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Starship design/construction idea

Posted: Sat April 6th, 2013 3:24 pm
by Husker
I come up with this idea a couple days ago so i thought i'd put it on the STO forum.

http://sto-forum.perfectworld.com/showt ... ost9078491

I come up with this idea a few days ago. Starship construction. Have a Utopia Planitia reputation system added and the first project be the starship construction unlock. Then whichever starship part you want, whether it be nacelles, hull, saucer etc. be a construction yard unlockable through a project.

So say i want an Excelsior hull, Sovereign nacelles, Connstitution saucer and Galaxy neck. I would need to do 4 projects to unlock the necessary parts for the construction. Once the parts are unlocked you go to your ship customization screen and add the parts together and when you click build it will begin another final project to construct that ship. Once that project is complete it will unlock that design for purchase at your shipyard.

Paintjobs could also be unlockable through projects in teh rep system too. So select a 2409 skin or even a custom design. Begin the project and once complete it will be unlocked in your ship customizer when you modifiy that particular ship.

Obviously you wouldn't or shouldn't be able to put Prometheus nacelles on a Defiant or something so it would be limited to certain parts that would fit the part you are using. So if i wanted to fit the nacelles from a Prometheus to a Defiant it wouldn't let me because they aren't compatible.

This could also open up a whole new way of ship building. If i fit a Galaxy hull then you gain shield power. If i fit a Prometheus saucer then a boost to weapon power. Fit Sovvy nacelles then a boost to engine power etc.

This way we will see some truly unique designs and in pvp you will never know the build or role of the enemy vessel. Just because you see a larger cruiser doesn't mean it's in a tnk/healer role. Same as a small escort size, it could be a Sci crowd control build with cannons.

I thought i'd put it out there. What do you think???

Re: Starship design/construction idea

Posted: Sat April 6th, 2013 4:53 pm
by Hohndo
First off..
Excelsior hull, Sovereign nacelles, Constitution saucer and Galaxy neck
Image

Secondly, I'm pretty sure they aren't allowed to butcher the ships in such a way per the contract through CBS. Original ships they make up? Yes, they probably can but not canon ships..and it wouldn't make sense to only add that function to the handful they have now.

Not to say I don't like the deal, I just think they aren't allowed to do it.

Re: Starship design/construction idea

Posted: Sat April 6th, 2013 5:08 pm
by Toval
Do you have any idea how much work that would be for the ship artists to attempt to get every single piece to fit properly with every other single piece?

Never gonna happen.

Hell they can't even get all the parts for one type of ship to mesh properly (IE regent/assault cruiser model pieces)

Re: Starship design/construction idea

Posted: Sat April 6th, 2013 8:17 pm
by Husker
Toval wrote:Do you have any idea how much work that would be for the ship artists to attempt to get every single piece to fit properly with every other single piece?

Never gonna happen.

Hell they can't even get all the parts for one type of ship to mesh properly (IE regent/assault cruiser model pieces)
That's a good point i hadn't thought of.

Re: Starship design/construction idea

Posted: Sat April 6th, 2013 8:19 pm
by KickKat
I think it is a grand idea, if it could be done.

Kit bashing is a time honored ST tradition.

Re: Starship design/construction idea

Posted: Sat April 6th, 2013 8:26 pm
by Mike
Even klingon ships with federation saucers...

Re: Starship design/construction idea

Posted: Sat April 6th, 2013 9:36 pm
by Toval
Mike wrote:Even klingon ships with federation saucers...
Image

Re: Starship design/construction idea

Posted: Sat April 6th, 2013 10:40 pm
by Framesplicer
As much I'd love to see more ship customization in the game... I'm pretty sure Cryptic is extremely anti-kit'bashing, so this kind of thing isn't likely.

That said, I know there is a huge call for an appearance tab for ships- something like DCU has would be an amazing first step towards more visual freedom for ships. Probably not to the level that DCU has, but more in line with how the MACO & Omega suits work- i.e. I want my ship to have the MACO XII shield stats, but look like the Rommie shield.
(Note: DCU has a system that allows you to unlock costume parts and looks of items that are separate from stats.)

Re: Starship design/construction idea

Posted: Sat April 6th, 2013 11:29 pm
by Mike

Re: Starship design/construction idea

Posted: Sun April 7th, 2013 3:07 am
by stokira
As much as I like the idea, I highly doubt Cryptic will allow this at T1-T4 much less T5, it would cut into the profit margin, if you can create a completely custom starship, why would you buy thiers...