Do I HAVE to become a spy to join the Crimson Fleet?

[GrimRose0w0]

For a "Make your own path" game, I want nothing to do with the SysDef, but I like the Crimson Fleet. It feels like a total waste to be Forced to have to betray the whole UC just to be apart of the Crimson Fleet, I'm pretty Sure the John Doe I killed with my trusty Ripshank wasn't an Agent for SysDef when he joined on, why do I have to be???

It seems that this has become a game that goes against "Make your own path" and forces you into "Pick a Side, loyalty or betrayal". Like the Rangers, you can just Join them after doing a bounty... Seems like there should be a way to just Do that with the crimson fleet, no ties to the SysDef, just be an absolute menace that wants to watch the world bleed its credits straight into your bank account.

The longer I play, I seem to find more and more mechanics that are unrefined and rugged through and through. Like not being able to catch criminals alive (EM weapons) for a higher bounty and throwing them into your brig if you have one on your ship.

Starfield just keeps missing the mark in little ways that make all the difference...

Also it's super weird that when you get into your ship, your crew mates just CONGREGATE... like they are having a group meeting behind your back.

[dustin1280]

Get caught committing a crime > accept jail time > get brought to UC commander about being a double agent > refuse > crimson fleet will contact you later to join them.

[Ihateeverybody]

See I am the opposite. I want to destroy the Crimson Fleet, Burn their ships. Hear the lamentations of their mama's as I set the Key and Locke on fire and piss on the ashes.

But I don't like being used and I sure as ♥♥♥♥ ain't going to be Coarced.

[iambear.]

You can turn down their offer then the Fleet will contact you being like "hey join us for not being a snitch"

[Mountain Man]

Dude complains that he isn't allowed to choose his own path through Starfield when you clearly have the option to turn down SysDef's "offer".

[GrimRose0w0]

Originally posted by Mountain Man:

Dude complains that he isn't allowed to choose his own path through Starfield when you clearly have the option to turn down SysDef's "offer". :SF_Sandwich:

Wasn't aware that turning them down would lead to the crimson fleet, it's almost like the generosity of the community answering to my ignorance has now informed me that I was wrong, weird that I asked a question and it got answered.

[nakoda]

I ended up joining the Fleet specifically because the SysDef tried to coerce me, and then give me ♥♥♥♥ for things I didn't do.

"Don't kill anyone"

They shoot at me, and I return fire.

"You're going to jail!"

Nope.

I booked it off the Vigilance, jumped to a naarby system by the skin of my teeth while the whole fleet shot at me, and then went all in with the Fleet and eventually destroyed every last remnant of SysDef.

Somehow I am still a Vanguard 🤣🤣🤣

[The Hat]

I understand in story terms what you mean, but to be clear In gameplay terms, you don't lose access to UC planets through betrayal. SysDef is a sub-faction, so the UC won't all go hostile to you or give you large bounties. Only SysDef will go hostile eventually on the betrayal path, which later you'll sometimes (rarely in my experience) encounter fighting another faction over a planet and it'll be red.

I imagine you could do a mission in a way that targeted the UC citizens in the crossfire, but even in my betrayal playthrough which went for maximum chaos, the UC as a whole didn't bounty me. It'd be nice if a modder eventually added an extra encounter, where some remnant sysDef forces are trying to take me out.

[AceRimmer]

Is there any way that I can go back on being a spy? Can I choose not to after accepting

[Vlad 254]

Originally posted by AceRimmer:

Is there any way that I can go back on being a spy? Can I choose not to after accepting

Yes, near the quest's end there will be an option, a possible turning point.

So you can go along with being a spy for the entire quest up until a certain point, it will be clear.

[AceRimmer]

Never mind I shot at the uc ship, did the job

[Rabidnid]

Originally posted by nakoda:

I ended up joining the Fleet specifically because the SysDef tried to coerce me, and then give me ♥♥♥♥ for things I didn't do.

"Don't kill anyone"

They shoot at me, and I return fire.

"You're going to jail!"

Nope.

I booked it off the Vigilance, jumped to a naarby system by the skin of my teeth while the whole fleet shot at me, and then went all in with the Fleet and eventually destroyed every last remnant of SysDef.

Somehow I am still a Vanguard 🤣🤣🤣

Morrowind was the last time you have mutually exclusive paths. I think it was a mistake to remove the option, but they make a conscious decision from Oblivion onwards to allow the one character to do all the questlines in the one playthrough.

[lukandroll]

The whole Crimson fleet questline is terrible in terms of options and roleplaying, just terrible


Why I can't deliver the money to the free star colective? Its their money, and I don't trust the UC at all, if you choose to side with sys def its very dubious that they are ever going to give the money to their rightfull owners, the war and all...
Why I can't keep the money for myself, and double cross both of them? it breaks the economy? but offcourse, it should ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ do so, what's the problem with that
Just two from the tip of my head
This game is even more ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ limited than Fallout 4 in this regard

[Groogo]

Originally posted by lukandroll:

The whole Crimson fleet questline is terrible in terms of options and roleplaying, just terrible


Why I can't deliver the money to the free star colective? Its their money, and I don't trust the UC at all, if you choose to side with sys def its very dubious that they are ever going to give the money to their rightfull owners, the war and all...
Why I can't keep the money for myself, and double cross both of them? it breaks the economy? but offcourse, it should ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ do so, what's the problem with that
Just two from the tip of my head
This game is even more ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ limited than Fallout 4 in this regard

The writers ran out of time. The main quest designer, the guy that was responsible for the main quest-line was also the overall quest designer for the game and he stated that he had no time to do his work properly.

[lukandroll]

Originally posted by Groogo:

Originally posted by lukandroll:

The whole Crimson fleet questline is terrible in terms of options and roleplaying, just terrible


Why I can't deliver the money to the free star colective? Its their money, and I don't trust the UC at all, if you choose to side with sys def its very dubious that they are ever going to give the money to their rightfull owners, the war and all...
Why I can't keep the money for myself, and double cross both of them? it breaks the economy? but offcourse, it should ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ do so, what's the problem with that
Just two from the tip of my head
This game is even more ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ limited than Fallout 4 in this regard

The writers ran out of time. The main quest designer, the guy that was responsible for the main quest-line was also the overall quest designer for the game and he stated that he had no time to do his work properly.

That makes sense
IMHO, game its too ambitious, for me, quest design is much more important than having 1000 planets