Star Trek Online | Excalibur Class - Is ours better?!

[Kaempfer]

Apparently, they won't reveal it until the game is released, so they have at least one big reveal for us when we play it

As for the STO Excalibur, if I play the game I'll probably use it because I'm pretty sure I can jury-rig it into an Excelsior class looking ship.

[MajorD]

Makes sense.

[furswift]

Just back onto the Excalibur discussion for one sec - can't the team post a proper render of their ship so we can actually tell which one is better

I do hope they're not waiting until just before they release the game. I don't think I can wait too much longer!

[sman789]

I'm not particularly desperate to see it - I just can't see the sense in keeping pictures of it secret yet making this topic to discuss them.

[stevie_d]

woah, i just stumbled upon this project after a friend pointed it out to me via email.

I'm Ste Davis (or Rivers3D from 3d cgi sites), i originally created the Excalibur Class (the STE version) in 3ds Max, that Amaral turned into the st bridge commander/legacy/stc mod phenomenon. I gotta say im pretty blown away by all the stuff that's going on here - it looks like this project could be the holy grail of trek fans online (the kinda thing we all wanted when we originally heard the words "STO? An ST MMO?!"  ...then we found out it was gonna be Pirates of the Burning Sea in Space)

I'm pretty intrigued by the variant design picture you guys have up here. Looks like it might definitly have a new swish look to it if we get to see more. Wish you guys all the best with the project, and ill be sure to keep an eye on it now i know it's happening.

And yeah... that STO Excalibur ... bit of a let down ...mind you, most of the ships on STO look way too OTT to me anyhow.

Anyways, the site is looking great folks! 

[furswift]

Welcome to the forums!

It really seems as if the best Star Trek mods and games are created by the fans and not the paid professionals.

[mrcgibb]

Hi guys been following your progress for a long time now , and yes i still play bridge commander  i have been fooling around with STO and TBH is good cause its another ST game with beaming down etc etc but its bad in that there is no real depth or thought put into it , ie all weapons have same attack distance etc the ships fly like bricks , in fact the ship x and y movment is limited to  45 `degs up or down , so it severly limits the game , the novelty of beaming down and firing of phasers still hasnt worn off though , i am eagerly awaiting the release of this game , infact if and when you guys are releaseing a demo of just a ship and the physics wall to pound to hell with photons i will be around to savour the great sauce! keep up your work a dedication , as after STO hasnt lived up to the hype , we can be sure that your game will be immence!

[abstractrobbie]

Well I cannot wait to see excalibur, STO was a complete let down, at least it was for me anyway.
It is nothing like the game that was originally promised when conceived by Perpetual, about the only things I see in common are the fact it is a Star Trek theme and the fact its played online. Most of the things I read about that got my juices flowing in the first place have not come into fruition, and don't look likely to either.
Within 3hrs I was bored, played less and less in the few days after and after 1 week, cancelled my preorder and saved 50$.
Since release I read pretty much the same thing, people still not happy and even finishing all the currently included content already, thats just wrong, plain and simple.

What I have seen from the videos and screenshots of excalibur looks awsome and certainly a much more thought about game than STO has turned out to be.

So Id like to say, good work so far and keep it up, I wont wish you luck as I really dont think you need it STO couldnt even sniff the sweat around your nether region.

[zzz]

It is nothing like the game that was originally promised when conceived by Perpetual

that version was scrapped years ago. Cryptic's been the developer.

[FekLeyrTarg]

Your Excalibur is better. The STO one isn't bad but it's just a crossover between a Constitution and a Sovereign or something like that.

[zzz]

One thing I'll never forgive them for is the "Vesper class". It's an Excelsior with the secondary hull, pylons and neck styled to be the same proportions as a Connie. From the very front it looks like an Excelsior but move the camera and the illusion is shattered.

[abstractrobbie]

that version was scrapped years ago. Cryptic's been the developer.

Yeah thats what I meant, the game released by Cryptic is nothing like what was originally conceived in the first place.
In other words, first there was a great idea that would have been amazing, fell through, Cryptic picked up the pieces and presented a completely different game that sucks in comparison to the original idea.

