Gemini (SSF by Gorgonops)

duncanidaho11

Hey, this thread is dedicated to my first Foundry mission (Gemini) and it's upcoming mission series. It's come quite a way since I first posted this, but hopefully Gemini should stand now as a unique little something that adds a little more to the Star Trek Online universe.

So with that, here's Gemini's official blurb

Gemini
ST-HGI6V8SDU
Faction: FED
Location: Regulus (Celes Sector, Beta Quadrant)
Level: Any
Availability: General public (ie. out of review), in the Regulus system top 3, and now qualifies for rewards. (woot)

Description
A deadly foe strikes at the heart of an alien world as you try to uncover the depths of a conspiracy that threatens to destroy everything that someone holds dear. The Undine seek to plunge the sector back into war, but are they the true threat? Team up with Starfleet Security to protect the peace that has cost so much to achieve and a people that may yet pay the price for it.

Gemini mixes drama, diplomacy, exploration, and combat through a strong, character driven narrative set in detailed urban environments.

Highlights

• New planet, new species, in depth backstory (inspired by Asmiov, Niven, and Charles Sheffield).
• A genuine mystery that should keep you going until the end.
• Immersive original ground maps
• Space and Ground combat
• Character driven story telling.
• Lots of optional dialog (character/world building).
• 2409/2410 compliant.
• Romulan dialog options
• Gorn!

Currently at version 2.0.

Some locations

A few characters

[And just to be absolutely clear, this OP has been edited and re-purposed since the original release of the mission.]

guljarol

Would it also work for Romulans, or is the dialogue rather Fed-oriented?​​

duncanidaho11

guljarol wrote: »

Would it also work for Romulans, or is the dialogue rather Fed-oriented?​​

...you could try it.

A lot of dialog is deeply linked with Starfleet but if you consider yourself their representative then it might work for a ROM captain barring a few responses and reactions. Fortunately most of the very faction specific stuff comes from the other characters (you work closely with a Starfleet security team on this one) and the important stuff (ie. the core story I wanted to tell) isn't directly related to you being part of any faction (its about the characters).

I can't be any more definite than that though because...well not all of these are mission required (most aren't) or a lot to read through (its mostly character work) but there's over 60 possible dialog interactions. That's a lot to review even just for coherence, spelling, flow, and "is it going to bore you all to death." Looking back on it now I think it may be possible to make a few small changes to include Romulans (if only to work around the worst cases of "YOU ARE A MEMBER OF THE FEDERATION, NOT JUST THEIR FRIEND", there's only four that come to mind right now) but it could be a much larger project (hence why I didn't start with it).

We'll just have to see but a little help reviewing what needs to be changed would be appreciated (as I said, its a lot to go through on my end).

guljarol

That's all right I can run it with my Fed toon then, no problem. I just wanted to ask, because some things are heavy Fed, and some are more neutral and can work with Romulans, but many authors not always think of noting it to attract the green guys

I'll play it tonight ​​

duncanidaho11

guljarol wrote: »

That's all right I can run it with my Fed toon then, no problem. I just wanted to ask, because some things are heavy Fed, and some are more neutral and can work with Romulans, but many authors not always think of noting it to attract the green guys

I'll play it tonight ​​

Its a good point and I honestly wouldn't have considered it possible if you hadn't asked.

If I had planned ROM from the get-go I would have probably create an absolute nightmare for myself but adding a few things to the completed work might be doable. I'll update this thread when I'm able to have a go at that.

duncanidaho11

Just an update: I'm still keeping an eye on Gemini (will be making additional combat/dialog tweaks) but my attention has now officially shifted to my next mission (currently titled "Polarity.")

At present, its more of the same style of content but with a more definite structure/flow. Character-driven story telling centered around some kind of investigation/mystery is still the priority but combat is being worked in and tested earlier in the development process. Hopefully it should result in a very well rounded mission.

The run-time is probably going to be a bit longer thanks to a bigger plot and more environments. Dialog...we'll see. Should be close to Gemini's 60+ possible interactions but it may end up being a bit less depending on how some of the hub NPC's and pop-ups are handled.

Teaser 1: Andoria is finally getting a decent ground map.
Teaser 2: There are recurring characters.
Teaser 3: Efrosians

I'm also not above taking requests. If you guys have any thoughts on how Andoria, Efros, or even content from Gemini should be handled in this sort-of-but-not-really sequel I'd definitely like to hear them.

I'll also toss in a screenshot or two when I get close to finishing certain, non-spoilery sections.

duncanidaho11

Here's a couple shots of the in-progress Andoria ground map featuring in Gemini's sequel. The overall structure is there but I'm still working out most of the details.

