Feature episode

A Feature Episode, or Featured Episodes are storyline missions released as part of a special event. They have come in two iterations; feature episodes which were time limited series which ran until 2014 and featured episodes which were single missions launched during an event. The format was retired in 2018, replaced by Featured Task Force Operations.

Feature episodes (2010-2014)


A "Feature Episode" (or "weekly episode") was a concept by Cryptic Studios of advertising and releasing new storyline missions beginning in August 2010 during Season Two: Ancient Enemies.

They were designed to prevent long waits between mission releases via seasons. Cryptic argued that the content delivered through large content updates was "burned" through by the players within a short amount of time, thus resulting in a longer wait for new content. By releasing new missions on a weekly basis, the players get less content per individual update but gain the feeling of anticipation similar to a new episode of the television series.

Initially, because the Breen Front missions were released first, they were available at all player levels, and the mark gear rewards were level-matched. A Feature Episode used to be regularly released on Saturdays, 11:00 a.m. Pacific time for five weeks at a time. They were typically five missions long and told an overarching story. Following the Free To Play release, the episode format was tightened up and all Series were fit in to a level-appropriate range. Hence why the 2800 Dominion series now occurs during the level-progression mission plotline before the Breen.

Special "reruns" of these episodes also used to be held, which allowed special mission rewards to be collected. All Feature Episode missions have since been incorporated into the main story sequence and Cryptic moved from the 5-mission-block-type Featured Episodes to stand-alone releases of story missions called "Featured Episodes".

Cold War
Missions are listed under The Breen Invasion in the in-game mission journal. Minimum level required to accept missions: 48 (Fed) 46 (KDF)

Spectres
Missions are listed under The Klingon War for Federation players and The Federation War for Klingon players in the in-game mission journal. Previously this Feature Series has also been called "The Devidians". Minimum level required to accept missions: 11 (Fed) 25 (KDF)

Cloaked Intentions
Missions are listed under The Romulan Mystery in the in-game mission journal. Minimum level required to accept missions: 34 (Fed) 36 (KDF)

The 2800
Mission names are listed under the Cardassian Struggle for Federation players and under Dominion Domination for Klingon players in the in-game mission journal. Minimum level required to accept missions: 45 (Fed) 41 (KDF)

Re-Runs
On occasion Feature Episodes have been given "re-run" events, allowing players to gain the limited edition series rewards;
 * (from the Cold War arc) awards the.
 * (from the Spectres arc) awards the.
 * (from the Cloaked Intentions arc) awards the.
 * (from The 2800 arc) awards the.
 * During the 2013 re-run, the first completed Featured Episode-mission per day per account also rewarded 15, prior to this lobi were hidden within the missions. Lobi were removed from 2014 onward.

The rerun in 2013 was as a lead up to Season 8, the 2014 rerun was after the launch of Season 9 and the 2018 re-run was in advance of the 8 Year Anniversary Event. In 2019 the former special rewards for the reruns were added to the Mudd's Market section of the Zen Store.

Featured Episode (2013-2018)
A change of concept began 2013 with the release of single "Featured Episodes" on special occasions – actually consisting of one long mission, instead of five weekly published missions. During the event they would be available to all players level 10+ in a special tab.

Similar to the prior Feature Episodes, after the event these missions get integrated into the regular storyline progression at a particular level. They were, however, never part of the "Feature Episode" re-runs while they occurred or their rewards.

Most missions from the Solanae Sphere Arc onward have been featured episodes upon release, but not all. During an expansion, some episodes go straight into the regular order without any event surrounding them; for example, or. Meanwhile others are placed far earlier in the mission order than most featured episodes, notably.

To encourage replay. the mission rewards have tended to include a gear set of 3 to 4 pieces with only one selectable each time. For example: a ground armour, shield and weapon. Each part of the set would be added to the available rewards each week of the event, but would be available permanently afterwards.

Weekly Reward
A Featured Episode Weekly Reward is a special reward box available to Featured Episodes during their initial run. One box is available each week, per account. The reward box is account bound and on opening contains a choice of either one, or one Specialization Point (claimable by all, but only usable on Level 50+ characters).

Standard rewards on Featured Episodes tend also to be staggered; so that one part of a set is available each week. These two elements combined encourage re-playing of the mission during its initial release.

Anniversary Missions
Featured Episodes linked to the Anniversary Event also offer a free endgame starship, but only during the inital 3-4 weeks of the mission's release. The Featured Episode for the 3 Year Anniversary Event granted a free Tier 5 Ambassador Class (in addition to the Tier 3 version currently available) during the Anniversary Event only.

The following year, the first play-through of rewarded 400 Anniversary Qmendations, with a further 40 for each play-through of. 1000 of these vouchers rewarded the player with a Tier 5 ship. This was repeated the following years; only with Qmendation's being replaced by Anniversary Prize Vouchers in 2016 and the reward from Party Patrol being moved to.

Featured TFOs (2018 onwards)
As part of the revamp of PvE queues as Task Force Operations, it was decided to replace Featured Episodes with Featured Task Force Operations as TFOs were more suited to repetition than a narrative episode. As such, no further Featured Episodes would be produced.

Featured Episodes (2020)
The one-off pair of missions for the 10 Year Anniversary Event in 2020 were launched under the a "Featured Episodes" story arc tab as they were unconnected to any other ongoing story arc.