Personal Access Display Device

[Freejack]

One feature that I haven't seen discussed but I would really like to see is the PADD.

A versatile utility with a notebook functionality would be a terrific addition. I intend on blogging my adventures in STO and I would really like an in-game feature that would allow me to jot down names and places; it would be invaluable to me. Perhaps it could intertwine with a captain's log, crew roster information, and the buddy list, etc. I hope they don't overlook this simple yet crucial piece of technology. :cool:

[Tranchera]

I'm sure whenever you check your stats or missions while you're walking around it'll show your character lookin' at somethin'.

[jayrelo]

One feature that I haven't seen discussed but I would really like to see is the PADD.

A versatile utility with a notebook functionality would be a terrific addition. I intend on blogging my adventures in STO and I would really like an in-game feature that would allow me to jot down names and places; it would be invaluable to me. Perhaps it could intertwine with a captain's log, crew roster information, and the buddy list, etc. I hope they don't overlook this simple yet crucial piece of technology. :cool:

they would be dumb not to take your idea and run with it. fantastic thought.

[KO_Gilligan]

I agree, and add that these additions/alternatives to HUD in the form of stat menus and data logs and stuff are an area where games could use some innovation. I can't stand complicated options and controls from an electronic book/menu, I like Bioshock simplicity.... but with innovation, some of the new games have been trying to come up with new stuff.

I've been looking forward to Fallout 3, without too many spoilers, anyone want to talk about that user interface?

[Samodelkin]

One feature that I haven't seen discussed but I would really like to see is the PADD.

A versatile utility with a notebook functionality would be a terrific addition. I intend on blogging my adventures in STO and I would really like an in-game feature that would allow me to jot down names and places; it would be invaluable to me. Perhaps it could intertwine with a captain's log, crew roster information, and the buddy list, etc. I hope they don't overlook this simple yet crucial piece of technology. :cool:

Star Wars Galaxies had something like that, but it was called a "datapad." It worked well - stored quests, waypoints (coordinates of in-game locations), crafting blueprints, and anything the player owns that cannot fit into the inventory but is not a static structure.

In Star Trek Online, I think the PADD is a great idea and could be taken a few steps further. Added features could include what you said, and personally I would like to see stored holodeck programs, custom-crafting blueprints with control-unit programs, discovered alien technology, as well as in-game informational media like text, pictures, maps, sound, and maybe short videos.

[Trekkie]

I think the PADD is a great idea but at the same time I think that a lot of the information that would be stored on one could also work for logs, which is something else that I really want to see in the game. Hopefully PADDs are in the game but as items, whereas I hope that logs are sort of a function in the game that all players can access without needing a specific item.

[Mailman653]

Can Pads be stolen? Cause I'm thinking if some hot shot boarded my ship and I repelled them and I found their Pad, I'd like to see where he/she/it has been or discovered etc. Or even locate the coordinates of he/she/it's guild star base, info which I wouldn't ordinarily have access to.:D

[Deyvid]

Utilizing a PADD in some way would be great.

They touched the question of captains log / personal log in the Sept.4th Ask Cryptic.

Could we possibly expect to make our own "log" entries? Star Trek just isn't Star Trek without log entries.

Yes – log entries are an awesome idea with many cool applications. We've got a lot of ideas on how we can do this and to what extent you'll be able to view the logs on and offline – but the details are still to be determined. Make sure you tell us what you're interested in seeing out of this feature on the forums!

It would be cool if the PADD was how we recorded and accessed our log entries.

As for seeing other people's logs and mission data, maybe we can grant a "remote access" to players so they can somehow access our PADD and open/load (b)Log entries and see what missions we've completed, what planets we've been to or discovered.

I don't think we should be able to "steal" another person's PADD or gain unauthorized access to their personal log if that player hasn't chosen to share it. It may be a situation where someone stole the actual PADD unit but then was locked out of the data when they tried to open files or read entries. That's why I think we should be able to either give "open access" to everyone, or keep it private and then then give permission to certain players to gain "remote access" (meaning my friend could get into my logs and mission data but not have to actually hold my PADD unit).

Cuz I don't want just anyone handling my PADD... or maybe I do....

[Freejack]

In Star Trek Online, I think the PADD is a great idea and could be taken a few steps further. Added features could include what you said, and personally I would like to see stored holodeck programs, custom-crafting blueprints with control-unit programs, discovered alien technology, as well as in-game informational media like text, pictures, maps, sound, and maybe short videos.

Aye, and to emphasize the P in PADD and make it more personal, it could be used to store our screenshots and maybe even short (or long) audio/video clips that would essentially get stored on our own hard-drives anyways.

I don't know how many people might have played and enjoyed Myst Online: Uru Live as much as I did, but one feature that Cyan worked hard to incorporate was a Dick Tracy Wrist Radio type of device called a "KI". Although the game never quite got the wings it deserved, and the functionality of the KI was less than optimal, it was an absolutely brilliant game feature that eventually became intrinsic to a game based solely on exploration with zero combat. It would give you real-time location coordinates much like a GPS, it could take screenshots, and it had a text editor that allowed you to make journal entries as well as exchanging messages and photos between other players. Every player had a KI number and the buddy list was built right into it so you could transmit to individuals or entire groups.

My initial instinct is that it wouldn't be difficult to wrap all these relatively basic utilities that are already common in most other games, and bundle them all into a small UI package that we could call up with a single click or button-push rather than memorizing numerous SHIFT-ALT-CTRL key combinations.
:cool:

[Silverspar]

I get the feeling the inventory will use a PADD style interface. So I wouldn't worry about the PADD never showing up. Now let's just hope it's not super rediculously clunky hehe. Some of the latest UIs in games are so rediculously clunky that they remove funf rom teh game.

[Freejack]

Some of the latest UIs in games are so rediculously clunky that they remove funf rom teh game.

funf > all :D

[Mooshique]

This is a good idea! ^^

If they haven't already, Cryptic really should consider this.

[RogueEnterprise]

I think having an idle animation where, if you don't move your character after a certain amount of time, your character just whips out a PADD and starts punching buttons. Would make for a better system than your character just sitting down, like they do in WoW when you're idle. =)