Emergency Joystick- For when the conn officer gets sucked out of the viewscreen.

[Arachnidus]

We all remember the scene from Insurrection where Riker took the helm by using a joystick to perform a kicking rad hard-to-port maneuver. I don't know if this is was featured any other time in the ST Omniverse, but there is a way to integrate it into the game. Let's say this, your ship has taken severe damage and your conn officer got sucked out the viewscreen(what's with those things and decompressing?) when it got hit by a torpedo. Of course, this could possibly not happen in the game, but let's say the ship takes severe damage anyway. An option could be made available where the commanding officer would "take the conn" by using the joystick, and the ship's maneuverability and speed would increase, at a loss of the precision of the conn, and certain bonuses. This could also apply to a situation where extreme maneuverability was a necessity, and be available as an option with a cool-down timer. Any thoughts?

Assorted media-
Enterprise-E style MSC(manual steering column) (http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/memoryalpha/en/images/1/11/Manual_steering_column.jpg)
NX Class style Conn MSC (http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/memoryalpha/en/images/d/d3/Manualsteeringcolumn_enterprisenx01.jpg)

The REAL Joystick Topic
As another thought, a joystick could be used for game control as well. The starship is traveling through space(we all know that), in a full 3D enviornment. This allows for an easier experience through the use of a joystick while controlling your ship, while on the ground the WASD keys would still be the defacto controls.

[cavilier210]

i would love to see a joystick option for piloting the ship, especially since most joysticks have their own buttons an could streamline the playing of the game, by which i mean i wouldn't have to search the damn keyboard for a suddenly missing button in the heat of battle. Plus, how many other MMO's have the ability to use joysticks for piloting?

[Arachnidus]

i would love to see a joystick option for piloting the ship, especially since most joysticks have their own buttons an could streamline the playing of the game, by which i mean i wouldn't have to search the damn keyboard for a suddenly missing button in the heat of battle. Plus, how many other MMO's have the ability to use joysticks for piloting?

Well, I wasn't exactly talking about actual joysticks, but now that you mention it, it could be a good idea. It would certainly be useful for when controlling your ship(which would be about 70% of the time).

[Mailman653]

I kinda like the joystick idea myself even though I don't own one. Sure beats racing your mouse across the screen like a mad man.

[Profedius]

I for one would like to see an interface to see how they think we will control our ships my thoughts are that we will use the w a s d z keys to move about everyone has gotten away from the joystick though I still own one and play with it as often as I can:D

[LordDave]

You realize that our ships will most likely be controlled via player's direct actions? So basically it's like we're using the emergency joystick all the time.

[Haegemon]

Is not clear how will be controled ship movements, you'll can use a joystick if it's like a plane.
Anyway, I see unprobable that level of detail, we'll just assume our crew is doing their job in the ship.

[Arachnidus]

You realize that our ships will most likely be controlled via player's direct actions? So basically it's like we're using the emergency joystick all the time.

Of course, but I'm talking about a special ability that could be used as a stratagem in a situation where a normally hard to maneuver ship is needed in a high speed dogfight.

[THORN74]

We all remember the scene from Insurrection where Riker took the helm by using a joystick to perform a kicking rad hard-to-port maneuver. I don't know if this is was featured any other time in the ST Omniverse, but there is a way to integrate it into the game. Let's say this, your ship has taken severe damage and your conn officer got sucked out the viewscreen(what's with those things and decompressing?) when it got hit by a torpedo. Of course, this could possibly not happen in the game, but let's say the ship takes severe damage anyway. An option could be made available where the commanding officer would "take the conn" by using the joystick, and the ship's maneuverability and speed would increase, at a loss of the precision of the conn, and certain bonuses. This could also apply to a situation where extreme maneuverability was a necessity, and be available as an option with a cool-down timer. Any thoughts?

Assorted media-
Enterprise-E style MSC(manual steering column) (http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/memoryalpha/en/images/1/11/Manual_steering_column.jpg)
NX Class style Conn MSC (http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/memoryalpha/en/images/d/d3/Manualsteeringcolumn_enterprisenx01.jpg)


You mean the soft, slow-mo ballet like EMERGENCY turn to port? that was the single saddest moment in all of startrek. I hope and pray to Gene Roddenberry's eternal soul that joystick on a podium never makes it into this game.

[Arachnidus]

You mean the soft, slow-mo ballet like EMERGENCY turn to port? that was the single saddest moment in all of startrek. I hope and pray to Gene Roddenberry's eternal soul that joystick on a podium never makes it into this game.

I disagree, while the execution was a bit messy, it was pretty cool.

[Hagon]

*applause + raucous laughter*

Sometimes it is so very fun to throw the maturity level out of the window! I don't know what made it funnier, the comments themselves or the set-up. Well done!

by the way:
was....that...a....subconscious.....homage......to Shatner there in the "must...stop...myself" line? Bravo nonetheless. ;)Oh I was channelling the Shatner all the way.

