"Captain's Log" storylines to collect and piece together

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    What about adding tons more ship logs and making them slightly more common? Then there would be universe building lore in place for the future and give explorers something else to scrounge for.

    They could also be spawned specifically for questslines (which is something that I believe I saw in some "eventual features list" somewhere)

    How cool would it be to pick up a log, have that log spawn a planet or a space station in a nearby sector, and play out a scenario while finding more logs that clue you in on what happened before, or people that tell you what's going on. All because you picked up a log.
    Right?

    I've taken the liberty of writing up an example storyline in the form of a crews' logs.
    (My degree is in screenwriting so this is a little out of my wheelhouse/I rushed the ending because it was getting a bit long for an example)

    Captain Harven and Crew Logs
    (fair warning - it's around 2300 words)
    Captain Harven's Log – Stardate 1457.13
    I have waited long enough. Earlier today I hired a few trusted officers that I knew from my Academy days, all those years ago, and have gone forward with conscripting a crew.
    All they have been told is that we are bound for a mineral rich planet.
    A half-truth, if that.
    The planet in question is Havenshei; the plant of my birth… and I fear that it has only become more dangerous since I left as a child.
    ---

    Captain Harven’s Log – Stardate 1457.15
    Only twice have I ever felt true fear.
    Once in the military, when we were surrounded and death was all but a certainty.
    The other I have relived every night since. When the creatures took my father and all I could do was cower in the corner with my mother, waiting for dawn, when they would flee.
    Their claws scratched at our door like… it was as though I was beyond hearing; I could feel the evil beyond the door.
    I was seven.
    Tomorrow morning I will begin my return.
    ---

    Chief Navigator Erin's Log - Stardate 1457.16
    This ship’s in a fine condition, if I do say so myself, for an old Frigate from the wars anyway. The Navigation systems seem to be intact and Pavec says the engines purr like kittens.
    I’m assumin’ that’s a good thing.
    Captain Harven, on the other hand, hasn’t yet given me coordinates or a sector to target yet. I trust the man to death, but we’re set to leave within the hour, and I need my heading.
    ---

    Chief Engineer Pavec’s Log – Stardate 1457.16
    I find it hard to believe that this old bucket is in as good a shape as it is. The thrusters look as good as new and the xm3.4 clusters are almost perfect.
    Captain Harven calls her the “Avengeance.”
    He must have done well for himself after the war; and if what I’ve heard about our goal is right… well, we’ll all be doing well pretty soon.
    ---

    Weapons Officer Karner’s Log – Stardate 1457.16

    The weapon lockers are stocked and locked. But why?
    This mission isn’t what is seems. Captain Harven says we’re going to some small uninhabited world for a few expensive rocks, but there’s Antimatter Cannons hidden among the salvage lasers and enough D1000 to destroy a planet. I’m starting to worry that we’re not getting those rocks for free.
    That we’re taking them.
    ---

    Captain Harven’s Log – Stardate 1457.16
    I would like to think that I remember the way home after all these years, but I only remember a few stars and planets.
    The years have not been kind to me, but I swear that I will see the Havenshei sunrise once more and finish what my family started.
    I do not know what I’ll tell Erin, but the navigator must be told where to navigate.
    ---

    “Avengeance” Ship’s Log – Stardate 1457.16
    Captain – Alexander Harven
    Voyage – Day 1
    Crew Onboard – 164
    Hull Integrity – 100%
    Shields – Active
    Pressurization – Human Standard Air / Nominal
    ---

    Chief Navigator Erin’s Log – Stardate 1457.18
    “Proceed towards Arrnii 5.” Those where Captain Harven’s instructions when I asked my heading.
    I think he’s playin’ this trip a little close to the vest. When I asked why, he said, “Because I remember fleeing in its light.” He wouldn’t say who he was fleein,’ and if the Avengeance weren’t such a fine vessel to navigate, I’d have already left.
    In fact, I wish I had.
    ---

    Weapons Officer Karner’s Log – Stardate 1457.19
    Yesterday I decided that candor was my best option and asked Captain Harven if the ship was loaded up because the planet we’re headed to needs taking.
    He told me that he owned the planet, and that it was uninhabited; but he also said that taking it might be a necessity. There was anger in those words and all this secrecy isn’t good for the crew.
    If this mission starts to last too long I’ll need to take precautions.
    ---

