Geordi. Is it just me or were his eyes different? New occular implants, maybe?
As for the expansion...
I like the title for Dominion focused content, unless Victory is Life is just a promo line and not the title. As chilling as the fleet coming out of the wormhole is, we already did that once. I think I caught an unfamiliar Jem'haddar ship class, though.
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SnicketysnickThe Greatest Hype Man inWesterosRegistered Userregular
There's a better look at the next guest character here
I think the art team is limited by the engine, which is why his eyes look a little different, but other than that it's a bloody good likeness
The only one they've done better so far is Martok, I think, but I'm not sure it's just engine limitations, it's not the lack of mechanical effects (which you never see except zoomed way in anyway) but the color is much lighter, and color is the one thing the art team isn't really that limited on.
Also, I noted the giveaways in the article. TNG Skant uniform, and Type-7 shuttle. When I read it the first time, I thought, "isn't that basically free already?" but I realize now that's the Type-8. The Type-7 isn't available in game at all yet. None of the Enterprise-D shuttles are except the Danube.
Another planet to play on sounds awesome... so looking forward to that. PRetty much have all the achievements and ships I wanted so I don't play as much lately.
Also, I think Levar Burton's lips need to be slightly smaller. Other than that it's pretty spot on.
“I used to draw, hard to admit that I used to draw...”
Facebook post from the devs confirms some long term speculation. Just in case the title of the La Forge episode didn't clue you in:
The Nexus, with all of its beauty and power, is returning soon. Find out what new adventures it brings in our upcoming Featured Episode, "Beyond the Nexus."
Based on dialog in Generations, the Nexus is expected to pass through Federation space again in 2411, which started a couple FEs ago.
The FE is next Tuesday, so make sure you get your tractor beam installed before Tuesday.
I haven't done a shipwank post in a while, but, man, this is a pretty ship.
That's the Tellarite Pralim-class Flight Deck Assault Cruiser. Almost Romulan in its design, but also share some distinct Starfleet styles with a saucer command section.
Edit: Well, then. Turns out this is a canon ship, with the model recycled as a Tellarite cruiser, an ARkonian destroyer, and a Xindi-Arboreal starship.
It's a 3-pack, though, so everybody gets a turn. This one, for example, is not a pretty ship:
The Orion Blackguard-class Flight Deck Assault Cruiser. Keeps the style of the last few (long time ago, though) Orion ships of having gun emplacements that almost seem from a different franchise. The usual Orion bulbous front end gives way to a skinny looking drive section.
And Romulans get I think their first client-race ship:
Suliban Silik-class Flight Deck Assault Cruiser. We haven't seen much Suliban stuff in STO, but this is a lot like their stealth cruiser from Enterprise. The Suliban ship doesn't have the "Warbird" moniker, which from naming conventions suggests it doesn't have a singularity core, which would be the first Romulan in-faction ship that doesn't. We'll find out when the stats are posted, but if I had to guess it'll have one because reasons. It's certainly fitting for it to have the fancy cloak.
Note: This is 95% a canon ship, there are some details that do set it apart from the canon Stealth Cruiser, like the port in the top middle and more geometry in the edges.
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SnicketysnickThe Greatest Hype Man inWesterosRegistered Userregular
Geordie's first outing was released today and I reckon LeVar Burton put in one of the best performances of the guests so far, nice little short story and I look forward to his later appearances. There's also a nice little easter egg thing on the interior map, if you look at the nameplates carefully.
All the crew quarters on that deck are assigned to members of the art and environment team
It was a nice episode, guessing we'll be seeing the bad guy again, he was pretty cool, despite the season 1 TNG audio and visual effects.
However, I was thrown a bit. When you first contact Geordi, he says, "Good to see you again," even though that was his first appearance (the briefing was from Quinn). Maybe season 14 will change that and we'll meet him somewhere before hand.
I was hoping to get the Challenger as an admiralty ship. That was a nice touch back when they gave us the Pastak after an FE, and it's an opportunity they've been missing, IMO. Had to settle for the Lego Phaser Rifle.
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SnicketysnickThe Greatest Hype Man inWesterosRegistered Userregular
Yeah actually, that did sort of stick out now that you mention it. Maybe there's supposed to be some inference about him contacting us after that little blog fiction thing about him getting that mission assignment.
