Meet the Team - Steve Nix [Archive] - Star Trek Online Forums

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nhamlett

03-23-2009, 09:32 AM

Combat is one of the most exciting aspects of any MMO and this week, you get to meet the Combat designer for Star Trek Online, Steve Nix. A little known fact? Steve Nix was the guy that helped Awen learn how to play the game. Before his expert tutelage, she kept dying... a LOT!

Enjoy and then talk about it! (http://www.startrekonline.com/meet_the_team/snix)

Loekii

03-23-2009, 09:38 AM

Looking forward to seeing your teams combat systems for STO.

TreffnonX

03-23-2009, 09:39 AM

cool guy, not the average trekkie as far as the meet the team tells me but a man of principle and ideals.
Think he is well suited for the job of designing the combat.:D

John

03-23-2009, 09:44 AM

can't wait to see what you can do

Dahakra

03-23-2009, 09:52 AM

Nice to meet ya!!

- Dahakra

0wl

03-23-2009, 10:00 AM

Good to meet "new blood" pirate! ;)

Rivaris

03-23-2009, 10:16 AM

great to meet you.

keep on with the work put in the overtime cant wait for much longer lol.

o and ps send me a tutorial ;)

SirReginaldo

03-23-2009, 10:16 AM

I am glad to see some new information on the team. Steve Nix:D I never knew that the singer was also a good video game designer:D Sorry I just had to when I saw Steve Nix:o Well I hope for prospering ventures in your future;)

CrazyVulcan

03-23-2009, 10:27 AM

I have a lets say creative mind when I approach combat. I know that you want to keep the details under wraps but I love coming up with innovative solutions to problems lets make a hypnotically scenario I find myself facing off against a superior starship, I look around my environment. I have a buddy who is on his way but I may not last that long I need to stall for time there is a asteroid field near by and I have a high experience at navigation or I could run for a class J planet using it high gravity to slow down both our speeds or make a dash out of the system to a nearby nebula that I can hopefully lose him in. is this the direction you are looking? If not I would strongly consider it.

Voyager24

03-23-2009, 10:43 AM

Awesome, great to meet you Steve, can't wait to test out the combat system. :)

KirksOtherSon

03-23-2009, 10:46 AM

Welcome to the monkey house, Steve Nix!

Like zoo monkeys we're loud and smelly, but generally harmless.

It will be interesting to test out this combat you're cooking up for us -- I do hope that Awen needed your combat tutelage more because Awen was new to MMORPG combat systems, and not because you're designing something so difficult or complex that no one can survive without an on-site coach! :D

But seriously, I ain't worried.

I also notice that you're in charge of bridge crew design as well? If true, I'm probably even more interested in how that system will play out in the game.

In any event, welcome. Nice to meet ya. Have a banana!

KOS

Horizon113

03-23-2009, 11:00 AM

Im looking forward to how you and the rest of Cryptic integrate the aspects of away team combat and starhip combat into a game their have been many endeavours by other company's into the star trek universe some succsessful some not. I look forward to seeing how you and cryptic will integrate 3D space combat into it.

Love the trailer and everythin I have seen so far. Its all very cool keep up the good work.

marscentral

03-23-2009, 11:04 AM

Pleased to meet you, I look forward to figuring out how to fire phasers. :D

whatinblueblazes

03-23-2009, 11:19 AM

You know, I can honestly say that I've found every one of the "meet the team" sessions to be compelling and interesting. With a team like this, I can only imagine the amount of dedication and talent that's being harnessed to make the game. Needless to say, I'm very eager to see the final product!

Great to know you, Steve!

Moryan_Sorg

03-23-2009, 11:30 AM

I like to see that he doesn't just have MMO experience, perhaps he'll be able to give a new perspective on combat in the genre.

When I was in college I was considering trying to be a prof football player. I'm glad to see someone else to saw the light of nerddom.

good lookin out!

ItsElladan

03-23-2009, 11:53 AM

Personally I'm eager to see the space combat system and how much control we have over different parts. I'm looking foward to your work.

