test content
Logo
What is the Arc Client?
Install Arc
Foundry Exploration Project
drogyn1701
Member Posts: 3,606 Media Corps
Aside from a T6 Connie, what’s the most asked for content in game? The answer: exploration!
While Foundry authors cannot create any kind of complex exploration system, what we can do is make some great exploration-themed missions. So let’s get to it! The Foundry Roundtable is going to facilitate a free-form exploration anthology, much like the successful Iconian War Anthology. There will only be three requirements.
Any and all authors may make missions for this series, and other than those requirements, you may create any kind of story you wish!
For fun, we’ll also be providing some resources that authors may use in their missions at their discretion. These will all be made with input from the community.
First: we’ll be inventing a new Starbase. The exact plot hasn’t been finalized, but in broad strokes, the base will be a joint Klingon-Romulan-Federation installation serving as the launching point for a new exploration initiative for a previously uncharted area of space.
On the next episode of the Roundtable (Sunday, 4:30 US Pacific), we’ll be designing the interior and exterior maps for this station with the help of anyone who joins us in the chat room (twitch.tv/thefoundryroundtable). These will need to be fairly simple, so authors can easily re-create them. We also haven’t named this starbase yet, and we want to open it up for suggestions. Once we have some nominations, I’ll run a poll.
The location for this starbase hasn’t been determined yet, but it will be the Foundry door that we’ll be asking people to use.
Second: a space station needs a crew! Once we pin down the crew positions that need filling (Station commander, science officer, etc), I’ll post a thread for nominations. Authors can nominate their own characters, create new characters, or Cryptic NPCs that are no longer around because of updates. Once we get enough nominations, we’ll have a pole for each crew position.
We’ll make a master thread with the map coordinates and sliders for each character. Authors will be free to use these characters, or not, as they choose.
Third: once we get all these details finalized, we will be running a mission contest with prizes that will mark the start of this Exploration Anthology. More details on this as we get close. Missions can also be added at any time after the contest. Existing missions can also be re-purposed for this, but only new missions will be accepted for the contest.
While Foundry authors cannot create any kind of complex exploration system, what we can do is make some great exploration-themed missions. So let’s get to it! The Foundry Roundtable is going to facilitate a free-form exploration anthology, much like the successful Iconian War Anthology. There will only be three requirements.
- It has to be about exploration in some way
- It must start from a location we will be choosing soon
- The title must start with a three letter tag in brackets (taking suggestions on the letters)
Any and all authors may make missions for this series, and other than those requirements, you may create any kind of story you wish!
For fun, we’ll also be providing some resources that authors may use in their missions at their discretion. These will all be made with input from the community.
First: we’ll be inventing a new Starbase. The exact plot hasn’t been finalized, but in broad strokes, the base will be a joint Klingon-Romulan-Federation installation serving as the launching point for a new exploration initiative for a previously uncharted area of space.
On the next episode of the Roundtable (Sunday, 4:30 US Pacific), we’ll be designing the interior and exterior maps for this station with the help of anyone who joins us in the chat room (twitch.tv/thefoundryroundtable). These will need to be fairly simple, so authors can easily re-create them. We also haven’t named this starbase yet, and we want to open it up for suggestions. Once we have some nominations, I’ll run a poll.
The location for this starbase hasn’t been determined yet, but it will be the Foundry door that we’ll be asking people to use.
Second: a space station needs a crew! Once we pin down the crew positions that need filling (Station commander, science officer, etc), I’ll post a thread for nominations. Authors can nominate their own characters, create new characters, or Cryptic NPCs that are no longer around because of updates. Once we get enough nominations, we’ll have a pole for each crew position.
We’ll make a master thread with the map coordinates and sliders for each character. Authors will be free to use these characters, or not, as they choose.
Third: once we get all these details finalized, we will be running a mission contest with prizes that will mark the start of this Exploration Anthology. More details on this as we get close. Missions can also be added at any time after the contest. Existing missions can also be re-purposed for this, but only new missions will be accepted for the contest.
The Foundry Roundtable live Saturdays at 7:30PM EST/4:30PM PST on twitch.tv/thefoundryroundtable
0
Comments
For sure! We haven't done any artwork yet.
Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
This might actually get me to create a new mission (despite the fact that the Foundry UI is still borked to heck and back for finding missions).
I would like to suggest something simple (and subtle) for the three letter lead - [EXP]. Simple in that it stands for Exploration, subtle in that it is also a common game term for 'experience' (as in both game points earned and story enjoyment
Can we name the starbase, "Nimbus 2 - the station of galactic peace"? -and then place it in a completely out of the way place that has nothing to do with the three major powers running it? Oh, wait. That was the fail idea from the Star Trek Star Charts. Nevermind.