    Captain Harven’s Log – Stardate 1457.20
    When my family settled Havenshei they never stopped to think where the mineral ore came from. They simply mined it.
    It wasn’t until they broke through to a hidden cavern that they realized the minerals weren’t minerals at all. They were the bones of the monsters in the darkness. It was three days later that my mother and I escaped.
    Of the twenty that lived in Havenshei, we were the only two that could. I will not be coming back unprepared.
    ---

    Chief Navigator Erin’s Log – Stardate 1457.33
    We passed by Arrnii 5 this morning and when I asked Captain Harven where our next random point-of-reference was he starred out the window of the bridge for close on twenty minutes before pointin’ at another star and sayin’, “We’re more there half-way there.”
    Me and Pavec agree that Harven’s lost it. He’s not the same man we knew from Academy.
    ---

    Chief Engineer Pavec’s Log – Stardate 14.57.33
    Erin told me about the Captain’s unconventional nav-points and we both agree that he’s a couple cables short of a coil.
    But, on my own, I think that he’s just following unconventional instructions. This planet we’re looking for might be richer than I thought. I just gotta make sure that I’m one of the few that’s richer for it.
    And I’ll need some protection.
    ---

    Weapons Officer Karner’s Log – Stardate 1457.34
    The crew’s been getting more restless by the day and I think that it’s time I prepared for certain eventualities.
    Last night I went to the weapons lockers to do an inventory and ten guns were missing. They were there two days ago, so whatever’s happening is recent. I took two guns for myself, just in case, then recorded the theft and reported it to Captain Harven.
    He was significantly under-concerned. He’s far too fixated on that mysterious plant.
    ---

    Captain Harven’s Log – Stardate 1457.34
    There seems to be a brewing dissent among the crew.
    Weapons have been stolen and tension has been mounting to a boiling point as we inch closer to our goal. I can only hope that we reach latter before the former destroys us all.
    At the very least I can trust Weapons Officer Karner and his security staff, but they alone cannot hold back the rest of the crew, if it comes to that. Or should I say, “when?”
    ---

    “Avengeance” Ship’s Log – Stardate 1457.39
    Captain – Alexander Harven
    Voyage – Day 24
    Report – 1457.33 : 12 rifles stolen from the aft-side weapons lockers. For mutiny or profit / undetermined. {Keep an eye out – Weapons Officer Karner}
    Crew Onboard – 164
    Hull Integrity – 100%
    Shields – Active
    Pressurization – Human Standard Air / Sub-Nominal
    Carbon Monoxide levels above normal – Inspection recommended.
    ---

    Captain Harven’s Log – Stardate 1457.39
    The warning lights have lit and there is a chemical warning echoing through the ship.
    I maintained The Avengeance myself from the day that I bought it from the chopping block to the start of this venture, and there is no fathomable way that the atmosphere of the ship was compromised by mechanical error.
    There is purpose in this chaos. If I die before we reach Havenshei, there is nothing that will prepare them for what they will face; and if that is the case, then let the darkness take them.
    ---

    Weapons Officer Karner’s Log – Stardate 1457.39
    Engineering isn’t responding.
    They’re either dead or this is a mutiny. Captain Harven’s convinced it’s the latter. I’ve confined him to his quarters with a few guards for his protection, just in case. Whatever’s happening, we need to shut the leak from Engineering.
    I’ll handle it personally.
    ---

    Chief Engineer Pavec’s Log – Stardate 1457.39
    There’s no way this goes off without a hitch, but if Erin and the boys take out most of the security force and I can get to the Captain… well, then I can win the rest of the crew over with the promise of riches.
    This ol’ boat’s as good as ours.
    ---

    Chief Navigator Erin’s Log – Stardate 1457.39
    I hate these oxygen masks; they put weird lines on yer face. Course without them the gas would get me.
    I can’t decide if that’s a decent trade.
    So long as we get the jump on whoever comes down here first I don’t I care. Pavec better be spot on with this plan. I’m not followin’ Captain Harven another meter.
    ---

    “Avengeance” Ship’s Log – Stardate 1457.40
    Captain – Gregory Pavec
    Voyage – Day 25
    Report – Significant hull breach at the rear port-side Engineering bay. Isolated. Irreparable at current speed.
    Report – Engines severely compromised. Operating at 6% efficiency. Automatically deactivated for safety purposes. Irreparable at current speed.
    Report – Power generation severely compromised. Operating at 27% efficiency. Other systems deactivated to maintain life-support. Reparable. Replacement parts located in rear port-side Engineering bay.
    Crew Onboard – 106
    WARNING – Crew depletion while en-route. Recommend contact of relevant authorities.
    Hull Integrity – 56%
    Shields – Active / Holding at 83%
    Pressurization – Human Standard Air / Near-Nominal
    Carbon Monoxide levels depleted.
    Air-Filtration System compromised / 72% efficiency
    WARNING – Collision course with planet Havenshei. 32 hours to impact. Recommend change of course.
    ---

