True true, I just doubt they will ever get to that point (without a game-changing plot development or system add-on.)
Al Geko made some interesting comments not long ago, in one of his P1 interviews. He talked about how they alternate between "acquisition strategies" and "retention strategies". Legacy of Romulus was an acquisition strategy because adding a new faction means new low level content, which is what draws new players into the game. Delta Rising was a retention strategy because it added a lot of high level content to keep the people already playing occupied.
That being the case, it is more than likely IMO that the next expansion will be another acquisition strategy, designed at drawing new people in with a new faction again. So they will tell whatever story they need to tell to justify that new faction, and it may very well be a game-changing plot development like you mentioned.
1. No question really, it is the Dominion (obscuring leadership is, more or less, its entire premise.)
2. Based on this and what the Dominion said in the Delta Recruitment event about the Iconians (to paraphrase "don't bother coming to us"), I'm betting T5 is an indignant "well TRIBBLE them anyway." We could still hope for dominion reinforcements in the great final battle of S10 but I think a faction is less likely (because it seems these hints can be contained within independent plot tangents, not broad story arcs.)
3. The imporant part (me thinks) is the shattering of "the Whole" but it probably relates to future developments within S10 (which Sela could only be looking the dominion to support, not bring about.)
1. Agreed
2. Agreed as well. This shouldn't really be a faction discussion. The question is whether and if so to what extend the Dominion will be woven into the Iconian War storyline as a NPC party. Nothing hints to a Dominion faction as of now (not more then to Cardassians and Borg, that is)
3. This whole "The Whole" and "The Other" thing begins to intrigue me.
You know...maybe it's time to tone it down with the faction talk...yesterday it was going to be Liberated Borg, today Dominion, and tomorrow what...Herald Rebels? Undine or Voth?
Either they're just throwing us off the track of the more logical or more out there choice or they're just blowing smoke with all the faction talk on the forums recently.
Al Geko made some interesting comments not long ago, in one of his P1 interviews. He talked about how they alternate between "acquisition strategies" and "retention strategies". Legacy of Romulus was an acquisition strategy because adding a new faction means new low level content, which is what draws new players into the game. Delta Rising was a retention strategy because it added a lot of high level content to keep the people already playing occupied.
That being the case, it is more than likely IMO that the next expansion will be another acquisition strategy, designed at drawing new people in with a new faction again. So they will tell whatever story they need to tell to justify that new faction, and it may very well be a game-changing plot development like you mentioned.
That makes a lot of sense and I definitely agree that a new faction is probably the next big item on the agenda.
Dominion is one choice, cardassian another, and you can probably put borg in as the last big contender. The borg probably need the least justificiation to fit in game (because there is a lot that already involves the collective and cooperative.) I'd also point out that a fully modeled Hugh is highly suspiscious for cryptic's level of interest (when any other borg NPC would have done for that DR patrol.) There's also a great starting point in game already, Vega, which cryptic has never gotten around to resolving so far.
On the other hand the Alpha Quadrant sector is underdeveloped compared to the Beta quadrant and the Cardassian series is probably next up for a revamp. There's the need for content [likely cardassian themed] and a place for new missions to fit a cardassian faction into the overall arc of the game (a la Nimbus, FED-side romulan revamp).
Its the dominion again that doesn't seem like it has a workable place. Think of how the faction might start out. Would Cryptic develop a Gamma quadrant where leveling dominion captains would be isolated from the rest of the population? Could there be an alliance with FED/KDF (easily a yes for both cardie reconstruction and borg repatriation)? If not then how does cryptic handle the problem of new fleets and other equipment defiencies?
Most pertinently to this thread where does Sela's rep messages fit with dominion captains on the other side of the wormhole? (its worth remembering that the next faction is going to have access to the rep system.)
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I'm not seeing the conflict between a playable Dominon faction and the Dominion Lock Boxes. Dominion T1 through T5 starships would be no more special than T1 through T5 starships found in the other playable factions. Take the Lock Box Jem'Hadar Heavy Escort Carrier. What makes that unique and worthy of the box is it's build and the [Console - Universal - Dominion Coordination Protocol]. When you take away any universal BO slot and that console, you have a common starship. The lock box, IMO, loses no value whatsoever. So what if there were, for example, a free - for leveling - T3 Jem'Hadar Attack Ship and something similar at T5? Again, the unique versions would still be unique.
