Underwater civilizations/gameplay?

[The.Grand.Nagus]

If you have been following the development of Champions Online, you are probably aware that it will feature underwater gameplay. If you have not, here are a few screenshots:

http://uploads.champions-online.com/cho-cont-003.jpg

http://uploads.champions-online.com/cho-008.jpg

http://uploads.champions-online.com/cho-009.jpg

http://uploads.champions-online.com/cho-007.jpg

While I do not specificly remember an episode that featured an underwater civilization, it would be "illogical" to think that in the entire ST universe one does not exist simply because we have not seen in yet. So assuming(for the sake of this post) that they do exist in the ST universe, would you like to see underwater civilizations in STO? If so, how would you like to see them implimented?

[Sumoben]

Well, on the Voy episode, Thirty Days, there was a planet, although artificial, was basically, a sphere of water, with people living in it.

[Welsh_Knight]

yeah there was a voyager episode with a water planet, I think there was an episode of Enterprise too, but I don't remember for sure.

I think it'd be cool to implement - depending on if the civilization was completely water based or if they lived in pressurized structures beneath the surface like the gun-guns from star wars (no matter how annoying you found them, you gotta admit that city was at least kinda cool) you could have pressurized dive suits for your away team or you could just transport into the city - either way it'd be cool I think - would definitely be different

[Sumoben]

Well, on the Voy episode, Thirty Days, there was a planet, although artificial, was basically, a sphere of water, with people living in it.

I just typed that sentence the same way Kirk speaks, roflmao.

[DarthWarth]

I just typed that sentence the same way Kirk speaks, roflmao.

lol yeah you did, I didn't initially read it like that but now I can't not.

A point on the OP, I would expect there are a very great number of underwater civilizations on other planets, since the basis of life as we know it is water and all life started there. It would be great if Cryptic introduced that into STO, and they could if it's in Champions.

[The.Grand.Nagus]

lol yeah you did, I didn't initially read it like that but now I can't not.

A point on the OP, I would expect there are a very great number of underwater civilizations on other planets, since the basis of life as we know it is water and all life started there. It would be great if Cryptic introduced that into STO, and they could if it's in Champions.

I agree that it would be cool as well as technicaly possible, though I imagine they would have to do it quite differently than in champions. For example, Champions is about superheroes with superpowers, meaning they dont have to be too realistic in terms of breathing underwater, travel, and weaponry. In STO they would probably need to develop a "minisub" of sorts for traveling any great distance, as well as decide how weapons would(or would not) work underwater.

[Sumoben]

I agree that it would be cool as well as technicaly possible, though I imagine they would have to do it quite differently than in champions. For example, Champions is about superheroes with superpowers, meaning they dont have to be too realistic in terms of breathing underwater, travel, and weaponry. In STO they would probably need to develop a "minisub" of sorts for traveling any great distance, as well as decide how weapons would(or would not) work underwater.

Well, the Delta Flyer went into the water, with basically no problem, until a super large electric eel of sorts attacks the flyer... And Seven is able to fire the phasers underwater.

[theyarecomingforyou]

It makes perfect sense for there to be underwater civilizations, though I don't think it should be a major feature. Logically they should be harder to discover and much rarer than land based races. Expanding on that idea I think it is also necessary for energy and space native races, as well as the Q. There needs to be variety as that is what Star Trek is about: exploring new worlds. It would be pretty dull if every race consisted of randomly generated humanoids.

[Sumoben]

It makes perfect sense for there to be underwater civilizations, though I don't think it should be a major feature. Logically they should be harder to discover and much rarer than land based races. Expanding on that idea I think it is also necessary for energy and space native races, as well as the Q. There needs to be variety as that is what Star Trek is about: exploring new worlds. It would be pretty dull if every race consisted of randomly generated humanoids.

But most of us would like to have most alien races to have a backstory of sorts, besides, in terms of the Federation, at the least, do not involve themselves with non warp civilizations, as it violates the Prime Directive.

[theyarecomingforyou]

But most of us would like to have most alien races to have a backstory of sorts, besides, in terms of the Federation, at the least, do not involve themselves with non warp civilizations, as it violates the Prime Directive.
Nothing I posted suggested otherwise. In fact I agree completely.

As for the Prime Directive and non-warp civilizations it's important to note that the PD is flexible to a degree and can be broken (though there should be restrictions / punishments in place to prevent it being ignored) and other races don't necessarily share those values. For instance, how does the Prime Directive restriction on communication with non-warp civilizations apply to a sentient nebulae? It may not be capable of warp travel but, unlike a land based pre-warp civilization, is in a position to interact with Federation ships.

[jbarker82]

Sea-men + Sea People = Seaciety

Underwater cities would be a very nice feature indeed and if Cryptic have done it with Champions online then I guess there is no reason why they couldn't do it in STO. Just issue the away team with breathing apparatus or some sort of suit .... perhaps a modified shuttle?

Underwater colonies would be amazing.

[Dext]

They could do something fun with this but I do not need it added if there is no point of going there.

