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Mobile/Browser Doff Companion App idea
suaveks
Member Posts: 1,736 Arc User
Since the introduction of Duty Officers there have been talks about implementing the whole system into the Gateway, as a way to manage one's doffs while away from the main game. At this point though we can safely assume there's little to no chance we'll ever see such an addition, especially considering Geko doesn't seem to care about the Gateway at all.
Still, recently I've observed that many AAA titles tend to market some sort of an additional mobile companion app. Recent examples include Dying Light or Evolve. The word "companion" is key here, as these apps are in no way related to the actual game, but rather can be considered a bonus. Some of these apps even include microtransactions of their own.
So here's an idea - how about a Duty Officer Companion App for STO, which would work SEPARATELY from our characters' duty officers?
For example, instead of managing starship assignments the App would focus on a distant Outpost/Starbase/Planet (for example in the Delta Quadrant). This stationary location would require its own Duty Officers, which would be sent on different assignments of various length and difficulty (casuality/injury risk). Missions would appear at random and would change every few hours, much like it is currently in the game, so players would be encouraged to log in quite often to make the most out of it.
What's in it for Cryptic?
Well, "mobile" just screams "microtransactions", so the starting set of Duty Officers would be limited, and players would have to buy Doff Packs, Roster Slots and Assignment Slots to expand their Outpost. There could also be an option to skip the timers and finish the assignments instantly, much like the Dilithium cost of R&D System works in the game.
What's in it for the players?
Doff App could be linked with players' in-game accounts, where they could transfer some of their Mobile App rewards (dilithium, items, rare commodities, R&D materials, Latinum etc) to their main characters. This could also work the other way around, like, for example, by allowing players to relocate some of their in-game doffs to the Mobile App. This could naturally have some sort of restrictions or limits, so it wouldn't be exploited or abused. For example, doffs transfered into the App would be transfered permanently, or there could be some sort of a daily/weekly limit of how many doffs could be transfered (another microtransaction idea...). Overall, the App could work much like the current in-game Doff System, but separately, yet with an option to transfer rewards into the main game.
Think about it Cryptic. A separate game/app resolves many issues a mobile app of existing doff system would have. It doesn't matter where the players are in the game, what sector or planet they are. With one "location" for all players there could be just one selection of missions available at any given time. The App would work as a cow clicker players could get something out of, while at the same time would allow for some microtransactions. We get it that every new thing needs to be monetized to be worth time and effort to create, so I imagine this could be a decent way of finally implementing a mobile/browser doff system. Not to mention, adding some exclusive/unique rewards into the App would work like a carrot on many players, who would use the App solely to get their shinies...
Still, I wonder what others think of such idea.
Still, recently I've observed that many AAA titles tend to market some sort of an additional mobile companion app. Recent examples include Dying Light or Evolve. The word "companion" is key here, as these apps are in no way related to the actual game, but rather can be considered a bonus. Some of these apps even include microtransactions of their own.
So here's an idea - how about a Duty Officer Companion App for STO, which would work SEPARATELY from our characters' duty officers?
For example, instead of managing starship assignments the App would focus on a distant Outpost/Starbase/Planet (for example in the Delta Quadrant). This stationary location would require its own Duty Officers, which would be sent on different assignments of various length and difficulty (casuality/injury risk). Missions would appear at random and would change every few hours, much like it is currently in the game, so players would be encouraged to log in quite often to make the most out of it.
What's in it for Cryptic?
Well, "mobile" just screams "microtransactions", so the starting set of Duty Officers would be limited, and players would have to buy Doff Packs, Roster Slots and Assignment Slots to expand their Outpost. There could also be an option to skip the timers and finish the assignments instantly, much like the Dilithium cost of R&D System works in the game.
What's in it for the players?
Doff App could be linked with players' in-game accounts, where they could transfer some of their Mobile App rewards (dilithium, items, rare commodities, R&D materials, Latinum etc) to their main characters. This could also work the other way around, like, for example, by allowing players to relocate some of their in-game doffs to the Mobile App. This could naturally have some sort of restrictions or limits, so it wouldn't be exploited or abused. For example, doffs transfered into the App would be transfered permanently, or there could be some sort of a daily/weekly limit of how many doffs could be transfered (another microtransaction idea...). Overall, the App could work much like the current in-game Doff System, but separately, yet with an option to transfer rewards into the main game.
Think about it Cryptic. A separate game/app resolves many issues a mobile app of existing doff system would have. It doesn't matter where the players are in the game, what sector or planet they are. With one "location" for all players there could be just one selection of missions available at any given time. The App would work as a cow clicker players could get something out of, while at the same time would allow for some microtransactions. We get it that every new thing needs to be monetized to be worth time and effort to create, so I imagine this could be a decent way of finally implementing a mobile/browser doff system. Not to mention, adding some exclusive/unique rewards into the App would work like a carrot on many players, who would use the App solely to get their shinies...
Still, I wonder what others think of such idea.
Post edited by suaveks on
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The STO team doesn't control the gateway, which is part of the Cryptic side of things.
Hence, https://auth.startrekonline.com/ gets unused since Cryptic sees no value in developing it further at the moment. It's kind of sad that it probably won't take too long to convert the Neverwinter Gateway profession system over to the Doff and/or upgrade system. Then again, keys are account bound over there, too.
Tho I admit I'm addicted to NW's Gateway. The main reason I still play that game is the Gateway (and Foundry).