Mission School
The ability to develop missions is one of the more powerful and useful features in Artemis. It's also one of the most under-used features. Which is a real shame because I believe it's one of those things that will maintain the game's appeal over the long haul.
I think a lot of people (including myself) look at the Mission Script and think, "hey, that doesn't look too bad", but once they actually get started it's a little more overwhelming than it first appears.
Now, we've got some experienced scripters here on the boards. We've also got people with great writing and story telling ability. Given that, I think it might be fun to write a mission as a group here on the boards. We could go through the whole process together. Figure out the plot, plan the events, write the mission file, and do the testing. When we're done we'd have a fully functional mission to add to the catalog.
So what do you say? Anybody interested in giving it a shot?
I think a lot of people (including myself) look at the Mission Script and think, "hey, that doesn't look too bad", but once they actually get started it's a little more overwhelming than it first appears.
Now, we've got some experienced scripters here on the boards. We've also got people with great writing and story telling ability. Given that, I think it might be fun to write a mission as a group here on the boards. We could go through the whole process together. Figure out the plot, plan the events, write the mission file, and do the testing. When we're done we'd have a fully functional mission to add to the catalog.
So what do you say? Anybody interested in giving it a shot?
[Last edited Aug 23, 2011 21:08:39]
That would be interesting. Really interesting, actually. I'd be up for helping out as much as I can. I couldn't promise a lot of help, I've been really busy lately, but I'd definitely try and keep up with the progress and contribute as much as I could.
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Khomerex nal Khesterex
The unofficial Artemis Wiki, your best source for Artemis Information
Khomerex nal Khesterex
The unofficial Artemis Wiki, your best source for Artemis Information
I was hoping you would be willing to jump on board. Even if you can't devote a lot of time I'm sure your contributions will be greatly appreciated.
It indeed would be interesting...
I am willing to offer any assistance I can, it whatever manner.
I am willing to offer any assistance I can, it whatever manner.
A vital mission, impossible odds and a ruthless enemy, what more could we ask for?
Follow the Star Trek, Into The Breach mod for Artemis: NegativeZone
Follow the Star Trek, Into The Breach mod for Artemis: NegativeZone
Excellent. I was also hopeful you would join in as well.
I'm hoping some others will pop in as well. I'd like to have at least 5-10 people on board before we start anything, preferably more. So come on everyone, if you're interested in the least please post in this thread and let us know. Whatever your interest, whether writing the scripts or helping to write the story or just to comment, you're more than welcome.
In the mean time, perhaps Martok42 or Vorus might comment on their approach to creating a mission. What makes for an interesting mission in your opinion? How do you go about pre-planning the process? Or do you just wing it? Anything you can tell us would be greatly appreciated.
I'm hoping some others will pop in as well. I'd like to have at least 5-10 people on board before we start anything, preferably more. So come on everyone, if you're interested in the least please post in this thread and let us know. Whatever your interest, whether writing the scripts or helping to write the story or just to comment, you're more than welcome.
In the mean time, perhaps Martok42 or Vorus might comment on their approach to creating a mission. What makes for an interesting mission in your opinion? How do you go about pre-planning the process? Or do you just wing it? Anything you can tell us would be greatly appreciated.
Myself and my crew would love to get onboard.
Capt FutileChas
Artemis 1701
Capt FutileChas
Artemis 1701
Nice. Having a whole crew available for testing and input is awesome as well. Welcome aboard!
Does anybody have some ideas for a mission they'd like to see? Go ahead and throw it out there and lets see if we can start hashing out some details.
Don't be shy. We're all here to learn something so there's no reason to be intimidated.
Don't be shy. We're all here to learn something so there's no reason to be intimidated.
How about a mission for two ships where initially one ship is almost instantly attacked by a formitable enemy fleet. Warp drive instantly goes off-line. Ship must survive until help arrives, yet other player is initially placed across the sector, with possibly an enemy force between each vessel.
