Topic: Missions - What were your favorite ones?

[ChessMess]

I'm curious to hear what missions from any of the SFC games did you really enjoy, and which were really bad. 

 I'd also love to hear what you think should go into a mission to make it really exciting and fun.

[Indigo_Falcon]

My favorite Dynaverse mssion is the EEK Fleet Battle mssion.  I don't know how this mission manages to be so well balanced.  14 ships zipping around is a phenomenal experience!  I have tried to build large fleet battles by hand with the mission editor, and I can never achieve balance.

I like the NW mission where you have to guess which ship is the Flagship and destroy it regardless of everything else that is going on.  The NW missions have lots of features that increase the fun level.  Random re-inforcements are very very cool.  In an older set of NW mission packs there was a mission that generated large numbers of very small annoying ships.  It is fun to get involved in hunting them down but if you use bad judgement you can be overwhelmed by the mosquitoes.

I think that everyone would agree that the best mission ever is the EAW "Graves" mission.  I cannot explain why that mission has been so much fun.  I guiess it is the slow methodical process of whittling down the ISC fleet while calling in re-inforcements from your base.  The sub-missions (destroying the re-inforcement base and capturing the prisons) keep the excitement going.

I would like the EEK convoy raid except that the re-inforcements come too soon and too powerfully for my taste.  Convoy raids can be very interesting, but over-doing the escorts is very painful.  Another EEK balance issue on an otherwise very fun mission is the dockyard raid.  Focusing on destroyuing the dockyard is great strategy, but again the re-inforcements come on too soon and too strong for my taste. (10 minutes, 4 ships)  The EEK Planet raid has the re-inforcement and timing at a much better level (15 minutes and just 2 ships).

The battles that I enjoy the most tend to be somewhere between 3 vs. 3 and 4 vs. 4.  Re-inforcements add a lot of fun and strategy.  Some of the most interesting battles that I have had were in the stock Listening Post missions.  This is a 3 vs. 3 battle, but the ships are spaced out.  There is interesting strategy in deciding which part of the battle to join.

Another great mission is in Chris Jones' EAW Multi-Era mod.  It is an extremely busy mission with a convoy of helpless ships, escorted by a fleet of Plasma armed ships, and you are fighting them with a mixture of ships from different races.  You get to choose which ship you want to command.  Another great mission in this mod is a showcase of uber-powerful X-ships.  It is very exciting but not as well balanced.

My ultimate un-favorite mission is the NW prisoner escort.  You cannot win by combat, so what's the point?  There is a repetitive solution that always works.  Another NW annoyance is the tight cluster of infinite asteroids.  Sure it is a challenge, but I am trying to have fun here, not save the Titanic.

The most interesting and fun starfleet mission I have played is in Klingon Academy.  The "Klingon Academy Graduation Exercise" is a masters exercise in scripting.  There are 4 or so localized battles in various states of balance.  You get to decide whether to turn the tide of a closely balanced battle, play it safe ganging up on a helpless cluster of ships, or go on a purely personal quest to hunt down the Enterprise!  In SFC it should be possible to create 4 knots of combat separated by some space so that they don't clump together quickly..

[KBF-Crim]

I'm curious to hear what missions from any of the SFC games did you really enjoy, and which were really bad. 

 I'd also love to hear what you think should go into a mission to make it really exciting and fun.

LOL...better yet...why not have the Devs stop over here and ask for themselves....

I was born at night...but not last night....

If they are squeemish about engaging the SFC community...tell them we dont bite.....much....

[ChessMess]

LOL...better yet...why not have the Devs stop over here and ask for themselves....

I was born at night...but not last night....

If they are squeemish about engaging the SFC community...tell them we dont bite.....much....

I have no idea what you are insinuating.

[Tumulorum Fossor]

In wake of Bethesda Software's landing of the Paramount Star Trek license, then Bethesda's announcement of 2 Star Trek games, including one (Tacitcal Ops?) with a screenshot that looks suspiciously like our PRECIOUS although it is described as being only for handheld videogame systems, I suspect he's insinuating, if not outright stating, that you are involved in producing games, possibly a game like SFC, and are seeking some guidance as to what types of missions we value.

Maybe he's right.  I don't know.

