A Question About Bridges

maninblack017

Okay. I'm back with another question about the foundry. This time its likely just looking for opinions. I'm making a mission and I want it to take place on YOUR bridge. But as we all know...we all have different ships with different bridges. So what seems to be the best way to do this? Just pick a random bridge to use? Or is there a most popular one? Or does it really matter?

thegreendragoon1

Using the player's bridge is generally considered a highly risky choice. What are you trying to achieve on the player's bridge.

zorbane

Drogyn1701's made a "Battle Bridge" before which worked really well.

drogyn1701

Yup I built an auxiliary bridge. Then I said in dialogue that a hit from an enemy ship had created a hull breach in the main bridge, so everyone had to relocate.

stoutes

That's quite a solution, Drogyn.... More things to think .

You are quite the inspirational ones, guys.

maninblack017

thegreendragoon1 wrote: »

Using the player's bridge is generally considered a highly risky choice. What are you trying to achieve on the player's bridge.

Do you remember the scene from First Contact toward the beginning when the Enterprise bridge is listening to the battle between the Federation and Borg? I'm trying to do something similar to that. I suppose I could just do dialog while your ship is in "space view" but you're supposed to be in transit while this will be going on so I would have to rework it to have you in a particular system or just create a map of empty space which runs the risk of looking like I just don't care which I don't want to have. Any thoughts on this?

zorbane

maninblack017 wrote: »

Do you remember the scene from First Contact toward the beginning when the Enterprise bridge is listening to the battle between the Federation and Borg? I'm trying to do something similar to that. I suppose I could just do dialog while your ship is in "space view" but you're supposed to be in transit while this will be going on so I would have to rework it to have you in a particular system or just create a map of empty space which runs the risk of looking like I just don't care which I don't want to have. Any thoughts on this?

You could have your ship in a warp streaks effect so it looks like its at warp.

Once the dialogue is done you "drop out of warp" via a Component Complete or Interact with Object and make the system detail objects appear

maninblack017

drogyn1701 wrote: »

Yup I built an auxiliary bridge. Then I said in dialogue that a hit from an enemy ship had created a hull breach in the main bridge, so everyone had to relocate.

This here is genius by the way

maninblack017

zorbane wrote: »

You could have your ship in a warp streaks effect so it looks like its at warp.

Once the dialogue is done you "drop out of warp" via a Component Complete or Interact with Object and make the system detail objects appear

Yeah this is what I'm thinking could be the best way to go.

thegreendragoon1

Something else that you can do, is have the scene occur in the captain's ready room, which is mostly consistent. Just put a locked door in to prevent access to the bridge.

maninblack017

Actually .... thinking about it and the situation that will be transpiring the Battle Bridge would actually make a lot of sense. As long as drogyn doesn't mind me "borrowing" his idea.

drogyn1701

maninblack017 wrote: »

Do you remember the scene from First Contact toward the beginning when the Enterprise bridge is listening to the battle between the Federation and Borg? I'm trying to do something similar to that. I suppose I could just do dialog while your ship is in "space view" but you're supposed to be in transit while this will be going on so I would have to rework it to have you in a particular system or just create a map of empty space which runs the risk of looking like I just don't care which I don't want to have. Any thoughts on this?

I actually did something kind of similar to this. In the same mission as the battle bridge, no less. Later on in the mission I have you go to a command center where you listen in on a battle taking place in another star system. So in mine you're listening in from an interior map, but you could certainly do so from a space map as well. It's one way to get around having space battles that the player doesn't participate in.

Oh and please do steal my ideas. Or else!

maninblack017

It could be said that the foundry's greatest gift is the creativity that it inspires...not about mission plots but the creativity in pulling off certain things.

maninblack017

You guys are awesome. Thank you!

isthisscience

This is one of the biggest things that bug me because 90% of my ideas include a bridge scene! For some strange reason I default to the Odyssey (as do most others from what I've seen) despite the fact I hate it and find it's layout utterly illogical. But... it the best in there that works for a good bridge scene.

Player bridge is on my dream wish list along side being able to position your own boffs on maps and/or steal the player's and boffs faces for mirror copies of themselves!

thegreendragoon1

You might be able to do a decent battle bridge (or an auxilary control since not all ships have battle bridges) by redressing one of the other bridges such as the promethous bridge. You could make it more utilitarian plus differentiate it from any known bridge (thus selling the idea to the player.)

