The problem with this example is a false equivelancy between cosplay and metalworking... and running a game development studio. Similarly, while farming and running a restaurant has many things in common (such as the preparation and distribution of food), the amount of technical skill, manpower requirements, and a multitude of other things are so drastically different that it's impossible to compare the two jobs as being equivelant in form and function.
For starters, the people at conventions and whatnot who sell Klingon-themed costumes and prosthetics and weapons usually only do this as a side-job, to make some extra money for a hobby or tradeskill they have. It may only be one or two people involved, as opposed to a game studio like Cryptic which employs way more than that, and that they don't do this as a hobby.
This isn't to say that the people at conventions aren't as skilled as game developers, but it is a different technical skill, and the profit margins for them are much, much lower than that of a game studio which is expected to compete in a very cut-throat market.
The people who sit at booths in conventions selling their wares are not exactly rolling in millions of dollars, nor do they answer to wealthy stockholders. Cryptic, on the other hand does.
On the surface, it seems easy to think that because Cryptic creates pixels that it should be easy for them to turn a profit compared to somebody who creates tangible Klingon-related paraphenalia with their own two hands and can sell it to people. But when the amount of money involved is tallied up, it just is not comparable to those kinds of entrepreneurs.
You missed the point entirely here.
The comparison wasn't based on technical skills, it was based on costs.
Fabrics, metals, etc cost. Man-hours (only term available) cost.
Making costumes and gear costs in time, effort and materials.
Making ships costs time and effort ONLY there are no materials.
That is a MASSIVE DIFFERENCE.
Given that difference do you see now how impossible it should be to not be able to sell non-material things (ships) to a group of fans who spend vast amounts on material (costumes, weapons, etc) items?
Answering to stockholders should make it bloody obvious that somebody is s c r e w ing with the profits by not trying to sell KDF stuff harder, not to mention the stupidity in selling sub-standard items (ships) and then being surprised it doesn't sell.
If cryptic was a company focused on profits then ANYONE who threatened those profits would be fired as soon as they became a problem, so Geko's infamous 'I hate working on KDF stuff' line would have gotten him booted out the door within hours and we wouldn't be having this discussion.
Not to mention the Varanus wouldn't be a simple re-skinned copy of a level 40 Fed ship, the Bortasqu's would have been comparable to the Odyssey not the gimped versions we got.
The KDF's faction unique ships, Battle-cruiser and Carriers, and consoles would never have been handed to the Feds on a platter either.
That gimping of ships for KDF whilst the Feds get over-powered versions is the main source of tension between the two die-hard groups. Especially as you have to spend the same amount of time (paid man-hours) to make a gimped, under-performing, sub-standard scrap-pile ship as you do a decent, average ship.
Given that difference do you see now how impossible it should be to not be able to sell non-material things (ships) to a group of fans who spend vast amounts on material (costumes, weapons, etc) items?
That batleth? Those costumes? All that stuff that the Klingon fans spend money on? They own those things.
The pixels that make up that ship in this game? Not so much.
Someone has the money, they enjoy the game? Spend your money how you please, but spending money on material things, on real property, is different from spending it on pixels that exist only so long as this game is a thing, and that are not guaranteed to "hold their value" in any event.
Even if Klingon main players were twice as likely as Federation main players to spend real money on pixels, there are more than twice as many Federation main players.
Given that difference do you see now how impossible it should be to not be able to sell non-material things (ships) to a group of fans who spend vast amounts on material (costumes, weapons, etc) items?
That batleth? Those costumes? All that stuff that the Klingon fans spend money on? They own those things.
The pixels that make up that ship in this game? Not so much.
Someone has the money, they enjoy the game? Spend your money how you please, but spending money on material things, on real property, is different from spending it on pixels that exist only so long as this game is a thing, and that are not guaranteed to "hold their value" in any event.
Even if Klingon main players were twice as likely as Federation main players to spend real money on pixels, there are more than twice as many Federation main players.
So you're ignoring the fact that there is a group of fans willing to part with their money to buy Klingon theme items and cryptic CAN NOT get them to spend money on this game?
It doesn't matter that there are more players using all or mostly Federation characters, the problem is that cryptic CAN NOT sell Klingon themed ships, that is a massive problem because that is a guaranteed source of income that they have managed to drive away.
To put this problem as simply as I can it's like a Burger chain being unable to sell it's burgers, utterly ridiculous and impossible.
Trek Fans spend money-this game's continued existence is proof of that, but among Trekkies/Trekkers, the guys who spend like the drunken sailor on a Bangkok pass are KLINGON fans.
Now, keeping in mind that game avatars are pixels, stored on as electrons in a file. NOT steel you hae to load into the back of the truck to go to the next SCA Meet, or Convention, or Gun Show, but pixels. Not only that, but once you make it, assuming you don't **** up somewhere (Kar'fi), you don't have to make it again. The cost is sunk on creation, and your production rate is 'as fast as I can sell it'.
