Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Space the final frontier

Lately I've been watching a lot of Original Series Star Trek and Enterprise episodes. I prefer the style of these series to the Next Gen stuff simply because they are a little more gonzo and a lot more fun. I guess what I find exciting about the franchise is that it is not only science fiction but fiction based on concepts of science (interesting). Although not as science fantasy as Flash Gordon (or Star Wars) the original series sure does have its swashbuckling moments (fun).


The 2009 Star Trek movie really got my trek imagination going and immediately I started thinking about the FASA Star Trek RPG. I conceived of a ret-coned Trek Universe of my own and started making some basic notes and reading up on what was considered canon. Quite honesty my concept of the Trek universe was based in no small part on the 1975 "Star Trek Star Fleet Technical Manual" by Franz Joseph as well as the "Star Trek Compendium". I guess its no wonder that I am a big fan of the FASA Trek universe seeing as its based in a large part on the Star Fleet Technical manual. This work (as well as the very cool FASA Trek Universe) is by no means considered canon but I prefer it I suppose because of my exposure to it in the early eighties before the Next Generation existed.






This past week I started writing notes on adventure ideas trying to use science as the main story element and building on the consequences of its use. I'm considering black hole time distortion, the cloning of consciousness and alien perception manipulation.


So far i've got two concepts of how the fleet relates to the players.
1. There is a fleet of Constitution class starships (similar the the Enterprise) that acts like a kind of coastguard and special forces unit that reacts to events occurring in Federation space.


2. There is a secret shadow to the Enterprise that is also on a Five Year Mission. It is not made public and is in place to guarantee success in case the Enterprise were to fail. Its mission is very similar but takes place in another section of the Federation and surrounding areas than explored by the Enterprise.