test content
Logo
What is the Arc Client?
Install Arc
Options
"Uprising: Act III - Epsilon" officially unofficial discussion thread.
maninblack017
Member Posts: 152 Arc User
Greetings, Captains!
It is with great pleasure that I announce that after many long months of work, the third installment of the Uprising series is nearly upon us. I finally have it completed and am in the final stages of proofreading and making sure all of the bugs are worked out.
Uprising: Act II - The Tempest ended with quite a cliffhanger that was well-received - much more than I ever imagined it would be. Act III will pick up right where Act II left off, leaving you to deal with the aftermath of that cliffhanger.
As with the rest of the Uprising series, Act III will be primarily story based, but it does have a lot of Trek elements that I believe many hardcore fans will recognize. There is a little bit of everything in this mission and I hope that everyone will find something that they enjoy about it.
With any luck, Act III will be published this evening. But life may intervene so I will definitely post an update to this thread, the moment it goes online. If not tonight, Thursday at the latest.
I hope you'll all take the time to play it and leave constructive feedback in this thread or inboxed to me. I'm really excited about the story of the Uprising series and hope that all of you enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed creating it. Thank you!.
It is with great pleasure that I announce that after many long months of work, the third installment of the Uprising series is nearly upon us. I finally have it completed and am in the final stages of proofreading and making sure all of the bugs are worked out.
Uprising: Act II - The Tempest ended with quite a cliffhanger that was well-received - much more than I ever imagined it would be. Act III will pick up right where Act II left off, leaving you to deal with the aftermath of that cliffhanger.
As with the rest of the Uprising series, Act III will be primarily story based, but it does have a lot of Trek elements that I believe many hardcore fans will recognize. There is a little bit of everything in this mission and I hope that everyone will find something that they enjoy about it.
With any luck, Act III will be published this evening. But life may intervene so I will definitely post an update to this thread, the moment it goes online. If not tonight, Thursday at the latest.
I hope you'll all take the time to play it and leave constructive feedback in this thread or inboxed to me. I'm really excited about the story of the Uprising series and hope that all of you enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed creating it. Thank you!.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
"The time has come to see the world as it is." - Captain James T. Kirk
Twitter - @SDVargo
"The time has come to see the world as it is." - Captain James T. Kirk
Twitter - @SDVargo
Post edited by maninblack017 on
0
Comments
Uprising: Act III - Epsilon
ID: ST-HLZHDY566
Allegiance: Federation
Level: All Levels
Language: English
Single player. Adding teammates may cause unexpected difficulties.
Estimated play time 60-90 minutes.
This mission is story-based and therefore contains heavy dialogue. However, it also contains both space and ground combat.
This mission begins at the console outside of the transporter room on Earth Spacedock.
Summary:
Having been pushed to your breaking point by the Phoenix Dawn, you must find a way to get back into the fight. While you and your crew struggle to survive, Jok'lava continues his reign of terror on the Federation. You may be the last hope that Earth has left.
Starfleet is in its darkest hour. Do you have what it takes to figure out how to prevent total annihilation?
Enjoy!
"The time has come to see the world as it is." - Captain James T. Kirk
Twitter - @SDVargo
Edit: And I forgot to say, check your Defiant corridor map. The default level seems to be a little higher than it should be so your consoles and doors are floating ever so slightly.
"The time has come to see the world as it is." - Captain James T. Kirk
Twitter - @SDVargo
Uprising: Act III - Epsilon now begins at the Conference Room Monitor on Earth Spacedock.
It had been previously starting at the Console outside of the Transporter Room on the old Earth Spacedock.
Thanks for playing. And sorry for the delay in resolving this issue.
"The time has come to see the world as it is." - Captain James T. Kirk
Twitter - @SDVargo
Federation Mission - Uprising: Act III - Epsilon
Author: maninblack
Allegiance: Federation
Project ID: ST-HLZHDY566
Report Start
Summary: This is a good mission in the series. The map designs are well done, the battles are challenging but fun, and the story dialogue is excellent. There were a few issues with objects on maps but I would definitely recommend this mission and the series to other players.
I mention the use of invisible objects in lieu of multiple consoles on two of your maps. Having multiple consoles to access similar information on the same map seems odd. You should consider replacing the various tasks linked to multiple consoles with invisible objects placed at a single console. For example on the "Battle Bridge" map at the center chair you can place multiple invisible objects to use as triggers for the commands. By doing this you have the Captain (Player) issue orders for the diagnostic check, log review and so on from the center of the bridge. It would alleviate the number of panels you had to add to the map for the player to interact with. If you decide to have the player interact with consoles then consider using invisible objects located at one station for the diagnostic and one for the log access. You can use the same thing on the "U.S.S. Sacrifice" map instead of multiple consoles in a row. If you want to use actual console instead of invisible objects then place them exactly on top of each other on the map.
