This sounds really simple, but it was a revelation when we actually thought of it and finally got to get our hands on it. While target-locked you can simply flick right on the right thumb stick to target lock on the next closest target, or flick left on the right thumbstick to select the previous or next farthest target. Our solution is simple and effective, just as it should be when you’re dealing with something that needs to happen in an instant. In addition to the target lock toggle, we found that we needed to offer a way to quickly select between several targets without requiring people to have twitch-level reflexes. While target-locked, the camera will keep the player and enemy ship in a combat effective view, leaving captains free to select their powers without having to touch the right stick. Captains will be able to freely aim the cursor to engage any and all targets in range, but they can also toggle on a target lock by clicking on their right stick. We came up with something that should feel new, but natural, to console players everywhere. We knew in order to make this game feel good with sticks we would need target selection that felt natural on a controller, but still offered the flexibility our players are used to. Once we had this up and running, the control scheme felt very slick, and we knew we were on the right path. This opened up a really convenient path to a lot of high end tactical options like alpha strikes, team wide heals, effective crowd control, and buffing or debuffing en masse. Our next iteration allowed captains to quickly cycle around an open radial menu, using the right trigger to activate as many abilities in a row as they liked without having to close and reopen the menu. These options combine to give captains both easy accessibility and as much depth as they choose to engage in within the same control scheme.Īs we continued to playtest, we noticed it still took a while to activate several abilities in sequence rapidly. By attaching each of these distinct power groups to their own home button, and providing a radial menu for accessing them if you hold that home button, we created a quick system for accessing your considerable combat options. If you only have one power in that specific home button category, then it will automatically be set as the quick fire default. In order to make some abilities available instantly, captains will select a single power per category (Captain, Science, Engineering, Tactical, and Console) that can be quickly activated by simply tapping its home button. One of our earliest wins while prototyping the control scheme for the console was to create a radial menu for handling all of your bridge officer powers, captain’s powers, console powers, and consumables. As a lifelong console player, making sure this game felt good on a controller was of paramount importance to me, and I believe we’ve achieved that with a combination of radial menus, point targeting, optional powers automation, and system streamlining. With the control scheme well in hand, the game was put into full production and we began the long process of polishing and honing that raw control scheme into something far more refined. In surprisingly short order, we came across a raw layout that was simple, accessible, fun, felt good on the sticks, and still offered that classic Star Trek combat that we’re known for. At first blush the general consensus was “This is impossible! We have a game that utilizes nearly an entire 72 key keyboard, how on earth are we going to get it to work on a 12 button controller!” We decided that before we would start development of this project in earnest, we would rapidly prototype control schemes until we found one that made sense. When we were thinking of bringing Star Trek Online to consoles, this fact was at the forefront of our minds. All of these options make for some truly compelling gameplay, but result in a wide variety of abilities at your captain’s disposal at any one time. “Star Trek Online is a game that offers such a breadth and depth of tactical possibilities in its space combat that your build and engagement options are nearly limitless.
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