SFA/KA Holodeck console 'gateway'

captainhunter1 · July 2012

Something that has bugged me since we got the the Foundry was the lack of a true 'gateway' for the holodecks we have availble to use for player use.

We do have a contact at least (like the Ferengi engineer in Holodeck 3(?) of Starfleet Academy), so we can bring folks to the holodeck and have some dialog there. But there is no 'gateway' trigger for them to interact with to begin a holoprogram there.

Some people have clever solutions to this issue (see XR377's excellent "A will and a Barclay" mission), but really, why not just have a single panel in each holo-room that would act as a door trigger to start a mission right there (so SFA would have all three rooms available).

Think there is any chance of this happening as part of the additional material with Season 6? (crosses fingers) :P

EDIT: A consolidated list of areas that need a 'gateway' panel (taken from response posts):

Starfleet Academy Holodecks 1-3
Klingon Academy Holodecks 1 and 2
Bajor Holodeck
DS9 and Drozana stations - need holosuites (or at least a panel next to a currently unused door to simulate a suite)
Fleet Starbase holodeck (both Starfleet and Klingon)
Ship holodeck - when they are added to ship interiors

See post # 15 below making access to any holo-mission possible from ANY holodeck listed above.

drogyn1701 · July 2012

We'll add that to the "Would be nice" list. I'd definitely like to have it. Don't count on it for Season 6 right now... who knows what will happen later.

azurianstar · July 2012

Hunter, you are also forgetting about the Ferengi at Drozana.

My Holodeck mission is a recreation of the Kor's Battle of Klach D'Kel Brakt mission, but since DS9 is off-limits for KDF Foundry missions, I had to use Drozana. And luckily there is 1 door (by the Dabo Bar) that can be used as a Holodeck / Holosuite access.

Personally, I really would like the Dev Team to add Holosuites to Quarks and proper Holosuites at Drozana for future Foundry access points. Which really spur on more "Holodeck" missions.

sumghai · July 2012

I think the OP's suggestion is an excellent idea - not only does it make sense in-canon, but it is also very easy to integrate into the game as it simply adds a new behavior to existing assets.

An (not exactly ideal) example of this functionality can be seen on ESD, when you enter the first corridor right after leaving the transporter rooms. The wall-mounted LCARS panels are often used by Foundry authors to start UGC missions (or "quick console fixer" dailies).

hjorlwulf · July 2012

As one who hasn't yet started on a Foundry Mission, but as epataI of a new tuq, I'd like to know if there is going to be any way to tie Missions to the Starbase Holodecks. I would love to commission some of my talented friends to create training, indoctrination and other useful Missions to be run off my Starbase's Holodeck.

D' Keeda
epataI of lung'a' tuq

designationxr377 · July 2012

It would be a real nice feature! I want it on the "to do" list.

Maybe because the one time I found a work around for it they fix it as a bug.

captainhunter1 · July 2012

Well, with this last patch we did get:
"Updated the lighting in the Starfleet and Klingon Academy Holodecks."

So maybe, just maybe, there is slim chance when they bring the Foundry online again they added in a mission gateway/doorway panel to each holodeck... (pretty please!

). At least someone was looking at the holodecks anyway, to adjust the lighting.

azurianstar wrote: »

Hunter, you are also forgetting about the Ferengi at Drozana.

My Holodeck mission is a recreation of the Kor's Battle of Klach D'Kel Brakt mission, but since DS9 is off-limits for KDF Foundry missions, I had to use Drozana. And luckily there is 1 door (by the Dabo Bar) that can be used as a Holodeck / Holosuite access.

Personally, I really would like the Dev Team to add Holosuites to Quarks and proper Holosuites at Drozana for future Foundry access points. Which really spur on more "Holodeck" missions.

I agree.

It would be fantastic if they added at least one working Holosuite to DS9 and Drozana that was accessable (i.e. had gateways) for BOTH factions for Foundry missions (and holo-novels;)).

The addition of holodecks to Fleet starbases is also a bit of a tease as well. I mean other than Fleet events designed by the Devs, it would really be cool to use them for Foundry holo-mission starting points as was suggested above (I've seen a number of good Fleet 'training' and 'welcome' missions - this would be the perfect venue on where to start them). Trouble is, how do you do that with something like a game wide mission publish that the Foundry currently has?

drogyn1701 · July 2012

azurianstar wrote: »

Hunter, you are also forgetting about the Ferengi at Drozana.

My Holodeck mission is a recreation of the Kor's Battle of Klach D'Kel Brakt mission, but since DS9 is off-limits for KDF Foundry missions, I had to use Drozana. And luckily there is 1 door (by the Dabo Bar) that can be used as a Holodeck / Holosuite access.

