Help me design a Star Trek show

[Georgios Panagiotidis]

I'll be running a Star Trek one-shot at the next gaming convention using PtA with pre-gen characters.

The game will be just like TNG in tone and structure, but on a smaller ship and with a stronger focus on characters. I want to prepare 8 or so characters so the (3-4) players have a big enough pool to choose from.

I'd like to use this thread to brainstorm ideas for the characters' issues, traits, story arcs, etc.

The character types so far:
The Captain, the First Officer, the Security Chief, the Engineer, the Scientist, the Doctor, the Pilot, the Special Character (i.e. what are they doing here?).

Please do post any suggestions, comments or questions you have.

[Alan]

Hi Joe,

I just want to suggest that you have the players write their own Issues, set the Story Arc, and choose an episode.  This won't take too much time and will give them more personal investment in play -- which is important to enjoying PTA.  Star Trek is so well known that the players should have no trouble coming up with stuff.

You might want to define the Premise of the show more.  Is it discovery and diplomacy like Next Gen and OS, or something else?  That'll give players a context.

[Georgios Panagiotidis]

I just want to suggest that you have the players write their own Issues, set the Story Arc, and choose an episode.  This won't take too much time and will give them more personal investment in play -- which is important to enjoying PTA.

I've thought about this, but decided against it. In all the PtA games I've run so far, coming up with an Issue and Story Arc has been very time-consuming and often confusing to players. I think it's easier to understand what an issue is by playing PtA, as opposed to coming up with a good one on your own -which has been a problem in all the games I've run.

I agree that series creation is a very important part of what makes PtA so much fun. But picking a well-known setting like Star Trek is a reasonable substitute I think. I might let the players come up with their own story arc or have them choose which episode we'll play, but I'm not sure yet.

As for the premise: it's a more-or-less direct lift from TNG. Exploring strange new worlds and new civilizations. But instead of focussing on the alien-of-the-week I want the main focus to be on the characters.

[Matt Wilson]

No! Bad! Don't premake the protagonists! and Horror of Horrors, don't premake the issues!

If you want to make it easier, bring a list of examples and say "pick one of these if you want or make your own," but in the name of all that is good and just, let them choose what's meaningful to them.

[Georgios Panagiotidis]

Fair enough.

But that still leaves me with a list of issues for players to choose from. I have little faith it would help them actually come up with their own.

So what's the kind of issue you could envision in a TNG-like show? And how would you phrase those issues?

[Alan]

Here's some ideas:

- Learning to become human when you're a machine
- How can I be a Klingon and a loyal Starfleet officer?
- Coming to terms with my human side
- Finding humanity in the hostile depths of space
- Regain my humanity after being rescued form the borg
- Proving my brilliance isn't just an annoyance
- Learn to love the crew I command
- Applying the Rules of Acquisition for good

[Alan]

Oh, you can also simpify Traits for a one shot by having 3 Edges and connections total (a 2/1 distribution), instead of 5.

See http://www.indie-rpgs.com/viewtopic.php?t=15633 on this.

[Matt Wilson]

Oh, you can also simpify Traits for a one shot by having 3 Edges and connections total (a 2/1 distribution), instead of 5.

See http://www.indie-rpgs.com/viewtopic.php?t=15633 on this.

That is, in fact, an official change for the next printing. And for all series, not just one-offs.

[ashmoo]

I notice that all your example characters fulfill 'useful' technical roles.

One thing that makes PTA different to a most traditional RPGs (and its strength in my opinion) is the fact that a character doesn't have to be useful or powerful in order to be interesting or affect the story. Having a good Issue is the prime determinant for how interesting the character will be.

If you are going down the path of supplying example characters and issues I'd suggest including character concepts that fall outside of the standard 'team of specialists'.

eg.
+ Deana Troi style psychic counsellor (although this is still pretty useful)
+ Wesley style kid who wanders around learning things and has an adolescence related Issue
+ An 'embedded' Star Fleet reporter with some sort of ethics related issue (Am I reporting the truth or just a propogandist for Star Fleet?)
+ some sort of hanger-on such as the ship's bartender or musician
+ a Ferenghi who is along to make money, not save the world

Having a list that shows a good range of Issues that would fit the Tone that you want for the show, while letting the players use them directly or just for inspiration, is probably a better way to speed up character creation.

Good luck!
Ashley

[azrianni]

I think it will help in this case to really be ready to "pitch" the show to the players in pretty specific terms.  I agree that the players need to be able to create the protagonists as much as time permits, but each Star Trek series has its own flavor, and you need yours to seem special and distinct.  NG and OS both share the exploration/diplomacy outlook, but their flavor is quite different.  In NG the Enterprise is the flagship--the most special, most prominent--and is a pretty by-the-book sort of operation.  OS features much more "cowboy diplomacy" and fast and loose improvisation out in the wild frontier.

So think about what kind of ship this is and what its flavor will be.  You might start with where they are exploring.  Gamma quadrant post-Dominion War?  Beyond Cardassia?  In the Badlands?

If it's a smaller ship, how will it feel?  More like a close-knit family?  Or like a cramped submarine?  Does the ship have a history or legend surrounding it?

One possible answer to all of this: it's NG style exploration with DS9 style grittiness.  The ship isn't big enough or sophisticated enough to easily handle every challenge, and we're not Star Fleet's top priority either.  So it's up to the crew to make or break on their own.  The crew could include young officers hoping to make a name for themselves and one or more older officers easing toward retirement.

[Matt Wilson]

I have little faith it would help them actually come up with their own.

JD, seriously, show some confidence in the creative ability of your fellow human beings. I've never seen anyone have trouble coming up with an issue, with or without a sample list.

Cf. Moose in the City. How long did it take them to make the entire show? Ten minutes, maybe? And that's not a fluke. That bit in the text where I say you should take the entire first session to create your show? I'm full of crap. It never takes nearly that long. Ever.

If you're worried that it's gonna be a whole table of 'gamers' who just aren't going to get it and will need as much help as you can offer, well shit, that's not going to be any fun no matter what you do.

[dyjoots]

I have little faith it would help them actually come up with their own.

JD, seriously, show some confidence in the creative ability of your fellow human beings. I've never seen anyone have trouble coming up with an issue, with or without a sample list.

Cf. Moose in the City. How long did it take them to make the entire show? Ten minutes, maybe? And that's not a fluke. That bit in the text where I say you should take the entire first session to create your show? I'm full of crap. It never takes nearly that long. Ever.

Anecdote:

My players (all three of them) both had trouble coming up with issues AND took an entire session to create the show.

The main problem was that they aren't used to thinking that way about characters and RPGs.  We also had to switch games mid-stream because all they were calling for was plot scenes (relegating character issues to almost nothing).  As much as I love PTA, Over the Edge worked better for what the game became.

[Chris Goodwin]

The Producer or any player for that matter shouldn't be afraid to, point blank, ask how a certain bit of narration addresses protagonist issues.  Also, be willing to give the players more than one episode to find their feet.