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3. This whole "The Whole" and "The Other" thing begins to intrigue me.
My guess ATM is that "the whole" refers to some sort of Iconian continuum (perhaps a group mind that could be easily flung through a temporal anomaly). The other might be the other sort of continuum.
Linking Q in with the development of sentient life in the galaxy wouldn't be beyond cryptic (given that they've already made a more tenuous relationship between the Preservers and Iconians) it would also explain what the iconians are aiming at in evolving from Herald-like biological life to semi-corporeal energy demons with some sort of whole, (which I was not expecting.)
2. Agreed as well. This shouldn't really be a faction discussion. The question is whether and if so to what extend the Dominion will be woven into the Iconian War storyline as a NPC party. Nothing hints to a Dominion faction as of now (not more then to Cardassians and Borg, that is)
I think the delta recruitment message "don't bother us, we'll have our hands full" nicely resolved the Dominion problem and in such a way that reinforces the dominion's approach to interspecies politics (its about personal security, not mutual benefit). That could all change with the next message but I can't see us easily advancing from probable apathy towards a central figure in S10 or upcoming seasons/expansions.
Only under the hood. Think of it this way, is a Pontiac Grand Am with a body kit the same as a Ferrari 430? How much sense would it make one company to sell the former after the latter? Its possible, but its undermining your own business. You're taking a commodity and depreciating its appeal with the one caveat that "the hugely more expensive ship is still technically better."
Its also the one which the home faction doesn't have immediate access to. If I work my way up to a high end dominion character I would want a high end dominion ship to go with it, perferably an iconic one. If that's not available (as it must be in order to retain the box ship as not-a-scam) then what the hell am I playing for? My dominion character is sub-par next to some bat'leth wielding oik or tea-swilling FED.
That's a fundamental compromise on the appeal of a dominion faction. With dominion boffs, dominion doffs, dominion weapons, dominion clothing, and dominion ships, someone who isn't part of the dominion can still be almost adequately dominion (possibly with better results than a new vent head). Then you have the problem of fitting them into the 1-50 leveling system (ex. the 2800). Then you have the problem of fitting them into 50+ content (ie. post Season 5. How do you write a dominion captain into any of it?) Then you have the alliance problem (why bother?!). Then you have the captain choice problem (the Dominion have an explicit heirarchy.)
Dominion simply doesn't work with STO. The ships is just the most visible problem. Beyond that its a systematically flawed idea (and one I hope to my jellied gods doesn't come up EVER AGAIN. :P)
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I think the risk is in assuming that PLAYABLE Dominion is the result. It's Sela making contact with them, after all.
Geko has discussed playable Dominion on podcasts and Twitter. A big problem is that Dominion ships (almost all of them) exist in lockboxes.
I've also been thinking about whether maybe the Founders are an offshoot of the Preservers. They have the most advanced genetic tech in all of Star Trek and look fairly similar. (Plus, you have an overlapping actress.)
big problem with that idea. The Preservers are humanoids, the Founders aren't.
I'm not seeing the conflict between a playable Dominon faction and the Dominion Lock Boxes. Dominion T1 through T5 starships would be no more special than T1 through T5 starships found in the other playable factions. Take the Lock Box Jem'Hadar Heavy Escort Carrier. What makes that unique and worthy of the box is it's build and the [Console - Universal - Dominion Coordination Protocol]. When you take away any universal BO slot and that console, you have a common starship. The lock box, IMO, loses no value whatsoever. So what if there were, for example, a free - for leveling - T3 Jem'Hadar Attack Ship and something similar at T5? Again, the unique versions would still be unique.
So lock box ships should be superior to the actual faction ships? Slippery slope there...slippery slope.
So lock box ships should be superior to the actual faction ships? Slippery slope there...slippery slope.
Why? The Lock Box ships would still have the benefit of being faction Neutral, right? If anything, I'd predict Dominion faction player's to cry foul that some of their canon designs are entirely faction neutral. That would be unique situation that no other faction can claim. The Lock Box starship owner's come out ahead.
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big problem with that idea. The Preservers are humanoids, the Founders aren't.
This is why. I think I stated it earlier. The changelings cannot be used as Player characters, Unless the changelings are not Player characters, the Dominion will not be used.
Yes, she's waxing nostalgic for her humanity in this message.
thats the problems she forsaken her heritage as part human when she was a child, she mentioned a few decades later to picard as to what happened to her mother. there is no way in her mind she would consider herself anything other than romulan.
