I hope they never make any of the events from Star Trek Online cannon!

[BillJ]

Re: I hope they never make any of the events from Star Trek Online can

To be clear, canon in Star Trek (and anywhere else for that matter) is only what the people currently in charge of it says it is. And the people in charge (CBS) have declared that only what is seen on screen is canon. However, tomorrow they may change their mind and declare that video games are canon too, and that would be the final word. The thing is, the only reason why CBS would ever declare STO to be canon is because their marketing department told CBS that they'd sell more games if they did, because they know anal-retentive Trek fans care about this kind of thing. This happened before with the TAS DVDs. But I don't think that STO is such a huge revenue-producing product for them (unlike, say, the Abrams films) that they'd bother declaring them canon just to make a few more bucks.

And as easily as they make something canon, they can turn around and make it non-canon. People make the mistake that canon is this inviolable thing that is set in stone, which it isn't.

 

[T'Girl]

Re: I hope they never make any of the events from Star Trek Online can

What happens if the writers [snip] decide to take certain events from games and novels turn it into a series.

The names of James Kirk's parents (iirc) comes from novels, likely there are isolated other pieces from novels that have made their way into canon over the years. This would be a ongoing option for TPTB in any new series. If they should also decide to incorporate some aspects from games, their choice. I'm personally a big fan of the FASA universe.

So that is a possibility.

I would think it highly unlikely that the entirety of ST Online would be used, the same with the novels. A series where the Borg destroys half the Federation would not receive my interest or viewership. Neither would a series primarily depicting the Federation political mechanism.

 

[C.E. Evans]

Re: I hope they never make any of the events from Star Trek Online can

I think the only thing from Star Trek Online that might be canon is the Odyssey-class Enterprise-F that CBS signed off on and it's probably limited only to its actual design for any potential licensing/merchandising purposes (like for a toy- or model-making company).

No, that's not the case.

Yes, it is the case. If CBS says that the Enterprise-F design is canon, then it is. As it was, the final design had to get a stamp of approval by CBS, which wouldn't have been necessary for something that wasn't going to be licensable. And that's all that canon really is--the stuff that CBS can license out to other companies to make books, toys, etc., off of. It doesn't matter if it's in continuity with this or that. Fans argue over canon all the time here, when it really only applies to companies wishing to make and sell products.

 

[BillJ]

Re: I hope they never make any of the events from Star Trek Online can

Yes, it is the case. If CBS says that the Enterprise-F design is canon, then it is. As it was, the final design had to get a stamp of approval by CBS, which wouldn't have been necessary for something that wasn't going to be licensable. And that's all that canon really is--the stuff that CBS can license out to other companies to make books, toys, etc., off of. It doesn't matter if it's in continuity with this or that. Fans argue over canon all the time here, when it really only applies to companies wishing to make and sell products.

Canon is usually what licensee's are required to follow. Not sure anyone is being required to use the Enterprise-F as depicted in Star Trek Online.

Aren't the novel and STO timelines diverging quite a bit.

There's a difference between official and canon. Both the novels and STO are official, neither are canon.

 

[Greg Cox]

Re: I hope they never make any of the events from Star Trek Online can

What happens if the writers [snip] decide to take certain events from games and novels turn it into a series.

The names of James Kirk's parents (iirc) comes from novels, likely there are isolated other pieces from novels that have made their way into canon over the years.

Sulu's first name, Hikaru, was introduced in the novels, but not made canon until it was used onscreen in the sixth movie.

Uhura's first name, Nyota, was introduced in the novels, but not made canon until it was mentioned onscreen in the 2009 movie.

And, to be clear, if something gets lifted from the games or the novels or the animated series, it's not necessarily because the movie writers "lack creativity." It might just be that somebody liked a bit from the game/books/cartoon/comic books/whatever, and decided to work into a movie or TV series.

The non-canon stuff is all there for the taking, so why not use it sometimes? Especially if, say, Uhura needs a first name anyway . ...

