Bipedal mammal and senior Foundry author.
Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
Here's the returning Starfleet Security officer for SSF-5.
It's Captain Graves. Captain Bailey!
I'll also add one item to the feature list: floaters are enabled (on one map.)
Post edited by duncanidaho11 on
Bipedal mammal and senior Foundry author.
Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
First pronouncement from on high:
SSF-4 Continuity is really getting that close to release. I'm working on the last cameos now so with luck it should be out by the end of the weekend. It's a big mission with lots of custom ground maps (5), optional dialog, and a few optional objectives (3 formal ones). As a reminder it is a KDF episode, so be sure to level your bat'leths past level 30 for this one.
Second pronouncement from on high:
SSF-5 Trident is...going through some major story changes. Sufficed to say I'm going to have all new characters barring one non-Graves SSF member (Bailey) handing off the torch Bones/Picard/Quark style. The cool plot elements will still be in there, and the locations are absolutely unchanged, but I'm trimming out the incredulous connections and other inside references.
Five reasons:
1. Even as early as it was the Graves angle was starting to severely undermine the big new setting (it's an exploration episode!)
2. I wouldn't have been able to make comprehensible sequels to stuff brought up in Trident if it was about old characters.
3. It wouldn't really have added anything new to those old characters barring one twist that's better left untwisted (you will NEVER know what this one is, but it is there and has been since Gemini. :P)
4. I am completely satisfied with where everyone is after SSF-4.
5. I need new banter material. :P
So, new stuff which should be cool, fun, interesting, and justify this about face on the character teasers (and I swear this will be the only time I do this for this episode).
Post edited by duncanidaho11 on
Bipedal mammal and senior Foundry author.
Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
Continuity [SSF] is now out in review and confirmed to be fully playable. It's KDF mission (with Romulan dialog options), level 31+, starts at the Boreth System (Boreth Sector, Beta Quadrant, a bit south of Starbase 157). Let me know what you think and I'll have a little more to show from Trident in not too long.
Bipedal mammal and senior Foundry author.
Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
Enigma may have a little competition. Here's a little something for Trident. :P
Report for the archive. May each step lead to the next.
Grid 93, sub-quadrant 12
A5229a population projection: -1.305 over the next reporting period. (intercept: 25,390)
A5229b population projection: 0.008 over the next reporting period (intercept: 4,001) Interaction factor: 2.709 Secondary interaction factor: 0.5302 (B9322, B0145, C3035) Tertiary interaction factor: 0.0009 (A9812)
Loss of A5229a during next reporting period: 32.2%-45.9%.
Loss of A5229a during following reporting period: 98.4%-99.5%.
Analysis
Terraforming A5229a habitat would require energy expenditure of 0.29 grid allocation. F0024 project variance to exceed acceptable risk parameters. Corrected A5229a population projection: 0.0350 (0.1072)
Purge of A5229b would require energy expenditure of 0.005 grid allocation. F0024 project variance to remain within acceptable risk parameters. Corrected A5229a population projection: 2.048 (0.0050)
Directive Initiate purge of A5229b. Sign of Anura appended to record. Direct A5229b material to the archive, subsection: Humanoids. All shall be remembered.
Bipedal mammal and senior Foundry author.
Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
Reclassify: Artificial Subspace Domain
Append to ref. log 220
Reprocessing signal...
Sequence matrix: failed
Translation matrix: failed
Data processing matrix: failed
Append to ref. log 200
Transmit ref. log 220 to Starfleet Command
Bipedal mammal and senior Foundry author.
Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
Gemini 3.0 is now out. Some small dialog tweaks (S'zench has a new line after you speak to Keiken) but big thing is an all new custom ground map for the Administrative Complex.
It roughly has the same components but it's now a much tighter section with some pretty neat visuals, 2 new optional dialog contacts, and Easy/Hard difficulty options. I'm also planning to do another big dialog sweep but I wanted to get this new map out as soon as possible.
Post edited by duncanidaho11 on
Bipedal mammal and senior Foundry author.
Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
Something I thought of when playing your missions recently or rather when searching for them to play them: you could consider numbering them (e.g. SSF1, SSF2, etc.). It would help putting them chronologically when someone wants to play them all.
Something I thought of when playing your missions recently or rather when searching for them to play them: you could consider numbering them (e.g. SSF1, SSF2, etc.). It would help putting them chronologically when someone wants to play them all.
