The Prime Directive

[mberwick]

Hello all,

New here. Very much looking forward to this MMO. I watched the webcast and am very pleased with what I have heard so far.

One thing they didn't mention in the webcast however, is the Prime Directive and what role it will play. Will it be a 'these are the rules, so you can't break them' mechanic, or will we as the player, much like many a captain from the various series every now and again bend said rules for particular situations? I'm wondering how the developers will consider this.

What are your thoughts?

Cav

[Prospero]

certain rules will most likely be in place, breaking them would result in reprimand from starfleet

[RockyM]

Sent to the naughty corner of the galaxy if you break the rules... :)

[11710]

Forget the prime directive... I intend to handle situations like Kirk.

[Prospero]

Forget the prime directive... I intend to handle situations like Kirk.

careful you dont get space herpes

[Signal]

I'm guessing that there will probably be a few missions (quests) written around whether or not you can the Prime Directive, with different consequences (but neither too negative or severe) depending on what you choose to do for the Federation.

The Klingon Empire is a whole 'nother matter entirely. Do they even have something equivalent to the Prime Directive?

[Kinjiru]

The Klingon Empire is a whole 'nother matter entirely. Do they even have something equivalent to the Prime Directive?

Their Prime Directive is to Conquer your enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentation of their women.

[cmdraftbrn]

my theory is it will be a static rule system to start off with and then through a series of patches let you do what ever your heart contents. or it'll be like eve and you'll get hosed.

[Pilov]

careful you dont get space herpes

I think I will take my chances handing things the Kirk way as well.

I mean come on silly prime directive

[danubus]

You break the prime directive in so many hours you get put in spacedock for X amount of hours... and flogged!

[TheMasterpiece]

Hello all,

New here. Very much looking forward to this MMO. I watched the webcast and am very pleased with what I have heard so far.

One thing they didn't mention in the webcast however, is the Prime Directive and what role it will play. Will it be a 'these are the rules, so you can't break them' mechanic, or will we as the player, much like many a captain from the various series every now and again bend said rules for particular situations? I'm wondering how the developers will consider this.

What are your thoughts?

Cav



The prime directive is a joke. I dont much like it and If I have to choose between some random pre warp cave man or a crew member, my crew comes first every time

[Reinkaos]

I sure hope we can break the rules of the prime directive when and as we see fit; for missions, instances, and the strange, new lifeforms and problems they bring with them that we'll be discovering in space :) rather than being forced to stick with them with no choice.

But not, of course, without repercussions, if we do wrong. :D but I think if we break it for the right reasons, no repercussions :)

[r2d2ott]

Everyone knows the prime directive is for girly captains.

Ok, not really. It'd be cool if it was instituted, like with some sort of public standing bar similar to Kotor, or Mass Effect. Every time you make a decision that breaks it, you get like maybe -5 mojo points. If you uphold it, it's plus five. If you break it, but for the common good, maybe like +2, or something.

[Kinjiru]

I love the idea of the moral dilemmas that could arise form including the Prime Directive into various missions. I said in another thread, the best thing about it was the choices that had to be made, whether to adhere to it, or "fracture" it slightly, or just go for broke and evacuate those poor American Indians who somehow got stuck on a giant asteroid shaped space station that's headed for it's doom.

"For the World is Hollow, and I Have Touched the Sky"

"I'm... Kirrroooooooock!"

[Trageon]

Personally i consider the Prime Directive a good thing, although the Klingons are known for giving advanced tech to warring factions, i think we should leave well enough alone until the inhabitants are ready for outside influence. Interfering with a primitive culture's natural advancement could upset the balance of their development. The Vulcans didn't contact Earth until we developed warp speed for a purpose. when a civilization is ready to reach out to the stars only then should we make our presents known. thats my opinion anyway.

[Tuvya]

Did someone mention the Prime Suggestion?

Just how many times does a ship named enterprise violate that anyway?

Better question, when didn't they violate it? (easier to count, less occurances)

[11710]

careful you dont get space herpes

Where the green women at!

[Kinjiru]

Where the green women at!

"Excuse me while I whip this out..."

[Pilov]

"Excuse me while I whip this out..."

lol

A Star Trek Reality dating show

[r2d2ott]

"Mongo like candy"

God, blazing saddles was awesome

[Stardrifter]

Well since the Starfleet faction will be getting their "quests" from Starfleet Command, chances are the completion conditions will require you to stick close to the Prime Directive. It wouldn't apply to all missions, but I'm sure if you break the Prime Directive during some, you'll fail the quest and have to do it again.

