I find I like to swap different BO assignments depending on the situation for both PvE and PvP. What I do not like is having to adjust the layout of the skills after I make the changes. So, I would like to map a bridge crew "shift" if you will with a customized slot layout for that shift. I understand (BoP in particular) this could lead to some abuses/unintended buffs, so perhaps have only 3 "shifts" and no officer on 1 shift may be used on another. Also, "shift" changes would have to be made out of combat as manual changes currently require.

Even better would be if we could map a Ship's Consoles and Weapons to a shift as well (with 30 sec down time on items changed), though I think this maybe a step too far for some folks.

I dont know how hard this would be...

Given the game engine's origins this should be possible as what you are actually asking for is a 'Build' selector which is a feature inside of Champions Online that swaps the order of your powers and your equipment...

I don't think the 1st part would be hard at all conceptually (keep in mind I'm not much if at all of a scripter/programmer).

For example:

1. Create a drop down list of shifts 1-3.
2. Create an array per shift saving the values of the BOs' ship assignments and relative BO skills slot assignments (so if a commander skill is changed the new skill takes the old skills slot assignment by default) as well as ship, special item, and captain ability slot assignments to the appropriate shift array. (Would need some error checking if the special items are no longer available the slot would be empty, etc).
3. Add the abilities to save the values and load them as called by player.
4. Create and save an array of arrays to manage seperately each ships shifts.

This has been requested in quite a few threads lately, here's one http://forums.startrekonline.com/sho...d.php?t=195027 and it has links to a couple of others.

With the new Duty Officer system and Shuttles coming out I hope this is addressed, because it is sounding like this is a major issue for a lot of players who might not try out the new systems otherwise. Yes, it's nice to be able to get into a shuttle and do a special mission, but if every time you do you have to completely rebuild your user interface that's a bit of a problem.

Personally, I think the current system just needs to be tweaked, it seems to save slot information, but then loses it if you don't follow the rules very precisely. For instance, you can't assign two abilities you wish to switch between to the same slot, they have to be two different slots. So in effect you need to leave empty slots in both your builds. This is clearly a hassle once you start to get short on tray space.

If you could save and load a tray arrangement that would be nice, but it would involve the extra step of having to save and load the tray, every time you changed your ship or loadout. If the trays just didn't get messed up in the first place it would be better. As a quick fix, though, until such time as the bugs in the implementation can be tracked down, it's a good idea.

I posted an idea in the thread I linked to, basically you could use the Powers Window to assign slots to your powers and that would "lock" them into that slot if available.

Yeah, unfortunately I hadn't noticed the category the above post is posted in until after I made this one ...

(PS check the post above yours in the linked thread )

Heh. You WERE once of the other ones that posted on it. I didn't know I had circular linked.