test content
Logo
What is the Arc Client?
Install Arc
So... Where is the exploration?
sirsitsalot
Member Posts: 2,803 Arc User
This season was promoted as being about getting back to exploration following the Iconian war. As it turns out, that was the prospect that the Alliance was looking forward to. What it got was a brief interlude before the next big "Oh Sh--!" moment. Now here we are, right back to facing bigbads.
So I ask... Where is the exploration? See what Season 11 was presented as is what made me come back to the game. What it actually turned out to be, essentially more of the same in a different package, is what has made me take another break from it. Just for once can a real attempt be made to make this game have at least an ASPECT that tries to be what Star Trek has been about from the beginning? Yes, Star Trek has involved a lot of space battles over they years, and there have been big threats presented such as the Dominion. But all of these things that have made good plotlines in the shows have been triggered as a result of Starfleet's exploration efforts.
So rather than just throwing out the title question, I'm going to share what I would do if it were MY call:
First, I would bring back the star clusters, but in a different form than what they were before. I would take the alpha and beta quadrant sector maps we have now and stick them at the heart of a massive star cluster that rests across the alpha-beta divider on the galactic map. I would then surround it with star clusters of varying size and shape. I would make it where these clusters are procedurally generated as they are entered for the first time. So first, the sectors are populated with one to five points of interest, stars being the most common and anomalies being the least.
When a star is first approached, a star system map would be generated with that star at the center, with anywhere from 3 to 10 planets placed on the map around it. Hint... star system maps would be similar to sector space, except that they would contain a solar system.
When a planet is approached, a planetary system map would be generated. It would work just like a star system, except the planet is at the center, and its moons are placed around it.
When a planet is discovered that has sentient life on it, the civilization is procedurally generated with a wide variety of factors including its disposition towards off-worlders, what sort of commodities it produces. What commodities it lacks, what sort of raw materials it possesses and how rare they are. How advanced they in terms of technology would play into it as well. The general appearance of the people of these worlds would also be procedurally generated using elements from the Alien character generation system. Once these life forms are generated, they will be persistent. A civilization's starships, if it has any, would rely on new tech. Essentially something that works behind the scenes like the old Starship Creator program... Essentially a kitbash of ship parts to create something not seen in core Star Trek. All of the ship parts for this would be generic, so nothing specific from UFP/KDF/NRR ships. We don't want to see a ship that looks like the Enterprise E with Klingon warp nacelles. So this part would require some work from Cryptic's art team to create the components and making sure that they can snap to each other in a logical manner. And they would need a LOT of variety for each component. It could be a resource library and functionality that gets added to the Foundry as well, so more than one system would benefit from it. The kitbashing would maybe draw from one to three different component styles, and they would be consistent through the different varieties of ships the civilization has. So if the first ship generated draws from Styles A and R, than all the other ships would use those styles. All styles would need to be compatible for maximum efficiency. What do I mean by ship types? Science vessels, Battle cruisers, Support vessels, etc. Essentially the ship classifications players have across player factions would be possible, though which ones are actually generated would be based on what sort of civilization they belong to. A civilization of peaceful explorers would lean more towards science vessels and less towards warships.
So the rules governing the civilizations we discover would be different for each one.
Oh... and each civilization would get its own "deck" of duty officers that players could earn and use in an extended doff-oriented minigame that involves colonization and facility operation, perfect extensions to the Admiralty system. Bridge Officers could also be recruited from civilizations with whom a player's faction has good enough standing.
That's just the tip of the iceberg, but I have to go to work, so I'll need to continue this later...
So I ask... Where is the exploration? See what Season 11 was presented as is what made me come back to the game. What it actually turned out to be, essentially more of the same in a different package, is what has made me take another break from it. Just for once can a real attempt be made to make this game have at least an ASPECT that tries to be what Star Trek has been about from the beginning? Yes, Star Trek has involved a lot of space battles over they years, and there have been big threats presented such as the Dominion. But all of these things that have made good plotlines in the shows have been triggered as a result of Starfleet's exploration efforts.
So rather than just throwing out the title question, I'm going to share what I would do if it were MY call:
First, I would bring back the star clusters, but in a different form than what they were before. I would take the alpha and beta quadrant sector maps we have now and stick them at the heart of a massive star cluster that rests across the alpha-beta divider on the galactic map. I would then surround it with star clusters of varying size and shape. I would make it where these clusters are procedurally generated as they are entered for the first time. So first, the sectors are populated with one to five points of interest, stars being the most common and anomalies being the least.
When a star is first approached, a star system map would be generated with that star at the center, with anywhere from 3 to 10 planets placed on the map around it. Hint... star system maps would be similar to sector space, except that they would contain a solar system.
When a planet is approached, a planetary system map would be generated. It would work just like a star system, except the planet is at the center, and its moons are placed around it.