Trekboy10901

03-23-2009, 12:02 PM

I'm really looking forward to seeing what kind of balance there will be build in terms of defensive and offensive combat. Also, will space environments like asteroids, nebulas and "the Galactic Barrier" impact on the combat system play?

phifur

03-23-2009, 12:08 PM

Nice to meet you :)

jhem99

03-23-2009, 12:31 PM

Cryptic really has hired talented people.:)

Loekii

03-23-2009, 01:26 PM

Is it just me, or did you used to work for Primatech Paper? :p

The photo keeps striking me that way (no insult intended).

Rgoodfel

03-23-2009, 01:29 PM

Greetings Steve Nix, nice to see a bit more about you and like everyone else on these boards I am really excited to see what awesomeness you are creating for ST:O.

SaberShip

03-23-2009, 02:06 PM

Very nice to meet you Steve! and like every one else i cant wait to see what you have make for STO:o

Flatfingers

03-23-2009, 02:32 PM

Not to be the poop-flinging monkey, but when I read that a designer is determining the "progression" of player character skills, I can't help but wonder what level of control we the players will have over which skills our characters pick up.

Otherwise, hello and good luck! :)

--Flatfingers

Captain_Intrepid

03-23-2009, 02:45 PM

An example of Steve Nix's regimen for helping Awen: "Not good enough, Awen! Give me 50 Thumb Ups, and 20 laptops around the office, and then hit the showers!"

oleum

03-23-2009, 03:27 PM

Nice to read about anoyher dev Steve, good to know you are on the case. I agree 100% about the pirates and wonder if the combat system has anything in common with PotBS or if you have played it at all. Tall ships in space and tactical were words used by zinc a while back describing combat.

Any comments on this?

Btw I never played the beach version, but my coach in the "real" volleyball was an ex-England player. These days though I'm older 'n chunkier than Dan G even ;)

DarthWarth

03-23-2009, 03:28 PM

I enjoyed reading that. The most important guy on the team then, at least as far as the Klingons are concerned. Thanks for sharing, Steve.

Oh and ninjas > pirates.

SenshiBat

03-23-2009, 03:59 PM

Welcome Pirate Lover! Ur should i say liker of pirates.. I saw the name and though 76's but that was Mix? or Id

Re-Boot... Hi.. I am Senshi and You should fit right in around here...

The Page Cut minority need some Trek saving graces too.. we din't all vote for Sela..:D

Thanks for the interview look... Enjoy...
I'll save my zombie apocalypse begs for the poor chaps on the Co side..

Then again we have the Borg.. the Soulless Borg... I want my Plasma Romulan Awesomeness back[sniff]
-SB-

Ensign.Ricky

03-23-2009, 04:40 PM

Combat Designer, good pick for this rounds meet the team! Good meeting ya Steve. I am eager to see what abilities you guys come up with to fill my hotbars.

Sarile

03-23-2009, 06:04 PM

Pleasure to meet you-no relation to Stevie Nix of Fleetwood Mac fame?

Live Long and Prosper

No1UKnow

03-23-2009, 06:40 PM

Sweet! Didn't you once sing with Fleetwood Mac? Good to see you are still keeping us all entertained!

Trekkie

03-23-2009, 07:00 PM

It is nice to get to know a little more about you, Steve! Combat is one aspect of the game that I am very interested in finding out more about, so it was nice to see it at least touched upon in this article. I can't wait to experience all of the hard work you've done on the game!

ivan50265

03-23-2009, 07:08 PM

Nice to meet you Steve Nicks and thanx for the hard work.

mailman

03-23-2009, 10:01 PM

i like reading getting to know threads on personal working on this game but i wish they had asked some better questions, like what part of programing this game ha giving him the most difficulty. or what do you like best that youve put in the game so far? i dont know. its a start i guess that he likes pirates like me. ill have to live with what im given to read.:eek:

deeboboy

03-24-2009, 02:58 AM

nice to meet you yes cant wait to see the combat part of the game one of the most intresting parts of the game really for me any way

nagash303

03-24-2009, 04:15 AM

hello there dont blast too much asteroids leave some for the players too :p
I kinda know that game from that old 16 color thingy we had in the 80`ies. Must have been something with C and 64 ...

