The future of STO

goodscotch

I've been playing STO for a number of years and recently bought a lifetime subscription. The game has progressed and changed over the years and I think what we have now is good. There's always room for improvement and I honestly think the developers are working to make improvements.

But today, I started thinking, what could really bust this game out of where it is and bring it to another level. The only answer I could come up with is 'The Foundry'. Having STO players design their own missions so that the game is chocked full of interesting scenarios to play will make this virtual world a place where players can spend loads of time and never be bored. I've played a number of player-created missions and have enjoyed many of them.

I've tried my hand at using The Foundry and I find the engine not very intuitive. As much as I would like to start designing my own missions for others to play, the current Foundry engine makes the process difficult.

Any thoughts?

staq16

I can't say I've ever tried the foundry, but it would be good if they did something like a weekly featured mission with a cool reward - could be a great way of back-dooring in KDF/Rom content as well.

goodscotch

staq16 wrote: »

I can't say I've ever tried the foundry, but it would be good if they did something like a weekly featured mission with a cool reward - could be a great way of back-dooring in KDF/Rom content as well.

I honestly think of the Foundry engine were much simpler it would bring new life to STO. Players would spend just as much time creating missions as they would playing.

mustrumridcully0

There is a whole Foundry subforum that should contain advice on how to do it.

A simpler Foundry tool would probably mean less interesting missions created there, too. Powerful tools often mean that the complexities can't be hidden away. And the Foundry is, as I understand, already vastly simpler than what the devs use.

trennan

I am currently working with the foundry. It is not that hard to work with as you progress. There are some tutorials out there you can watch. The main thing is, don't jump in all the way. I started with a simple run around First City mission to acquaint myself with the interactions and storyboard side of it. I am currently working on my second project. This one includes some premade and custom maps. This will allow me to learn map building and apply the interactions I learned from the first one.

My first mission is already posted. It's in the Review section of the foundry missions. Feel free to check it out.

First City Bat'leth Arena Speech
I.D.# ST-HSJZAB3UE

You can see my post about maps in the foundry section here:
http://www.arcgames.com/en/forums/startrekonline/#/discussion/1220868/question-about-maps

This is the link to the foundry tutorials on youtube, which you will also find in my foundry post. Thanks to duncanidaho11 for this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLZuDSOW9mgW7BG_CStEARdES1FPkPiGNB&v=43E3Ylo-Pi4

where2r1

I tried and failed to understand it at all.
I guess, I can try again one day.
Eh, it is paid for, so it will just sit there unused.

goodscotch

Thanks for the links! I am going to have to try my hand at it again because I really feel that it's very important to the future of STO.

trennan

If you need help, feel free to message me @trennan is my in game handle as well, trennan on arc.

thunderfoot

I have a completed storyboard for a mission idea I had years ago. I have dabbled with the Foundry Editor and watched the video tutorials. Nothing about it appears overly complicated or completely unlearnable. At least compared to some other mission editors from other games I play. The biggest issue I face is available free time. I feel as though I do not have enough time to devote to making my vision of a mission turn out exactly as I want it to. The last thing I want to do is foist off something which is broken or unplayable onto fellow Star Trek fans.

My sincere respect towards Foundry authors and gratitude for what they've shared with us has no limits. They have sustained my interest in this game for a long time. I truly wish they will get the official recognition they so richly deserve

trennan

thunderfoot006 wrote: »

I have a completed storyboard for a mission idea I had years ago. I have dabbled with the Foundry Editor and watched the video tutorials. Nothing about it appears overly complicated or completely unlearnable. At least compared to some other mission editors from other games I play. The biggest issue I face is available free time. I feel as though I do not have enough time to devote to making my vision of a mission turn out exactly as I want it to. The last thing I want to do is foist off something which is broken or unplayable onto fellow Star Trek fans.

My sincere respect towards Foundry authors and gratitude for what they've shared with us has no limits. They have sustained my interest in this game for a long time. I truly wish they will get the official recognition they so richly deserve

Use the save function often and keep coming back to it when you have to the time. You don't have to complete it all at once. You'll be in and out of you map lots of time in test play in the editor. As long as you save it, you can exit the editor and come back at any time. If you already have your storyboard set, sounds like you need work on maps.

It's a touch and go kind of thing. I'm working on project two. I'm only at the first part of it in my space map. As I work on it I keep wondering if I should break it down in to two missions or make it one long mission. I have a space map part in mind and a ground part in mind. This is why I'm wondering if I should break it in to two missions.

gaalom

I just saw this thread, so forgive the seven+ day late reply. I agree completely with goodscotch on the foundry. I did allot of custom work with some old friends of mine in swg. The options they gave us allowed us to create allot player made content, and in turn created allot of fun. The foundry in sto has that potential. My biggest problem with the foundry missions is the lack of reward. I understand cryptic wants to control everything, and I understand they do not want the Foundry be abused. At the very least if people are really going to take to the foundry, it should offer some major exp rewards.

I believe I messed around with it once, but it did not seem to go well. I will take a look at it again, if there is hope, I should be able to twist and figure the foundry out in a couple days. My biggest problem with world editors, are when they are glitchy, or my mind goes beyond their capabilities.