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Reinvent Star Trek
yreodred
Member Posts: 3,527 Arc User
Let's assume you had full control of Star Trek IP and you had to create a concept how to restart Star Trek.
How would the Star Trek universe look like?
Would klingons still have their tradidtional code of "honor" or be more like in TOS?
Would the Borg become a hive of insects, like they where planned in the beginning?
Would you start a new timeline or would you continue a existing one?
Would you keep portraying humanity like G.R. had it in mind or would you change it to a more darker and unfriendlier humanity (like in reality)?
How would the Star Trek universe look like?
Would klingons still have their tradidtional code of "honor" or be more like in TOS?
Would the Borg become a hive of insects, like they where planned in the beginning?
Would you start a new timeline or would you continue a existing one?
Would you keep portraying humanity like G.R. had it in mind or would you change it to a more darker and unfriendlier humanity (like in reality)?
"...'With the first link, the chain is forged. The first speech censured...the first thought forbidden...the first freedom denied--chains us all irrevocably.' ... The first time any man's freedom is trodden on, we're all damaged. I fear that today--"
- (TNG) Picard, quoting Judge Aaron Satie
A tale of two Picards
https://youtu.be/d-f3bscZa0E?t=105(also applies to Star Trek in general)
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Just take a look around and see how the iconic speces behave, what their priorities are, the technology they use, how a lot of the ships look.....
Yeah, Star Trek is being reinvented here and it's full on imperialistic military badass and toys that the 5-year olds would consider "kewl". Don't be suprised if soon you see people using machine guns, tanks and slaughter aliens with an army knife. :rolleyes:
Also, Captain Picard would be elected President of the Federation by write-in and Worf would cut Jm'pok's head off and become Chancellor of the Klingon Empire.
Second, I would not reinvent 'Star Trek'. Instead of doing reboots and movie sequels, I would make a 'Star Trek: The Third Generation' type of show. I would move the timeline 300 years after the events of "TNG".
Third, 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' put the Vulcans into the background; therefore, I would also put the Klingons into the background. Instead of reusing many of the older species, I would design new ones from scratch.
Fourth, 'Star Trek: TOS', 'Star Trek: TNG', 'Star Trek: DS9', and 'Star Trek: Voyager' take place in the milky-way galaxy; therefore, I would start everything on a fresh note. Alpha-Quadrant of the Andromeda Galaxy. Opens the door for new species.
Fifth, the next Enterprise would be an Inter-galactic class starship, which would have the capability to travel to the Andromeda Galaxy. Remember, our species always takes tiny steps forward.
FYI - Andromeda galaxy is the nearest galaxy to the milkyway; therefore, I feel its only logical to head in that direction.
While humanity will remain dominant on the ship, due to 'Star Trek' being about 'our' story, I would not use a single alpha-quadrant species in the new show. I would begin the show as 'first-contact in the Andromeda Galaxy'.
I would have the Federation establish their first base in the Andromeda Galaxy; however, the design of the base would be like nothing we have seen before.
Why?
I live by the following:
Never-ever look backwards in life.
You must always propel yourself forward.
There have been proposals in these forums for a followup Trek series using quantum slipstream drive to explore the Magellanic Clouds, mostly because they're widely known and the title Star Trek: Magellan is hard to resist.
If I were to "reinvent" Trek, though, I think I'd scrap everything done so far since the end of TOS, and go back to the Original Series era, rebuilding the sets and copying the costumes as faithfully as possible, to present the adventures of, say, the Constitution-class USS Yorktown NCC-1704, off having adventures a few sectors away from the infamous Jim Kirk and his Enterprise. The tales would be in a separate timeline from TNG and all subsequent series, and would not be strictly beholden to them (as this seems to be the great downfall of prequels - they have to be limited by what comes after). The sole limitation I would place on them, aside from not violating the concepts of original Trek, is that they can't contradict any of the stories from TOS.
This allows a fresh start whilst respecting the primeline that us Trekkies love.
I'd reboot the original timeline, though with the variation I'm about to insert, it might look radically different.
1. THE TIMES: (they are a'changin') I'd push back the start of the various lore histories. The Eugenics War, for example, would take place in a time in which supermen genetic manipulation, cryogenics, and long-range sleeper ships are probable (and where the ships are common enough that a Botany Bay could go missing without record in the jumbled aftermath). Say 2150-ish. This will, of course, mean Kirk's generation will actually be more likely 24th century or even early 25th century.