But as has been said, in the shows themselves the PD has been bent at times. So I imagine missions will allow us some leeway at times.

[Smellykat405]

So... I think it would be REALLY cool if the game implemented the Prime Directive as an element. As a Federation member you would have to go out of your way to NOT violate the prime directive. I think it would be awesome to live among a civilization on a planet and study it for a time and then leave without a trace. And on the other hand I also think it would be fun to VIOLATE THE HELL OUT OF IT! lol

Seriously though, do you think the game will have the Prime Directive? I mean...if it doesn't that's kind of bogus in my opinion simply because it was kind of a big part of Star Trek.

[Foxstab]

An intriguing idea.

How do you propose the engine algorithem for monitoring such will conduct?
What flags and triggers shall be employed as check points?

[Roka]

Prime Directive? only in spirit. There are too many personalities and lets face it.... not everyone will give a **** about obeying rules.
I for one hope there is some sort of "prime directive" with penalties for disobeying. And a Klingon code of honor to do the same.

[Cyjack]

http://forums.startrekonline.com/showthread.php?t=7654&highlight=prime+directive

http://forums.startrekonline.com/showthread.php?t=6307&highlight=prime+directive

http://forums.startrekonline.com/showthread.php?t=4633&highlight=prime+directive

http://forums.startrekonline.com/showthread.php?t=4371&highlight=prime+directive

http://forums.startrekonline.com/showthread.php?t=4079&highlight=prime+directive

[stogod]

I believe the prime derective was had a very low key mention at the las vegas talk. On my personal level though I think if they did not put the prime derective in, star fleet would not be star fleet.:)

[ibby1kanobi]

http://forums.startrekonline.com/showthread.php?t=7654&highlight=prime+directive

http://forums.startrekonline.com/showthread.php?t=6307&highlight=prime+directive

http://forums.startrekonline.com/showthread.php?t=4633&highlight=prime+directive

http://forums.startrekonline.com/showthread.php?t=4371&highlight=prime+directive

http://forums.startrekonline.com/showthread.php?t=4079&highlight=prime+directive


That was what he got from the "search" function> Search first, and post in it for a bump back to page one if you feel like restarting the discussion. :)

[Smellykat405]

I'm not sure. I was hoping to get some thoughts and opinions on how it could work. My idea as it stands now is similar to any RPG engine that delivers choice. Much like in Fable. If you are on a quest and are given a choice, depending on which one you make you will either be good or evil. Well perhaps on each planet there are hundreds of missions. And in some of those key missions you are given a choice... one that might lead to violating the prime directive and one that will get you out with little to no influence. It could play in a lot of story elements to make the decision legit and difficult. Something like being held captive by a native and they demand that you hand over your phaser. You know you can easily take them out with your Vulcan nerve pinch and just get the hell out but you need this person conscious to lead you to something you have been seeking. If you hand over the phaser the result is later he makes away with it and you end up having to head back without it. Stuff like that. But I know there are other ways to pull it off. Any ideas?

[jdfimage]

I think this is a great idea. IMO if a captain violates the PD during a mission he should have points deducted from whatever XP he is awarded or even receive no points at all. I point to the old Trek PC games like the 25th Anniversay and Judgement Rites. After you completed a mission you were given points by an Admiral on how you did.

No in those games that was just a rating that didn't mean a whole lot except when you were bragging to your buddies that you finally attained a 5 out of 5 score, but it this game it would have a direct effect on how fast you progress.

Now there might be some missions where violating or bending the PD might be necessary and even condoned and in those missions where the Captain (player) saw it was the right course of action maybe extra XP can be awarded.


Thoughts?

[Blackfire2]

Prime Directive? only in spirit. There are too many personalities and lets face it.... not everyone will give a **** about obeying rules.
I for one hope there is some sort of "prime directive" with penalties for disobeying. And a Klingon code of honor to do the same.

Thats why we have the option to play the klingons, who have no such directive to follow.

By the same token however, I will obey the prime directive as to it's original intent to protect still developing cultures. If however they are space faring and pose a threat, thats a different story.

[jdfimage]

Thats why we have the option to play the klingons, who have no such directive to follow.

By the same token however, I will obey the prime directive as to it's original intent to protect still developing cultures. If however they are space faring and pose a threat, thats a different story.

____

In the case of 'space faring and pose a threat' - "Then Mr. President, we clean their chronometers..."

[mdazfrench]

Hmmm, for me one of the most endearing things about the later Star Trek series and the most frustrating about the early ones (read - Original and Next Generation) IS the Prime Directive. It wasn't that I felt it was wrong, merely that Kirk and especially Picard's ironclad adherence to it was two dimensional and flat.

