Dominion in STO

[decoy26517]

Ok, I have to ask this because I couldn't find anything in a search.

Are the Dominion going to show up in STO?
I first noticed that there seems to be a Vorta wearing a federation uniform in the character creation video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zw8mu7hmNQk 41 seconds into the video, between the female Andorian and male Klingon with the eye patch.

What's the canon behind this? Did the dominion join the Federation? have the vorta left the dominion? What's the deal?

[decoy26517]

No thoughts on this?

[Azurian]

The Dominion is going to saved for future expansions. However, there are still some Alpha Quadrant Jem'Haddar that are still causing trouble.

[decoy26517]

The Dominion is going to saved for future expansions. However, there are still some Alpha Quadrant Jem'Haddar that are still causing trouble.

Ok, why are they in the federation?

[Zael]

No, dominion isnt here yet, its just the klingon defence force and the united federation of planets. Dominion will probly be an expansion as said earlier but if you want to play as them theres still the changeling and vorta available as a federation race (as seen wearing the starfleet uniform in the species trailer)

[Banar]

Ok, why are they in the federation?

The character or "alien" creator allows you to design a species and play with it in either faction. If you chose to make a Voorta and be a member of Starfleet, you can do so in all but the technicallity of your creation not being a "real" Voorta, but rather a "custom race."

[decoy26517]

The character or "alien" creator allows you to design a species and play with it in either faction. If you chose to make a Voorta and be a member of Starfleet, you can do so in all but the technicallity of your creation not being a "real" Voorta, but rather a "custom race."

I would normally agree with you however:
The character in the video is mixed in a line up of already defined canon races.
They don't talk about custom races until AFTER this lineup.

it REALLY looks like a vorta and i honestly have no idea what else it could be.

[Tain]

There were a pair of dominion attack ships in one screenshot already, so they are in the game, lurking somewhere.

[Banar]

I would normally agree with you however:
The character in the video is mixed in a line up of already defined canon races.
They don't talk about custom races until AFTER this lineup.

it REALLY looks like a vorta and i honestly have no idea what else it could be.

Right, they are all canon races. But they also show a Cardassian in a Cardie military uniform and the Cardassians are obviously not a playable faction. As for why a Voorta is in Starfleet... their was a Klingon in Starfleet, and there are Ferengi currently in Starfleet. Why then, not a Voorta?

[Avatar_of_Champions]

From comments I have seen, my current supposition is that most of the other major races will be 'folded' into the Federation or Imperial Klingon Empire.

Rekhan has said that most likely Romulan ships will be in the game, but he did not say anything about a Romulan faction, he also stated that the Klingon's would probably have other ships besides just their own designs (unlike the Federation),

This leads me to believe (at least for the purposes of the game) that there will be only two factions that all the major races will be folded into. But this is just my guess.. . I find it hard to believe that they would roll out new factions (not just races or ships, but entire new factions) on a regular basis.

That would mean that the Romulans, the Dominion, the Cardassions (unless folded into the Dominion again) would all become their own factions each with a minimum of 16 ship types to start (or more depending on how many ships were added), and each vying against all the other Factions in PVP. Not to mention each race would need several NPC races to flesh it out. And lets not even go into the other races/empires, from the Gamma quadrant, that could be their own Factions. It would be a logistical nightmare.
Also, the player population would be so spread out and fractured... *shudder*

[Azurian]

Ok, why are they in the federation?

I never said anything about them joining the Federation, all I said they were still causing trouble. Which means they are still fighting.

It's all in the Path to 2409.

[AaronH]

i am willing to bet bet that most NPC races will have their parts avaialable for players to use in the race creator. Hence the Vorta seen in the character creator video.

As for the Dominion, at the end of DS9 they were headed in a more peaceful direction, so, who knows how they will appear in STO. Prior to a fullscale dominion introduction though, I would love to see rogue Jem'Hadar groups operating in the Alpha Quadrant. Tons of story potential there.

[Tilarium]

Maybe not all the vorta went back through, maybe some stayed. Well if some stayed, it isn't unlikely for one to join starfleet if they'd let him. Hell, starfleet even let a ferengi join....

[Acyl]

i am willing to bet bet that most NPC races will have their parts avaialable for players to use in the race creator. Hence the Vorta seen in the character creator video.

The recent PC Gamer article has a lineup of different races in the game - a bunch of profile screenshots arranged in a row. There's no mistaking what each is, because they're labeled.

A Changeling, Jem'Hadar and Vorta are all pictured.

So the art assets for the Dominion species are in the game. What that means...well, you decide.

My guess is the Dominion races will turn up as NPCs, and their distinctive racial features will probably be visual options for players/bridge officers in the character creator.

[zanderj]

I do not see a Jem'Hadar in the character creation vid... I see a nausican, and I do see some elements of Jem'Hadarness in the custom character..

[Acyl]

I do not see a Jem'Hadar in the character creation vid... I see a nausican, and I do see some elements of Jem'Hadarness in the custom character..

But there is a Jem'Hadar mugshot in the recent PC Gamer article.

Mind you, the article doesn't indicate whether it's a playable race; the Jem'Hadar bust turns up in the same lineup as a Borg Drone, and the Borg definitely aren't playable. =P

[CappinCanuck]

I'm sure they'll be in there somewhere, for all the reasons others have mentioned. Maybe in quests, maybe some tidbits in there to give a taste for an expansion.

[andeolus]

I really wouldn't like to see every single faction available for play. Two's the standard, all-around number that gets tossed out now and then. Three might be pushing it, but any more than that and you'll have some severe population imbalance.

[TruthSeer]

There were a pair of dominion attack ships in one screenshot already, so they are in the game, lurking somewhere.