    Weapons Officer Karner’s Log – Stardate 1457.40
    I don’t know what I like least. That we’re going to crash into a planet, or that Pavec controls the Bridge.
    Well… at least the fighting finally stopped.
    When we went down to Engineering to check out the leak they fired on us. It was the engineers that took the guns, and Erin was with them. I called reinforcements and a war started.
    Then a storage container of D1000 missiles was hit and we suddenly had a really good view of space. I lost most of my men and barely made it behind the Plex Door in time.
    Lucky isn’t the word.
    ---

    Chief Engineer Pavec’s Log – Stardate 1457.40
    Erin’s gone, and so are a few of my boys… But he managed to take most of the security force with him and, for that, my hat goes off to him.
    I’ll knock back an extra for him when I come home rich. As luck would have it we’re gonna crash into the planet that Harven was aiming for. His directions were better than we thought.
    The shields should take most of the hit, and we’ve got enough life pods to take a good haul. I finally got him to talk, but it seemed too easy. He dies on Havenshei. Karner too, when I find him.
    ---

    Weapons Officer Karner’s Log – Stardate 1457.41
    I found Captain Harven with Warrant Officer Nilson in a lower level Med-bay.
    Unfortunately he only found the Captain after Pavec had finished his interrogation. Nilson hid him here for safety, but it doesn’t look good.
    Pavec did a number on the Captain and it’s only the machines that are keeping him alive. I can see the planet out the window. Not too long till we have to brace for impact.
    ---

    Chief Engineer Pavec’s Log – Stardate 1457.41
    Havenshei’s gaining fast and so’s my fortune. It’ll be night by the time we hit, but that shouldn’t be a problem; Harven said the stuff glows and it’s practically pushing to the surface.
    Speaking of Harven, we lost track of him. Probably Karner, but I’ve got other things on my mind.
    On to wealth and glory.
    ---

    “Avengeance” Ship’s Log – Stardate 1457.42
    Captain – Gregory Pavec
    Voyage – Day 27
    Report – Collided with planet Havenshei. Damage from collision / minimum.
    Report – Hull, Engine, and Power remain compromised. Reparable while docked. Repairs Recommended. Replacement parts located in rear port-side Engineering bay.
    Crew Onboard – 5
    WARNING – Minimum crew requirement not met.
    Hull Integrity – 48%
    Shields – Inactive / Unable to charge
    Pressurization – None / Human Standard Air Detected / Nominal
    ---

    Weapons Officer Karner’s Log – Stardate 1457.42
    I don’t think anybody would have volunteered for this mission if they knew what we were really up against.
    I was going to scout outside after the crash, but Captain Harven regained consciousness long enough to tell me why it wasn’t safe.
    I started hearing the screams soon after.
    They’ve stopped now and I’ll see if there are any survivors in the morning.
    Why would anybody come back to a place like this?
    ---

    Chief Engineer Pavec’s Log – Stardate 1457.42
    They came when we settled into mining.
    Whatever they are; I never even saw them! They were in the darkness.
    They were the darkness… My boys are dead.
    All of them.
    I’m hiding in some old mining settlement and I found the name “Harven” on some old files.
    Why would he come back here if he knew? Did he want this?
    I can’t think with all the scratching! I won’t die here!
    ---

    Weapons Officer Karner’s Log – Stardate 1457.43
    Just before dawn Captain Harven woke up again.
    He knew he was dying and he wanted to see the Havenshei sunrise one last time. At dawn I carried him out of the ship, to watch it, while the monsters scurried back to their caves. The Captain died at its peak and it was a beautiful sunrise.
    I buried him beside his family home.
    Pavec’s body was two meters from the ship’s door; he almost made it back alive.
    I figured out why The Captain came back here. Revenge. That’s what the D1000 was for, and there was still enough left to do the job.
    I rigged the ship to blow, then got in an escape pod with the last two security officers and I won’t be looking back.
    Only hell lies behind us.
    ---

    “Avengeance” Ship’s Log – Stardate 1457.43
    Captain – N/A
    Voyage – Day 28
    Report – Maintenance Required. System deterioration imminent.
    Report – Live D1000 detected aboard ship. Recommend defuse.
    Crew Onboard – 0
    WARNING – Minimum crew requirement not met.
    Hull Integrity – 48%
    Shields – Inactive / Unable to charge
    Pressurization – None / Human Standard Air Detected / Nominal
    WARNING – Live explosives aboard ship. Estimated time till detonation / 6 minutes. Please remain calm as the relevant authorities are contacted.