2. KLINGONS: Yes, Klingons will still have an honor code, though it will likely be a bit more stable, rather than just "I don't like your sense of honor, so you have none." I rather like Ford's interpretation of Klingon culture in the book "The Final Reflection" so I'd likely incorporate lots of it, including establishing klin'zha as the Klingon "chess", complete with the gladiatorial houses format of it.
3. HUMANITY: I'd probably portray humanity as having made significant progress but still a bit rough around the edges. In other words, like they were often portrayed in DS9. Trying to tell ongoing new stories when you've reached the pinnacle are often less interesting than the struggle to get there. Most notably, I think I'd want the philosophy of the Prime Directive to still be developing. In making mistakes, you learn.
4. TRAVEL: Distances would not be arbitrary and plot driven. If Khitomer is on the other side of the Federation, a clearly defined transwarp drive better indeed be able to get me there, or I simply will not reach the battle in time.
5. CULTURE: If by "monolithic" worffan101 means that cultures would not be internally homogenous, then yes, I fully agree. There should be a political face the entire planet turns outward, but there should still be subcultures and their variation on closer inspection. I for one look forward to a Klingon version of Southern USA culture, complete with a stereotypical sub-set of good ol' boys with hunting targ, camo wardrobe, and a battleth rack in whatever passes for a mud-covered hunting truck.
6. CONSEQUENCES: No episode will ever be written as a one-off. If I battle a giant space amoeba and win, know that there will, at very least, be later mention of a Starfleet hunt for the critter's origin, and any additional amoebas found posing a threat will be put down. If you say there is a society of Gorn out there strong enough to fight a war with the Federation, you'd better make sure they're not just a one-episode species.
7. SUSPENSION OF BELIEF: No parallel Earths will spring up with Romans, Yangs & Coms, or whatever, unless it can be rationally explained to the viewing audience. Ideally, you'll have a history teacher who errs grievously by teaching another culture the efficiencies of fascism. That at least doesn't stretch things too far. PS: saying another Earth fell through a tear between universes is not enough. You'll have to explain why it is dozens of light years from our earth.
Also, miracles will be rare. If I administer a Klingon nerve agent as a cure for a radiation creating old age, my captain will not step onto the bridge with the hair of a 35-year old. He will need time to recover, including damaged hair growing out and new hair growing in.
8. BORDER CROSSING: The Federation will be shown to be a Swiss-cheese map. There will need to be holes in it, marking where societies live that are either not space-faring yet, or are not interested/ready to join the Federation. Some of these may be more than one system. The borders of the Federation will be internal as well as external, and guarding such an arrangement/allowing passage for trade through the Federation will present challenges that generate stories. For example: what happens when a 4-system society has no hostile intent toward the Federation, but desires to trade with the Romulans or Klingons? How does the Federation not allow their enemies a corridor, but not alienate another society in the process?
9. CROSS CULTURE: The Federation will be better seen as a blending of cultures. Later Trek did this better than TOS. I want to see edible food from Andoria and half a dozen other cultures on humans' menus. But I also want to see a list of foods to avoid as toxic to humans. I'd want to see decor from several cultures, and several time periods of those cultures. Make it feel a lived-in interactive society.
10. ONE BIG HAPPY FAMILY: Humans may have been the founding stone of the Federation, but if I've got 100+ humanoid species, there ought to be a lot less humans and a lot more aliens present in Star Fleet, particularly in command positions.
Similarly, other empires (Klingons, Romulans, Cardassians, etc.) will show the effects of their conquests. There will be a variety of species shown, either as integrated to the society, or slave to it. This was handled a bit better as Trek progressed, but still was more like a single subservient race in most cases (Cardassian/Bajoran). (Son'a and The Dominion being notable exceptions)
11. SHIP TECHNOLOGY: I'd need to portray something that actually looks like it was invented in the future. So no raised buttons on control panels. I'm not even sure touchpads would be in use. I'm imagining 3D interactive holography, with the ability to change interactive spots based on the species at the station. If an Edosian can use all three hands, why not allow him a "desktop" mode that is efficient to three hands instead of two?
12. THE RULE OF FIVE: On my payroll will be a bright five-year-old fan, and script concepts will be run past him. Any plot holes he can spot, or any parts at which he gets bored will be corrected before a final script is submitted.
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The Klingon Empire has completely collapsed; the combination of the preexisting decline and the stress of fighting the Iconians ultimately destroyed it; and the species has scattered. The Romulan Republic is a close ally of the Federation, as is the Tholian Assembly, whose actions were instrumental in winning the war against the Iconians. The Federation has now expanded partway across Andromeda, while the Tholians have conquered certain alternate universes and time periods. The Borg are still around, but are more of a nuisance than anything; they mostly stick to the Delta Quadrant after getting consistently beaten back by everyone else, particularly the Tholians, who are entirely capable of utterly curbstomping them.
In Andromeda, the Coalition (the term for the alliance between the Republic, Federation, Dominion, and Assembly that won the Iconian War) has encountered a species of nomadic, non-humanoid aliens with a rather nihilistic culture, called the Qorep (working name; it's kind of silly, I know). Nonetheless, they're on about equal terms with the Coalition in terms of technology and power, and so conflicts are mostly relegated to border skirmishes as the Coalition expands.
The Federation was very nearly destroyed shortly after the Iconian War when its internal structure collapsed and government officials attempted to seize control of the galaxy, stirring up a belief in human superiority and a distrust of non-humanoids due to the Iconian crisis to nearly start a war with the Tholians. The revolution was barely averted, but humanity has come off wiser and humbler as a result.
The series centers around a military vessel, of a class descended from the Prometheus line, tasked with patrolling certain sectors of Andromeda. It is commanded by a largely non-human crew, including a Tholian first officer and a captain who belongs to a shapeshifting species related to the Founders.
But as exploration continues, the Qorep begin to coalesce, becoming more organized. Something is behind this, and the crew will soon find themselves arrayed against a visceral parasitic species encountered only once before...
Why would you think it differs?
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Hmmm.....let's see:
If you can't see this happening, yeah, you're not only missing something but a lot of things, aparently.
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Then you didn't understand my initial post at all.
Oh, make place, the CDF brigade has arrived!!! :rolleyes:
Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you jonsills the clairvoyant - the guy who aparently knows everything about me without ever having met me or talked to me. But that's what clairvoyants do, you know? :rolleyes:
Funny thing is that while the Eugenics Wars were still in the 1990s in them the James Blish TOS adaptions had Star Trek set in the 26th century.
yeah, it would be nice to the the Ford stuff used.
That would be nice.
Also would be nice.
Well again the James Blish TOS adaptions used the 26th century setting to recont those as lost Earth colonies.
Interesting
To be fair TOS was inventing the universe as it went so it a little unfair to compare it to the shows where it was firmly established.
Interesting.
The thing is, what would YOU make different?
Forget everything Cryptic has done to Star Trek.
Now, YOU are in FULL control of it. :cool:
What would you change? Which elements would you keep?
(you know let the fantasy flow...... )
@steamwright
@kestrellius
I really enjoyed your posts.
I don't think that's exactly reinventing. While some might argue that Cryptic is "dumbing down" STO into a mindless action game, I don't think that's quite the case. They're basically to scrunch a Star Trek game into the traditional dungeon crawler RPG style, because that's what modern MMOs are. There's only so much you can do when the core premise of the game style is "fight new enemies" and "get new loot." This is a problem with the modern MMORPG, not specifically with STO. It's like trying to paint a picture with a brick.
This is fine if you're playing in the Dungeons and Dragons universe, or even something like Star Wars. The problem is that the stuff that makes Star Trek Star Trek is things like diplomacy, conflict resolution, and exploration. This is doable in STO's distant ancestor, the tabletop role-playing game, where there's a gamemaster who can react realistically and react from moment to moment, but it's not doable when you're dealing with a computer which can't think. Combat is easy: it's hitpoints and angles, and if-then statements. Interactions with another living being are hard to do without becoming forced and mathematical like combat, or else being heavily scripted.
tl;dr: Cryptic doesn't seem to be deliberately trying to alter the nature of Star Trek. Rather, they're attempting to make a Star Trek game using a dungeon crawler framework, and the to are difficult to reconcile.
Edit: Forgot to talk about my take on doing Star Trek. I'll write that up later.
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If they would just try to put Star Trek into the possible game mechanics, they would do a awful job IMO.
There are lots of things that could be done if they wanted to make STO more like Trek, instead of a generic Sci Fi shooter game. They deliberately choose to put a extremely HIGH emphasis on fighting and agressive conflict solving, even if there are several other possible sollutions to create content.
For ex. just look at Space Combat, why do Starfleet ships have to destroy enemy ships instead of just disabling them?