 

[C.E. Evans]

Re: I hope they never make any of the events from Star Trek Online can

Yes, it is the case. If CBS says that the Enterprise-F design is canon, then it is. As it was, the final design had to get a stamp of approval by CBS, which wouldn't have been necessary for something that wasn't going to be licensable. And that's all that canon really is--the stuff that CBS can license out to other companies to make books, toys, etc., off of. It doesn't matter if it's in continuity with this or that. Fans argue over canon all the time here, when it really only applies to companies wishing to make and sell products.

Canon is usually what licensee's are required to follow. Not sure anyone is being required to use the Enterprise-F as depicted in Star Trek Online.

It's more of a case that no one has actually gone after the Enterprise-F to use it for anything. Eaglemoss was considering the Enterprise-F (along with the USS Titan created for the novels) for their Official Starships Collection if it was popular enough with fans.

Aren't the novel and STO timelines diverging quite a bit.

Yup, but that's not actually an issue with the Enterprise-F. The design seems to be the main thing, not how it's used in STO.

There's a difference between official and canon.

There's a difference between canon and continuity. Canon is the official stuff that can be licensed.

Both the novels and STO are official, neither are canon.

They're actually officially-licensed products. But as I said from the beginning, the Enterprise-F design could be canon and used for licensing purposes since CBS was involved in its final design.
http://www.petitionbuzz.com/petitions/odysseyenterprise

courtesy of petitionbuzz:
The Enterprise-F was created as part of a joint Star Trek Online, CBS, and Intel competition to "design the next canon Enterprise" and the Odyssey Class (as named after the competition) has been designated an official ship class by CBS.

 

[Ithekro]

Re: I hope they never make any of the events from Star Trek Online can

If I recall correctly the novels haven't yet got to the year Romulas was destroyed. They were still in the mid-2380s while the events with Spock and Nero were late 2380s. STO's Timeline take off from that point until the game starts in 2409, so the two being different at this point doesn't mean all that much since the novels haven't even gotten to that point yet (from what I recall).

Looking at the few, 2390s and beyond episodes in TNG/DS9/VOY, they sort of it with a galaxy were Romulas is destroyed. The Klingons have expanded into Romulan space and are hostile somewhat to the Federation. That more or less fits STO on a basic level without detailed points.

 

[Haggis and tatties]

Re: I hope they never make any of the events from Star Trek Online can

I think it should be canon, i quite like the TNG episode were the Enterprise was in a battle with another ship, and when the other ship blew up it left a shining box, that once opened had anothe ship in it.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Re: I hope they never make any of the events from Star Trek Online can

Both the novels and STO are official, neither are canon.

They're actually officially-licensed products.

That's still not the same thing.

If STO's version of the Enterprise-F is a licensed product, it's still not CANON - meaning, nobody else has to use it. A future film or TV series could come up with a completely different ship and nobody could do anything about it.

 

[TheSubCommander]

Re: I hope they never make any of the events from Star Trek Online can

To be clear, canon in Star Trek (and anywhere else for that matter) is only what the people currently in charge of it says it is. And the people in charge (CBS) have declared that only what is seen on screen is canon. However, tomorrow they may change their mind and declare that video games are canon too, and that would be the final word. The thing is, the only reason why CBS would ever declare STO to be canon is because their marketing department told CBS that they'd sell more games if they did, because they know anal-retentive Trek fans care about this kind of thing. This happened before with the TAS DVDs. But I don't think that STO is such a huge revenue-producing product for them (unlike, say, the Abrams films) that they'd bother declaring them canon just to make a few more bucks.

And as easily as they make something canon, they can turn around and make it non-canon. People make the mistake that canon is this inviolable thing that is set in stone, which it isn't.

Yup, look what happened to the Star Wars EU novelverse: decades and hundreds of books, comics, and and video games rendered non-canon and "Star Wars Legends," despite some being very popular, when Disney purchased Star Wars, and decided to make new movies.

Really, I don't understand the hang up some people have about forcing other people to except what is canon or non-canon, anyway. Just accept what YOU like as your own personal canon, and enjoy. If you like Star Trek novels (I DON'T!), then fine, that is your personal canon. If you like STO, great, it's canon TO YOU. If you like the JJ-Verse, and want to pretend TNG era never existed (or the opposite), go for it. Whether or not someone else likes your personal canon shouldn't take away from what you enjoy, nor should forcing others to accept what you like, make what you like "more legit."

