Bethesda-Style Star Trek game (i wish)

[evilchumlee]

I don't think it should be factions. it should be a series of main characters - if players play with more than one main character - with their own arcs that converge into a major arc.

- Human (or other species such as Bolian, Bajoran, Betazoid, Trill, Orion, Andorian, or Soong android etc) – this character would bring the Elite Force experience, but with more scanning, more puzzles, more diplomacy, more reliance on dialogue, more exploration

- Klingons or Cardassian – they would bring the Klingon Honor Guard experience

- Vulcan or Romulan – they would bring the Bridge Commander/Bridge Crew based action onboard starships

[/QUOTE]

I could see something like that, although I think there is potential for that to be difficult to implement and I think people tend to gravitate towards having their created, customized character. Then again, GTA5 did a great job with three main characters.

If it’s anything like Mass Effect, and there’s going to be a ship and crew like the Normandy to explore with, then a La Sirena-type, Nova class, Defiant class, Saber-class, B’Rel class, or Romulan BoP would be among the best starships to model it after. Those ships are the appropriate size for a Normandy-size crew.

Yeah that was along the lines of what I was thinking. This wouldn't be a game where you're flying a Galaxy-Class.

The trick here is to create a narrative that allows a player to interact with and use hardware from various factions. The idea of having different characters could make sense, although I would lean more towards a single character that is somewhat of a independent and does work for different factions.

It would still be a stretch for like, Space Mercenary to be flying around in a Defiant... but i'm also sure there are creative ways to make that happen.

I kind of like the idea of this whole thing being set in a finite area, for the most part. Like there is a region of space where the story is taking place. That's not to say you can't go anywhere else, but the bulk of the story is going to take place in a special area.

I think how I might structure it, given kind of a "three act" structure, Act 1 is when you're a bit more free to roam around, you can go to Earth, Qo'nos, etc. When Act 2 starts up, you've embarked on a journey into this new area of space where travel in and out is problematic or downright impossible. That sets the stage to being able to use all kinds of stuff... there might be a Defiant there that you can find and use that suffered some sort accident. There might be some Klingons or random arms dealers there who are willing to sell you a B'Rel.

MAYBE we could factor in flying one of the bigger, hero ships... perhaps in Act 3, you do have to align with a faction, and you're essentially given a field commission. So when the climax happens, you have have to pick Federation, Klingons, Cardassians, whatever and you end up as the Captain (maybe temporarily) of one of the bigger hero ships.

OR... an idea I had was that once you get to this region, it's kind of a wasteland-type vibe and everything has gone to hell. Perhaps you and your crew come across a larger ship, and that actually becomes your base of operations, and part of the game is working on repairing it. By the end of the game, you are able to actually get the ship up and running and you can trade up from your smaller ship.

 

[FederationHistorian]

I could see something like that, although I think there is potential for that to be difficult to implement and I think people tend to gravitate towards having their created, customized character. Then again, GTA5 did a great job with three main characters.

I’m wouldn’t really stop that. I can see why it would be seen as limited re: choose between Klingon or Cardassian for one arc, and between Vulcan or Romulan for another arc.

But if there are 3 protagonists, I think it allows for a fair range of characters. For replayability.

It would still be a stretch for like, Space Mercenary to be flying around in a Defiant... but i'm also sure there are creative ways to make that happen.

Doesn’t necessarily have to be a Defiant. Could pilot a Bajoran fighter, or use a recovered Jem’Hadar fighter. Maybe purchase a SNW/TOS-era Orion scout ship.

I kind of like the idea of this whole thing being set in a finite area, for the most part. Like there is a region of space where the story is taking place. That's not to say you can't go anywhere else, but the bulk of the story is going to take place in a special area.

I think how I might structure it, given kind of a "three act" structure, Act 1 is when you're a bit more free to roam around, you can go to Earth, Qo'nos, etc. When Act 2 starts up, you've embarked on a journey into this new area of space where travel in and out is problematic or downright impossible. That sets the stage to being able to use all kinds of stuff... there might be a Defiant there that you can find and use that suffered some sort accident. There might be some Klingons or random arms dealers there who are willing to sell you a B'Rel.

MAYBE we could factor in flying one of the bigger, hero ships... perhaps in Act 3, you do have to align with a faction, and you're essentially given a field commission. So when the climax happens, you have have to pick Federation, Klingons, Cardassians, whatever and you end up as the Captain (maybe temporarily) of one of the bigger hero ships.

