How to run a game Abrams style

[BouncyCaitian]

"By Any Other Name"

1) The Kelvins did not have to take the human form to adapt to the Galaxy, but use them to acclimate and observe. Their true form (if any) is utterly horrifying to the senses (The Full Lovecraft, boys and girls).

2) The barrier at the Edge of the Galaxy did rupture their vessel (who's set of physical laws didn't take kindly to it) and they had to crash within range of the ship. While primitive, the ship with modification will serve thier needs.

3) The return to Andromeda is something of a misnomer. The Kelvin Empire has a outpost in one of the Magellanic clouds and is preparing an all out invasion force for the Alpha and Beta Qudrants in thier "Ships?" (Technoorganic nightmares)

[AslanC]

Pick up the on going comic series from IDW, they are tending to do classic episodes of TOS set in the Nu Trek. I gotta say while I hate the movies this doesn't suck.

[Tricky]

I mentioned the IDW series in another thread: Return of the Archons is more "evil Star Fleet" stuff, from what I remember.

Thinking of the Kelvins, what if you take the Lovecraft level up to 11? They aren't from another galaxy, they are from a different dimension; their craft didn't so much crash as cease to function in our strange 3-D space. They are attempting to find a way back to their universe or stabilize their ability to exist in ours, perhaps using a warp bubble to create stable X-D space, or creating something like the Spheres from ENT.
As for the bodies they are using: what creeps you out more? Stolen human bodies (some hapless survey crew?) Created human forms (thought energy, hardlight holos, androids or real flesh)? Or maybe they have been remade as human (with hints at distinct inhuman traits), and barely able to handle being made something so...alien.

[BouncyCaitian]

well that kinda was the Plot of B5: Thirdspace (which JMS admitted was a Cthulhu Tal)

[Tricky]

Good writers borrow from other writers; the great one's steal outright.

[BaronVonStevie]

when they stick to the original episodes, the IDW series is good. when they try anything original, it's pretty bad IMO.

Even though I too enjoy the series, I don't think they try hard enough to re-imagine those episodes. They tell them pretty much straight with a twist here or there... the idea of the Abrams Trek is that it's supposed to be "not your father's Star Trek" and yet, often times, the comics end up being exactly that.

[selek]

But, then it shouldn't be, as we would be trying to run a roleplaying adventure, probably with different characters than the original crew. I'm sure no one wants to rerun a TV episode exactly for their RPG, just borrow some of the more interesting situations and ideas.

It's been a while since this was posited, but upon re-reading the thread, I feel inspired to respond.

With this statement, you have conceded my point: You are not playing "Balance of Terror", merely borrowing elements of its premise for your plot.

By altering its essential nature, you have turned it from one story into another, just as altering the atomic/molecular structure of gold turns it into something else (and Doctor Horrible's protestations to the contrary notwithstanding, it defeats the purpose of taking it in the first place ).

In other words, we don't want to play "Balance of Terror", we want to have our own adventure finding out why Romulans are attacking Neutral Zone outposts.

Which, in and of itself, is not the least bit objectionable. I have no objection to borrowing elements or premises to tell a new and interesting story- only in pretending that the new story and the old are one-and-the-same.

This is, ultimately, an old argument- one that I doubt will ever be resolved to everyone's satisfaction.

Suffice it to say, that if one replace Kirk, Spock, and McCoy with Ray, Egon, and Winston (Zedmore) and substitute poltergeists for Klingons, and particle throwers for phasers, then you are no longer playing "Star Trek", but "Ghostbusters In Space."

No matter how relentlessly one might deny the reality, one cannot simply convert gold into lead and pretend that it's still gold.

[sariel2005]

Some thought on playing in the Abramverse

Style is a big difference as noted it should be faster paced but also

look over the movie and take notes as to the visual style.

Everything is BIGGER. A ships Bridge is full of people and is brightly lit. the viewscreen is also an actual window . Its bright it GLEAMS.
In contrast the Engine room is also massive but is full of walkways, its INDUSTRIAL, its dangerous. everything has an extreme feel capture that in descriptions.

Space - IS Big and the ships are FAST, planets we know are hours away, not days ( Warp seems almost to be transwarp as far as I can see) don't forget the scope of everything.

Make a note of visuals - phaser fire fast moving bolts of energy, not beams, when they hit things there are EXPLOSIONS. again its purely the way its described but it makes a difference.

Uniforms, pay attention to the many different uniforms and outfits for different things. Officers don't go into a danger zone in bright red uniforms, they are armoured or dressed in black. Off ship they wear smart uniforms.

Aliens are different, its worth paying attention to them, they are more varied than the TV shows, Think Star Wars and let your self go. Also note the differences in aliens we know. The Orions have red hair. The Klingons have face armour.

Consider the political situation. Romulans are a more well known quantity, heavily monitored their language understood and their faces recognised. The Klingons are agressive and on the brink of war. The Orions are integrated into Federation society to some degree. And everyone is on the doorstep.

Avoid the magic meeting room at all costs, discussions should be on the fly with action always around the corner.

Characters are more competent more quickly - an officer can have his own ship four years out of the academy remember so don't be afraid to give a few extra picks to beginning characters.