A plug-in idea
Well, I had this great idea for a plug-in, like most who sign up for these boards, but then, one thing or another happened and I am unable to work further on it.
I feel it was a good idea and I spent a lot of time on it, so, I thought I'd throw it out there for anyone who has more time and/or is interested in it.
As the title states, the name of the plug-in was planed to be "Vazaln". It was supposed to be about the size of ARPIA, maybe a little bigger.
This is what I was planning:
2 new governments
25 new systems
About 20 planets/space stations to go in those systems (gotta leave some un-inhabited)
1 new Hypergate system
About 2-5 new Hypergates in the new system
5-10 new ships
10-15 new outfits
1 new race
1 new story-line with a couple different endings and choices.
This is what I had done:
25 systems added
1 planet (graphic)
1 space station (graphic)
1 hypergate (graphic and works)
3 ship (graphics)
So that's gives one an idea of the size of this project. (at least how I planned it). Now, for this plug-in, the story-line was the most important part. The story-line was what made this plug-in more than just a fun little add-on, and more like ARPIA (in my eyes).
The story-line (as I came to learn here on the boards) is one that a lot of people have thought of doing. It expounds on the Kont mystery. I looked on the add-ons page and didn't find any finished plug-ins that cover this angle (I could have missed them though) but I did find some interest here on the boards, at least from a while back.
Well, this is what I had in mind for the story-line:
Ok there are the 2 new races:
The Vazaln (human) and the Yaln'tak (alien(the name was just chosen to be convenient. It's not for sure what we want to call them)).
If you read the nova time line you will see that at about 450NC the Polarans were first settling the Polaran area of the galaxy. They colonized 30 planets in about 110 years is what it says. This is where I add some history of my own. I add that the polarans explored too far to the south and encountered the Yaln'tak.
They are the ones that built the ring on Kontik. This ring actually has a function. The Yaln'tak use the rings much like we use hypergates or wormholes. They use them to transport ships to the connected ring (the connected ring can be anywhere. There are no distance limits for this type of travel(I don't know if there is a distance limit for the normal hypergates or not))
They offend the Yaln'tak unintentionally and, the Yaln'tak, being aggressive already attack. This starts a war between the Polarans and the Yaln'tak. The Yaln'tak are considerably more advanced then the Polarans. Because these aliens are more advanced they have the advantage over these primitive Polarans. Therefore they start to win the war. Polaran scientists discover a virus that only affects the biology of the Yaln'tak so they release it upon them. The aliens suffer heavy casualties and retreat back to their home system (unknown to the polarans at the time).
This system contains their home world which is man-made (or alien-made in this case) This home world is much like a Dyson sphere (look it up) or a man-made planet. The aliens are advanced enough that they are able to retreat into this hollow man-made planet and seal themselves inside. They have generators that can emulate the heat and light from a sun as well as the ability to alter matter at an atomic level. (some ideas taken from the book "The Forgotten Star"... sorta) Therefore the aliens have the ability to survive inside this sphere for quite some time.
Well the Polarans follow their retreat hoping to be able to finish them off, but instead they find this sealed planet with the aliens inside. Because they cant get in, they put an extra seal on it that requires 3 keys to open. Then they scatter these key across the known galaxy in hopes that no one will ever release this threat to humanity. Then the Polarans erase all hyperspace routes to the alien space and destroy all records of the war. The only way back into alien space is to use the ring on Kontik which is linked to a ring in alien space. The polarans try to discover how the rings work so they can disable it but to no avail. They destroy all records and evidence of the war and the alien race in hopes that it will be forgotten and therefore non-existant.
Then about 200 years later, a Polaran exploration team named "Kantoran" finds the system Kontik. While investigating, the ring is accidentally activated and transports them to alien space. The ring on the other side has been damaged over the past 200 years so they cannot get back. Because they cannot get back they decide to colonize the planet on which they arrived and thus begins the Vazaln race and government. They find the sealed sphere but because they don't have the keys they give up trying to get inside.