I thought about that (and even had that at first) but I don't want to dissuade people who find Entropy, Continuity, or Polarity in the sector block from trying them out (thinking they were part of a single, multi-part plot line). The idea is that you can start with these in any order though they do have a chronological sequence. Think of it like one of the classic Sci-fi/fantasy book series (ex. Discworld, Foundation, Dune, Hitchhiker's).
What I can do is make stronger hints in the description (ex. Entropy actually uses the word "third" and Continuity "finale") and provide numbered lists in the EAH's. But I really don't want to try doing more than that especially considering my next set of proper SSF missions (after Trident and its new thing) are going to take place somewhere between 2 and 3 with no definite chronological order of their own. What's now 4 is going to become 6 or 7 eventually so I might as well leave off the strict numbers in the title.
Also, sorry for the Gemini revamp after you had just replayed it. :P
Bipedal mammal and senior Foundry author.
Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
Continuity [SSF] is now out in review and confirmed to be fully playable. It's KDF mission (with Romulan dialog options), level 31+, starts at the Boreth System (Boreth Sector, Beta Quadrant, a bit south of Starbase 157). Let me know what you think and I'll have a little more to show from Trident in not too long.
Why not Fed playable? I only has the one Fed character
Why not Fed playable? I only has the one Fed character
A few reasons:
When making a mission you have to select one or the other. You can copy it afterwards and then choose the other faction for that copy. But you do have to make a choice with each project.
Story reasons, it flows well from ending to last mission (which is part of a 3 episode set for the FED).
I haven't made anything for the KDF before and I wanted to give it a shot.
Copying it over to FED is going to take some big writing changes (ex. all but one cameo)
That said, Continuity will have a FED version in the foreseeable future (ie. before the next mission, and I do tend to release these fairly quickly) but I want the KDF version to have some chance out there before undermining it with most people's preferred brand of character.
On that subject then, I do want to go on the record and ask people if it's alright to use their character's again for a Federation version of SSF-4 Continuity. Everyone with dialog (but Thot Caan) is going to require major changes so that's going to be another process which you may or may not want to wait through again. If not we can keep your character in without dialog but if so just sit back and keep an eye on these forums.
Bipedal mammal and senior Foundry author.
Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
It may also be worth making a few other announcements at this point.
Gemini 3.0 (which I mentioned was an ongoing thing after the new map was added) is largely complete. I may still go back and tweak a few things in the next few days but I'm not planning on making any more significant map changes or dialog changes at this point. (It's safe to play now. :P)
The complete list of changes is as follows:
Added new Complex ground map (completely custom map now)
Added 2 new dialog contacts to Complex
Sadly, removed 1 contact from Complex: Haasra (really wanted to make it less obvious, but he's still there in background)
Revised, corrected dialog (a bit closer to the par set by later missions)
Added new pop-up dialog with Ji'Goro, Ross.
Significantly changed 2 of S'zench's pontifications.
Added supports for pier at Federation Compound
Changed small vegetation at Federation Compound to stuff that will also show up when High-detail objects disabled.
Updated EAH
If/when I get to missions that follow up SSF-5 Trident I have decided that they will use the SSF-E label (in addition to anything applicable to the Starbase UGC exploration thing). The E is for exploration. I was thinking about something like SEC (Starfleet Exploration Core) and I could still use that later on in mission but I do want to make my missions easy to find and recognize. That means I'm pretty much stuck with SSF unless I can think of a compelling reason to flip-flop back to SEC.
What that means from a big creative point of view is that my new series is going to have a stronger link to SSF material. What that means practically is that cameos from such as Haasra and the Grumpy Styiat (or even Kohmar and the Conclave) are much more likely now. But I don't expect an SSF-E mission to be about any of the previous main characters. They'll eventually get their chance at another episode (in between Polarity and Entropy), but for now it's going to be about the new guys (think DS9/TNG).
Information about the new guys will be withheld until the release of Trident.
What I can say about the dialog is that Trident, Part 1 will probably finish with more optional dialog than any previous SSF mission. Banter is definitely back in force too. Not sure if this brings me into record breaking contention but sufficed to say there's going to be a huge amount of depth to explore.
Post edited by duncanidaho11 on
Bipedal mammal and senior Foundry author.
Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
Why not Fed playable? I only has the one Fed character
A few reasons:
When making a mission you have to select one or the other. You can copy it afterwards and then choose the other faction for that copy. But you do have to make a choice with each project.
Story reasons, it flows well from ending to last mission (which is part of a 3 episode set for the FED).