Placing the station near Babel might be possible location as a lot of Federation diplomatic action seems to occur there - and I would assume the Feds would be the ones spearheading the effort (just don't call the station Babylon 5....lol). Just brainstorming here...the name should probably have something cool to do with the exploration theme - like Farpoint (but that's already taken
arcgames.com/en/forums/startrekonline/#/discussion/1203368/pve-content-a-list-of-gamewide-polishing-pass-suggestions
My only concern with that is possible confusion with EXP grinders. [EXPL] might be the thing to do if we don't find a more pleasing acronym.
Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
Would that be a bad thing? Might actually get some people who would never try some good stories a chance to. (I'd hate to lose a good designator because of Admiral Bobo. Darn you Bobo! Darn you to heck! lol)
As an alternate, [EXO] is another one I was thinking about that might work (for EXplOration, and stuff like Exobiology, etc.)
arcgames.com/en/forums/startrekonline/#/discussion/1203368/pve-content-a-list-of-gamewide-polishing-pass-suggestions
It could also work the other way, people looking for good stories may glance at [EXP] (especially if they just see it in the sector block, no chance of explaining) and dismiss it for a grinder.
Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
I'll also throw some names out there:
Starbase Magellan
"Fools' Landing"
Babel 1-5 :P
Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
If I'm honest... I was lacking sleep when I thought [FEP] was a good idea.
Location:
Anything really works.
Thoughts?
Anyhow, I have a few ideas for exploration/first contact missions. I will probably enter one for consideration. Sounds like a great idea. I have always thought a non-combat mission could be just as satisfying as a full combat mission if done well enough. Hopefully, there will be plenty of them.
I think you want to go with a tag that forms a word one can easily say like ICO. "Just published my ico mission"' - that sorta thing.
arcgames.com/en/forums/startrekonline/#/discussion/1203368/pve-content-a-list-of-gamewide-polishing-pass-suggestions
Looks nice but personally I'd pick the Federation Seal over the Starfleet Delta,but that's just me.
Over my last few missions I've actually been setting up a U.S.S. Discovery (Nebula class) as a lead into my new exploration series. That'll stick whatever we name the station, but one thing I was thinking about is maybe having a ship (or set of ships) associated with this station that players could pull from to setup plot points and setting.
Ex. "Several days ago the U.S.S. Discovery discovered X around Y, and had to limp back home with half a nacelle gone. Now it's your turn to try harpooning the thing. Good luck!"
We wouldn't have to go into any detail about bridges and crews (could be up to individual authors) but a reference list could come in handy as another little bit of cross-mission coordination.
Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
This is a great idea.
It gives a chance to promote other missions within the Project through compelling narrative, giving players many threads to pull on depending on what interests them the most.
arcgames.com/en/forums/startrekonline/#/discussion/1203368/pve-content-a-list-of-gamewide-polishing-pass-suggestions
So we had a bit of a false start. We were going to design the starbase maps and determine some other things on the show Sunday, but Greendragoon, who handles the livestreaming, lost internet and didn't get it back until late. So, next time we will be doing that! Probably Sunday again. We were going to have Rogueenterprise join us, since he had started a similar project last year that didn't end up going anywhere.
In the meantime, combing through the thread, here are the tag suggestions so far.
[EXP]
[FEP]
[EXPL]
[EXO]
[EX]
[EXM]
[AEI]
I like EXO personally
And here are the starbase name suggestions.
New Dawn Station
Starbase Magellan
"Fools' Landing"
Babel 1-5
Discovery Station
Discovery Base
Starbase Discovery
Dragoon had suggested Frontier Station as a working title as well.
'Unity Starbase' ?
'Deep Space ###' ? (I.E. Deep Space 7)
'[Name] or [System Name] Station' (I.E. Mckinley station, Cameron Station etc)
Actually is this Starbase in space or one of those ground ones?
Space. The idea is to use the original Earth Spacedock, since it isn't used anywhere anymore.
Well, the Empire is supposed to be cooperating with this thing. I don't see how they could be left out of the anthology.
Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
There are so many better options in the Foundry assets now. Why go with that thing?
Oh, and I like 'Unity Starbase' mentioned above as a moniker...good suggestion!
arcgames.com/en/forums/startrekonline/#/discussion/1203368/pve-content-a-list-of-gamewide-polishing-pass-suggestions
Unfortunately Starfleet Command III did it first and I suspect that making such a direct reference (basically same thing but for general diplomacy) isn't covered by the EULA.
Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
Well, technically, it's only a EULA violation if we're referencing THAT station. Since our station would look nothing like/and have no connection to the base from Starfleet Command, it's just a coincidence.
Ah, I see. Still in being the only other joint starbase project like this in Star Trek mass media (that I know of) I'm not so keen on "Unity." Sounds nice but it's a little too perfect.
Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!