Is there going to be cloaking in this game ?

[juba83]

Hi Guys,

I'm just wondering if you will have an option of putting a cloak on a ship (that is designed for it).
And if you can is there any chatter about how it will work, IE drain power, time limit, detectable etc etc/

I did search the forums but i couldn't find what I was looking for.

Thanks.

[Tranchera]

Speculation:

Detail of detection = sensor level x - cloaking level y.

So, say the enemy have two levels better cloak than you have sensors. Maybe you can just tell there's something somewhere, but you don't know where. One level below gives you appox. coordinates of the enemy ship. Equal levels tells you what faction they belong to, and gives you better coords.

If your sensors are better than their cloak, it gives more information on ship type, weapons, coordinates and the player captaining it based on how many levels above theirs your sensors are.

Just speculation, I think it makes sense.

[Rakkis]

I think so, or more presicly the better!!!:D

[THORN74]

i hope the cloaks DO NOT work on timers, the shows and movies pretty much show the claoks as unlimited time usage, the drawback being you cannot rais your sheilds nor fire your weapons. I never liked ST game with cloak timers.

the penelty should be a delay from decloaking to firing... this would limit the suprise attack advantage of a cloaked ship allowing the targeted ship to have a small chance of defending it self.

[Hagon]

Well due to their being Klingon and Romulan ships that could raise shields and fire while cloaked established in Star Trek in much earlier time lines, there's no reason why that can't be allowed in STO. Besides it being pretty overpowered depending on the sensor capabilities of course.

[THORN74]

Well due to their being Klingon and Romulan ships that could raise shields and fire while cloaked established in Star Trek in much earlier time lines, there's no reason why that can't be allowed in STO. Besides it being pretty overpowered depending on the sensor capabilities of course.

the kilgons had no such technology aside from the prototype BOP that was subsequently destroyed in uncdiscovered country. and this abillity was never shown again.

site your example of the rommies having such a ship.

[plankcore]

the Scimitar fired through it's cloak.

[Hagon]

the Scimitar fired through it's cloak. and had it's shields up as well... and a prototype still means that the capability was established.

[jayrelo]

and had it's shields up as well... and a prototype still means that the capability was established.

cry havoc!...

[THORN74]

and had it's shields up as well... and a prototype still means that the capability was established.

not nessicarliy, a one time event doesnt a whole fleet make. Just because a prototype can do something, doesnt mean it automaticly translates tha tall the rest of that given faction can do it also.

in both case the prototype was destroyed, the respective command groups could deem these failures and choose not to implement the new tech throughout the fleets. its possible both prototypes were non-sanctioned (i believe this much more for the klingon BOP) and there fore its secrets died with it.


there are no indcations the general fleets of either the klingons nor the rommulans could fire while cloaked.

[ParkerHayden]

Since no one has really answered much, I'll give a straight one: Yes.

The Federation will have cloaking too. (And now begins the rantfest for those that didn't know, even though the info was released months before)

[The_Padre]

I hope I can have a cloak, nothing will make my captain look more important than the rest of my lowly cannon fodder.....I mean crew, than me wearing a big ass spangly cloak.

[Dext]

I can see them having clock an no timer on it but if you un-clock an re clock they may have a timer on that to keep it balanced.

[rygar]

Since no one has really answered much, I'll give a straight one: Yes.

The Federation will have cloaking too. (And now begins the rantfest for those that didn't know, even though the info was released months before)

People can rant if they want, but it only makes sense for the Feds to have cloaks in that time period. In "All good things.." the future dreadnaught Enterprise had a cloak, and even though that was supposed to be an alternate timeline there are similarities between it and what it looks like STO is doing.

Besides, the only thing that ever kept the Federation from having cloaks in the first place, was the Romulans, and since the old Empire fell at the end of Nemisis, there should have been nothing to stop them from going full steam ahead with development of their own cloaking tech.

[ParkerHayden]

People can rant if they want, but it only makes sense for the Feds to have cloaks in that time period. In "All good things.." the future dreadnaught Enterprise had a cloak, and even though that was supposed to be an alternate timeline there are similarities between it and what it looks like STO is doing.