I haven't made anything for the KDF before and I wanted to give it a shot.
Copying it over to FED is going to take some big writing changes (ex. all but one cameo)
Last, but not least, the KDF side just needs more Foundry missions!
A Romulan officer was the first thing I wanted for my SSF ship because I strongly feel that moves the setting in a very Star Trek direction and through an easy to present character choice. Basically she's the ship's Worf (not the official job description BTW), with a similar backstory for how she joined Starfleet.
If Bailey's ship ever has a stand alone episode I will have to explain, but for the moment she's just there to help liven up that part of the setting.
Bipedal mammal and senior Foundry author.
Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
Why not Fed playable? I only has the one Fed character
A few reasons:
When making a mission you have to select one or the other. You can copy it afterwards and then choose the other faction for that copy. But you do have to make a choice with each project.
Story reasons, it flows well from ending to last mission (which is part of a 3 episode set for the FED).
I haven't made anything for the KDF before and I wanted to give it a shot.
Copying it over to FED is going to take some big writing changes (ex. all but one cameo)
That said, Continuity will have a FED version in the foreseeable future (ie. before the next mission, and I do tend to release these fairly quickly) but I want the KDF version to have some chance out there before undermining it with most people's preferred brand of character.
On that subject then, I do want to go on the record and ask people if it's alright to use their character's again for a Federation version of SSF-4 Continuity. Everyone with dialog (but Thot Caan) is going to require major changes so that's going to be another process which you may or may not want to wait through again. If not we can keep your character in without dialog but if so just sit back and keep an eye on these forums.
Okay, just curious. On the side note, you can feel free to have my character reprise his role for the Fed. version of Continuity whenever you decide you wish to make it.
Okay, just curious. On the side note, you can feel free to have my character reprise his role for the Fed. version of Continuity whenever you decide you wish to make it.
Neat-oh! I'll definitely get to work on the FED version sooner rather than later so hopefully you won't have to wait too long to see Yuuto in conference.
Moving on, because there's not a whole lot of discussion around the Foundry ATM I'm going to toss out another update into the aether for any who might be keeping up with this.
Trident Part 1 will be included with what I'm voting as the Foundry Exploration And Really Awesome Networked Entertainment World Transfer (F.E.A.R.a.N.E.W.T.). However it will probably join up as an existing mission. Works coming along and there's a chance that it'll publish before we collectively get into the nitty-gritty of the sweat exploration stuff (ie. it could be out in about two weeks).
I'll get to work on Trident Part 2 after a short delay. That also corresponds to the plot timeline (it's assumed there's a short pause between parts in the story) so don't feel as though you have to wait until everything's released to get a proper playthrough.
Trident Part 1 will have four custom ground maps. However as things finish up I'm only going to provide screenshots on the first map because, well, it's going to be more fun that way. So with my self-imposed main character embargo there isn't a whole lot more to show off from Trident. But in the coming weeks I'll still be able to throw a few things out there.
Gemini is getting real close to it's 500th rating. All I can say to this is: holy TRIBBLE, thank you all so very much. I never expected it get beyond even a fraction of that tally and I didn't expect ratings to be so high either. The SSF team's arc may have its end point now but they will be back in not too long with another mission of their own (set between 2 and 3). There is one certain thing about that mission: we will finally learn a part of what the deal with Itrex is. :P
If you haven't been keeping up on this, Starfarertheta has an epic new mission in the development (Emergence). Ross, Bailey, and Itrex all have cameos and I'll be writing one or two more promo bits covering the behind the scenes details of how that part of the band got back together (after Entropy/Continuity). Keep an eye on the Emergence thread for those, and take a look back at the Enigma Vision thread for more background on the project, including some SSF bits.
And if anyone's wondering, the reason I have time for all this right now is a job in education. :P
Post edited by duncanidaho11 on
Bipedal mammal and senior Foundry author.
Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
Gemini is getting real close to it's 500th rating.
I noticed that when replaying it recently, and searching for the other "episodes". My first reaction was "WOW!" No idea how you did it, but congrats!
The FED version of Continuity is now publishing (now with NPC's that don't try to kill you :P). There have been quite a number of dialog changes and added [SSF] options for characters who've played through the series. One optional contact is out for the moment (angry female Ibi dignitary) but that's compensated for with new dialog paths with Keiken, V'kan, and the Administrators.
