Curious about the Fleet's perception of this...

Okay, this is something that has actually bugged me since Beta.

In the books, series and movies the ships are named following a certain convention. For example:

U.S.S. Enterprise NCC 1701
U.S.S. Enterprise NCC 1701-A
U.S.S. Enterprise NCC 1701-B
U.S.S. Enterprise NCC 1701-C

This is not possible in game.

I find it utterly disappointing that I can have a, for example, U.S.S. Enterprise NCC 1701, and someone else can have a U.S.S. Enterprise NCC 1701, but I cannot have a U.S.S. Enterprise NCC 1701 and a U.S.S. Enterprise NCC 1701-A.

After submitting several bug reports (going back to when we were in Beta, and since launch,) making a thread on the main site, sending dstahl an email (which he hasn't responded to) and sending an email to Terramak, I finally received a response. One that I am not all that keen on.

This is what I sent Terramak:

Hey Terramak,

I know you are busy, but if you have the time could you read through this thread, and let me know if the devs are aware of this issue.. and hopefully get some confirmation on whether or not they intend on working it out?

The thread is here:
http://forums.startrekonline.com/showthread.php?t=177371

Please take special note to #14 and after, as I mis-worded my original posts there.

I appreciate whatever help you can offer.

His response was:

I can't give 100% confirmation, but I'm fairly certain Bad Things Happen if two ships, two Bridge Officers, etc. *belonging to the same character* are named the same thing. Unfortunately, the registry number is part of something other than the name as far as the game's concerned, so, to mix examples:

U.S.S. Bob NCC-1701-A
U.S.S. Bob NCC-1701-B

The two can't coexist (as far as I understand) because they're still both recognized by the game as "U.S.S. Bob."

So if I'm understanding your concern correctly, I think it's working as designed. Sorry for any disappointment.

There are 'work-arounds,' for example, you can name the ship U.S.S. Enterprise-A NCC 1701-A, and keep the name. But that isn't the established convention for ship names. It isn't what I would expect to input with the text boxes we're given.

So, I'm curious. Is this something that bothers you guys/gals? Do you think that if those of us that have this 'issue' voiced our position they may change it? I know there are many other, more pressing issues to deal with in game -- KDF Faction, bugs, more content, etc. But to hear him state that it is working as intended really just rubs me the wrong way.

So.. what do you guys think?

Saith,
Lee (aka Galan)

What I have done, to get around it, is rename an old ship if I want to keep the name :)

I rename my old ship when I get a new one if I want to keep the name.

USS Venture Star NCC-93361 became USS ExVenture Star NCC-93361. For each replacement I just add an x. So I have in my inventory ExVenture Star, ExxVenture Star, etc etc.

Is it kinda annoying? A bit, but its hardly a show-stopper by any means.

It would be nice if they allowed us to do what you point out, Lee, but until them I have been like the other two and have renamed my old ship to a random name.

I agree that it is a pain in the neck having to go to all that effort to keep our prefered ship name every time we level up. I think we should be able to use any name we want even if it's the same as another ship we own, I mean there are already a hundred USS Enterprise's flying around, why can't I have two? if they need to be able to distinguish them for the purposes of the game, then just include the Reg No. in the ship identifying field.

In cryptic's defence though, until we "decomission" a ship it is still in active service and we can re-use it any time we want. It is against cannon for Starfleet to have two ships in active service with the same name, they wait until the previous one is decomissioned before re-using the name, even with the suffix. It's a bit much to enforce this element of cannon on us though when it is possible for each player to have an identically named ship, lol.

Zepari wrote:

I agree that it is a pain in the neck having to go to all that effort to keep our prefered ship name every time we level up. I think we should be able to use any name we want even if it's the same as another ship we own, I mean there are already a hundred USS Enterprise's flying around, why can't I have two? if they need to be able to distinguish them for the purposes of the game, then just include the Reg No. in the ship identifying field.

In cryptic's defence though, until we "decomission" a ship it is still in active service and we can re-use it any time we want. It is against cannon for Starfleet to have two ships in active service with the same name, they wait until the previous one is decomissioned before re-using the name, even with the suffix. It's a bit much to enforce this element of cannon on us though when it is possible for each player to have an identically named ship, lol.

This is sort of my point. I understand the system is not set up to have the registry number be a key factor in the name, due to the coding they have set up. My wish/hope/request is that they re-code the naming identifiers to include the registry number (including the alphabetical extension.)

Otherwise, what really is the purpose of having the fields?

Peace,
- L

Galan_Vaurek wrote:

Okay, this is something that has actually bugged me since Beta.

In the books, series and movies the ships are named following a certain convention. For example:

U.S.S. Enterprise NCC 1701
U.S.S. Enterprise NCC 1701-A
U.S.S. Enterprise NCC 1701-B
U.S.S. Enterprise NCC 1701-C

This is not possible in game.

It's also against cannon to do what you want to do. Every ship that has a letter suffix is named after a decommissioned ship. Therefore, while keeping a ship name is inconvenient, it is completely within canon and the rules and regulations of Starfleet.

So, I guess to answer your question, I have absolutely no problem with the way things are now. :P

chemkarate wrote:

Galan_Vaurek wrote:

Okay, this is something that has actually bugged me since Beta.

In the books, series and movies the ships are named following a certain convention. For example:

U.S.S. Enterprise NCC 1701
U.S.S. Enterprise NCC 1701-A
U.S.S. Enterprise NCC 1701-B
U.S.S. Enterprise NCC 1701-C

This is not possible in game.

It's also against cannon to do what you want to do. Every ship that has a letter suffix is named after a decommissioned ship. Therefore, while keeping a ship name is inconvenient, it is completely within canon and the rules and regulations of Starfleet.

So, I guess to answer your question, I have absolutely no problem with the way things are now. :P

True, but as Zep also stated. It isn't canon for multiple captains to be helming ships with the same names. Nor is it canon for there to be umpteen million Vice Admirals flying in space and not stuck behind some desk... Or giving an active Ensign a starship of their own. :P

Didn't they do that last one with Kirk in the new movie? :P