I could come up with something suspensful but we should discuss those ideas privately so others not involved would not be wise to the experience. Truth is I'd be game for whatever. Thanks for the initiative.
Capt FutileChas
Artemis 1701
I could come up with something suspensful but we should discuss those ideas privately so others not involved would not be wise to the experience. Truth is I'd be game for whatever. Thanks for the initiative.
Capt FutileChas
Artemis 1701
Note that the current mission scripting system cannot accommodate two player-controlled ships. To make the mission that Captain FutileChas has suggested, the rescuing ship must be an NPC ship.
"Damn the torpedoes! Four bells, Captain Drayton!"
(Likely actual words of Admiral David Farragut, USN, at the battle of Mobile Bay. Four bells was the signal for the engine room to make full steam ahead).
(Likely actual words of Admiral David Farragut, USN, at the battle of Mobile Bay. Four bells was the signal for the engine room to make full steam ahead).
Technical issues aside, I think a single-player mission would be easier to write and test for our first attempt anyway.
A npc ship in distress is always in fashion. Perhaps we could start with some Comms from a spacestation informing us about a missing ship. We could get some last known good coordinates and when we go to investigate we will receive the distress call and find the ship under attack from an enemy fleet. The valiant ship finally succumbs to the enemy numbers, but manages to transmit some data to us that will start our adventure.
What's the importance of the data? I've got no idea. Enemy attack plans, stolen blueprints, a great scientific breakthrough, somethething else entirely? Any ideas?
Something like this will let us get some experience with a few of the more basic conditions or commands, as well as a way to get the mission started without being overwhelmed by walls of test or mass enemies.
A npc ship in distress is always in fashion. Perhaps we could start with some Comms from a spacestation informing us about a missing ship. We could get some last known good coordinates and when we go to investigate we will receive the distress call and find the ship under attack from an enemy fleet. The valiant ship finally succumbs to the enemy numbers, but manages to transmit some data to us that will start our adventure.
What's the importance of the data? I've got no idea. Enemy attack plans, stolen blueprints, a great scientific breakthrough, somethething else entirely? Any ideas?
Something like this will let us get some experience with a few of the more basic conditions or commands, as well as a way to get the mission started without being overwhelmed by walls of test or mass enemies.
I think collaborative mission writing is a great idea for immediate implementation.
I am also interested in developing lessons on how to write mission scripts, but I don't think the time is ripe for them. The mission scripting language is still very new and undergoing rapid evolution. If I had developed lessons for scripting in the Artemis 1.46 I would need to re-write them several times before 1.51 came out. It takes a lot of work to develop lessons, and I would prefer to wait for the language to mature a bit more before beginning.
I am also interested in developing lessons on how to write mission scripts, but I don't think the time is ripe for them. The mission scripting language is still very new and undergoing rapid evolution. If I had developed lessons for scripting in the Artemis 1.46 I would need to re-write them several times before 1.51 came out. It takes a lot of work to develop lessons, and I would prefer to wait for the language to mature a bit more before beginning.
"Damn the torpedoes! Four bells, Captain Drayton!"
(Likely actual words of Admiral David Farragut, USN, at the battle of Mobile Bay. Four bells was the signal for the engine room to make full steam ahead).
(Likely actual words of Admiral David Farragut, USN, at the battle of Mobile Bay. Four bells was the signal for the engine room to make full steam ahead).
I like the setup you provide, Keith. It would be pretty easy to have the player get a set of "last known" coordinates, and let the player look around for a while. What I picture is this:
"The ship was last reported near quadrant C2"
Then the player takes his ship there, and there is nothing around. Once the player arrives, a timer starts, say perhaps 60 seconds. After the timer expires, SCI gets a reading of some space debris near a nebula in quadrant C3, so the player moves there. (For the sake of gameplay, we could use the model of the anomaly for the debris) SCI reports that there isn't enough debris there to be the ship, but it could be the result of a battle.