If you have the choice the KDF version is, in my opinion, the one to play but the FED version of Continuity does have those new dialog sections. If you're a fan of the series and want to keep your original character involved (and also get a hug from Ji'Goro at the start of the mission) then that's the one to go for. In either case though you're still getting the same plot and gameplay. These are the same mission.
I may end up tweaking more things later (ex. adding conversation with Ovana), including another pass to make sure the tone and responses are appropriate. For now though here's a working FED port.
PS. I did add one more new thing to Continuity (FED): Souvenir hunting scene with your character and Ji'Goro. Contact point is by one of the tables near the borderline insane Ibi tailor.
PPS. Gemini just ticked over the 500 mark so here's another Trident screenshot to celebrate. Thanks again, everyone.
Post edited by duncanidaho11 on
Bipedal mammal and senior Foundry author.
Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
So here's the thing. The missions I've made thus far are quite long missions with a healthy mix of combat and big endings. I'm finding from Trident that format works really well for SSF-E (the new exploration series) but over the last two SSF missions I haven't been entirely satisfied with the process of applying those to the old stable of characters. The outcome (by most accounts) is good but to be honest it's taken a lot more effort than my first two missions (and Trident) to get the narrative into that shape.
So time for a big announcement, from this point on vanilla SSF missions (which there definitely will be more of now) are going to take a different direction. Their main plots will be shorter, less expansive, and they will focus more on non-combat activities and story stuff. SSF-E missions are going to be the usual fair, with Trident, Part 1 kicking off the SSF-E side of things. By now you know what the deal is with that one.
Refraction [SSF] will kick off the revamped SSF side with a combat minimal murder mystery set on a Federation backwater contested by rival Ferengi and Orion business factions. It will take place sometime soon after Polarity (SSF-2) and will deal with a couple character points that I don't mind throwing out there now (Ji'Goro's post-Polarity recovery and Itrex's personal history).
Also this person...
No timetable at the moment. Trident, part 1 is still the priority and I'm not sure exactly how much time it's going to take to finish that one up (not too much longer.) And after that there's part 2. But somewhere (maybe in between, maybe after) I'm going to work on this shorter SSF presequel. And if all goes well you an expect more missions of the same type in not too long (as well as the new stuff).
Edit: plans changed
Post edited by duncanidaho11 on
Bipedal mammal and senior Foundry author.
Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
Horray, another downtime and another yawning chasm of lost foundry time to fill with something else.
So here's another update, oh master. Construction of the weapon proceeding on schedule and soon we will burn the Zanturi hordes out of existence!
Wait...
So I've been toodling around laying the groundwork for Refraction (the next Ross and Friends episode) so I can run with ideas in the background while I finish Trident. Unlike Trident there's a few things about the format of Refraction that lend itself well to me winging on about it. Namely, because its a murder mystery I can go on as much as I like about the tangents and mission structure without spoiling anything important.
[b]Refraction [/b]is going to take place on a single custom ground map. Once built I'll copy that over for time of day and setting changes (which will probably be the pattern for these new SSF-i missions). If you rush through you should be able to finish the mission fairly quickly, but there's going to be a lot of optional stuff here. Some of that will include light combat but it will be possible to finish Refraction without firing a shot (will have more Starfleet style choices, less inevitable killing). The rest is going to be character scenes and optional dialog.
For example, in the background there's a story about Ji'Goro's recovery from her injuries in Polarity. You'll have team banter which touches on the subject at various levels but as you, say, investigate a set of rooms for clues you may find a comm terminal with starfleet logs. Being the nosy jerk that you are you can use your security clearance to access them. There you'll find "recorded" dialog from just after Ji'Goro's accident and from other points in recent history which do more to build the character states and relationships.
There is no way that stuff is required for the main story but the point of all this way of structuring the mission is to create something very close to the style of a Star Trek episode. You have the main thing which when you edit everything else out is going to be relatively quick to deal with (though in my case, no main deflectors), but a huge amount of depth through character side stories, which players may or may not choose to focus on. I start things off with Ji'Goro|Graves and Itrex arcs in Refraction and in the next one of these (whenever I get around to that) I'll move onto other single character and character combination arcs (most likely Bailey and Ross|Someone other than Graves).
So, smaller missions, shorter build time, but more going into the side stuff. Overall you might be able to spend the same amount of time with an SSF-i mission (ex. Refraction) as an SSF (old) or SSF-E (new exploration series), but I think most players are going to be in for 20-40 minutes rather than 1hr to 1hr 30min.