Andorian Academy Campus


Editor view.

lincolninspace

I'll have to try this one. Can you be more specific on where the mission starts. I hate wandering around in space and getting lost.

duncanidaho11

lincolninspace wrote: »

I'll have to try this one. Can you be more specific on where the mission starts. I hate wandering around in space and getting lost.

Regulus (sector space), it's also in the mission description (in green) and title of the first objective.

Can't miss it, fellow space lincoln. :P

stcaptainquirky

Excellent work. Great story, some nice twists, very good job on the ground maps.

There are some minor issues:

You state Regulus as starting location but not every player might know right away where to find that system, Consider stating sector and quadrant as well and if possible repeat those directions in the grant mission dialogue as well as the first mission objective.

The mission description is a bit vague. Personally I have no problem with that but it might make it harder for a player to decide whether or not they want to play your mission.

There were a couple of spelling errors. That's to be expected given the amount of dialogue and I've been through that with my own missions as well. I have not specifically searched for them but took some notes that might help you next time you make minor corrections to the mission.

Map 2:

acceptible -> acceptable

Map 4:

Near the starting point there is an NPC constantly spamming "move along" in chat. You may want to adjust the chat interval.

Ibi Guard at the plaza: I can from your uniform -> I can tell from your uniform

Map 5:

The talk between Graves, Itrex and Ji'Goro was nice but there were a lot of dialogue buttons with the default "Continue".
Consider replacing those by two buttons "Keep listening" which will advance the dialogue and "walk away" which allows to leave the dialogue at any point.

The espionage device seemed to be floating above ground. Was that intentional? From the preceding texts I would have expected it to be be smashed into the ground to some degree.

Map 6:

Consider renaming the Starfleet Representative into Admiral Riit (makes it a bit easier to spot her when the mission requires you to talk to her).

Map 7:

NPC constantly spamming "hold your fire". Once again, consider adjusting the interval on that.

stay away him -> stay away from him




Towards the end the name of Security Chief Keiken was misspelled Kieken on several occasions.



Hope you find this review helpful. Your mission is now out of the review tab, best of luck with the qualification for rewards and a place in the top 3 system.

duncanidaho11

stcaptainquirky wrote: »

Hope you find this review helpful. Your mission is now out of the review tab, best of luck with the qualification for rewards and a place in the top 3 system.

It was very helpful (and definitely thanks for bumping the mission out of the review tab). I've made another dialog pass and I was able to nail down the typos you mentioned plus a couple more. MS word is definitely in use for episode 2 (at least just to make reviewing it a lot easier).

I also took a look at the device on map 5. I had the idea that the device dropped from orbit, then repulsed up from the surface to get a better view, as it were, but that was largely trying to justify using a stock device (which happened to naturally float) from the foundry to stage a combat diversion. I took a look at the alternatives and found one like it that doesn't require any off-screen, unmentioned, elaborate deployment mechanism and sunk it down a bit too (it totally works better).

Version 1.3 (of Gemini, just to be clear) should be available on holodeck soon. Thanks again for the help!

duncanidaho11

Status update time!

Well this is more of a series update. Those will eventually find their way into their own thread but that'll have to wait until the next mission ships (and I officially have a series).

...which won't be for a while now. I've been working on "Polarity" (see. Andoria) and there's some major story/structural stuff I want to take another look at. Its plot is pretty ambitious (new enemy faction, previously undepicted FED worlds, significant character developments, and a continuation of a plot thread left hanging by one of the movies) but to pull it off well I need more experience. That means I need another episode under my belt which eases into what I'm planning for Polarity from what I was able to make with Gemini.

So the next Starfleet Security File is going to be mission 3, not mission 2. Currently titled "Entropic," this mission will explore the new relationship between the KDF and FED. Set in 2410 (after the Iconian War, which is also another reason why I want to get this one out soon), it deals with border disputes, mutual espionage, and Captain Ross's impending retirement.

duncanidaho11

Status update time again! (I swear this will be the last until I release the next mission.)

Thanks to the feedback from the Foundry roundtable guys (BTW, if somehow you're on this forum and haven't listened to them before/lately I highly recommend you do so. It's a great thing to have in the background while editing) Gemini is getting a v1.4 edit which will include some significant structural tweaks (along the lines of, but not necessarily identical to, what was suggested in this week's show [115].) I might even call this v2.0 depending on how far I go with it but as you can probably imagine I'll make another post here once that update rolls out (there'll be a new ground map to show off).

One thing I may end up doing too is throwing a few of the Gemini ground maps (you basically know which ones if you've played the mission) into a public file sharing folder if other authors want to tinker around with them for any and all purposes...so long as someone tells me how to identify which UGC map folder corresponds to what map...and mission (I've taken a look in the bowels of the STO game folder and by the time you hit the foundry it's pretty obtuse).

