Humanoid Centric Crews

[Nathan]

I'm probably one of those who enjoy Trek, but read very little Sci Fi outside of Trek.

I always have issues (i.e. the Titan crew) when it dabbles in "too-weird" characters serving on a starship.

Yep, I'm cool with the Andorians, Tellarites, Vulcans, Trill, the Cardies and other ones that essentially Humans with funky ears, noses, etc.

I never can see a Horta as a crewmember, a two ft tall blue thing on Titan, Watergirl, P8 (the pill bug), the gal that needs low gravity environments all the time.and Dino doc to name a few.

I never can get past of, "Does the Horta only have 1 spot to sit on the bridge?, Only 1 spot to sit in the respective ship's "Ten-Forward", are all the shuttles outfitted for a Horta to have a work space? In emergencies, is there a "space suit:" for the Horta in case of evacuation? Are all the control panels configured so the Horta can use them as well? Does the Horta get out of work details because it can't fit in the Jefferies Tube?

So of the examples I posed, cross out Horta and put the 2 foot blue dude from Titan, is there accomodations for him too?

I think one of the reasons Vanguard did so well, as the station (and crew) were mostly humanoid -- year there was an exception or too (think the Tholians) and it was handled well. Plus, the writing was great too.

I don't think its a conscious effort for me to say, "Yep, don't like wacky characters in stories", but I just seem to like most of the stories were most of the crew are bi-pedal humanoid with slight changes to ears, noses, etc.

Wonder if anyone else felt the same?>

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

For an organisation as vast and far-reaching as the Federation, they would have all those concerns covered--besides all UFP members will be warp-capable so fairly advanced and will therefore have devised their own spacesuits and control panels. Starfleet wouldn't need to reinvent the wheel, just adapt their technologies to incorporate something new.

We saw in "Year of Hell" that LCARS panels have tactile interfaces, so why not something that would be usable for someone without five digits? Given Horta biology, I doubt they would need a spacesuit, or if they do they could use something similar to the life-support belt from "The Slaver Weapon", whilst I'm sure P8 Blue was on severl SCE missions where she could survive without an EVA suit (unlike her more fragile human shipmates).

Whilst not a huge fan of the Titan books, I do like their diversity--though it does annoy me that Titan is unusual in that regard, given there are 150+ aliens that make up the UFP. In truth though, we've only really seen the inner workings of three Federation Starfleet ships, whilst there are hundreds of others out there--for all we know the Enterprises and Voyager are unique in having crew dominated by humans.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I'm wondering how a Horta would be able to move through the corridors of a normal Starfleet vessel and operate its controls without burning them - since Horta are corrosive, like acid. How did Naraht manage that?

(In the scenes in the comics where Naraht appeared, he wasn't wearing a containment suit or anything like that. Although I suppose he could have had some kind of invisible force field.)

As for the concept of species-centric crews: Remember Captain Solok from DS9. He was a prejudiced and racist Vulcan who preferred a ship crewed entirely BY Vulcans. Perhaps this attitude isn't as rare as we think?

 

[Nathan]

Bry, but then is there a spacesuit for the blue Lilo 'n' Stitch guy (I forget if he is Lilo or Stitch). I remember my son was only a few months old and thought, "there'd be no way for him to mobile on a starship since he's too small for all the chairs.

I think it isn't "Cost-effective" and accommodating to all the species. Imagine if you were on ship designed mostly for 2 ft tall people, it'd probably suck (Plus, I don't want to read stories about that either!)

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Bry, but then is there a spacesuit for the blue Lilo 'n' Stitch guy (I forget if he is Lilo or Stitch).

It's Stitch.

(In the movie, Lilo is a human girl.)

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

I'm wondering how a Horta would be able to move through the corridors of a normal Starfleet vessel and operate its controls without burning them - since Horta are corrosive, like acid. How did Naraht manage that?

(In the scenes in the comics where Naraht appeared, he wasn't wearing a containment suit or anything like that. Although I suppose he could have had some kind of invisible force field.)

Maybe they have some kind of anti-grav device implanted so as to move around (Zak Kebron wore one on his belt but it's never been shown in all the images of him).

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

Bry, but then is there a spacesuit for the blue Lilo 'n' Stitch guy (I forget if he is Lilo or Stitch). I remember my son was only a few months old and thought, "there'd be no way for him to mobile on a starship since he's too small for all the chairs.

Yes. As I said his species (no clue what they're called) would have developed their own. Their engineers and Starfleets would put their heads together to bring their design up to Fleet spec and style, so as to used by the "Stitchite" on active duty. Chairs could be designed with a step lower down for them to climb up (P8 Blue had a 'specially designed' chair in the conference room on the da Vinci). Or maybe they go around on hoverchairs, like Yoda or Rygel, or long legs for them to walk about the ship in

I think it isn't "Cost-effective" and accommodating to all the species. Imagine if you were on ship designed mostly for 2 ft tall people, it'd probably suck (Plus, I don't want to read stories about that either!)

In a world where construction costs are pretty much zero (thanks to replicators) then I don't see it being a problem, whilst it would be unlikely that an "average" height human would be assigned to such a ship, without provisions being made (i.e. their own small section to live/work in) being made.

Look at what changes and adaptions are made today to accommodate people with disabilities, as well as what advances are also possible in that area, then apply it to a future such as Trek (Geordi's VISOR and Melora's "exo-skeleton"). Not a great leap to believe that they could adapt pretty much any environment to see they get equal opportunities.