[MR_7]

I thought it was awsome when i first saw this shot



But alas it was not to be.

 abstractrobbie welcome to the forums

[MajorD]

Too bad those were pre-rendered shots. However, there are moments where the lighting is just right in STO and everything looks perfect, but it's rare.

[John]

I'm not sure they are pre-rendered, they look like they are built using the DXSDK (the buttons at the top).

[abstractrobbie]

I thought it was awsome when i first saw this shot



But alas it was not to be.

 abstractrobbie welcome to the forums

Thanks for the welcome

But not for showing me that screeny lol. I want to cry again now.

That, and the other ones were exactly what got my juices flowing in the first place.
I think I am more angry over this release being screwed up more so than when its happened with other games for two reasons:

1. Its the longest time I have waited in anticipation for a game to arrive.
2. The fact it was Trek MMO, and unlike a single player Trek game being rubbish and being able to wait for another one, there wont probably be another Trek MMO, or not for a very long time at least.

Oh well, at least excalibur looks fantastic!! And at least there are other interesting MMO's due out in the near future.

[MajorD]

If that makes you cry, check these.



What really gets me is this one.


Read that window. It's witty, it has a lot of personality, and it relates back to the past in such a way that even without having played a previous mission you can tell what kind of history you have with the guy. Other than that, just like with the current game there are no options in how you proceed, but the writing is a hell of a lot better in that one throw away screen cap than most of STO. The STO writers can have good ideas but I don't think they know how to write them for an MMO, same for the Champions writers.

The other problem in the ship, since it shows far better detailing than any of the STO ships. The windows on that show real concern for placement, while the STO ships have them placed willy nilly. The lines of that above ship are also a lot more controlled, it's an odd ship but I think it's good looking.

It's surprising just how much of Perpetual's concept art Cryptic used.

[MR_7]

Thanks for the welcome

But not for showing me that screeny lol. I want to cry again now.

That, and the other ones were exactly what got my juices flowing in the first place.
I think I am more angry over this release being screwed up more so than when its happened with other games for two reasons:

1. Its the longest time I have waited in anticipation for a game to arrive.
2. The fact it was Trek MMO, and unlike a single player Trek game being rubbish and being able to wait for another one, there wont probably be another Trek MMO, or not for a very long time at least.

Oh well, at least excalibur looks fantastic!! And at least there are other interesting MMO's due out in the near future.

well maybe this will cheer you up. look at the shot that MajorD has put on and look at this one from Excaliburs Sovereign Interiors.

MajorD do you like making people cry 

I looks as if Excalibur could be what STO was originally wanted to be even the LCARS user interface

[MajorD]

Only if it's mutually enjoyable. 

Ex's interiors are definitely excellent and beat Cryptic's by a huge margin; Perpetual's are only very slightly better because of the textures.
http://stexcalibur.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=97:gengalbridge&catid=13:interiors&Itemid=30

[Ziktur]

I looks as if Excalibur could be what STO was originally wanted to be even the LCARS user interface

See, this was something that was heavily debated over on the STO forums and IRC.  Trouble is, the type of game we all gernally want around here, isn't going to make the mega millions each month.  It could still make LOTS of money, just not enough.  This is why, since STE will be free, I hope Paraount/CBS doesn't crack down on this.  From all I've seen, this IS the game that I would at least like to play in many fashions. I would LIKE to pay for this game.

Beyond BC, I've not cared much for any other ST game.  Some are fun, but ya.  BC was the game for me.  I see at the heart of STE is BC.  As long as that stays true, no matter what form it finally comes out, I'll probably like this game, a lot!  Then add interior quests, and then all the modding that can go on....this game has so much potential!

I will wait patiently, and keep an eye on it.  I am excited, and hope it doesn't fall prey to to the usual endings of fan projects (they get closed down, or it just never gets finished, life changes for those doing the much appreciated hard work).

I am very excited, so any nibble they give us makes me smile!  Even if it is just more different angles of the same things we have seen.  lol  (Though I won't say no to a simple area of space with some astroids to blow up with some planet/star/nebula around to just have fun with to tide me by!)