Season 6 Dev Blog #7
By PWE_BranFlakes @ June 20, 2012 at 4:14pm
Reinforcements Duty Officer Pack
Since the Duty Officer system was unveiled, we have experimented with a couple of different ways of expanding the system. Some of these ideas included new species, new active roster abilities, Ultra-Rare Duty Officers, new traits, mixtures of random and set Duty Officers, and Duty Officers bundled with bonus items. From that time, we have learned a lot, both about what works and what does not. The Reinforcements Duty Officer Pack is an effort to bring together some of these lessons and evolve them even further.
In particular, one idea we wanted to revive was the idea of including things other than Duty Officers in a pack. The Duty Officer system itself deals with a large number of items that act both as inputs and outputs, and we wanted to reflect that in this design. More info on that in a bit.
The Reinforcements Pack includes the same breakdown as previous packs: one Blue quality or better, two Green quality or better and four White quality or better. These new Duty Officers come from existing species. For Federation players, this means Human, Andorian, Vulcan, Tellarite, Caitian and Betazoid (the last was in order to put more Telepathic Duty Officers into the hands of Federation players to balance out the KDF Ferasan advantage). For Klingon players, this means Klingon, Orion, Gorn, Nausicaan, Lethean and Ferasan.
All of these Duty Officers are of existing specializations, but they all have alternate active roster abilities. In all, thirteen new active roster powers for eleven specializations have been created. In particular, we expect the new Energy Weapons Officer and new Flight Deck Officer active roster abilities to draw a lot of attention, as well as a non-career specific Security Officer variant active roster power and the return of the now-defunct EMH power, this time on Nurses and Medics.
Beyond these, we will also be introducing – separate from the Reinforcements Pack – standard active roster abilities for many non-Civilian duty officer specializations that never had active roster abilities. Existing Botanists, Biologists, Geologists and Research Lab Scientists will be gaining active roster abilities of their own when Season 6 launches. The new Duty Officers are only the beginning of the new Reinforcements Pack, however.
The alternate active roster abilities include:
- Deflector Officer
- Chance to reflect damage while using Polarize Hull
- Flight Deck Officer (Variant 1)
- Increase Carrier Defense while in Recall Mode
- Flight Deck Officer (Variant 2)
- Increase Fighter Accuracy while in Intercept Mode
- Flight Deck Officer (Variant 3)
- Increase Fighter Damage while in Escort Mode
- Tractor Beam Officer
- Drains -10 Engine Subsystem Energy with Tractor Beam Repulsors
- Doctor
- Triage and Medical Tricorder can trigger a second heal
- Geologist
- Create a Gravity Well effect on ground when using Gravimetric Shift
- Gravimetric Scientist
- Create an aftershock Tyken's Rift (same functionality as existing Gravity Well aftershock)
- Nurse/Medic
- Increased Crew Recovery when crew is <75%
- Assault Squad Officer
- Extra Team Heal and AOE Rez on Rally Cry
- Energy Weapons Officer (Variant 1)
- Reduce recharge time on Cannon Rapid Fire and Cannon Volley
- Energy Weapons Officer (Variant 2)
- Reduce recharge time on Beam Overload and Fire at Will
- Security Officer
- Increase melee Crit Chance and Crit Severity (ground)
In addition to any Duty Officers you receive, you also will get one (1) of the following special bonus prizes:
- A stack of Gamma Quadrant commodities (which will be in high demand with the new Fleet Advancement and Starbase system)
- A stack of Gamma Quadrant consumable devices (new devices based on the Gamma Quadrant commodities)
- An Alien Artifact (available in both "Powered" and "Unpowered" versions)
- A random Mk XII Very Rare Console
- or the jackpot prize… a Tuffli Class Freighter Ship Pack
The new Freighter isn't intended for combat, though it actually is functional at that for the earliest part of your captain's career. It can be switched to from your regular ship like a shuttle and is crammed with every Duty Officer system special we could think of. You can buy commodities at merchant ship rates from the interior, it has a Bank, access to the Exchange, a Mail console, Crafting, a Trader with additional Trade Duty Officer assignments, and can even periodically call a Security Ship for Contraband, Tribble Bounty and Prisoner Exchange turn-ins. Here is some more detailed information about this freighter:
Tuffli Class Freighter
Freighters and Transports are large vessels designed for trade and long range cargo hauling. Almost all space-faring races utilize Freighters, and designs created by Ferengi and Cardassian corporations have become standard throughout the quadrant. The Tuffli Class Freighter is arguably the best vessel for managing Duty Officer Assignments, trade, cargo acquisition and transport, and other related commendation tasks.