I'd fully support the Prime Directive as a gameplay mechanic along the lines of a law enforcement measure, enforced by the NPC ships of the Federation. But I cherish my choice. I love RPGs and almost always pay a do gooder palladin type that always sacrifices for others . . . but I want the choice to do so. If all I can do is what the Prime Directive tells me, weither in my regular interaction with others or in missions, then the game is simply the two dimensional story provided to me by the devs and is not MY story.

Anyway, so far as the mechanics, I'd say the devs could take some good lessons from pretty much every Bioware game made :)

[Valenthalas]

You'll probably get Faction bonuses with the Federation for trying to be diplomatic in certain situations or doing certain missions without violating the PD.. etc etc etc , and you'll probably lose faction with the Federation by outright attacking people, ignoring diplomacy, interfering with primitive peoples, etc etc blah blah blah.. which could even then lead to being demoted, court martial, etc.

[Smellykat405]

Thats why we have the option to play the klingons, who have no such directive to follow.

By the same token however, I will obey the prime directive as to it's original intent to protect still developing cultures. If however they are space faring and pose a threat, thats a different story.

Agreed! The reason I brought this up was because I recently watched an older episode where Kirk landed on a planet that he stayed on for a while with still developing cultures who did not know war. He had stayed there when he was still in the Academy, it was part of training. And he made friends with a chieftan who knew who and where he was from but kept his secret well. Well the Klingons had landed there recently and supplied a tribe with flint lock guns. The peaceful chief did NOT want to fight but his wife, who was a powerful temptress of sorts WANTED war. At the end of the episode through an incident beyond his control the chief watches his wife get murdered by the opposing tribe. And at the end of it he demands that his tribe be supplied with flint locks as well. Kirk begrudgingly orders "20 snakes for the garden of eden." I know its really nerdy but I thought it was extremely poignant and would love to see a mission in the game similar to that, or at least with that same feel to it. Because Kirk was faced with a responsibility to repair what had been broken by the Klingons...and at the end the only way he could repair the prime directive was by making both sides even as they once were...and since you cant "forget" technology..he had to supply them with the same. So in order to protect the PD he had to violate it. It was not a happy ending. But it was one of the best written episodes I have ever seen to date.

[ParkerHayden]

I'd follow the Prime Directive unless there was a civilization of people in distress from a meteor about to impact their planet, or something along those lines. Heart > PD, for me.

[curtst]

I'd follow the Prime Directive unless there was a civilization of people in distress from a meteor about to impact their planet, or something along those lines. Heart > PD, for me.

Well if that civilization doesn't know about it, would it be violating the PD? It would be extremely difficult to implement a PD in the game, the PD is a guide line not rules and as such is open to massive interpretation.

While I don't think it is a bad idea, it would be 1. Very difficult to put in. 2. Give the Federation pretty much only one way to complete mission without penalties while the Klingons will probably be wide open in their choices. 3. Because of #2 I see a lot of people switching sides to Klingons because the game would be more open on that side.

Just my opinion.

[No1UKnow]

Bah away team missions for both factions will be just that. Missions. There will no way to break the PD. You talk to this dude, kill that thing, complete the mission just like any other quest in any other game. You can either do the mission as it is designed or it will never complete and you will never get credit for it.

If you have a mission to beam down to a planet and negotiate a treaty with a person of high importance, I doubt the mission will let you whip out your phaser and kill the dude.

[Kinjiru]

Bah away team missions for both factions will be just that. Missions. There will no way to break the PD. You talk to this dude, kill that thing, complete the mission just like any other quest in any other game. You can either do the mission as it is designed or it will never complete and you will never get credit for it..

Wow, so you know the future *and* what the Devs are thinking?? When can we expect beta and gold?

/sarcasm off

I honestly don't think that will be the case. Hell, there were even moral dilemmas in some of SWGs quest lines. Granted, they weren't fully realized, but they *were* there.

[Dieselds]

i hope there are penelties for breaches of the prime directive because it would ruin it for the fans that want it to be canon. the klingons on the series dont give a toss about the prime directive and dont follow any similar code anyway while the federaation are held back by the PD so it would be a canon situation anyway

[Smellykat405]

As I said I just want the PD to be in place as part of quests. I mean...mabye thats just the problem. It was said on this thread that you would get a mission and you would complete it the way it was designed... but maybe the problem with most MMOs is that the only missions they offer are linear missions. I can't speak for everyone else on the forum but I know that I for one can sometimes get a little aggravated at playing what is ultimately a neverending non linear game and suddenly wind up playing a VERY linear line of missions. What I was suggesting when I brought up the PD was essentially a way to create choices within a mission to make it less linear. The PD would add moral dilemma for the Federation as some missions might make them choose between the PD and their own lives, or something to that degree.