HOW IN ****'S NAME can you not make a profit?
I don't have the answer-but somehow, Cryptic has found a way to fail to make a profit off of people who will spend money they shouldn't on stuff with no practical value in the real world.
By responding "not available for your faction" when 70% of the customer base tries to buy them.
By segregating the Klingon fans into their own sandbox so they have to choose between playing Klingon and having a decent player population.
I'm really not sure if uniting the factions is the best course of action for this game.
Sure, it's the simplest solution- but is it the best one? Will it really contribute to long-term future growth and revenue?
PWE/Cryptic is going to do what it's going to do- but I really do wish they'd consider giving some thought to really giving more definition to the faction system, and giving it some true development time. I think in the long term it would be really valuable to them to do so rather than seek the path of least resistance and do what's "easier".
*shrugs*
It's not you- it's me. I just need my space.
Being critical doesn't take skill. Being constructively critical- which is providing alternative solutions or suggestions to a demonstrated problem, however, does.
I also say unite the factions!
Give us the option to do crossfaction teaming in regular missions!
And join eachothers fleet, not just do a crossfaction Armada! But actual a crossfaction fleet option, where KDF players can join a Fed fleet, and Fed players can join a KDF fleet... with access to eachothers places! (Fleet bases, EDS, Qo'nos, Vulcan...etc...)
What kills it for most of my friends when they try and play KDF is everyone else is playing FED side, and they don't have access to anything besides PvE Queue missions they can do together.
And with the current point in the story, its strange we still can't even team. Even in adventure zones and battle zones we can't team, dispite the story clearly states we are working together.
Honestly this game haven't had much use for the factions besides story in the first few levels. Even in pvp people from what I understand, there isn't much faction war. People can still queue up and make the teams they want.
"Please, Captain, not in front of the Klingons." Spock to Kirk, as Kirk is about to hug him.
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What would it take for me to play my KDF or ROM toon again. It not feeling like a second job to play anything other than my main toon. It's gotten so alt unfriendly it's not funny anymore.
Star Trek Battles member. Want to roll with a good group of people regardless of fleets and not have to worry about DPS while doing STFs? Come join the channel and join in the fun!
Let's face it--Klingons are a rare breed in STO anymore. We all know the story writing is little more than "UGH UGH, HIS/HER HONOR WAS BESMIRCHED!" We all know the core issue here which is a writing one.
I already have 6 level 60 fully developed KDF toons in addition to an equal number of Fed toons and wonder if the OP has actually played KDF or perhaps it's just a case of different strokes for different folks.
My own experience has been:
~ The early KDF unique storyline provided more immersion to me than the Fed storyline. These are great episodes and I wish there was more of them.
~ Back before the bfaw era flying a T5 BoP in formerly elite content required a fine touch and was a unique and rewarding experience that tested your piloting skills.
~ The KDF players are a helpful bunch.
~ I'm glad I gave KDF a try, but wouldn't have known what I'd would have been missing if a fellow fleet mate didn't start a KDF branch of our Fed fleet a long time ago. Give it a try if you haven't... it adds breath and variety to the STO experience imho.
My only complaint is some of my characters are not permitted to eat the humans. This is unfortunate.
p.s. that shiny blue Federation lighting has been proven to disrupt your sleep cycle, so playing KDF is probably a healthier choice
What would it take for me to play my KDF or ROM toon again. It not feeling like a second job to play anything other than my main toon. It's gotten so alt unfriendly it's not funny anymore.
Agreed. Though it was worse (early days of the reputation-system come to mind) at times.
However, KDF and RR still have the most epic uniforms...
I think the most merit here is - if you want more KDF stuff, make it more accessible to everyone. Unite the factions.
Faction-specific stuff is not actually such a great way to encourage people to join a specific faction. Not everyone can handle multiple alts. But once you settled for a main, your faction choice is locked. People default to Fed because that's what they know best (and at times, it was mandatory), so more Fed mains exist. But a Fed main cannot buy a KDF ship. That's a potential lost sale right there.
Of course, that doesn't mean that you actually get more KDF players. But on the other hand - flying a KDF ship might actually inspire someone to play a Real KDF character.
You missed the point entirely here.
The comparison wasn't based on technical skills, it was based on costs.
Fabrics, metals, etc cost. Man-hours (only term available) cost.
Making costumes and gear costs in time, effort and materials.
Making ships costs time and effort ONLY there are no materials.
That is a MASSIVE DIFFERENCE.
Given that difference do you see now how impossible it should be to not be able to sell non-material things (ships) to a group of fans who spend vast amounts on material (costumes, weapons, etc) items?
Answering to stockholders should make it bloody obvious that somebody is s c r e w ing with the profits by not trying to sell KDF stuff harder, not to mention the stupidity in selling sub-standard items (ships) and then being surprised it doesn't sell.
