The Romulan Reputation is badly in need of some simple fixes to its current structure.
This Reputation line is the only one in the game that requires completion of multiple combat missions in order to finish. These are directly tied into the New Romulus story arc missions, making it difficult to do them, unless you know to play the specific missions required - - as the Reputation mission window text for each one is extremely vague.
Here is the list of all Romulan Reputation missions followed by a list of easy fixes which would make the progression much less confusing and difficult:
New Romulus Reputation missions
Tier 1: “Hidden Camera”: Someone gives the player a recording of D'Tan sparring with Subcommander Khiana, a Tal Shiar officer.
Tier 2: “Secret Shuttle Codes”: The aforementioned anonymous person leads the player to a Tal Shiar Shuttle that contains a recording of Commander Ruul discussing D'Tan with Khiana and a Hirogen Alpha. Completed by playing “Mountain Base”.
Tier 3: “Web Access”: The player watches a communications log showing the Tholian plans to exploit the ancient technology found beneath the surface of New Romulus. Completed by playing “Overgrown Caves”.
Tier 4: “Latest Findings”: A Romulan archeologist explains D'Tan and the player her recent findings on the fate of the ancient Dewans.
Tier 5: “Secrets of the Ancients”: The player discovers an Iconian gateway beneath the surface of New Romulus. Completed by playing “The Power Source”.
Fixes:
Tier 1 works as is (because it isn’t tied to other mission).
Tier 2 is where the problems start. Currently when Tier 2 is reached, the “Secret Shuttle Codes” mission automatically appears in the player’s mission window. It only states, ‘Go to the Mountain Pass’ which is vague in the extreme. This text should be changed to ‘Play the Mountain Base mission and find the shuttle codes’. The “Mountain Base” mission should automatically be added to the player’s mission window/log upon reaching Romulan Reputation Tier 2 as well, REGARDLESS OF A PLAYERS PROGRESSION IN THE NORMAL NEW ROMULUS ARC.
Tier 3 has the same issues as Tier 2 and can be fixed in the same way. Change the mission window text to read, ‘Play the Overgrown Caves mission and input codes’ having the mission “Overgrown Caves” automatically added to the player’s mission window/log when Tier 3 is reached.
Tier 4 works as is (like Tier 1, it isn’t tied to any other mission).
Tier 5 has the same problems as Tiers 2 and 3. The mission “The Power Source” should automatically be added to the player’s mission log and the mission window text for “Secrets of the Ancients” should say “Play The Power Source mission and signal D’Tan”.
Honestly, at this point in the game, the requirement to run the Romulan Reputation missions is a bit extreme. No other Reputation has these requirements. I would like to suggest that the console directly across from the “View Arrival Log’ console by the transporter pad in the Staging Area on New Romulus be used like the Deep Space Nine console in OPs for reputation ‘cut scenes’. Once a player reaches a certain Tier in the Romulan Reputation line, they simply have to go to the console on New Romulus and watch them (no combat mission required). This would bring the Romulan Reputation system right in line with every other Reputation system in the game making it much less frustration and confusing – especially for new players.
(Note, if a player wishes he/she can skip doing the missions until reaching Tier 5, only finishing “The Power Source” mission (and signaling D’Tan within) to receive the final Romulan Reputation rewards. All other rep missions are optional. This is another good argument to simply have them shown on the console (like DS9) when each tier is reached.)
As an aside, while playing these missions I found that each them could also do with a couple of minor tweaks:
“Mountain Base” needs to have the radius of the ‘entry’ area in the adventure zone reduced. It is practically touching the transporter area where the NPCs are standing. It should be smaller and placed up in the pass proper. The voiceover of the Romulan commander saying he is now going to personally deal with the intruders near the end of the mission plays too soon. The ‘trigger’ should be moved back to after the first Hirogen squad is defeated.
“Overgrown Caves” The second cave inside has Arthropods mixed in with Romulan Scientists; they need to be moved from this room (see below). The captured Romulan Scientist shouldn’t be trapped in the web in the fourth cave. He is clearly shown in a Tholian cage in the ‘cut scene’ at the end – he should be placed in one of the empty cells in the last cave (the Arthropods from the earlier ‘Scientist Room’ should be placed in this cave). The Tholian ‘sidebar’ dialog about intruders triggers too soon. It should start when the player crosses the first Tholian doorway (the entrance to the next to last cave).
“The Power Source” should have the final ‘choice’ dialog buttons re-ordered in priority. Currently “Exit Caves” sits at the top of the list, making it extremely easy to hit it instead of “Signal D’Tan” (or by simply pushing ‘F”), ending the mission immediately with no chance to talk to D’Tan - - forcing an aggravating replay of the mission. The buttons should have “Take items” at the top, with “Signal D’Tan” under that, and “Exit Caves” being at the very bottom - - however an even better solution would be to simply move the “Exit Caves” button to the right sidebar, just like it is in “Overgrown Caves”. Also, a minor issue, the environmental suit areas should be filled with the ‘heat wave’ special effect – after all the Tholians are running around with no suits, so it should be hot there.
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