And BTW, here's a few screenshots. More character stuff soon, setting is going to take a while (because, you know, more work to finish and Trident first.)
It's taken 5 episodes to get to the thing Gemini left off with.
I may also officially make the hat a recurring character. And don't worry, this is only joke stage 1.
The stache is back.
Edit: plans changed
Post edited by duncanidaho11 on
Bipedal mammal and senior Foundry author.
Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
Bored again, waiting for stuff to load, and I think I may have lost the point up above in the eagerness to explain MY SHINY NEW THING so let me just make a few clarifications. :P
Recap:
For the foreseeable future there's going to be two different kinds of SSF missions: big exploration themed (SSF-E) and small mystery/investigations (SSF-i).
SSF-E missions will be the same format as my previous missions, but SSF-i will be shorter, minimal combat, ground missions with a huge amount of optional character dialog.
The old team is going to be used for SSF-i and the new group is for SSF-E.
SSF-i missions will all take place between SSF2: Polarity and SSF3: Entropy. SSF-E are current with the STO setting.
Trident, part 1 (an SSF-E) is coming out first, then I'll be working on Refraction (SSF-i), followed by Trident, part 2 (SSF-E).
Also a reminder for some people.
There is a Federation version of Continuity out in review right now.
If you haven't played this mission yet the FED version is the one I now recommend.
And one last note:
The Grumpy Styiat will be a recurring character from now on in SSF-E.
Haasra will remain as the stalker/strange person for the Security team in SSF-i.
No, you will never find out what the deal with Haasra is.
Post edited by duncanidaho11 on
Bipedal mammal and senior Foundry author.
Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
Well by soon I mean that I'm able to roughly conceptualize everything left to do. Still going to be a bit longer to finish up and polish (1-2 weeks) but in the meantime since I've been waffling a bit on getting Trident done I'll open the first bit of the mission up to just who the hell you're going to be working with.
Well, one of them at any rate. The rest still being saved for when you actually get to play this mission but I'm comfortable at this point in promo'ing the first new character of the SSF-E series.
Dr. Mathias Burke, adjunct faculty of the University of New Berlin. He's a specialist in exo-anthropology and is probably going to be quite useful in teasing apart the mysteries of the Trident System.
Before release I'll write up a short character piece to further setup his role in the mission.
Bipedal mammal and senior Foundry author.
Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
Editor view of the big ground map shown for Trident
It's all playable space, floaters are enabled, and I'm filling as many nooks as possible with stuff. :P
Bipedal mammal and senior Foundry author.
Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
Trident is nearing completion! Just have a few objectives to finish building, a little more character writing, and a total dialog pass left to do.
In the meantime, here's a promo piece setting up Dr. Burke.
“Ah, Itrex. Come in.”
“Hello Doctor.”
“I’m ‘Burke’ here. I can’t do much about Sol traditions in the long view but I can still bar them from getting in here.”
Burke reaches back and pulls a drink from the replicator. Itrex sits down.
“Coffee?”
“No thank you.”
“Well it may have been too much to hope that you came half-way across the galaxy for a chat and a lie back. What’s up?”
“There’s a thing.”
“Yes…”
“In subspace.”
“I see…”
“And we think someone built it.”
“So where’s the Dyson Joint Command’s problem with that?”
“It’s big.”
“How big?”
“Several times the mass of Earth.”
“Which means either a lot of storage space, work space, or a lot of living space. I don’t suppose you’ve asked the Iconians about it?”
“The Alliance hasn’t approached the subject directly, but we don’t think it’s theirs.”
“Technical reasons?”
“Yes, we think it’s something new.”
“Made my someone with better spatial engineering skills than the Iconians.”
“Yes.”
“And you want me to talk to them?”
“Perhaps not you, but we’d like your feedback during the mission. Your expertise on humanoid developmental patterns could be quite useful.”
“...you knew about my request to Starfleet, didn’t you?”
“After the fact, they informed us you were looking for interested in taking on a field assignment.”
“And this would do it. I was hoping for something just a little closer to home though.”
Burke leans back.
“Will you accept?”
“Only if I they’re sending me out with someone who knows what they’re doing. I don’t want to walk onto that ship and find its captain only took command because their CO was killed on their first tour.”
“Don’t worry, we have a well-qualified lead candidate.”
Whoa, I blinked and missed it. "Continuity" is now a Klingon and Fed mission. Suh-weet.