 

[Nathan]

Yeah Bry, I see your point, I suppose it would work, but I just don't think it makes a good story (again, I'm probably jaded as I just read Trek and no other sci-fi really. Rather have a love interest/conflict etc between two humanoid species than a love interest between a Stitchite and P8 the pillbug.

I think that's one reason Vanguard has such a warm reception and Titan is only "meh" to most folks.

I guess its my investment in the characters is greater when they are humanoid. yeah, probably just me, just wondering if anyone else felt the same.

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

I find that if characters are well thought out and portrayed then I can get behind them no matter what they look like. But that's me.

 

[Nathan]

Of course, I'm the same here....I'm all for a love story/character conflict between a horta and a stitchite if it is well written over a poorly written scene between human characters.

with the all things being equal, I usually prefer the scene between humanoids than some pill bug & watergirl stuck in a scuba suit gettin' it on or having conflict/interaction

 

[Nyotarules]

I'm probably one of those who enjoy Trek, but read very little Sci Fi outside of Trek.

I always have issues (i.e. the Titan crew) when it dabbles in "too-weird" characters serving on a starship.

Yep, I'm cool with the Andorians, Tellarites, Vulcans, Trill, the Cardies and other ones that essentially Humans with funky ears, noses, etc.

I never can see a Horta as a crewmember, a two ft tall blue thing on Titan, Watergirl, P8 (the pill bug), the gal that needs low gravity environments all the time.and Dino doc to name a few.

I never can get past of, "Does the Horta only have 1 spot to sit on the bridge?, Only 1 spot to sit in the respective ship's "Ten-Forward", are all the shuttles outfitted for a Horta to have a work space? In emergencies, is there a "space suit:" for the Horta in case of evacuation? Are all the control panels configured so the Horta can use them as well? Does the Horta get out of work details because it can't fit in the Jefferies Tube?

So of the examples I posed, cross out Horta and put the 2 foot blue dude from Titan, is there accomodations for him too?

I think one of the reasons Vanguard did so well, as the station (and crew) were mostly humanoid -- year there was an exception or too (think the Tholians) and it was handled well. Plus, the writing was great too.

I don't think its a conscious effort for me to say, "Yep, don't like wacky characters in stories", but I just seem to like most of the stories were most of the crew are bi-pedal humanoid with slight changes to ears, noses, etc.

Wonder if anyone else felt the same?>

I enjoy the novels because they can be more diverse with characters. The tv shows and movies are/were limited by monetary constraints but it costs nothing to have non humanoid (even the description is Terrancentric) sentient beings in a book. The Federation is based on diverse planets and races working together for the common good, trade, defence and politics. Its a fictional world that challenges our real life human prejudices, even the sub concious ones.

 

[Nyotarules]

I find that if characters are well thought out and portrayed then I can get behind them no matter what they look like. But that's me.

I live in a society where 87% of the population do not look like me and grew up in a TV world where almost 99% of the cultural entertainment ignored my existence (Star Trek TOS is/was popular with poc) however I can relate to two Anglo Saxons living their life but I don't have to be an Anglo Saxon to empathise.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Maybe they have some kind of anti-grav device implanted so as to move around (Zak Kebron wore one on his belt but it's never been shown in all the images of him).

IIRC, Naraht was actually sitting in the command chair in the scene where I saw him (can't remember which comic).

 

[Enterprise1701]

The Stitch-inspired guy is named Huilan Sen'kara.

http://memory-beta.wikia.com/wiki/Huilan_Sen’kara

 

[Nyotarules]

Reading 'Devil's bargain (TOS) & 'Devil in the sky' (DS9), the Horta can move around without turning the floor into acid, using acid to burn the floor is a choice they turn on and off.

 

[JD]

I love the fact that the books have introduced more non-humanoid aliens and given preexisting ones more prominent roles. Since they aren't limited by budget there's no reason for them not to give us things we couldn't get on TV.

 

[Avro Arrow]

I think one of the reasons Vanguard did so well, as the station (and crew) were mostly humanoid -- year there was an exception or too (think the Tholians) and it was handled well. Plus, the writing was great too.

I... think you might be burying the lede, here.

As I said his species (no clue what they're called)

S'ti'ach. (I kid you not.)

I guess its my investment in the characters is greater when they are humanoid. yeah, probably just me, just wondering if anyone else felt the same.

No, I do not feel the same. Not even slightly. As others have mentioned, if the characters are written well, then I can get invested in them no matter what their physical appearance is. The ability of the books to show us an actual diverse Federation is one of their better features.

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

S'ti'ach. (I kid you not.)

So I wasn't far off with "Stitchite"

 

[SiddFinch1]

I like the use of nonhumanoid aliens in the books...although sometimes an illustration of what they are supposed to look like would help

 

[Nathan]

Sidd, I agree,I wish the photo of the "alien du jour" would be on the cover. Sometimes I "blame the writer" if there is a new species introduced and I have a tough time visualizing it...it means the writer did a crappy job explaining it (or perhaps I just a dumb @$$ -- or possibly both!!!!)

I think of the Millennium Falcon, when I was a kid I saw the movie first and then read the novelization. I wonder without reading the book, if my image of the Falcon would be the same as it was portrayed in the movies. I always thought I would put the cockpit in the middle front of the shift, than on the side (sorta the 2 o clock position) where it is.