More complex missions, the essence of star trek.

[idoliside]

Generally the best part of star trek is solving the puzzles using the means at their disposal. For example rather than having "go X and do X" have something like "We have been getting strange readings from the Laurentian system, we have lost contact with the USS Hood, go investigate"

So you have not much to go on when your in the system. It's about placing puzzles for us to solve. So we have the following options now.

We discover the hulk of the USS Hood, meanwhile your crew is starting to act strangely
1) Scan the system and planets (scanning for multiple things, thermal, radioactive, subspace)
2) Board the USS Hood, scan what happened.
3) Quarentine your own ship from a possible outbreak
4) Act as normal, leave system

Try and piece together the fact that the USS Hood entered the Laurentian system and came across a race of being that only exist in 2D space (familiar? :P), this caused the crew to pass out for unknown reasons. Your job (without knowing it) is to move both your ship and the hoods out of the system before your own crew passes out.

That's just an example, i'd like the essense of science, investigation and diplomacy to be in the missions in this game, make me feel like a real starship captain making my own decisions. Rather than, goto X, do X, Win.

Just my hope anyway.

[Moment_of_Epiphany]

There is a careful balance in mission design that needs to be kept here, as not all players are created equal. A clever puzzle for one player, might be frustrating for another. A well-designed puzzle / scenario could be open-ended, so there are multiple ways to solve it. This adds extra replayability too.

For example,

- Depart the system and quarantine the system.
- Blow up the Hood.
- Jury-rig an extra-fine scan of the Hood and the system, looking for a 'clue'.

These and other solutions might spring to the mind of differing players. The trick might be in giving a depth of choice, to reward a Captain's ingenuity.