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Roleplaying Civilian Characters - out-of-the-box ideas?
k668
Member Posts: 30 Arc User
Greetings,
Now I assume you all realize that STO is a lot about Starfleet officers and KDF warriors. What I'm missing in terms of immersion is civilian options - or chances to at least roleplay civilian characters, for that matter. I've seen related ideas pop up on the forums now and then, but I felt there could be a sort of brainstorming thread for people to exchange their ideas, experiences and suggestions regarding "out-of-the-box" characters/roleplay.
Ironically, I found the KDF side lends itself best to such feats: For example, a rusty Bird-Of-Prey scavenging recently-desintegrated Mirandas for batteries and components just screams "shady privateer". Consequently, I'll see where my recently-started Orion pirate character takes me
.
Another idea I tried exploring was having a civilian bridge officer with my Starfleet character, for it's my deep conviction that every Trek crew needs that quirky alien they happened to stumble upon somewhere. While my field-commissioned battle scientist still performs fine, I admit the idea is somewhat limited in terms of immersion - there's just not an awful lot you can do with bridge officers that would qualify as entertaining roleplay (except take adequate professions on according away missions, of course - well, I might be a bit of a geek there).
Any ideas or suggestions on such out-of-the-box characters you may want to share? Just interested, as it's a bit about pushing the tight envelope of STO.
Now I assume you all realize that STO is a lot about Starfleet officers and KDF warriors. What I'm missing in terms of immersion is civilian options - or chances to at least roleplay civilian characters, for that matter. I've seen related ideas pop up on the forums now and then, but I felt there could be a sort of brainstorming thread for people to exchange their ideas, experiences and suggestions regarding "out-of-the-box" characters/roleplay.
Ironically, I found the KDF side lends itself best to such feats: For example, a rusty Bird-Of-Prey scavenging recently-desintegrated Mirandas for batteries and components just screams "shady privateer". Consequently, I'll see where my recently-started Orion pirate character takes me
.Another idea I tried exploring was having a civilian bridge officer with my Starfleet character, for it's my deep conviction that every Trek crew needs that quirky alien they happened to stumble upon somewhere
. While my field-commissioned battle scientist still performs fine, I admit the idea is somewhat limited in terms of immersion - there's just not an awful lot you can do with bridge officers that would qualify as entertaining roleplay (except take adequate professions on according away missions, of course - well, I might be a bit of a geek there).Any ideas or suggestions on such out-of-the-box characters you may want to share? Just interested, as it's a bit about pushing the tight envelope of STO.
Post edited by k668 on
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You could try roleplaying a Romulan freighter pilot flying around a rickety temperamental old Romulan KR converted to civilian spec to haul cargo. The KR would be the Klingon K'tinga class with the D7 skin, bluish-white hull material, and blue coloration.
One big disadvantage about playing a civilian on KDF side is that we cannot use off-duty costumes and generally that we cannot use off-duty stuff on boffs. The mercenary set is one of the best looking sets ingame, but I won't be buying it since it's Fed and off-duty only.
Another nice way to RP is the way you set up your doff crew and the assignments you run, even though it's basically for only for yourself. I got mostly Orions, Humans, Trill etc... on my KDF toon, with the exception being an all-Nausicaan security force. The last Fed toon I started is going to recieve an Oberth-Class this weekend, a 90% Science/Med Doff Crew, is simply going to fly around and do Medical, Science and Exploration Doff assignments.
/edit: A fighter pilot is also on my mind...no starship, a single Peregrine/To'duj/Scorpion, the number of boffs limited to the number of crew the shuttle has, no doff crew, every crew member wearing an EV suit. Consequently I'd also create a copy of this character as a bridge officer on one of my carriers.
I have a Romulan Officer and a Betazoid Ambassador i only use for RP purposes with my RP based fleet.
I used off-duty and non starfleet looking uniform pieces with non starfleet looking colors to get around teh costume restriction. Some Jupiter uniform variant with a black/grey/green/purple color scheme can look believable Romulan enough.
Ships is more difficult.
My Betazoid flys a Captain's Yacht and teh Romulan so far a Peregrine fighter with a mostly green hull paint job. if you squint your eyes hard eneugh it works as a Romulan scout ship.
They are mostly ground characters, though, where most RP happens anyway.
