To Boldly Go - a Star Trek: Infinite AAR

[VILenin]

@VILenin, your update first...

Way up top. That first graphic of Galactic Tension shows pacts with the
Idanian Clans in 2353 and again in 2360. Are those both your pacts (do they expire?) or did 2 powers make such pacts and thereby lessen tension?

Nice to see the Enterprise-D now at your disposal. FTL Capability: Usually (dependent on plot twists)

It's 593 combat power. To quote James T. Kirk, "Is that alot?" Okay, you actually answered my question right after -- equivalent to a squadron of starships -- but I still wanted to use the ST IV quote.




Gah! You made me look. lol And I'm glad you did. I just picked up the Star Trek: Starfleet Command Gold Edition (released 2016) for $9.99 on Steam. I have played this series for many years (seems like I mostly used the Orion Pirates version). But glad to see they've updated it with what looks like movie-style starships (I hope we can still play the old ones), and maybe you could get to play against a starbase now?? Hmm...

Glad you're back for more of this! Loved the update.

Rensslaer

The first Idanian protection pact was mine, the other was with another power (not sure who). The log shows all the actions in the galaxy that are modifying tension, not just mine. I don't remember off the top of my head if you can get more details about who was doing it to what by mousing over it. 593 is a decent combat power for this stage of the game, but will lag behind as we roll out bigger ships and better tech. Fortunately, there are a few upgrade options to keep the Enterprise competitive.

Nice pickup! I still play Orion Pirates from time to time. There's an excellent mod for it called Orion Pirates Plus which adds a ton of new ships, including a bunch of FASA designs spanning the TOS and TMP eras, and gives the game a bit of a graphical update.

Not a great deal to add on this one, like everyone else it's nice to see the Enterprise D and Picard show up and I always appreciate that you took the canon choice on fluffy vs Sect31 as this is all still a bit new.

I also liked that you talked us through your thinking on the Cardassian War that wasn't (yet ), O'Brien will have to wait for his character shaping war. Will there even be time for it before the Borg show up though?

I enjoy the Section 31 episodes in DS9, but I wish they'd left it alone after that. Each new Trek show that ties Section 31 into something or has them skulking menacingly in the background makes them less and less interesting, imo. Plus, as you mention, I like to show the "standard" route first since this is many people's first look at the game.
And hey, I figured O'Brien could stand to have a little less PTSD in his life. Poor guy can't catch a break on the show.

It’s a shame to hear that this game might not be supported by further patches or DLC. It has a lot of potential. I’ve waited like 25 years for a spiritual successor to Birth of the Federation and ST:I feels incomplete as it stands.

Yeah, it'll be a big disappointment for me if that ends up being the case. I loved BotF and I've been waiting for a modern Star Trek 4X game for years. I'm very impressed by the amount of work modders have put into the two excellent Star Trek mods for Stellaris, but they're not quite my cup of tea, so I was excited for a fork of Stellaris purpose-built for Trek. As it stands, I think the game is a solid foundation, but it badly needs more content to give you a reason to keep playing and coming back.

Congrats on creating the Enterprise!

I do appreciate the Galactic Tension explanation.

Can Section 41 react to the government spurning them? Or are they just present as a justification to create a darker Federation?

Can't have a Federation playthrough without the Enterprise.

Right now, Section 31 is just the flavor for the "dark" path in the mission tree. It would be really interesting if refusing them came with consequences, like the possibility of Admiral Leyton's coup attempt or events representing them taking acting on their own initiative, but alas.

 

[TheButterflyComposer]

but alas.

Just means the idealistic path was taken, which means the idealistic part of star fleet and the federation found out about s.31, and talked them down into opening a bakery or something.

If they HAVE to exist (star fleet needs an intelligence branch I guess), put Sisko in charge.

Edit:

As ever, my ideal Federation has -

Picard as president of the Federation.
Sisko as head of star fleet
Kirk as captain of the enterprise
Janeway in prison for the mentally insane

And Archer shot for crimes against humanity.

 

[The Kingmaker]

Yeah, it'll be a big disappointment for me if that ends up being the case. I loved BotF and I've been waiting for a modern Star Trek 4X game for years. I'm very impressed by the amount of work modders have put into the two excellent Star Trek mods for Stellaris, but they're not quite my cup of tea, so I was excited for a fork of Stellaris purpose-built for Trek. As it stands, I think the game is a solid foundation, but it badly needs more content to give you a reason to keep playing and coming back.

Agreed on all counts. Couldn't have put it better myself.

 

[El Pip]

And hey, I figured O'Brien could stand to have a little less PTSD in his life. Poor guy can't catch a break on the show

I was under the impression that O'Brien not getting a break was the Second Directive that all star fleet officers had to follow. It's why Picard made him stand on his own in the Transporter Room for months on end.