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Anyways, in the Gamma Quadrant, the Dominion "is it." It's the big, huge, dominating power there. The Gamma Quadrant isn't like the Alpha, Beta, and even Delta Quadrants. It isn't divided up between a fairly evenly powered entities. It's not divided up in space in the same way traditional Trek stomping grounds are between the Federation, Klingon Empire, Romulan Star Empire in canon or including the Romulan Republic from STO. The Gamma Quadrant is dominated by the Dominion.
I'm not entirely sure that's the case.
We can't dispute that the Dominion aren't a significant force within the Gamma Quadrant, but the only force? I'm not convinced. You've only got to look at the map in-game to see how much of the Galaxy we're flying around in; and it isn't much. To suggest that the Dominion control an entire quadrant is a big statement that I've trouble believing in. The Alpha Quadrant that we're flying in is probably 1/7th of the Alpha Quadrant alone.
Remember when people were doubting romulans will be playable.
I mean it is star trek the game will open up little more and have more mini factions like romulans later...
You cant just have star trek with 3 factions.. It is up to them which will be playable and which are not..
The Romulans aren't exactly a faction though.
Regardless, Cryptic statistics seem to imply that fewer people play Romulans than they do Klingons. If a Dominion faction was to be released, two things will happen; either they'll overtake the Klingons and be the 2nd most played species, or they'd suffer under the Romulans and be the 4th least played species. It's a big gamble if Cryptic are working on them.
Ultimately, they'll no doubt be released in similar fashion to the Romulans; we'll have to pick one of those stupid alliances.
I am still ultimately of the opinion that any more powers be released as c-store bundle packs involving a bunch of faction-specific goodies. I don't care for more mini factions. If they want to release the Dominion as a third independent faction, then we'll talk, but otherwise, no. In theory, such a release would offer the opportunity for Cryptic to do something truly unique too; a Faction standing apart from the Alpha/Beta struggle, and with their own, separate campaign.
How about a Mirror faction that follows the current plot/episodes but from the Mirror universe perspective? with ships, uniforms and alot of the base work done (as it is already used by the prime universe), is it plausible?
Who says that? Dominion doesn't control all of the Gamma Quad. Not even close from all accounts.
"The Dominion has endured for over two thousand years, and will continue to endure long after the Federation has crumbled into dust."– Weyoun 4, 2372 ("To the Death")
Vash commented that some of the cultures she had encountered in the Gamma Quadrant had histories spanning millions of years. (DS9: "Q-Less")
Seems there are cultures far older than the Dominion there.
We don't know much about where the Tosk and Hunters are located.
A threat from another group there to the Dominion would give a reason for them to want to contact the Alpha Quadrant again.
Trying to remember where, but it was suggested that not even a quarter of the Gamma is Dominion controlled.
So your telling me they cant add a faction because you say so rofl..
No, I'm saying they can't add the Dominion as a playable faction because there are plenty of reasons why it would create problems, fail to satisfy, and generally suck (I'm not going to repeat myself again because my old posts are there for you to mull through.)
Reading comprehension is your friend. Don't neglect it. :P
How about a Mirror faction that follows the current plot/episodes but from the Mirror universe perspective? with ships, uniforms and alot of the base work done (as it is already used by the prime universe), is it plausible?
IMO - this is the one I want to see the most.
That might make for a good delta-recruitment style event (additional objectives but tied to a mirror univese agenda). If the need arises for another one of those I'm definitely behind this idea.
As you can see. Including just all we have clearly mapped in the Alpha and Beta Quadrants, doesn't even take up half of either quad.
So it is a huge and likely misguided assumption the Dominion dominates the Gamma Quadrant by itself.
This might be the greatest contribution STO can make ot the ST universe. The gamma quadrant as we know it is that little bit that came through the wormhole and what a few runabouts were able to find before the dominion kicked the FED out with a vastly over-equipped military for a species that has things running all its own way.
There's a lot of room in the backstory to add pressures on the Dominion for why they developed as they did. New GQ powers would definitely justify the revisit (and I would pay very special attention for this in the T5 sela log).
