Mission Details- Mission title : “Patience”
- Author : @Aron
- Faction : Federation
- Duration : 45 minutes
- Play style : Solo or group play
- Video trailer : ]Watch on YouTube
Mission Review“Patience”, is a ‘who-done-it’ style mystery mission, in many ways akin to the Trek movie fan-favorite: The Undiscovered Country. Not only will you be tasked with solving the mystery of what caused the U.S.S. Virtue to become stranded in time, but as your investigation progresses, a murder among the crew will have you wondering who could be responsible and who you should trust. The issue of trust extends beyond mere story-telling and as the mission unfolds, you will ultimately find yourself faced with the ultimate command decision, the consequences of which, are life and death. The mission author has implemented a mechanic through the foundry that for possibly the first time in Star Trek Online, will have you feeling the weight of command on your shoulders.
Not only will you be faced with difficult decisions, but you’ll also bear first-hand witness the frailties of the human condition through the effects of prolonged isolation on some members of the crew, which are bound to eventually present dangers to you and your away team. You’ll need to trust your intuition and your command to bring your crew and those aboard the Virtue home.
“Patience” tells a compelling, naturally flowing story but some of the mission’s most impressive achievements are technical in nature. Not only is the author able to use foundry mechanics to present the player with choices that will impact the story, but the custom interior map of the U.S.S. Virtue is also beautifully and seamlessly crafted. Players will notice no clipping of walls or assets that plague many other authors’ attempts at creating custom foundry maps. ItsPyros has masterfully created a beautiful stage on which to tell his story to the Star Trek Online community. “Patience” is a well executed mission that is worth your 45 minute play-time investment.
Mission Details- Mission title : “Redacted 13”
- Author : @Midnighttlc
- Faction : Federation
- Series: 3 of 3 part mission series
- Previous in Series: "Variance"
- LGBT : Same-sex relationship referenced
- Duration : 60 - 90 minutes
- Play style : Solo play
- Video trailer : ]Watch on YouTube
Mission ReviewThis third and final mission in Midnighttlc's trilogy is preceded by "Adrift" (part one) and "Variance" (part two). You'll once again be tasked with apprehending Admiral Aaron's ever elusive mirror universe counterpart, whose perpetual thirst for domination over the prime universe, again threatens to throw the galaxy into disarray. Soon after you embark on your mission, you'll respond to a curious distress signal from an old Federation starbase, which was thought to have been decommissioned years ago. Unfortunately, the secret experiments that have been surreptitiously running on the dilapidated hulk of a base have backfired, releasing a scourge upon the station and her crew. The research has also attracted the unwanted attention of a new group of aliens and their masters and you'll need traverse infested corridors and climb through hatches to make your way through the level. Do you have what it takes to subdue the infestation set loose on the quadrant and set the prime universe right again? 60 to 90 minutes of playtime will tell.
As with prior episodes, this mission's story has a lot of moving elements that can be hard to follow without having played the prior two missions in the trilogy, and it's recommended for continuity sake, that you play them in order. This mission's strength is in it's suspense and action. "Redacted 13", even more so than it's predecessors, delivers all of the special effects that the foundry has to offer, thereby delivering intense space and ground battles that some reviewers have likened to a Michael Bay movie. The foundry tricks utilized are a plenty, allowing for seamless transitions from one environment to the next, without having to sit through lengthy map transfers. You may lose your bridge officers once or twice during the mission, due to these effects, unless you keep them close by during these transitions and the mission will remind you to rally your officers before proceeding. It's important to use your mini-map consistently in order to identify waypoints that progress the mission. If you're looking for a series of action and combat oriented missions with a special effects wow factor, then this trilogy will likely be a good fit for you!