When a planet is discovered that has sentient life on it, the civilization is procedurally generated with a wide variety of factors including its disposition towards off-worlders, what sort of commodities it produces. What commodities it lacks, what sort of raw materials it possesses and how rare they are. How advanced they in terms of technology would play into it as well. The general appearance of the people of these worlds would also be procedurally generated using elements from the Alien character generation system. Once these life forms are generated, they will be persistent. A civilization's starships, if it has any, would rely on new tech. Essentially something that works behind the scenes like the old Starship Creator program... Essentially a kitbash of ship parts to create something not seen in core Star Trek. All of the ship parts for this would be generic, so nothing specific from UFP/KDF/NRR ships. We don't want to see a ship that looks like the Enterprise E with Klingon warp nacelles. So this part would require some work from Cryptic's art team to create the components and making sure that they can snap to each other in a logical manner. And they would need a LOT of variety for each component. It could be a resource library and functionality that gets added to the Foundry as well, so more than one system would benefit from it. The kitbashing would maybe draw from one to three different component styles, and they would be consistent through the different varieties of ships the civilization has. So if the first ship generated draws from Styles A and R, than all the other ships would use those styles. All styles would need to be compatible for maximum efficiency. What do I mean by ship types? Science vessels, Battle cruisers, Support vessels, etc. Essentially the ship classifications players have across player factions would be possible, though which ones are actually generated would be based on what sort of civilization they belong to. A civilization of peaceful explorers would lean more towards science vessels and less towards warships.
So the rules governing the civilizations we discover would be different for each one.
Oh... and each civilization would get its own "deck" of duty officers that players could earn and use in an extended doff-oriented minigame that involves colonization and facility operation, perfect extensions to the Admiralty system. Bridge Officers could also be recruited from civilizations with whom a player's faction has good enough standing.
That's just the tip of the iceberg, but I have to go to work, so I'll need to continue this later...
"There can be no meeting of the minds between two parties
if both parties are not willing to meet in the middle."
-Ambassador Samuel J. Stone
if both parties are not willing to meet in the middle."
-Ambassador Samuel J. Stone
0
Comments
Get the Forums Enhancement Extension!
Exactly. Your basically asking for an entirely different game all together.
Still waiting to be able to use forum titles
Support 90 degree arc limitation on BFaW! Save our ships from looking like flying disco balls of dumb!
1) meeting new people
2) going new places
Both of these are currently in game. The Defera arc is an example of the first. New Romulus is an example of the second.
The-Grand-Nagus
Join Date: Sep 2008
How many Zen ships do you need to buy to walk up to a new alien and press F to scan it with your tricorder? None, and that's why the archetypal game of this genre is called "Word of Warcraft."
I'm sure that project with enough money and time to make three triple-A games will totally deliver everything that they've promised, on time.
Except Star Trek Canon memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/First_contacts says otherwise.
Q explaining exploration from "All Good Things"
Triple A games generally take about 5 years. Star Citizen started development in 2011. The fact the public heard about it when it started instead of 2-3 years in the way most privately funded ventures start making announcements doesn't mean they're not pretty much right where you'd expect from an industry perspective.
I promise the people whose livelihoods depend on this game aren't counting on that. And there's not one soul in the entire office who would turn down 30-70 thousand dollars a DAY strolling in Cryptic's door. With no pre-established license taking a cut and no publisher overhead.
Even if it were to never come to pass, it's already devoured an enormous amount of money from pretty much the exact demographic STO dreams of courting. If it can do that with a vision and a smile -- and a reputation earned delivering a slew of titles -- try to imagine what a voracious maw it'll become when it's a fully formed persistent universe inviting people in for actual sale rather than just pre-orders. Love it or hate it, it IS something Cryptic's execs have to think about as they plan for the future.
STO's even benefited from it indirectly: after buying a few ships for Star Citizen I was much more patient with paying the prices Cryptic asks for ships.
It won't happen again. This is not the medieval fantasy genre. Sci-fi fans are rather niche target and Star Trek is a monster of IP. I think that game will also find its own niche. And again this not 2004 anymore.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-purchase_rationalization
Would love to be able to fly my STO ship off the edge of our current Trek map and into that universe.
Keep all the stuff we have, but use that game for exploration.
Ah to dream...
I Was A Trekkie Before It Was Cool ... Sept. 8th, 1966 ... Not To Mention Before Most Folks Around Here Were Born!
Forever a STO Veteran-Minion
Excuse me? Every second episode of TOS or TNG was about some strange new world, usually semi-omnipotent beings to the point it even became a trope. The crew went on a friggin amusement park planet. Claiming that new worlds and new contacts didn't play a role in Star Trek is delusional.
Get the Forums Enhancement Extension!
It would be nice if the Foundry hit a critical threshold where it could fuel some of the larger system you're describing. I'm not done going through all the official content yet, but for the most part I find it comforting to see all the "popular missions" pop up as I race past the various stars.
I fully agree. I'm sometimes worried STO is "done" now the way it is. We get singleplayer missions with voice over and guest actors once in a while but other than that only timegated mobile games and a new lockbox now and then while running ISA still five years from now on.
Get the Forums Enhancement Extension!