Star Trek has multiple career paths available within Starfleet most; however, fall into 3 broad categories. Operations comprising Engineering and Security, Sciences which has a clear sub-divide between scientists and Medical personal, and finally Command track. Command track is a special entity of its own. A few select cadets of each graduating class are selected for Command shcool. These graduates are then assigned to Starships wher the rotate through all of the various departments as they work their way up the chain. There are several canon sources for this concept. Using these three broad categores it stuck me as a way to give more diversity to the current skill and class structures.
Basically you start off choosing one of the three general divisions:
Operations, Sciences, and Command track. This then allows a breakdown into 5 distinct class structures. Engineer, Security and Tactics, Scientist, Medical, and Command. Each would have a general skill tree available to all representing general training required of all Acamdemy cadets. Each would have a specialist tree that would represent advanced training availabe only to the "class" with the exception of the Command track. This would class would have access to all skill tree lines. This represent their rotation through all the departments. The caveat being that they can not achieve max ranks in any skill save the general ones. They are jack-of-all-trades and masters of none. Given this each class would have certain skills that when you max ranks in them grants you special powers. Like the captains powrs now but you have to earn them. However, with a multiple of powers available it would add diversity. As an engineer I could choose to max ranks in ground devices and shield dynamics. Associated special powers could be Advance Mobile Attack platform. Summons a weapons platform containg a phaer turret, plasma grenade laucher, and shield generator. Shield dynamic special power could be metaphasic shielding.
The idea is to have enough of these special powers, that are diverse enough to generate a fair shair of diversity. 4 to 5 powers of which only 2-3 would be achievable at any one time. This adds diversity, flexibility, and ups the fun factor. With enough thought special powers could be balanced so that they could benift every ship type as well. An Engineer with abiliteis and powers best suited for an Escort, or a securty and tactics officer best suited for a science vessel. Of note, Command track class woule have acces to select powrs that would come from the General tree. These powrs would be unavailabe to the more specialized classes.
By redesigning the skill tree in a way to allow us to pick our special captains powers the possibilities become huge. No more cookier cutter builds. A lot of holes to fill in I know but the skeleton of an idea is there. If you like this concept then feel free to post your ideas to fill in the holes.
Anyway my thoughts but probably to radical to ever happen.
Like you said in your opening sentence, a "ground up" design change simply isnt going to happen, so there really isnt anything to discuss on that subject.
Like you said in your opening sentence, a "ground up" design change simply isnt going to happen, so there really isnt anything to discuss on that subject.
While that may be true... there is a possibility of it happening even if remote. But thank you for your construcitve comments. I found them most helpfull.
While that may be true... there is a possibility of it happening even if remote. But thank you for your construcitve comments. I found them most helpfull.
There is no possibility of it happening, outside of a different development team taking over, temporarily shutting down the servers for a couple years as they rebuild the game. Atari will never let something like that happen; the license itself costs too much to maintain.
Then you all might as well go and tell all of those who want more "classes" or sub-classes to hit the road because without a major change to the skill system it won't happen. Mind you my suggested change isn't really all that radical. It works and it would make a ton of people happy not unhappy. But hey I am just one person. Don't listen to me it bothers me not. However, don't ask for sub-classes.
Comments
While that may be true... there is a possibility of it happening even if remote. But thank you for your construcitve comments. I found them most helpfull.
There is no possibility of it happening, outside of a different development team taking over, temporarily shutting down the servers for a couple years as they rebuild the game. Atari will never let something like that happen; the license itself costs too much to maintain.
With that in mind, its probably a good idea to let this idea go. Before the mob gets to close and riled up.