Starship Sourcebook

[Space_Cadet]

Does anybody know of any news on the Starship Sourcebook? I think this book is really needed than the Narrator's Screen or anything scheudled for release before "Starships".

[Sea Tyger]

Aside from the very brief tidbits that Don has fed us, there's just the announcement on the release schedule on the Decipher website.

Personally, I'm also really looking forward to the book, but the LE is effectively done (same content as the Core Books, with the Enterprise Sourcebook added on), and the Narrator's Guide is very important to Narrators (like me). The Starship Ops book looks like it will be an excellent resource. The Personal Log, like all character sheet booklets, should always be one of the first products out.

Besides, Starships expects to be the first of (what I call) the four major sourcebooks to be published. What else could you want?

Patience, Cadet.

[Don Mappin]

Just remember that not everyone runs a Star Trek game like you do. ("You" being the reader, not Space Cadet.)

Some need the book now, some need the aliens book now, and some desperately want the planets book and the slew of plot ideas. In a perfect world, they'd all be available right now. (Actually, they're all pretty much written, I believe.)

Sadly, we do not live in a perfect world.

[RIsaacs]

I developed the Star Trek: Starships Sourcebook, and I think Don Mappin and Dave Biggins did a great job. I think you're all going to be very happy with it. In addition to a first chapter that expands the construction system with all kinds of new technologies and options, there are dozens of starships ranging from Starfleet to Klingons to Jem'Hadar to generic ships. It was intended to be the definitive resource for starships (though we could do a lot more).

As I understand it, the book is currently in approvals at Viacom.

[Capt. Chris]

I am looking forward to it.

I just hope it is out on time, I want to tell my wife to get it for my birthday,which is on Oct 31st.

[General Velal]

I know this is a silly fear of mine, but I have learnt to never take anything for granted-I hope the Romulans are in this book!

[AslanC]

Hey Don...

A question.

Well two actually...

1] Will Quantum Slipstream and other types of expiremental propulsion be in the Starships book?

2] What about all that advanced tech from Endgame?

Thanks in advance

[Don Mappin]

Originally posted by AslanC
1] Will Quantum Slipstream and other types of expiremental propulsion be in the Starships book?

Yes

2] What about all that advanced tech from Endgame?

No. I went way over on word count as it was and didn't get to do everything that I'd like. (Starships Vol 2?) Hopefully the book will sell real well (I think it will), a sequel will find its way on next year's schedule, and I'll get a phone call.

Hopefully.

[AslanC]

Originally posted by Don Mappin
Yes

Coolio

Originally posted by Don Mappin
No. I went way over on word count as it was and didn't get to do everything that I'd like. (Starships Vol 2?) Hopefully the book will sell real well (I think it will), a sequel will find its way on next year's schedule, and I'll get a phone call. Hopefully. [/B]

So long as the images inside look nice I think these things will sell like hotcakes (never actually bought a hotcake myself, but I hear they are popular).

Until then I will just have to use my own stats. Let's see...

transphasic torpedoes... penetration 10000000000000
sectional armour.... strength... (what is the key code for an infinity symbol?)

[Jesse Heinig]

To the best of my knowledge Starships is going through the approval process right now.
As Ross mentioned, the ability to supplement the book depends upon how well it does. (So everybody buy a copy.)
Even if there's not a supplemental book (Starships vol 2 or whatever), we'll probably supplement some things on the website, like the replicative armor and some of the ships that couldn't fit. I just used the Starships draft copy to work up the rules for the New Orleans-class ship (since that's what I use in the series here at the office), so that may show up on our website as a "freebie" around the time that the Starships book hits the bookshelves.
Of course, if we DO have the go-ahead for a supplemental book, we already know who to call!

Jess.

[Don Mappin]

I wanna do more faction-specific items. There weren't enough Romulan components, for example, for my tastes. Plus I want more Romulan-specific maneuvers and traits, all with cool names that just ooze and scream "Romulan!" to the reader. After "Starships" we've got Starfleet covered pretty damn well now.

The next "Starships" books should (IMO) be era- or quadrant-specific with less of a Starfleet slant. Another large book with tons of Klingon, Romulan, Cardassian, Tholian, Breen, and Ferengi stuff with components and maneuvers custom-suited to those species. Really funky stuff. Then you do the same for the Delta Quadrant, for example. (I, of course, see endless possibilities there!)

