Single Sector Map - The Territory Solution

A Fractured Galaxy

There's been talk for some time now of combining sector space into one large instance so that space feels more open and less restrictive, and that the game has fewer load screens. However, this hasn't happened yet for a few reasons, which are understandable.

1. Lack of Time/Low Development Priority - Given the recent transfer of ownership to Perfect World Entertainment, this one is simply an unavoidable business problem that can't be resolved.
2. Hardware Limitations - Each sector space instance requires a certain amount of server capacity/processing power, etc. The larger you make the instance, the more processing power is required. If you combine the entire sector space map, that's a much larger chunk of game space that has to be rendered all at once. Combine this with the increased number of players being rendered, and all of a sudden you have a nightmare. You would have fewer, larger maps, but more instances of said maps to accommodate all the players.
3. Gaps in Sector Space - In the map below, notice the gaps between existing sectors. The gaps are there because that portion of sector space/those systems haven't been added yet. Until those systems and sectors are added to the game, it's impossible to have a one instance sector space map.

I can't fix problem number one, but I do have a proposed solution that will solve some of the aforementioned problems.

The Territory Solution

I propose that Cryptic combine sectors that make up each faction's holdings. As shown below in the red outlined sections, this would reduce the overall number of loading screens, increase the distance you can travel in sector space without transwarping, but avoid some of the above problems. 

• There would be less concern over instancing. Each Territory would require less processing power to maintain, and allow for a larger number of players on the map at once, preventing 'empty galaxy syndrome' that you might have with one large map.
• Missing sectors? No problem. You just attach them to the appropriate faction territory when added. You'll still be loading between different factions territories anyway, so the gap between Sirius sector block and Bet Ursae isn't an issue. 
• If you add in the sectors between Sirius and Cardassian space (which will happen eventually, since Betazed falls into that area of the galaxy), they become seamless with Federation Territories. NOTE: You'll still have a loading screen between Federation Territory and Cardassian Territory. This won't change, ever. This will go a long way towards improving performance server side. 
• With respect to sectors that don't belong to a major faction, they would be their own instance. For example, Orellius isn't part of the Federation, so they would be their own instance with a loading screen, etc. The same would apply for Gamma Orionis as long as the borg control it, any future Ferengi holdings, Tholian holdings, etc. If it doesn't fall into one of the major factions, it would be a separate instance entirely. I simply haven't marked it on the map to make my point regarding major political boundaries.

Below I have a few pictures with my dumpy outlining job showing what I have in mind, with captions providing short descriptions.

The easiest solution in the short time, maintaining the very square sector blocks and not stepping on any sectors toes It would be a quick and clean solution in the short term.

The more logical solution, which respects major factions boundaries, including the Klingon and Romulan Neutral Zones. Of course, they would have to give up square sectors for this, but it would please the playerbase to a much greater extent.

And lastly, the logical conclusion of explored space with respect to major faction territories.

I do think its worth pointing out that this could allow for the introduction of true Neutral Zones, as hastily sketched in the above photo. Within these Neutral Zones you could have persistent PvP. Deep Space Contacts? None. Instead, you could hunt down enemy ships as they pass through the zone. Any battles would then show as a Deep Space Encounter style conflict that would then be joinable by passing ships. Rules for these types of encounters would be a subject unto themselves. There could be disputed planets/starbases/dilithium mines within these zones wherein each faction can flip control of said points under the right conditions. Just throwing out how obvious this solution is, if technically daunting.

Pay to Win?

The Set Up

So I was thoroughly enjoying my summer yesterday, spending some time on my Klingon STO character in warzones, etc, and trying out some (stale) PvP arenas for the first time in a long time. Having recently capped my Klingon toon, I took advantage of the afternoon and picked up the B'rel Retrofit Bird-of-Prey with my *free* ship token (given to Gold Members of the game - subscribers or lifers) I received for capping a character.

Given that the only really viable build that takes advantage of its unique Enhanced Battle Cloak is that of torpedo boat, I decided to load her up with various strange builds, pop into Ker'rat (which you should try if you haven't) or an arena, and see what works best. 

The Shock!

Upon entering my first arena and engaging a cowardly federation dog, I was immediately accused of being lame, cheating, being unfair, pay-2-win slander, etc. This amazed me for a few reasons: 

1. I didn't buy this ship through the C-Store. In fact, I doubt many people have. When you cap a character as a gold member, you received a token which can be exchanged for this ship. I chose to do just that. So I didn't 'pay-to-win' any more than any other subscriber of any traditional MMO might 'pay-2-win.' I mean, it's like accusing a WoW player for paying-to-win because he has a piece of geared bestowed upon him through a quest for capping his character. It makes no sense.
2. I was the weakest link on the Klingon team. In fact, my DPS was lowest. By far. As in, I wasn't even close to being fourth in DPS. If anything, I hindered the team with my *experimental* build. But people insist on knee-jerk reactions.
3. The Feds, as usual, have terrible tactics. They spent more time complaining in the arena chat than actually trying to play well. Cloak is relatively easily rendered useless through several means. Science officers have a skill to see through it. Science Bridge Officers also have a skill to see through it. (Which, I might add, makes it available to any career path.) Numerous federation ships have the ability to see through it. Yet I didn't see any of these used in the entire match. Nor did they act as a group. Nor did they focus fire any targets. There's a reason it was a slaughter, and I wasn't it, I assure you. In fact, it could have been four to five and the results would have been the same.