The Vazaln discover many of the alien race's technologies and learn much from the deserted cities and planets that they find.
About 500 years later, 1117NC (player time) the player takes a probe down to Kontik. And this is where the new story line begins. (start dramatic music here 
) Gradually the player uncovers evidence (with the help of the probe) of an ancient civilization that once lived on the planet. Then through a series of missions the player ends up in alien space and discovers the Vazaln race and government. Contact is made and the alliance between the Vazaln and the player begins. Then the player explores more of the alien space and finds the sphere (alien home world). He also finds another deserted planet where he finds an old (alien) AI that he powers up. The AI, was a droid made for the purpose of releasing the aliens if something like this should happen. The aliens created it anticipation of the extra containment measures the Polarans took
The AI registers that it has a task to complete and therefore tricks the player into believing that inside the sealed sphere is stored all the knowledge of the alien race. The AI makes the deal that it: will fix the ring linked to the one on Kontik and, therefore provide a way for the Vazaln to get back to the known galaxy, if the player will find the keys to unlock the sphere.
Then the player goes on missions that takes him across the known galaxy searching for these keys. (I was going to write riddles for the player to solve in order to find the keys)
Eventually the alien race is released and the player must make a decision. Will he help the aliens (who have been getting stronger, and more advanced) get revenge on the Polarans and humanity, or will he stand with humanity against the threat that he himself released. (what ever side he chooses the vazaln also choose) Then war ensues. After a main battle and a few missions to take out some enemy fleets the player will have the option of trying to reach an agreement between the two sides of the war (be an ambassador for peace) or to continue the fighting. If he continues, more and more systems in the galaxy will become desolate and uninhabited. If he ends the war and tries for peace he will have to do a series of diplomatic missions that will eventually end with the aliens and humanity being united.
This is what I had in terms of outlining missions:
Launch exploration probe
Go back to Kont to investigate ruins
Go to Vazaln Home world
Find the Dyson Sphere
Explore surrounding systems
(this is where the droid is found and activated)
Take droid to broken ring
Find key 1
Find key 2 (we could write riddles that the player has to solve to know where in the galaxy to go)
Find Key 3
Release Aliens
Choose sides
Fight Battle (Basically just don't die)
If Player chose human:
Introduce Vazaln to Federation
Introduce Vazaln to Aurorans
Introduce Vazaln to Polarans
Introduce Vazaln to Rebels
Introduce Vazaln to Pirates
Unite Federation, Aurorans, Polarans, Rebels, and Pirates againts the aliens (diplomatic missions to each)
Diplomatic mission 1
Diplomatic mission 2
Diplomatic mission 3
Diplomatic mission 4
Diplomatic mission 5
If If Player chose alien:
Find out Federation weaknesses
Find out Auroran weaknesses
Find out Polaran weaknesses
Find out Rebel weaknesses
Find out Pirate weaknesses
Launch Attack
Those are the very back bone of the story-line. But I would add filler missions such as the food and equipment runs in some of the other story lines.
I had the first 2-3 missions written up in rough draft form so here they are:
Vasaln_Mission_and_Descriptions.rtf (14.03K)
Number of downloads: 5
I was also considering making this plug-in a trilogy. The first part is the one I just described to you. The second could be back when the first war between the polarans and aliens took place. and the 3rd could be in the future when the aliens and humans are united (maybe new alliances are made between the Aurorans and aliens and between the federation and polarans and another war ensues) who knows. But to do that almost a TC would be required.
Well, that's it. My idea.
So what do you think?
oh and I just kinda wrote that down as it came out so don't pay attention to how messy and poorly written it is.
EDIT: Did I forget to mention that I will not be working on this at all, what so ever, any more? That means if no one want to continue it... the idea will die and be lost in the archives of the Ambrosia SW boards..... oh well... but it seems a shame to loose it... and that's why I posted it here. 
This post has been edited by Eirikr : 01 August 2008 - 12:31 PM