Bring back Exploration to STO! (The Genesis System Reborn)

rattraps123

Bring back the Genesis System, IF you added to it and expanded on it. then it would be fun. start off with 5 different types of missions.

1. Exploration
2. Aid / Rescue
3. Diplomatic Mission
4. Defend
5. Colonize Planet

The key to a good star trek game is exploration, star trek online used to have a Genesis system. And it was very limited in what it could do and create. But it was an early prototype of exploration, Much of star trek online has changed over the years and evolved over time.

The Genesis system wasn't given much a chance to do that. There would be a new Exploration marks currency used to buy in-game items, such as ground and space sets. The 5 types of missions I listed above are just for example. This is how it would work.

Planets would be randomly generated using game assets.
Aliens would be randomly generated using alien generator.
Missions randomly generated using 1-5 mission types.
Objectives randomly generated using Mission 1-5 sub-types.
Rewards would generated based off number of randomly assigned objectives.


1. Exploration Missions

You and your away team beam down to an unexplored planet, Starfleet wants you to explore this planet and catalogue and gather sensor data for research.

Your mission objectives are a randomized set of goals. You might get 1-5 objectives here. the number of objectives you get will determine the amount of reward.

1 - 250 EM / EC/ Dil, 2- 500 EM/ EC/ Dil, 3 - 750 EM/ EC/ Dil, 4 -1000 EM/ EC/ Dil, 5 - 1500 EM/ EC/ Dil,

1. scan plants
2. scan animal life
3. scan the planet for radiation samples
4. scan for any signs of alien tech
5. scan for geological anomalies


2. Aid / Rescue Missions

You get a distress signal from a nearby planet. You decide you need to check it out.

Your mission objectives are a randomized set of goals. You might get 1-5 objectives here. the number of objectives you get will determine the amount of reward.

1 - 250 EM / EC/ Dil, 2- 500 EM/ EC/ Dil, 3 - 750 EM/ EC/ Dil, 4 -1000 EM/ EC/ Dil, 5 - 1500 EM/ EC/ Dil,

1. provide provisions food
2. provide materials shields / generators
3. provide resources money / ec. / lat.
4. provide transportation transfer of aliens from one system to another.
5. provide support for ship or planet


3. Diplomatic Mission

Your crew would get orders to Provide diplomacy and settle a dispute among local aliens.

Your mission objectives are a randomized set of goals. You might get 1-5 objectives here. the number of objectives you get will determine the amount of reward.

1 - 250 EM / EC/ Dil, 2- 500 EM/ EC/ Dil, 3 - 750 EM/ EC/ Dil, 4 -1000 EM/ EC/ Dil, 5 - 1500 EM/ EC/ Dil,


1. settle with war Fighting on behalf of one side or race.
2. settle with peace Offering an gift / token of peace, EC or Dilithium
3. settle with resources Offering resources to settle dispute.
4. settle with materials Offering shields / materials
5. settle with diplomacy Making peace with diplomacy to both sides.



4. Defend Missions.


Your crew and ship are tasked with defending planet from attackers.

Your mission objectives are a randomized set of goals. You might get 1-5 objectives here. the number of objectives you get will determine the amount of reward.

1 - 250 EM / EC/ Dil, 2- 500 EM/ EC/ Dil, 3 - 750 EM/ EC/ Dil, 4 -1000 EM/ EC/ Dil, 5 - 1500 EM/ EC/ Dil,


1. Defend Protect base from alien attackers.
2. Capture Take and capture another alien base or stronghold.
3. Shelter Hold alien base until reinforcements arrive.
4. Sabotage Sneak into attackers camp and sabotage weapons and shields.
5. Extraction Get into alien base and rescue alien party by extraction.


5. Colonize Planet Missions

Starfleet wants your ship and crew to Colonize this planet for the Federation or Klingon or Romulans.


Your mission objectives are a randomized set of goals. You might get 1-5 objectives here. the number of objectives you get will determine the amount of reward.

1 - 250 EM / EC/ Dil, 2- 500 EM/ EC/ Dil, 3 - 750 EM/ EC/ Dil, 4 -1000 EM/ EC/ Dil, 5 - 1500 EM/ EC/ Dil,


1. Build Establish a colony base structure.
2. Gather Mine resources from planet.
3. Support Provide resources and Duty officers.
4. Trade Open trade relations with minor aliens in local system.
5. Protect Provide protection an security with boff and doff missions.

Please leave your feedback and comments and Please support this thread and maybe we can get Exploration back in Star Trek Online. Thanks for reading.

cidjack

Hey look another week another "expert" on how exploration should be in this game.

We will frakin get exploration when Cryptic is ready to add it to the game.

sernonserculion

The game need more varied content where you can bring the full ( ground) crew, and just mess around. The former genesis system was pretty much spot on for exactly that.

thegrandnagus1

I feel bad for the OP. They obviously really care about this issue. But the simple fact is, STO is never going to have that type of system. They have chosen to go in a different direction with the game. But maybe the next trek mmo will have something like what the OP wants.

risian4

cidjack wrote: »

Hey look another week another "expert" on how exploration should be in this game.