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considering how powerful they are, the amount of times the dominions enemies have complimented their ship building efforts and their ruthless dedication to their "gods", the founders. yhe dominion themselves have claimed their own area of the gamma quadrant as their own, however though, the wormhole is some distance into the gamma quadrant at its exit point near the idran system.
based in part on what was mentioned, the dominion forces are at least a number of lightyears from the wormhole entry point (puts in more or less smack bang center field of the quadrant), one episode even mentioned that the nearest dominion outpost was weeks away from the Torga system where a dominion ship was to be salvaged at a great cost, torga system was 10k ly from the wormhole, depending which direction the torga system is in the quadrant, its possible it could behind the entry point or besides the entry point into the gamma quadrant, if its from behind then you are look at around 2 weeks maybe from the nearest dominion outpost from the wormhole.
so clearly the domion have a potentially large area of space, but it was never confirmed how big that space is they claim as their own. but it is large enough to pump out a massive military presence. so clearly they have to have a large amount of planets to get those resources to build such ships, get the jem'hadar and vorta to a stage where they would be born and enough planets to cultivate fungus to be processed into ketracel white for the troops. they would also need an extrordinary economic effort to keep that going. so a handful of planets is out of the question, it would likely required high double digit planets to four digit planet numbers to make it up.
its possible they may not be the only power in that quadrant, but rather unlikely because the dominion are imperialists, what they can not control, they will enslave or destroy.
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so clearly the domion have a potentially large area of space, but it was never confirmed how big that space is they claim as their own. but it is large enough to pump out a massive military presence. so clearly they have to have a large amount of planets to get those resources to build such ships, get the jem'hadar and vorta to a stage where they would be born and enough planets to cultivate fungus to be processed into ketracel white for the troops. they would also need an extrordinary economic effort to keep that going. so a handful of planets is out of the question, it would likely required high double digit planets to four digit planet numbers to make it up..
But its a very efficient military. Small ships stripped of all secondary functions operated by soldiers that can be produced without managing large poulations. The dominion may have lots of resources (though the thousand plant mark is probably quite high for direct military support) but they're using them in such a way that suggests having to do more with those resources than would be expected for a Fed type or even KDF style civilization. Plus they've got strong tactics in social manipulation which they apparently aren't using to direct a populus towards supporting a military (the Jem'Hadar is a self-contained unit in Dominion society.) What they do instead is manipulate extrinsic social groups, suggesting that they have had an unusual amount of experience and continued practice (while reserving direct military action, which for as highly developed and ruthless a military as the Jem'Hadar is suspicious).
IE. larger, more powerful, but less dominion-like neighboring powers in the GQ constraining the dominion's possible expansion, leading to an attempted land-grab in AQ/BQ space (to change the game in the Dominion's home territory).
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Bro so your telling me i don't know how to read .. When your the smart one trolling over a faction right ?
No, I'm providing many different arguments stated as clearly as I can for why the Dominion faction isn't a good idea. If you don't agree with them, fine. That's debate. But if you're not bothering to read them then why the hell are you even here? Well that's actually quite evident but name calling isn't going to lead to anything good here, now is it?
And how are you doing to make a difference your just a person who talking smack about my reading right on makes you look smart.
if they do there is nothing you can do to stop them from releasing new faction..
I'm talking smack about your reading because you clearly aren't doing it. When challenged, you default into more posturing to stir something up (since you're evidently not able to handle a discussion at this time). You didn't try to respond to any talking point, you just reflexed your way into another questionable post.
Just stop it. You and I have both got better things to do than bicker about a tangent in a thread about Sela's reputation logs and what those might be leading to.
Now that could be a dominion faction, but I think that would be a bad idea. The devs may still try to implement that idea (unlikely, cardassians and borg are better candidates) but I would still maintain that its a bad idea because the act of adding the dominion wouldn't change any of the arguments I'm using (they'd just be providing demonstration points for how closely I've been able to reason potential responses.)
However it should be stressed at this point that the merits of the Dominion faction should be left to another thread. I've regretfully contributed far too much to that tangent and it would definitely be best for ALL of us to leave it alone. It may happen (boo), it may not (yay) but how we get there from here might be hinted at through the Iconian reputation logs. Lets try to pick those apart, rather than each other's motivations.
That is probably why you don't listen to pod cast it comes out if the devs mouth you will hear faction.. He says dom faction in the future ..
Notice how in the post you just quoted I don't use or otherwise reference the word FACTION once.
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So i am challenged funny thing about the forms is you can talk smack when you cant talk into some one face
People like you are just Dumb in General thinking your better then every one because you know better.
Right let me know when you get off that high horse of yours rofl
You know what, I'll say it.