It's still primarily a hobby thing to even sell Klingon costumes. And that's a huge difference.
Also - you can actually sell the KDF costume at a higher price than a Starfleet uniform. And less people are capable of making a decent KDF costume.
And every costume must be made and has material cost individually. You make and sell a costume exactly once.
But you make a ship once and can sell it as often as you find customers to buy it. The cost of making a KDF and a Fed ship are equal. But the Fed ship sells twice as often.
And of course, cosplay is also different in that the attention spend on a costume is an important aspect of the social prestige you can gain. The more complex, the more people will be impressed by your effort. If you want to win in any costume contests, you better have something elaborate. And a Starfleet Pyjama and pointed ears are a lot less impressive then a fully fledged Klingon costume with full face make-up. Bonus if you can speak some Klingon (where as speaking English is pretty standard).
But even that in mind, I really wonder if Klingon cos-players are so much more common on conventions than Fed ones.
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I have been known to play KDF from time to time; but the only way to get me to take it seriously would be to actually make it different from playing a Fed. The KDF has always been willing to do things that Feds wouldn't; and in STO they have the Orions and Nausicaans working with them, which really should make the whole organisation that much nastier.
Piracy is one idea I've always been fond of; fighting boarding actions to steal enemy ships. Not to keep of course (because that would hurt zen store sales), but to turn in to Orion contacts or something; the bigger and more exotic the ship, the bigger the pay off.
Missions that remind players that the Klingons are brutal conquerers would also help (putting down uprisings by oppressed conquered populations for example).
Culturally ingrained honour system or not, the Klingons just aren't nice; and most of their current partners are even less so. I think STO (and some of the players to an extent) need to come to terms with that to make being in the KDF really work as an alternate gameplay experience.
I think the most merit here is - if you want more KDF stuff, make it more accessible to everyone. Unite the factions.
This will have the exact opposite effect.
For whatever reason, KDF "stuff" gets very little development. Uniting the factions means NO development, because KDF players can just use existing Federation assets. No need to make a T6 Vo'quv, you have the T6 Jupiter. No need for more outfits, because KDF outfits are icky. Here are some sleek Jupiter outfits. Why bother to revamp Qo'nos when you have sexy new Earth Space Dock.
Uniting the factions means no more Klingon Defense Force. It means everyone is Federation. You are fooling yourself if you think otherwise. If very few players enjoy KDF stuff now, they wont magically like it when the KDF is assimilated into the Federation.
The only benefit from uniting the factions is so Federation players can buy the Plasmonic Leech for all thier characters for one easy Zen payment.
Also I think PWE missed a big opportunity to split the story back up in the Delta arc. I said it in the past but the Federation could of been the team that dealt with more of diplomatic missions(that sometimes turned into gunfights) while the KDF could of been taking the fight to the Vodwaaur and any other hostile forces while the Romulans could of been doing more of the behind the scenes Intel work instead of forcing all 3 factions to do the same thing.
That way there is a reason to play more than one faction. But instead they continue the "all roads lead to one" TRIBBLE. Which is why I say it's a damn chore playing more than one main toon.
Star Trek Battles member. Want to roll with a good group of people regardless of fleets and not have to worry about DPS while doing STFs? Come join the channel and join in the fun!
I think the most merit here is - if you want more KDF stuff, make it more accessible to everyone. Unite the factions.
This will have the exact opposite effect.
For whatever reason, KDF "stuff" gets very little development. Uniting the factions means NO development, because KDF players can just use existing Federation assets. No need to make a T6 Vo'quv, you have the T6 Jupiter. No need for more outfits, because KDF outfits are icky. Here are some sleek Jupiter outfits. Why bother to revamp Qo'nos when you have sexy new Earth Space Dock.
Uniting the factions means no more Klingon Defense Force. It means everyone is Federation. You are fooling yourself if you think otherwise. If very few players enjoy KDF stuff now, they wont magically like it when the KDF is assimilated into the Federation.
The only benefit from uniting the factions is so Federation players can buy the Plasmonic Leech for all thier characters for one easy Zen payment.
We already have no ETA on a T6 Vo'Quv. So, what you're proposing is a situation in which the KDF has little attention paid to it compared to Fed, where future development is uncertain.
Even though we are already, at present, in that very same situation. You fear desegregating the factions and allowing players easier access to play with each other regardless of faction because of the prospect that things will remain as they are, not because things will somehow be worse.
Which is a possibility, sure. But you're still missing the meritous point that players would be capable of playing with each other without this ever being uttered, "Oh, sorry. You can't join me, you aren't in my faction."
Not to mention that uniting the factions can come in a myriad of forms, with a different set of rules than that which you are proposing. Desegregation is not a zero sum game.
