So, here’s a question for you all.
We all revert to the Memory Alpha website for a lot of our ‘canon’ info, but there’s bee a LOT of really smart, creative authors out there in the Trek-verse who don’t work for Modiphius. So who or what is one of your go-to sources for interesting stuff that isn’t ‘official’ for this publisher?
[Note: I mean absolutely NO disrespect to Modiphius or its Star Trek authors here. There’s a lot of material out there, much of which wouldn’t fit in with Modiphius’ system or vision of the Trek-verse anyway. This is just meant as an idea generator and way to find out what people are thinking]
Here are some my obvious ones:
The Constitution -class and D7 deckplans published by FASA
Mr. Scott’s Guide to the Enterprise
The Klingon Dictionary by Okuda
The Enterprise D deckplans by Pocket Books
There’s much more, but I want to give others room to chime in.
I have 38 deck plans in digital and 21 physical.
I also have a large amount of digital maps.
In addition I have several of the pocket book guides and atlas’s.
I also like to use various props for handouts with.
After this weekends con I will post the initial message that opens the scenario I am starting with.
I use the TrekGuide Stardate Calculator pretty heavily to weave canon events into the background of my campaign and run prequels/sequels to on-screen episodes.
Like a lot of people, I also lean on Star Trek Online occasionally. My campaign isn’t set in that era but the character creation tools are really useful, it’s great for taking pictures of things like the player ship docked at DS9, and I’ve nabbed the odd map when I haven’t had time to create my own.
There’s a wealth of Star Trek reference material out there that serves as research as I work on the books or finds its way into my game sessions. The many excellent Eaglemoss/Hero Collector hardcover books, technical manuals, all the FASA, Decipher, and LUG Star Trek materials, Stellar Cartography, Star Charts, Worlds of the Federation, the novels, comic books, video games, etc. etc.
Figure if there’s any Star Trek reference that’s either readily available or was once readily available, I have a well-used copy on the shelf next to my computer for easy reference.
Aachen Class
Akira Class
Archer
Automated Subspace Relay Platform
Class 2 Station
Constitution
Constitution Refit
Danube
Defiant
Enterprise A
Enterprise E
Federation Class
Federation Deepspace Research Facility 39
Galaxy Class
Intrepid Class
Knox Class
MK-XII Cargo Ship
Miranda Class (2 versions)
Nova Class
Oberth Class
Powell Class long range shuttle
Saladin Class destroyer
Shermin Class Cargo Drone
Steamrunner Class
Tempest Miranda Class refit
It looks like Constitution, Constitution refit and Enterprise A should all be the same thing, but they are
different versions of maps. I use the one that appeals at the time.
Memory Alpha is a good resource. But I’ve also found myself using the Hidden Universe Travel Guides for Vulcan and the Klingon Empire. They’re not 100% canon as they pull some of their sources from the novels and other sources along with established canon. But they do well in a pinch if you need a source of inspiration.
I sincerely hope you noticed the slight whiff of irony in my posting…
On that note: There’s also Memory Beta and, I think, Memory Gamma, for licensed and fan-work, respectively. None of it is canon, but it sure is a source of inspiration one can use.
Actually, I use every reliable source for Star Trek that I can, and I have a LOT of what was published since the 80’s. The main source, naturally, is the Star Trek The Next Generation Technical Manual, which our old friend and Gamemaster (dearly departed) Joe Sanchez, made us all MEMORIZE. Joe created what became the ST Roleplaying Game by Last Unicorn Games back in the early 90’s. All of us were sworn to secrecy, but promised we’d be mentioned as Game Testers. Well, LUG reneged when they bought the rights to Joe’s game. Our original characters are still there, on pages 60-61, but all of our names are absent–including Joe’s! That always bothered me, especially now that both Joe and Ricky have suffered strokes. Joe passed on, but I keep in touch with Ricky, our old Tellarite chief engineer. Here’s the cover of the book, after LUG finally published it:
true of any wiki. it’s best to remember they’re ultimately a nerds opinion reported as facts. I’m not eneugh of a trek lore guy to spot em for trek. but I’ve got the knowledge base to spot them on wookiepedia for SW. the most common ones in my experiance are commonly held fan assumptions, reported as facts.