COMMS now intercepts a transmission from a Torgoth cruiser. The message is incomplete, but the idea is that they are pursuing something into the nebula. The player moves in, but once inside the nebula, warp doesn't work, and perhaps even torpedoes go out. The player is now forced to watch helplessly as the ship they were trying to save is set upon and destroyed by Torgoth cruisers, just our of range of the players ability to get there in time under impulse only.
As the enemies warp out, (Which we could simulate by giving them a "direct" command and incresaing their top speed) COMMS reports that they received one last message from the ship.
Pretty much a re-telling of what you said, with a few more specifics, but that's all I could think of. (I have to go fix my stupid car again...) But it shouldn't be too hard to script.
"The ship was last reported near quadrant C2"
Then the player takes his ship there, and there is nothing around. Once the player arrives, a timer starts, say perhaps 60 seconds. After the timer expires, SCI gets a reading of some space debris near a nebula in quadrant C3, so the player moves there. (For the sake of gameplay, we could use the model of the anomaly for the debris) SCI reports that there isn't enough debris there to be the ship, but it could be the result of a battle.
COMMS now intercepts a transmission from a Torgoth cruiser. The message is incomplete, but the idea is that they are pursuing something into the nebula. The player moves in, but once inside the nebula, warp doesn't work, and perhaps even torpedoes go out. The player is now forced to watch helplessly as the ship they were trying to save is set upon and destroyed by Torgoth cruisers, just our of range of the players ability to get there in time under impulse only.
As the enemies warp out, (Which we could simulate by giving them a "direct" command and incresaing their top speed) COMMS reports that they received one last message from the ship.
Pretty much a re-telling of what you said, with a few more specifics, but that's all I could think of. (I have to go fix my stupid car again...) But it shouldn't be too hard to script.
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Khomerex nal Khesterex
The unofficial Artemis Wiki, your best source for Artemis Information
Khomerex nal Khesterex
The unofficial Artemis Wiki, your best source for Artemis Information
I like this sort of thing because we'll get a chance to use a bunch of different commands, as well as get some good practice setting up the logic of the scenario.
I'd still like to get some more people involved. So come on everyone, feel free to speak up and giveus your ideas.
I'd still like to get some more people involved. So come on everyone, feel free to speak up and giveus your ideas.
system cannot accommodate two player-controlled shipsSeriously, you couldn't do the Deneb 1 set up with 2 ships, one with irreprable warp damage thats objective is to reach the station safely. Tell the enemy ship closest to the station to attack the station and all others to destroy crippled ship?
Charlie, you could do it as long as only one ship is controlled by players. The scripting system lacks a lot of the functionality that would be needed for multiple player controlled ships.
For example, when a mission script sends an incoming Comms message it automatically goes to Artemis. It can't go to another ship. The same thing goes for warning pop-up messages sent to Science, Engineering, or the other stations. The mission scripting system assumes there is only one Science station, one Engineering station, etc.
As someone who occasionally runs two bridges in his house I woud love to write a multi-ship script someday. But it can't happen yet. And frankly it's not easy to get two whole crews together so right now I have a lot of things I'd rather see in the mission scripting system.
For example, when a mission script sends an incoming Comms message it automatically goes to Artemis. It can't go to another ship. The same thing goes for warning pop-up messages sent to Science, Engineering, or the other stations. The mission scripting system assumes there is only one Science station, one Engineering station, etc.
As someone who occasionally runs two bridges in his house I woud love to write a multi-ship script someday. But it can't happen yet. And frankly it's not easy to get two whole crews together so right now I have a lot of things I'd rather see in the mission scripting system.
[Last edited Sep 01, 2011 12:53:11]
"Damn the torpedoes! Four bells, Captain Drayton!"
(Likely actual words of Admiral David Farragut, USN, at the battle of Mobile Bay. Four bells was the signal for the engine room to make full steam ahead).
(Likely actual words of Admiral David Farragut, USN, at the battle of Mobile Bay. Four bells was the signal for the engine room to make full steam ahead).
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