If faction (alien) books ever make a return that'd also be another place to put these items. Imagine reading a big write-up on the Breen and towards the end, in a sidebar, are five Breen-specific maneuvers and three Breen-specific starship traits. Then in the Kazon section you find the same. Or the Tholian write-up.

Series-specific would be another route. If we ever do a Voyager book, as an example, I'd love to do a chapter on the Kazon, the different sects, their maneuvers, Trabe components, etc, etc. Same with the Hirogen, Species 8472, Voth, Krenim, Viidians, etc.

I see lots of potential to take the entire starship construction and combat system into almost as a line of its own. I feel the products need to go further. We talk about "tool oriented" and "crunchy bits"--well, here are some really easy crunchy bits that are begging to be used. I'd also like to do the same as Wizards and duplicate where necessary. A Breen write-up that references Breen maneuvers reprints those maneuvers--put what the reader needs in front of them (within reason). Shouldn't have to flip through five products to make your ship.

Oh well. Sorry for the tangent. Just thinking of some of the possibilities!

[Darth Sarcastic]

Originally posted by AslanC

Never actually bought a hotcake myself, but I hear they are popular.

I hear they taste alot like pancakes...then again so do flapjacks...mmm this requires some research...

Thats another one of my (very off topic) weird international type questions....Do they have "International House of Pancakes" outside of the US (and yes I've seen plenty of "International" companies that don't exist outside of the US)? Being that pancakes are called different things in different places...

Ok...I'll stop that now....

[Erik Filean]

Originally posted by Darth Sarcastic


I hear they taste alot like pancakes...then again so do flapjacks...mmm this requires some research...

Thats another one of my (very off topic) weird international type questions....Do they have "International House of Pancakes" outside of the US (and yes I've seen plenty of "International" companies that don't exist outside of the US)? Being that pancakes are called different things in different places...

Ok...I'll stop that now....

I don't need this kind of crepe.

[Darth Sarcastic]

Originally posted by Erik Filean


I don't need this kind of crepe.

Without a little sour cream...I don't either...mmmmm....

[Space_Cadet]

Originally posted by Don Mappin
I wanna do more faction-specific items. There weren't enough Romulan components, for example, for my tastes. Plus I want more Romulan-specific maneuvers and traits, all with cool names that just ooze and scream "Romulan!" to the reader. After "Starships" we've got Starfleet covered pretty damn well now.

The next "Starships" books should (IMO) be era- or quadrant-specific with less of a Starfleet slant. Another large book with tons of Klingon, Romulan, Cardassian, Tholian, Breen, and Ferengi stuff with components and maneuvers custom-suited to those species. Really funky stuff. Then you do the same for the Delta Quadrant, for example. (I, of course, see endless possibilities there!)

If faction (alien) books ever make a return that'd also be another place to put these items. Imagine reading a big write-up on the Breen and towards the end, in a sidebar, are five Breen-specific maneuvers and three Breen-specific starship traits. Then in the Kazon section you find the same. Or the Tholian write-up.

Series-specific would be another route. If we ever do a Voyager book, as an example, I'd love to do a chapter on the Kazon, the different sects, their maneuvers, Trabe components, etc, etc. Same with the Hirogen, Species 8472, Voth, Krenim, Viidians, etc.

I see lots of potential to take the entire starship construction and combat system into almost as a line of its own. I feel the products need to go further. We talk about "tool oriented" and "crunchy bits"--well, here are some really easy crunchy bits that are begging to be used. I'd also like to do the same as Wizards and duplicate where necessary. A Breen write-up that references Breen maneuvers reprints those maneuvers--put what the reader needs in front of them (within reason). Shouldn't have to flip through five products to make your ship.

Oh well. Sorry for the tangent. Just thinking of some of the possibilities!

I hope it has complete starships (the main ones ) from each race (Fed, Klingons, Romulans, etc.).. I'd be kinda disappointed if they miss out a starship. By the way, will it include (i hate to use this word) but non-Canon starships? Like for example, in FASA Trek, they had game designer made starships.