Mission Details- Mission title : “Rose Tinted Mirror”
- Author : Isthisscience (@Thval)
- Faction : Federation
- LGBT : Same-sex relationship depicted
- Duration : 45 - 60 minutes
- Play style : Solo play
Mission ReviewThe United Earth Space Probe Agency has requested assistance in investigating a security matter and they’ve asked for the help of you and your ship, by name. Upon arriving at UESPA control, you learn that there had been a security breach at the satellite control facility on Titan, led by a small group of intruders, who broke into the facility for unknown reasons. All but one of the intruders managed to escape the authorities but it’s an item recovered from that suspect that reveals your ship and crew to somehow be linked to the unfolding plot.
The group of intruders will surface again as your investigation unfolds and you can count on them using every means at their disposal to prevent your interference in the execution of their well laid out plan. Their carefully constructed scheme has them operating several steps ahead of you and has provided them with the additional advantage of control over the holographic data core on Luna. You will be pitted against strong opponents on your quest to uncover the group’s plot and you’ll need to persevere through more than one ground-based phaser fight if you’re to see this mission through.
Ultimately you’ll discover that you’re in a race against the clock against unlikely a set of unlikely villains, to save the Federation and existence as you know it. The Rose Tinted Mirror is a very story driven mission and although there are elements of both space and ground combat, players should be ready to immerse themselves in the mission the narrative to enjoy the full effect of the mission. The mission will also have you encountering and working with a same-sex couple during the course of your assignment, and this open display of diversity among characters in a player created mission is very welcome. Sit back with your favorite drink and enjoy this compelling story, but be sure to keep your hand phaser at the ready.
Mission Details- Mission title : “Shadows of the Past”
- Author : @Backyardserenade
- Faction : Federation
- Duration : 60 - 75 minutes
- Play style : Solo or group play
Mission ReviewYou and your crew are dispatched by Starfleet to investigate the recent theft of a Bajoran Orb by the renegade Cardassian faction: theTrue Way. Soon after being dispatched, you begin to realize that your involvement in this affair may not be a mere coincidence. Your investigation will take you through time itself, and will challenge your belief in fate, as you witness the some of the darkest moments in Bajoran history unfold before you. You’ll also uncover the story behind the seldom spoken past of one of Bajor’s most prominent religious figures. Will your decisions unwittingly help to sow the seeds of a future threat? Play “Shadows of the Past” to find out!
Backyardserenade delivers a phenomenally written, Bajoran-centric story that has its roots in the Deep Space Nine universe. The intricately developed storyline easily rivals those being published by some of the best Foundry authors known to the community, despite this being the author’s first published mission. This story would find itself at home, in the episodic line-up of the Deep Space Nine series.
Mission Details- Mission title : “The Spirits of Ramok Nor”
- Author : @Alimac30
- Faction : Federation
- LGBT : Same-sex relationship referenced
- Duration : 60 minutes
- Play style : Solo or group play
Mission ReviewYou and your crew have been dispatched to the Opaka medical facility on Bajor, to investigate reports of paranormal activity from horrified patients and staff. Starfleet tends not to put much stalk in the occult, but the deeply spiritual Bajoran people are convinced that the supernatural occurrences are attributable to the facility's gruesome past. You remain skeptical of the eyewitness accounts, but you're also under direct orders to use all deliberate tact so as not to offend the Bajorans, who are still reeling from the societal wounds suffered during the occupation.
This mission, however, seems eerily familiar, and you can't help but feel as though you've walked the halls of this decrepit institution before. Wails of specters echo through the corridors, chanting unfamiliar words... "Rem kah... paledor! Ra pon tala fos!" Soon you'll be faced with some moral dilemmas and you'll have to decide just how far down the rabbit hole you're willing to go to uncover the truth of Ramok Nor. Follow your pagh and do not waiver from the path that the Prophets have laid out for you, Captain!
This mission is primarily story driven but includes some light ground combat as well as a puzzle. The story is impeccably written and well thought out, with interesting dialogue choices that will impact how you experience the mission. This mission is one of the original greats, published shortly after the foundry launched and has earned high praise throughout the foundry community for years.
Reviewer's note: Updates to the game since this mission was published may make locating the airlock from which your ship departs DS9 confusing, as it does not glow, nor is it marked on your mini-map, but it can be very simply found on the perimeter of the main level of the promenade.