I agree with the forst comment on upgrading the command structure....but lets add to get to Admiral status you must complete diplomacy rank 2 to become admiral...and also make it a full 10 ranks..

This whole rank issue has been brought up since closed beta...

So I don't think they're going to change it anytime soon

All they need to do is bind rank to titles rather than level - that way, you choose your rank based on the titles you've earned, rather than being stuck with the choice of being forced into becoming an Admiral, or being unable to spend your points to improve your skills (which makes the game increasingly difficult to play).

It'd work like this - display 'none' or an accolade title, and your rank is decided by your level, as is currently the case. But by tweaking the coding to add a wildcard to the rank-based titles, the game would read the wildcard instead - so displaying 'Captain' as your title at level 51 means you'd be addressed as 'Captain', not 'Vice Admiral'. However, anyone who wants to stay as a Rear/Vice Admiral won't have their rank stripped from them, so everyone wins.


Indeed, the possibilites go further - it'd give an opportunity to fix the clunky dialogue that gives us 'Hello, Rear Admiral Lower Half _______!' and the like - change it so that the dialogue linked to the titles reads as just 'Admiral', as just one example.


I've been banging on about this before, but I really do think it's the best solution to the current inflexibilites of the rank system.

Eh...as long as ship/mission/equipment requirements are based on level instead of rank, I wouldn't mind that. I roleplay one of my characters as a Lieutenant, and I have my "title" set as such. I'd hate to be limited to a tier-1 ship just because I roleplay a lower-ranked character.

Agreed. Furthermore, any proposal that links rank and level creates the same problem: What happens at N+1? Decoupling rank and level is necessary to solve this problem permanently:

• Have a separate rank title.
• Unlock a new rank title at each tier up to and ending with Captain.
• Allow fleet ranks to be used as rank title for all flag officer ranks.

Exactly - while you've earned the right to use a higher rank, doesn't mean it should be mandatory, but nor should you be penalised by being stuck at a lower level to stay at the rank you prefer.

It's like the various uniform options - we're totally at liberty to kit our characters out in whatever style/era of uniform we wish, regardless of whether or not this is at odds with the game's 2409 setting, or the styles of other players. Doing this make the game more appealing to more people, since everyone's got a different idea of what Trek means to them.

Same with everything else - ship designs/decorations/gadgets, original alien character designs, etc. - EXCEPT the freedom to choose which rank we want for our characters. It's not like people want to create a brand-new character and immediately call them 'Admiral' - it's simply a case that not everyone wants to be 'Vice Admiral', and furthermore, we shouldn't have to effectively 'stop playing the game' to stay at the rank we desire. I mean, what's the big deal with STFs and the like being available to Captains and Commanders, rather than just Admirals?


Ultimately, Level is far more indicative of a player's true skill... ...level anyway, so I can't see why Cryptic couldn't make rank a separate thing, since it's ultimately meaningless in all but cosmetic terms. Look at it this way: even at level 51, you can still use the Lieutenant title and rank pips/braids for your character. If rank meant so much in gameplay terms, why would this be allowed?

Ugh I'd really like to see ranks removed from leveling. Rankings should be used for fleets (fleet admiral = fleet owner etc), and non fleeted people should just be captain.

~D

Perhaps level should be based on XP, and rank (up through Captain, at any rate) be based on achievement some how?

I fully support this!

I think they would have done this already if it weren't for the Leonary Nimoy voiceovers.