Besides, the only thing that ever kept the Federation from having cloaks in the first place, was the Romulans, and since the old Empire fell at the end of Nemisis, there should have been nothing to stop them from going full steam ahead with development of their own cloaking tech.
I agree, the Federation should have cloaking technology implemented. Though my reasons are more for PvP balance more than anything. Plus, regardless of the "old" Romulan Empire and the "new" Romulan Empire, if the Federation and the Romulans are at war again, the Treaty is broken, therefore allowing Starfleet to use cloaked ships.

And, if the Romulan Empire and the Federation end up being allies (essentially replacing the Klingons as the buddy-buddy major government), I'm sure the Romulans wouldn't mind allowing their new allies to use cloaks.

[bannik]

I agree, the Federation should have cloaking technology implemented. Though my reasons are more for PvP balance more than anything. Plus, regardless of the "old" Romulan Empire and the "new" Romulan Empire, if the Federation and the Romulans are at war again, the Treaty is broken, therefore allowing Starfleet to use cloaked ships.

And, if the Romulan Empire and the Federation end up being allies (essentially replacing the Klingons as the buddy-buddy major government), I'm sure the Romulans wouldn't mind allowing their new allies to use cloaks.


I agree and disagree with this idea....

cloak makes sense especially in the future BUT wouldnt the romulans and klingons still have better cloaks.

I think it should be balanced, the klingons and romulans would have better cloaks allowing for use of shields and weapons BUT the feds will have better sensors (i.e better targeting, sense through cloaks etc) cause thats what they love to use so it would balance out, still the feds will have cloaks just not as amazing enough as klingons.

[Hagon]

not nessicarliy, a one time event doesnt a whole fleet make. Just because a prototype can do something, doesnt mean it automaticly translates tha tall the rest of that given faction can do it also.

in both case the prototype was destroyed, the respective command groups could deem these failures and choose not to implement the new tech throughout the fleets. its possible both prototypes were non-sanctioned (i believe this much more for the klingon BOP) and there fore its secrets died with it.


there are no indcations the general fleets of either the klingons nor the rommulans could fire while cloaked.Well there hasn't been much of anything showing Klingon warships in battle except for a few episodes of DS9, and nothing of the Romulans or Remans since Nemesis. They can decide that they weren't established and not use them, but it still remains fact that they were established and we've never been shown anything that would indicate that the tech wasn't followed up on, so if they wanted to it would be well within "cannon", as much as I hate saying that.

[ParkerHayden]

I agree and disagree with this idea....

cloak makes sense especially in the future BUT wouldnt the romulans and klingons still have better cloaks.

I think it should be balanced, the klingons and romulans would have better cloaks allowing for use of shields and weapons BUT the feds will have better sensors (i.e better targeting, sense through cloaks etc) cause thats what they love to use so it would balance out, still the feds will have cloaks just not as amazing enough as klingons.
Then what would be the point of having cloaking at all? If the Romulans and Klingons had the ability to use shields and weapons while cloaked, and the Federation is able to detect them relatively easy, then it would essentially be the equivalent of no one having cloaks.

I'm not saying that the Romulans and Klingons shouldn't have more advanced cloaking technology, nor that if they did, the Federation shouldn't have some way to defend themselves against it. But in that sort of way, it just reaches a moot point.

[Rangerrob]

Then what would be the point of having cloaking at all? If the Romulans and Klingons had the ability to use shields and weapons while cloaked, and the Federation is able to detect them relatively easy, then it would essentially be the equivalent of no one having cloaks.

I'm not saying that the Romulans and Klingons shouldn't have more advanced cloaking technology, nor that if they did, the Federation shouldn't have some way to defend themselves against it. But in that sort of way, it just reaches a moot point.

I think that is where Science officers would come into play...let me rephrase...Main character science officer in a starship equipped for science/exploration rather than combat. Would add importance to having the one guy in a Nebula class tagging along with the defiants / soverigns. Would add a lot to manuvers / strategy. Nebula would detect before Klingons are in weapons range...where the fleets without the science/science ship would be able to decloak with the element of surprise. Do the klingons take out the nebula then recloak and ambush later? Do they bypass that fleet for one without the science vessel.

I spent a few months playing a pirate in PotBS. Half the PvP strategy for our group was stealth and splitting fleets with fast tackling ships. A good portion of the battle was determined by manuvering before the instanced battles.