Don't feed the troll.
I hereby request that shinobi's comments be stripped from the record and discussion resumed at the point of interruption. :P
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Comments
Al Geko made some interesting comments not long ago, in one of his P1 interviews. He talked about how they alternate between "acquisition strategies" and "retention strategies". Legacy of Romulus was an acquisition strategy because adding a new faction means new low level content, which is what draws new players into the game. Delta Rising was a retention strategy because it added a lot of high level content to keep the people already playing occupied.
That being the case, it is more than likely IMO that the next expansion will be another acquisition strategy, designed at drawing new people in with a new faction again. So they will tell whatever story they need to tell to justify that new faction, and it may very well be a game-changing plot development like you mentioned.
The-Grand-Nagus
Join Date: Sep 2008
1. Agreed
2. Agreed as well. This shouldn't really be a faction discussion. The question is whether and if so to what extend the Dominion will be woven into the Iconian War storyline as a NPC party. Nothing hints to a Dominion faction as of now (not more then to Cardassians and Borg, that is)
3. This whole "The Whole" and "The Other" thing begins to intrigue me.
Either they're just throwing us off the track of the more logical or more out there choice or they're just blowing smoke with all the faction talk on the forums recently.
That makes a lot of sense and I definitely agree that a new faction is probably the next big item on the agenda.
Dominion is one choice, cardassian another, and you can probably put borg in as the last big contender. The borg probably need the least justificiation to fit in game (because there is a lot that already involves the collective and cooperative.) I'd also point out that a fully modeled Hugh is highly suspiscious for cryptic's level of interest (when any other borg NPC would have done for that DR patrol.) There's also a great starting point in game already, Vega, which cryptic has never gotten around to resolving so far.
On the other hand the Alpha Quadrant sector is underdeveloped compared to the Beta quadrant and the Cardassian series is probably next up for a revamp. There's the need for content [likely cardassian themed] and a place for new missions to fit a cardassian faction into the overall arc of the game (a la Nimbus, FED-side romulan revamp).
Its the dominion again that doesn't seem like it has a workable place. Think of how the faction might start out. Would Cryptic develop a Gamma quadrant where leveling dominion captains would be isolated from the rest of the population? Could there be an alliance with FED/KDF (easily a yes for both cardie reconstruction and borg repatriation)? If not then how does cryptic handle the problem of new fleets and other equipment defiencies?
Most pertinently to this thread where does Sela's rep messages fit with dominion captains on the other side of the wormhole? (its worth remembering that the next faction is going to have access to the rep system.)
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My guess ATM is that "the whole" refers to some sort of Iconian continuum (perhaps a group mind that could be easily flung through a temporal anomaly). The other might be the other sort of continuum.
Linking Q in with the development of sentient life in the galaxy wouldn't be beyond cryptic (given that they've already made a more tenuous relationship between the Preservers and Iconians) it would also explain what the iconians are aiming at in evolving from Herald-like biological life to semi-corporeal energy demons with some sort of whole, (which I was not expecting.)
I think the delta recruitment message "don't bother us, we'll have our hands full" nicely resolved the Dominion problem and in such a way that reinforces the dominion's approach to interspecies politics (its about personal security, not mutual benefit). That could all change with the next message but I can't see us easily advancing from probable apathy towards a central figure in S10 or upcoming seasons/expansions.
Only under the hood. Think of it this way, is a Pontiac Grand Am with a body kit the same as a Ferrari 430? How much sense would it make one company to sell the former after the latter? Its possible, but its undermining your own business. You're taking a commodity and depreciating its appeal with the one caveat that "the hugely more expensive ship is still technically better."
Its also the one which the home faction doesn't have immediate access to. If I work my way up to a high end dominion character I would want a high end dominion ship to go with it, perferably an iconic one. If that's not available (as it must be in order to retain the box ship as not-a-scam) then what the hell am I playing for? My dominion character is sub-par next to some bat'leth wielding oik or tea-swilling FED.
That's a fundamental compromise on the appeal of a dominion faction. With dominion boffs, dominion doffs, dominion weapons, dominion clothing, and dominion ships, someone who isn't part of the dominion can still be almost adequately dominion (possibly with better results than a new vent head). Then you have the problem of fitting them into the 1-50 leveling system (ex. the 2800). Then you have the problem of fitting them into 50+ content (ie. post Season 5. How do you write a dominion captain into any of it?) Then you have the alliance problem (why bother?!). Then you have the captain choice problem (the Dominion have an explicit heirarchy.)
