Yes, I'm aware we've had numerous discussions on a third faction already, but most (if not all) of them are Romulan focused, and I think we need to be looking elsewhere. Why you might ask? New Romulus. The only two factions left that I'd think people really would want to see and play are the Romulans (with Remans) and Cardassians (with Jem Hadar).

The Star Empire as we know it is gone. The majority of Romulans wish to settle down on New Romulus and other planets within their new sector. The remnants of the Star Empire leaves only the Tal Shiar, and they've always been above the Star Empire anyway. With the new sector, and half the Romulans wanting peace, it doesn't seem... practical to start up a playable Romulan faction. Its stated in dialogues that they just want to start over and get their colony up and running. Sure they've got some ships, but I don't think they've got the ships and fleet necessary to do what the Federation and Klingon Empire is doing.

My suggestion, for a third playable faction would be to have another Alliance of sorts (which in actuality, is no different to the current two factions; they're made up of a collection of species all with a similar purpose).

You've got the Tal Shiar, so you've got a starting point (and people who wish it get to play as a Romulan). Bring back the Obsidian Order and have them align with the Tal Shiar (now you've got people wishing to play as Cardassians happy). If we try to focus more toward a police-state, then you can add the Suliban (they'd make good spies), Vaudwaar (I can elaborate on them later) and Jem Hadar (soldiers) would all make for good additions, and you can throw in the Reman as Zen Purchases (I figure a Reman in the Tal Shiar would be rare, but not unheard of).

That's the same number of unique faction-races that the KDF currently has.

Bird of Prey and Hideki as your early-escorts, Keldon and D'Deridex as your Tier #5 Cruisers, the Jem Hadar War Cruiser and Norexan (Mogai) as the Tier #5 Escorts. You don't need to worry so much about cross-customization, so long as we're not limited to a single ship choice per tier. For what it's worth, there are countless fan designs out there that I know you can use (the Odyssey is a fan design; as is the Vesta).

I think this would solve the question of who to have as a third faction, and I think it would solve the issue of where to go with the Romulan aspect of it now that most of them have settled down. We also know (from the end of the Dominion War) that the Cardassian Military was disbanded, whereas the Obsidian Order dosen't work within the restraints any former negotiations with Starfleet, thus that explains your Cardassian ships.

Most MMO's have at least three factions. STO currently has one and a bit (KDF isn't finished until we've got levels 1 through 50). But yeah, this is my suggestion for a third faction that would keep Romulan, Cardassian and Jem Hadar fans happy. Preferably to be implemented after the completion of the Klingon Faction.

I agree the current New Romulus is in no condition to be a new faction, but I have my own suggestion.

The Dominion, its big and powerful, unique flavour and one ship already exists.

You have more races then Romulan and Remen.

You have the Jem'hadar, Vorta, Wadi, Hunters/Tosk, Dosi, and the Changelings themselves, amoung possible others.

Very different culture structure.

If they do go with New Romulus they need more races then Remen and Romulan.

Alien is obvious, but liberated Borg make sense too, Romulans get assimulated too.

Edo would be a good race to go with Romulans, Ktarans, and I'd allow Romulans access to Ferengi and Leatheans. Ferengi are greedy, but unaligned and the Empire hasn't accepted the Letheans so they're free agents.

This thread is basically, "Been there done that." It is the same rehash of numerous threads that suggest mini factions, factions, sub factions, a fraction of a faction and so on.

No new Faction or sub faction will ever be realized, simply because it is not cost efficient enough to do so. STO is on permanent maintenance mode with the occasional grind bone tossed in.

I applaud folks like you for wishful thinking, and trust me I really hope for another faction on any level would appear, but it is simply just that, wishful thinking.

Shelliac

Seriously though, stark2k nailed it. Development wise, STO is surviving by the skin of it's teeth, and that's by design. Expect the bare minimum.

Yeah, it doesn't have to be that way. Not by a long shot: Star Trek's big enough to make an actual commercially competitive and experience rich MMO, but the people pulling the strings in this case are devotees of the slash-and-burn business model. They don't want to be competitive, they don't want to be ambitious, they're not interested in growth. To them, an existing IP like Trek is a hill to be mined, not a seed to be farmed. Any new content we get is really just to keep the bubble from bursting before it's been tapped out. Enjoy it while it's around, by all means, but IMO don't expect it to last more than another two years or so, and don't expect Crypic/PWE to every try any harder than they already are.

By the sounds of it, if there was a third player faction, it would be Romulans.


While the OP has some good ideas about the Dominion with the variety of races and ships, they would have to open up the Gamma Quadrant.

But with the Romulans, I could easily see Cryptic taking a departure from the current Tactical / Science / Engineering paths and giving us new choices such as Tal Shiar Spy / Infiltrator, New Empire Captain, or Hirogen (other alien race) Captain. So you could pick a faction and choose who you ally with.

I'm pretty sure they made New Romulus so they can add the romulan without being part of a third faction. Romulan + Reman are ally with both the KDF and feds with new romulus. At least those on the planet. Next, they may send people to both KDF and feds, as part of some officers exchange, or whatever. Or maybe New Romulus will fail for some reason (undine, iconian, you name it), and the survivors will have to choose a side (doubtful).

I expect to start on New Romulus for a beginning, either as Reman or Romulan. Dunno the starting level. When your first chapter is done, you'll have to choose either being KDF or feds, for some reason explained during the past missions, and join this faction. Maybe they'll remove the romulan story part for romulan character, because it would make no sense, and add something else. Also, they'll probably add some "special" ship if you are Romulan, or maybe ships available for the level range of the unique story content Romulan will have. For example, flying in a bird of prey for your beginning, instead of a Miranda.

I think it's the easier way to introduce the Romulan, without having the same problem the KDF have : lack of content and whine about it. I don't say it would be the best to do, or what people want, but I think this is what will happen. Also, a third faction would dilute even more the playerbase, and I don't think Cryptic want it. If they release a "romulan" only z-store ship, do you think they'll make money with it, while they admit some KDF ship didn't ? Also, making new content/ships for 3 faction is even more difficult than just 2, and yet, they struggle for KDF content...

Also, I don't say I support this, I just think it will happen that way.

The game only has 1.5 factions so until KDF has been fully developed as a faction, meaning same number of missions as Fed at launch, then talk about a third faction is premature.

+1, holding out the faintest glimmer of hope but I know deep down this isn't happening.

New Romulus is not a faction. It is some hundreds of people building a colony. Perhaps thousands. Reunificationists.

RSE was in official lore BIGGER than Klingon imperium and smaller than KDF (see the normal Wikipedia).
If you think, that after the destruction of ONE star system, albeit the most important, all are dead, and there are NO OTHER systems settled by Romulans, you are joking.

If someone would destroy New York, would it be the end of USA? hell NO.

Next, i'm strongly against connecting Romulans with the Cardassians. I like both factions, but they are just too different.

Romulans are the tiger waiting in the bushes for the right time to streak. Cardassians are the clowns which are stealing your meal in front of you, pretending they need the oranges to make you laugh.