Given that difference do you see now how impossible it should be to not be able to sell non-material things (ships) to a group of fans who spend vast amounts on material (costumes, weapons, etc) items?
That batleth? Those costumes? All that stuff that the Klingon fans spend money on? They own those things.
The pixels that make up that ship in this game? Not so much.
Someone has the money, they enjoy the game? Spend your money how you please, but spending money on material things, on real property, is different from spending it on pixels that exist only so long as this game is a thing, and that are not guaranteed to "hold their value" in any event.
Even if Klingon main players were twice as likely as Federation main players to spend real money on pixels, there are more than twice as many Federation main players.
So you're ignoring the fact that there is a group of fans willing to part with their money to buy Klingon theme items and cryptic CAN NOT get them to spend money on this game?
It doesn't matter that there are more players using all or mostly Federation characters, the problem is that cryptic CAN NOT sell Klingon themed ships, that is a massive problem because that is a guaranteed source of income that they have managed to drive away.
To put this problem as simply as I can it's like a Burger chain being unable to sell it's burgers, utterly ridiculous and impossible.
I think those Klingon cosplayers would jump at the chance to play a KDF character in the game. They'd then grow increasingly angry over how the faction has been neglected also.
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At the first - the game's KDF community stopping being a bunch of arrogant "better than you" elitists on the simple grounds that they choose to associate themselves primary with Klingon Empire. As illustrated by the whole bunch of posters in the topic.
Sorry if anyone has mentioned the same things previously but I was unable to read all the replies (yet).
Firstly, I would need time. Considering I have 10 chars (some are KDF) you can probably see where this is going. I can at most play two or three missions and do a queue or two a day. For all the chars.
What changes could happen to the game to help me?
Account wide for:
Items
Reputation marks
Currency (dill+EC)
I have a KDF.
But after suffering through the one-dimensional mission dialogue, I just got bored.
I chose to make my character as a warrior diplomat, he's the kind of guy that will fight you with words and intellect.
But if you start expressing your point of view with a weapon, he'll just pull it out of your hands and say "do you really want to fight me, knowing that I can just pin you to the wall one handed?" Thrax.
That's what he looks like, I was playing against the stereotype that someone big and strong isn't a violent brute as you'd expect, but educated, polite and intelligent.
But I never get the opportunity to play him the way I intended, his dialogue, optional mission choices, it's all Klingon death, honour and glory.
I may as well be playing a Klingon in a funny costume for all the good it achieved.
And it gets worse when you read the crew dialogue.
Why would an Orion science officer be ranting about blood, besmirched honor and demanding the excruiating painful death of your enemies?
Shouldn't she just be geeking out over the newest stellar readings or the fascinating rock the survey team just brought back?
None of my crew are Klingon, but they are all treated as though they were, much like their Captain.
I was aware of the update that gave the KDF some new story missions and the only thing that entered my mind was "more honor/glory stories? Not worth my time".
Then I ignored them and found something more practical to do.
And I always think of this webcomic whenever it comes to Klingons.
As for gameplay, I find pure KDF queues take longer to launch then the starfleet ones.
There have been occasions where I've grown so tired of waiting, I just log out and don't bother waiting for a KDF only fleet action (starbase defend normally).
For the record, I have 1 Starfleet, 1 KDF, 2 Romulans (both Starfleet aligned).
Out of those 4, the KDF is the least played.
Bees like honey, they don't like vinegar.
Everytime someone makes a character that is an copy of an existing superhuman, Creativity is sad
My first character was a kdf, then I noticed the one dimensional "hey I assume you're a fed" story dialogues. Got annoyed rather quickly. Cryptic killed off most of KDF with it's choices. They should focus on romulans and kdf more, but it makes them less money because of how they've set things up. Sure they are better than what they were at beta, but if you play klingon you're really only giving yourself 20% of the content. Kind of pathetic on their end, I mean they could have done so much with the Gorn Hemongy and the 23c Klingon Empire. I'd write it for free lol, just to see some more klingon stuff.
I think the most merit here is - if you want more KDF stuff, make it more accessible to everyone. Unite the factions.
This will have the exact opposite effect.
For whatever reason, KDF "stuff" gets very little development. Uniting the factions means NO development, because KDF players can just use existing Federation assets. No need to make a T6 Vo'quv, you have the T6 Jupiter. No need for more outfits, because KDF outfits are icky. Here are some sleek Jupiter outfits. Why bother to revamp Qo'nos when you have sexy new Earth Space Dock.
There is a need for a T6 Vo'Quv - it looks completely different than a Jupiter. And you can give it a different flavour than the Jupiter, too, with a different specializations and a different bridge officer loadout. We have appproximately 2 Million different Fed Cruisers by now, and people still ask for more. Be it the Connie, the Ambassador, the Sovereign, whatever.
