So, it’s official now. We’re getting a Solo Roleplaying game and/or random tables deluxe compendium.
Kudos, @Modiphius-Jim that was most certainly unexpected. 
…that I speculated about a streamlined version of the Rules? 
Now I just have to decide which cover I like the most. Call me in a year, or so, I’m too hyped right now!
Until then, @Modiphius-Jim Can I use my regular character for a solo game and/or vice versa?
Absolutely. You can port captains log characters into STA and you can use STA characters with captains log. Guidance in the book to do so.
Character generation for the two games is almost identical, so it’ll be a light lift to go from one to the other.
Skimmed through the PDF. Primarily bought for the random tables (I like random tables) and won’t be disappointed, I guess. A lot of them are re-prints of other books, but, well, that’s what you get when you buy a standalone product that compiles the best material of all the works released so far.
What already did disappoint me, though, are the few(!) tables with 2d20 and/or 3d20 annotations. Especially the Focus tables are weird if simply rolled with 2d20. The tables are presented in alphabetical order. Yet, while rolling a single dice gives flat, even chances of coming up with any number in the range the dice represents, results of rolling more than one dice will be distributed on a bell curve. I do like bell curves, but even more, I like tables that take this into consideration. Easiest way would have been to denote “even/odd” for one dice, taking the numbers of the other, making a table for “+0/+10/+20” (range of six for each on a d20, re-roll on 1 and 20, for example) for the 3d20 option.
As of now, the most probable focus for Command is Journalism. Because, well, it begins with a ‘J’ which happens to be a letter close to the median of the alphabet.
Yes, I already found my workarounds. Yes, it doesn’t change the usability of the tables (which are great, btw, to support character generation for all versions of the game!). Still, this is a detail I cannot say I particularly like.
As an estimate, what proportion of the tables etc is novel content and how much is recycled?
I haven’t counted, though I’m sure some fan will. Other than the tables in the char gen chapter that were adapted from the core book, I’d say maybe 10 tables from Utopia Planitia and Lower Decks were added in. The other 90+ tables are unique to CL.
EDIT: we also had room in CL to include the sector generation system from the Shackleton book.
Well this is pretty neat! I have a few questions:
Will the pdf-only orders have all cover artwork? Or do you have to choose if you buy just the pdf too?
Why isn’t the TNG badge’s oval filled gold? I’m not sure why, but it’s bugging me that it isn’t.
Edit: Is this a test run for streamlined versions of the 2d20 system that might be put in place for other franchises?
Side note: the “…all kinds of games, including alien worlds…” on the store page linked is broken up into 2 bullet points, but is 1 sentence.
I only got the cover of the print I ordered. So, I guess you’ll still have to choose. 
Even though the interior is the same, they’re four separate products, with separate covers, stock numbers, and ISBNs. You get the PDF with the cover you select. If you want all four covers, you’d need to buy all four. Choose wisely.
Design aesthetic to go with the silver TNG badge and leave the interior not filled in.
Not that I’m aware of, though it could certainly be used as the foundation for a whole bunch of other solo 2d20 games if Modiphius wants to do them. Email support early and often and tell them what you want to see.
How could you only know?! 
I did a quick count of all the random tables. I counted 151 tables. I was in kind of a hurry, so take it with a grain of salt and +/- 2 or so. Also, some are just “choose a random department” or so, so you might want to substract about 5 to 10 in total, if this isn’t a “real” table for you!
There are 29 tables that are taken more or less directly of other books. Most are character creation (Core Rules and Player’s Guide) and the star system generation of the Shackleton Expanse. NB: @Modiphius-Jim remembered this tiny little error and there’s now an official errata for it
I try to not state the obvious, too often, but: You’re the best, Jim!
Some of the 25 tables are from other books like the recent Lower Decks supplement. As an addition: Didn’t have the possibility to find out about the backmatter, yet, so maybe I’m off by another one or two tables. Maybe five-to-ten as the Lower Decks Campaign Setting features critter creation.
There are an additional 25 tables that I classified as “evolved”. These are tables that I have seen somewhere else but that have either been adapted from d6 to d20 and/or expanded. Examples are the tables for species/phenomenon creation taken from the Science Division Supplement. These were essentially (massively!) updated for the Captain’s Log book. Another example are the “evolved” mission generation tables. These take root in the three Division Supplements and are massively expanded (to span over a handful of tables) for Captain’s Log.
