Gurps Prime Directive Update

[Capt Daniel Hunter]

Originally posted by Eric R.
For one I am more convinced that FASA lost the lisence due to its feud over the Next Generation and its right to produce material for it rather than the old line it went too "military", though it is arguable that one are one and the same.

According to Richard Arnold (who I've spoken to on this subject a few times), Gene Roddenberry did not like the militant slant FASA was taking, and the never-released Gorn sourcebook was the thing that finally lost them the license.

The SFB universe actually slips through a licensing loophole (much to Paramount's chagrin).

[Eric R.]

What side of GR's face was he talking too? And that unfourtunately is not a joke. By the early 90's when FASA dropped the line or had it pulled (believe which ever way you want.) GR had little to do with the whole liscencing deal and even less with the show. Sales were going down rapidly like it was for all games in that period and FASA wanted to get their hands on the TNG so as to reinvigorate the whole line. Enter the TNG Officers Manual, perhaps the most infamous official, unoffical RPG sourcebook ever written and published. That little item was published against Paramounts wishes and the writing was on the wall for FASA anyways. Its a shame as the TNG's first Season source book published at the same time was a good and decent start at trying to fit the new era into the now older and no longer accepted SFC/FASA timeline.

As to a Gorn sourcebook that is news to me, I know they were considering making an SRM for the Gorn as while as a Marine Sourcebook and a ligetamate wargame Called "Operation Doomsday" with Second and third Season TNG sourcebooks and a set of deck plans for the Ent-D in the works. All of which would have tighten the noose so to speak around FASA's neck.

[Eric R.]

Originally posted by Capt Daniel Hunter


The SFB universe actually slips through a licensing loophole (much to Paramount's chagrin).

That was how it got created but not the current situation. by the mid 90's Task Force Games who had gained control of ADB and SFB had more or less killed the game due to Paramounts temporary insanity considering any fan produced material when its layers went about searching out even unoffical fan web sites. Steve Cole who had orignal got permission from Ballintine the publisher of the original SF Tech Manual and Concordance to use material from them. Thus SFB was published.

The fact TFG was still making the game under there won name and not ADB was the sticking point of the loop hole. Steve cole bought the game back from TFG in 97 and reprinted and sold what was left in the werehouses while begining to talk to Paramount and TPTB about republishing. The result was the Deal, in which ADB is barred from using any character names in their product from the shows, any material from the TNG era and now I suppose Ent. era. It is discribed at best as a live and let live situation between the two. Howeevr the big question remainds can SFB move past its own era and make up it own TNG era based on its own material and timeline? That I suppose will be the big question to emerge in years to come if PD is Successful.

[Capt Daniel Hunter]

Eric, Richard was Gene's assistant, and was involved in many of the licensing issues (authors such as Peter David truly hate the guy - he often nixed their story ideas). I happen to know the guy reasonably well, and he's a decent (if single-minded) guy who is very very loyal to Gene. That there was a Gorn book may well have been the ship manual, I don't recall. I do recall that Richard was quite adamant that it was the Gorn book that sealed FASA's fate. He was there. I have no reason to doubt his word.

And sorry, but I disagree with you about FASA's TNG manual. It was, IMHO, utter drek. And yes, neither Paramount nor Gene were happy with it, or it's contents I'm told.

[tonyg]

Eric,

Acutally Gene did have a lot of control over TREK when TNG was lauched. It was beleived by Paramount that a new Star Trek series (as opposed to films around the orignal cast) wouldn't have worked without Roddenberry. And TNG's success let him keep muchof that clout until his health began to fail.

And yes, SFB and PRIME DIRECTIVE didn't please FASA much either.


Probably the MAJOR reason for the decline of FASA TREK is simplier-poor sales. For all the addtional work and cost invloved in making an RPG based on another company's setting, TREK products weren't selling as good as BATTLETECH's were. And FASA kept more profits from BATTLETECH.


THat's why people att the time were saying FAA lost the liscence and had no wish to reaccquire it.

[jedimuldoon]

The only real problem I had with LUG Trek was the fact that everything was SPREAD OUT!

Price of Freedom, Planets of the UFP, Among the Clans and Way of Kolinar should have been ONE book.

Decipher West isn't doing that



I checked out ADB's website...........

mmmm.....they have a WEBSITE for the Star Fleet Universe

they are doing a MAGAZINE

they have mintures

They are coming out with Prime Directive

They are Renowed for coming out with ADVENTURE SUPPLEMENTS

Prime Team

6 Points

As far as I can tell the setting is 2200-2268.

tlhIngan wo' and the UFP never made peace.

They can't do anything from TNG/etc or Enterprise.

That doesn't mean there won't be a pre23rd Century setting.

I'm wondering if there will be a carry over from their "Early Years" book.

THAT I would LUV to see!

the tlhInganpu' and the Rihannsu are closer to the Klinzai and Romulans from the tv series.

YUCK

minus 1 point

working in tandom with GURPS

minus 1 point

I'm flashing back to the DISMAL books titled "Let's Trek Klingons" and "Let's Trek the Federation".

mmm...ok whenever i TRASH LUG Trek just mention the above books.



GURPS Feline Empires should be interesting

I luved the Pocket Books book Uhura's Song or was it Tears for the Singers

it was about Nyota Uhura going on a mission to find the cure for disease that's killing a feline race. She must make contact with a group that left the homeworld a looooooooooong time ago. Ex. the Ti'Valciians and the Rihannsu.

I couldn't stand the Starfleet Command Game

Missiles, Voyager shuttlecraft, no warp cores, never see ships go into warp
no interial dampners,2D environment, no hull damage and no beaming down to a planet.

