Season 7 Dev Blog #7
By PWE_BranFlakes @ October 22, 2012 at 12:00pm
Fleet System Expansion: Embassy Outpost
Federation Tier 3 Embassy Lobby
“This is Captain Picard of the Enterprise. I'm taking command of the fleet!”
This amazing moment in Trek history, as well as the countless others that preceded it, helped fuel the desire that Star Trek fans have to one day want to be part of a fleet in the Federation. The Star Trek Online development team has always wanted to provide a deep fleet experience for players, and with the release of Season 6: Under Siege, we delivered on that long standing desire. STO’s fleet system has been a huge hit with fleets and players that have joined fleets. The sense of progression, the new rewards, the visual Starbase updates, and the sense of community that building something together creates have all contributed to the success of the system. Well, our goal was never to only have a Starbase available for fleets – we always planned to expand the system with smaller fleet holdings that we refer to as “Outposts”. Our first Outpost is prepped to go live with Season 7 and I’m here to break it down for everyone. Introducing the Fleet Embassy Outpost.
First things first, the progression of an Embassy is shorter than that of a Starbase. A fleet of players running at maximum efficiency can completely finish their Embassy in less than half the time and cost it takes to complete their Starbase. This design decision gives players smaller, achievable holdings to complete on their continual road of constructing their Starbase. The Embassy holding will work exactly like the Fleet Starbase in that fleets select and run projects in order to unlock tiers in a category which then unlocks tiers in the holding itself – specifics on the fleet system can be found here. There will be reward unlocks, environment upgrades, and functionality rewards throughout your fleet’s journey of creating an Embassy on New Romulus. In the Embassy, there are three total tracks, Embassy, Recruitment and Diplomacy, each consisting of three tiers. Embassy progression moves through the two supporting tracks, Diplomacy and Recruitment, and earning progress in both of those will unlock tiers of the Embassy.
Klingon Tier 3 Embassy Lobby
By increasing tier rank in the Diplomacy track, your fleet is improving its relations with the Romulans that are living on New Romulus. As such, they will be more willing to assist you with blending your technology with theirs, giving players access to more Romulan themed rewards. Unlocking tiers in the Diplomacy track will update the appearance of the Embassy diplomatic area while also providing provisionable rewards such as Romulan themed Operational Assets, Romulan Distress Signals, and some brand new, top of the line science consoles.
As your Recruitment track increases in rank, your fleet will become more appealing to Romulan personnel and may convince some of their population to join your crew and your adventures. Unlocking tiers in the Recruitment track will update the appearance of the Embassy’s Research and Development locations while also providing provisionable rewards such as Romulan Bridge Officers, updated kits, Romulan Duty Officers, and several Duty Officer Assignment slot upgrades.
Federation Embassy Shuttlebay
Unlocking tiers in the Embassy track will update the appearance of the majority of your Embassy, while also providing functionality updates. Embassy transwarps, Starbase to Embassy transportation, Duty Officer Assignment availability in your Embassy, and a variety of discount vendors will all be made available through progress in this track.
The Embassy will provide another avenue of progression for fleets and allow them to feel more involved in the story and construction of New Romulus. The new rewards, new social environment, and new possibilities combine to provide fun, interesting, and most of all, Trek experience for the fleets in STO.
I look forward to seeing you all online for Season 7, and can’t wait to see the progress your fleets are certain to make on the new Embassy Outpost. We’ll see you in-game!
Steve "SalamiInferno" Ricossa, Jr.
Producer
Star Trek Online
ajmader @ Nov 13th, 2012 9:58AM
This is a great addition -- STO just keeps getting amazingly better; it really does. As for the people who want more story, I agree, it's always good to want more and express that -- it's human, and keeps us intrested. BUT, another side to that is people also seem to like to complain when they want more. It's no one elses fault then the preson's own perception -- so don't whine or insult people because the focus isn't where some may want it right now. Personally, I never expected an MMO to be this great. It can be PvP, or PvE (sometimes I just want to play a game and not have to talk to people all day like I have to at work -- this mmo allows that) -- and it's sandbox. In all honestly, anything else out'a this game is icing. Case-in-point: TOR and any other gear grinding pvp mud-sling'n game out there. Thanks for something better STO.
giotariz @ Oct 29th, 2012 11:41AM
Ok, this is cool, but what about the Tholian storyline? Iconian missions? We want Story missions!!!
siggin @ Oct 26th, 2012 7:21PM
ok
siggin @ Oct 26th, 2012 6:34PM
hi
siggin @ Oct 26th, 2012 6:31PM
ho to play
siggin @ Oct 26th, 2012 6:28PM
i
siggin @ Oct 26th, 2012 6:26PM
may i play
shad0wph0enix @ Oct 26th, 2012 2:40PM
I love that you are so dedicated to expanding the already awesome fleet system. It used to be sorely lacking and now it accounts for a huge portion of my gaming experience. However i am with everyone else here when I say the story portion should be expanded. I understand it is a tough thing to pull off what with copyright, hiring writers and voice actors and such, but it'd bring a lot of enjoyment to every person who already enjoys this awesome game.
