Factions

Comments

• bluegeek Member Posts: 0 Arc User

  August 2012 edited August 2012

  People have been asking for full KDF content for a long time, so you're not alone.
  
  Here's the not-so-short version of why things are the way they are:
  
  Originally, Cryptic wanted the KDF to be a full faction at launch.
  
  Basically, they ran out of time and needed to do something about it. They didn't want to pull them out entirely, so they tried to make them a kind of "Monster Play" based on PvP. Klingon characters were unlocked by getting to level 6 as a Fed.
  
  There still wasn't enough for KDF players to do, and PvP has had its' problems from day one. So they added a bit of generic content that KDF could play over and over and over. And over. They introduced the mission replay feature. They also decided to structure the Feature Episodes so that they could be played through by either faction.
  
  This still didn't meet the demand. Cryptic added a couple of KDF-only story arcs. But the basic problem was that KDF players simply did not have enough missions to smoothly progress up to max level. The only way to get there was a mind-numbing grind.
  
  By this point, Cryptic was involved in converting the game over to Free-to-Play while being sold to PWE by Atari. They didn't have the available resources to devote to finishing off the faction.
  
  So they did a few things to try to fix the problem, at least temporarily.
  
  #1, they reworked the missions so that they could scale above the intended starting level for the mission. This made mission replay more bearable.
  
  #2, they changed the Fed level at which KDF was unlocked.
  
  #3, they changed the starting level of KDF characters to be higher than it was previously.
  
  #4, they reshuffled the existing missions available for KDF so that they would cover the levelling gaps that previously existed.
  
  #5, they improved the rate at which characters earned XP (this affected both Fed and KDF)
  
  #6, they introduced the DOFF system as an alternate way to gain XP, again for both Fed and KDF.
  
  The basic issue still exists. Players can't start out as KDF. Cryptic just took out the gaps where there was missing content, but it was still a lot of work to do even that much.
  
  I will say that I think we're in a better position to see the KDF expanded than we were in a year ago. It still might not happen, but it's better than no chance at all.

  My views may not represent those of Cryptic Studios or Perfect World Entertainment. You can file a "forums and website" support ticket here
  Link: How to PM - Twitter @STOMod_Bluegeek

  0
• boxingpanda16 Member Posts: 3 Arc User

  August 2012 edited August 2012

  Thank you for your response on the matter, and from the vibe I'm getting from you is you either agree with me or that there a lots of mainly valid points to which the task cannot be accomplished, but I'm just going to reply with what you have put.
  
  I did believe that I wasn't alone on the matter because I?m pretty sure that the main majority of players that either have or had joined the Federation some where along the line of leveling converted to the KDF, and I?m sure that the people who had done that already thought from the start of playing Star Trek: Online, that they wanted to be apart of the KDF so I think that for new players like me, that joined recently joined the community and gaming experience already then was put on a downer cause of class restriction.
  
  The replay feature, and featured episodes and episodes and other stuff of that genre, from playing the game for about two days now in game, even when you get to level 24, you join the KDF and start as a level 22 and I understand that, it was probably meant for filling out the gaps in the Experience leveling but it took me two days to accomplish something, that even when the KDF was accessible, It just seemed like the same sort of structure as the Federation.
  
  But I understand the fact, there might of not been enough players to accomplish such a task at the time I?m pretty sure that now, it is accessible to now sort the leveling and other problems out now seeming as there has probably either been a huge increase of players and donators either to the cause of Star Trek: Online or to simply buy weapons and rare spaceship attachments that it is now accomplishable.
  
  Smoothness on the leveling side on the KDF side, I don't understand the problem within that seeming as, it's just creating a mission that either exists within certain sectors and solar systems, that can give you a certain quantity of experience points, and to create a completely meaningless task, that gives a lot of Experience, can inspire even the laziest of people within the game.
  
  But to the point of resources available to the cause of the KDF creation of task, environments and such is a lot more harder to do then I might be putting forward, to do I understand everything takes time to do such is the way of life, but to date I do not believe that there is not enough resources from donations when there are other things being produced within the store of Zen and other episodes and such.
  
  Do not mistake what I'm saying to be insulting, you or trying to be little your opinion I'm happy that you replied and gave me the facts and I know they can't be changed at this time or even ever and I know the fact is, is that simple can't start as KDF but I do not see how anything can prevent the expansion on the KDF on the starting level even if it's level 10 at least it's the first 10 levels is like tutorial but I am really grateful for your response of course.

  0
• bluegeek Member Posts: 0 Arc User

  August 2012 edited August 2012

  Oh, I'm not offended and I do agree with you. I'm not a KDF-only player, but I believe that you should be able to start out as one from level 1.
  
  I hope my perspective helps you to understand that there's a reason why things are the way they are, and what might be involved if they ever do expand KDF the way we want.
  
  Cryptic isn't going to want to crank out a bunch of generic, mediocre missions to fill in the gap from level 1. We already have those -- exploration and patrol. Some of the new missions might be drawn from existing Foundry missions. Aside from that, they're going to want to fill in an official storyline with quality content.
  
  That being the case, they're going to want to produce more artwork and the missions they make might require some new bits of tech. That takes time and manpower.
  
  Regardless of whether they cranked out generic missions, adopted Foundry missions, or took their time on details, they still need to create a KDF beginner tutorial.
  
  Once they have a full set of missions, they're going to have to reshuffle them again and probably have to readjust the experience players earn in each individual mission.
  
  They're going to want to produce new items as special rewards for the new missions that need them. And maybe rebalance the rewards on the existing missions again.
  
  They're also probably going to need to beef up the ship lineup so there's a good variety of ships to fly at every rank.
  
  They may need to rebalance the KDF side of the DOFF system; it's not currently set up with low-level KDF in mind.
  
  It's not quite as simple a deal as some people like to think. But yes, it ought to be done.

  My views may not represent those of Cryptic Studios or Perfect World Entertainment. You can file a "forums and website" support ticket here
  Link: How to PM - Twitter @STOMod_Bluegeek

  0