The official story content could serve to adjust the state of the galaxy and introduce what the next month long cycle would be about, and what has to happen to either hold onto or expand Alliance territory. There could be multiple branches to these narratives, based on what the players do or do not do during the month. Development of the the next step based on the outcome for each of those possibilities would occur while the scenario is running. We're talking at the most three possible outcomes:
1 - Alliance fails to meet objective.
2 - Alliance manages to maintain a status quo
3 - Alliance successfully meets objectives.
Every month would see the galactic story advanced one way or another. The sorts of encounters or events occurring throughout the month would be random and chained, so nobody, not even Cryptic will know where they will occur. The moment an event ends, another begins somewhere else. But they would all be related to an installation or facility built by players during that initial era of peaceful cooperation.
There was an MMO once long ago that tried that: Matrix Online. Never heard of it? well, it died years ago. Turns out writing something like that is actually rather hard.
It is my hope that more resources can be diverted into story content. The completion of the Klingon War revamp and a more expedient Romulan revamp since it's my favourite faction I would like it to look as shiny as the new stuff and as soon as possible.
But then what would I know I play games as a story telling medium and am actively deterred by the games as a service mentality. Currently in witness protection from EA.
The types of resources that were being put into Foundry maintenance aren't likely to translate to more story content. Different folks involved between bug bashing systems/software and content design. What would help emphasize STO's capacity as a narrative medium isn't so much just throwing more resources at the problem since depending on how that's used it might not result in substantial gains (ie. more stuff as opposed to even more polished stuff.) I think for that a priority shift for some episodes in order, pulling back on bespoke spectacle to emphasize original character and world building (even within the context of cameos and references.) And examples for how to do that well (under greater economy) lay with the Foundry because without much at all we were able to tell some pretty incredible and impactful stories. The strategies are at least partially translatable.
So, there's lessons to learn here and new approaches to try considering the change in content ecosystem (and the niches that leaves unfilled, diversity is key to maintain for healthy player communities) but as said before we're not likely to see a statistically significant shift in content pipelines simply because of the Foundry sunset. All that's up to Cryptic and where they decide to go from here (taking advantage of opportunities with the sunset as perspective.)
Post edited by duncanidaho11 on
Bipedal mammal and senior Foundry author.
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!
Wow there are no shortage of arm-chair-wanna-be-developers in this thread.
If you really think you can do it better, then go do it better.
If you really hate the direction of the game, then walk away.
Are these concept really so hard for people saying they understand _everything_ about how and why the corporation makes it plans and choices?
If your ideas are really that innovative, then why are you not running with them and laughing all the way to the bank?
I am not even trying to imply the ideas are not sound, I don't really care to examine them that closely TBH, but why are people wasting time and energy posting them here in a general discussion forum and not actually trying to make them happen, if they really think they know how to do it better?
Anyone can post dreamy speculation and wild ideas; people that want to make things change, go and make things happen.
Ranting in circles in a general discussion forum about how your creative abilities are superior for a game does not make change occur, IME.
If you really think you can do it better, then go do it better.
That's what we were doing in the Foundry. The sunset puts into focus how Cryptic can be adopting the best of what we found, an impetus that wasn't so great when we had both official and Foundry content (different ecosystems playing to different niches. Now there's an argument to make for broadening official content to function better across more interests, on the PC that has to stand on its own now [and consoles could still benefit from Foundry-inspired strategies].) Note that the most radical departure from the Cryptic norm which I've suggested (more text-based optional dialog, developing characters and building worlds) is (to put it simply) utilizing the game as it exists now (just with a little more emphasis on a valid story telling medium demonstrated through the Foundry to have some pretty straight forward mechanical benefits with respect to mission structure and player investment [at low cost].) Add to this, improving other creative outlets (ex. the tailor) and exploring new community events to further mitigate for the loss of the Foundry and the functions it provided (ex. writing challenges and community character spotlights.)
See. improving the game and cultivating its population
And before you double down on the fallacy "oh why aren't you hired by the devs? Har har, your argument is invalid" I'm currently pushing for Greendragoon to join the team but circumstances have to align to make that happen (per professionalism.) There's a half-dozen or so other authors which I think would be well qualified (content design) but GD's expressed interest before and Midas provides one hell of a resume. I'd be pushing myself but I've got a career to pursue in another field and I'm not going to drop those plans for the sake of my hobby (however skilled I am at it.)
Enter suggestions.
Post edited by duncanidaho11 on
Bipedal mammal and senior Foundry author.
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!
Yeah, what a horrible thought, a game you'd have to earn rewards in by playing it. Or even worse, actually winning it.
But never worry, STO is all about these Pahvos these days, that give you all the rewards just for showing up. Too bad they got nothing left to give for actually playing.
Its a video game, you should be playing it because you enjoy the game, not because the game is forcing you to play it.
It's a videogame, it's physically impossible for it to force you to do anything at all.
but they have come up with systems where they can release content at a rate where their playerbase can't consume it as fast as they can release it.
No, they release systems that force endless grinding of the same content over and over, so you are stuck doing the same thing a million times before they release the next pittance of content that you can then move to doing that a million times.
See. personal endeavors.
(PS. see also the thread title)
Bipedal mammal and senior Foundry author.
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!
Not even remotely similar to the stuff Korean grind MMOs do.