And the next mission (Entropic) is starting to come together. I'll say right now that it may only be a week or so away from release (probably on the later side of that estimate) and the next mission in the series (Polarity) will see the light of day before the winter event (which should be good timing since Andoria is still very much a part of it.) The only thing I'll tease for Entropic is that fans of Larry Niven's Draco Taven should be pleased (I'm not exactly ripping it off.)


Thanks again to everyone who's played this mission (and especially those who are helping me improve it, and of course one good tern deserves another [typo intentional, I like my phrase better] so if there's anything I can do to help someone else out definitely let me know) and I should have something new for you in the near future.

duncanidaho11

Hazah, Gemini Version 2.0 is ready and playable!

The official change list stands as follows.

• Reskinned most of the Administrative Complex
• Added new original map after the aforementioned Complex (it's small but it should make the mission feel less bimodal).
• Changed the mode of transit between planet-side ground maps.
• Added more objectives on first planet-side ground map.
• Adjusted ground combat difficulty
• Dialog Edits
• Updated the EAH (including a little pronunciation guide)
• Added a few more voluntary dialog work arounds.
• Player rewards now enabled (I had no real part in this but it's a nice coincidence. )

Section of new Administrative complex.


Sadly, no screenshots of the new original ground map because [SPOILERS]. To make up for that though he's a shot of the next mission's (coming soon) first ground map.



Thanks again for everyone's help.

khreg

Wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwow!!

Just finished this monster today after starting last night. Sir, this is a mammoth of a game. Very rich in detail and story. The maps were huge and immersive.

*This* is the kind of Foundry mission I regularly seek out. The story was expansive, the characters well fleshed-out and engaging. The locations were designed EXCEEDINGLY well, making you feel totally a part of the Trek world. The battles took place only when appropriate and when they did, they were satisfyingly challenging. Nothing was for the sake of "pew-pew-pew".

Also enjoyed using the behind-the-scenes kiosk at mission's end. Helped me with a couple of questions I had plotwise.

I see this is your first Foundry mission. Gotta say this is a GREAT debut! I'm jazzed to see you've been hard at work on follow-ups. Can't wait to queue those bad boys up.

Folks, run - don't walk - to this one!!!

khreg

duncanidaho11 wrote: »

Here's a couple shots of the in-progress Andoria ground map featuring in Gemini's sequel. The overall structure is there but I'm still working out most of the details.

Andorian Academy Campus


Editor view.

SPOILERS!!!! although even with the warning I don't want to give away the Big Kahuna.


Just wrapped this one up. I have to say, it's incredibly well-written and another gigantic game with lots of ambition.

First, the negatives....

Your story (like the last one) was very multi-layered with characters and incidences. "Gemini" however had better flow and seemed more cohesive. This one seemed to dart in a few different directions, and that unfortunately made things a little hard to follow at times.

Example: the Simulator Scenario at the Andorian SFA campus. That just kind of seemed to come out of nowhere. I don't mind some good pew-pew-pew when it suits the story (and you had plenty of story-relevant combat later to come). This just felt shoe-horned in, and I hate to say it but it kinda took me out of the game. Was hard to get my feet back in step with the plot once Graves was shot in the courtyard. I had to shut down and come back again the next morning with a fresh noodle.

The first attack just as we were about to get underway with our new "Bolian" friend, should have been pause to stop and reassess things. It felt like "okay, we were attacked and....we were attacked. Dunno who they were. Lets get moving".
Just felt like things were rushing along.

Another item that kinda thumped me upside the head was the arrival of the Romulans to save the day. I sat there thinking I must've missed something. I don't recall these characters before and I felt as if I should know who they were and how they knew to bail us all out. Extremely jarring. Still as I write this I wonder if I glossed over something.

Thought the ending on the Romulan ship should have not been the ending. Needed resolution on either my ship, a Fed starbase, or any place where myself and my crew could wrap things up with that wiseacre Ross and his team. I didn't know this Romulan and was confused as to why I was winding things down with her.

Now, the positives:

The dialogue is just top-effin-notch. Ross and his crew come off like Joss Whedon creations, which is cool by me, being an Agents of SHIELD fan. Nice witty retorts peppered about rather than poured. That sort of thing could get overdone easily. I like the restraint used. Although I do wonder when my character will have the opportunity to belt Ross across the jaw for being so damned cocky and secretive (especially after the big revelation in this mission).

The campus of the Andorian branch of the Academy was great environment to explore. As an ex-level designer, I dig on this kinda thing. Walking about, pressing buttons and losing myself in the environment is damn fun and damn good game design. I never tire of it. Oh, and the exchange with Haasra was hilarious without feeling too coincidental.