We will frakin get exploration when Cryptic is ready to add it to the game.

And in the meantime, there's nothing wrong with players launching and sharing ideas on it. Could you stop being so hostile for a change?

cidjack

No I will not stop beong hostile, every suggestion is just a "give me give me" thread with some half thought out "grand" idea of what exploration should be from people that have ZERO expertise in working and developing this game. Cryptic are the experts.

risian4

No one's saying Cryptic are not the experts. Even experts need some idea of what the public wants though. Which is why people want to share their ideas. Which is probably why the OP was also asking for feedback and comments.

That's the idea of having a Forum, to exchange ideas and opinions. If you don't like that, why exactly are you here anyway?

lostyus

I really wish they would bring it back as I never got to play it when it was out (only been playing for about a year).

So what if it wasn't perfect, theres bugs throughout this game, and we learn to put up with them. I just like having loads of content to choose from to play and I'd play it even if there were no rewards, because I'd enjoy the variety.

I just wish they'd work on it, the content is there, and (for now) it'd just need a bit of polishing, that'd be less time consuming to tidy that up than it would to create content from the ground up, it'd give people more to play, and the more people have to play, the more time they'd spend in game, and the more likely it would be for them to spend money. they wouldn't need to advertise it if its not up to 'scratch' with the rest of the game, they could sort of keep it quiet in one corner, like your TRIBBLE cousin you keep locked in the basement, yeah people can visit him, but you keep him out of peoples sight because you're ashamed of him, and we all do that, right?...

twg042370

cidjack wrote: »

Hey look another week another "expert" on how exploration should be in this game.

Good thing game forums have a reputation for civility and adult conversation or this might come across as needlessly pugnacious.

Anyway, I thought all Genesis really needed more templates and a better way to do it than spinning around clusters scanning the same three spots.

cidjack

It is hilariously funny that under the guise of "exploration" the OP is asking for more rewards in terms of EC and Dil. In these same forums you have other players complaining of unchecked inflation in the game.

I give no civility or quarters to those who cannot use the search function or cannot provide useful or meaningful suggestions.

hanover2

thegrandnagus1 wrote: »

I feel bad for the OP. They obviously really care about this issue.

They want it because they don't have it. It's desirable because it's out of reach. If Cryptic brought brought back the procedurally-generated exploration missions, the playerbase would go back to largely ignoring them in short order. It's more a childish refusal to be told they can't have something.

mementoeden

cidjack wrote: »

No I will not stop beong hostile, every suggestion is just a "give me give me" thread with some half thought out "grand" idea of what exploration should be from people that have ZERO expertise in working and developing this game. Cryptic are the experts.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHHA...

sernonserculion

I believe we tried to ask Cryptic to upgrade the rewards for the Genesis system, since ultimately the whole thing was falling out of the loop. It was not ignored because it was inherently a redundant system, but because the reasons for going there no longer was maintained in a serviceable manner.

questerius

I liked the original exploration even if it was rather limited. I'd be nice if the exploration would be restored.​​

hanover2

I'm getting flashbacks of farming B'tran for "marks of exploration" or somesuch, to be used to buy STF gear at DS9. I longed for Mk X purple Tac consoles, and preferred the [DMG] mod above all else.

goodscotch

It's certainly a nice idea. If I'm not mistaken, one of the developers has already stated in the forums in a similar thread that they would not be making improvements to and then resurrecting the old exploration system. So, whatever is planned for the future, if anything, bringing back the old system with a few new bells and whistles will not be a part of it. If I find the thread in which the developer stated this, I will edit this post and provide a link.

As promised the link to the developers comments on bringing back the old exploration system:

arcgames.com/en/forums/startrekonline/#/discussion/1206811/when-are-you-giving-exploration-back/p3

twg042370

cidjack wrote: »

I give no civility or quarters to those who cannot use the search function or cannot provide useful or meaningful suggestions.

I guess asking you to act like an adult would be pointless then?

cidjack

@twg042370

It depends on how you are defining adult. As one definition listed in the Merriam-Webster dictionary as an adult being mature and sensible. Playing and discussing a video game on the work of fiction is hardly something that adults should partake in.

Its okay, take the moral high ground, we need baby sitters.

kerygan

i like exploration and doing more than just pew-pew , but i doubt ppl that just buy some beams and FAW everything , would like exploring , it might be to complicated for them. Maybe if you make a dps league for it ...

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rattraps123

Can anyone think of a way to monetize the gameplay of a new exploration system, then maybe it would work, IF your worried about Dilithium or EC inflation. then maybe it would just reward Explation Marks. But a Star Trek game needs some kind of exploration.

I remember the old days I would spend hours on some of those random made up genesis worlds. some some worlds were really pretty, and some were god awefull. Anyone remember Lava Trees ? lol

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thegrandnagus1

rattraps123 wrote: »

But a Star Trek game needs some kind of exploration.