Personally, I really would like the Dev Team to add Holosuites to Quarks and proper Holosuites at Drozana for future Foundry access points. Which really spur on more "Holodeck" missions.

Lol I've also been working on a holodeck recreation of Klach D'Kel Brakt. Finished in fact, I'm just finishing up another mission before I release it. I've got a series three in the works based on battles involving the three original Klingons, two are done and I'm working on the third. I'd be very interested to see your take on it.

I used one of the doors on the Qo'nos shipyard as a stand-in for a holodeck door.

captainhunter1 · July 2012

captainhunter1 wrote: »

It would be fantastic if they added at least one working Holosuite to DS9 and Drozana that was accessable (i.e. had gateways) for BOTH factions for Foundry missions (holo-novels, etc. ).

I should say that the holodeck on Bajor would also be a very good place to add a 'gateway' panel to.

azurianstar · July 2012

captainhunter1 wrote: »

The addition of holodecks to Fleet starbases is also a bit of a tease as well. I mean other than Fleet events designed by the Devs, it would really be cool to use them for Foundry holo-mission starting points as was suggested above (I've seen a number of good Fleet 'training' and 'welcome' missions - this would be the perfect venue on where to start them). Trouble is, how do you do that with something like a game wide mission publish that the Foundry currently has?

Ohh, I love this suggestion!

And I don't think there would be any problems with implementing a Foundry Starting point since Fleet Starbases. Since the foundry is global, no matter the Starbase instance, it should still be available. Only possible difference is IF the Holodecks become a luxury and limited to fleets that unlocked it.

drogyn1701 wrote: »

Lol I've also been working on a holodeck recreation of Klach D'Kel Brakt. Finished in fact, I'm just finishing up another mission before I release it. I've got a series three in the works based on battles involving the three original Klingons, two are done and I'm working on the third. I'd be very interested to see your take on it.

I used one of the doors on the Qo'nos shipyard as a stand-in for a holodeck door.

Disappointed I won't be the first, been working on this mission since the Foundry started up a year ago. (Delayed due to Foundry bugs and "the job" that is STO). But I think my mission will get a warm reception. One of the things I did was tie up a bunch of loose ends in canon that actually fit nicely together.

BTW, be careful if you are involving Kang, Kor, and Koloth. I'm sure you are working around the EULA by only mentioning them, but thought I just toss it out there.

Now if Cryptic would add in the Koro'Tinga and all of a sudden add the D5 to the Library. :P

miloguyaussie · July 2012

why cant we have a holodeck on our ships like on tv , and why is ds9 not for foundry?

drogyn1701 · July 2012

azurianstar wrote: »

Disappointed I won't be the first, been working on this mission since the Foundry started up a year ago. (Delayed due to Foundry bugs and "the job" that is STO). But I think my mission will get a warm reception. One of the things I did was tie up a bunch of loose ends in canon that actually fit nicely together.

Well if you've been working on it for that long yours just may turn out better than mine

But it's all good, we're talking about an event that was ~150 years ago by our time so details might be lost and different interpretations possible. Oh and when dealing with Kor, remember he's a notorious exaggerator!

azurianstar wrote: »

BTW, be careful if you are involving Kang, Kor, and Koloth. I'm sure you are working around the EULA by only mentioning them, but thought I just toss it out there.

Already got that angle covered. The player "plays" one of the big 3 in each mission, so that character likeness never appears, and I use a ship portrait whenever the others appear.

captainhunter1 · July 2012

miloguyaussie wrote: »

why cant we have a holodeck on our ships like on tv , ...

That's an excellent suggestion as well.

I'd love to see a holodeck added to the Crew Deck of our ship interiors.

Hopefully they will add it at the same time they add a Shuttle Bay to our Engineering Deck.

donridge · July 2012

The Foundry should have an option that would let players start holodeck missions from any holodeck they have access to.

This would go a long way towards making the mission feel like a true holodeck program and less like a world event.

captainhunter1 · July 2012

donridge wrote: »

The Foundry should have an option that would let players start holodeck missions from any holodeck they have access to.

This would go a long way towards making the mission feel like a true holodeck program and less like a world event with a fixed initial destination.

You know, that's brilliant!

A holo-story, is a holo-story, is a holo-story. It should be available from any holodeck or suite in the game as it is just a program that can be run anywhere there is a holo-environment.

This makes the task of coding 'gateway' panels for all the locations listed above in the OP much easier as they would all be the same!

That way anyone could use the most convient location to them, be it the ship they are on while in space, or the station they are visiting.

I love this idea!

miloguyaussie · July 2012

it would be great, just think of all the episodes in tng based on holodeck misshaps etc!!

SFA/KA Holodeck console 'gateway'

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