Speaking of the campus, I really like the use of Andoria as a location. IMHO, this place hasn't been explored nearly enough in Trek. I do appreciate that ST: Enterprise expanded that world somewhat, but in this game the place is almost non-existent, and I like that I got to see a bit more of it. I'm not intrigued by every single race in Trek, but there are a handful that I like to see fleshed out. Our blue-skinned friends fall in to that category.

I agree with your comments....Shran needs his own spinoff. : o )

The rest of Ross's team beaming in when I thought we were gonna get creamed by more androids: Nice touch. Was wondering when those jokers would get into the thick of things with us.

The plot twist....oh holy hell the PLOT TWIST. That blew me thru my chair. I hadn't heard mention of THAT in quite a long time. I've played a couple of missions where THAT was used as the central plot device, but this mission by far was the most impressive (and utterly unexpected) use of it. Helped to build up to a very, EXTREMELY dramatic finale with 8472.

So I gave this all a four star rating. A little jerky in places, but great writing, map design, awesome plot revelation.

Looking forward to "Entropy".

duncanidaho11

Hi Khreg! Thanks for the awesome feedback.

Flow's something I struggled more with when making Polarity than other SSF's. Basically I started with the idea of the Andorian custom ground map immediately after I completed Gemini. Then I worked on the story, which initially took the shape of a chase across the beta quadrant. That got paired down to station->Andoria->FED colony after I realized I didn't need the fluff of the big galactic chase (which would have included at least one more planet) to tell the story I wanted to make. That left the colony, Andoria, the opening bar room, spoilers, and the holodeck simulation and of those I'd say it's actually the simulation which has the biggest narrative point in the whole mission.

I don't want to get into it in too much detail (since its definitely something I want players to discover for themselves, if so inclined to dig), but sufficed to say the change in direction (from the simulation on) leads up to the big confrontation scene where the subtext with the villain is basically what you did to the transwarp gate. Ross's arc doesn't really matter (you ultimately take the mission away from him, including its resolution with the Romulans (who prevented Starfleet Security from keeping the matter "in the family," hence why them and why no greater significance to the story besides just being Romulans.)) What does matter is the broader theme about action towards a point but not one that fits the ideal.

The transitions to the holodeck and Republic ship I'll have another look at. Those originally had single-conversation maps preceding them which let me indulge a little too much with writing and not enough with gameplay structure. Those got cut (which saved three map transitions in total) and their dialog was scaled down to fit into the preceding map or following. I anticipated there being more of a lurch that way than with the original setup but I may have been a little overzealous in cutting explanations (particularly with the Romulans.) The lurch after the invasion of Andoria isn't something I can really address though, given that the taking stock scenes are all in the very next map and I'd much rather have the player be there in the brig, for example, than having questions stated and answers not really given through bridge comm chatter (especially if those don't last for long at all).



All that said, Entropy should be more fluid. Polarity took shape over the long course of working on it but Entropy was built with a specific story in mind and remained fixed to that story the whole way through development. You still may not want to take things at face value though, because I do practice a similar strategy of making mission objectives about a thing but while having another thing work away behind the scenes (which is another way of saying "its another one of my missions." ) But there's nothing at the scale of a training simulation going on in Entropy.

Hope you enjoy the next mission, and for the love of god don't look at the main SSF threads before you play it (because variously I spoil the hell out of it, the upcoming SSF-4: Continuity is a direct sequel.)

khreg

You mentioned elsewhere that "Continuity" is strictly for KDF toons, yes?

duncanidaho11

khreg wrote: »

You mentioned elsewhere that "Continuity" is strictly for KDF toons, yes?

KDF and KDF-aligned Romulans, yes. But depending on how Continuity is received I'll look into making a FED port after Trident (a FED mission). That's going to require big writing changes so it's pretty much a mission project in its own right.

With that said, if you don't have a KDF toon to play SSF-4 then you are going to be perfectly fine with SSF-5. Continuity (4) is a direct sequel to Entropy (3) but Trident (5) is striking off in a new direction. You're going to get the most out of 5 if you've played 1 through 3 but otherwise it's another self-contained plot with various dialog options to cover potential bases.

khreg

Coolio. I'll be fine waiting then. I'll force myself to wait a while before playing Entropy.

duncanidaho11

khreg wrote: »

Coolio. I'll be fine waiting then. I'll force myself to wait a while before playing Entropy.

Well by direct sequel I actually just mean SSF-4 picks up after the events of Entropy. There's no cliffhanger or "to be continued" business and the plots of the episodes are not connected. It's just that not much time has passed between SSF 3 and 4. That's all I'll say (without spoilers) but Entropy would be a nice way to spend the time waiting for future episodes (it's my favorite! Don't leave it hanging. )

khreg

<sipping coffee>

Okay.