Foundry Revival Project - Starfleet Security Files (SSF) in visual novel form! Plus Contest.

duncanidaho11

Greetings!
I (senior Foundry author and Foundry Roundtable co-host who did things like Gemini, Trident, and Apex) embarked on a crazy scheme this summer and have learned the Ren'Py visual novel engine. It's a free python-based tool for creating visual novels (ex. dating sims) that I'll be doing some tutorials for (re. how to make Foundry missions with it) when I have the time. But for now, here's my first mission with it!



Google Drive Link

Gemini is the first mission in my old Starfleet security series dealing with the case of a duplicate head of a small world named Iffar. You proceed with a plucky starfleet security team to investigate the incident, learn about a new people, and do your best not to blow up too many things.

I've uploaded the game's zip to the above google drive. To play, all you need to do is download, unzip, then run the Gemini application file. The game is a dialog-driven adventure with character and location art pulled from STO and my Foundry missions. For the limitations in not having things like 3D environments or the STO engine, there's a lot of fun to be had here with much more flexible dialog trees, story branching, and the ability to program in new RPG elements. It can very efficiently tell the same stories we used to make for STO, has a similar dynamic with STO providing an accessible point to make visual novels with, and doesn't rely on any live service to run beyond STO continuing to exist for more screenshots.

So, enjoy! The mission is about 1/2 hour to an hour in length though unlike the foundry includes save/load function so you can drop in/out however you please. I'm making more of these missions and hope to get other Foundry authors inspired to do this as well (learning Ren'Py isn't any more daunting than learning the Foundry editor). So, we're kind of back in business, community willing.

To kick things off, I'm also hosting a contest. Gemini features four dialog stats:

1. Clues (for investigating the mystery of the episode)
2. Student of Iffar (for inquiring about the planet/people involved)
3. Friend of Cetsa (for being a friend to the central character)
4. Rebel (for being brash/stupid)

You can track your stats through a few dialog prompts that pop up during the mission. Post a screenshot/summary of your final stats before July 8th and the folks with the highest stats in each category will each receive a lock box key (limit one per person to spread the love, and you don't have to declare a single category for entry).

If you have any questions or problems with the mission let me know, feedback is certainly appreciated. So too is spreading the word and letting the STO community know we've got silly little fan-made stories set in the STO universe to play again. Every gesture helps rebuild something of what we had (and it's not something I can do all on my own).

Thanks,
Duncan Idaho 11

captainamerica

That is awesome! I loved the Foundry missions and was sad to see it go. Thank you!

duncanidaho11

Project update: thanks all who played! I'm getting the ball rolling (after life happened) on my next mission which is actually going to be the one Foundry mission I wasn't able to complete (got stuck in development hell and sidelined for other missions).

Video run through of the maps I had complete at the time of Foundry sunset: https://youtu.be/JDf6pbsapfE?si=nMs0Xd9zH2TME0ZT

Originally an Enterprise B mission, then a 26th Century anthology mission, then a Victory is Life anthology mission; Legacy Alpha will see the player resurrected ~25,000 years into the future to witness the fall of the Dominion, among other things.

From there, I'll do the next mission in the Starfleet Security series (Polarity).