STO has "some" kind of exploration. Remember the Breen Arc? Where we met a new species we'd never seen before, on a new planet we'd never seen before?. That's "some" type of exploration. Remember New Romulus? Exploring a planet we've never seen before? That's "some" type of exploration. Remember the new mission "Sunrise" where we meet another new species? That's "some" type of exploration. STO has "some" type of exploration. It's just not what you want. You want randomized missions. And that's fine. But be honest. Don't pretend STO doesn't have "some" type of exploration just because it doesn't have the specific kind you want.

cidjack

@valoreah

"Pops disco ball"

rattraps123

thegrandnagus1 wrote: »

rattraps123 wrote: »

But a Star Trek game needs some kind of exploration.

STO has "some" kind of exploration. You want randomized missions. And that's fine. But be honest. Don't pretend STO doesn't have "some" type of exploration just because it doesn't have the specific kind you want.

The point of the Genesis system was to create a system, that would generate high quality game play automatically, where a dev doesn't have to sit there and micromanage the production of such missions.

Also keep in mind, this types of mission could make great use of Bridge officers, Duty Officers and the Admiralty System.

vivenneanthony

thegrandnagus1 wrote: »

rattraps123 wrote: »

But a Star Trek game needs some kind of exploration.

STO has "some" kind of exploration. Remember the Breen Arc? Where we met a new species we'd never seen before, on a new planet we'd never seen before?. That's "some" type of exploration. Remember New Romulus? Exploring a planet we've never seen before? That's "some" type of exploration. Remember the new mission "Sunrise" where we meet another new species? That's "some" type of exploration. STO has "some" type of exploration. It's just not what you want. You want randomized missions. And that's fine. But be honest. Don't pretend STO doesn't have "some" type of exploration just because it doesn't have the specific kind you want.

It depends on the person like you said. I don't find those things exploration just clicking through pre-made game content with one beginning and only one end.

thegrandnagus1

rattraps123 wrote: »

thegrandnagus1 wrote: »

rattraps123 wrote: »

But a Star Trek game needs some kind of exploration.

STO has "some" kind of exploration. You want randomized missions. And that's fine. But be honest. Don't pretend STO doesn't have "some" type of exploration just because it doesn't have the specific kind you want.

The point of the Genesis system was to create a system, that would generate high quality game play automatically, where a dev doesn't have to sit there and micromanage the production of such missions.

Also keep in mind, this types of mission could make great use of Bridge officers, Duty Officers and the Admiralty System.

That has nothing to do with anything I said. My point remains the same: STO has exploration, just not the kind you want. And it's fine to ask for the kind you want. But it's dishonest to suggest or imply that STO doesn't have exploration just because it isn't the kind you want.

vivenneanthony wrote: »

It depends on the person like you said. I don't find those things exploration just clicking through pre-made game content with one beginning and only one end.

LOL, no. See what I just wrote above. Words have definitions, and those definitions do not depend on whether you personally like them or not.

markhawkman

cidjack wrote: »

It is hilariously funny that under the guise of "exploration" the OP is asking for more rewards in terms of EC and Dil.

Actually... he's just listing what the old ones had...

Anyways, Taco listed several flaws with the old Genesis system.

1: it didn't actually produce usable missions, everything it spit out had to be tweaked by the devs to be usable. Also when people reported that a certain mission was broken the devs just removed it from the pool and didn't bother fixing it.

2: they couldn't make the missions have any sort of complexity since the nature of the enemies you were to face was random. Also the mission scripts had to work independently of the maps since the maps were generated separately.

3: the Genesis engine tended to spit out nonsensical terrain. SOME was great, but some was just dumb....
great:

Nice horizon with neat surface features

this mission as on a mountain top and you could see for MILES....

Dumb:

that tiny platform? it's not a random spit of land in an inaccessible location.... it's the SPAWN POINT!

yukonsam

My belief is that Cryptic is working on exploration, perhaps as a low-priority back-burner project, but they will not speak of it or even hint at it until it's a near certainty, due to nerdrage backlash when any project is delayed or abandoned. Whether or not that's true, I do know that there are explorers and explorer sympathizers on the development team who would love to implement an expanded system, given the opportunity.

Never hurts to float ideas. I've been an advocate for a detailed colonization system, even if it would entail a fair amount of development resources. There's an entire 'Creator' player archetype that is left out of core MMO theory, and it is a significant market opportunity (as Minecraft discovered to its great profit).

gradii

thegrandnagus1 wrote: »

I feel bad for the OP. They obviously really care about this issue. But the simple fact is, STO is never going to have that type of system. They have chosen to go in a different direction with the game. But maybe the next trek mmo will have something like what the OP wants.

Pure conjecture. while likely true (since cryptic doesn't seem to give a flying rats you know what) there's no way you can know for a fact this is true.

My support is wholly behind the OP.

gradii

mementoeden wrote: »

cidjack wrote: »

No I will not stop beong hostile, every suggestion is just a "give me give me" thread with some half thought out "grand" idea of what exploration should be from people that have ZERO expertise in working and developing this game. Cryptic are the experts.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHHA...

Agreed hahhaa.