The Tuffli Class Freighter interior has a number of amenities including a Trade Duty Officer Assignment contact, which is not standard on most starships. Both you and your allies can access the Trader.
Also assigned to the Freighter interior is a Quartermaster. The Quartermaster can sell you and your allies commodities at a discounted rate. A similar discount applies when you make any Energy Credit Purchase while onboard your ship (for instance, from Sector Space Freighter Stores). The interior also include access to the Bank, Exchange, Mail, and Crafting, all of which are accessible to you and your allies.
The Tuffli Class Freighter has access to a secure subspace channel to call in a Security Transport ship. The Security Transport will allow you to access Prisoner Transfer and Contraband Assignments. The Security Transport is not a combat support vessel, and can only be called when in Sector Space. It is accessible to you and your allies.
Finally, the Tuffli Class Freighter comes with a Transwarp Drive that will allow you to access the furthest corners of the quadrant. The Transwarp Drive will allow you to instantly access most Exploration Clusters. Note, like many older Transwarp drives, the Freighter's Transwarp has a small chance to fail.
Tuffli Class Freighters are not designed as combat vessels. They come with minimal armaments designed only to ward off pirates and other would-be threats.
Note: You can switch to your Freighter from any ship interior. Once you're done using it, switch back to any ship from the Freighter interior.
- Hull Strength: 17,500
- Shield Modifier: 0.7
- Crew: 100
- Weapons: 2 Fore, 1 Aft
- Device Slots: 5
- Bridge Officer Stations: 1 Ensign Universal, 1 Lieutenant Universal
- Console Modifications: 3 Engineering
- Base Turn Rate: 6 degrees per second
- Impulse Modifier: 0.12
- +5 Power to Engines
- Onboard access to the Bank, Exchange, Mail and Crafting.
- Trade Duty Officer Assignment contact
- Quartermaster Commodity Broker
- Energy Credit Discount
- Can call Security Transport
- Transwarp Drive
The Reinforcements Pack represents a new level of investment from the Star Trek Online team to the Duty Officer system, and we sincerely hope you enjoy this pack as much as we enjoyed bringing it to you. It will be available in the C-Store starting on Friday. We’ll see you in-game!
Geoff "Heretic" Tuffli
Senior Systems Designer
Star Trek Online
michaelp1989 @ Jun 21st, 2012 4:17AM
IMO this freighter will be useless, u could always summon aura or transwarp to starbase for bank/exchange/mail. I want bugship in c store also Sovy refit and Ambassador class...
zerobang @ Jun 21st, 2012 3:27AM
oh oh... why do i get the bad feeling that THIS is not going to replace the LockBox SPAM at all? i expected a Breen or a Tholian Ship... ... a Freighter that's only good for DOffing? uhm... ok that is a shiny Bonus for people who buy those DOffpacks anyway, but won't suck anyone else into the System. (i don't i'm far beyond getting happy about a single Blue DOff or a BAD chance at a purple DOff, i have 1000 Blue and Purple DOffs over my 10 chars by now, it is far more efficient to just play the DOff System than to grind dilithium>convert to c-point and get bad DOffs for it... i'd pay twice that for a pack with real chances at multiple blues purple AND if there was a way to grind them up... and whut? no Gamma Quadrant DOffs in it? i expected both old packs to get merged new stuff ...how am i now ever going to get a full Jem'Hadar DOff Crew ???) What about the Ultra-Rares from that pack? If the GQ Pack is discontinued for good and completely, will we get more ways to earn the formerly NOT available races by in-game means? (who wants Wadi? i want Jem'Hadar, Tosk and Vorta and Hunters!!!) freighter: the art team could at least have added new Visuals for that freighter, there are so many freighters in Star Trek throughout the various movies it's a shame that STO always uses the same old >>>Cardassian<<< look for it everywhere. At least give it some chrome textures ...or something. lol
captainden
Just get a M.A.C.O. ship kit and put on it, though it still will look Cardi,,, :)
vawlkus @ Jun 21st, 2012 2:40AM
Ooooooooohhhhhhh......... shiny.
mikec1013 @ Jun 21st, 2012 2:34AM
How much is this debauchery going to cost?
cers001
Every C-point you have no doubt
jaxjaguars
trend has been 220 so far
bawj4ws @ Jun 21st, 2012 2:09AM
is this world of giants? look at the size of that bridge? even the scale of the consoles looks wrong!
doabarreltroll @ Jun 21st, 2012 1:44AM
ARGHH Im saving up for a ps3 but i have wanted to fly a freighter for quite a while. *sigh* will these packs be a permanent thing?