The I.K.S. Sneaky Snake poised to strike!

The Broader Question


Aside from the ignorant accusing me of things of which I was not guilty, I think there is a more important underlying question here, one of the free-to-play model in general. If you're going that route, its accepted that there has to be a cash store to generate a profit, and to generate that profit you have to be willing to give the customer what they want. If the ships in the store offer no benefit for your money, who would buy them? The game would sink faster than Star Wars Galaxies.

So there has to be some benefit. And those ships do have a benefit, but its is game-breakingly unbalancing? I think not. A tool is only as good as the craftsman using it. I had the most advanced stealth in the game, yet I still haven't figured out an effective way to make use of it. If you pay for a ship with a seemingly powerful console, but don't have sound tactics, it'll just be wasting a console slot.

And I think the same could be said of any other game with a store. There may be a store. There may be good items in that store. But that doesn't mean the player will be paying to win. Should they get the benefit for their money? Sure. Does that mean they'll use it effectively? Heck no. And if the feddies I was toasting knew how to defend against a cloak, I was have popped like a balloon in my glass cannon. They just don't know where to shoot.

So I think the reaction to this whole concept is simply blown out of proportion. The game is still playable, is still enjoyable, and you don't have to spend a dime if you don't want to. But if you do, there are benefits for you, not the least of which is you know, the continuation of the game you feel so entitled to. Everybody wins. 

Lotro's New and Improved Full Score

Just as music makes or breaks the movie, so it makes or breaks the game. For the most recent Lord of the Rings Online expansion Riders of Rohan Turbine has brought back Chance Thomas, the composer of the original music for Shadows of Angmar and the Mines of Moria expansion. That his music has been absent from the last two major updates has been disappointing. But, here he is again, and we have a preview of his work for the expansion below.






It should be noted that each track has a description by Chance on YouTube. I don't want to copy paste all three here, but I do want to take a selection of his description of the last song, and encourage all to read the descriptions he posted of the pieces above, particularly "Shadow of the Argonath." Knowing how he constructed the themes, and what each theme represents, add immensely to the experience.


From Chance Thomas,

"This track was composed to underscore the Boromir game instance, with players taking on the role of Boromir as he battles hordes of Uruk Hai in a desperate attempt to save Merry and Pippin.

Boromir has his fatal flaw, as we all know. But this piece is not about that. This music is about Boromir at his most noble, determined and powerful. Big drums, epic choir, robust cadences and powerful statements in the brass all contribute to the feeling of strength and unwavering.

After the choir sings, the Gondor theme makes its final appearance in this expansion. It is a resigned and somewhat naked version (meaning the arrangement thins out considerably) to underscore the utter aloneness of this great warrior-steward in his final mêlée. It repeats with a bit of forlorn (trumpets and high strings) before giving out to the brutal force of ragged low brass as the battle rages to its infamous conclusion.

You may be interested to know what the choir is singing. The lyrics are in Old English, translated for me by Turbine's lore master Chris Pierson and his muse for all things Anglo-Saxon, professor Michael Drout of Wheaton College. The choir sings: Arë! Thrymnes! Fréot! Maegen! The translation is: Glory! Honor! Freedom! Power! These are virtues upon which Gondor was built and to which Boromir clings until his last breath."

I think the knowledge of the lore, and the depth of thought that went into the thematic development and musical imagery is pretty brilliant. Definitely looking forward to his music setting the mood going forward.

But Where Have All My Fighters Gone!?

I know. You're impressed by my image editing skills. 

My mad skillz aside, I've recently taken to playing the new Federation Heavy Escort Carrier the Armitage Class in Star Trek Online. It's tankier than most escorts, has a hanger bay, yet still packs a good deal of fire power. All-in-all a pretty tough ship, and one of my favorite ships thus far in the game. It's just fun to fly.

All that said, there is one UI element that I feel carriers are missing - a fighter status display. Once you launch six cute little Peregrine Fighters, there's no way to track whether they're still zipping around the battlefrield adding to your DPS or exploding in a fiery ball of death into the vacuum of space. Well, no way other than to constantly survey the battlefield and see if you count six Peregrines nearby. Which is nigh impossible in any battle situation, and made even worse when you have two or even three carriers in the thick of it. 

I would love to see a little UI element added to carriers when you launch fighters that displays a symbol of some sort for each fighter launched, preferably indicating their shield and health status. Something simple would be sufficient. A rectangle with the wire frame of six Peregrines, for instance. The wire frames start out darkened, similar to skills on my skill bar that can't currently be used. When you launch fighters, the images light up, and have a small green bar beneath it indicating health of the fighters' hull. When the fighter gets popped, its wire frame goes dark. A shield indicator of some sort might be nice as well, but I realize at this point I might be asking for the moon.

I know that given the nature of UI, programming, etc, none of this may be feasible. But it's one small quality of life change that would make a big difference for me and, I'm sure, many other carrier pilots.

Total War: Rome II

Oh. My. Heavens.

After every indication pointing to the next CA strategy game being one based in WWI, after two years of fans begging for a sequel to Rome, this hits the internet. If you care about cinematic trailer, that's cool, though the important part hits the video at 2:35.

All I can say is, I'm pretty sure life has no meaning until this comes out. And when it does finally come out, if you expect me to do anything other than go to work, eat enough to sustain myself, and play this game, you don't know me well enough.

Nerd anticipation starting now.