Interview by: Staff

OPG: Currently and in the past the fleets in STO have had a difficult time staying together and the consensus is that it is because STO lacked fleet support. What is Cryptic changing for fleets to improve that condition?

While Fleet organization and sense of community is really up to the Fleet Leadership, we do recognize that there has been a lack of challenges for Fleets to partake in together. We have recently updated Fleet Action queuing so that Fleets can organize into 20 man teams and take on those challenges, but beyond that there is no sense of Fleet accomplishments in the game yet.

That is why you’ve heard me talk about Fleet Progression as something we want to add to the game as we move towards Season 5. This includes some sort of challenges that allow Fleets to work together as a team to achieve big goals and earn rewards. This could include building Starbases, building Shipyards, or even some sort of territory control game involving Fleets from opposite factions.

Look for more details on this in 2012 after our Free-to-Play launch.

OPG: When can we anticipate the introduction of Fleet Owned Starbases? If and when it is introduced, what can you tell us in relationship will be available, such as; construction and control of building, through material collection, maintaining, security of surrounding controlled area? To that of expanding that of territory of a Fleet in order to gain and lose such territory?

As part of our Fleet improvements, we want to allow for the creation of Starbases that can be owned and managed by the Fleet. This may also be involved in some sort of territorial gameplay, but it is too early to say. Early discussions about how Fleets create Starbases have involved components such as resource gathering, constructing various components, or even running specific types of Duty Officer Assignments. If it also involves a territory dispute, it may also include some form of warfare.

OPG: What assets will be needed to build a Starbase? Any items we should be collecting (ie; materials) now in anticipation of this?

We are too far out to give any sort of hints as to what you might need to collect. It may even be something that is entirely new. So don’t worry too much about trying to get everything ready ahead of time because the act of building a Starbase may involve assets that aren’t even in the game yet.

OPG: We mentioned territory control, Dan Stahl has also stated in past interviews that it is something that is either in works or is being created, what details can you tell us that will allow for territory control, on what levels, to what extent and at what point can and will it be lost if not maintained? Example; persistent territory control system.

While there are no details to be discussed as this feature is still in the early discussion phase and not slated until at least Season 5, I can give you an idea of what I like about territory control games. I’d like to see key critical planets that offer special resources be contested via PVE and PVP gameplay. Similar to how ports used to change hands in Pirates of the Burning Sea, I’d like to see players working to complete objectives that give temporary control of some systems to one faction or the other. Doing so would then alter the gameplay around that system for a specific amount of time until it is reset or the other faction takes control over it. So don’t expect a permanent persistent territory game, but something that has ebb and flow and is based on participation and time.

OPG: In a follow up to the question of territory system, what role will that of PvP work in relationship to this territory system?

Again, many of these questions are forward thinking and a bit too early to give any solid details on. I’d imagine that PVP will be involved in any territory control game much in the same way that players have to fight one another to gain control over system. That could involve open PVP zones around a planet, or specific PVP scenario maps that players have to complete in order to change the territory from one faction to another.

OPG: Sometime ago, Dstahl stated he wasn’t satisfied with the economy system, where can you tell us are you in overhauling the system and can we anticipate a more diverse system through supply and demand economic system?

A big portion of changes coming in the Free-to-Play launch are related to updating the economy and currencies used in the game. One big goal is to simplify the rewards given to you so that it is clearer what the value is of completing various types of content in the game. This involves updating reward tables, updating items sold in stores, updating the types of items dropped in the game, and combining several types of currencies into one.

During the course of F2P Beta, we will be tuning and adjusting this new economy to make it much clearer what you need to do in order to obtain the types of items that you can purchase in game.

OPG: At any point will we see anything that is losses of something, ship, crew member, at the moment we have no consequences within the game on any type of scale, will this change in the near future and will it be apart of the Territory System?

We’ve certainly talked about it, but we tend to feel that “negative” consequences aren’t welcomed by most players. While we have added features such as death penalties and costs related to the difficulty slider, for standard gameplay we want to ensure that the majority of players that get attached to their ship and crew, aren’t being hit over the head with losses or penalties for playing the game.

PVP is one area where we may differ from this path, but for PVE gameplay, you’re going to see us continue to ensure that normal gameplay has few negatives to deal with.

OPG: When will we see Cryptic create a dedicated forum area for fleets only? Example; ideas of what the fleets would like to see added to STO.

Fleets are a great resource of ideas and have a good grasp of all the features and content in the game. A dedicated forum is a great idea and something I can mention to Stormshade.

OPG: Other than starbases what else can fleets expect to see that will encourage more interaction with each other? (Ex. Alliances, Wars)

There are a lot of great ideas out there and examples that can be pulled from other games. Since we are very early in our discussions about what Fleet progression and Fleet End Game could be, I’d suggest continuing to post your ideas on the Forums and share your thoughts about what you would like to see. The devs do read the forums regularly and take note of well thought out and presented ideas.

NOTE From Outpostgamez Staff; Outpostgamez is saddened that Dan Stahl is leaving Star Trek Online and Cryptic Studios. Dan Stahl has led STO for over a year since Season 2 and has provided many new aspects to STO. It's been a rough road at times but STO is better for Dan Stahl having been there. We wish Dan Stahl the best of luck in his future endeavors and hope that his memories are fond of the STO Community. We also look forward to seeing how the new Executive Producer shapes STO.