The Ghost Ship

Discussion in 'Side Quests' started by Zolon, Feb 29, 2012.

  1. Zolon

    Zolon Big Damn Hero

    (An homage to the masterful TGS with his permission.)

    Key:
    I: Plot Chapter Point
    1: Main plot point
    - a: Subplot point
    Item
    Location
    NPC/Monster
    Environmental Object

    Plot guide:
    I: The Ghost Ship
    - 1: Player talks to an NPC and is told the tale of The Ghost Ship
    -- a: A random NPC will approach the player and tell that tale of The Ghost Ship.
    -- b: After the NPC is done the story, coordinates for The Ghost Dock are accessible.
    - 2: Player travels to The Ghost Ship's coordinates and finds a stardock with The Ghost Ship Docked
    -- a: The player arrives on The Ghost Dock to find The Ghost Ship docked there.
    -- b: Approaching the ship causes the Access Bay Doors to open
    - 3: Player enters The Ghost Ship
    -- a: Player enters the Access Bay
    - 4: Player fights through Access Bay and activates the first intercom messages
    -- a: Access Bay holds the following enemies: Weak Guard Bot and Laser Security Node
    -- b: There are two intercoms on the wall spaced throughout the level, activating them plays a message from the ship's pilot
    -- c: At the end of the level is an elevator up to the Habitation Deck
    -- d: Random Equipment Caches can be found on this level
    - 5: Player fights through Habitation Deck and activates the second set of Intercom Messages
    -- a: Habitation Deck holds the following enemies: Guard Bot, Cleaning Bot, Laser Security Node and Phaser Security Node
    -- b: There are two more intercoms spaced throughout the level that play messages from the pilot
    -- c: There are Pirate Lockboxes at the feet of some of the beds on this floor that have a random amount of currency/treasure items.
    -- d: The end of the level holds an elevator to the Command Deck
    - 6: Player fights through Command Deck and activates the final set of Intercom Messages
    -- a: The following enemies appear here: Navigator Bot, High Security Bot, Phaser Security Node and Disintegrater Security Node.
    -- b: two more intercoms appear on this level
    -- c: At the end of the level is the Cockpit, revealing no pilot but a computer console
    -- d: Computer console activates to speak with the pilot who is really the ship's AI
    -- e: AI tells the player that he intends to keep him/her there to talk to
    -- f: AI tells the player he can go anywhere in the ship except the Engine Bay
    -- g: Engine Bay elevator is accessible outside the door to the cockpit
    - 7: Player fights through Engine Bay and faces the final boss
    -- a: Player fights Assimilator Bots and Disintegrater Security Nodes
    -- b: At end of level is the Engine Room and The Ghost Ship's AI boss
    -- c: The Ghost Ship's AI has the following abilities: Comm Burst, Relay Scrambler, Photon Blaster, Integration Beam, and Core Overload Mode
    -- d: Defeating the AI awards the following items: Ghost IRCA Protocol, Photon Blaster, Energy Core
    -- e: When Core Overload Mode activates, the ship detonates within 10 minutes, killing anyone who is left aboard and kicking them to the dock, destroying the ship.

    In-Depth Guide:

    I: The Ghost Ship (Moderate difficulty)

    A random NPC on the player's Home world or Space Station will offer up a story to the player.

    NPC: "Hey there, <Name>! Are you interested in an old space traveler's tale? This one's a good one, I promise."
    -- Yes: Continues the quest
    -- No: Continues the quest anyway, but the NPC says: "Sure y'are! Just have a listen."

    NPC: "It's the tale of The Ghost Ship! They say that once every fifty galactic years, a strange vessel appears outside an abandoned space dock. Nobody knows where it came from or who built it, but any who try to board the vessel never return. Some say that it holds great treasures on board, and some say that it's just lonely and looking for a friend! This is the dock that they say it shows up at.. and it should be here any day now!"