SenshiBat

03-24-2009, 04:58 AM

hello there don't blast too much asteroids leave some for the players too :p
I kinda know that game from that old 16 color thingy we had in the 80ies. Must have been something with C and 64 ...

What about Amiga audio sure beats the pet16...

HitmanInc13

03-24-2009, 06:00 AM

Always good to know more about the team. Keep up the good work, hope the combat systems is something new and exciting. A refresher is always needed when assaulting a problem, just walk away for a bit and then come back with a fresh perspective.

oleum

03-24-2009, 08:47 AM

hello there dont blast too much asteroids leave some for the players too :p
I kinda know that game from that old 16 color thingy we had in the 80`ies. Must have been something with C and 64 ...

Nah, asteroids was built in 1980 I think, might have been earlier. It was one of a few early games with vector drawn graphics I believe. It had no colours just white (or green even blueish white on some rip offs) on black. It was an arcade game in a stand - up cabinet, contemporaneous with Space Invaders.

Now those were the days :)

ethanADAMS

03-24-2009, 10:48 AM

Nice to meet you Steve N. Looking forward...sounds like great news...it's all coming together...

Alluvian_Est-Endrati

03-24-2009, 12:51 PM

Not a bad interview. Playing around with combat mechanics is something I have always found interesting, I hope Mr. Nix also enjoys it.

Pirates! :D

CaptainLoQTipOfBorg

03-24-2009, 01:52 PM

1.) With much anticiaption for the Star Trek Online game; Does anyone know when this game will be released for full game play?

2.) For example: Will I need to purchase the StarTrekOnline game software at Wal-mart or will the game be fully downloadable from the Internet?

Thanks
CaptainLoQTipOfBorg Out!

CPTMarty

03-24-2009, 01:53 PM

Welcome!

Hope you can show the whole online gaming community what an elite game combat sceme should be, make us all proud and set a new standard for combat and skills...

Cant wait to try it out.

Good Luck!

CaptainLoQTipOfBorg

03-24-2009, 02:35 PM

TreffnonX

03-24-2009, 02:50 PM

When Will The StarTrekOnline Game Be Released?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1.) When will the Star Trek Online Game Be Released?
2.) Will I need to buy software for it or will the download be available from the site?

CaptainLoQTipOfBorg Out

1.) This is the correct place to ask this [ . ]
2.) This is not the correct place to ask this [x]

We do not know yet, we guess sometime around late 2009 or early 2010 but that is only speculation.
please visit the discussion thread for more further information or use the search function.

Cualtemuac

03-25-2009, 12:28 PM

How often does he get Fleetwood Mac jokes about his name? I'm super ready to fight I am excited to play your game.

Kinneas

03-27-2009, 02:00 AM

Nice to meet you!
---

What Star Trek combat games have you played in the past?

Will the combat be on par or better, & as realistic as the historic Star Fleet Battles, Starfleet Academy, Starfleet Command & Bridge Commander series? If 'better' What is the defining feature that makes STO combat a greater triumph in the evolution of Star Trek gaming combat?

Will there be: Drones,Scatterpacks,Mines,Transporter mines,Electronic Warfare, tractor beams, exotic alien weapons, marines, (PPD, ESG etc)???

Will weapon damage be physics based and travel through ships making angle of attack valid tactics?

How are you handling shield facings? Can your reinforce or drop individual shield facings?

Sub-System targeting (how much will you be able to upgrade individual sub systems?

High Energy turns & breakdowns?

Ejecting Warp cores and antimatter storage modules?

Erratic Maneuvers?
---
Simply. Will STO be more than Phasers and Photons and variations of phasers & photons?
---

Forgive me if any of these have been answered. I've been out of the loop awhile :)

Markham_Karis

03-27-2009, 09:26 AM

Nice to meet you Steve and I look forward to seeing the combat systems first-hand in STO. I hope I can get a BETA invite to test it out.