Below are some things I noted while playing the mission that I wanted to let you know about. Everything in this write up should be seen as suggestions on ways I felt you could improve certain elements of the mission. They are yours to do with as you see fit.
Mission Description: This is a detailed description. I noted no spelling or grammatical errors with this description.
Grant Mission Dialogue: The grant dialogue is okay but a little confusing. You should consider rewriting it and move the story up front and the explanation to the bottom. This would give the player the story immediately and draw them in so they will click the 'Accept' button. I noted no spelling or grammatical errors with this dialogue.
Mission Task: The initial task is good with a clear starting point for the first custom map. Be careful assuming the player knows exactly where that entrance is on the new ESD. I noted no spelling errors with this initial task.
Mission Entry Prompt: This is a good use of the prompt. I noted no spelling or grammatical errors with this prompt.
MAPS:
The Lower Decks: This is a good map design with excellent story dialogue. I noted no spelling or grammatical errors with this dialogue. I noted a couple of items to consider changing:
-Consider not using capitalization of words in dialogue like; Deck Six, Team One, Team Two, Environmental Controls, Life Support, Relays, Tubes, etc. when they are not the first word of a sentence.
-The first and second "Replace Battery" task; the generator and other equipment appears to be off the ground by approximately a foot or so.
-The Environmental Controls appear to be slightly off the ground.
The Lower Decks: This is a good map design with excellent story dialogue. I noted no spelling or grammatical errors with this dialogue. I noted a couple of items to consider changing:
-Same comment reference to using capitalization of words in dialogue that are not the first word in a sentence.
-The console for the "Restore Power to Transporter" task is slightly off the ground.
-The console for the "Reduce Security Level" task is slightly off the ground.
-The console for the "Activate Console" task appears to be lower in ground than it should be.
-The console for the "Run Diagnostic on Plasma Conversion Sensors" task appears to be off the ground by approximately a foot or so.
-The console for the "Activate Auxiliary Power Grid" task is slightly off the ground.
Battle Bridge: This is a good map design with excellent story dialogue. I noted no spelling or grammatical errors with this dialogue. I noted one item to consider changing:
-There are several tasks that you have the player perform on the bridge which seem unnecessary for a Captain to be performing. I will cover this in detail in the summary above.
Zebron System: This is a good map design with excellent story dialogue. I noted a couple of items to consider changing:
-The initial dialogue; consider changing the response button "Good Do we have anything on the Sacrifice" to read "Good. Do we have anything on the Sacrifice".
-In the dialogue with Captain Cortez she states "Dr. Joluud died three years ago" but the response button says "He did not die seven years ago". Consider correcting the discrepancy.
U.S.S. Sacrifice: This is a good map design with excellent story dialogue. I noted no spelling or grammatical errors with this dialogue. I noted one item to consider changing:
-The "Input Access Codes" tasks; consider using invisible objects to trigger multiple tasks from a single console. I will cover this in more detail in the summary above.
Typhon System: This is a good map design with challenging but fun battles and excellent story dialogue. I noted no spelling or grammatical errors with this dialogue. I noted one item to consider changing:
-Same comment reference to using capitalization of words in dialogue that are not the first word in a sentence.
Epsilon Station: This is a good map design with challenging but fun battles and excellent story dialogue. I noted no spelling or grammatical errors with this dialogue. I noted one item to consider changing:
-The first couple of enemy mobs are not tough but fun. The battle following the "Get to the Cargo Bay" task is a little tougher. Consider adding a respawn point in the control room.
Typhon System: This is a good map design with challenging but fun battles and excellent story dialogue. I noted no spelling or grammatical errors with this dialogue or any issues with the map.
Starbase 294: This is a good map design with excellent story dialogue and a good wrap up to this mission. I noted no spelling or grammatical errors with this dialogue or any issues with the map.
End Report
Thanks again for authoring and for giving me the chance to review your work. You did a great job developing this mission and the series so far. I look forward to playing/reviewing more your work in the future.
Brian
This critique report also filed 06/29/2014 on forum posting for: In depth mission reports upon request.
The first few maps, in particular, have joined my mental list of "masterclasses in non-combat sequences". They make it just as gripping, and make it seem just as much of a challenge for the characters, as any combat map - in fact rather more so, to me; it's hard to take STO combat seriously when you've done it over and over, whereas practical problems are different every time.
Could you see your way to putting the arbitrary starting point somewhere else? I avoid ESD because my computer can only just cope with the strain, and also that conference room console is rather hard to find on the new ESD - I had to ask around to locate it. That's honestly my biggest criticism.