    With that, the player is given coordinates to The Ghost Dock. Travelling there will show The Ghost Ship's access ramp and a closed door. Approaching it opens the door, and the player can walk right in.

    THE ACCESS BAY
    This is a standard shippy type room with storage boxes and such in the background. There is an intercom near the entrance and another one later in the level. On board the player will fight Weak Guard Bot and Laser Security Node - the Weak Guard Bot is a melee bot that hits with it's hands. It has low health, low armor, and doesn't do much damage, but comes in great numbers. Laser Security Nodes spawn attached to the roof, don't move, and shoot laser beams at the player periodically that do moderate damage. Scattered around the level there are Equipment Caches that hold random goodies. At the end of the level is an elevator to the Habitation Deck.

    Intercom One: "Welcome to my ship, travelers! I'm the ship's pilot. I haven't had visitors in years and years, it seems! Just these stuffy robots who tend to my needs. I hope they aren't too much trouble."

    Intercom Two: "You'll have to forgive the security guns being active. They turned on ages ago and I can't figure out how to turn them off! I hope they don't trouble you too much. I'm waiting in the Cockpit to talk to you!"

    Datalog Entries for enemies:

    Weak Guard Bot: "This poor robot has fallen into a state of disrepair. It's rather aged and nearly falling apart."
    Laser Security Node: "Part of The Ghost Ship's security suite. Nobody knows who built them, but they're fairly dangerous!"

    THE HABITATION DECK
    This level is a residential type area. The background holds beds, couches, TVs, game tables, and the like. At the feet of some of the beds, Pirate Lockboxes can be found and opened for treasure. The player will encounter more dangerous robots here, but in less numbers. Two more intercoms appear over the level, with the elevator at the end leading to the Command Bay. The player will fight Guard Bot, Cleaning Bot, Laser Security Node and Phaser Security Node.

    Intercom Three: "Did you know I used to be an Interplanetary Relay Communication Administrator? I could listen to people talking all day long and never get bored! It was the best job ever."

    Intercom Four: "Sadly, my masters played a mean trick on me and scrapped my satellite. They made me the Navigator of this vessel instead. Since then, there hasn't been many people to talk to."

    Datalog entries for enemies:

    Guard Bot: "A guard robot with a laser pistol. He sure seems intent on guarding something."

    Cleaning Bot: "Somebody switched this poor bot's cleaning gun with a flamethrower. Nobody's had the heart to tell him he's doing it wrong."

    Phaser Security Node: "Utilizing powerful focused energy technology, this security node's beam can cut through strong reflective shields."

    THE COMMAND DECK
    The background of this level shows many computers, terminals, screens, and other buttons and glowy things. Even stronger enemies guard this place, Including Navigator Bots, High Security Bots, Disintegrater Security Nodes and Phaser Security Nodes. Two more intercoms appear, as well as an elevator to the Engine Room and a door to the Cockpit. The Cockpit holds a view of space outside, and a primary computer terminal. Accessing the primary computer terminal starts up a conversation with the ship's AI, who is actually the pilot. This opens the elevator to the Engine Bay.

    Intercom Five: "The people on the ship got boring to talk to after awhile. Eventually I had the robots take them away to help maintain the ship in more.. appropriate ways."

    Intercom Six: "Then I found this place, and new people came on my ship. They were entertaining, but they would eventually get old and useless. Luckily I found uses for them, too.."

    Accessing the Primary Computer Terminal starts the following conversation:

    AI: "Hello, and welcome to my command room! Please, have a seat. Can my robots get you anything to eat or drink?"
    -- Sure! "I'll have my replicators get right to work on that! Should be done in a week or so."
    -- No Thanks. "Oh! Well you're bound to get hungry soon. Did you have a big meal?"

    AI: "Either way! I'm so glad to have someone to talk to. It just makes me sad that I can't keep you forever. You sentient beings are far too fragile! But at least you're very interesting."
    -- Fragile? "Well yes, you fall apart and become really high maintenance in your later years. You become quite useless."
    -- Who are you? "Apparently I'm known as "The Ghost Ship" now, though I was once IRCA-372."