    It's not in the right format to be used in that game, and I'm pretty sure that logs are supposed to be quite a bit smaller than I went for. Anyway, it's just an example.
    I may write more of them for kicks.
     
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    Crimson-Artist

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    these r alrdy in the game. logs sometimes generate on pirate station chests. from what i heard the texts r suppose to be references to star trek episodes
     
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    I know there are already logs in the game, but there are only like a dozen and they don't reinforce or expand the universe they exist in.

    What I was getting at is that it's being wasted as a medium for non-interactive/interactive storytelling; something that could easily be one of StarMade's strengths.
     
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    thing is that for this to work you need to allow all players from starmade community to write their own short stories and then send to schema or someone to review them and approve them.. stories no longer than 500 words..
    and this is important if you want to have this in starmade

    if that is to get done properly you would need several types of stories..

    --one type of stories for pirates ..when you kill a pirate ship you get a story of their criminal activities etc.
    --one for trading guild.. same idea as pirate ship,but
    --and one for stations that are scattered around the universe.. and here you can get creative,write amazing story about what happened there,wars,alliances born/destroyed,first contact etc.

    i imagine we can have thousands of stories to be found in universe,and that would be amazing
     

    Winterhome

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    I know there are already logs in the game, but there are only like a dozen and they don't reinforce or expand the universe they exist in.

    What I was getting at is that it's being wasted as a medium for non-interactive/interactive storytelling; something that could easily be one of StarMade's strengths.
    Because the universe is too customizable to be reinforced or expanded. It would take away from the player's ability to interpret everything completely free of any kind of story or restriction.
     

    NeonSturm

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    I would like the logs to be more accessible to non- thiefs
     

    lupoCani

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    Because the universe is too customizable to be reinforced or expanded. It would take away from the player's ability to interpret everything completely free of any kind of story or restriction.
    It should be noted that Schema has indeed, if I recall correctly, expressed a desire for a passive background story to exist within the universe, as long as the player is free to ignore it, and it is open for server-side modification.
     
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    What LupoCani said.

    I'm not implying that there should be a mandatory story that you have to play through to get new things. In fact, if there are ever proper missions in Starmade, I hope that they're largely aesthetic in nature and entirely optional.

    What I'm proposing with the logs is something along the lines of the arbitrary books (not quest or skill books) in any given Elder Scrolls game (But in several pieces, so it's more of a chore to collect them). It's not imperative that you read them, but lots of people do anyway, just to read a good story.

    Given that any story or lore structure is put in place, it should be a hobby, not a chore, to collect and read.

    thing is that for this to work you need to allow all players from starmade community to write their own short stories and then send to schema or someone to review them and approve them.. stories no longer than 500 words..
    and this is important if you want to have this in starmade

    if that is to get done properly you would need several types of stories..

    --one type of stories for pirates ..when you kill a pirate ship you get a story of their criminal activities etc.
    --one for trading guild.. same idea as pirate ship,but
    --and one for stations that are scattered around the universe.. and here you can get creative,write amazing story about what happened there,wars,alliances born/destroyed,first contact etc.
    i imagine we can have thousands of stories to be found in universe,and that would be amazing
    Yes, you've got the right idea about the different types of stories.

    But you start to run into problems when you crowd-source hundreds of stories for the same universe. Quality and continuity come to mind first. I'm not saying that such a thing would be logically impossible, it would just need to have an absolutely mind-boggling amount of oversight and editing to maintain the level of credibility that the people who were actually into universe lore would expect, and without infringing on the play experience of the people that didn't care for it. A fun line to tread when crowd-sourcing all material.
     
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    What LupoCani said.

    I'm not implying that there should be a mandatory story that you have to play through to get new things. In fact, if there are ever proper missions in Starmade, I hope that they're largely aesthetic in nature and entirely optional.

    What I'm proposing with the logs is something along the lines of the arbitrary books (not quest or skill books) in any given Elder Scrolls game (But in several pieces, so it's more of a chore to collect them). It's not imperative that you read them, but lots of people do anyway, just to read a good story.