Well, and then there are 97 tables I considered to be “new”. Again, some (dunno, about ten at max) are some three or four “liners”, but the overall majority are 20-entry tables, with the occasional d40 and d60 tables. Again, not a fan of randomisation choices with these, but of these 97 tables, about 90 or so are flat out d20 tables.
At least two thirds are genuinely new. And I’d say no more than 20% is directly copied without modification (mostly character/system creation rules that just work fine as they are).
Definetly a trove for GMs.
So much goodness and potential fun in this book. I’m looking forward to a coop Lower Decks campaign with my hunny. Thanks, Modiphius! This was truly an unexpected delight.
@Felderburg (who asked in another thread)
Yes, the streamlined rules of Captain’s Log do without either d6, nor talents. Also, you will apparently only need 2d20.
Note that the Dune 2d20 system also omits the d6 so this for itself is something that has turned out to work quite well, before.
Will there be a formfillable version of the forms for those of us who keep everything in electronic form?
Yep, should be ready next week.
Character generation via lifepath actual play is available:
I looked at it the PDF and am taking notes. More Streamlined than normal STA. Will probably do one campaign using the Streamlined rules and one using the normal rules from STA to decide.
Great product though.
Updated the actual play series. Check it out. Char gen, ship gen, and now working through the start of the first mission.
Another update to the AP playlist above. First log entry written and the first scene.
I thought I would post what I have so far. I rolled up Cpt Weston Green commanding the USS Monoceros NCC-601 - a TOS era Hemes class Scout.
For a Mission, I initially rolled SHOW THE FLAG / CONSTRUCT WATER SYSTEM ON PLANET. That sounded sort of “Meh”, so I re-rolled and came up with AID & RELIEF / PLOT COURSE FOR CONVOY.
For an Incident and Theme I rolled MEDICATE / ROGUE SUPERWEAPON. Ok… But then I rolled a Complication and got SHATTERED CHAIN OF COMMAND and as an Event Encounter: DEEP SPACE / A MASSIVE BIOLOGICAL ENTITY INTENT ON DEVOURING EVERYTHING IN SIGHT …
Putting all that together, here is my initial log entry. By the way, I use the old fan Stardate format of YYMM.DD.
ACT I, SC I
Captain’s Log Stardate 2307.24
I have been command of the Monoceros for less than a week and my first mission has already changed. We were four days into our route to Enas to help install a new water system when we were called back to Starbase 15. “Sorry to pull you back, Wes.,” said Commodore Garvin over subspace. “Transfer your cargo over to the CURRY and then come see me in my office.” We docked, transferred the GX-8 water vaporators and I had my Chief Engineer brief the crew of the CURRY while I reported to the Commodore.
“Why the change, Sir?” I asked sitting before his desk.
“There is an affiliated planet to the Federation, Alphosa, “ he replied. “They don’t allow vessels to approach their planet but instead send out trade missions every so often to the Federation. On their latest return trip they were attacked by we don’t know what, but their lead trade negotiator and commander of the caravan’s ship was destroyed and he was killed. The surviving ships came back to SB15. Most want to get back home and are loudly determined to be isolationists. It’s important that the Federation keep the trade lanes open. I need you to get this convoy organized and back to Alphosa. “
“Do we know what attacked them? A hostile polity? An unknown deep space entity?” I asked.
“The Monoceros’ advanced sensor suite should be able to scan whatever attacked them pretty far out,” the Commodore answered confidently. “Get the convoy home and find out what is out there so we can determine a proper response.”
“Aye, aye, Sir.” I said trying to sound as confident as he did, and headed back the ‘Ceros.
I think I will use a A5 ring binder for my game(s), as this will be easier to carry around and also feels more like a journal. For non-metric readers: A5 is exactly half of A4 (long side halved, short side of A4 is long side of A5. So it’s roughly the equivalent of a letter-sized paper, long side halved. Don’t know whether this is actually a thing.
@Modiphius-Jim If there’s a significant non-US/Canada customer base, thinking about Captain’s Log sheets in A5 could be a thing, I think.
It is, lots of journals and such exist about that size.