Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 19

Thread: Code of Honor - Starfleet

  1. #1

    Code of Honor - Starfleet

    I've looked in my books and dug around on these boards and I haven't really found what I'm looking for. Does anyone have a specific set of guidelines on what the Starfleet Code of Honor Disadvantage would require of a player? I can guess at this point that Kirk wouldn't have it and Picard would, but beyond generally "following the rules" I'm not really sure I know exactly what rules you would need to stick to in order to not lose renown. Thanks for any thoughts or advice.

    Oh, and it anyone has ideas or wrtie-ups of other Code of Honor examples feel free to drop them here. Thanks

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
    Location
    S/E Queensland Australia
    Posts
    870
    page 93 Star Trek DS-9 RPG

    StarFleet code of honor -4
    Must uphold the ideals and policies of StarFleet, including the prime directive.

    I always took it as a Defender (defend the weak), Honesty (always tell the truth) and Prime Directive (do not interfere with pre-warp cultures development) codes of honor rolled into one.

    I don't have a list of the Directives, maybe someone else could list them.
    AKA-Dean
    "I will never make excuses for who I am. It is the way I was born. I am a HUNTER. a BONE COLLECTOR."
    Wave Man, the term "wave man" is the English translation of 'Ronin' (Japanese word) and literately translates to "wandering person" and in a modern context a WaveMan is one who is socially adrift or a SalaryMan who is between employers.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
    Location
    S/E Queensland Australia
    Posts
    870
    AKA-Dean
    "I will never make excuses for who I am. It is the way I was born. I am a HUNTER. a BONE COLLECTOR."
    Wave Man, the term "wave man" is the English translation of 'Ronin' (Japanese word) and literately translates to "wandering person" and in a modern context a WaveMan is one who is socially adrift or a SalaryMan who is between employers.

  4. #4
    If a PC takes it, I think you should get the character's player to outline a 3- or 4-point list of what they see their character believing the code of conduct to be. Keep it to a small number of points, since that establishes what the PC sees as the 'true priorities' of a Starfleet officer amongst the array of regulations and directives.
    Portfolio | Blog Currently Running: Call of Cthulhu, Star Trek GUMSHOE Currently Playing: DramaSystem, Swords & Wizardry

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
    Location
    S/E Queensland Australia
    Posts
    870
    Quote Originally Posted by The Tatterdemalion King View Post
    If a PC takes it, I think you should get the character's player to outline a 3- or 4-point list of what they see their character believing the code of conduct to be. Keep it to a small number of points, since that establishes what the PC sees as the 'true priorities' of a Starfleet officer amongst the array of regulations and directives.
    IMO all Star Fleet officers should have this disadvantage, it would be ingrained into them right from the first day of the academy. I would also make defining it both a Player and Referee's responsibility. I would never leave something as important as a Code Of Honor solely up to a player. 'True priorities' would be defined by Star Fleet (as in the referee) not by the officers (as in the players) serving.
    AKA-Dean
    "I will never make excuses for who I am. It is the way I was born. I am a HUNTER. a BONE COLLECTOR."
    Wave Man, the term "wave man" is the English translation of 'Ronin' (Japanese word) and literately translates to "wandering person" and in a modern context a WaveMan is one who is socially adrift or a SalaryMan who is between employers.

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by WaveMan View Post
    IMO all Star Fleet officers should have this disadvantage.
    Apart from the admirals. They seem to lack it... lots...
    DanG/Darth Gurden
    The Voice of Reason and Sith Lord

    “Putting the FUNK! back into Dysfunctional!”

    Coming soon. The USS Ganymede NCC-80107
    "Ad astrae per scientia" (To the stars through knowledge)

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by WaveMan View Post
    'True priorities' would be defined by Star Fleet (as in the referee) not by the officers (as in the players) serving.
    To paraphrase T.S. Eliot, they try to define and instill it, but between the intention of the instructors and the acts of the officers falls the shadow. To interpret that code in actual situations and attempt to live up to it is where the actual game happens. It says Star Trek on the book, after all. It's important for the player to define it because it needs to be a code that the player values and believes in, otherwise challenging that code in scenarios has no emotional weight in the game. You can't just tell a player to believe in the things their PC believes in emotionally.

