New Star Trek Timeline

[therealfoxbat]

In terms of Star Trek ship design (which happens to be a major part of this section of the forum), there has been, since the early 80's, three Major Timelines. Three separate and distinct paths of background history and design evolution that Star Trek ships have followed. A great deal of confusion and redundancy seems to occur when one attempts to blend the these timelines together...

The first Major Timeline is what most of us call Star Trek Canon. This is based on the footage from all the various TV series and movies from The Cage through Star Trek Nemesis. (Strangely, this does NOT seem to include the animated Star Trek series.)

The second Major Timeline is the background from Star Fleet Battles. This is based on the Star Fleet Technical Manual, with elements from the animated Star Trek series and original material created by Amarillo Design Bureau.

The third Major Timeline is the background from FASA Star Trek RPG. This is based on the Spacefight Chronology, with original material created by FASA.

Now we have the new Star Trek movie...

This is NOT part of the first Major Timeline, but instead the genesis of a FOURTH Major Timeline...

The first one will probably have to be renamed Classic Star Trek. (Before this, Classic Star Trek meant The Original Series. Now it will have to expand to include five TV series and ten movies...)

For now, the fourth Major Timeline is commonly known as New Star Trek (or NuTrek). The fan base at large will probably come up with a different name a few more movies down the road...

 

[sojourner]

Canon ---- artwork depicting designs seen in the movies or tv shows
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Expanded canon ---- artwork depicting designs seen in popular publications
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Fanon ---- designs that originate with the fan base having no official recognition from paramount.​

 

[Cary L. Brown]

In terms of Star Trek ship design (which happens to be a major part of this section of the forum), there has been, since the early 80's, three Major Timelines. Three separate and distinct paths of background history and design evolution that Star Trek ships have followed. A great deal of confusion and redundancy seems to occur when one attempts to blend the these timelines together...

The first Major Timeline is what most of us call Star Trek Canon. This is based on the footage from all the various TV series and movies from The Cage through Star Trek Nemesis. (Strangely, this does NOT seem to include the animated Star Trek series.)

The second Major Timeline is the background from Star Fleet Battles. This is based on the Star Fleet Technical Manual, with elements from the animated Star Trek series and original material created by Amarillo Design Bureau.

The third Major Timeline is the background from FASA Star Trek RPG. This is based on the Spacefight Chronology, with original material created by FASA.

Now we have the new Star Trek movie...

This is NOT part of the first Major Timeline, but instead the genesis of a FOURTH Major Timeline...

I agree with everything you've said up to this point, except that I don't see any reason that the FASA stuff remains outside of the "real" timeline. There's nothing in FASA which, fundamentally, conflicts with the "real" timeline. I'd ascribe the minor differences with style and leave it at that. Amarillo, on the other hand, INTENTIALLY DEVIATES from the "real" timeline, so it is inherently separate..

The first one will probably have to be renamed Classic Star Trek. (Before this, Classic Star Trek meant The Original Series. Now it will have to expand to include five TV series and ten movies...)

I don't agree with this, however. The NEW version... which has clearly separated itself from the rest... is the one which has to redefine itself. The other stuff has nearly 45 years of history behind it.

I don't think that you need to differentiate this by clustering it in some "umbrella" definition. There is simply "Star Trek Canon" (which has a few bits which can be treated as "non-canon" like certain ship designs in FASA) and the "Starfleet Battles Universe." Then, you have the "Mirror Universe" which is the real "Third timeline" (at least, that we know about). Of course, from the standpoint of SFB, or of "canon Trek," there is no reason to believe that either one "exists" in parallel to the other, is there?

For now, the fourth Major Timeline is commonly known as New Star Trek (or NuTrek). The fan base at large will probably come up with a different name a few more movies down the road...

nuTrek is what I've been using, but I've also seen a lot of "JJTrek" or "Abramsverse" usage.

The point you're making, which I agree with, is that this needs to be differentiated (despite a desire on the part of some to have this replace what's been out there before, in the minds of the general audience... I don't believe that will happen).

Right now, the "critical response" to this film is pretty strong. But the general audience reaction is... tepid. That is, people enjoy the flick but nobody seems to really be personally enthusiastic about it, and lots of people have been talking about the problems with it (and I don't mean in here... the reactions on the Trek BBS are generally more positive than those I've gotten from people I know in real life, who pointed out how contrived so much of it felt, how many scientific "booboos" they caught (people with no scientific background still pointed out that Spock wouldnt' be able to see the planet Vulcan with his naked eyes... just by virtue of the fact that they'd seen Venus in Earth's sky a few times and thus knew how silly it was to have the two planets "bumping distance" apart like that), and who commented on how one-dimensional "the bad guy with the spear" was.

As time goes on... I remember the initial response to TMP... I'm sure that a more "level" response to this film will establish. It's going to be a moderately successful "popcorn movie." But as far as establishing a loyal following? Not-so-much. So... this will be the "nuTrek" universe, but the rest.. the "canon" as you call it... will be the "Star Trek" universe.