How about I just ask: Are you a game developer or involved in game publishing/design (besides as a consumer)?

-TF

[ChessMess]

I'm going to guess that you've never been to http://www.stgu.com , I'm the founder of the site which has been online for over half a decade.  That is my claim to 'fame', although I certainly wouldn't be opposed to working in the industry as a professional and you never know what life will bring.... but for now I'm just a Star Trek gaming fan.

[KBF-Crim]

LOL...better yet...why not have the Devs stop over here and ask for themselves....

I was born at night...but not last night....

If they are squeemish about engaging the SFC community...tell them we dont bite.....much....

I have no idea what you are insinuating.

Geez....I wasnt really trying to be very subtle....and mostly pulling your leg....

I know Rantz(creative director) and Cory (producer ) from Quicksilver have been on your site talking about Tacticle assault....and it seems highly unlikely that since Bill Fisher spent so much time talking to us on DV.net ( about the potential code release and the implications of it)....that they arent aware that we exist....

Let me ask you chess....why...after 6 years...you all the sudden ask about the favorite SFC missions...here.....when you could have easily ask the same question on your site?...

It just seems odd...mostly because I have come to believe that in life....there is no such thing as co-incidence...

In other words...it isnt mere co-incidence that Bill Fisher dropped off the face of the earth.....quicksilver stopped talking to us altogether...and *poof*....an SFC clone is born...

Now...we are supposed to believe that out the clear blue sky....Quicksilver and Paramount make another deal to do a game that looks almost exactly like SFC right down to the SFB depicted 6 shields.......and yet has nothing to do with SFC...or StarFleet battles...

At this point I'll remind everyone that Starfleet Command proper...the first one....has Starfleet battles plastered all over the box....

I'm very curious how Tacticle assualt CANT be seen as a derivative product of SFC....and I'm even more curious how they are gonna dance around the fact that ADB was a big part of the first product...

Like I said....I was born at night...but not last night...

PS...No Tumulorum...Chess doesnt work for Quicksilver...he runs "Startrek Gamers Universe"  aka STGU...NOT to be confused with Vic's site...STG...

[ChessMess]

Let me ask you chess....why...after 6 years...you all the sudden ask about the favorite SFC missions...here.....when you could have easily ask the same question on your site?...

Because the majority of SFC players are here and not at STGU. If you want to ask a question about the SFC series this is the best place to do it, no? 

[KBF-Crim]

Let me ask you chess....why...after 6 years...you all the sudden ask about the favorite SFC missions...here.....when you could have easily ask the same question on your site?...

Because the majority of SFC players are here and not at STGU. If you want to ask a question about the SFC series this is the best place to do it, no? 

It's not the question...it's the timing...

Considering this post:

Posted by Chess at STGU:

Chris would you mind posting a new thread outlining what you found were the best features of the SFC that you hope to see in Legacy, and the things you didn't think were good. I think it'd be great info for the STL devs.

[Tumulorum Fossor]

So Chess, given your background, mind if I asked your opinion on a couple things?

What have you gleaned regarding Bethesda's 2 new projects?  How SFC-like do you think they're going to be?

I think what'd be the biggest finger-in-the-eye for me would be if "Tactical Assault", the game for the handhelds being developed by Quicksilver, turned out to be a great SFC-like game, but was never ported to internet-ready console (XBoxLive) nor PC, while at the same time, "Legacy", currently being developed for PCs and XBox, turned out to be visually fantastic but tactically superficial (like oh-so-many Star Trek gaming titles before them).

Have you heard any feedback as to whether or not if Quicksilver's Tactical Assault is a hit, would it be ported to PC/XBox?

Do you think the unification of all the various ST licenses under one banner will help ST games (I never understood why Paramount/Viacom would keep shooting its own franchise in the foot by dicing up the licensing)?

Thanks!

-TF

[KBF-Crim]

Ok boys and girls.....here's your chance(maybe the last) to make your voices heard on the subject.....

The Quicksilver devs are posting at STGU...they have hinted at a future PC game...

Here is steves word on the subject from his forums...

Quote
By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Monday, January 30, 2006 - 04:46 pm: Edit

It's not for us to contact them. They can contact us if they want. Unless Paramount told them it was ok to talk to us, no point in us talking to them.

