Star Trek Online executive producer on how ship combat will play out
by James Egan 
Jun 17th 2009 at 8:00PM
Filed under: Sci-fi, Game mechanics, PvP, PvE, Star Trek Online
Star Trek Online is a game being built upon many years of television and films of the sci-fi IP, which has been packed with hundreds of skirmishes and full-on battles. It's not surprising that a number of gamers who are curious about STO want to know about the game mechanics of space combat in the upcoming MMO, and if they'll be able to do the things they've seen play out on their television screens. This was the focus of yesterday's dev chat at Cryptic Studios, where Star Trek Online executive producer Craig Zinkievich fielded questions from the game community.
Starship navigation in Star Trek Online will allow for a range of movement but it won't be possible for ships to dogfight. (And honestly, should these massive ships really be pulling barrel rolls in combat?) But even the smaller vessels with very different attributes will be subject to limitations in movement, so "there's no strafing, no moving backwards and shooting (kiting)" says Zinkievich. He clarifies this by saying that ships can move in reverse, but doing so wouldn't be useful in combat. So apparently the game will not have Jumpgate Evolution-type scenarios where smaller ships move with blazing speed and agility, as STO combat is by design a more tactical experience.
Just as important as maneuverability (via WASD, with E and Q for throttle up and down) in Star Trek Online's space combat is positioning. Zinkievich says, "I don't want to say that the class of your ship has nothing to do with combat, but positioning is HUGE. Making sure that you get to your target's weak side and protect (shift shield energy to) yours is gigantic. Movement and positioning is probably the single most important part of combat."
Unfortunately it won't be possible to pursue an escaping player's ship and continue the fight in warp. The producer says that warp speed combat isn't in the cards for STO; all combat in the game will happen at sub-warp speeds. Since warp speed and combat don't mix, a player who wants to remove him or herself from battle will need to open up the range between their ship and their enemies before they can warp to safety.
What powers much of this phaser array and torpedo-riddled mayhem isn't any type of consumable fuel, but rather how energy is diverted. Zinkievich says, "You put more energy into engines and you move faster. You put more towards the auxiliary and you turn quicker. (Amongst other things.)" Station supplies and consumables will likely come into play, but won't be needed to power your ship. Zinkievich says, "We would rather be able to design slightly unpredictable content - spring a huge Borg cube on you when you least expect it - and not have you run out of gas."
If you're looking for more info about how starship combat will play out in Star Trek Online, the Q&A with STO executive producer Craig Zinkievich may have some of the answers to your questions.
(And thanks to Star Trek Online forum member NeoWolf06 for putting this all together.)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
UltimateQ said on 8:40PM 6-17-2009
Sounds like some good ole' Star Trek space combat. I can't wait to see it in action.
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Mike said on 8:43PM 6-17-2009
I can imagine people in vent talking how they do in the show when there is a battle.... hopefully they keep the cheezy music as well.
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Russell Clarke said on 8:57PM 6-17-2009
Sounds good. Star Trek science always seems to follow the 'law of dramatic appropriateness' - if you've done it in a previous story, but doing it would mess up this story, forget it ever happened, or make up an excuse using the word 'somehow' in the sentence. I think making the combat appropriately dramatic (aka fun/enjoyable/whatever) is one of the things that'll make or break the game. Must admit to looking forward to this one :)
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Robertson said on 6:22AM 6-18-2009
sounds like group vs group is gonna be a chessmaster battle. I like it, although I'll kinda miss Defiant-style combat
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Kdolo said on 4:57PM 6-18-2009
The more I hear and read about STO the less interested I am in Champions Online. I see this, if you'll excuse the pun, as Cryptic's Flagship MMO.
I can't wait to make my starship, the USS Sakura :P
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Fried Yoda said on 11:54AM 6-18-2009
Anyone remember Star Trek: The Next Generation for NES?
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Lepton said on 2:08PM 6-18-2009
http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/startrekonline/news.html?sid=6209583&page=2
Based on this preview, there will only 4 four shields in a 2d plane.If there are no ventral or dorsal shields, then it makes the entire idea of 3d movement useless and irrelevant. If there are only 4 shields based on a circular arc, then an attack from above or below is only ever an attack on some portion of a two-dimensionally defined shield arc. Similarly, if one wishes to rotate away from the attack to present another shield one is left with either doing something silly such as merely rotating in the x-axis to present some other shield arc or something inefficient such as moving in all 3 axes to rotate into the plane of the attacking ship and rotating away from the direction of the attack.
It makes a hell of a lot more sense to have actual dorsal and ventral shields and ability to roll. With dorsal and ventral shields an attack from above and below is just that, an attack registered from above or below not on some sliver of a two-dimensionally defined shield arc. And presumably, one of the most efficient defenses against attacks from above or below would be to roll the ship to present a port or starboard shield facing. This allows one to continue movement in the same direction while defending one's self. With 4 shields and no ventral and dorsal shields, one is forced to alter one's heading by either pitching or yawing.
So the easiest way to corral a player or force him or her to go in a different direction will be to shoot at him, similar in many respects to Starfleet Command which is not bad per se, but it makes the entire concept of 3d movement largely meaningless, as there will be no way to protect yourself without altering your heading just as in a 2d game.
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Scarecrowe said on 5:09PM 6-18-2009
I am in 100% agreement with you. I think it would be totally awesome to have rolling and the the dorsal/ventral shields are needed. I suspect that Cryptic made it like this to make it easier for the masses to jump in to. I can understand that. I'm just hoping it doesn't get dumbed down to an overall percentage or we'll see things like this:
Tactical: "Captain, we just took a major hit to starboard. The shield is at 25%."
Tactical: "Captain, we just took a minor hit to the port shield. The shield has failed."
Captain: "Abandon ship!"
At least with *some* directional shields, there will be a value to flying in formation and/or covering a teammate's wounded flank.