Another thing is they did a awful job in creating Star Trek ships in STO. I'm not talking about ship models, that's just secondarily struff.
Much more important is how they distinguished them.
They created Cruisers, Science ships and Escorts, although 95% of all Starfleet ships where "cruisers" anyway. They simply put all ships into the Stone/Paper/Scissor mold, without concering if it is appropriate or not. For example, the Defiant was a highly specialized exception but Cryptic created a whole branch of ships that completely overpowers any other ships.
I have seen Mods for games like Starfleet Command, Birth of the Federation, Armada I+I and Bridge Commander that where FAR better representation of the Trek universe than Cryptic superficial view of the Trek universe.
To be honest i still don't really understand why they chose to use the Trinity in the first place. Everyone with at least a bit of Trek knowledge must have had his hair stood on end when even thinking about using the trinity on a Trek game.
Sorry for my rambling.
Lets return to more fun things like creating our own Tek version.
I'm looking forward to it.
Ok, let's use 1 example - the UFP that is the pillar of the Star Trek franchise:
- In STO, the Federation looks like a band of loosely tied merenaries. I mean, Starfleet buying alien ships from the Lobi Consortium instead of issuing their own?
- Complete lack of any element of exploration.
- Complete lack of any element of diplomacy as a resolution to situations.
- Removal of 1-st contact missions.
- Ships that don't follow the flow of design (I'm looking at you, Imperial. I mean just look at the name of the class - "Imperial")
- Starfleet issue ships with black hull. :rolleyes:
- Mass Effect looking armors, furthermore using "alien" Mass Effect armors as well.
- Taking orders and missions from S31, a terrorist organization.
- Except from 0.1% of the content, every situation is resolved by untamed ammounts of brute force. Almost every mission for the UFP is a slaugterfest.
- Following orders from an oh so obviously maniacal "Admiral" without giving the player any other choice except the brutal murder of medical personel to complete the mission.
- Portraying the leadership of the Federation as corrupt contemporary polititians: "We will adhere to the treaty of Algeron as a form of extending our hand in friendship, but we'll also develop a cloaking Avenger Class behind your backs" ; "The Federation President pushed a law allowing alien citizens dual citizenship and used the support of those new voters to win the ellections for President once again"...
Need I really go on? When you put this next to the portrayal of the UFP in the actual ST shows/movies, you'll see what I ment by "reinventing". They're essentially reinventing the role, purpose, behavior, aesthetics, moral and ethic code of the Federation, for one.
I'm not debating why are they doing this, wheather is forced necesity for the game or just whims of the authors - I'm just stating the obvious.
P.S. I'll get back to making my view on the topic later yreodred, need some time, it'll probably be a longer one.
Start with a consistent timeline. It doesn'T have to be consistent with our real timeline so far, IMO. Let's split of the timeline at some point that seems convenient.
I would definitely steal more from the John. M. Ford Klingons. I would keep a lot of the Moore Klingons, too.
I would try to make non-humans a stronger part of ship crews. I would also try to have more non-humanoid aliens.
If I wasn't to reinvient Star Trek, just make a new series, I advance the timeline another 100 years and start with intergalactic exploration. A new Enterprise starts exploration in the Andromeda or Pegasus galaxy, and we meet new aliens, new empires.
People are to tied up with the exploration system as the only form of exploration that could exist in a Star Trek game. It's not. Exploration is simply part of missions. Most recent example would be the time you explore the Dyson Sphere, or the Solar Array in the Dyson SPhere. That is exploration. Earlier powerful examples would be the discovery of New Romulus. That is all exploration.
Just like exploration, this is also part of missions. Not all missions require you to kill everything and everyone. There are missions that contain only combat, but there are also missions where you "diplomance" with people. Even if they may also contain combat.
Anyway, this is completely off-topic and has nothing to do with the actual topic. Let's help yeodred get some answers to his questions.
Let's face it Cryptics office doesn't seem to have lot of Star Trek fans in it. Not only that, they seem to lack any respect to the idea of Star Trek in general, they also obviously try to deconstruct everyting it stands for.
They want to create a Mass Effect/BSG like game?
I'm ok with that, but they should be stopped to destroy Star Trek because of their personal likings. They should have rather created their own Sci Fi universe, similar like they did with Champions Online, which doesn't follow DC or Marvel.
Did you notice, some entries at Memory alpha already have STO references.
That really scares me TBH.
I'm already curious about it.
NBC never cleared "Assignment: Earth" to be made as a series, unfortunately.