Just a thought, I'm just brainstorming at this point.

isthisscience wrote: »

This is one of the biggest things that bug me because 90% of my ideas include a bridge scene! For some strange reason I default to the Odyssey (as do most others from what I've seen) despite the fact I hate it and find it's layout utterly illogical. But... it the best in there that works for a good bridge scene.

Player bridge is on my dream wish list along side being able to position your own boffs on maps and/or steal the player's and boffs faces for mirror copies of themselves!

Actually if you HAD to come up with a default bridge, the most common bridge is probably the Diplomat Bridge which is the last free bridge unlocked. I bet you though that less than 50% of players use that particular one.

maninblack017

Isthisscience, you're exactly right. I personally believe a player's bridge is underutilized in the game and with a little help we in the foundry could rectifiy that.

Greendragon, that's exactly what I was just thinking. The Prometheus bridge is nice and small and semi-utilitarian. The Odyssey bridge looks cool but like isthisscience said, its completely illogical. But redressing one would be the best way.

drogyn1701

I built my own, modeled mostly off the Galaxy Class battle bridge. But you could certainly use the Prometheus.

If you're curious, the mission in question is called "Sink the Bismarck!" it's Fed side and I believe it is 36+.

thegreendragoon1

Cryptic doesn't use the player bridge for all the same reasons we really can't. The hard part is how do you design for the dozens of different combinations of bridges/that exist. With the introduction of bridge only interiors, it's gotten worse.

The only way Cryptic could ever hope to tackle it would be to completely (and laboriously) overhaul the ship interior system and find a way to better unify them.

isthisscience

All bridges have common points of reference though. In the same way Cryptic maps have designated objects and doors, you could have a generic bridge map that highlights certain objects and positions that are found on all bridges. Those locations would then be mapped onto whatever bridge is applicable for the player. Thats how it would work in practice, no idea about the technical complexities of implementing it of course. I would LOVE it though!

thegreendragoon1

isthisscience wrote: »

All bridges have common points of reference though. In the same way Cryptic maps have designated objects and doors, you could have a generic bridge map that highlights certain objects and positions that are found on all bridges. Those locations would then be mapped onto whatever bridge is applicable for the player. Thats how it would work in practice, no idea about the technical complexities of implementing it of course. I would LOVE it though!

That's what I think the best solution might be, but I don't know how difficult it would be to implement. If they were to do it right, I'd like to see the bridge-only maps expanded to full interiors. I'l like to see beacons placed that would allow us to define things like places enemy groups could spawn, consoles that can be used, doors that can be entered, or officers than can be talked to.

wombat140

isthisscience wrote: »

Player bridge is on my dream wish list along side being able to position your own boffs on maps and/or steal the player's and boffs faces for mirror copies of themselves!

That one evidently already exists in Cryptic's own mission editor. It happened in "Temporal Ambassador" - you met alternate versions of two of your own officers, I thought that was brilliant. Maybe that means it wouldn't be too hard to transfer to the Foundry?

Cleverest workaround I've seen for it in a Foundry mission was "Cloaked Loyalties". Pity I can't explain it without giving away the plot - you'd have to play the mission to see it, although it's rather specific to the storyline so mightn't be that useful. Actually, play "Cloaked Loyalties" ANYWAY. It's brilliant.

I'd really like a player bridge map too. After all, most TOS episodes, at least, take place largely aboard the Enterprise and are all the better for it. All the scary things that happen are so much closer to home... besides, if you're playing that you live on a space ship, you should be able to enjoy that!

The last Foundry mission I played, "Black Boxes", did manage an extended scene aboard your own ship, which I really enjoyed, even though it couldn't show any of my own crew. Not the bridge, some other deck with repairs going on and an engineering bay where the McGuffin was being examined. For that one, it's set up that your ship's carrying a visiting doctor who'd been invited to give a lecture, and a class of cadets on field training, so they cover all the NPC interaction except for one Vulcan technician who could be anyone.