Dominion simply doesn't work with STO. The ships is just the most visible problem. Beyond that its a systematically flawed idea (and one I hope to my jellied gods doesn't come up EVER AGAIN. :P)
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My character Tsin'xing
So lock box ships should be superior to the actual faction ships? Slippery slope there...slippery slope.
Why? The Lock Box ships would still have the benefit of being faction Neutral, right? If anything, I'd predict Dominion faction player's to cry foul that some of their canon designs are entirely faction neutral. That would be unique situation that no other faction can claim. The Lock Box starship owner's come out ahead.
This is why. I think I stated it earlier. The changelings cannot be used as Player characters, Unless the changelings are not Player characters, the Dominion will not be used.
thats the problems she forsaken her heritage as part human when she was a child, she mentioned a few decades later to picard as to what happened to her mother. there is no way in her mind she would consider herself anything other than romulan.
Been around since Dec 2010 on STO and bought LTS in Apr 2013 for STO.
We can't dispute that the Dominion aren't a significant force within the Gamma Quadrant, but the only force? I'm not convinced. You've only got to look at the map in-game to see how much of the Galaxy we're flying around in; and it isn't much. To suggest that the Dominion control an entire quadrant is a big statement that I've trouble believing in. The Alpha Quadrant that we're flying in is probably 1/7th of the Alpha Quadrant alone.
The Romulans aren't exactly a faction though.
Regardless, Cryptic statistics seem to imply that fewer people play Romulans than they do Klingons. If a Dominion faction was to be released, two things will happen; either they'll overtake the Klingons and be the 2nd most played species, or they'd suffer under the Romulans and be the 4th least played species. It's a big gamble if Cryptic are working on them.
Ultimately, they'll no doubt be released in similar fashion to the Romulans; we'll have to pick one of those stupid alliances.
I am still ultimately of the opinion that any more powers be released as c-store bundle packs involving a bunch of faction-specific goodies. I don't care for more mini factions. If they want to release the Dominion as a third independent faction, then we'll talk, but otherwise, no. In theory, such a release would offer the opportunity for Cryptic to do something truly unique too; a Faction standing apart from the Alpha/Beta struggle, and with their own, separate campaign.
IMO - this is the one I want to see the most.
Where or how do you access this information.
Who says that? Dominion doesn't control all of the Gamma Quad. Not even close from all accounts.
"The Dominion has endured for over two thousand years, and will continue to endure long after the Federation has crumbled into dust."– Weyoun 4, 2372 ("To the Death")
Vash commented that some of the cultures she had encountered in the Gamma Quadrant had histories spanning millions of years. (DS9: "Q-Less")
Seems there are cultures far older than the Dominion there.
We don't know much about where the Tosk and Hunters are located.
A threat from another group there to the Dominion would give a reason for them to want to contact the Alpha Quadrant again.
Trying to remember where, but it was suggested that not even a quarter of the Gamma is Dominion controlled.
Again there is nothing that supports that claim.
Are they a power? Yes.
Are they the only power? Absolutely not.
Are they a major power. Sure. Just as the Fed, Klinks are and Rommies were. And those three don't control all of the Alpha.
http://i.imgur.com/wc5eAPc.jpg
http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m227/cliveklg/clive_album1/st1.jpg
As you can see. Including just all we have clearly mapped in the Alpha and Beta Quadrants, doesn't even take up half of either quad.
So it is a huge and likely misguided assumption the Dominion dominates the Gamma Quadrant by itself.
No, I'm saying they can't add the Dominion as a playable faction because there are plenty of reasons why it would create problems, fail to satisfy, and generally suck (I'm not going to repeat myself again because my old posts are there for you to mull through.)
Reading comprehension is your friend. Don't neglect it. :P
That might make for a good delta-recruitment style event (additional objectives but tied to a mirror univese agenda). If the need arises for another one of those I'm definitely behind this idea.
This might be the greatest contribution STO can make ot the ST universe. The gamma quadrant as we know it is that little bit that came through the wormhole and what a few runabouts were able to find before the dominion kicked the FED out with a vastly over-equipped military for a species that has things running all its own way.
There's a lot of room in the backstory to add pressures on the Dominion for why they developed as they did. New GQ powers would definitely justify the revisit (and I would pay very special attention for this in the T5 sela log).