I can see this game having sort of the same mechanic. The stealthy Klingon DPS / Nuke ships vs. the Fed Tank / Buff ships, where in a straight up fight...its a coin flip who would win, but cloaking and scanners add another layer into the strategy.

[Haegemon]

i hope the cloaks DO NOT work on timers, the shows and movies pretty much show the claoks as unlimited time usage, the drawback being you cannot rais your sheilds nor fire your weapons. I never liked ST game with cloak timers.

the penelty should be a delay from decloaking to firing... this would limit the suprise attack advantage of a cloaked ship allowing the targeted ship to have a small chance of defending it self.

Nor has the point all of them having good shields, good weapons and good cloacking devices. All will be the same. What's the challenge? Still many people will travel with their cloack all the way always if there's no big penalty for its use, like energy consumption and latency for laser emiters to refill after decloacking.

Other way I foresee people always with their shields up, their claoack up, and their weapons online as standar travel.

[Haegemon]

and had it's shields up as well... and a prototype still means that the capability was established.

The Scimitar was Reman, nor Romulan or Klingon. Remans got this technology Romulans don't.

[OrabIbo]

i hope the cloaks DO NOT work on timers, the shows and movies pretty much show the claoks as unlimited time usage, the drawback being you cannot rais your sheilds nor fire your weapons. I never liked ST game with cloak timers.

the penelty should be a delay from decloaking to firing... this would limit the suprise attack advantage of a cloaked ship allowing the targeted ship to have a small chance of defending it self.

Yes because you can tell this from a Hour long show ;) Even then they didn't stay cloaked the entire show. But yeah, wouldn't want it based on timers too. But I can see it eating away at your power reserves until you eventually had to come out of cloak. Increasing your power reserves or power regeneration would allow you to stay cloaked longer.

[Rangerrob]

Nah...tie the effectiveness of the cloak to the speed of the ship.

Warp 2 - very effective.
Warp 8 - almost useless.

Let them leave it on all the time if they want.

[Haegemon]

Nah...tie the effectiveness of the cloak to the speed of the ship.

Warp 2 - very effective.
Warp 8 - almost useless.

Let them leave it on all the time if they want.


EDIT:
Nop, I meant

very effective = on standby
effective = impulse speed.
sub effective = warp 1-2
deffective = 2-4
useless = 4-top


I'm totally against the use of permanet cloacks on, shields up, weapons on. To have this, the game don't need this systems, we just make the ships invisible and with autoregenerative live bar.

[Rangerrob]

yep...span of effectiveness resets itself at impulse vs. warp speed.

like you said...sitting still, very good...full impulse, "Sir I think is see something."

[Inquizitor]

The federation had to jump through all KINDS of hopops to accurately pinpoint a cloased ships. Heck they had to create a blockade net to stop a Romulan supply group once. The most even Data was able to accomplish was determining that there was a cloaked ship in the area and as I recall that was with some help from the inside.

[ParkerHayden]

I think that is where Science officers would come into play...let me rephrase...Main character science officer in a starship equipped for science/exploration rather than combat. Would add importance to having the one guy in a Nebula class tagging along with the defiants / soverigns. Would add a lot to manuvers / strategy. Nebula would detect before Klingons are in weapons range...where the fleets without the science/science ship would be able to decloak with the element of surprise. Do the klingons take out the nebula then recloak and ambush later? Do they bypass that fleet for one without the science vessel.

I spent a few months playing a pirate in PotBS. Half the PvP strategy for our group was stealth and splitting fleets with fast tackling ships. A good portion of the battle was determined by manuvering before the instanced battles.

I can see this game having sort of the same mechanic. The stealthy Klingon DPS / Nuke ships vs. the Fed Tank / Buff ships, where in a straight up fight...its a coin flip who would win, but cloaking and scanners add another layer into the strategy.
Ah, that makes sense. It'd actually be a good additional mechanic for reasoning on having a science-specialized captain/player in a fleet.
Although, Romulans and Klingons being able to have shields and weapons while cloaked should not be in game due to being overpowered, unless there's some kind of major drawback.

[Trekkie]

I think that cloaking will definitely be a part of the game but at the moment we don't know exactly how much of a part it will play; that being said, I do hope that cloaking doesn't become so prevalent that it is used in every single conflict, because that wouldn't be true to the Star Trek universe and would probably get quite boring after awhile.