Is this pic online somewhere? I haven't seen it.

From comments I have seen, my current supposition is that most of the other major races will be 'folded' into the Federation or Imperial Klingon Empire.

Rekhan has said that most likely Romulan ships will be in the game, but he did not say anything about a Romulan faction, he also stated that the Klingon's would probably have other ships besides just their own designs (unlike the Federation)

Actually they've been saying since the Vegas video that they were going to try and get Romulan and Dominion factions into the game. Mainly when asked about plans for future factions in expansions they'd make mention of those two specifically.

Also if they were to to just add on to the current factions that would be the single greatest mistake they could make.

[Commander_Nate]

[FONT="Verdana"]
Rekhan has said that most likely Romulan ships will be in the game, but he did not say anything about a Romulan faction, he also stated that the Klingon's would probably have other ships besides just their own designs (unlike the Federation),
Tamgros reported from PAX that Cryptic said they "really want" to make the Romulans a playable faction at some point. Craig, in one of Tamgros' video interviews, said something to the effect that it will "probably happen" and I believe he said there may be other factions also at some point.

This leads me to believe (at least for the purposes of the game) that there will be only two factions that all the major races will be folded into. But this is just my guess.. . I find it hard to believe that they would roll out new factions (not just races or ships, but entire new factions) on a regular basis.

That would mean that the Romulans, the Dominion, the Cardassions (unless folded into the Dominion again) would all become their own factions each with a minimum of 16 ship types to start (or more depending on how many ships were added), and each vying against all the other Factions in PVP. Not to mention each race would need several NPC races to flesh it out. And lets not even go into the other races/empires, from the Gamma quadrant, that could be their own Factions. It would be a logistical nightmare.
Also, the player population would be so spread out and fractured... *shudder*
Adding a new faction wouldn't be as hard as some people think. Let me explain.

First of all, their planets, stations, asteroids, and other territory are already going to be in the game under NPC control. This will certainly be true at launch for the Romulans, Cardassians, and probably some other independent races like the Breen, Tholians, etc. Cryptic would have to do very little, if any, new territory design for these factions. They would simply have to change them from NPC to player control and add spawn points.

As for ships, there's some canon examples for each. Just take elements of these and mix in some new ones, I'm fine with Cryptic taking a creative license here. For characters you can just take the existing classes add them to the Romulans for example, and slightly tweak them for a more Romulan feel.

I don't think they need to have a huge variety of races for each faction. In fact I'm sort of surprised they have like 5 to choose from for the Klingons. The UFP is the only really tolerant, inclusive power shown in Star Trek. How many times did you ever see Cardassians serving with another race as equals? Sure the Breen and Dominion, but that's only when they were wartime allies and even then there was a lot of distrust and rivalry. The Romulans have themselves, the Remans, and according to the latest update, may also have the Hirogen as an ally and playable race. The Dominion has Founders, Vorta, Jem Hedar, and the Karema (or whatever that weird merchant race was). Those lineups are enough for me, but if people want more, then you can use the creator.

In reality, it shouldn't take more than a few weeks or months of work to add a new canon faction or two.

TO THE OP There will be Alpha Jem Hedar that have rebelled against the peace treaty and control some former Cardassian territory. However, the Dominion itself has withdrawn and is undergoing some sort of "renaissance" because of Odo according to The Path to 2409. So who knows what they will be like come launch? I'm sure they'll exist at some point, but whether they'll still be belligerent or playable is anyone's guess.

[Pyrceval]

Tamgros reported from PAX that Cryptic said they "really want" to make the Romulans a playable faction at some point. Craig, in one of Tamgros' video interviews, said something to the effect that it will "probably happen" and I believe he said there may be other factions also at some point.

Adding a new faction wouldn't be as hard as some people think. Let me explain.

First of all, their planets, stations, asteroids, and other territory are already going to be in the game under NPC control. This will certainly be true at launch for the Romulans, Cardassians, and probably some other independent races like the Breen, Tholians, etc. Cryptic would have to do very little, if any, new territory design for these factions. They would simply have to change them from NPC to player control and add spawn points.

As for ships, there's some canon examples for each. Just take elements of these and mix in some new ones, I'm fine with Cryptic taking a creative license here. For characters you can just take the existing classes add them to the Romulans for example, and slightly tweak them for a more Romulan feel.

I don't think they need to have a huge variety of races for each faction. In fact I'm sort of surprised they have like 5 to choose from for the Klingons. The UFP is the only really tolerant, inclusive power shown in Star Trek. How many times did you ever see Cardassians serving with another race as equals? Sure the Breen and Dominion, but that's only when they were wartime allies and even then there was a lot of distrust and rivalry. The Romulans have themselves, the Remans, and according to the latest update, may also have the Hirogen as an ally and playable race. The Dominion has Founders, Vorta, Jem Hedar, and the Karema (or whatever that weird merchant race was). Those lineups are enough for me, but if people want more, then you can use the creator.

In reality, it shouldn't take more than a few weeks or months of work to add a new canon faction or two.

TO THE OP There will be Alpha Jem Hedar that have rebelled agains the peace treaty and control some former Cardassian territory. However, the Dominion itself has withdrawn and is undergoing some sort of "renaissance" because of Odo according to The Path to 2409. So who knows what they will be like come launch? I'm sure they'll exist at some point, but whether they'll still be belligerent or playable is anyone's guess.


While I certainly expect to see the Romulans within the forseeable future added as a playable faction, and possibly Dominion down the road, the things you mentioned they would need to do are not all. They would also need to fill the game with content for those factions. MIssions, episodes, story archs, accolades etc etc etc... then test everything and fix bugs...that would take a little bit more than a few weeks I would think.