test content
What is the Arc Client?
Install Arc

Improving Exploration Missions - Ideas and Concepts

SystemSystem Member, NoReporting Posts: 178,019 Arc User
edited March 2010 in The Academy
Well, I have been doing many of these daily and I think they do need much more improvement.

Kudos for the devs for changing the "racetrack" ones to drop the correct anamalous data that was one of my bigger pet peevs.

I know they are working on the relief ones so they just are not a time and credit sink but haven't heard much of what they are doing. I also know they are wokring on diplomacy missions; however, if you watch most episodes of Star Trek they are mainly mysteries or problems that have to be solved. We really need something like that for immersion. Beam over to a ship to help figure out what went wrong then realize the situation is grim and you only have a certain amount of time to figure it out. Chart a nebula when something goes wrong etc.... I think what the game as a whole is lacking are these types of mystery missions or problem solving missions.

Also, I still cannot get over how exploration really is, it is like swimming in a fish tank. Just circling around and around like a bored goldfish waiting for spawns. The current system of getting these missions is not really fun or immersive. I would more rather it be like we are warping through the region and get a comm message rather than hunt for spawns. Let us sit on our bridge with a streaming starfield when our bridge officer says, "I am picking up a distress call", we ask to put it on screen and the animation and text is displayed "on screen". We drop out of warp into the genesis instance and away we go. At least give us this option for immersion. I really do dislike swimming in the fishbowl.

So, I am going to keep this open as an idea/concept thread and save some space so we can collect our ideas for the devs.
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2010
    -Saved for additional info-
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2010
    -Saved for additional info 2-
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2010
    -Saved for additional info 3-
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2010
    -Saved for additional info 4-
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2010
    -Saved for additional info 5-
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2010
    One sad thing about star cluster missions is that when you get there, you're not the first one to have been there.

    There are either satellites/asteroids with research stations affiliated to you, or...

    Planets whom have heard of the Federation before, or...

    Bad guys to defeat you've already met before (seeing Cardassians in the B'Tran cluster and having to fight them)...

    ...and so on.

    Ironically, the asteroid ring around a planet with the anomalies to scan is one of the closest missions to actual exploration there is. Along with finding planets with interesting readings and going to scan the getting-smarter carnivorous plants there.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2010
    I dont like the fact that you have to go around and scan anomaliess to be put into a system...when you enter the cluster it should just instantly put you into a system...the whole scanning thing is a stupid waste of time and isnt realistic or Trek at all. These missions also need more variety, and less combat. Especially more variety in the appearance of the systems and ground areas.

    Not to mention graphics need to be improved, such as water...viewing distance, getting rid of faded backgrounds on ground maps. Also, ambient wildlife and creatures would be great...I also have NEVER had a first contact mission in this game, its always...blow up 6 squads in the sector, or beam down and scan 5 things, or beam down and scan 5 things that are guarded by stupid aliens.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2010
    Perhaps they could add ailen artifacts that you can find on the planets , and i mean REAL artifacts (like statues or books or whatever), and you could either keep it and display it in your ready room or quarters, or take it back too Memory Alpha and exchange it for points.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2010
    Exploration could be extended. Exploration Clusters could be changed to something that rewards guild and / or community efforts. Here's the idea:

    You're sent to the cluster to explore it. You scan anomalies like you do now already. When you find a system you're sent inside to gather scientific data and samples. I.e. more scanning of data nodes.

    But now, these nodes not only give you research data for memory alpha, each of them has the chance to spawn a "discovery". These discoveries can be alien ships attacking you, derelicts, maybe planets or mineral rich asteroids... anything.

    Let's say the discovery was a class M planet, suitable for colonization. Now you can place a beacon in the system you just discovered. You can share the beacon data/access/location with your guild, or everyone you meet. The beacon consumes industrial energy cells. If they deplete, the beacon fails, and you won't find your "saved" location again. If you or friends return regularly you can put new energy cells in to keep the system alive.

    Everyone who returns to your system can do developement and exploration missions there. Doing more missions in it increases the systems "score". So it can be developed further, offering new possible missions.