My bet for the villain
they are an Iconian criminal that got Phantom Zoned waaaaaaaaaaaaaay back in the day
I hope not. The Iconian thing was kind of cool for what it was, but it's nice to set it aside and do new things. Considering Geordi is supposed to be involved in the Lukari/Kentari/Tzenkethi storyline that's continuing in S14, it could be some kind of protomatter powered being (the Iconians were Omega powered).
I would love for him to be a Q, but I doubt that completely. Quinn *did* say that the Federation was already in a position to stand up to the Continuum back then, provided somebody showed them the Q's weakness, which Quinn didn't live to do. I don't see any way for Cryptic to do this well, and I don't think even the actual show writers ever could have done that bread crumb justice, but... Damn, if they could I'd want to see it.
We never do see him at full power, he's supposed to be weakened by his escape and is depleted every time we beat up on his mind control minions. He could be vastly more powerful than he's shown, and he's shown shutting down a Galaxy-class starship while mind controlling the entire crew of an Ambassador-class ship. He was almost eager to surrender when we beat him, whether that meant us killing him or capturing him he straight up said that was our due for winning the fight. I'm not sure if that's some kind of honor code (which could make him a potential ally if his captors come knocking), or if he's planning some kind of "Strike me down and I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine," shtick.
Edit: The STO forums are suggesting a Nexus-related time travel paradox is to blame, like in AoY when you first meet Scotty he comments that it's been a long time, because he met your future self in the past on Drozana Station.
Five tiers, three tracks (Renewable Energy, Infrastructure, Morale), each with its own special provision like a 3-tier holding. However, instead of the provisions being a resource sink cranked out of the replicator, they're a work gate. You need to actually earn the provisions in the colony map, so it's sort of an adventure zone as well as a holding.
There's also a fourth provision, which can be used to trigger map-wide invasion events, where up to 20 fleet members defend the colony against waves of invaders. After each set of waves, the fleet votes whether to take the reward or risk it on another round. So it's also a battlezone!
All kinds of unlocks. Weapons, armor, shields, deflectors, cores, engines, tac consoles, kit frames, kit modules, crew, and stuff to use in the invasion (probably going to be as unpopular as the Starbase queue assets, sadly). Most of the unlocks have separate Lukari and Kentari flavors, sounds like the Lukari favor defense and the Kentari favor offense. Also has some utility features, Infrastructure shortens the duration of projects on all fleet holdings (10% at max), and Morale increases the payouts on provisioning projects fleet-wide (up to 25%).
There's also a "special reward unlock" for maxing out the entire holding, but it's a secret, and nobody's going to be seeing it for a bit over a year anyway thanks to the time gating.
Do you want the Discovery uniforms for free? No, you don't, that half collar looks silly. But they're free for two weeks and I'm sure some of the other pieces can mix with better uniforms. I actually think I might use those boots.
The Lukari N’kaam Scout Ship, only a tier 5 consolation prize from the Tzenkethi lockbox, but has some interesting traits.
First, its costume is the runner up from the ship contest, and there was much wailing and gnashing of teeth when it lost, because it is objectively cooler than the SS Doritos Locos Taco Supreme that won. Also, it's interchangeable with the event ship's costume if you have both. While only a tier 5, it's still interesting from a gameplay perspective. Scout Ship is effectively the new naming terminology for a science based raider - trading the battle cloak for subsystem targeting, sensor scan, and a secondary deflector, while keeping raider flanking.
The other ships are the Tzenkethi escort and battleship. No wank on them. If you wonder what they look at, go get one of those wood door wedges and really ram it under your door hard for an hour or two and you'll have the basics.
One interesting new thing is a Tzenkethi shield that is only equippable in the vanity slot, not as an actual usable shield.
Some more shipwank. But minus the wank. You'll see what I mean.
Ok, kind of like the Chimera but bulkier? You've got me interested.
Hmm... That secondary hull goes really far forward and looks like it still has a distinct neck, not sure I like where this is going...
Wait...
Stop!
What are you doing?
Oh my god what is happening?
Wait, that's not a shuttle bay, is that... Is that main engineering? On the outside? With a crazy weird helical warp core just exposed on the aft facing?
Oh god the variants don't get better.