OR... an idea I had was that once you get to this region, it's kind of a wasteland-type vibe and everything has gone to hell. Perhaps you and your crew come across a larger ship, and that actually becomes your base of operations, and part of the game is working on repairing it. By the end of the game, you are able to actually get the ship up and running and you can trade up from your smaller ship.

All good and makes sense. Leaving the story in a particular region.

I was thinking that if the game had a Paragon/Renegade system similar to Mass Effect and how it could be adapted to a Star Trek game.

Have the reputation of a paragon makes it easier to converse with Starfleet or peaceful non-aligned factions & individuals. While having a reputation Being a renegade makes it easier to converse to Klingons and Orions. Maybe Romulans and Cardassians are in the middle. Impacts information to progress the story or upgrade the characters, and open up side missions to go on.

 

[evilchumlee]

Have the reputation of a paragon makes it easier to converse with Starfleet or peaceful non-aligned factions & individuals. While having a reputation Being a renegade makes it easier to converse to Klingons and Orions. Maybe Romulans and Cardassians are in the middle. Impacts information to progress the story or upgrade the characters, and open up side missions to go on.

I like a version of that. I think I was thinking generally similar, although it would be a bit more on the nose. Rather than being a direct "Good/Bad" type system, it's more faction-based. I would say pick three main factions, and then have it be more of a "reputation" system where certain acts will push you in favor of a faction or away from another.

Do a bunch of benevolent acts, help people, go for a more non-violent solution? Federation Rep.
Take on enemies head-on, stand up to challenges, and generally not getting caught in lies and such? Klingon rep.
Stealth, backstabbing, underhanded deals, etc. Cardassian/Romulan rep.

Maybe actually a fourth faction that are essentially space pirates. Orion syndicate, maybe?

I like the idea of like the first act or two, the player is basically a free agent but by the third act, they align with a faction.

I would want a character creator that gives you some different racial options, which would impact all of this in some way. Creating a Vulcan would be easier to earn Federation rep, but ALSO may make it easier to be accepted by Romulans as basically posing as one of them, but would likely make it more difficult to be accepted by Klingons. A Human would be good with the Federation, generally ok with the Klingons, but be at odds with the Romulans.

 

[Yistaan]

Bethesda HAD the Trek license almost 2 decades ago. They churned out Star Trek Legacy and a few other forgettable console tie-ins. Bethesda themselves had the chance to make a Bethesda-style Trek game and didn't take it. Why would Paramount trust them with the license again?

 

[evilchumlee]

Bethesda HAD the Trek license almost 2 decades ago. They churned out Star Trek Legacy and a few other forgettable console tie-ins. Bethesda themselves had the chance to make a Bethesda-style Trek game and didn't take it. Why would Paramount trust them with the license again?

They almost did, but they took on Fallout 3 instead.

 

[Yistaan]

They almost did, but they took on Fallout 3 instead.

There's a lot of people who apparently have fantasies about living in a nuclear wasteland and watching tv shows about it (thus the hit ratings for the Fallout tv show). I just couldn't get into Fallout. I play games and watch tv for worlds that have magic, technology, etc. that we don't have that, despite the conflicts in said works, do seem like a world worth fighting for and living in. Nuclear wasteland Fallout just isn't it, I never understood the appeal of playing or watching a world like that for entertainment.

 

[137th Gebirg]

Never got into the game, but I like the show with its quirky characters and retro-futuristic vibe. I like some of the actors in it, especially Prodigy's Ella Purnell (Gwyn). She's fantastic in both shows.

 

[evilchumlee]

There's a lot of people who apparently have fantasies about living in a nuclear wasteland and watching tv shows about it (thus the hit ratings for the Fallout tv show). I just couldn't get into Fallout. I play games and watch tv for worlds that have magic, technology, etc. that we don't have that, despite the conflicts in said works, do seem like a world worth fighting for and living in. Nuclear wasteland Fallout just isn't it, I never understood the appeal of playing or watching a world like that for entertainment.

I can understand that. I absolutely love Fallout, although I will say that it's by no means a fantasy for me to live like that... it's just an interesting setting.

Fallout isn't really about a world worth fighting for or living in... but it can be about building a world worth fighting for and living in. Fallout 3 is all about trying to begin to rebuild and make the world a better place. (You can like, also be terrible if you want, but that's besides the point.)

Fallout for me is fun because beyond the nuclear wasteland stuff, it's also a quirky take on general Americana and a somewhat satirical take on old sci-fi.