Here are some observations that might help in developing a story in UGC.
If you have some experience with such things, do add your post with your suggestion.
How to add a specialist crew member to an adventure.
>>> Trick 1 An NPC is whatever you tell the player it is.
You need a Interplanetary trans-space Volcanologist for your story.
np make a generic NPC dressed in uniform that spawns after you reach a certain point on the map.
have a trigger cause a bo to state one is needed, and one will beam down shortly.
Have another trigger on the walk path close by...you trigger it and
the expert 'beams' down.....spawns in writer terms
NPCs can be anything or anyone....use it to your best advantage.
When you write conversations...it is real easy to make 2 really amatuer errors
Error 1: have your characters speak and act with forward knowledge that they do not have. You as the
writer know where the story is going, they don't.
Error 2: Have your characters experience 'forced' or conveniant 'luck' all the time.
Having your characters get it right the first time, everytime. Having them figure out the bad
guy in the first minutes. If the main characters have pin pointed the real problem or
key point of the story early...your showing your hand too soon.
Write script from the point of view of the character , right there, right now. Even Spock got
it wrong the first time....often.
Not really a trick, but Foundry authors should remember we'll be writing stories, but in an interactive form which is to mean that sometimes a writer will need to re-consider shaping their script to conform to gameplay mechanics because gameplay mechanics cannot be forced to conform to a story, no matter how well-written.
I agree to an extent, but even within those restrictions a great story can be written that will be engaging, immersive and fun to play. Starbase UGC has some great ideas along these lines...
Another thought regarding my previous post... the Foundry will probably always be a Work-In-Progress so always be on the lookout for new development because Foundry improvements could mean that a trick you couldn't use yesterday could be accomplished today or tomorrow.
If your writing for a casual player or a hardcore RP player, or a hard canon player you need to
employ the right mechanics in your mission.
Example:
Making players go down to the tranporter room to advance the mission...once for flavor
safe move
Making the player use the transported every single time ?
RP and canon will be fine....the casual, not so much
getting every bit of techno babble right
canon will love it
RP will like it
Casual will not notice
Still a safe move
making a combat centric mission with very little npc interaction
ok with the casual
if it stays canon, ok with them
RP group will be disappointed
Now the real trick.........find out what kinda mission style your best at: RP,Canon,Casual ect.
and stick with it. Then you will develope a fan base that likes that
particular style.
If you keep switching styles, it will take longer to get a fan base.
Not all computers/internet connections are created equal.
When your player is going to enter combat...from a zone in situation, give them a small buffer zone.
It may serve the story to have the enemy breathing down thier neck on arrival but for some players,
due to lag and what not, will just arrive...dead. That is never fun.
If in doubt...give them a little space...then they can finish zoning in and be ready to fight.
Comments
When you write conversations...it is real easy to make 2 really amatuer errors
Error 1: have your characters speak and act with forward knowledge that they do not have. You as the
writer know where the story is going, they don't.
Error 2: Have your characters experience 'forced' or conveniant 'luck' all the time.
Having your characters get it right the first time, everytime. Having them figure out the bad
guy in the first minutes. If the main characters have pin pointed the real problem or
key point of the story early...your showing your hand too soon.
Write script from the point of view of the character , right there, right now. Even Spock got
it wrong the first time....often.
Know who your writing for in advance.
If your writing for a casual player or a hardcore RP player, or a hard canon player you need to
employ the right mechanics in your mission.
Example:
Making players go down to the tranporter room to advance the mission...once for flavor
safe move
Making the player use the transported every single time ?
RP and canon will be fine....the casual, not so much
getting every bit of techno babble right
canon will love it
RP will like it
Casual will not notice
Still a safe move
making a combat centric mission with very little npc interaction
ok with the casual
if it stays canon, ok with them
RP group will be disappointed
Now the real trick.........find out what kinda mission style your best at: RP,Canon,Casual ect.
and stick with it. Then you will develope a fan base that likes that
particular style.
If you keep switching styles, it will take longer to get a fan base.
If your telling an RP story, remember the visuals count as much as the writing
Not all computers/internet connections are created equal.
When your player is going to enter combat...from a zone in situation, give them a small buffer zone.
It may serve the story to have the enemy breathing down thier neck on arrival but for some players,
due to lag and what not, will just arrive...dead. That is never fun.
If in doubt...give them a little space...then they can finish zoning in and be ready to fight.
that is so, so true