But there will probably never be more than a token faction-specific story content for any faction. Not the KDF, not the Fed, not the RR, not TOS. Everything in the future will be faction-agnostic. That is the most economical thing for Cryptic to do, and it's still quite easy to spin stories that involve primarily one faction, but allow a character from any faction to join. ALl the stories that require more exclusivity - they won't be told by the developers. Foundry authors - maybe, probably even. THe devs? No. They want to reach the entire player audience with their story content, regardless of what class, species, ship or faction they prefer.
If you still believe that there is a way for more faction-specific content, think again. It's not economical. Look to other MMOs, and see how little in faction-specific content - if any - they still deliver.
It just will not happen. Outside of a TOS-style introduction campaign, the future is faction-agnostic story content.
What you can hope for is that we get to see more faction-appropriate ships and costumes. And the best way to get there is to make it more widely available. By locking ships to a faction, for example, you basically make the best economical choice for Cryptic to release ships only for the most played faction. If you don't lock it, they can do what they already do with the lockboxes - make any type of ship and sell it to any player.
Of course, KDF players will only see this as meaning that their exclusive stuff is given away to Feds, and now they have the cool KDF toys. But what is more important than exclusive stuff is the fundamental ability to create a faction-appropriate character and still play whatever play style you like. But if Cryptic can choose spending x resources on a new Carrier, and they can get more players interested for the Fed variant than for the KDF variant, why bother?
Imagine instead of the Cross-Faction triples we have now, Cryptic would just release a single Tier 6 Vo'Quv, but make it available to everyone. ANd it's the only Carrier with, say, full Temporal or Command Specialization. THere will never be a Fed version, there will never be a RR version, it's KDF only. The don't need to provide one for the other factions, because the ship is already available to anyone. Now the KDF players have an awesome Carrier that they can play, but everyone else could decide to play it, too. It benefits the KDF players more than Cryptic deciding not to make that Carrier at all, because it won't sell. It will likely even work better than making a Cross-Faction Triple Pack of Carriers with similar stats, because that would dilute sales and definitetely require 3 times the workload for the art department.
Star Trek Online Advancement: You start with lowbie gear, you end with Lobi gear.
May as well give Feds a Singularity Core while you're at it. I am done listening to the justifications that Feds need everything from every faction and poorly disguising it as solution to give KDF more ships at the cost of losing everything unique to the faction. Feds already have a carrier, even though Romulans and Klings have been asking for a carrier and science ship for ages.
"Great men are not peacemakers, Great men are conquerors!" - Captain Archer" "When diplomacy fails, there's only one alternative - violence. Force must be applied without apology. It's the Starfleet way." - Captain Janeway #Support Mirror Universe I.S.S. Prefixes
And with the current point in the story, its strange we still can't even team. Even in adventure zones and battle zones we can't team, dispite the story clearly states we are working together.
Honestly this game haven't had much use for the factions besides story in the first few levels. Even in pvp people from what I understand, there isn't much faction war. People can still queue up and make the teams they want.
Yeah, at this point in the story cross faction teaming just makes sense.
I have been known to play KDF from time to time; but the only way to get me to take it seriously would be to actually make it different from playing a Fed. The KDF has always been willing to do things that Feds wouldn't; and in STO they have the Orions and Nausicaans working with them, which really should make the whole organisation that much nastier.
Piracy is one idea I've always been fond of; fighting boarding actions to steal enemy ships. Not to keep of course (because that would hurt zen store sales), but to turn in to Orion contacts or something; the bigger and more exotic the ship, the bigger the pay off.
A lot of doff missions are flavored around that.... Then there's the mission where you raid Utopia Planetia. That was a lot of fun!
I mentioned it afew pages ago that I'd favor cross-faction teaming and armadas, but I'd like toclarify that I don't believe that the KDF should be 'merged' into the Federation.
The Klingon Defense Force should stand as a seperate entity from Starfleet, however, that doesn't mean that the playerbase should be seperated into two groups. (TNG and DS9 showed us that the Empire and the Federation can 'play' together while still remaining seperate governing bodies) Allowing KDF players and Fed players to play together would encourage players such as myself to playing KDF more often (perhaps even promoting my KDF to a 'main'), as I would still be able to play with friends and fleet members who are firmly Fed.
Of course, I would like KDF to get more unique goodies. A T6 sci ship (a proper Klingon counterpart of the Vesta would be HOT!), Vo'quv, or perhaps even a Vor'cha or K'tinga. Mmmm...
...
Uhh, anyway, considering Cryptic is unlikely to invest much into improving KDF if the trend of diminishing player numbers continues, the first step should be to promote playing KDF without significant investment to stop (or even reverse) this trend.
Once player numbers start to improve, then Cryptic can justify (to the powers-that-be) investing into improving/polishing up the Empire.
@orion0029 In WoW they showed this. Both sides was totally different, but they played nice at times. STO would done well to do this. It would make the KDF side many times better.