regg05 @ Jun 21st, 2012 12:54AM
will we be geeting new ships and more interactive ship interiors
jayfresh11
I agree with you, a more interactive bridge would be nice. Instead of just walking around and sitting down, interacting with bridge officers or being able to fly on course while you're in the bridge would be nice too.
danizpwe
@jayfresh11 sweet idea, but space would have to be alot bigger and in one piece for that.
srspells @ Jun 21st, 2012 12:42AM
want now
captainrevo1 @ Jun 21st, 2012 12:07AM
Sweet. Will be buying a few packs of these.
alzati @ Jun 20th, 2012 11:00PM
Want it now, enough said :)
adufaux @ Jun 20th, 2012 9:49PM
Would it be fair to assume the availability of this would be significantly higher than Galor/Jem Bug/D'Kora?
foundrelic
I hope to ****ing god. I like the idea of a "Casual" ship and I know MANY Roleplayers who would as well.
danizpwe
@foundrelic why not just fly one of the legendary ships like Enterprise D
raer2 @ Jun 20th, 2012 9:32PM
wonder how much zen's that gonna cost?? make this portable-starbase AFFORDABLE if you guys are serious in getting players away from starbase-maps minimising server-crashes...
jaxjaguars @ Jun 20th, 2012 9:06PM
Taking this into Kerrat!
gettorix @ Jun 20th, 2012 8:27PM
Hmm... getting used to new forum system.
gettorix @ Jun 20th, 2012 8:26PM
It says they will be available Friday
startrek1234567 @ Jun 20th, 2012 8:13PM
Ok if we get a freighter we get one of the weakest vessels meant for low ranks. Seems all you can do in thi ship is fly around get access to commodies nobody uses other than for doff stuff. BUT i like the exhange,mail, and bank acess BUT i myself do not use the exhange a whole lot that i will need that ship. But the bank acess is nice but thats really all i like about it and maybe the transwarp...
nennavari
The ship isn't "meant for low ranks", if you read Heretic's post he explicitly states that "Tuffli Class Freighters are not designed as combat vessels". The ship is intended for people who don't do a whole lot of combat, or who do other things besides. There's more to the game, and indeed to Star Trek, that pew pew'ing with your phasers. I'll be aiming for one if for nothing but the crafting/exchange/banking facilities. Admittedly I don't do a lot of crafting these days, what with the horrendous decision to make it dilithium dependent, but when I do decide to give it a go, now and then, I'd rather not have to go to Memory Alpha every time. "Note: You can switch to your Freighter from any ship interior. Once you're done using it, switch back to any ship from the Freighter interior." - this really is the icing on the cake, imo. I want it!!
teknicterror @ Jun 20th, 2012 7:34PM
What? No lobi crystals loot?
oracle54 @ Jun 20th, 2012 7:20PM
Tuffli Class, lol! Now haretic has a tribble and a ship named after him
x3of9 @ Jun 20th, 2012 6:35PM
Great, this means I'm going to have to buy more Doff slots because of all the reinforcement packs I'm going to be opening to try and get the freighter. I've wanted a freighter for so long. YAY!!! Shut up and take my money! :D
captsuns @ Jun 20th, 2012 6:29PM
You'd be surprised how much I'm carrying various objects from one sector to another, will the freighter be available in the C-Store? I really would need it.
eradicator84 @ Jun 20th, 2012 6:03PM
I myself wouldn't use this ship but I can definitely see its advantages for those who like DOFFing and things other than just combat. Very nice. No new ground engineering related doffs?
oracle54
Ground Engineering doffs always get the shaft. First in the STF store, and now with no new varients
commodoreshrvk @ Jun 20th, 2012 5:47PM
It is a nice idea (the interior looks way oversized though) but I would rather something like that come along with a resource/crafting system revamp and a neutral faction. In the rush to add ships to the game I think you guys have lost sight of roles for these ships. What role does a Boomer serve to be Captain by a Starfleet Admiral or Klingon General? However if you had a Merchant/Trader/Neutral faction then something like this is good.
azniadeet @ Jun 20th, 2012 5:46PM
I'd actually really like to get one of these freighters!
dariusmajere @ Jun 20th, 2012 5:46PM
Can't wait to roll the Dice on getting this ship. Its About time something is released that is not just Pew Pew. The Star Trek Universe is more then just blowing things up and the expansion of this is nice to see.
jacobwhitaker @ Jun 20th, 2012 5:38PM
So... What about the Ambassador Class?
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