Here is the thread:

http://startrekforum.stgu.com/showthread.php?t=8243

I have proposed a duel ruleset product...one ruleset for the trekkies...one for us(SFB)...

Now is the time....there is the place...

Take a moment and share your views on the subject....

I'm going to start working on Harry Lang next....

WE CAN GET THIS DONE IF WE ALL PUSH HARD ENOUGH AND SHOW THEM THERE IS STILL REVENUE TO BE GENERATED BY AN SFB BASED PRODUCT.

GET OFF YER DUFF AND SHOW THEM THE MONEY!

The future is STILL bright....

[ChessMess]

So Chess, given your background, mind if I asked your opinion on a couple things?

What have you gleaned regarding Bethesda's 2 new projects?  How SFC-like do you think they're going to be?

They are not sequels to SFC so while I suspect many aspects of the games will reflect things seen in the SFC games, they will be their own creations. If you approach them from the standpoint of wanting a SFC game then you may find yourself disappointed before the game even starts.  Only a SFC game will give you the SFC experience.

I think what'd be the biggest finger-in-the-eye for me would be if "Tactical Assault", the game for the handhelds being developed by Quicksilver, turned out to be a great SFC-like game, but was never ported to internet-ready console (XBoxLive) nor PC, while at the same time, "Legacy", currently being developed for PCs and XBox, turned out to be visually fantastic but tactically superficial (like oh-so-many Star Trek gaming titles before them).

They are different games by different developers with different goals and visions. Again I think you are trying to make them into SFC clones which they are not meant to be.

Have you heard any feedback as to whether or not if Quicksilver's Tactical Assault is a hit, would it be ported to PC/XBox?

I haven't but a large selling title definetly has more possibilities then a small selling title.

Do you think the unification of all the various ST licenses under one banner will help ST games (I never understood why Paramount/Viacom would keep shooting its own franchise in the foot by dicing up the licensing)?

I think it opens the doors to multi-era style games, ala Legacy. I thought the idea was good when Activision took control, unfortunately that didn't turn out very good. It's all in the hands of Bethesda and I hope they have much success, as their success is our success.

Thanks!

-TF

[ChessMess]

It's not the question...it's the timing...

Considering this post:

Posted by Chess at STGU:

Chris would you mind posting a new thread outlining what you found were the best features of the SFC that you hope to see in Legacy, and the things you didn't think were good. I think it'd be great info for the STL devs.

Oh absolutely... if this information is reviewed by the Devs and they use it to help make a better game, for either game, I would think it would benefit everyone.  I want these two new titles to be as good as possible, so I'm asking here, STGU, even BCU about what makes a good mission.  Lets do everything we can to help the Devs of these games, because we all want great Star Trek games to play and this kind of information I think is helpful. 

[AlchemistiD]

The first would have to be the one in EAW where you make first contact with a sentient race of stars.  I thought that rare moment of exploration/discovery was a great break from all the combat.

There was also this one mission where an ISC informant wishes to speak with you alone about ending the war, and then you have to fake a battle when his buddies show up.  It was cool to see more story, but I could never beat that mission. (unclear on how to proceed once the shooting begins.)

[EmeraldEdge]

I just noticed Chess's new tag under his name at STGU:

 ChessMess
Mad Doc Software
Game Designer
Star Trek:Legacy

That's what happens when you get busy and don't check over there all the time I guess.  Man, I gotta start paying more attention.

[Lieutenant_Q]

There was also this one mission where an ISC informant wishes to speak with you alone about ending the war, and then you have to fake a battle when his buddies show up.  It was cool to see more story, but I could never beat that mission. (unclear on how to proceed once the shooting begins.)

I'm not sure how the rest of the races handle it, because I've only run across this mission with the Federation and the ISC, but you refuse the traitor's offer and capture his ship, you only need the ship for a few seconds, then you can cut and run.

[EmeraldEdge]

I always liked the SFC1 convoy raid mission, where the convoy is trying to get to the base in the asteroid field.  You start hidden behind a planet and have to swing around and intercept the convoy.   You must destroy as much of the convoy as you can (a certain percentage?) before being forced to withdraw or they reach the base.  The catch is that a distress signal has been sent out, so as time goes by more ships (and bigger ships) warp into the sector to help.  I loved that one.