I always forget that talking about a Star Trek game is always serious business for mature people. ;):p

[Trekkie]

I don't know how useful an emergency joystick would be in practice, but if the developers could figure out a way to implement it correctly I definitely wouldn't mind seeing it included in the game; still, I think that the situation should have to be very dire for a player to be able to use such a feature, because otherwise I could see many people just using it for fun.

[KO_Gilligan]

You mean the soft, slow-mo ballet like EMERGENCY turn to port? that was the single saddest moment in all of startrek. I hope and pray to Gene Roddenberry's eternal soul that joystick on a podium never makes it into this game.

QFT
The Briar Patch manuever will be remembered as one of the most rediculous events we've ever been exposed to, and it also it portrayed the epitome of Rikerisms in his valiant effort.
You could probably get away with controlling a large starship with an Atari Joystick on a pedestal in Star Wars, but we should know better.

[Kinneas]

QFT
The Briar Patch manuever will be remembered as one of the most rediculous events we've ever been exposed to, and it also it portrayed the epitome of Rikerisms in his valiant effort.
You could probably get away with controlling a large starship with an Atari Joystick on a pedestal in Star Wars, but we should know better.

ahahaha

It looks like the new film bridge consoles have very nintendo looking joysticks on them...unless they are some kind of optical reader, etc.

[thefreshjedi]

Of course, but I'm talking about a special ability that could be used as a stratagem in a situation where a normally hard to maneuver ship is needed in a high speed dogfight.

I don't want anything "hard" to manuever, ever, thank you very much!

And you can keep your joysticks to yourselves.



-Avery

[AdmGillis]

On a starship the size of the Enterprise-E, there are hundreds of thrusters positioned all over the ship.

In order to execute a turn, nearly all of these thrusters must be adjusted to different degrees.

The Conn officer coordinates this through his highly complex console.

Having the Captain pull out a joystick, and say "LAWL I TURN PORT!" would gum up the works so bad, Scotty would have a heart attack.

There's no plausible reason why we would need to have a joystick. Any console on the bridge is capable of having CONN controls rerouted to it.

[Hagon]

Never underestimate the need for some to be able to wrap their hand around their joystick though.

That's some powerful mojo there. :eek:

[KO_Gilligan]

Never underestimate the need for some to be able to wrap their hand around their joystick though.

That's some powerful mojo there. :eek:

We've been missing your wit over at the Gaming on the Crapper thread (in the general discussion area)
:D

[bradley1701]

I like joysticks :)

[THORN74]

ahahaha

It looks like the new film bridge consoles have very nintendo looking joysticks on them...unless they are some kind of optical reader, etc.

look i dont have a problem with joystick flight. My issue is with the 40 years fo established NON_JOYSTICK flight control, and then all of a sudden in this "emergency" there is a joystick. and to top it off i would have expected some super kool tricky mauver, when all they really did was lumber softly and slowly to port, which negates any reason for having the joystick in the first place.


the whole senario was ridiculos, and obviously thought up by someone who knew nothing about trek

[tom_riker01]

I am sorry to all who hate ranters but seriously, that scene was by far the stupidest thing I've ever seen in the Startrek universe, and that is saying alot.

[CaptJackHartness]

I think the actual Riker manuever was the sucking up the gas and the loosing it on the enemy ships. Not the very SLOW turn to Port because a very slow turn to port is'nt really an Emergency Manuevere more like a very SLOW turn to Port.

[Hagon]

Ahh yes, Riker sucking up gas while his hand is on his joystick.

That was so a homage to Blue Velvet......

[DerManiac]

Just google for "Eve online joystick". You will see that there are more than a few people that would have loved to see a joystick control in Eve. I would really like to see this as an optional way of controling my ship.

[thefreshjedi]

Ahh yes, Riker sucking up gas while his hand is on his joystick.

That was so a homage to Blue Velvet......

Hagon...:eek:... you have issues.

LoL, but it is funny, so maybe I have the same issues.



-Avery

[PoqkTer]

You mean the soft, slow-mo ballet like EMERGENCY turn to port? that was the single saddest moment in all of startrek. I hope and pray to Gene Roddenberry's eternal soul that joystick on a podium never makes it into this game.

Agree, Why have all that helm BS when you have a perfectly fine joystick to move the ship....I thought it was very lame and clueless attempt to give Riker something to do. A better way would have been to just take over the helm and do it ST style.

But I am nestalgic in my gaming years, wheneber you go to ciruit city or bestbuy, you see all these awesome joysticks, yet so very few titles these days use a joystick, outside of Microsoft flight sim. Space games were in thier hayday during the mid 90's, wing commander series, SW x-wing/tie fighter, ST TOS games from interplay. Yet ever since star trek klingon academy very few titles have utilized the joystick.

In any case, I would like to see a joystick support as well as xbox 360 controller support as well with an optimal keyboard mouse setup, Give the players the ability to use the controlls they prefer, Do not limit us to few options.