Missions given by text.

During the "Protect the ship" tuturial I put my vessal in front of a incoming missile. It passed right through me?!

The Federation, tlhIngan and Rihannsu had COOL ships but the other races' SUCKED.

When a ship CLOAKED I could still SEE it.

The nav deflector was not used in the game.

The transporter effect reminded me of the Lucky Charms cereal ads.

Cheating-When my hull intergrity was ZERO and I was just grazed I exploded. When this opened to an oppenent NOTHING happened. When I captured the ship it should have looked this swiss cheese.

The opening cinema had TNG style shield flares but for the rest of the game had these TINY half moon white flares. The Borg(TNG tv series) and ST:TAS had better shield effects!

Only things I liked seeing were GLOWING warp field creation grills on the Constitution and K't'inga Classes' nacelles, Suns, Romulan Bird of Prey Refit, Starbases could defend themselves and I had a FUN time reading posts on websites that had fans of SFB complaining about TOS movies, TNG and DS9. hahahahaha. Shouldn't they have BOYCOTTED this game?

Anyway, if ADB makes books on Early Years, Feline Empires, races created especially for Starfleet Battles (FASA)/Prime Directive and adventure supplments then I will get these.

I will also be interested to see how far they go in creating an ALTERNATE timeline.

Otherwise...NOPE

I have signed my time and money over to Decipher.

My word is my bond.

However...............ADB still have 3 more points than Decipher..........................

Can anyone tell me more about the Prime Team?

[Doktor Evil]

Price of Freedom, Planets of the UFP, Among the Clans and Way of Kolinar should have been ONE book.

it's called marketing 101.

[Eric R.]

Originally posted by Capt Daniel Hunter


And sorry, but I disagree with you about FASA's TNG manual. It was, IMHO, utter drek. And yes, neither Paramount nor Gene were happy with it, or it's contents I'm told.

On the Officers Manual I agree far too much speculation and just plain inventing things up never works in the end . What I said I liked was the TNG First Season Source book, a different book, a much more conservative effort at producing a game supplement, amonting to roughly just stats on personnel and ships with some new rules for new areas not yet covered.

[Capt Daniel Hunter]

Originally posted by Eric R.
I just don't get it when someone automatically discounts a source of very good material for simple reasons like that universe is too "militaristic" to be of value.

Dude, I never said that (well, I never meant that anyway). I happen to have a full set of SFB rulebooks and a copy of the original Prime Directive and the modules for it. I may well buy any adventures they release, for the simple reason I can adapt them for my own campaign, and tailor them to suit my style. Like I said earlier, ADB do good work, I just don't like the tone of their setting. I do like the tone set by the ICON/CODA team, so that will be my game of choice (assuming I don't stick with ICON).

[Capt Daniel Hunter]

Originally posted by Eric R.


On the Officers Manual I agree far too much speculation and just plain inventing things up never works in the end . What I said I liked was the TNG First Season Source book, a different book, a much more conservative effort at producing a game supplement, amonting to roughly just stats on personnel and ships with some new rules for new areas not yet covered.

Whoah, rapidfire posting

Sorry, my brain must have been mis-firing there. I know which book you mean now. Yeah, actually that one wasn't bad.

[Imagus]

And I never managed to get hold of a copy Agreed on the Officer's Manual!

Some nice ship designs though...

I have to go out on the line, and say I liked the more military-oriented StarFleet of the later FASA material. It seemed to fit with the look of the movies, and as far as I can make out, it doesn't actually clash with the other time periods. Things can change rapidly over just several years, thus leading to the more peaceful StarFleet of TNG. Just look at the swing back over the DS9 period!

I've spent a bit of time on this recently (since Don managed to push me into a burst of movie-era enthusiasm ), and came up with the idea that following Kirk's five-year mission, tensions with the Klingons and Romulans escalated rapidly (between TMP and TWOK). This in turn led to more funding for StarFleet's military arm, and the arms race that led to Kruge becoming convinced that Genesis was a weapon. Of course, the process peaked with the Khitomer and Tomed Incidents.

I'm planning on posting the full idea here just as soon as I've finished adjusting it for the Coda books! It also includes ideas on Klingon inconsistencies, the rise of the Tal Shiar, and even some speculation on the Hur'q.

[jedimuldoon]

I flipped through FASA's TNG 1st Season Sourcebook........

basic,gave the flavor of the first season.

The Hur'q and the rise of the Tal Shiar

I //////_ _ _ _................................................. ............

[Dan Stack]

Clarification... There is no mention of the the Hur'q or the rise of the Tal Shiar in any FASA sourcebook. The first mention of the Tal Shiar was not until "Face of the Enemy". The Hur'q were not mentioned until well into Deep Space Nine's run.

[Imagus]

Originally posted by Dan Stack
Clarification... There is no mention of the the Hur'q or the rise of the Tal Shiar in any FASA sourcebook. The first mention of the Tal Shiar was not until "Face of the Enemy". The Hur'q were not mentioned until well into Deep Space Nine's run.

True, and a wise statement

But I just want to emphasize that I didn't mention them in connection with the FASA material - I'm just using them as part of my campaign ideas. It seemed relevant to mention them at that point...

If nothing else, it builds up a little interest for when I finally get around to posting the stuff! I obviously don't work for Decipher's marketing division

[Dan Stack]

I wasn't sure at first if jm was indicating they appeared in that book - the first few times I read the post that's what it looked like to me till I reread your post. (Dan was thinking... "Tal Shiar, season 1... Gene Roddenberry would never have approved of that - 'in the 24th century we've evolved beyond the need to spy on each other. '"