test content
Logo
What is the Arc Client?
Install Arc
Idea: Arne Darvin brings some PvE relief with the SABOTAGE system!
System
Member, NoReporting Posts: 178,019 Arc User
NOTE: I'm sharing this here at the request of StormShade. TLDR version to follow.
First of all, what follows is not a complete solution to the Klingon content shortage but it serves as a stopgap, allowing a full PvE progression track for Klingons. Once Klingon content is up to par (and only then), the Federation could be given a corresponding system.
According to the secondary sources, the Klingon infiltrator who took the name "Arne Darvin" and "Barry Waddle" in the episodes "The Trouble with Tribbles" and "Trials and Tribble-ations" was a Klingon named Gralmek, surgically modified by Klingon Intelligence to appear human.
Now... What I propose is this:
Klingon players have the opportunity to have covert dealings with the House of Gralmek and even Gralmek himself, restored to his true Klingon form (bypassing likeness issues with Charlie Brill). The house itself is dishonored and it should be clear that its methods are seen as shady or suspect to the average Klingon. However, it should also be made clear that there is an underlying sense of honor or at least morality behind Gralmek's methods, that he believes that the war with the Federation is far too costly and results in warriors dying deaths which are unworthy compared to death in battle against superior foes such as the Undine, the Borg, and the Fek'Ihri. His goal is not to cowardly avoid battle but simply to redirect warriors towards more worthy opponents, while more efficiently dealing with the Federation.
The core of the system is as follows:
Klingon players deal with the House of Gralmek, leading up to an offer to participate in his house's infiltration efforts against the Federation. Upon doing so, Klingons are granted an extra costume slot where they select a human appearance with a set of "off-duty" or Starfleet clothing options, including access to any account unlocks. (These outfits are wearable only when flagged for infiltration.) They are then free to travel in Federation sector space, automatically cloaked, and may proceed to starbases.
Aboard starbases, they have access to several non-combat infiltration missions, including grain poisoning and planting an exploding tribble aboard station K-7. They are also granted bank and exchange access.
The core of the system comes in where they are assigned to infiltrate various missions, posing as a Starfleet helm officer. They access these by presenting forged credentials at a spacedock or starbase to go on missions alongside an NPC Federation crew.
These missions include all or almost all of the Federation missions in the game, as well as enemy signal contacts and Deep Space Encounters.
Now... The difference is that they are sent down to do these missions with prefab Starfleet bridge officers aboard the ships they infiltrate rather than their own crew and aboard the prefab Starfleet ship which they are the helm officer for.
A couple of key differences between these missions and their Federation counterparts:
- The away team includes a Captain-rank Bridge Officer, since the Klingon player is not commanding the starship that they're infiltrating.
- The missions all have at least one side objective. These side objectives can be failed. Some side objectives are necessary to maintain your cover and failing them will result in total mission failure, requiring you to start over. Other side objectives are optional but come with rewards including Infiltration XP, which corresponds to Diplomacy XP and offers the same rewards. (Ie. transwarp to to the corresponding locations, "Forged Credentials" which acts like the "Diplomatic Immunity" power and... well... we're getting to that).
- There are a handful of "Inquest" missions in which the crew being infiltrated suspects that an imposter is aboard. You speak with several members of the crew and then form a lineup in which the Captain questions you about other crew members, Federation history, and your own activities. These are structurally the same as "First Contact" missions. Failing results in being sent back to the House of Gralmek. Succeeding awards Infiltration XP.
- Upon achieving maximum rank in the House of Gralmek, players receive voting rights in establishing what vendors sell to lower ranked players (similar to FDC voting rights). They also receive the "Hero of the Empire" accolade and a ship trophy featuring themselves holding a Starfleet Officer's head in one hand... and a Tribble in the other. Additionally, they have the option of taking one Starfleet defector into their crew as a bridge officer, having successfully shaken the faith of some Starfleet officers in the correctness of the Federation's ideals and persuaded them to join the Klingons in battle.
Options include an Andorian, a Bajoran, a Joined Trill, and a Caitian, all noted for their ferocity in battle, history of respect for warriors, and worth as tenacious combatants.
Again, this system is designed around the House of Gralmek, whose views do not perfectly correspond with the Empire and this is not a permanent substitute for more Klingon PvE but does serve to provide a complete PvE leveling path. While it does draw on existing Federation missions, the side objectives add new flavor and can hopefully be tailored to feel decidedly like Klingon infiltration (ie. killing a dishonorable opponent, completing a valorious feat elsewhere on the map, etc.) as opposed to Romulan or Cardassian infiltration.
Then, once Klingon specific content is up to par and only then, the Federation might receive a corresponding infiltration system.
NOTE: Yes, this does allow Klingons equal access to Memory Alpha crafting while infiltrating, allowing them to "steal" designs. No, this does not allow Klingons access to FDC content as this doubles as their equivalent
First of all, what follows is not a complete solution to the Klingon content shortage but it serves as a stopgap, allowing a full PvE progression track for Klingons. Once Klingon content is up to par (and only then), the Federation could be given a corresponding system.
According to the secondary sources, the Klingon infiltrator who took the name "Arne Darvin" and "Barry Waddle" in the episodes "The Trouble with Tribbles" and "Trials and Tribble-ations" was a Klingon named Gralmek, surgically modified by Klingon Intelligence to appear human.
Now... What I propose is this:
Klingon players have the opportunity to have covert dealings with the House of Gralmek and even Gralmek himself, restored to his true Klingon form (bypassing likeness issues with Charlie Brill). The house itself is dishonored and it should be clear that its methods are seen as shady or suspect to the average Klingon. However, it should also be made clear that there is an underlying sense of honor or at least morality behind Gralmek's methods, that he believes that the war with the Federation is far too costly and results in warriors dying deaths which are unworthy compared to death in battle against superior foes such as the Undine, the Borg, and the Fek'Ihri. His goal is not to cowardly avoid battle but simply to redirect warriors towards more worthy opponents, while more efficiently dealing with the Federation.
The core of the system is as follows:
Klingon players deal with the House of Gralmek, leading up to an offer to participate in his house's infiltration efforts against the Federation. Upon doing so, Klingons are granted an extra costume slot where they select a human appearance with a set of "off-duty" or Starfleet clothing options, including access to any account unlocks. (These outfits are wearable only when flagged for infiltration.) They are then free to travel in Federation sector space, automatically cloaked, and may proceed to starbases.
Aboard starbases, they have access to several non-combat infiltration missions, including grain poisoning and planting an exploding tribble aboard station K-7. They are also granted bank and exchange access.
The core of the system comes in where they are assigned to infiltrate various missions, posing as a Starfleet helm officer. They access these by presenting forged credentials at a spacedock or starbase to go on missions alongside an NPC Federation crew.
These missions include all or almost all of the Federation missions in the game, as well as enemy signal contacts and Deep Space Encounters.
Now... The difference is that they are sent down to do these missions with prefab Starfleet bridge officers aboard the ships they infiltrate rather than their own crew and aboard the prefab Starfleet ship which they are the helm officer for.
A couple of key differences between these missions and their Federation counterparts:
- The away team includes a Captain-rank Bridge Officer, since the Klingon player is not commanding the starship that they're infiltrating.
- The missions all have at least one side objective. These side objectives can be failed. Some side objectives are necessary to maintain your cover and failing them will result in total mission failure, requiring you to start over. Other side objectives are optional but come with rewards including Infiltration XP, which corresponds to Diplomacy XP and offers the same rewards. (Ie. transwarp to to the corresponding locations, "Forged Credentials" which acts like the "Diplomatic Immunity" power and... well... we're getting to that).
- There are a handful of "Inquest" missions in which the crew being infiltrated suspects that an imposter is aboard. You speak with several members of the crew and then form a lineup in which the Captain questions you about other crew members, Federation history, and your own activities. These are structurally the same as "First Contact" missions. Failing results in being sent back to the House of Gralmek. Succeeding awards Infiltration XP.
- Upon achieving maximum rank in the House of Gralmek, players receive voting rights in establishing what vendors sell to lower ranked players (similar to FDC voting rights). They also receive the "Hero of the Empire" accolade and a ship trophy featuring themselves holding a Starfleet Officer's head in one hand... and a Tribble in the other. Additionally, they have the option of taking one Starfleet defector into their crew as a bridge officer, having successfully shaken the faith of some Starfleet officers in the correctness of the Federation's ideals and persuaded them to join the Klingons in battle.
Options include an Andorian, a Bajoran, a Joined Trill, and a Caitian, all noted for their ferocity in battle, history of respect for warriors, and worth as tenacious combatants.
Again, this system is designed around the House of Gralmek, whose views do not perfectly correspond with the Empire and this is not a permanent substitute for more Klingon PvE but does serve to provide a complete PvE leveling path. While it does draw on existing Federation missions, the side objectives add new flavor and can hopefully be tailored to feel decidedly like Klingon infiltration (ie. killing a dishonorable opponent, completing a valorious feat elsewhere on the map, etc.) as opposed to Romulan or Cardassian infiltration.