*crying on the inside*
*crying on the outside*
This is actually a 9-pack of Miracle Worker ships, but the Romulan and Klingon variants haven't leaked. I can safely say unless the Klingons get another flying sex toy that the Federation solidly loses this 9-pack because... Just damn. What has leaked is this year's winter ship, it's just a new version of the Breen raider with a few pointy bits sticking out.
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SnicketysnickThe Greatest Hype Man inWesterosRegistered Userregular
edited October 2017
Oh good lord...I'd seen a shot of that from the front quarter and thought it looked ok-ish...but wow that is an ugly duckling alright. And that's coming from someone who really likes the chunky neck on the Concorde+Excelsior sheesh
t6 plesh eh? unsurprising, if uninspired. Next year will be the real question mark...t7 sarr theln anyone?
The crazy thing? The guy who designed the Odyssey is still at Cryptic, though I think he got moved over to environments. The fan design was a horror show of weird angles and proportions... Nothing on this shipshow, but worse than anything else Cryptic has done to date. Including the Voth sex toy ship.
My wife has been re-watching Voyager, which makes me want to come back to the game... I hate when that happens...
So, I imagine I've missed a ton in 2 years...
You can check the bottom of this page at the STO-Wiki to see what major releases have happened since you last played. The biggest one I think (if you last played two years ago) is the Agents Of Yesterday expansion which introduced the alternate Federation-introduction players can use that starts in the TOS-era as well as let players get involved with the Temporal Cold War from Enterprise.
My wife has been re-watching Voyager, which makes me want to come back to the game... I hate when that happens...
So, I imagine I've missed a ton in 2 years...
You can check the bottom of this page at the STO-Wiki to see what major releases have happened since you last played. The biggest one I think (if you last played two years ago) is the Agents Of Yesterday expansion which introduced the alternate Federation-introduction players can use that starts in the TOS-era as well as let players get involved with the Temporal Cold War from Enterprise.
I was just reading up on the major releases and all the things that have changed... Looks like I haven't played since Season 8 when we were in the Dyson Sphere.... That was December of 2013... So yeah, lots of big changes.
Now I'll have to decide if I want to start fresh or try to figure out where I'm at on one of my old captains...
e'll see. Trying to download the game now and the patcher froze, so maybe I won't be playing again.
I got it installed and logged in... Definitely lots of changes.
I'm probably going to start a new character and play through it all fresh. Don't really have anything to worry about losing except a T6 cruiser that isn't even that good (Kobali Samsar so apparently I played for the 2015 anniversary but don't remember. Must be where I got 2 years from, but I don't even remember seeing the new ESD), so I think starting fresh and giving it a shot will be good for me. Just got to decide what captain to run...
Good lord these Fed ships..... Might be savable with a kitbash but wow. Wonder how much the extra console slot+base power was added to offset the looks.
The miracle workers may be useable with a kit-bash of some kind, but I think the huge bottom hull just kills it...
I'm honestly enjoying the changes to the game so far, but I'm only lvl 14. Need an xp boost so i get out of these starter ships quicker though. 4 weapons isnt enough even if combat is easy...
Never seams to be anyone from the fleet on when I'm on. I'll keep asking in the channel for an invite
SnicketysnickThe Greatest Hype Man inWesterosRegistered Userregular
I've been thinking the last day or so that the easiest fix for the fed MW ships would be to ditch the saucer and just round off the neck, making it more like the golfball science vessel, most of why they look strange to me is that the saucer is so thin compared to the rest of the structure of the ship, so a big fat dome or ball would even things up again and make a really unique silhouette.
Ofc really, they should've been based on the old Star Cruiser/Space Whale hulls to bring them back, but that's just another missed opportunity.
Posts
Up to season 3, ep 9
Don't worry, the crazy man will go away in two seasons.
D3 Steam #TeamTangent STO
As for the expansion...
I think the art team is limited by the engine, which is why his eyes look a little different, but other than that it's a bloody good likeness
D3 Steam #TeamTangent STO
Also, I noted the giveaways in the article. TNG Skant uniform, and Type-7 shuttle. When I read it the first time, I thought, "isn't that basically free already?" but I realize now that's the Type-8. The Type-7 isn't available in game at all yet. None of the Enterprise-D shuttles are except the Danube.
Also, I think Levar Burton's lips need to be slightly smaller. Other than that it's pretty spot on.
The FE is next Tuesday, so make sure you get your tractor beam installed before Tuesday.
