While the idea of an unaligned faction is interesting, it'd likely ultimately be meaningless as they'd last all of the tutorial before being made to pick a side. Ironically enough, we already have this. They're called the Romulans. Off doing their own thing not bothering noone then suddenly, Tal Shiar and galactic war.
I think it's a great idea, but I might just be an idiot...
The faction would be "INDEPENDENT". Once "x" level in whatever existing faction is met, you could "resign" your commission and go INDEPENDENT. Several systems would need to be added, an economy (like ELITE, or FREELANCER), a "justice" reputation system, etc. An INDEPENDENT, like any captain would have it's own "specializations" (trader/smuggler/merchant, pirate/privateer, bounty hunter, etc.) to focus on. An INDEPENDENT would have a reputation level (positive or negative) with each of the primary factions, and depending on the player specialization and their mission performance they could gain or lose rep with any of the factions. An INDEPENDENT can fly ANY ship, but until enuff rep is earned with a given faction, they might be limited to a particular tier.
There would need to be procedural generated mission/tasks that could be accepted from the faction embassy's related to the INDEPENDENT specializations. Obviously transport/sell cargo from colony "A" to colony "B" would be very easy to implement. Maybe even ship customization (console spaces/weapon spaces consumed by cargo holds, prisoner brig, etc.). Getting caught smuggling cargo, performing "privateer" tasks for a faction, or just going straight pirate would influence the justice system, which ultimately could result in a player bounty (NPC bounty hunters randomly pop into missions, etc.). Getting blow'd up with a bounty could end you up with stiff fines, confiscation of cargo, or even send you to a penal colony mission (see UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY). Independent privateers/pirates/operatives might be commissioned to do the dirty work a faction could not do directly due to politics, or just dirty work (earn yer QUARK garbage scow ship)
As an example of how a smuggling run mission might play out:
- player cloaks and passes though the blockade with no negative rep to any faction.
- player goes in guns blazing and delivers the cargo and loses rep with the blockading faction
- player visits blockading faction embassy in advance and purchases security codes (it's an old code, but it checks out).
Independent crew BOFFs would have to be recruited/paid, based on your rep.
Think Sid Myers PIRATES in an STO setting. It should also be possible to re-join your original faction with a slight degrade in rank.
That's always been my take on how an civilian/privateer/independent faction might be implemented in the game too; a unique tutorial, and then you pick an main faction affiliation kinda like with the Romulans currently. Then maybe a few unique missions, traits, ships and rewards.
I doubt Cryptic will ever do it, but then I never thought I'd ever see Kelvin Timeline ships in here either and now I've got two of them. So the dream lives on. If they ever did, I'd create an independent freighter captain character as soon as possible.
That's always been my take on how an civilian/privateer/independent faction might be implemented in the game too; a unique tutorial, and then you pick an main faction affiliation kinda like with the Romulans currently. Then maybe a few unique missions, traits, ships and rewards.
I doubt Cryptic will ever do it, but then I never thought I'd ever see Kelvin Timeline ships in here either and now I've got two of them. So the dream lives on. If they ever did, I'd create an independent freighter captain character as soon as possible.
I'd go inde in a hot second, imagine the custom ship grafix and uniforms you could run with alone!! Somebody tell CRYPTIC there's a butt load of money to be had playing SPACE BARBIE. If they had a "GALAXY RANGER" career, I'd go lifetime sub.
Comments
The faction would be "INDEPENDENT". Once "x" level in whatever existing faction is met, you could "resign" your commission and go INDEPENDENT. Several systems would need to be added, an economy (like ELITE, or FREELANCER), a "justice" reputation system, etc. An INDEPENDENT, like any captain would have it's own "specializations" (trader/smuggler/merchant, pirate/privateer, bounty hunter, etc.) to focus on. An INDEPENDENT would have a reputation level (positive or negative) with each of the primary factions, and depending on the player specialization and their mission performance they could gain or lose rep with any of the factions. An INDEPENDENT can fly ANY ship, but until enuff rep is earned with a given faction, they might be limited to a particular tier.
There would need to be procedural generated mission/tasks that could be accepted from the faction embassy's related to the INDEPENDENT specializations. Obviously transport/sell cargo from colony "A" to colony "B" would be very easy to implement. Maybe even ship customization (console spaces/weapon spaces consumed by cargo holds, prisoner brig, etc.). Getting caught smuggling cargo, performing "privateer" tasks for a faction, or just going straight pirate would influence the justice system, which ultimately could result in a player bounty (NPC bounty hunters randomly pop into missions, etc.). Getting blow'd up with a bounty could end you up with stiff fines, confiscation of cargo, or even send you to a penal colony mission (see UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY). Independent privateers/pirates/operatives might be commissioned to do the dirty work a faction could not do directly due to politics, or just dirty work (earn yer QUARK garbage scow ship)
As an example of how a smuggling run mission might play out:
- player cloaks and passes though the blockade with no negative rep to any faction.
- player goes in guns blazing and delivers the cargo and loses rep with the blockading faction
- player visits blockading faction embassy in advance and purchases security codes (it's an old code, but it checks out).
Independent crew BOFFs would have to be recruited/paid, based on your rep.
Think Sid Myers PIRATES in an STO setting. It should also be possible to re-join your original faction with a slight degrade in rank.
That's always been my take on how an civilian/privateer/independent faction might be implemented in the game too; a unique tutorial, and then you pick an main faction affiliation kinda like with the Romulans currently. Then maybe a few unique missions, traits, ships and rewards.
I doubt Cryptic will ever do it, but then I never thought I'd ever see Kelvin Timeline ships in here either and now I've got two of them. So the dream lives on. If they ever did, I'd create an independent freighter captain character as soon as possible.
I'd go inde in a hot second, imagine the custom ship grafix and uniforms you could run with alone!! Somebody tell CRYPTIC there's a butt load of money to be had playing SPACE BARBIE. If they had a "GALAXY RANGER" career, I'd go lifetime sub.
Let's call it an oldie but a goodie