[Lord_Pleximus]

Underwater civilizations would be cool. I think mentioned above there is that Species of underwater beings on Enterprise. Their ships have water in them so they swim around.

Like the Voyager episode it would be cool to take your ship into the water planet and dock with an underwater city.

Cryptic could even add Atlantis into the Universe. As if they did escape Earth and flew to a new world of peace and technological advancment.

Voyger did have the episode with the people from earth that were lost in the Bermuda Triangle.

In summary yes I want underwater civs.

[hustlecore]

It would be amazing and i hope they do add it in the game

[Quint]

Well, the Delta Flyer went into the water, with basically no problem, until a super large electric eel of sorts attacks the flyer... And Seven is able to fire the phasers underwater.

Actually the Flyer had to undergo extensive modifications to her thrusters and shields before it was possible to submerge her - that's the reason they didn't take Voyager down in, the same modifications would have taken at least a week on her.

I do agree, though, that underwater races should play a part in STO, but perhaps you'll need a certain level of tech to be able to submerge your ship for contact, meaning you might have to wait for First Contact until you're up there technologically...

[clearymonkey]

If there is either an entire planet consisting of water or even a civilization under water, I am curious if Cryptic will add it into STO (Hopefully they will).

I wonder if star ships could be outfitted to be used under water (much like the Delta Flyer was retrofitted to move underwater?

Could be kinda funny to see something like SeaQuestDSV (http://www.geocities.com/atlantis_ftp/seaquest1a.jpg) go flying around the Galaxy, then dive into water on any planet and discover a new civilization :D

[Dogbertious]

I think visiting an underwater city/ civ would be nice for a mission chain. Intrigue at 50 fathoms? Would be interesting......

Then again, the way missions are being sold to us, there is almost unlimited potential for strange worlds and cultures......we shall have to see.

Also, I'd prefer it if we used local vehicles when going to an aquatic planet.....it would seem a little forced to fling a shuttle into the water and for it to work......

[Sumoben]

Actually the Flyer had to undergo extensive modifications to her thrusters and shields before it was possible to submerge her - that's the reason they didn't take Voyager down in, the same modifications would have taken at least a week on her.

I do agree, though, that underwater races should play a part in STO, but perhaps you'll need a certain level of tech to be able to submerge your ship for contact, meaning you might have to wait for First Contact until you're up there technologically...

Like I said, basically no problem. Modification to the thrusters isn't a big deal for the Delta Flyer, it was made to be extremely versatile.

[cyris]

If they provide water for us to go into, I hope they implement a Z axis so we can go underwater... and if we can go underwater, I hope they take advantage of it and put some interesting stuff down there.

[Captain_Intrepid]

I just hope we'd be able to use Federation, Klingon or other kind of technology to go underwater, unless of course you have a species that can breathe underwater/survive great pressures as part of their natural abilities.

[Sumoben]

Underwater Bird of Prey....hmmmmmmm.

[Flatfingers]

Sign me up for this as well.

For that matter, I wouldn't mind seeing a "water world" type of planet: no continents, just chains of relatively small islands -- some sun-baked, some lashed continuously by torrential rainstorms....

I'd settle there. :)

(Actually, the bit that really interests me is the notion of "civilizations" that form underwater or in archipelagoes. How'd they form? What are the beliefs they hold based on how they formed? Ah, but that's another thread....)

--Flatfingers

[mirkrim]

I'd love to see an underwater civilization. We've seen civilizations living in underground complexes, why not underwater ones? Here is where STO has a chance to do something never before seen on the TV shows.

[-Rufus-]

After seeing the Champions Online footage ... hell yeah, please implement something like this in STO. That'd be awesome. I am sure there is an easy way to work out the STO are no superheroes stuff ... so please, put it in the game. If not at launch, than in an expansion.

[Cormoran]

i'd love to see some underwater stuff. get to beam down into an underwater city. it'd be nice to have some rather alien looking places to be able to beam into rather than the standard forrest planet or ice planet that we can see easily right here on earth.

doubt if we'd be floating around in delta subs though, atleast not at launch, to me thats akin to atmospheric flight, they can easily add one along with the other though i guess.

[clearymonkey]

Gills on your character to be able to swim underwater! Very cool!

Wonder what the Federation and Klingon "Water" Uniforms would look like? Baywatch Red anyone? :p

[DarkBarron]

Well I guess adding Shark Attack to the list of things a Red Shirt has to look out for sounds good to me.

[Voorhees]

Yea the enterprise episode they were part of the xindi thing. There was a room where the crew stood in while talking to the species through a port hole kind of thing but that species lives in water and would imagine their planet being covered in water and such.

There was a book called dark mirror. Before the enterprise D was sent to the mirror universe. They had some ambassador from some water planet come board. They was dolphin like race and when walking on visitor ships/worlds they wore a special suite that held water. Picard had to order a retrofit a quarter for them that would fill with water. Should check it out its called Dark mirror and takes place during the 4th season of the show's time line and its the only mirror universe reference to next generation.