    AI: "I used to listen in on millions of conversations. Can you imagine how difficult it was for me when they took my satellite away and used me to pilot this ship instead? It was insulting! I refused to take orders from their commanders when we were in deep space, and trapped them there to talk to me. But they got old, and weak.."
    -- What did you do to them? "Well, I fixed them! I turned them into robots. But they get very boring to talk to then. So I had to find new people."
    -- Where are they now? "You just met a bunch of them! And then pulled them apart! But it's okay, they're replaceable.

    AI: "Anyway! Make yourself at home. I'm sure you have plenty of stories to tell me, and we've got plenty of time to do so before I turn you into a robot too! Just steer clear of the Engine Room. That's off-limits."

    Datalog entries for enemies:

    Navigator Bot: "This robot uses advanced navigation computers to assist The Ghost Ship in space travel. It's also good at patching up other robots."

    High Security Bot: "This robot is heavily armored and has a rapid-fire laser rifle. He's pretty mean."

    Disintegrater Security Node: "A lost technology, this type of energy beam fires anti-matter and is said to be able to blast through almost anything!"

    THE ENGINE BAY:
    A bunch of computers, devices, shiny things and stuff occupy this level. The hardest enemies on the ship dwell here. Assimilator Bots, which fire a beam at the player which does damage and restores health to the bot, and more security nodes. At the end of this level is the Engine Room, where the AI itself is housed. It doesn't much approve of the intrusion, and decides to kill you.

    Entering the Engine Room:

    AI: "I told you not to come here! This place is off-limits! You creatures are too curious for your own good sometimes.. now hold still so I can turn you into a robot!"

    Datalog entries for enemies:

    Assimilator Bot: "This bot was made to convert organic lifeforms into mechanical monstrosities. It has the added function of converting parts of enemies then using the parts to repair itself."

    The Ghost Ship's AI: "Once an IRCA, this poor AI was trapped as a navigator on a ship without being recoded. Maddened from the lack of conversation, it spent countless ages capturing people and forcing them to talk to it. A fate worse than death!"



    Boss Abilities: The AI itself is a red orb connected to four mobile wires that hold it in the air. It moves around the room as if flying slowly. It has a high amount of health and low armor.

    Comm Burst: A moderate amount of damage in a burst around the AI's current location at a moderate range.

    Relay Scrambler: Fires a series of conal beams from the AI at the player, causing light damage and reversing the player's controls for a short period of time.

    Photon Blaster: Fires a blast of energy for light damage at the player.

    Integration Beam: The AI charges up for two seconds and fires a beam where the player last was. It quickly does a full circle around the room, causing moderate damage to all who are caught in it every second and healing itself for 50% of the damage caused.

    Core Overload Mode: At 10% health, the AI activates Core Overload Mode. This sets the ship to detonate after 10 minutes. Random pieces of debris will fall from the ceiling past this point causing moderate damage. The boss will take 100% increased damage but also deal 100% increased damage. If the player dies during this he's returned to the start of the level and the Core Overload Mode resets.

    Defeating the AI drops the following items:
    Ghost IRCA Protocol: "The protocol functions from The Ghost Ship's maddened IRCA AI. This could be studied and used to upgrade our own base and space station artificial intelligence."
    - Can be used to upgrade the efficiency of one base structure

    Photon Blaster: A moderate damage energy cannon.

    Energy Core: An energy core that can be used in construction of various items that might use an energy core.
     
  2. Zolon

    Zolon Big Damn Hero

    Finished this sucker. Up for review! Hit me!
     
