So you think I have some kind of axe to grind? What in the world would my motivation be for a game I personally hope is as good as you are convinced it must be because you want it to be?

That makes no sense at all beebs - I have nothing to gain by the game being crap, and I certainly hope it is NOT crap. being able and willing to dispassionately discuss its potential problems does not make one un-objective - quite the opposite in fact. It is the very definition of being objective.

Nope, it doesn't make any sense at all.  Yet that's how it seems.

But I don't want to make this personal so I'm going to let it drop.

[Crazy_Ivan80]

anyone able to log on there btw? Server says its up but not logging in for me, and the launcher as well as site are throwing up server error 500s or somesuch stuff.

edit: never mind, they took the thing offline :p

[Berkut]

So you think I have some kind of axe to grind? What in the world would my motivation be for a game I personally hope is as good as you are convinced it must be because you want it to be?

That makes no sense at all beebs - I have nothing to gain by the game being crap, and I certainly hope it is NOT crap. being able and willing to dispassionately discuss its potential problems does not make one un-objective - quite the opposite in fact. It is the very definition of being objective.

Nope, it doesn't make any sense at all.  Yet that's how it seems.

If your perception of my actions makes no sense, then perhaps it makes sense to wonder if perhaps your perception is the issue.

Which is pretty much what I said from the start of the discussion - you are not objective, and objective people always look like haters from the perspective of the fans.

But I don't want to make this personal so I'm going to let it drop.

There is nothing to "make personal". In order for you to attempt to add something personal to this, you would have to start really being creative, since I am pretty sure I haven't said anything in the entire thread that could possibly be seen as having some kind of personal investment in STO not being a great game - rather the opposite in fact. From a personal standpoint, I have much more to gain by its success than its failure.

However, the fact that I *want* it to be awesome, sadly, does not effect in any way the odds of it actually *being* awesome...

[Savonarola]

No seriously - anyone live near a Del Taco? 

I'm pretty sure I live several thousand miles away from one...

There are a couple in Metro Detroit.  Do you still need someone to pick up a code for you?

[starbright]

I have played the beta for a grand total of 2-3 hours so far (did finish the tutorial), and so far I neither love nor hate the game.

Same. This game is pretty good compared to similar ones. But in the true Trekkie tradition, I can't help myself, I have to criticize. 

*I have to move the camera too much during combat. Free camera is a nice feature, but durring combat it is annoying.
*Navigation lacks the nerd factor. It feels like I am looking at a magic map, not a 3D starmap. An old game called Klingon Academy had a great navigation system. You could pick any x,y,z coordinate and tell the computer to go there.
*The screen is too crowded and the colors are off. Space lacks the awe factor.


Space combat does not feel deep. (I still like it. I liked Bridge Commander. But not as much as I liked Starfleet Command 1 and 2.)  Maneuvering, fitting out your ship, and waiting for a chance to sneak in a torpedo is all STO has to offer.

[Grey Fox]

I am seriously never going to be able to play this thing in Beta.

[Alcibiades]

An old game called Klingon Academy

I loved that game! 

Had like 12 cds lol

[Syt]

I got kicked off the server while fighting Borg in the tutorial.

[Barrister]

No seriously - anyone live near a Del Taco? 

I'm pretty sure I live several thousand miles away from one...

There are a couple in Metro Detroit.  Do you still need someone to pick up a code for you?

Yes please.

[crazy canuck]

Space combat does not feel deep. (I still like it. I liked Bridge Commander. But not as much as I liked Starfleet Command 1 and 2.)  Maneuvering, fitting out your ship, and waiting for a chance to sneak in a torpedo is all STO has to offer.

Wait until you fight some of the harder battles and you acquire crew members with skills.  Shifting shields, shifting power to various systems and using skills becomes more important.