    Let's say everyone gathered a lot of data on the class m planet. enough data for starfleet to say: okay now we know about this rock... let's send some people there to make an outpost.
    Now your system is a tiny colony, and to develop it further you need to deliver goods to the colony regularly... antigens, medicine... replicators. Stuff people need. If you deliver nothing... people will abandon the colony. The colony now offers those improved "relief effort" missions. If you help them a lot and the colony grows the "city" or base on the surface gets better equipped. Maybe you get a club, or vendors, or on the highest level even memory alpha like research facilities.

    Maybe the system "owner or discoverer" can even offer rewards and missions to attract other players to his developing system, to help it grow faster, or to make it widely known in the fleet... so people WANT to go there :P.

    And then when you got a nice place, bigger missions start. maybe even smaller versions of fleet actions. Maybe the borg want to assimilate your colony, or the romulans don't want you to be so close to their borders.


    It would just give everyone a REAL reason to go out there. And the players would feel REALLY involved. They're creating little bits of content this way. They're not just consuming it.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2010
    For me it's sort of a game within the game to scan as much as I can without arousing the ire of the competitor-alien-du-jour.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2010
    I have my own thread that I posted my thorough exploration ideas, since this is also a decent exploration thread, here it is in case you missed it:

    Right now, you go to some random star cluster that looks like fog and click on stuff to get random missions... there is a simple solution that I think would make exploration more enjoyable.

    Have opportunities to explore random systems/have random encounters on EVERY map. The closer to Sol, the less likely that you will run into a random system/encounter because more has been explored by the Federation in that area - and those missions you run into will deal more with Federation research bases, etc.. Once you reach the more difficult sectors, especially Borg Space - the chance of random encounters/missions is a lot higher and you'll run into missions that have NOTHING to do with research bases because the Federation hasn't reached that far into space.

    But here's the catch - you don't HAVE to do them. You would be flying around and your bridge officer would pop up telling you that there is a new (uncharted) system that you are passing and if you want to explore it. It's YOUR choice whether you want to or not. If you don't you continue like nothing has happened before - BUT the game marks the system on your Sector Space (and only yours, its like your own little quest) until you decide you want to visit and explore or bring along some friends!

    So you could conceivably have a TON of random missions lined up for you if you are busy and just decide to fly past them to do your Quest line. However, you can just delete them if you really don't care about exploration missions.

    But if you DO care, then it would really be cool having your Sector Space slowly fill up with random systems to explore.

    Another thing that could happen, from time to time Starfleet could contact you and mention a system that needs exploration, and where it is, and again it would be added to YOUR sector space for you to explore.

    I think this is a really good idea and better then just having all of the exploration in a random Sector Space that looks like pea soup.


    Also, implementing a system such as this would allow the inclusion (later down the road) of missions that are specific to simple exploration... you are flying around and your Bridge Officer tells you that you have discovered a new system. You chose to explore it and warp into a system that has a huge nebula that needs scanning, or a planet that might or might not have lifeforms living on it, or even a huge sun that is about to go nova.

    These random missions would have a simple solution, scanning the nebula/planet/star, but there bonus would be a few "extra" random anomalies lying around - instead of finding 1 or 2, there are maybe 3 or 4, even 5 - whether they would be INSIDE the nebula, or around the planet/star.

    Once you scan the object in question, you can collect the anomalies or just leave the system and continue on your way!


    ***

    This post was brought back from the "beta boards" because I believe it is an exemplary solution to the current random exploration routine, or could be added as an addition to what is now featured. If anyone from Cryptic reads this, please consider it and throw the idea out around the office, and for those reading this and who agree with this idea,
    please support it! - I don't think it would be difficult to implement at all, the main thing is allowing each player's account to save these exploration "points" as they find them.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2010
    Link8909 wrote: »
    Perhaps they could add ailen artifacts that you can find on the planets , and i mean REAL artifacts (like statues or books or whatever), and you could either keep it and display it in your ready room or quarters, or take it back too Memory Alpha and exchange it for points.

    Great idea. This would be a pretty easy way to customize ready rooms.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2010
    vince081 wrote: »
    Great idea. This would be a pretty easy way to customize ready rooms.

    Definately... one of the best things about SWG (I hated everything about the game except for the customization and sandbox feel) was being able to decorate your house with so much TRIBBLE and they keep adding more and more stuff you can add... it would be nice if you could do the same with your Captain's Ready Room, or even your own quarters.

    What would rock is if they added quarters for all your Bridge Crew too. But that's for another thread ;)
Sign In or Register to comment.