    Given that any story or lore structure is put in place, it should be a hobby, not a chore, to collect and read.



    Yes, you've got the right idea about the different types of stories.

    But you start to run into problems when you crowd-source hundreds of stories for the same universe. Quality and continuity come to mind first. I'm not saying that such a thing would be logically impossible, it would just need to have an absolutely mind-boggling amount of oversight and editing to maintain the level of credibility that the people who were actually into universe lore would expect, and without infringing on the play experience of the people that didn't care for it. A fun line to tread when crowd-sourcing all material.

    Well... SCP seems to do well enough with it... course it's also community based oversight.
     

    lupoCani

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    You do realize the foundation has no canon, right? What's being discussed heere is a massive quantity of stories, all to be lore-fitting, canon-compatible and go along well with a central interpretation of the game's atmosphere.
     

    Ithirahad

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    these r alrdy in the game. logs sometimes generate on pirate station chests. from what i heard the texts r suppose to be references to star trek episodes
    Actually, they're copy-pastes of Star Trek captain's logs with most of the names cut out or replaced (Pirate instead of Klingon, for example). I agree; we do need some more, better ones that add to background lore. Also the logbook GUI needs a LOT more space.
     
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    I like it!

    It seems that with a minimal of change to the game cocde itself, logs could be made to include a set of distant coordinates that would point the player to some form of desired location. Right now that might just be a random pirate station , but I'm sure as the quest system in general gets fleshed out it could expand to possibly send a player on rescue missions on random planets or direct players to hidden treasure... etc.

    The storylines could add an interesting element to the game for those that want it. The quests could add something interesting to those that want something extra to do. And anyone else could just ignore the logbooks and go about doing what they already enjoy in the game as normal :)
     
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    I like it!

    It seems that with a minimal of change to the game cocde itself, logs could be made to include a set of distant coordinates that would point the player to some form of desired location. Right now that might just be a random pirate station , but I'm sure as the quest system in general gets fleshed out it could expand to possibly send a player on rescue missions on random planets or direct players to hidden treasure... etc.

    The storylines could add an interesting element to the game for those that want it. The quests could add something interesting to those that want something extra to do. And anyone else could just ignore the logbooks and go about doing what they already enjoy in the game as normal :)
    It could get them the new mod blocks...
     
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    I said, they have no canon. They do have canons, but with all of those being significantly smaller subcommunities, it's not the same thing.
    The scps themselves are canon. Dr. Clef being a badass is cannon. Dr. Bright never dieing are canon.
     

    CyberTao

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    Seems like an idea o -o One that I think is quite great :p
    Also, Technically you can edit the logs yourself, can find them at -\StarMade\data\config, and opening the logbookEntriesGen.txt file, so Schema doesnt have to check/approve/add anything really. Servers can make their own logs to fit their Lore (like RP servers) and I assume there will be something akin to adventure maps in Minecraft, with a built up Universe with Lore (logs) to explore.

    As for different Logs/Lore for each faction, I think Schema can add a line in the Spawn coding? What I mean is create more logbookEntriesGen.txt files (like logbookEntriesGenPirate.txt/logbookEntriesGenTrader.txt) and Have the script check the Faction/Type of the entity being spawned, then pull from the correct txt file (So if a NPC Trader were to spawn, the code would check and Place a logbook containing text from logbookEntriesGenTrader.txt in a plex storage inside the ship).

    It would be nice cause eventually we will be able to add Custom AI factions and station spawning (Via Lua Scripting I believe), and this would allow you to set up which log books are added via a line of code you entered.

    ... I hope this made sense - 3-
     
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    Lecic

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    The scps themselves are canon. Dr. Clef being a badass is cannon. Dr. Bright never dieing are canon.
    But the point is that they don't have a unified canon. Not everyone agrees on what exactly amnesiacs do, or just how powerful the Foundation is. The SCP Foundation is a fantastic thing, but I'd rather not have the lore of Starmade be like that. The last thing we need is 500 different conflicting stories on the history of things, factions self-inserting themselves, how various systems work, and more.
     
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    But the point is that they don't have a unified canon. Not everyone agrees on what exactly amnesiacs do, or just how powerful the Foundation is. The SCP Foundation is a fantastic thing, but I'd rather not have the lore of Starmade be like that. The last thing we need is 500 different conflicting stories on the history of things, factions self-inserting themselves, how various systems work, and more.
    Never said it would be the exact same. There would be an overlying canon... in that everyone agrees on the rules...
     
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