Configuration Specializations ~ Keep your tier 2s / 3s ! !

[Manta2015]

There's been several threads that show just how much we *love* our ships ~ once we get them, a lot of us will be extremely reluctant to give them up ~ I hate to keep referencing ~ but for EVE, in many cases you could train further to specialize in whatever you want ~ maximizing your frigates (tiny ships) to end-game destroyers, cruisers, battleships and the like ~ all still being *very* viable in their own ways for massive engagements. I'm not sure how such a system could be implemented in STO, but it'd definitely be nice to have it as an option.

I'd want to grab an Akira, and hopefully have no need to upgrade to another tier/class because of what it's best at ~

TLDR version: I'd like for each configuration to be better at something specific than any other, despite the tiers. These would be almost like 'racials' from other MMOs, something that makes your favorite ship somehow stand out, aside from the usual tier-deciding guns, guts and -- stuff =) Please realize these particular bonuses wont be more than 10-20% more powerful than the tier 4 equivalent ~

Ideas: (flame suit on, but these are just to throw out)

Nova: Best cloak detector
Excalibur: Longest phaser range (good as a 'sniper' ship?
Akira: Best torpedo firing rate
Cheyenne: Best hull resistance to disruptors
Olympic: Best medical bays
Discovery: Fastest warp speed (9.9999... etc... :p )
Galaxy: Best bonus to deflector dish abilities

B'rel Bird of Prey: Most maneuverable Klingon ship / hardest to hit
Raptor: Highest disruptor dps (but limited burst rates, much like the Defiant)
Orion Wraith ship: Best sensor disruption
Gorn Cruiser: Best tractor beam / slowing
Vor'Cha: best tracking (hardly ever misses)
Negh'Var: Heaviest torpedo salvo

You can still customize exactly what you want your ships to be as STO sounds extremely flexible through the escort, science and command ship fields. But that little perk might make it worth keeping that tier 2-3 ship for that specific mission or fleet engagement =)


-Manta-

[WikiUltimate]

You would still be limited by the number of BOs you can have on your bridge, but having ship specialisations would be good. Like you said, gives us reasions to stick with our earlyer ships.

[Acyl]

Interesting idea.

Anything that promotes ship diversity at the endgame is good in my books. I agree, this doesn't sound like a dealbreaker - a ship with specialities like that still wouldn't have all the BO and equipment slots a proper T4 ship has. But it is a potential reason to keep flying earlier ships even later in the game.

Which is great for players who really love a particular starship class. And it's great for overall immersion, if it means more diverse fleets. It's even potentially awesome for gameplay if it adds new dimensions and influences fleet tactics.

So yeah. Cool idea.

[Osias]

I'll stick to an earlier ship if i like it enough regardless of Pro's or Con's. If i like a class, i don't need it to be Top dog in order for me to fly it.

[Manta2015]

Indeed ~ The always fun and tricky part would be needing to balance it all ~ but I really hope Cryptic considers this a current / future option =)


-Manta-

[Loekii]

Indeed ~ The always fun and tricky part would be needing to balance it all ~ but I really hope Cryptic considers this a current / future option =)


-Manta-

I think the balancing is already there, in the form of numbers.

You want to keep your Tier 2 ship, you can. You just wont be as viable 1v1, but rather you remain viable 2v1.

I do not like the idea of a 'super' Steamboat pwnzing VoQues in 1v1.

[blujester]

Great Idea..but it seems to me that at least some of what your saying is already there.

As an Example, The Akira is a Gun Boat..6 phasers and front and rear tops. It's fast in a straight line and tuff as nails but really doesn't need very many tricks to do it's job. Stacked Tac BO's with volly and full 360deg firing arc with phasers means if your in range he will hurt you. You don't really need advanced BO skills to make this thing a beast. While a Defiant has to work in close and needs those tricks to be viable.


Bj

[Joles]

Great Idea..but it seems to me that at least some of what your saying is already there.