Not even remotely on topic. See again. thread title. If you don't have anything to add per BMR's clarification re. constructive suggestions re. Foundry mitigation you're free to spend your time in other threads on this forum.
Bipedal mammal and senior Foundry author.
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!
It's you who has been twisting "being rewarded for doing something" into "being forced to do something."
You are being rewarded for doing something.
You get more marks for completing objectives like defending the shield generators, and destroying dreadnoughts, in TFOs like Peril Over Pahvo, then you do if you don't do those things. Completing the TFO only gets you like 20? marks. You get 30 for keeping the generators alive, and 2 per dreadnought destroyed(easily can get up to 20 more marks here) So out of around 70 marks total, 50+ of them come from playing actually playing the TFO.
50 marks -> 500 dilithium ore. How much more do you think I get doing Admiralty instead* while waiting for the real reward? Nevermind I already have more than enough spare dil to refine on every toon I care to play regularly.
* Or in addition. Parking over Pahvo was actually so ridiculously easy to do I never lost a generator in it once, even though I had my Admiralty up most of the time every run. Just blindly tapping the spacebar in the background melted all the badniks that came into range.
The event token is the reward. The rest is peanuts. They did put ship XP in it eventually, which was good (for those of us who have lots of traits to grind at least), but by then the event was almost done.
You are the one constantly making the argument of "If I can get any sort of reward at all for not doing anything, then I will not do anything!" literally "If they don't force me to play the game, I wont!"
Didn't I literally just say a game is not capable of forcing people to do anything? Certainly not me.
This thread has gotten completely off topic and no longer productive due to circular arguments. /Thread
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The types of resources that were being put into Foundry maintenance aren't likely to translate to more story content. Different folks involved between bug bashing systems/software and content design. What would help emphasize STO's capacity as a narrative medium isn't so much just throwing more resources at the problem since depending on how that's used it might not result in substantial gains (ie. more stuff as opposed to even more polished stuff.) I think for that a priority shift for some episodes in order, pulling back on bespoke spectacle to emphasize original character and world building (even within the context of cameos and references.) And examples for how to do that well (under greater economy) lay with the Foundry because without much at all we were able to tell some pretty incredible and impactful stories. The strategies are at least partially translatable.
So, there's lessons to learn here and new approaches to try considering the change in content ecosystem (and the niches that leaves unfilled, diversity is key to maintain for healthy player communities) but as said before we're not likely to see a statistically significant shift in content pipelines simply because of the Foundry sunset. All that's up to Cryptic and where they decide to go from here (taking advantage of opportunities with the sunset as perspective.)
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 you really think you can do it better, then go do it better.
If you really hate the direction of the game, then walk away.
Are these concept really so hard for people saying they understand _everything_ about how and why the corporation makes it plans and choices?
If your ideas are really that innovative, then why are you not running with them and laughing all the way to the bank?
I am not even trying to imply the ideas are not sound, I don't really care to examine them that closely TBH, but why are people wasting time and energy posting them here in a general discussion forum and not actually trying to make them happen, if they really think they know how to do it better?
Anyone can post dreamy speculation and wild ideas; people that want to make things change, go and make things happen.
Ranting in circles in a general discussion forum about how your creative abilities are superior for a game does not make change occur, IME.
Welcome to feedback forums, you seem new.
That's what we were doing in the Foundry. The sunset puts into focus how Cryptic can be adopting the best of what we found, an impetus that wasn't so great when we had both official and Foundry content (different ecosystems playing to different niches. Now there's an argument to make for broadening official content to function better across more interests, on the PC that has to stand on its own now [and consoles could still benefit from Foundry-inspired strategies].) Note that the most radical departure from the Cryptic norm which I've suggested (more text-based optional dialog, developing characters and building worlds) is (to put it simply) utilizing the game as it exists now (just with a little more emphasis on a valid story telling medium demonstrated through the Foundry to have some pretty straight forward mechanical benefits with respect to mission structure and player investment [at low cost].) Add to this, improving other creative outlets (ex. the tailor) and exploring new community events to further mitigate for the loss of the Foundry and the functions it provided (ex. writing challenges and community character spotlights.)
See. improving the game and cultivating its population
And before you double down on the fallacy "oh why aren't you hired by the devs? Har har, your argument is invalid" I'm currently pushing for Greendragoon to join the team but circumstances have to align to make that happen (per professionalism.) There's a half-dozen or so other authors which I think would be well qualified (content design) but GD's expressed interest before and Midas provides one hell of a resume. I'd be pushing myself but I've got a career to pursue in another field and I'm not going to drop those plans for the sake of my hobby (however skilled I am at it.)
Enter suggestions.
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!
See. personal endeavors.
(PS. see also the thread title)
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!
Not even remotely on topic. See again. thread title. If you don't have anything to add per BMR's clarification re. constructive suggestions re. Foundry mitigation you're free to spend your time in other threads on this forum.
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!
It's you who has been twisting "being rewarded for doing something" into "being forced to do something."
* Or in addition. Parking over Pahvo was actually so ridiculously easy to do I never lost a generator in it once, even though I had my Admiralty up most of the time every run. Just blindly tapping the spacebar in the background melted all the badniks that came into range.
The event token is the reward. The rest is peanuts. They did put ship XP in it eventually, which was good (for those of us who have lots of traits to grind at least), but by then the event was almost done.
Didn't I literally just say a game is not capable of forcing people to do anything? Certainly not me.
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