The Voyage Home?

I've been a little disappointed in Star Trek of late.

July marks the 50th Anniversary of Star Trek, and what exactly do we fans have to show for it? In some ways, a lot.

There is a new film out now, a new TV series on the way, a ton of fan friendly merchandise out, and Star Trek Online is still going strong - Star Trek is back in a big way, and we are celebrating that with the 50th Anniversary. 

Right? Hmmm. Why doesn't it feel like a celebration?

• I am completely uninterested in the new movie. 
• The new Star Trek TV series with be available primarily on CBS/Paramount's subscription service.*
• I am unlikely to sign up for the CBS All Access subscription service just to watch one show.
• Especially if I don't know if that show will be any good. Based on the three recent films, I'm not encouraged.
• CBS/Paramount has created new rules for the production of Fan Films. They seem very limiting, and in some aspects somewhat draconian based on what has been produced by Star Trek fans in the past. If you've seen the level of quality, and dedication already put in by people who love your IP, why restrict that so much?
• The rules prevent, or at least severely curtail Star Trek Continues, Star Trek: The New Voyages, and of course, the much anticipated, and beleaguered Axanar.
• Star Trek Online is boring. It's cool how they've added a lot of new material over the years, and the current Original Series and time travel expansion is kind of fun, but after a few weeks, I'm already tired of it.

This is it? This is the 50th Anniversary of the most beloved Science Fiction Television series of all time? SERIOUSLY?!?

Captain...long range sensors have detected an unknown object approaching.

Eh? Very well Mr. Barkley, ahead at full impulse. Bring us about, and put it on the main viewer.

Aye, sir. We have it.

Magnify.

...Captain...it's...

Red Alert! Red Alert! Shields up!

A NEW STAR TREK RPG?!? HOLY HORTAS ON HANSEN'S PLANET!!!

UPDATED: 07/22/16

Star Trek Adventures is a brand new, official Star Trek Role-Playing Game from a company called Modiphius Entertainment, makers of Achtung! Cthulhu, Mutant Chronicles, Conan, Infinity, and John Carter of Mars.

[OK, real talk - I don't know anything about these games, or very little to be sure. I've not played any of them because, they don't really fall in my areas of interest. Not my wheelhouse so to speak. I played the original Mutant Chronicles, but didn't really like it so much that I needed to check out the new one. Are any of these any good? Can someone chime in? I've heard good things about Achtung! Cthulhu - it is supposed to be really cool - but I've really heard nothing about any of these.]

The game uses Modiphius' house system which appears in all their games. All I know about it is it uses 2d20. That worries me a little, but maybe it's not that bad. I'll keep an open mind.

I don't have a lot of other information to detail here. I recommend following the link to Modiphius' website where they actually give quite a lot of information through the answering of a list of 18 questions.

The part that got me really excited was this:

1. Which Star Trek shows will the game cover?

 
"Star Trek Adventures will cover Star Trek the Original Series, Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager and Enterprise as well as all of the original and Next Generation films. It does not include the new reimagined films by JJ Abrams."

Well. Now you're talking.

It looks promising, if not for the game itself then as source material for a FASA, or Last Unicorn Games based Star Trek campaign. Plus crew miniatures! The point is, there will be new gaming products for Star Trek.

I really can't ask for more.

Happy Anniversary Star Trek! You are, and always shall be, my friend.

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Barking Alien

UPDATED: I had the pleasre of talking to Chris Birch of Modiphius Entertainment via Facebook post today, as he came in to our Star Trek RPG Discussion Group there. Not only was he very nice, well spoken, and informative (within the parameters of what he can say at this juncture of course), but he conveyed an extremely important quality for me - he is a fan of Star Trek. He states, "I didn't want to fasten the Star Trek name to the 2D20 system. I wanted to make a great Star Trek game. The system has been adjusted/modified to fit Star Trek and not the other way around" - paraphrasing.

I'm feeling really good about this endeavor. Spring/Summer 2017 can't come soon enough.

Also - Duh! I just remember I have a good friend who works for Modiphius. LOL. A shout out to Lloyd Gyan, who expertly DID NOT TELL ME ABOUT THIS PROJECT!. That's right, somehow my pal kept the fact that he was working for a company doing a Star Trek RPG secret from me, Adam 'Starfleet or Die!' Dickstein. I'm impressed. They should either give this man a raise, a promotion, or transfer him to the British Intelligence service.

*The new Star Trek series will be available for viewing on Netflix for about 188 countries worldwide, but NOT the United States, and Canada. Wonderful. 

PS: There are two other really cool 50th Anniversary items coming out that I'm kind of excited about...

A new edition of the Star Trek Encyclopedia! Woohoo!

Star Trek - 50 Artists 50 Years

A book that collects the work of artists from around the world as well as famous fans, all contributing to an incredible visual array of posters, photos, sculptures, comic strips, textiles and much more to commemorate Star Trek's half-century of exploring the final frontier. 

The Newsroom...No Relation

As the year draws ever closer (and ever more rapidly) toward it's inevitable end, the month of December refuses to let 2013 go quietly.

With a lot of possibilities and an equal number of difficulties, this month, only half over, has been what we in the scientific community call 'A Doozy'.

Before my next full on post, which I hope will be a doozy onto itself, I thought I'd give a shout out to a few very cool people who have kept the positive energy flowing for me this holiday season.

In no particular order:

***

Charles Atkins of the blog Dyvers posted a list of the gaming blogs that are on his blog roll. Many of them will be very familiar to my followers and visitors as well as the gaming community at large. Some, not so much. To me, that's awesome because it lists blogs I may never has known about had such a list not been made. Plus, added bonus, he mentioned Barking Alien and gives it a very positive accompanying blurb.

So, here's a raise cup of Eggnog to Mr. Atkins and his list. Great resource! Thanks Charles.

***

Do you know Joshua Macy? If you don't you should, or at the very least, you should get familiar with his line of currently free RPGs, all using his SFX system. While seeming quirky at first, the system is actually rather brilliant with a nice balance between fluff and crunch and a learning curve that will have you itching to make your own characters, settings and other elements once you get the system.

I say things like 'quirky' and 'get the system' like it's some kind of bizarre approach but really it's not. Rather, it is a twist on familiar concepts that (at least for me) took a second to realize were neither as complicated as it looked or as loose as it seemed.

I have played and recommend Kapow!, the SFX Superheroes RPG and Zap! for Science-Fiction Adventure. Josh used Zap! to run a Google Hangouts Star Trek game I was in and I am currently in his new Supers campaign using Kapow!

Also available are the Medieval Fantasy game Zounds! and Argh!, a Horror RPG.

***

Have I mentioned Star Trek: Axanar to you guys at all? 'Cause, ya'know, Star Trek: Axanar Mother Hubbard!

A fan film motion picture featuring the character of Captain Kelvar Garth of Izar, commanding officer of the USS Ares (pictured above), as he and his allies engage in the famous Battle of Axanar, a major conflict during the Four Years War against the Klingons. I have been following this project very closely and it was this more than anything else that inspired much of my current Star Trek campaign.

The Battle of Axanar occurs around 2245. This is also the year of the launch of the Constitution Class USS Enterprise under Captain Robert April. The start date for our current campaign is 2233, concurrent with the birth year of James T. Kirk. It's all connected. All connected.

Heheheh.

That's all for now. I intend to update the rest of the Star Trek: Journey first session and finally finish an entry I've been working on about Superhero RPGs/gaming very soon.

Stay warm and dry East Coast!

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Barking Alien