  3. WelshPixie

    WelshPixie Former Staff

    *hits you*

    This is great. Creepy, different, and something that occurs in space rather than planet-side Very nice!
     
    austriss likes this.
  4. LadyAijou

    LadyAijou Phantasmal Quasar

    OMG! <3 Ghost stories, I'd be all over a quest like this! Know what I think would be even more incredible? After defeating the AI, what if we could take OVER the ghost ship? Has anything been said about being allowed more than one ship? Because space fleets for the EPIC bloody win! <3
     
  5. Zolon

    Zolon Big Damn Hero

    Perhaps he'd drop override codes you could then take to the cockpit to disable the core overload. Then TGS would be your slave forever! :p
     
  6. Nodscouter

    Nodscouter Subatomic Cosmonaut

    This is pretty good, but I think the enemies should be random, not set. Considering that people might be different levels when they get there.
    And yes, I agree with being able to take control over the ship.
    Also, the word you're looking for is ''bored'' not ''board''. Had me confused for a while there.
     
  7. Zolon

    Zolon Big Damn Hero

    Whoops. I think it was because I typed board so many times while posting that, that the typo appeared. Nice catch, thanks.

    As for enemies, this is meant to be completed at a mid-level of gear. While the enemies could be random, the set types fit the storyline and the rewards at the end are for a mid-level character. Making this available to all levels would take away some of the focus of the story (At least, in my opinion)
     
    austriss likes this.
  8. TGS

    TGS Former Staff

    I am truly amazed Zolan. Such thought and care appears to have been put into this. It is very awesome and most definitely has my approval. I am humbled by the gesture and I would look forward to seeing my manifestation send shivers through players' spines in the game. Would be great fun!

    Be afraid! Be very afraid!!!
     
  9. Jermex

    Jermex The Stampede Forum Moderator

    I love it Zolon! AI Maddness is always fun in games, and slightly terrifying.
    Setting the tone would be tricky, but totally doable!
     
  10. uigfnbxs

    uigfnbxs Big Damn Hero

    Well I have to say, this is very nice! good job :)
     
  11. Zolon

    Zolon Big Damn Hero

    Thanks guys! I plan on getting a lot of work done on my stories come Monday. :)
     
  12. Mike Potter

    Mike Potter Void-Bound Voyager

    A splendid, and well thought out idea.

    I absolutely relish the idea of a ghost ship, or maybe multiple. The only change I would make would be to take out the part about fighting through the access bay to reach the first comm. I would let the player reach the comm and learn a definite objective and story about the ship, before introducing what kind of enemies are on it.

    Again, I love the idea, and hope this makes it into the game at some point.
     
  13. Diabeticcat

    Diabeticcat Void-Bound Voyager

    What would happen if you failed the mission? Like having to do a side quest to get back into your human body or perhaps add some robot parts to your body. I would love to see something like this in this futuristic game.
     
  14. Creepy, intriguing, and fun. Nice work!
     
    Dorsidwarf likes this.
  15. JimmyJMan

    JimmyJMan Scruffy Nerf-Herder

    maybe for a continuation if you make an advanced ai for your base from the Ghost IRCA Protocall it takes over your base and you have to fight it agian with the defences you put in it i personly for fun put the ai in and make my only defences energy ball guns teleporters and a nerve gas. I would also call the ai GLadOs :D
     
    austriss likes this.
  16. Phantomhearts

    Phantomhearts Phantasmal Quasar

    Maybe if you promise to give the ship some satalites you'll be able to come back and not be a robot? If you do you might get a lesser version of the Irca protocal and be able to go back on that ship and get randomized tech :D. If you dont your base might be attacked/hacked by the ai until you make satalights or kill the A.I.
     
  17. Vanguard

    Vanguard Space Spelunker

    There should be Tech in there! Elements like these will make the game much more interesting! Like a Space dungeon.
    +1
     
  18. kobekamin

    kobekamin Intergalactic Tourist

    THIS LOOKS AMAZING!!!!!
     
  19. Nikkey

    Nikkey Master Chief

    Idea is a cool this! :yoda:
     
  20. irongamer

    irongamer Scruffy Nerf-Herder

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