I really, really, do think that removing *all* of the pertinent information available for making as informed choice as possible at the character creation screen is a bad idea. As a newb, you aren't going to fully understand what all that stuff means, but, you will have a much better idea of what your toon can do and can't do.
One reason I have so many toons is that I got them to a point and realized something about them didn't match what I was trying to do..
So, I am saying, they took the exact *opposite* approach as I would have. As far as I'm concerned they need *more* pertinent info at Character Creation. Definitely not less. They need to show Captains powers. Career Specific Traits. Racial Advantages.. And they need to show them in as easy to understand and as useful way as possible.
STO already has a large learning curve. Learning to re-roll your character was one of my first things I had to learn. It took me like.. 2 years until now to get a grasp on who can do what. (I'll admit it.. I guess I'm just that slow.) I would always find some little thing about a Race or Career and out came the dice for a re-roll...
I mean, timesinking is fine, but, re-rolling your toons because you found something out about them wayyyy down the road is just no fun.
Matter of fact I would love it if they took the exact *opposite* approach. Give me every little detail you can think of about my newb-endgame abilities based on the choices I make....at the Character Creation screen.
Too much clutter? Isn't that the reason we got for the new Character Creator design? Well... gee.. how many solutions would you like to that.
Solution 1 - make the info expandable. If people want to click on the expanded info and see what it says before making their choice, yay, if not - then the New & Improved screens pretty much look exactly like they do now except with lil circles or boxes to click on for details..
Tell people that the details are only provided for the gearheads (it's effing STO... there's plenty..) - otherwise, they can read the fluff, dress their dolly, and go right in.
To put it simply, I think the new character creator is visually nice (the old one was, too..), but, is a totally unnecessary step backwards for the game.
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I probably wouldn't be nearly as critical if they wouldn't have found time, for this, at the exact same time they say they have no time, for, the Foundry.
I think I could have summed things up better to say: STO is very easy to play but it is not a simple game. I don't see the need to make things simple when it comes to creating a character. STO is not a simple game. From it, we require, Information... to make... Informed decisions.
If you just wanna play STO for the ... Space Barbie (as per the link)... well, Barbie Out at the Creation Screen and just pick what colors look pretty to you. Tac is red... Eng is yellow... Sci is blue.. The races look like....well.. check the pictures. Simple.
I don't think we need to make things easier for the people wanting no info.
Pertinent Character Creation Info.. is good. Organize it better if you don't like the way it's presented but don't remove it.. The game has not gotten any Simpler since the first Character Creator - if anything, we could use *more* info.
It kinda almost seems like an insult, even, to the people that put a lot of time into the Foundry, to tell them you have no time for them, but, hey, look, you made the character creator into something that You think is prettier..
Just bad timing I guess.
Just want to leave off on a less pointy point. It's a great game, they make bold decisions, lots of them are good. The game is never stagnant to me. My playtime now is as good or better than it's ever been - and it for sure is better than when I started, due in no small part, to those bold decisions.
STO is a game that is always getting...bigger. These last two decisions from them have made it feel smaller. Simpler, and smaller. Which ya just don't want to see if... you're me, I guess : )
Anyway. I don't wanna be the Get Off My Lawn guy : ) I'm gonna go pew-pew!~