That's the Tellarite Pralim-class Flight Deck Assault Cruiser. Almost Romulan in its design, but also share some distinct Starfleet styles with a saucer command section.
Edit: Well, then. Turns out this is a canon ship, with the model recycled as a Tellarite cruiser, an ARkonian destroyer, and a Xindi-Arboreal starship.
It's a 3-pack, though, so everybody gets a turn. This one, for example, is not a pretty ship:
The Orion Blackguard-class Flight Deck Assault Cruiser. Keeps the style of the last few (long time ago, though) Orion ships of having gun emplacements that almost seem from a different franchise. The usual Orion bulbous front end gives way to a skinny looking drive section.
And Romulans get I think their first client-race ship:
Suliban Silik-class Flight Deck Assault Cruiser. We haven't seen much Suliban stuff in STO, but this is a lot like their stealth cruiser from Enterprise. The Suliban ship doesn't have the "Warbird" moniker, which from naming conventions suggests it doesn't have a singularity core, which would be the first Romulan in-faction ship that doesn't. We'll find out when the stats are posted, but if I had to guess it'll have one because reasons. It's certainly fitting for it to have the fancy cloak.
Note: This is 95% a canon ship, there are some details that do set it apart from the canon Stealth Cruiser, like the port in the top middle and more geometry in the edges.
All the crew quarters on that deck are assigned to members of the art and environment team
D3 Steam #TeamTangent STO
However, I was thrown a bit. When you first contact Geordi, he says, "Good to see you again," even though that was his first appearance (the briefing was from Quinn). Maybe season 14 will change that and we'll meet him somewhere before hand.
I was hoping to get the Challenger as an admiralty ship. That was a nice touch back when they gave us the Pastak after an FE, and it's an opportunity they've been missing, IMO. Had to settle for the Lego Phaser Rifle.
My bet for the villain
D3 Steam #TeamTangent STO
I would love for him to be a Q, but I doubt that completely. Quinn *did* say that the Federation was already in a position to stand up to the Continuum back then, provided somebody showed them the Q's weakness, which Quinn didn't live to do. I don't see any way for Cryptic to do this well, and I don't think even the actual show writers ever could have done that bread crumb justice, but... Damn, if they could I'd want to see it.
We never do see him at full power, he's supposed to be weakened by his escape and is depleted every time we beat up on his mind control minions. He could be vastly more powerful than he's shown, and he's shown shutting down a Galaxy-class starship while mind controlling the entire crew of an Ambassador-class ship. He was almost eager to surrender when we beat him, whether that meant us killing him or capturing him he straight up said that was our due for winning the fight. I'm not sure if that's some kind of honor code (which could make him a potential ally if his captors come knocking), or if he's planning some kind of "Strike me down and I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine," shtick.
Edit: The STO forums are suggesting a Nexus-related time travel paradox is to blame, like in AoY when you first meet Scotty he comments that it's been a long time, because he met your future self in the past on Drozana Station.
Anyway, some details on the new holding are up.
Five tiers, three tracks (Renewable Energy, Infrastructure, Morale), each with its own special provision like a 3-tier holding. However, instead of the provisions being a resource sink cranked out of the replicator, they're a work gate. You need to actually earn the provisions in the colony map, so it's sort of an adventure zone as well as a holding.
There's also a fourth provision, which can be used to trigger map-wide invasion events, where up to 20 fleet members defend the colony against waves of invaders. After each set of waves, the fleet votes whether to take the reward or risk it on another round. So it's also a battlezone!
All kinds of unlocks. Weapons, armor, shields, deflectors, cores, engines, tac consoles, kit frames, kit modules, crew, and stuff to use in the invasion (probably going to be as unpopular as the Starbase queue assets, sadly). Most of the unlocks have separate Lukari and Kentari flavors, sounds like the Lukari favor defense and the Kentari favor offense. Also has some utility features, Infrastructure shortens the duration of projects on all fleet holdings (10% at max), and Morale increases the payouts on provisioning projects fleet-wide (up to 25%).
There's also a "special reward unlock" for maxing out the entire holding, but it's a secret, and nobody's going to be seeing it for a bit over a year anyway thanks to the time gating.
Do you want the Discovery uniforms for free? No, you don't, that half collar looks silly. But they're free for two weeks and I'm sure some of the other pieces can mix with better uniforms. I actually think I might use those boots.