:)

apexearth

03-27-2009, 10:26 AM

I think you've got a pretty fun job. hi

apexearth

03-27-2009, 10:30 AM

Kinneas

03-27-2009, 02:30 PM

I sure hope so too.

Long term-satisfaction or dis-satisfaction with Star Trek combat games is a well documented matter of public record for sure and games that reduce Star Trek combat to arcade levels have never done well and have been considered (and awarded by G4TV) some of the worst games EVER made. Not something I ever expected to see happen with a Trek title, yet that is what we have been battling since SFC3 for sure.

It is so easy to understand why so many consumers have been so angry for so long when they have asked for decent combat in every title since SFC3 and they don't deliver...then the games get crapped on in the media and the community and the bad mood continues.

There is a reason why the SFB series endures since 1975 and the SFC series endured, was considered historic by academia & was one of the best selling Star Trek combat games of all time (and they did it in 1998 with NO Atari backing or MMO budget). A superior combat experience

Also: There is a simple reason why Bridge Commander was popular but never as successful as SFC. 3D combat but it only used Phasers & photons and variants. Thought 3D, the combat was weak compared to SFC.

Also: There is super simple reason why Star Trek Legacy has been one of the most consumer hated Trek game in a long time. No 3D, Phasers and Photons only. It was not even on par with a game made in 1998.
---

It boggles this persons mind that Atari has not yet brought in or contacted some of the folks associated with the best selling Trek combat games since 1975. :cough: Steve Cole/ADB :cough: If Atari wants to really do it right...they need the people who have lived and breathed ST combat since 1975. I would like to believe a new crew could create a Trek combat experience superior to all that has come before, but without the experience...how?
---
If this is the Steve Nix associated with Elite Force 2, I can absolutely understand why they would have brought him in. The Elite Force gameplay has almost been a must for many in this community back to 2004. HYBRID MMO was the rally cry and folks wanted that fast paced combat for bording parties and ground missions.

So I guess a question I should have asked is: WHAT aspects of STO combat are you working on? The star ship combat or melee combat?
--
"Combat is the bread and butter of an MMO." (Peter Molyneux) and if you can excuse me this mighty IMO, I believe I can state the idea for this MMO s t a r t e d with the combat players who came from the SFC community who never wanted to leave the game experience after battle. I am not saying this group matters more than another at this stage, yet point out the ones who have been at it the longest and who can be your bread and butter.

Good luck folks. my fingers have been crossed for this project since it started in this community. It would be very sad if after all this time, key things have been forgotten in all the confusion and changing of hands. As Obama says, you should know what you are talking about and to jump in and want to make this MMO and disregard the history of there being people involved in Star Trek Online, talking about this & helping build this community and build expectations for STO for a decade.

Reading the books and watching all the films is great and you folks rock...but as so many like to remind us...this is a GAME. Why did you not all play SFB for a six months, then SFA,KA,SFC, SFC EAW, SFC OP for six months and then Bridge Commander for a month and Legacy for a week?

There is another complete history you 'seem' to have totally forgot about...and never talk about.

...the History of Star Trek 'combat' Gaming and what STO brings to the history other than finally letting us have a place to park our ships and have some coffee together when we are done with missions.

I'm sorry if I offend. : very low, very sustaind bow :

((There are other folks who have a better grasp of ST gaming history out there then me and if any of them need to correct me, please do. This is a good time to hope Victor1st has compiled his histories. I shall inquire.))

CaptainLoQTipOfBorg

03-31-2009, 01:58 PM

Can we please have a REAL TIME Chat room in here? Forums are boring If we can't chat in real time. Now, let's TALK ABOUT THAT!!

apexearth

03-31-2009, 02:01 PM

They have #STO on irc gamesurge, and there's also a thing happening on VOON today. Check the recent news for more info...

Kinneas

04-18-2009, 10:31 AM

Hey, hey, Steve!
Can I get an interview?