Yah I just sat down and worked through it one night. :P
The FED version has some new dialog but thanks to the Romulans I had alternatives to "Kill them with sharp things!" built into conversations already so there wasn't much I had to change
Post edited by duncanidaho11 on
Bipedal mammal and senior Foundry author.
Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
Trident is in the home stretch. Could be published sometime later today, but on or before Sunday is the most likely case. As mentioned earlier this is going to be part of the Foundry Exploration Initiative. Provisionally, I'm using the Archer System as the starting location but if we end up going with another candidate it's not going to take any significant work to change that.
Bipedal mammal and senior Foundry author.
Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
Trident, Part 1 is ready for its first release. That said we can't publish right now so...sock puppet version?
Bipedal mammal and senior Foundry author.
Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
Comments
Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
I'll also add one item to the feature list: floaters are enabled (on one map.)
Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
First pronouncement from on high:
SSF-4 Continuity is really getting that close to release. I'm working on the last cameos now so with luck it should be out by the end of the weekend. It's a big mission with lots of custom ground maps (5), optional dialog, and a few optional objectives (3 formal ones). As a reminder it is a KDF episode, so be sure to level your bat'leths past level 30 for this one.
Second pronouncement from on high:
SSF-5 Trident is...going through some major story changes. Sufficed to say I'm going to have all new characters barring one non-Graves SSF member (Bailey) handing off the torch Bones/Picard/Quark style. The cool plot elements will still be in there, and the locations are absolutely unchanged, but I'm trimming out the incredulous connections and other inside references.
Five reasons:
1. Even as early as it was the Graves angle was starting to severely undermine the big new setting (it's an exploration episode!)
2. I wouldn't have been able to make comprehensible sequels to stuff brought up in Trident if it was about old characters.
3. It wouldn't really have added anything new to those old characters barring one twist that's better left untwisted (you will NEVER know what this one is, but it is there and has been since Gemini. :P)
4. I am completely satisfied with where everyone is after SSF-4.
5. I need new banter material. :P
So, new stuff which should be cool, fun, interesting, and justify this about face on the character teasers (and I swear this will be the only time I do this for this episode).
Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
Grid 93, sub-quadrant 12
A5229a population projection: -1.305 over the next reporting period. (intercept: 25,390)
A5229b population projection: 0.008 over the next reporting period (intercept: 4,001)
Interaction factor: 2.709
Secondary interaction factor: 0.5302 (B9322, B0145, C3035)
Tertiary interaction factor: 0.0009 (A9812)
Conclusion: A5229b inhibiting A5229a migration from deteriorating ecological conditions (index: -0.3377).
Loss of A5229a during next reporting period: 32.2%-45.9%.
Loss of A5229a during following reporting period: 98.4%-99.5%.
Analysis
Terraforming A5229a habitat would require energy expenditure of 0.29 grid allocation. F0024 project variance to exceed acceptable risk parameters. Corrected A5229a population projection: 0.0350 (0.1072)
Purge of A5229b would require energy expenditure of 0.005 grid allocation. F0024 project variance to remain within acceptable risk parameters. Corrected A5229a population projection: 2.048 (0.0050)
Directive
Initiate purge of A5229b. Sign of Anura appended to record. Direct A5229b material to the archive, subsection: Humanoids. All shall be remembered.
Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
They say a little competition is healthy.
Subspace frequency wavelength: 2.645x10^108 cu
Tracing signal...
Point of origin: undefined
Rerouting to processing node 3
Enabling multi-fold modeling unit
Tracing signal...
Rerouting to processing node 2
Computing point of origin...
Classify: Subspace Domain
Create ref. log: 220
Resonance: 4053.55569482350910677
Scale: ...
Reprocessing....
Scale: 1.2 ly
Variance: ...
Reprocessing....
Variance: 0
Reclassify: Artificial Subspace Domain
Append to ref. log 220
Reprocessing signal...
Sequence matrix: failed
Translation matrix: failed
Data processing matrix: failed
Append to ref. log 200
Transmit ref. log 220 to Starfleet Command
Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
Gemini 3.0 is now out. Some small dialog tweaks (S'zench has a new line after you speak to Keiken) but big thing is an all new custom ground map for the Administrative Complex.
It roughly has the same components but it's now a much tighter section with some pretty neat visuals, 2 new optional dialog contacts, and Easy/Hard difficulty options. I'm also planning to do another big dialog sweep but I wanted to get this new map out as soon as possible.
Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
I thought about that (and even had that at first) but I don't want to dissuade people who find Entropy, Continuity, or Polarity in the sector block from trying them out (thinking they were part of a single, multi-part plot line). The idea is that you can start with these in any order though they do have a chronological sequence. Think of it like one of the classic Sci-fi/fantasy book series (ex. Discworld, Foundation, Dune, Hitchhiker's).
What I can do is make stronger hints in the description (ex. Entropy actually uses the word "third" and Continuity "finale") and provide numbered lists in the EAH's. But I really don't want to try doing more than that especially considering my next set of proper SSF missions (after Trident and its new thing) are going to take place somewhere between 2 and 3 with no definite chronological order of their own. What's now 4 is going to become 6 or 7 eventually so I might as well leave off the strict numbers in the title.
Also, sorry for the Gemini revamp after you had just replayed it. :P
Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
Why not Fed playable? I only has the one Fed character
A few reasons:
That said, Continuity will have a FED version in the foreseeable future (ie. before the next mission, and I do tend to release these fairly quickly) but I want the KDF version to have some chance out there before undermining it with most people's preferred brand of character.
On that subject then, I do want to go on the record and ask people if it's alright to use their character's again for a Federation version of SSF-4 Continuity. Everyone with dialog (but Thot Caan) is going to require major changes so that's going to be another process which you may or may not want to wait through again. If not we can keep your character in without dialog but if so just sit back and keep an eye on these forums.
Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
Last, but not least, the KDF side just needs more Foundry missions!
No?
No, the one with a bird fixation. :P
A Romulan officer was the first thing I wanted for my SSF ship because I strongly feel that moves the setting in a very Star Trek direction and through an easy to present character choice. Basically she's the ship's Worf (not the official job description BTW), with a similar backstory for how she joined Starfleet.
If Bailey's ship ever has a stand alone episode I will have to explain, but for the moment she's just there to help liven up that part of the setting.
Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
Okay, just curious. On the side note, you can feel free to have my character reprise his role for the Fed. version of Continuity whenever you decide you wish to make it.
Neat-oh! I'll definitely get to work on the FED version sooner rather than later so hopefully you won't have to wait too long to see Yuuto in conference.
Moving on, because there's not a whole lot of discussion around the Foundry ATM I'm going to toss out another update into the aether for any who might be keeping up with this.
Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
I noticed that when replaying it recently, and searching for the other "episodes". My first reaction was "WOW!"
The FED version of Continuity is now publishing (now with NPC's that don't try to kill you :P). There have been quite a number of dialog changes and added [SSF] options for characters who've played through the series. One optional contact is out for the moment (angry female Ibi dignitary) but that's compensated for with new dialog paths with Keiken, V'kan, and the Administrators.
If you have the choice the KDF version is, in my opinion, the one to play but the FED version of Continuity does have those new dialog sections. If you're a fan of the series and want to keep your original character involved (and also get a hug from Ji'Goro at the start of the mission) then that's the one to go for. In either case though you're still getting the same plot and gameplay. These are the same mission.
I may end up tweaking more things later (ex. adding conversation with Ovana), including another pass to make sure the tone and responses are appropriate. For now though here's a working FED port.
PS. I did add one more new thing to Continuity (FED): Souvenir hunting scene with your character and Ji'Goro. Contact point is by one of the tables near the borderline insane Ibi tailor.
PPS. Gemini just ticked over the 500 mark so here's another Trident screenshot to celebrate. Thanks again, everyone.
Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
So time for a big announcement, from this point on vanilla SSF missions (which there definitely will be more of now) are going to take a different direction. Their main plots will be shorter, less expansive, and they will focus more on non-combat activities and story stuff. SSF-E missions are going to be the usual fair, with Trident, Part 1 kicking off the SSF-E side of things. By now you know what the deal is with that one.
Refraction [SSF] will kick off the revamped SSF side with a combat minimal murder mystery set on a Federation backwater contested by rival Ferengi and Orion business factions. It will take place sometime soon after Polarity (SSF-2) and will deal with a couple character points that I don't mind throwing out there now (Ji'Goro's post-Polarity recovery and Itrex's personal history).
Also this person...
No timetable at the moment. Trident, part 1 is still the priority and I'm not sure exactly how much time it's going to take to finish that one up (not too much longer.) And after that there's part 2. But somewhere (maybe in between, maybe after) I'm going to work on this shorter SSF presequel. And if all goes well you an expect more missions of the same type in not too long (as well as the new stuff).