 

[The Wormhole]

Re: I hope they never make any of the events from Star Trek Online can

If I recall correctly the novels haven't yet got to the year Romulas was destroyed. They were still in the mid-2380s while the events with Spock and Nero were late 2380s.

Novel continuity is currently one year away from the destruction of Romulus. The latest novels are in January 2386, the loss of Romulus is sometime in 2387.

Looking at the few, 2390s and beyond episodes in TNG/DS9/VOY, they sort of it with a galaxy were Romulas is destroyed.

No, actually. In AGT Romulus is still around, under Klingon occupation. The reason Picard, Data, and Geordi utilize Crusher's medical ship to get them to the Devron system is because the Klingons are allowing Federation medical ships into what was Romulan territory to help deal with a plague on Romulus.

 

[C.E. Evans]

Re: I hope they never make any of the events from Star Trek Online can

Both the novels and STO are official, neither are canon.

They're actually officially-licensed products.

That's still not the same thing.

Who said it was? An officially-licensed product merely means that the company that made it was given the legal right to do so by the IP owner. It's simply a business arrangement.

Don't confuse an officially-licensed product with official material, because those aren't the same things. The former is based on the latter.

If STO's version of the Enterprise-F is a licensed product, it's still not CANON - meaning, nobody else has to use it.

I think CBS would disagree with that.

A future film or TV series could come up with a completely different ship and nobody could do anything about it.

Canon can always change over time, but until or if that happens, well...

 

[Starborn Dragon]

Re: I hope they never make any of the events from Star Trek Online can

If they ever do make another Star Trek series I will not watch it! I rather not see the destruction of Romulus and the Klingons at war with the Federation. It was nice to see a grown D'Tan as an adult with the likeness of the actor Vidal Peterson.

As a LTS to STO, i find your post bizarre. Why would a TV series be based on STO? It is a game [there have been many ST games with various stories...and books etc]

Now, interestingly, I'm only interested in Prime [non-JJ] Trek so I too would prefer Romulus intact and Klingons at peace [or allied with] the Federation. However, STO is just a story and the old [old, old] rules still apply: unless it is on TV or cinema, it is not cannon.

To reiterate, I have no idea why you think they would base a TV show on STO.

In any good computer game or MMO, there is a lot of story potential, when it's done right.

Unfortunately, for some reason, Hollywood can't do it right and there's never really been any good movie based on a computer game or MMO.

 

[fireproof78]

Re: I hope they never make any of the events from Star Trek Online can

If they ever do make another Star Trek series I will not watch it! I rather not see the destruction of Romulus and the Klingons at war with the Federation. It was nice to see a grown D'Tan as an adult with the likeness of the actor Vidal Peterson.

As a LTS to STO, i find your post bizarre. Why would a TV series be based on STO? It is a game [there have been many ST games with various stories...and books etc]

Now, interestingly, I'm only interested in Prime [non-JJ] Trek so I too would prefer Romulus intact and Klingons at peace [or allied with] the Federation. However, STO is just a story and the old [old, old] rules still apply: unless it is on TV or cinema, it is not cannon.

To reiterate, I have no idea why you think they would base a TV show on STO.

In any good computer game or MMO, there is a lot of story potential, when it's done right.

Unfortunately, for some reason, Hollywood can't do it right and there's never really been any good movie based on a computer game or MMO.

Hollywood seems to operate under the opinion that video game movie adaptations are right at the bottom of the totem pole in terms of worthiness. Given the general underperformance or poor reception, I can't say the track record inspires much confidence.

The difficulty of any video game adaptation is determining the through line of the story. The number of side quests in one game is enough to be entertaining for hours and hours at a time, but would be boring for a movie.

So, screen writers are stuck developing a through line based upon the main story, and that won't satisfy all comers.

Or it could just be laziness and apathy. Video game adaptations never seem to fair well.

 

[T'Girl]

Re: I hope they never make any of the events from Star Trek Online can

Video game adaptations never seem to fair well.

Lara Croft made a quarter of a billion at the box office, it's sequel made a $150 million, they were both entertaining movies.

Resident Evil made $140 million, and had 4 sequels

I thought Like a Dragon was superior, and that Final Fantasy told a decent story.