As an Example, The Akira is a Gun Boat..6 phasers and front and rear tops. It's fast in a straight line and tuff as nails but really doesn't need very many tricks to do it's job. Stacked Tac BO's with volly and full 360deg firing arc with phasers means if your in range he will hurt you. You don't really need advanced BO skills to make this thing a beast. While a Defiant has to work in close and needs those tricks to be viable.


Bj

And also I believe the Akira has two torpedo bays on both the port and starboard sides.

[curtst]

Cryptic has said we can keep our current ships, even if we upgraded to new ones. Sometimes your newer ship won't be as good in certain situations as your old ship would have been.

[blujester]

And also I believe the Akira has two torpedo bays on both the port and starboard sides.

That would rock ..Broadside Barrage for the win.





Bj

[Joles]

That would rock ..Broadside Barrage for the win.





Bj

Definitely. I remember reading on a technical manual that there are two port and two starboard torpedo launchers on the saucer. However, I also remembered reading that it doesn't have aft torpedoes, but it has 11 forward launchers instead. Pretty much if any slow ship got in front of it, it wouldn't stand a chance.

The Kobayashi Maru mod for Star Trek Bridge Commander depicts 11 forward torpedoes and 2 port and starboard, but the stock Akira has 4 forward and 2 aft launchers, but so does every other starfleet ship in the game pretty much.

[blujester]

Yeah but STO is not gonna follow all the tech manuals or earlier games. The Oslo has 6 phasers and 3 torps..Akira is a sister so she'll be similar. Don't know If torps can be side mounted but that would rock for that ship in particular.




Bj

[DanSeale]

Interesting idea.

Anything that promotes ship diversity at the endgame is good in my books. I agree, this doesn't sound like a dealbreaker - a ship with specialities like that still wouldn't have all the BO and equipment slots a proper T4 ship has. But it is a potential reason to keep flying earlier ships even later in the game.

Which is great for players who really love a particular starship class. And it's great for overall immersion, if it means more diverse fleets. It's even potentially awesome for gameplay if it adds new dimensions and influences fleet tactics.

So yeah. Cool idea.

yeah .. I garee. I also think that a T3 ship that has been maxed out .. with a VERY good crew could and "should" be as good as a basic T4. Please note: I did not say BETTER than a T4 .. I DID say AS GOOD as a BASIC T4.

I rather suspect that the "TIER system" will be something that will be discussed well into "game launch". I don't mean that as a bad comment .. only that the "TIER system" has not been used thus far in a Trek game and will probably take some getting use to.

[WikiUltimate]

And also I believe the Akira has two torpedo bays on both the port and starboard sides.

i don't think so. I beleave it is only the torpedo mount on top which has 2 forward and 2 rear faceing tubes.

[WikiUltimate]

yeah .. I garee. I also think that a T3 ship that has been maxed out .. with a VERY good crew could and "should" be as good as a basic T4. Please note: I did not say BETTER than a T4 .. I DID say AS GOOD as a BASIC T4.

I rather suspect that the "TIER system" will be something that will be discussed well into "game launch". I don't mean that as a bad comment .. only that the "TIER system" has not been used thus far in a Trek game and will probably take some getting use to.

from earlyer ask crypic, this is what it looks like will be what is done. A maxed out T2 would be equal to a basic T3, a maxed out T3 is equal to basic T4... ect

[Manta2015]

And also I believe the Akira has two torpedo bays on both the port and starboard sides.

I've noticed this as well ~ on each side of the saucer -- it's why the '15 torpedo tube' statement was not exactly too far off =)

4 front, 2 starboard, 2 port and 2 aft at 'least' ~ I believe the Sovy has 6 photons and 1 quantum launcher.


-Manta-

[rabidchocobo]

From what I've read, no matter how high you go, there will be a few things a science vessel can do that no cruiser can quite match. In this, I think Cryptic has already fulfilled your wish that lower tier ships be useful at higher levels. However, I'm not sure they've considered a specialized function like the OP has, giving them a specific trait in which they can't be beaten. Even if it's a humble area, like sensor scans, the little Nova would then have something important to contribute to a fleet, no matter how many massive capital ships comprise it.