Then, once Klingon specific content is up to par and only then, the Federation might receive a corresponding infiltration system.
NOTE: Yes, this does allow Klingons equal access to Memory Alpha crafting while infiltrating, allowing them to "steal" designs. No, this does not allow Klingons access to FDC content as this doubles as their equivalent
Post edited by Unknown User on
0
Comments
You go on missions disguised as a human, for Arne Darvin from "The Trouble with Tribbles". These missions are easy to generate because they are based on the Federation missions but with sabotage sub-objectives.
You are paired with Federation bridge officers (including a Captain BO since you are not the captain of the ship you're infiltrating) and team with fellow Klingon saboteurs. You must do sabotage objectives out of their presence... and must also avoid Tribbles who have been scattered through the Klingon version of the mission who will give away your identity.
Periodically, you will have an "Inquest" mission. This is similar to a First Contact in Federation Diplomacy. You talk to fellow crew members after it's been suspected that an impostor is aboard the ship and must answer questions asked by the captain to conceal your identity.
This system rewards Sabotage XP, which unlocks rewards such as transwarps, the "Forged Credentials" power (similar to Dilomatic Immunity), a Federation Defector Bridge Officer (Andorian, Bajoran, Caitian, or Trill) and a Hero of the Empire trophy for your ship depicting a Klingon holding a human's head in one hand... and a tribble in the other.
Not intended as the ultimate PvE solution but a quick way to give Klingons a leveling path and alleviate the pain.
Later, once Klingons have a full set of CORE missions, Federation would also be able to do infiltration versions of Klingon missions. But until then, Klingons get access to more overall missions than the Federation this way, encouraging anyone in doubt to roll Klingon.
The House of Gralmek (aka Arne Darvin) will be the first of many themed houses which involve categorized gameplay themes. In keeping with Gralmek, this involves disguising as a human to sabotage the Federation.
You may later see the House of Martok give rewards for, say, cross-faction teaming in STFs or the House of Grilka which gives rewards for gambling and business-oriented missions. The House of Duras could involve covert cooperation with the Romulans for personal power. The House of Kohlar could involve religious pilgrimage themed quests. The House of Shek'sper could reward talented UGC authors.
(Arne Darvin got his own House? Dude! He was a little unbalanced, but he was great! "You know what Cardassians have in the morning? Fish juice. Fermented fish juice. By the time the Klingons arrived, I was glad they were invading.")
I also like the fact that it can be adapted for each faction - like Section 31 for Feds and the Tal Shiar for Rommies (if we ever get 'em). There's also a bug in the back of my head about how this could be used in open PvP or territorial games...
Anyway, I'd still rather see territorial PvP first. But if this sort of thing isn't introduced for the KDF, it better be introduced with the Romulands
For the record, I double checked the comic which gives Darvin's POV on "The Trouble with Tribbles". (I'd highly recommend the whole comics collection of IDW Klingon comics both for player UGC authors and for Cryptic's character artists who are looking to add variety to Klingon costumes. It seems to do a nice job revisiting TOS era and blending it with what we saw in the films, Enterprise, DS9 and TNG.)
In 2268, Gralmek underwent surgery to become a human infiltrator as part of a new program; he was eager to prove himself because he was seen as a weakling and a runt by the other Klingons. After being exposed, he was discommended and exiled by some high ranking Klingons who disapproved of the entire notion of spying and espionage. He was told at the time that the surgery that made him appear human was irreversible, as it removed his spine and brow ridges.
My thinking is two fold.
First, we know that the surgery is at least cosmetically reversible now in an era where surgical race changes have been commonly used since TNG and where most of the DS9 cast was surgically modified into Klingons; it's only fitting that Darvin would reverse the process if he could come into the means to do so.
Beyond that, there is now more precedent for reinstatement and I think that with the radical changes imposed by Gorkon, Azetbur, K'mpec, Gowron, Worf, Martok and most notably J'mpok (who seems possibly like the shiftiest and most aggressive chancellor in ages), there is ample chance that Darvin/Gralmek might have been offered an opportunity to restore his honor, PARTICULARLY if he backed J'mpok over Martok or he had services that were useful to J'mpok's conquest-oriented campaigns.
oh no...not the dreaded list...they want us to come up with a thread for everything?....or just a list?