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Comments
You missed the point entirely here.
The comparison wasn't based on technical skills, it was based on costs.
Fabrics, metals, etc cost. Man-hours (only term available) cost.
Making costumes and gear costs in time, effort and materials.
Making ships costs time and effort ONLY there are no materials.
That is a MASSIVE DIFFERENCE.
Given that difference do you see now how impossible it should be to not be able to sell non-material things (ships) to a group of fans who spend vast amounts on material (costumes, weapons, etc) items?
Answering to stockholders should make it bloody obvious that somebody is s c r e w ing with the profits by not trying to sell KDF stuff harder, not to mention the stupidity in selling sub-standard items (ships) and then being surprised it doesn't sell.
If cryptic was a company focused on profits then ANYONE who threatened those profits would be fired as soon as they became a problem, so Geko's infamous 'I hate working on KDF stuff' line would have gotten him booted out the door within hours and we wouldn't be having this discussion.
Not to mention the Varanus wouldn't be a simple re-skinned copy of a level 40 Fed ship, the Bortasqu's would have been comparable to the Odyssey not the gimped versions we got.
The KDF's faction unique ships, Battle-cruiser and Carriers, and consoles would never have been handed to the Feds on a platter either.
That gimping of ships for KDF whilst the Feds get over-powered versions is the main source of tension between the two die-hard groups.
Especially as you have to spend the same amount of time (paid man-hours) to make a gimped, under-performing, sub-standard scrap-pile ship as you do a decent, average ship.
That batleth? Those costumes? All that stuff that the Klingon fans spend money on? They own those things.
The pixels that make up that ship in this game? Not so much.
Someone has the money, they enjoy the game? Spend your money how you please, but spending money on material things, on real property, is different from spending it on pixels that exist only so long as this game is a thing, and that are not guaranteed to "hold their value" in any event.
Even if Klingon main players were twice as likely as Federation main players to spend real money on pixels, there are more than twice as many Federation main players.
*salty*
So you're ignoring the fact that there is a group of fans willing to part with their money to buy Klingon theme items and cryptic CAN NOT get them to spend money on this game?
It doesn't matter that there are more players using all or mostly Federation characters, the problem is that cryptic CAN NOT sell Klingon themed ships, that is a massive problem because that is a guaranteed source of income that they have managed to drive away.
To put this problem as simply as I can it's like a Burger chain being unable to sell it's burgers, utterly ridiculous and impossible.
By segregating the Klingon fans into their own sandbox so they have to choose between playing Klingon and having a decent player population.
Unite the factions. Seriously.
Sure, it's the simplest solution- but is it the best one? Will it really contribute to long-term future growth and revenue?
PWE/Cryptic is going to do what it's going to do- but I really do wish they'd consider giving some thought to really giving more definition to the faction system, and giving it some true development time. I think in the long term it would be really valuable to them to do so rather than seek the path of least resistance and do what's "easier".
*shrugs*
Being critical doesn't take skill. Being constructively critical- which is providing alternative solutions or suggestions to a demonstrated problem, however, does.
I also say unite the factions!
Give us the option to do crossfaction teaming in regular missions!
And join eachothers fleet, not just do a crossfaction Armada! But actual a crossfaction fleet option, where KDF players can join a Fed fleet, and Fed players can join a KDF fleet... with access to eachothers places! (Fleet bases, EDS, Qo'nos, Vulcan...etc...)
What kills it for most of my friends when they try and play KDF is everyone else is playing FED side, and they don't have access to anything besides PvE Queue missions they can do together.
And with the current point in the story, its strange we still can't even team. Even in adventure zones and battle zones we can't team, dispite the story clearly states we are working together.
Honestly this game haven't had much use for the factions besides story in the first few levels. Even in pvp people from what I understand, there isn't much faction war. People can still queue up and make the teams they want.
Spock to Kirk, as Kirk is about to hug him.
Star Trek V: "The Final Frontier"
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http://forum.arcgames.com/startrekonline/discussion/1145998/star-trek-battles-channel-got-canon/p1
Best answer. Me too!
I already have 6 level 60 fully developed KDF toons in addition to an equal number of Fed toons and wonder if the OP has actually played KDF or perhaps it's just a case of different strokes for different folks.
My own experience has been:
~ The early KDF unique storyline provided more immersion to me than the Fed storyline. These are great episodes and I wish there was more of them.
~ Back before the bfaw era flying a T5 BoP in formerly elite content required a fine touch and was a unique and rewarding experience that tested your piloting skills.
~ The KDF players are a helpful bunch.
~ I'm glad I gave KDF a try, but wouldn't have known what I'd would have been missing if a fellow fleet mate didn't start a KDF branch of our Fed fleet a long time ago. Give it a try if you haven't... it adds breath and variety to the STO experience imho.
