Star Trek: Legends
Engage in an epic storyline for control of the mysterious Nexus and the fate of the universe as players step into the role of their favorite Star Trek heroes and villains in the hit franchise’s official team-based RPG.
Star Trek Legends is a team based role-playing game that lets players explore the vast Star Trek universe by assembling and commanding a crew of iconic characters from across the franchise's history. Players engage in strategic, turn-based combat, solve missions, and make decisions that influence the course of their journey. With a deep roster of Starfleet heroes and villains, each with unique abilities, the game blends immersive storytelling with tactical gameplay, delivering an experience that caters to both casual players and Star Trek enthusiasts alike.
DETAILS
ROLE
Game Designer
DEVELOPER
Emerald City Games
PUBLISHER
Tilting Point
RELEASED
April 2, 2021
PLATFORMS
Mobile (Apple Arcade),
Epic Store & Steam
Level & Mission Design
I designed mission node maps that guided players through a vast galaxy filled with strategic decisions and narrative depth. Each node on the map represented a key element of the player’s journey, ranging from exploration opportunities to combat encounters, story beats, or resource collection. By designing these maps with a variety of node types, I ensured that players faced a range of engaging scenarios that encouraged both tactical thinking and emotional investment.
Dynamic Node Types:
Exploration Nodes: Offered opportunities for players to uncover hidden lore or discover new locations, encouraging a sense of adventure.
Story Nodes: Advanced the game’s narrative, presenting players with key choices that influenced the overarching plot.
Combat Nodes: Initiated tactical, turn-based battles where players could test their strategic skills and abilities.
Resource Nodes: Allowed players to gather critical resources, essential for upgrading their crew and progressing in the game.
Multi-Layered Objectives: Many missions had layered objectives that changed as the player progressed. For example, a mission might start as a simple reconnaissance but escalate into a full-blown space battle or diplomatic standoff. These dynamic shifts kept players engaged and on their toes.
Faction-Based Missions: Certain missions were tailored to specific factions, incorporating the lore and culture of each group. For example, a Federation mission might focus on diplomacy and exploration, while a Klingon mission emphasized combat and honor.
Branching Dialogues: I designed complex branching dialogue systems that empowered players to make meaningful choices impacting both the narrative and gameplay. Each decision was crafted to resonate with the themes of Star Trek, ensuring that players faced choices that felt authentic to the universe. For example, a decision to support a particular faction might lead to unique mission paths or alter the dynamics of alliances within the game, enriching the overall player experience. This system not only increased replayability but also allowed players to feel their decisions had real consequences, echoing the weighty choices faced by Starfleet officers.
Character-Driven Dialogue: The dialogue system was designed to allow players to engage deeply with crew members and NPCs, fostering meaningful relationships within the game. Each character was crafted with a distinct personality, and their reactions to player decisions influenced the narrative's progression. As players navigated through conversations, they could build or diminish trust with their crew, affecting future interactions and potential story outcomes.
Exploration Node - Locator Objects displaying options
Each node was interconnected within the galaxy, giving players the freedom to chart their own course. These branching pathways added layers of complexity and replayability, as players made decisions on which routes to take based on their preferred playstyle, resources, or narrative direction.
Technical Setup: To ensure that each node functioned correctly, I set up detailed data sheets that controlled the behavior and content of each node type. These data sheets allowed for quick iteration and balancing of gameplay elements. I also defined the specific parameters of each node type, such as the nature of the encounter, resource rewards, and potential narrative outcomes. This allowed for efficient iteration and ensured that all aspects of the node maps were easily customizable during development.
Narrative Design
Exploration Node - Reaction Dialogue based off dialogue choice.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Designed and balanced dynamic combat encounters that challenged players with evolving strategies and engaging narratives tied to the Star Trek lore.
Developed intricate branching narratives, allowing players to make impactful choices that shaped the game's storyline and character interactions.
Designed a wide array of mission types, including combat scenarios, exploration tasks, and diplomatic engagements, ensuring a variety of gameplay experiences that catered to different player preferences.
Drove the design of the in-game economy, ensuring a rewarding progression system that incentivized player investment while maintaining fairness and balance.
Leveraged core game mechanics to create missions that highlighted the strategic depth of the combat system, ensuring that players could utilize character abilities, team synergies, and tactical positioning in meaningful ways during missions.
Designed and developed complex node maps that served as the backbone of the player’s journey, providing strategic pathways for exploration and engagement
Worked closely with narrative designers, artists, and programmers to ensure that mission design was cohesive and aligned with overall game mechanics and visual storytelling.