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considering how powerful they are, the amount of times the dominions enemies have complimented their ship building efforts and their ruthless dedication to their "gods", the founders. yhe dominion themselves have claimed their own area of the gamma quadrant as their own, however though, the wormhole is some distance into the gamma quadrant at its exit point near the idran system.
based in part on what was mentioned, the dominion forces are at least a number of lightyears from the wormhole entry point (puts in more or less smack bang center field of the quadrant), one episode even mentioned that the nearest dominion outpost was weeks away from the Torga system where a dominion ship was to be salvaged at a great cost, torga system was 10k ly from the wormhole, depending which direction the torga system is in the quadrant, its possible it could behind the entry point or besides the entry point into the gamma quadrant, if its from behind then you are look at around 2 weeks maybe from the nearest dominion outpost from the wormhole.
so clearly the domion have a potentially large area of space, but it was never confirmed how big that space is they claim as their own. but it is large enough to pump out a massive military presence. so clearly they have to have a large amount of planets to get those resources to build such ships, get the jem'hadar and vorta to a stage where they would be born and enough planets to cultivate fungus to be processed into ketracel white for the troops. they would also need an extrordinary economic effort to keep that going. so a handful of planets is out of the question, it would likely required high double digit planets to four digit planet numbers to make it up.
its possible they may not be the only power in that quadrant, but rather unlikely because the dominion are imperialists, what they can not control, they will enslave or destroy.
Been around since Dec 2010 on STO and bought LTS in Apr 2013 for STO.
THE DOMINION IS COMING THE DOMINION IS COMING THE DOMINION IS COMING!!!
*Watches the JHDC arrive*
THE DOMINION IS HERE THE DOMINION IS HERE THE DOMINION IS HERE!!! :eek:
*Watches the JHDC leave at high warp*
THE DOMINION IS GOING THE DOMINION IS GOING THE DOMINION IS GOING???
*Watches the JHDC leave visual and sensor range*
Where did the dominion go?
But its a very efficient military. Small ships stripped of all secondary functions operated by soldiers that can be produced without managing large poulations. The dominion may have lots of resources (though the thousand plant mark is probably quite high for direct military support) but they're using them in such a way that suggests having to do more with those resources than would be expected for a Fed type or even KDF style civilization. Plus they've got strong tactics in social manipulation which they apparently aren't using to direct a populus towards supporting a military (the Jem'Hadar is a self-contained unit in Dominion society.) What they do instead is manipulate extrinsic social groups, suggesting that they have had an unusual amount of experience and continued practice (while reserving direct military action, which for as highly developed and ruthless a military as the Jem'Hadar is suspicious).
IE. larger, more powerful, but less dominion-like neighboring powers in the GQ constraining the dominion's possible expansion, leading to an attempted land-grab in AQ/BQ space (to change the game in the Dominion's home territory).
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No, I'm providing many different arguments stated as clearly as I can for why the Dominion faction isn't a good idea. If you don't agree with them, fine. That's debate. But if you're not bothering to read them then why the hell are you even here? Well that's actually quite evident but name calling isn't going to lead to anything good here, now is it?
I'm talking smack about your reading because you clearly aren't doing it. When challenged, you default into more posturing to stir something up (since you're evidently not able to handle a discussion at this time). You didn't try to respond to any talking point, you just reflexed your way into another questionable post.
Just stop it. You and I have both got better things to do than bicker about a tangent in a thread about Sela's reputation logs and what those might be leading to.
Now that could be a dominion faction, but I think that would be a bad idea. The devs may still try to implement that idea (unlikely, cardassians and borg are better candidates) but I would still maintain that its a bad idea because the act of adding the dominion wouldn't change any of the arguments I'm using (they'd just be providing demonstration points for how closely I've been able to reason potential responses.)
However it should be stressed at this point that the merits of the Dominion faction should be left to another thread. I've regretfully contributed far too much to that tangent and it would definitely be best for ALL of us to leave it alone. It may happen (boo), it may not (yay) but how we get there from here might be hinted at through the Iconian reputation logs. Lets try to pick those apart, rather than each other's motivations.
Notice how in the post you just quoted I don't use or otherwise reference the word FACTION once.
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You know what, I'll say it.
Don't feed the troll.
I hereby request that shinobi's comments be stripped from the record and discussion resumed at the point of interruption. :P
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Then don't invite it.
Simple? Good, now move along.
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Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!