My only complaint is some of my characters are not permitted to eat the humans. This is unfortunate.
p.s. that shiny blue Federation lighting has been proven to disrupt your sleep cycle, so playing KDF is probably a healthier choice
Agreed. Though it was worse (early days of the reputation-system come to mind) at times.
However, KDF and RR still have the most epic uniforms...
Faction-specific stuff is not actually such a great way to encourage people to join a specific faction. Not everyone can handle multiple alts. But once you settled for a main, your faction choice is locked. People default to Fed because that's what they know best (and at times, it was mandatory), so more Fed mains exist. But a Fed main cannot buy a KDF ship. That's a potential lost sale right there.
Of course, that doesn't mean that you actually get more KDF players. But on the other hand - flying a KDF ship might actually inspire someone to play a Real KDF character.
It's still primarily a hobby thing to even sell Klingon costumes. And that's a huge difference.
Also - you can actually sell the KDF costume at a higher price than a Starfleet uniform. And less people are capable of making a decent KDF costume.
And every costume must be made and has material cost individually. You make and sell a costume exactly once.
But you make a ship once and can sell it as often as you find customers to buy it. The cost of making a KDF and a Fed ship are equal. But the Fed ship sells twice as often.
And of course, cosplay is also different in that the attention spend on a costume is an important aspect of the social prestige you can gain. The more complex, the more people will be impressed by your effort. If you want to win in any costume contests, you better have something elaborate. And a Starfleet Pyjama and pointed ears are a lot less impressive then a fully fledged Klingon costume with full face make-up. Bonus if you can speak some Klingon (where as speaking English is pretty standard).
But even that in mind, I really wonder if Klingon cos-players are so much more common on conventions than Fed ones.
Piracy is one idea I've always been fond of; fighting boarding actions to steal enemy ships. Not to keep of course (because that would hurt zen store sales), but to turn in to Orion contacts or something; the bigger and more exotic the ship, the bigger the pay off.
Missions that remind players that the Klingons are brutal conquerers would also help (putting down uprisings by oppressed conquered populations for example).
Culturally ingrained honour system or not, the Klingons just aren't nice; and most of their current partners are even less so. I think STO (and some of the players to an extent) need to come to terms with that to make being in the KDF really work as an alternate gameplay experience.
For whatever reason, KDF "stuff" gets very little development. Uniting the factions means NO development, because KDF players can just use existing Federation assets. No need to make a T6 Vo'quv, you have the T6 Jupiter. No need for more outfits, because KDF outfits are icky. Here are some sleek Jupiter outfits. Why bother to revamp Qo'nos when you have sexy new Earth Space Dock.
Uniting the factions means no more Klingon Defense Force. It means everyone is Federation. You are fooling yourself if you think otherwise. If very few players enjoy KDF stuff now, they wont magically like it when the KDF is assimilated into the Federation.
The only benefit from uniting the factions is so Federation players can buy the Plasmonic Leech for all thier characters for one easy Zen payment.
That way there is a reason to play more than one faction. But instead they continue the "all roads lead to one" TRIBBLE. Which is why I say it's a damn chore playing more than one main toon.
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http://forum.arcgames.com/startrekonline/discussion/1145998/star-trek-battles-channel-got-canon/p1
We already have no ETA on a T6 Vo'Quv. So, what you're proposing is a situation in which the KDF has little attention paid to it compared to Fed, where future development is uncertain.
Even though we are already, at present, in that very same situation. You fear desegregating the factions and allowing players easier access to play with each other regardless of faction because of the prospect that things will remain as they are, not because things will somehow be worse.
Which is a possibility, sure. But you're still missing the meritous point that players would be capable of playing with each other without this ever being uttered, "Oh, sorry. You can't join me, you aren't in my faction."
Not to mention that uniting the factions can come in a myriad of forms, with a different set of rules than that which you are proposing. Desegregation is not a zero sum game.
I think those Klingon cosplayers would jump at the chance to play a KDF character in the game. They'd then grow increasingly angry over how the faction has been neglected also.
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Firstly, I would need time. Considering I have 10 chars (some are KDF) you can probably see where this is going. I can at most play two or three missions and do a queue or two a day. For all the chars.
What changes could happen to the game to help me?
Account wide for:
Items
Reputation marks
Currency (dill+EC)
But after suffering through the one-dimensional mission dialogue, I just got bored.
I chose to make my character as a warrior diplomat, he's the kind of guy that will fight you with words and intellect.
But if you start expressing your point of view with a weapon, he'll just pull it out of your hands and say "do you really want to fight me, knowing that I can just pin you to the wall one handed?"
Thrax.
That's what he looks like, I was playing against the stereotype that someone big and strong isn't a violent brute as you'd expect, but educated, polite and intelligent.
But I never get the opportunity to play him the way I intended, his dialogue, optional mission choices, it's all Klingon death, honour and glory.
