Sherp
11-02-2009, 12:55 PM
As we all know, Cryptic is moving the Star Trek story ahead to a time when the Klingons and the Federation turn against each other once again. Generally I approve of this idea, as it will add necessary tension and excitement. But it’s important to take the long view and consider this decision’s eventual impact on Star Trek canon.
Star Trek Online isn’t “hard canon,” of course. Only the movies and TV shows qualify for that honor. But it may be considered “soft canon,” and I’m sure many of us would be thrilled to see our in-game actions have some small impact on the Star Trek universe, so care should be taken to make sure no critical incompatibilities spring up between STO’s story and the larger Star Trek universe. Specifically, what will happen when STO concludes?
No video game lasts forever. STO may last for a year, or five, or ten, but eventually Cryptic or Atari will have to make a business decision and move on, and it’s important that when they’re done, they tie up the loose ends and leave the Star Trek storyline all tidy for the next person. If they forget to anticipate this, STO’s various story threads will most likely be declared non-canon and will not be remembered as fondly as they otherwise might.
The biggest story thread we’re seeing at present is the war between the Klingons and the Federation. According to the “Future Past” videos we’ve seen so far, the Klingons are reacting to the near-dissolution of the Romulan empire as a chance to return to their conquering ways, and not just in the direction of the Romulans. They conquer Gorn, Nausicaa, and the Orion Syndicate, and then turn their sights towards the Federation. Naturally, the Federation refuses to be a doormat, and war breaks out. I very much hope the developers already have in mind a plan for how the war ends.
There are a couple of ways this could happen. Having one empire completely conquer the other seems unlikely. If the game is successful and expansion packs for it are authorized, the war could eventually become a multi-front conflict involving the Romulans and/or whichever faction is next released as playable, but this only delays the question of how the war will end. I suspect that the crew of the Enterprise will be the ones to save the day one last time; it seems to be the fate of ships by that name to be the point on which the galaxy turns.
I don’t know how the story will end, of course. But every Star Trek but the first has had the luxury of knowing its end date beforehand and presenting one last hurrah that closed the series in a satisfying way*. I very much hope that Cryptic will have the same opportunity for this newest installation of Star Trek, and that they are already laying the groundwork for the finale of the story they’re beginning to tell.
*Enterprise’s wasn’t satisfying, but they did get the chance to try.
Star Trek Online isn’t “hard canon,” of course. Only the movies and TV shows qualify for that honor. But it may be considered “soft canon,” and I’m sure many of us would be thrilled to see our in-game actions have some small impact on the Star Trek universe, so care should be taken to make sure no critical incompatibilities spring up between STO’s story and the larger Star Trek universe. Specifically, what will happen when STO concludes?
No video game lasts forever. STO may last for a year, or five, or ten, but eventually Cryptic or Atari will have to make a business decision and move on, and it’s important that when they’re done, they tie up the loose ends and leave the Star Trek storyline all tidy for the next person. If they forget to anticipate this, STO’s various story threads will most likely be declared non-canon and will not be remembered as fondly as they otherwise might.
The biggest story thread we’re seeing at present is the war between the Klingons and the Federation. According to the “Future Past” videos we’ve seen so far, the Klingons are reacting to the near-dissolution of the Romulan empire as a chance to return to their conquering ways, and not just in the direction of the Romulans. They conquer Gorn, Nausicaa, and the Orion Syndicate, and then turn their sights towards the Federation. Naturally, the Federation refuses to be a doormat, and war breaks out. I very much hope the developers already have in mind a plan for how the war ends.
There are a couple of ways this could happen. Having one empire completely conquer the other seems unlikely. If the game is successful and expansion packs for it are authorized, the war could eventually become a multi-front conflict involving the Romulans and/or whichever faction is next released as playable, but this only delays the question of how the war will end. I suspect that the crew of the Enterprise will be the ones to save the day one last time; it seems to be the fate of ships by that name to be the point on which the galaxy turns.
I don’t know how the story will end, of course. But every Star Trek but the first has had the luxury of knowing its end date beforehand and presenting one last hurrah that closed the series in a satisfying way*. I very much hope that Cryptic will have the same opportunity for this newest installation of Star Trek, and that they are already laying the groundwork for the finale of the story they’re beginning to tell.
*Enterprise’s wasn’t satisfying, but they did get the chance to try.