strykervalmont @ Oct 25th, 2012 4:54PM
Don't listen to the whiners Cryptic/PW. We want more Fleet holdings and we want continued expansion in the fleet system. The outpost system is a great addition to Season 7. Keep it up!
captaingalaxy1
I agree, where lucky STO is still here
bbfknight @ Oct 24th, 2012 11:41PM
people dont want to grind anymore! we want missions! story!!! Plot! get CBS to get you guys some cannon and get to work on what people want! you guys realize there is story in star trek movies and shows right? come on!
angeloscuroo
I agree, instead of focusing on people sinking dilithium and other resources into these grindfest real estates, we would really appreciate if you gave more episodes and missions.
muzziboi @ Oct 24th, 2012 10:39PM
This looks good and all, but ide need more episodes,. Otherwise, great work, im really looking forward to next month!
bbfknight
I agree, need much more episodes... its been a year.. .the story must go on! you guys are going to Starwars onilne this thing... people love the storyline!
psycoticvulcan @ Oct 24th, 2012 5:02PM
As much as I'm looking forward to all this new stuff, there's one question that keeps burning in my mind: will we ever see proper "episode missions" again?
jamesames91 @ Oct 24th, 2012 11:55AM
I like the new content coming out. It makes the game interesting. Keep it coming dev team.
kingjohn22 @ Oct 24th, 2012 9:42AM
I have seen this on the test server and it's really exciting but let me break it down: more grind, more demand for dilitheum, more negative comments. TO ALL YOU HATERS OUT THERE, IF YOU DON'T LIKE, YOU DON'T HAVE TO PARTICIPATE!!!! I personnally am a bit worried about all this grind but the rewards are decent.But could you please fix the DS9 voting rights, and 1st Contact missions for us diplomats??
xastirx
yeeesss....fix those missions for those who have actually grown weary of the sound of weapons fire. After all the borg do need something to do other than die at my fleets hands...and feet....and blades...and energy weapons...and fleet issued tricobalt torpedoes with emission tracking sensors fired and donatra's ship while someone else follows it so they know where to drop 4 fleet issue tricobalt mines in the same general area. Please fox those missions for the poor, poor borg. =P
fox1616 @ Oct 24th, 2012 9:08AM
I would like more story lines to play, solo mission where i can use my away team to fight. i don't want to grind the borg and spiders to get fleet credits. i join this game from beta in hope of play new content every so offen instead contend end and all there is left is grinding and playing unexpored space sucks big time.
ahilles7
You will have to wait for season 8 for story missions(that would be in 3-6 months). Until then if you don't like team oriented missions(aka end game content),then you can find other game to play until season 8 gets released.
roman1229 @ Oct 24th, 2012 8:31AM
I mean my goodness. One article comes out and many STO players bash it into the ground. This is why I could never do anything close to what the Dev Team does, because all i would hear is bitching and complaining.
kirkryder @ Oct 24th, 2012 5:21AM
Honestly this is going to screw us all, less Dili on offer again means we will be grinding, doing the same thing day in day out... Its getting rather boring now... When this goes live I will be going offline!
cdmdrcrusher @ Oct 24th, 2012 4:15AM
Romulan BO now that's more like it.
batuwolf @ Oct 24th, 2012 2:30AM
ok first i would like to say cool this is a nice add on to the fleet action to sto, but I think that I will pass on this season especially if they dont have new single player missions. I mean this is ridicules to not have new mission for single players like me. All I have been playing is the community mission and I got to say if it wasn't for there missions I would not be playing this game at all, so we need more missions, more story and more functionality so far as the ship particularly in the bridge. I also have to say this the people who create the missions on the community board I personally would like to thank them because they are the only reason why I still log in to this game.
liliaadam
I totally agree with batuwolf , I would toss this game without the community missions!! Please add some more for us!!
judgeslong
I agree 100%
ragingloli @ Oct 24th, 2012 12:22AM
Oh look, they went Mass Effect 3 ending with the embassy. The klingon one is red.
captyoung01 @ Oct 23rd, 2012 11:21PM
All good idea's. .but don't you think that you should be fixing bugs and errors first before adding on?
clearbeard @ Oct 23rd, 2012 9:35PM
Wow... "Less than half as long" as the starbase? On top of the existing starbase costs? The relative value for time spent on the premiere element of Season 6 is what convinced me to stop playing this past month. If Season 7 is going to be more of the same old grind, maybe I'll pass on that too.
longasc
Given that my fleet is already crying about Dilithium and substantial ingame assets like DOffs and other materials this "only half the price" doesn't sound good. Now let me check the forums if this will cost Dilithium and what else. If it's again by far too much they might alienate me and some other players. :(
orchiddevine @ Oct 23rd, 2012 8:08PM
I concerned the bugs have not been fixed before releasing more new stuff
captainernest @ Oct 23rd, 2012 6:44PM
i have to laugh at the diplomacy they still havent fixed the first contacts and the diplomatic voting rights on DS9 i guess this is their work around those bugs so people could stop asking about them lol.
kirimuffin
Yeah, they really need to fix that.
xxkillergarthxx @ Oct 23rd, 2012 2:46PM
AAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHEN THE *U** IS SEASON 7 COMING OUT?!?!
kingjohn22
December
scottaprice
Most likely will be tested in November and possibly released end of November or in December.
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