In terms of consequence for violation of the PD, it could have something to do with the overall crop of XP you get at the end OR it could launch another mission all together where you need to explain your actions and why you performed them the way you did to Star Fleet Command. Or perhaps I would be the only player in the game who would be willing to play through something like that.

Choice adds dynamic to a game and can make it more fun and furthermore, more playable. Creating another character will be a bit nicer in this game if there is different choices that can be made the second time around. It's just a thought.

[bobh]

Forget the prime directive... I intend to handle situations like Kirk.

I didn't think you were a fan of cowboy diplomacy?

[Smellykat405]

Ha ha! I have a thread about this exact same thing with the exact same title. Oh well. Im all for it.

[bobh]

Thats why we have the option to play the klingons, who have no such directive to follow.


Assuming of course Cryptic doesn't bring the Organians out of hiding....

[Stopher87]

I would like to see them lay down all of the protocols, but when it comes down to it i would make it so it is up to the individual captains to decide to adhere to the directive.

[Smellykat405]

I didn't think you were a fan of cowboy diplomacy?

Cowboy Diplomacy is the way to go. Captain Kirk gets to have ALL the fun and quite frankly, I am tired of it.

"Scotty... if I am not back in three hours... Rig the ship to blow."

"Aye, but what good will that do, Captain?"

"It's a sacrfice we must make...For the good of the federation."

"So let me get this straight, Captain... if your not back in three hours you want us to kill ourselves instead of doing something wee bit more productive like saving your arse?"

"Precisely..."

"Alright then...just wanted to get me facts straight. Have fun being kidnapped then."

[daviex2259]

careful you dont get space herpes

I thought that was Riker :)

Dave

[LebowskyBob]

I'm guessing that there will probably be a few missions (quests) written around whether or not you can the Prime Directive, with different consequences (but neither too negative or severe) depending on what you choose to do for the Federation.

The Klingon Empire is a whole 'nother matter entirely. Do they even have something equivalent to the Prime Directive?

They have the "Is the Federation watching? ...no?...quick! conquer it NOW before they do look over here!" directive :)

[Druix]

Sent to the naughty corner of the galaxy if you break the rules... :)

So does that mean you will visit us, the BORG often then...

[LebowskyBob]

So does that mean you will visit us, the BORG often then...

I think the naughty corner of the galaxy would be the part with ST:V villain...because that guy was annoying. Seriously. The Borg would assimilate you sure...but THAT guy would electrocute you and be all like "gimme ur ship n3bl3t!" and you'd be all like "no, man ur not God!"...it would really make a guy not want to break the rules.

[Zyrious]

I want the option to break the prime directive, even if there are reprocussions i still want the ability to do it. I've never been a fan of the Federations staunch liberalism and pacifistic views, so i want to be able to handle things my own way. Even if it involves shooting and yelling..

[Luminora]

Considering how integral it is to the canon they would (I hope) do it justice.

[Break-Out]

The Klingon Empire is a whole 'nother matter entirely. Do they even have something equivalent to the Prime Directive?

The Klingons do not have the "Prime Directive", but they do have a very formal honor system. Mission plots can be written for Starfleet players involving the Prime Directive and Klingon players can have missions dealing with matters of honor.

Additional Thought: It might be cool if they had some missions where you could choose to take the mission in different directions depending how you choose to uphold or violate the prime directive. Tabla Rasa has "moral choice" missions like this. These type of stories are very much in keeping with Star Trek and sci-fi in general.

[Reinkaos]

The Klingons do not have the "Prime Directive", but they do have a very formal honor system. Mission plots can be written for Starfleet players involving the Prime Directive and Klingon players can have missions dealing with matters of honor.

Additional Thought: It might be cool if they had some missions where you could choose to take the mission in different directions depending how you choose to uphold or violate the prime directive. Tabla Rasa has "moral choice" missions like this. These type of stories are very much in keeping with Star Trek and sci-fi in general.

I really hope they do this, it would add more depth to the game, knowing your choices have ramifications in that sense.

[JSM3050]

Forget the prime directive... I intend to handle situations like Kirk.Kirk wasn't bad. Calhoun from New Frontier handled things much better, though (i.e. spurring a planet's popular into ****** revolt).