A fleet mate plays a fully outfitted Ferengi Alliance merchant from clothes to ship... much easier of course to work with that.
There is the Option to get a freighter ship in game which is generic civilian and has some nice functionalities on the bridge.
RPing by myself is not that interesting, so when I play with other people BOFFS don't really factor into the equation anyway since I can't bring them to social zones at this time.
BTW, if you are looking for an RP focused fleet where civilian characters are even encouraged look us up in game: Phoenix Alliance (end shameless advertisement.)
It actually works out quite well considering how many times your BOs will tell you what should be done in response to a situation. I can freely interpret my reply of "continue" with being a submissive acceptance of some annoying and ill-timed inquiry I asked them while they were trying to do their job. Sort of like how Neelix poked his nose into things at the wrong time.
Usually I would take a themed team, like a survey team with Ensigns and crewmen on ground maps. Its not that I, the civilian, was leading the team, but rather this was supposed to be an uneventful mission and Ensign Ricky is in charge - I'm just the local fauna expert etc. This of course works better in foundry missions.
I have been thinking about starting a new character who will only fly a Runabout or perhaps the Caitian Fighter.
More so in fact than Klingon ships, because thsoe are realyl distinctive and don't have much customization options (sorry KDF, for the salt in the wound).
Try for example the Akira Heavy Escort. change the saucer to the long thick one, use the shortest pylons so the nacelles hug the hull, use a paint scheme that covers pretty much all the hull, make it a non starfleet color (red/purple/black/green/...) and there you go. Different space navy ship.
I recently did something very similar to that.
One of my Alien charcters is a "Contracted" Civilian sent to scavenge.
I "upgraded" him to a Tuffli Freighter, which helps alot btw with the "feel" of a civilian, along with making his crew all wear the least military lokking clothes, of which the KDF does have a couple if not a lot.
I then take my Tuffi and crew out on missions, that I call "Assignments", as in "Assignment: Scavenge Battlefield Wreckage" like I am someone else Doff sent on the assignment.
I then procede, usually, to have other players get mad at me for showing up at a Starbase Defense, in a Tuffli, justifying myself for it by blaming @(SomeoneElseRunningTheEvent) for "sending me to this horrible place BEFORE there was even Battlefield Wreckage to Scavenge" like the assignment I was told to go on said there would be....
example:
@GenericAngryPlayer1: A Tuffli?!
@GenericAngryPlayer2: Get a real ship [bad word]
@Me: hey guys. I was just sent here to "Assignment: Scavenge battefield Wreckage". Don't blame me. Blame @(SomeoneElseRunningTheEvent) for sending me here.
I particularly liked the idea of involving Doffs. For my part, my Orion privateer already started executing Klingon officers for incompetence. You know, nothing against a mixed crew, but having all those KDF watchdogs around is really freaking my honest pirate out ...
I would love to see more captains like this, it would lead to lots of amusement, and fun story moments outside of Cryptics story.
My main KDF officer is a Gorn General. He does not trust the Empire. Afterall, how can you trust a people who conquered you? He is biding his time for the Gorn liberation. He will soon make an all Gorn / Nausican crew.
That being said, my first privateer was a half-Tellarite ex-Federales. I got a Jem'Hadar ship, which helps in the matter and I act as a Pirate. I occasionally answer Federation distress calls and help them out, but for the most part I act on my own. Note: This path, for me, is difficult without a special ship (Jem'Hadar, Ferengi, or Galor). He often helps with the colonies that the Federation has forgotten about, working to win their hearts in various ways, which also gives him a place to hide out when the Feds do try to arrest him.
My next is an Orion slave trader in an Orion slave ship, pretty easy idea, easy to work with. I have allegiance to the KDF, though I don't work for them frequently, only when the pay is good or I am forced too. I have not developed this character in great detail yet.
My third and final character is a Nausican mercenary, he has not been created yet, but I plan to get the Guramba for him which will allow him to work for the highest bidder.
I tend to just ignore the I.K.S. or U.S.S. however, as always I really wish they'd allow us to change the prefixes to simply S.S..
I want to roleplay as Lou Diamond Phillips, who plays a suicidal, 1/2 Mexican cop, who was kicked out of the Army, has a drinking problem, drives a Corvette, has 3 ex-wives, 5 kids, and has to moonlight as a frieghter captain, to pay his alimony.