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Forums > Home› The Foundry for Star Trek Online› The Foundry for Star Trek Online - Discussion & Feedback

Storyboard is redundant

SystemSystem Member, NoReporting Posts: 178,019 Arc User
edited March 2011 in The Foundry for Star Trek Online - Discussion & Feedback
I was goofing around in the foundry and made a story without storyboard. It has the start and one end mission objective and that is all.
The events unfold in a parallel fashion using triggers and dialog hints only. You can even create an OR branch this way. Like you may shut down the power OR hack some consoles to bring down a force field. It takes an extra sheet of paper to keep track, but works with nice results.
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    Pendra37 wrote: »
    I was goofing around in the foundry and made a story without storyboard. It has the start and one end mission objective and that is all.
    The events unfold in a parallel fashion using triggers and dialog hints only. You can even create an OR branch this way. Like you may shut down the power OR hack some consoles to bring down a force field. It takes an extra sheet of paper to keep track, but works with nice results.

    But the story board is still very, very useful. For example, if a player needs to interact with one specific objective, making a choice. The story board determine which object will advance to the next objective. And the story board gives the mission instructions. There are lots of other reasons.

    I don't think it's redundant at all. The triggers simply provide handy alternatives to using the story board, in case it fits the author's designs.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    My understanding from talking on TTS awhile back was that the storyboard may be tied into rewards whereas enemies not on the storyboard may be seen as "optional" and not count towards mission rewards. (For example, if you want to use enemies for flavor or as a penalty or to control what direction players take.)

    Also, you can use triggers to spawn friendly NPCs whereas they'd never allow you to do that through the storyboard, for some good reasons. So the storyboard serves the purpose of determining which enemies/events "count" and the point of triggers is to have events that don't "count", necessarily.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    Wow I didn't think of it like that. No story board, make every part of your mission optional. 100% exsploration episode. Yoink Idea borrowed and being revised in Brain.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    filbones wrote: »
    Wow I didn't think of it like that. No story board, make every part of your mission optional. 100% exsploration episode. Yoink Idea borrowed and being revised in Brain.

    I have been playing with this idea, particularly when the Foundry is live and I can justify making very large, very detailed maps from scratch.

    One thing I'm dying to do is to see if I can't make a single map with an hour of gameplay on it without map transitions.

    Or if we get a branching storyboard, to give the player the choice of how they complete the mission. The branching storyboard is what I really want although I can see how triggers probably need to be in place first.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    Branching storyboard would be the ultimate solution, but while we don't have that, this is the next best thing.
    This requires a slightly different approach (like using pen and paper :)).
    You can still tie in the storyboard of course. Like adding key moments where the parallel pathways merge.
    Using triggers only is very hard, but allows fully paralel actions. Using the storyboard only quite easy, but allows linear mission only.
    Mix them for best results.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    Pendra37 wrote: »
    I was goofing around in the foundry and made a story without storyboard. It has the start and one end mission objective and that is all.
    The events unfold in a parallel fashion using triggers and dialog hints only. You can even create an OR branch this way. Like you may shut down the power OR hack some consoles to bring down a force field. It takes an extra sheet of paper to keep track, but works with nice results.

    and you can goto california from new york by going east from new york as well. but no one said that is a good idea eather.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2011
    Srafa wrote: »
    and you can goto california from new york by going east from new york as well. but no one said that is a good idea eather.

    In 1492, people had a good way to go to the far east by going eastwad. Then a lunatic came around and propsed to go westward.
    I think he heard your words a whole lot. Now imagine, what if he said: Well, you are right, bad idea, just stick to the "going eastward" method.

    You don't need that if you build a kill 5 mobs/scan 5 things mission. But if you want to make something more intricate and involving, where the player can follow multiple paths to solve the issue you will find the current storyboard restricting.

    As always, if you have a better idea how to achive branching/parallel story line with the current build, please enlighten us.
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