I may as well be playing a Klingon in a funny costume for all the good it achieved.
And it gets worse when you read the crew dialogue.
Why would an Orion science officer be ranting about blood, besmirched honor and demanding the excruiating painful death of your enemies?
Shouldn't she just be geeking out over the newest stellar readings or the fascinating rock the survey team just brought back?
None of my crew are Klingon, but they are all treated as though they were, much like their Captain.
I was aware of the update that gave the KDF some new story missions and the only thing that entered my mind was "more honor/glory stories? Not worth my time".
Then I ignored them and found something more practical to do.
And I always think of this webcomic whenever it comes to Klingons.
As for gameplay, I find pure KDF queues take longer to launch then the starfleet ones.
There have been occasions where I've grown so tired of waiting, I just log out and don't bother waiting for a KDF only fleet action (starbase defend normally).
For the record, I have 1 Starfleet, 1 KDF, 2 Romulans (both Starfleet aligned).
Out of those 4, the KDF is the least played.
Bees like honey, they don't like vinegar.
Everytime someone makes a character that is an copy of an existing superhuman, Creativity is sad
But there will probably never be more than a token faction-specific story content for any faction. Not the KDF, not the Fed, not the RR, not TOS. Everything in the future will be faction-agnostic. That is the most economical thing for Cryptic to do, and it's still quite easy to spin stories that involve primarily one faction, but allow a character from any faction to join. ALl the stories that require more exclusivity - they won't be told by the developers. Foundry authors - maybe, probably even. THe devs? No. They want to reach the entire player audience with their story content, regardless of what class, species, ship or faction they prefer.
If you still believe that there is a way for more faction-specific content, think again. It's not economical. Look to other MMOs, and see how little in faction-specific content - if any - they still deliver.
It just will not happen. Outside of a TOS-style introduction campaign, the future is faction-agnostic story content.
What you can hope for is that we get to see more faction-appropriate ships and costumes. And the best way to get there is to make it more widely available. By locking ships to a faction, for example, you basically make the best economical choice for Cryptic to release ships only for the most played faction. If you don't lock it, they can do what they already do with the lockboxes - make any type of ship and sell it to any player.
Of course, KDF players will only see this as meaning that their exclusive stuff is given away to Feds, and now they have the cool KDF toys. But what is more important than exclusive stuff is the fundamental ability to create a faction-appropriate character and still play whatever play style you like. But if Cryptic can choose spending x resources on a new Carrier, and they can get more players interested for the Fed variant than for the KDF variant, why bother?
Imagine instead of the Cross-Faction triples we have now, Cryptic would just release a single Tier 6 Vo'Quv, but make it available to everyone. ANd it's the only Carrier with, say, full Temporal or Command Specialization. THere will never be a Fed version, there will never be a RR version, it's KDF only. The don't need to provide one for the other factions, because the ship is already available to anyone. Now the KDF players have an awesome Carrier that they can play, but everyone else could decide to play it, too. It benefits the KDF players more than Cryptic deciding not to make that Carrier at all, because it won't sell. It will likely even work better than making a Cross-Faction Triple Pack of Carriers with similar stats, because that would dilute sales and definitetely require 3 times the workload for the art department.
"When diplomacy fails, there's only one alternative - violence. Force must be applied without apology. It's the Starfleet way." - Captain Janeway
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My character Tsin'xing
USS Casinghead NCC 92047 launched 2350
Fleet Admiral Stowe - Dominion War Vet.
Yeah, I'm absolutely loving the Kelvin Timeline Klingon Regalia. My klingon feels more... klingony.
The Klingon Defense Force should stand as a seperate entity from Starfleet, however, that doesn't mean that the playerbase should be seperated into two groups. (TNG and DS9 showed us that the Empire and the Federation can 'play' together while still remaining seperate governing bodies) Allowing KDF players and Fed players to play together would encourage players such as myself to playing KDF more often (perhaps even promoting my KDF to a 'main'), as I would still be able to play with friends and fleet members who are firmly Fed.
Of course, I would like KDF to get more unique goodies. A T6 sci ship (a proper Klingon counterpart of the Vesta would be HOT!), Vo'quv, or perhaps even a Vor'cha or K'tinga. Mmmm...
...
Uhh, anyway, considering Cryptic is unlikely to invest much into improving KDF if the trend of diminishing player numbers continues, the first step should be to promote playing KDF without significant investment to stop (or even reverse) this trend.
Once player numbers start to improve, then Cryptic can justify (to the powers-that-be) investing into improving/polishing up the Empire.
I'm loving the original Gorn looks.
@orion0029
In WoW they showed this. Both sides was totally different, but they played nice at times. STO would done well to do this. It would make the KDF side many times better.
USS Casinghead NCC 92047 launched 2350
Fleet Admiral Stowe - Dominion War Vet.