Note to other players: There was a bit of argument in the discussion thread for Act II about the extent to which the player's responses in dialogue are "railroaded". This only gets more so from this point on. I think that's unavoidable, though, to tell the story in the way the author has told it; the Captain's dialogue is an essential part of the story and drama of the mission. The author's simply made an artistic decision that that's how this particular mission works, what the Captain says and decides are part of the story. It's true that a few of the things he has my captain saying are things she would definitely never say (surprisingly few, but a few), for instance, musing about "I always said I'd go down with my ship"; she understands the *idea* behind "going down with the ship" - the captain can't leave at least until everyone ELSE is safe - but she's allergic to all forms of naval portentousness and would never be caught SAYING it.) So I just decided to read this as the unforgettable tale of what happened to the LAST captain of U.S.S. Magpie!
Here are my detailed notes, mostly minor typos and things.
The Lower Decks: Good choice of props for big starship batteries. I like the way you wrote the power system menu too, it seems convincingly realistic rather than just "press these magic gadgets in this sequence because magic".
Good dialogue too. My only criticism is that the BOffs seem to reel off a little too much sometimes, like instruction manuals. For instance the bit where Tac says "Captain, the plasma conversion sensors control room is just ahead" is redundant, you only need to add the words "just ahead" to Carson's dialogue. By the way, that control room is a lovely bit of design, really makes it feel like a spaceship rather than just a grey box!
Battle Bridge:
In "Access Ship's Database" dialogue: Eath -> Earth.
"None given. But the computer is giving us the Sacrifice's warp signature. We can track it, but it might take some time. - Sensors are scanning for the Sacrifice's warp signature now. We're ready, Captain."
The statement that "the computer is giving us the Sacrifice's warp signature" made no sense to me for a bit, because I'm used to "warp signature" being interchangeable with "warp trail". It rather spoilt the effect, because I thought "huh, after all that convincing stuff, now you're suddenly saying the computer can see this top-secret ship's warp trail from the other side of the quadrant?" Maybe explain that a bit more to clarify that what you're saying is that the computer told you what the Sacrifice's warp signature LOOKED like, and you're now trying to determine whether any sensor stations have picked it up. (Transition handled neatly with that "We're ready, Captain", by the way.)
Zebron System:
taking over the converation -> conversation (while talking to the Sacrifice).
form the woman's eye -> form in the woman's eye.
U.S.S. Sacrifice:
This map is obviously a labour of love (and not just love but much creativity) and I enjoyed exploring it. Same goes for many others but this is the one that really struck me in this Act.
Alegeron -> Algeron.
Hunter and Cortez are very funny about Starfleet's way with laws.
In the "what about my ship?" exchange: salavage -> salvage.
At end of conversation, "It should be ready momentarily": "momentarily" actually means "for a moment", not "in a moment", though you are by NO means the only person to make that mistake just recently!
Why can't Jok'lava simply use the President's nanites to make him cough up the information? Need to include an explanation for that, such as that the President was made immune to the nanites (which Cortez appears to be able to do, for single individuals). That would also explain why the player can't buy time by simply knocking the President unconscious using Cortez's access to the network, which was the solution I thought of. (Besides it possibly being high treason... but in the circumstances I think the President would probably let you off ;-) )
Epsilon Station:
I can't resist sharing this bit of weirdness: owing to my character's name, that initial hail came out as "Hunter to Hare".
Typhon System (again):
again, "momentarily" (after the Enterprise appears).
A wonderful story, I needed cheering up and this was just what I needed. In short - a mission where you save the Earth!
I wondered how the author could possibly make this final act as big a deal as it needed to be, without just making a huge nightmare mob-fest. He succeeded triumphantly, this isn't a mobfest, it's a story and a thrilling one. Thank you!
Again, starting point.
Starbase 294:
your -> you (in your first reply to Olat'ub).
I look all of your faces -> I look at all of your faces.
Starfleet Headquarters:
That first group of soldiers, among the barrels... they went through my away team like tissue paper, again and again. I know they're meant to be tough, but it's too much. If you have to die and respawn over and over again, it's no longer tough, it's just silly. If it wasn't quite so many at once, it would be manageable - I coped fine with the later groups.
encrpytion - > encryption.
"I find it is amusing" -> "I find it amusing". (to Jok'lava.)
Unknown: The memory-people's chat bubbles are moving rather too fast, there are generally several repeats over each person's head at once.
Liberator Bridge:
apart -> a part.
(to Hunter:) laying -> lying (although that would rhyme - maybe rephrase).
Gain Access of the Computer -> Gain Access to the Computer.
Final comment: Hip hip HOORAY!