Okay, so as far as my opinion goes, a HUGE part of Star Trek has always been creating technological solutions on the fly "sir, we can probably re-enforce the shields if we cross-polarize the emitter matrix through the auxiliary supply conduit" etc.

So I propose that in a similar vain, and also to add an element of customisation and individuality to the game, the ability to create your own Boff abilities is implemented.

An example:

One could assign each effect a point value, say hull repair cost 10 points per percentage point it restores; and flight speed cost 15 points per 0.5 speed it adds.

One would also give each ability level a point limit, say ensign level abilities would be able to use a maximum of 250 points.

Based on just those two details, you could create an ability that just restored hull by 25%, or an ability that adds 16.6 speed, or an ability that adds 8 speed and restores 12.5% of hull. But you wouldn't be able to create an overpowered ability that restored 100% of hull and gave a 200 point speed boost.

You could do this with all abilities: damage types, hull repair, shield strength, damage resistance, stealth effects, etc.

It would make PvP far more interesting, rather than everyone using the same old tactics again and again, not to mention making your bridge crew feel that little bit more yours.

So... am I way off base here, or is this a good idea?

Would be difficult to balance, and maybe making it a Vice Admiral option only would be best. Also you have to balance this with current bridge officers. Currently it takes some doing to get your skills as you want them, choosing bridge officers and training them, etc. So if you can just create your own skills, it makes them a little less relevant, especially if you can customise all your boff slots. Perhaps special bridge officers that only fit in universal boff slots. Ships exclusive to vadmirals could be edited to provide one universal slot or 2 depending on the ship.

I think that this is a good idea because it adds another element of depth and realism to the game, as well as making your ship more personal to you. If you were able to make so that at each rank, there was a certain amount of points you could use or abilities you could create, then that would be better then holding off on this until vice admiral level. Being able to customize my ship this way would actually be awesome.

Up to a point, I am totally down with the premise that we might be able to customize our abilities.

Not real sure about the mechanism described in the o.p..

Rumor has it that the Devs would like to let us build our own kits, which would allow us to mix and match certain abilities for ground combat.

We can already kind of, sort of "build" our BOff's the way we want them.

We'd also like to see crafting taken to the next level, so we can build the weapons, consoles, and devices we want, within reason.

I'd rather see something like Mass Effect 2/3's ability "evolutions."

Yeah, my "points system" was just the first thing that popped out of my head (was thinking of Oblivions spell crafting system at the time), I'm no game designer

Building your own kits sounds like a much better system for customising abilities, provided:

a) Boffs would be able to equip kits.
b) Kits would also have space abilities.
c) Kits didn't just allow you to mix existing abilities, but allowed you to mix effects to create new ones (somehow).
d) Crafting was improved, which I believe is happening anyway.