Edit: plans changed
Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
So here's another update, oh master. Construction of the weapon proceeding on schedule and soon we will burn the Zanturi hordes out of existence!
Wait...
So I've been toodling around laying the groundwork for Refraction (the next Ross and Friends episode) so I can run with ideas in the background while I finish Trident. Unlike Trident there's a few things about the format of Refraction that lend itself well to me winging on about it. Namely, because its a murder mystery I can go on as much as I like about the tangents and mission structure without spoiling anything important.
[b]Refraction [/b]is going to take place on a single custom ground map. Once built I'll copy that over for time of day and setting changes (which will probably be the pattern for these new SSF-i missions). If you rush through you should be able to finish the mission fairly quickly, but there's going to be a lot of optional stuff here. Some of that will include light combat but it will be possible to finish Refraction without firing a shot (will have more Starfleet style choices, less inevitable killing). The rest is going to be character scenes and optional dialog.
So, smaller missions, shorter build time, but more going into the side stuff. Overall you might be able to spend the same amount of time with an SSF-i mission (ex. Refraction) as an SSF (old) or SSF-E (new exploration series), but I think most players are going to be in for 20-40 minutes rather than 1hr to 1hr 30min.
And BTW, here's a few screenshots. More character stuff soon, setting is going to take a while (because, you know, more work to finish and Trident first.)
It's taken 5 episodes to get to the thing Gemini left off with.
I may also officially make the hat a recurring character. And don't worry, this is only joke stage 1.
The stache is back.
Edit: plans changed
Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
Recap:
Also a reminder for some people.
And one last note:
Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
Well by soon I mean that I'm able to roughly conceptualize everything left to do. Still going to be a bit longer to finish up and polish (1-2 weeks) but in the meantime since I've been waffling a bit on getting Trident done I'll open the first bit of the mission up to just who the hell you're going to be working with.
Well, one of them at any rate. The rest still being saved for when you actually get to play this mission but I'm comfortable at this point in promo'ing the first new character of the SSF-E series.
Dr. Mathias Burke, adjunct faculty of the University of New Berlin. He's a specialist in exo-anthropology and is probably going to be quite useful in teasing apart the mysteries of the Trident System.
Before release I'll write up a short character piece to further setup his role in the mission.
Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
It's all playable space, floaters are enabled, and I'm filling as many nooks as possible with stuff. :P
Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
In the meantime, here's a promo piece setting up Dr. Burke.
“Hello Doctor.”
“I’m ‘Burke’ here. I can’t do much about Sol traditions in the long view but I can still bar them from getting in here.”
Burke reaches back and pulls a drink from the replicator. Itrex sits down.
“Coffee?”
“No thank you.”
“Well it may have been too much to hope that you came half-way across the galaxy for a chat and a lie back. What’s up?”
“There’s a thing.”
“Yes…”
“In subspace.”
“I see…”
“And we think someone built it.”
“So where’s the Dyson Joint Command’s problem with that?”
“It’s big.”
“How big?”
“Several times the mass of Earth.”
“Which means either a lot of storage space, work space, or a lot of living space. I don’t suppose you’ve asked the Iconians about it?”
“The Alliance hasn’t approached the subject directly, but we don’t think it’s theirs.”
“Technical reasons?”
“Yes, we think it’s something new.”
“Made my someone with better spatial engineering skills than the Iconians.”
“Yes.”
“And you want me to talk to them?”
“Perhaps not you, but we’d like your feedback during the mission. Your expertise on humanoid developmental patterns could be quite useful.”
“...you knew about my request to Starfleet, didn’t you?”
“After the fact, they informed us you were looking for interested in taking on a field assignment.”
“And this would do it. I was hoping for something just a little closer to home though.”
Burke leans back.
“Will you accept?”
“Only if I they’re sending me out with someone who knows what they’re doing. I don’t want to walk onto that ship and find its captain only took command because their CO was killed on their first tour.”
“Don’t worry, we have a well-qualified lead candidate.”
The FED version has some new dialog but thanks to the Romulans I had alternatives to "Kill them with sharp things!" built into conversations already so there wasn't much I had to change
Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
Trident is in the home stretch. Could be published sometime later today, but on or before Sunday is the most likely case. As mentioned earlier this is going to be part of the Foundry Exploration Initiative. Provisionally, I'm using the Archer System as the starting location but if we end up going with another candidate it's not going to take any significant work to change that.
Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
Shadow Puppets please.