 

[TheButterflyComposer]

I was under the impression that O'Brien not getting a break was the Second Directive that all star fleet officers had to follow. It's why Picard made him stand on his own in the Transporter Room for months on end.

He got out of the reds shirt. What more could he possibly want?

 

[Rensslaer]

So... Turns out the Gold Edition of Starfleet Command has compatibility issues with Win 10 that I haven't been able to fully work through yet. I remember how much fun it is though! I'll probably just play it on an older computer.

Anyone here read John Scalzi's Redshirts? Pretty hilarious, but also very thoughtful.

Rensslaer

 

[Wraith11B]

I remember putting far too many hours of modding into Fleet Command 3....

 

[El Pip]

He got out of the reds shirt. What more could he possibly want?

I'd always assumed the Chief O'Brien at Work cartoon was canon, which seems a fate worse than being a red shirt.

 

[TheButterflyComposer]

I'd always assumed the Chief O'Brien at Work cartoon was canon, which seems a fate worse than being a red shirt.

Apparently Canon enough according to DS9. He spent all day waiting for something to break on the Enterprise, and it rarely did, because everything was perfect. He had to occasionally work on transporter interference, sass anyone who came through the door, and otherwise just have a very chill, relaxed existence making mashed potatoes and drinking in 10 forward.

DS9 on the other hand...constant torture, angst, anger, 24/7 repair work, threat of death, murder, full scale war, and having to deal with cardassians often.

He says he prefers being on DS9 but that sounds like cope more than anything...

 

[Chac1]

Sorry to see the announcement yesterday that this game will no longer be fixed or developed; no DLC will be released.

As someone who had issues from the start with it (supposedly fixed but haven't had time to reload and start it up... just too many other items to juggle at the moment) you can imagine my reaction.

However, despite that preface, I hope @VILenin you find time to update and continue this AAR. Would like to see how your experience and adventures progressed. But only when you have time, of course. Those of us who juggle too much appreciate the juggling of others....

(At some point, I will test it out myself. But that will not come for many months.)

 

[Wraith11B]

Well that's unfortunate... guess that's what happens with essentially a glorified mod.

 

[VILenin]

Sorry to see the announcement yesterday that this game will no longer be fixed or developed; no DLC will be released.

As someone who had issues from the start with it (supposedly fixed but haven't had time to reload and start it up... just too many other items to juggle at the moment) you can imagine my reaction.

However, despite that preface, I hope @VILenin you find time to update and continue this AAR. Would like to see how your experience and adventures progressed. But only when you have time, of course. Those of us who juggle too much appreciate the juggling of others....

(At some point, I will test it out myself. But that will not come for many months.)

Yes. The writing had been on the wall for a while now, so it's not a surprise, but it remains disappointing. I'll admit, in addition to being busy/lazy, the probable demise of the game had taken some of the wind out of my sails in regards to the AAR. I appreciate your words of encouragement, however! And I do plan on finishing this, although I might accelerate the pace a little more than I'd previously planned. I'll commit publicly to updating by the end of the week to force myself to actually follow through and get something done!

 

[Chac1]

Yes. The writing had been on the wall for a while now, so it's not a surprise, but it remains disappointing. I'll admit, in addition to being busy/lazy, the probable demise of the game had taken some of the wind out of my sails in regards to the AAR. I appreciate your words of encouragement, however! And I do plan on finishing this, although I might accelerate the pace a little more than I'd previously planned. I'll commit publicly to updating by the end of the week to force myself to actually follow through and get something done!

No pressure, @VILenin . Please, no pressure.
As someone who doesn't post at the rate some do, and these days there are weeks between updates, I would feel very guilty pushing you forward. Although, we do appreciate seeing these new chapters when they arrive.
Looking forward to how you rejoin this when the appropriate time comes.
One day I will have time to open up the game and try it. Too busy these days, especially if it is still buggy. If that ever happens I too might decide to write at least a short AAR.
Perhaps the modders will come to the rescue with this one, and I hope my Mac can handle whatever they produce.

 

[TheButterflyComposer]

I have had in the back of my mind for some time doing some entirely straight / campy optimistic fluffy cloud AAR either of the US in HOI4 or the Federation in Stellaris.

It's a shame they aren't going forwards with this game but not entirely surprising given its both Paradox and directly competing with one of their flagships.

 

[The Kingmaker]

Sorry to see the announcement yesterday that this game will no longer be fixed or developed; no DLC will be released.

As someone who had issues from the start with it (supposedly fixed but haven't had time to reload and start it up... just too many other items to juggle at the moment) you can imagine my reaction.

However, despite that preface, I hope @VILenin you find time to update and continue this AAR. Would like to see how your experience and adventures progressed. But only when you have time, of course. Those of us who juggle too much appreciate the juggling of others....

(At some point, I will test it out myself. But that will not come for many months.)

What a terrible disappointment!