As chance would have it I landed on the new "recruit" sign-up page and saw this STO trailer for the first time:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00MU4uEVcBw

"Whatever comes, whatever finds you- stand tall - hold fast - YOU are a starfleet officer"

All I can say is wow - now I really feel like a starfleet officer - how many new players do?



Then I started a new Character - starfleet of coarse(but everyone must who is new)

and beam into my ship outside the sol system to be met with the powerful voice of Mr Leonard Nimoy:
(in a dark and forboading tone - with the startrek theme playing in the background)

"My Friend sacrificed so much to secure peace with the klingons, I bear the reponsibilites to him and his crew, a thought that troubles me to this day!

The hope was that this alliance would last forever - It did NOT! The KLINGONS have chooses WAR!!(bastards!!)

The Federation is doing it's utmost to protect it's borders and the billions of "innocents" that call this space home!(from the evil klingon terrorists)

I FEAR that this conflict may be our undoing!"
Can you save us from these agressive savages - yes you can - you are a Starfleet officer!

I won't let you down Mr Spock I will fight these Klingon Bastards for my whole STO career!

Ok - SO does this entry by ALL new players in the game taint the perception of the KDF? Or do people just see it as a game intro?

IMHO, I don't believe it is the conflict that will be your undoing.

It would have to be the EMO run animation of female Starfleet that gets me going.

And don't forget there's always your in-zone chat. Its like a room full of "Uh-Uhr... Yes it is! You sux" 24/7.

Is it time to end the conflict - is it even possible given the way the first 20 lvls are structured?

What would peace really bring each of the factions?

More than just lack of content - I am just thinking that the way the begining is structured permently handicaps the KDF - just a thought.

Absolutely agree with you. KDF is not even an afterthought.

If I was running things I would let each faction in the game have it's own landing page.

So you have a STO landing welcome page that is about STO.

Then there are two links to UFP and Klingon Empire.

Then the theme for each faction and web content specific to that faction to generate enthusiasm and a sense of belonging.

I truly believe that the KDF will eventually become a full faction in my heart.

I believe this because I want to see other factions in the game as well like the Cardassian, Romulan and the Ferengi.

Whether or not people will admit it, these factions are iconic representatives of Star Trek.

Star Trek may be about the adventures of Starfleet and the United Federations; but equally important are the enemies it faces and the settings it finds itself in.

Take the KDF away, or join it with Starfleet, and Starfleet becomes void of substance and purpose.

Spock wasn't assigning blame or putting down the Klingons. He was just telling people what happened.

Apparently you haven't been playing the Starbase missions. If those don't make the war feel real, nothing does.

The Spock VO from the Sirius sector block you qoute has none of the angst and Klingon hate you contribute to it in your opening post.

No where does it give the impression of the KDF being savages or that the federation is bent on destroying them like they are savages.

All the intro truelly does is set the tone that the UFP is in dire straights and the quadrant is in the turmoil of war and conflict. Its a intro trailer and doesnt set the KDF as being anything other that what it is, a faction that embraces war and conquest. As any ST fan already knows.

Could be but the VO does paint the fact as you say that the Federation is in dire straights due to it's war with the Klingons - it is the players job to turn this around so to speak by being a good captian and destroying the klingons through several of the next missions. My question was does this effect whether people end up playing KDF or not - one person says no. I think its time to end the war.

Not "destroying the Klingons", but rather "defending the Federation from aggressors, including the Klingons".

Of course it won't affect whether people play as Klingon.

If it can be done realistically, without ruining PvP and the Starbase missions, sure. But keep in mind that for new characters, the war will still be raging.