The Lukari N’kaam Scout Ship, only a tier 5 consolation prize from the Tzenkethi lockbox, but has some interesting traits.
First, its costume is the runner up from the ship contest, and there was much wailing and gnashing of teeth when it lost, because it is objectively cooler than the SS Doritos Locos Taco Supreme that won. Also, it's interchangeable with the event ship's costume if you have both. While only a tier 5, it's still interesting from a gameplay perspective. Scout Ship is effectively the new naming terminology for a science based raider - trading the battle cloak for subsystem targeting, sensor scan, and a secondary deflector, while keeping raider flanking.
The other ships are the Tzenkethi escort and battleship. No wank on them. If you wonder what they look at, go get one of those wood door wedges and really ram it under your door hard for an hour or two and you'll have the basics.
One interesting new thing is a Tzenkethi shield that is only equippable in the vanity slot, not as an actual usable shield.
Ok, kind of like the Chimera but bulkier? You've got me interested.
Hmm... That secondary hull goes really far forward and looks like it still has a distinct neck, not sure I like where this is going...
Wait...
Stop!
What are you doing?
Oh my god what is happening?
Wait, that's not a shuttle bay, is that... Is that main engineering? On the outside? With a crazy weird helical warp core just exposed on the aft facing?
Oh god the variants don't get better.
*crying on the inside*
*crying on the outside*
t6 plesh eh? unsurprising, if uninspired. Next year will be the real question mark...t7 sarr theln anyone?
D3 Steam #TeamTangent STO
Starfleet Corps of Engineers told their latest and greatest ship designing algorithm to divide by zero.
Just hire the dude who designed the Odyssey and be done with it.
So, I imagine I've missed a ton in 2 years...
PSN = PessimistMaximus
You can check the bottom of this page at the STO-Wiki to see what major releases have happened since you last played. The biggest one I think (if you last played two years ago) is the Agents Of Yesterday expansion which introduced the alternate Federation-introduction players can use that starts in the TOS-era as well as let players get involved with the Temporal Cold War from Enterprise.
Let's Play Final Fantasy 'II' (Ch10 - 5/17/10)
I was just reading up on the major releases and all the things that have changed... Looks like I haven't played since Season 8 when we were in the Dyson Sphere.... That was December of 2013... So yeah, lots of big changes.
Now I'll have to decide if I want to start fresh or try to figure out where I'm at on one of my old captains...
e'll see. Trying to download the game now and the patcher froze, so maybe I won't be playing again.
PSN = PessimistMaximus
Let's Play Final Fantasy 'II' (Ch10 - 5/17/10)
I'm probably going to start a new character and play through it all fresh. Don't really have anything to worry about losing except a T6 cruiser that isn't even that good (Kobali Samsar so apparently I played for the 2015 anniversary but don't remember. Must be where I got 2 years from, but I don't even remember seeing the new ESD), so I think starting fresh and giving it a shot will be good for me. Just got to decide what captain to run...
PSN = PessimistMaximus
Looked at that and I guess it is there. So is the Breen ship from the first year it was offered...
I'll have to get whatever Breen ship comes out this year. Just love the look of them.
PSN = PessimistMaximus
Good lord these Fed ships..... Might be savable with a kitbash but wow. Wonder how much the extra console slot+base power was added to offset the looks.
Some really nice Klingon looks though for once
D3 Steam #TeamTangent STO
That third Klingon ship has a Fek'Ihri thing going on, I kind of like that they're doing that more.
I suggest that Romulans win the pack, though, just by the sheer lack of, "Wait what the fuck is that," going on with their designs.
I think the Fed flagship are really the best designs the devs have come up with for fed ships.
PSN = PessimistMaximus
Man, the fed ships look like extra unfortunate deep sea critters better kept from the light of day.
I'm honestly enjoying the changes to the game so far, but I'm only lvl 14. Need an xp boost so i get out of these starter ships quicker though. 4 weapons isnt enough even if combat is easy...
Never seams to be anyone from the fleet on when I'm on. I'll keep asking in the channel for an invite
PSN = PessimistMaximus
Ofc really, they should've been based on the old Star Cruiser/Space Whale hulls to bring them back, but that's just another missed opportunity.
D3 Steam #TeamTangent STO
Upgrade weekend though! Finally got my ship gear to 100% Gold which is nice, if essentially pointless.
D3 Steam #TeamTangent STO