But yes... player bridges if possible, and even better as far as I'm concerned, players' own officers (and captains!) as NPCs. Come on Cryptic, the constant protests from the Foundry authors must get you down sometimes - now's your chance to make us all love you!

adverbero

isthisscience wrote: »

This is one of the biggest things that bug me because 90% of my ideas include a bridge scene! For some strange reason I default to the Odyssey (as do most others from what I've seen) despite the fact I hate it and find it's layout utterly illogical. But... it the best in there that works for a good bridge scene.

Player bridge is on my dream wish list along side being able to position your own boffs on maps and/or steal the player's and boffs faces for mirror copies of themselves!

That would be great to have, also i think we should have the ability to steal their boff uniforms, You create the body/head and on uniform you tick a box marked, use Player defualt

thegreendragoon1 wrote: »

You might be able to do a decent battle bridge (or an auxilary control since not all ships have battle bridges) by redressing one of the other bridges such as the promethous bridge. You could make it more utilitarian plus differentiate it from any known bridge (thus selling the idea to the player.)

Just a thought, I'm just brainstorming at this point.



Actually if you HAD to come up with a default bridge, the most common bridge is probably the Diplomat Bridge which is the last free bridge unlocked. I bet you though that less than 50% of players use that particular one.

I used the Belfast Bridge, Primarly becuase it has NO Ready room, and becuase of its rather spartan layout

wombat140 wrote: »

That one evidently already exists in Cryptic's own mission editor. It happened in "Temporal Ambassador" - you met alternate versions of two of your own officers, I thought that was brilliant. Maybe that means it wouldn't be too hard to transfer to the Foundry?

Cleverest workaround I've seen for it in a Foundry mission was "Cloaked Loyalties". Pity I can't explain it without giving away the plot - you'd have to play the mission to see it, although it's rather specific to the storyline so mightn't be that useful. Actually, play "Cloaked Loyalties" ANYWAY. It's brilliant.

I'd really like a player bridge map too. After all, most TOS episodes, at least, take place largely aboard the Enterprise and are all the better for it. All the scary things that happen are so much closer to home... besides, if you're playing that you live on a space ship, you should be able to enjoy that!

The last Foundry mission I played, "Black Boxes", did manage an extended scene aboard your own ship, which I really enjoyed, even though it couldn't show any of my own crew. Not the bridge, some other deck with repairs going on and an engineering bay where the McGuffin was being examined. For that one, it's set up that your ship's carrying a visiting doctor who'd been invited to give a lecture, and a class of cadets on field training, so they cover all the NPC interaction except for one Vulcan technician who could be anyone.

But yes... player bridges if possible, and even better as far as I'm concerned, players' own officers (and captains!) as NPCs. Come on Cryptic, the constant protests from the Foundry authors must get you down sometimes - now's your chance to make us all love you!

This would be cool, speaking of work arounds have you Ever player Personal Reflections?

It was pretty cool, as it has you face off your mirror self in a work around sort of way



One thing i have used in my WIP mission is having the Players ship recalled to Spacedock for problems with navigational equipment, ( little nod to the reach marker bug) And while your there they decide to refit some overdue Systems and fittings, when beaming to your bridge, your officer informs you that the Main bridge is still in need of some assembly and you are on the Aux Bridge instead

paxfederatica

isthisscience wrote: »

Player bridge is on my dream wish list along side being able to position your own boffs on maps and/or steal the player's and boffs faces for mirror copies of themselves!

This would also be very useful for missions involving Undine, Changelings, Devidians (who in canon were depicted posing as humans, a fact I've relied on quite heavily in my own missions), etc. - not to mention time-travel stories where you meet a future/past version of yourself.

As for bridges, it's about time we got the Romulan bridge map too. Come to think of it, since all Romulan ships (except the Scimitar?) apparently use all the same interiors, they won't even have the problem of not matching the player's ship.

lincolninspace

isthisscience wrote: »

All bridges have common points of reference though. In the same way Cryptic maps have designated objects and doors, you could have a generic bridge map that highlights certain objects and positions that are found on all bridges. Those locations would then be mapped onto whatever bridge is applicable for the player. Thats how it would work in practice, no idea about the technical complexities of implementing it of course. I would LOVE it though!

I agree, your Boffs are given stations on each bridge.