As a game designer for Star Trek Legends, I played a pivotal role in crafting an immersive experience that encapsulates the essence of the Star Trek universe. My responsibilities included designing intricate missions and levels that invite players to explore a variety of environments, from iconic starships to alien worlds, all while engaging in narrative driven quests that resonate with the franchise's rich lore.
A key aspect of my work involved node map creation, where I developed intuitive and visually appealing layouts that guide players through their journey. These maps not only facilitate exploration but also enhance strategic decision-making by presenting players with meaningful choices at each node, influencing their path and the unfolding narrative.
In terms of level design, I focused on creating dynamic spaces that foster engaging gameplay and showcase the unique characteristics of each setting. By integrating environmental storytelling and interactive elements, I aimed to immerse players in the lore while providing a sense of discovery and adventure.
Additionally, I designed dynamic combat encounters that blend tactical decision-making with character-specific abilities, allowing players to strategize and adapt their approach in turn-based battles. Each encounter was meticulously crafted to offer layers of challenge and excitement, ensuring that players feel a genuine sense of accomplishment as they navigate through thrilling confrontations.
I also contributed to shaping the in-game economy, balancing resource management with progression mechanics. By designing a fair and rewarding economy, I aimed to enhance player engagement and retention, creating a seamless flow that encourages exploration and experimentation.
Design Overview
Encounter design
Encounter Compositions: I designed encounters to highlight the unique abilities of different characters, encouraging players to experiment with team compositions and find effective synergies among their crew members.
Story Integration: Each encounter was tied to the larger narrative, with meaningful context that deepened player immersion and investment in the story. This included character backstories, ongoing conflicts, and thematic elements that resonated with the Star Trek universe.
Choice-Driven Outcomes: Many encounters included decision points that could alter the course of the scenario, providing players with the agency to influence both immediate outcomes and the overarching narrative.
Scaling Difficulty: I implemented difficulty scaling that adjusted encounters based on player progression, ensuring that challenges remained engaging without becoming frustrating.
Reward Systems: Encounters were designed to offer a variety of rewards, including resources, character upgrades, and narrative choices, motivating players to engage with each scenario fully.
Ability Synergies: I designed combat abilities that encouraged synergies between different characters and roles. Players could build teams around specific strategies, such as using healers and tanks to outlast the enemy or focusing on high-damage characters to end battles quickly.
Turn-Based Mechanics: The turn-based combat system was designed to be both accessible and deep. Players had to consider positioning, cooldowns, and resource management when planning their turns. The addition of status effects like shields, stuns, and debuffs created layers of strategy that rewarded careful planning.
Economy Design
I was responsible for designing an economy that rewarded players for exploration, combat, and decision-making while avoiding the pitfalls of excessive grinding or paywalls. Key aspects of my economy design work include:
Reward Systems from Nodes: I developed a comprehensive rewards system tied to the various node types players encounter throughout their journey. Each node offered distinct rewards based on the nature of the encounter—whether through combat victories, successful exploration, or meaningful narrative choices. For instance, exploration nodes provided players with rare resources or lore entries that deepened their understanding of the Star Trek universe, while combat nodes rewarded players with experience points, gear upgrades, or unique character abilities. This approach ensured that players felt a tangible sense of achievement with each decision they made.
Scaling System for Difficulties: To accommodate players of varying skill levels and preferences, I implemented a scaling system that adjusted the difficulty of encounters and the rewards associated with them. As players progressed, the challenges they faced would naturally increase, ensuring they remained engaged without feeling overwhelmed. This scaling not only made the gameplay experience more enjoyable but also encouraged players to tackle more difficult encounters for greater rewards, creating a satisfying loop of challenge and reward.
Pacing and Progression: Establishing a balanced pacing was a top priority to keep players motivated throughout their journey. I carefully calibrated the acquisition of resources, experience points, and rewards to ensure that players felt consistently rewarded for their efforts. By strategically placing milestones and pacing out resource accumulation, I aimed to create a sense of progression that felt natural and rewarding, allowing players to feel a steady sense of growth without becoming overpowered too quickly.
Story-Driven Rewards: I recognized the importance of narrative in the Star Trek universe, so I integrated story-driven rewards into the economy design. Key decisions and successful encounters often unlocked unique character arcs, additional lore, or special narrative-driven items that enhanced players’ connections to the story. This approach not only incentivized players to engage with the narrative but also created a sense of investment in their chosen paths and outcomes, making their decisions feel impactful within the broader story.
By focusing on these key elements, I ensured that the economy was engaging, balanced, and aligned with the core values of exploration and decision-making. This design philosophy allowed players to fully immerse themselves in the experience, feeling rewarded and connected to the game’s narrative throughout their journey.