    Frankly, I think it's a dumb Disadvantage, because it gives you free points for having a psychological framework that everybody has—or at least, is assumed to have in Star Trek. It'd be better to put a 'Code of Honour' section at the top of the character sheet and just give them 4 extra build points at chargen.
    Last edited by The Tatterdemalion King; 10-25-2016 at 05:24 PM.
    Portfolio | Blog Currently Running: Call of Cthulhu, Star Trek GUMSHOE Currently Playing: DramaSystem, Swords & Wizardry

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by The Tatterdemalion King View Post
    Frankly, I think it's a dumb Disadvantage, because it gives you free points for having a psychological framework that everybody has—or at least, is assumed to have in Star Trek. It'd be better to put a 'Code of Honour' section at the top of the character sheet and just give them 4 extra build points at chargen.
    I can see the value of the Code disadvantage when it comes to a more concrete way of adjudicating renown. If Kirk goes against the rules he doesn't suffer, but Picard would because his respect is based in large part on his professionalism and discipline. Same thing with Klingons - Worf's struggles with Codes of Honor on the show (and the behind the scenes hits to his Renown between Klingon and SF communities) was a huge part of all his storylines. The Codes give you a great way of managing that kind of story.

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by Trr View Post
    I can see the value of the Code disadvantage when it comes to a more concrete way of adjudicating renown. If Kirk goes against the rules he doesn't suffer, but Picard would because his respect is based in large part on his professionalism and discipline. Same thing with Klingons - Worf's struggles with Codes of Honor on the show (and the behind the scenes hits to his Renown between Klingon and SF communities) was a huge part of all his storylines. The Codes give you a great way of managing that kind of story.
    I think that Code of Honour should be mandatory, and separated out from the other optional traits. The idea of tying it to particular renown types (and having those work at cross-purposes) has merit, though.
    Portfolio | Blog Currently Running: Call of Cthulhu, Star Trek GUMSHOE Currently Playing: DramaSystem, Swords & Wizardry

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Aug 1999
    Location
    Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
    Posts
    3,490
    I emphatically disagree. Characters like Janeway would likely have the Starfleet Code disadvantage, denoting an especially prominent adherence to Starfleet ideals, but characters like Paris and Torres, both of whom are Starfleet trained would not. Worf probably has it, which tends to conflict with his Klingon Code. It should be up to the player as to how dedicated his character is to Starfleet's ideals. Remember, PCs are supposed to be individuals with all that entails.

  11. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by Owen E Oulton View Post
    I emphatically disagree. Characters like Janeway would likely have the Starfleet Code disadvantage, denoting an especially prominent adherence to Starfleet ideals,
    Except for, you know, the whole genocide thing.

    Quote Originally Posted by Owen E Oulton View Post
    Remember, PCs are supposed to be individuals with all that entails.
    Yeah, that's why each player needs to outline their character's code of honour themselves.
    Portfolio | Blog Currently Running: Call of Cthulhu, Star Trek GUMSHOE Currently Playing: DramaSystem, Swords & Wizardry

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
    Location
    S/E Queensland Australia
    Posts
    870
    the other way to look at is that ONLY those officers that show dedication and adherence to StarFleet principles and codes of conduct (as in the disadvantage Code of Honor StarFleet) would get promoted, those that don't would languish as ensigns and lieutenants (like Tom Paris).
    AKA-Dean
    "I will never make excuses for who I am. It is the way I was born. I am a HUNTER. a BONE COLLECTOR."
    Wave Man, the term "wave man" is the English translation of 'Ronin' (Japanese word) and literately translates to "wandering person" and in a modern context a WaveMan is one who is socially adrift or a SalaryMan who is between employers.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Aug 1999
    Location
    Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
    Posts
    3,490
    Quote Originally Posted by The Tatterdemalion King View Post
    Except for, you know, the whole genocide thing.
    Say what? You must've been watching a vastly different Voyager than I did. Space must have only broadcast those episodes in the GTO...

  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Owen E Oulton View Post
    Say what? You must've been watching a vastly different Voyager than I did. Space must have only broadcast those episodes in the GTO...
    http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/Neurolytic_pathogen

    EDIT: Voyager's writing, on the whole, isn't particularly great for deriving ideas about the overall intentions of the writers in regards to a self-consistent world, especially given RDL's reports of what the environment of the writers' room was like.
    Portfolio | Blog Currently Running: Call of Cthulhu, Star Trek GUMSHOE Currently Playing: DramaSystem, Swords & Wizardry

  15. #15
    Yes, but in all fairness, even the 'sainted' Picard wanted to inflict a genocidal virus upon the Borg via Hugh...

    Not to mention anyone involved in the Section 31 attempt to kill off the founders.

    Starfleet has had a few darker moments... But lets not JUST lay the blame on Janeway
    DanG/Darth Gurden
    The Voice of Reason and Sith Lord

    “Putting the FUNK! back into Dysfunctional!”

    Coming soon. The USS Ganymede NCC-80107
    "Ad astrae per scientia" (To the stars through knowledge)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •