Bridge officer Job Titles

[DonGui]

I'm really exited about the bridge crew element of the game, and have a small question. Does anyone know if you appoint your senior officers to specific JOB TITLES such as XO, Helmsman or Chief Medical Officer, or do you just have them manning Tactical, Engineering and Science stations on the bridge without specifically defined job descriptions?????????

[sir_theodorik]

I'm really exited about the bridge crew element of the game, and have a small question. Does anyone know if you appoint your senior officers to specific JOB TITLES such as XO, Helmsman or Chief Medical Officer, or do you just have them manning Tactical, Engineering and Science stations on the bridge without specifically defined job descriptions?????????

Good question. I don't think anyone knows at this time.

[Varrangian]

Here is my take on the whole thing

http://forums.startrekonline.com/showthread.php?t=27297

[phlyto]

As long as I can name an Ensign Red McRedshirtison and appoint him to the "Expendable" position, I'll be happy.

[Norvo]

I'm really exited about the bridge crew element of the game, and have a small question. Does anyone know if you appoint your senior officers to specific JOB TITLES such as XO, Helmsman or Chief Medical Officer, or do you just have them manning Tactical, Engineering and Science stations on the bridge without specifically defined job descriptions?????????

I'm not certain its really necessary. Let the first one you get be your first officer, and you can probably make a Doctor that has all/mostly medical skill points.

Helmsman doesn't seem to be relevant in the game, although maybe the engineer skillset has some speed boosts or turning radius skills.

[The_Stig]

I think this should be done automatically. You appoint the NPCs to stations, and they are automatically given an appropriate title. Allowing players to assign names creates a rather big opportunity for abuse. I can easily see "Joe the Plumber" manning the Engineer station on a number of ships.

[Banar]

I think this should be done automatically. You appoint the NPCs to stations, and they are automatically given an appropriate title. Allowing players to assign names creates a rather big opportunity for abuse. I can easily see "Joe the Plumber" manning the Engineer station on a number of ships.

You don't have to give them an open text field, just a drop down menu of available positions.

[Varrangian]

Here is what I wrote in my thread on this topic.

I’ve seen two separate topics, one about bridge stations and one about Bridge Officer titles, but I’ve created a hybrid idea that does not belong in either thread so bear with me. Please note though this has nothing to do with ship interiors. My use of the diagram is simply for illustration purposes.

Some of us are concerned about Bridge Officers having titles. It is a rather integral part of Trek. Not only was Riker a Commander in Star Fleet, but he was the First Officer. Not only was Scotty a Star Fleet Officer, but he was also the Second Officer and Chief Engineer. Data was Operations Manager and Science Officer. The list can go on and on.

Now some might argue that these are specifically roleplaying elements, and to a degree I agree. But we cannot deny that characters like Ricker, Data or Scotty carried with them skills inherent in their position rather than attached to their rank.

Now we do not know for sure how this issue is being addressed, or if it is being addressed, but I have a solution to this hypothetical problem that derives directly from the already established idea in STO that the character in the center seat is the Captain of the ship regardless of their actual rank.

This is the Bridge of the Sovereign (http://i992.photobucket.com/albums/af48/Varrangian/EnterpriseE.jpg). I choose it for two reasons. First, it was the largest bridge image I could find and second, it is likely this will be the tier 4 ship for the Cruiser role. Second, we’ve been they are playing with a maximum bridge crew number of 12-15, so the Sovereign works perfect with 15 slots.

I have numbered the “seats” or slots while there is not specific order I tried to go by the “hierarchy” of Picard’s crew with some adjustments. I used this image (http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/memoryalpha/en/images/6/6d/Picard_and_crew_depart.jpg) to establish what officers were stationed where. I will just address the first 8 for the time being.

1. Captain
2. First Officer
3. Operations Manager
4. Helm?
5. Chief Medical Officer
6. Chief of Security
7. Chief Engineer
8. ? Counselor (maybe Second Officer)

The above seems to be straightforward, but what I am proposing is even more straight forward. Attach the title to the “seat”. If I want my Lt. Commander Ferengi Tactical Officer to be my First Officer, I just seat him in that position.

Now granted there will be restrictions. I can’t put a Lt. Commander at First Officer is the “seat” requires the rank of Commander. I can’t put a Science Officer in the Chief of Security “seat”. I can’t put a Lt. Commander in the Chief Engineer “seat” if I have an Engineering officer that is of a higher rank.
What I think this does is a number of things. One, it allows for flexibility, within reason. From ship to ship I can vary who holds what title if I want, or I can stick with a system that I like. Two, it helps the RP aspect of this issue while not forcing people to RP.

Finally, and this is my last suggestion for this issue, it can allow for a gameplay mechanic that captures the idea mentioned above. Riker, because of his position as First Officer brought special skills to an encounter, so I suggest that we tie skills to each “seat”. Perhaps my First Officer (regardless of their career path) can have an ability to “boost morale”, or my Chief Engineer can have a “miracle worker” like ability. But by tying these abilities to the “seat” rather than the individual character, it means people can change the way they play without losing those abilities.

[TechDragon]

I personally would really like my bridge stations to bestow titles related to their job, so I'll know who is my tactical officer instead of who is just sitting at a tactical station, and who my first officer is instead of 'that Lt. Cmdr girl sitting at engineering terminal 3'.

[marscentral]

It's an interesting question. I can see Ops and Chief Engineer being engineering positions if you have two engineers, but I don't know what you'd do with a third or say three tactical officers, they can't all be chief of security.

[scorpiovaeden]

This is a good question and something I am curious about as well. Bridge officer positions have always been a big part of the series. Commander Riker was FO, Beverley Crusher was Chielf Medical. For the correct game immersion cryptic should be including these titles. Perhaps some BO positions will be labelle with titles... or perhaps these titles we have to assign from a list of options to each officer(definitely not player created names). This way if Counselor is there as a title, a player does not have to use it if they dont want a ships counselor. But those who want to use it can assign it to one of their BO's. (just an example)

This would be a great way to include this feature to make it more like the shows and add extra customization to your officers/bridge.