ST: TNG Technical Manual: worth it?

[Mage]

Not technical literatur, but is it worth buying? Will it actually be informative and usefull? Will it add to TNG's viewing experience by helping you understand some of the technobabble?

Or is it just really something you browse through, a book some pretty pictures and schematics and that's it?

 

[C.E. Evans]

It's good if you're really into the nuts and bolts of how the Enterprise-D worked. It's a great resource if you're writing your own Trek stories--although you might do your story a disservice if you use more than a little of it, IMO.

Otherwise, it isn't crucial to viewing TNG unless you're fascinated about the Galaxy-class starship and other pieces of Starfleet equipment...

 

[Mage]

It's good if you're really into the nuts and bolts of how the Enterprise-D worked. It's a great resource if you're writing your own Trek stories--although you might do your story a disservice if you use more than a little of it, IMO.

Otherwise, it isn't crucial to viewing TNG unless you're fascinated about the Galaxy-class starship and other pieces of Starfleet equipment...

I figured it would be something like that. I'll have to think about it, I find it kinda cool to learn a bit more about starships and treknology, but I could also use that money to buy novels.

 

[F. King Daniel]

I loved the pictures of all the bridge consoles as a little kid. I'm sure much of the technobabble inside has been contradicted by now.

 

[Christopher]

Or is it just really something you browse through, a book some pretty pictures and schematics and that's it?

Just the opposite. It's the densest, most technically detailed Trek reference work that's ever been professionally published. (And I mean "dense" in the sense of jampacked with concepts and detail, not "dense" in the sense of stupid.)

 

[Mysterion]

^^
I'll echo what Christopher said about this book being very technically detailed. If you're really into the technical aspects of Trek, this is a very good book to have. I'd also recommend the later-published Deep Space Nine Technical Manual for the same reasons.

 

[Mage]

I'd have to order the DS9 Technical Manual from overseas if I would want that one. Hm, I'll look into the TNG one though....

 

[beamMe]

If you like technobabble then you'll love that book.
It's also been re-published as an ebook - if you want to read it PADD-style

 

[timothy]

actually if you want technobabble you need to get " Mr. Scott's guide to the enterprise " now that is a great book on the retro fit enterprise and great pictures to .


also I have mine sighened by james dohan . and kept safed from all thiefs.

 

[CaptainDonovin]

^^
I'll echo what Christopher said about this book being very technically detailed. If you're really into the technical aspects of Trek, this is a very good book to have. I'd also recommend the later-published Deep Space Nine Technical Manual for the same reasons.

Echoing the echo. I've been ill the last week plus & one of the things I grabbed to get my mind off it actually was the Tech Manual. I was thinking while looking it over how hard to believe it's 20 years old already.

I also have the Deep Space Nine Technical Manual & love that one too. Was always sorry we didn't get one for Voyager but by the time that show ended so did our Technicial Manuals.

 

[Cobalt Frost]

Is it worth it? Two words: hell yes!!!

 

[Corran Horn]

I've always thought it was great. I very much enjoyed the little behind-the-scenes 'notes' too at the bottom of a lot of the pages.

There's a section that shows how the saucer would (well, ideally) perform an emergency planetary landing...and this was years before Generations.

 

[Christopher]

There's a section that shows how the saucer would (well, ideally) perform an emergency planetary landing...and this was years before Generations.

Yeah, I think it was that part of the tech manual that inspired the writers to use that plot point (which they initially planned for the sixth-season finale, but they couldn't afford it, so they saved it for the movie).

 

[timothy]

will they do one the enterprise e ? from my understanding that ship is also able to seperate the saucer section . which was done in resistance .

 

[sulfur]

will they do one the enterprise e ? from my understanding that ship is also able to seperate the saucer section . which was done in resistance .

A new tech manual you mean?

Highly unlikely.

 

[timothy]

Sorry yes a new tech manual . ^^

 

[hbquikcomjamesl]

. . . " Mr. Scott's guide to the enterprise " . . . also I have mine sighened by james dohan . and kept safed from all thiefs.

Funny: I understand that in addition to it being formally deprecated by the Star Trek production staff, Doohan personally deprecated that particular book (I believe he eventually came to the opinion that the author had taken his character's name in vain).

 

[hbquikcomjamesl]

I suspect that if you visit the Lincoln Enterprises table at any convention, you can probably still also get a copy of the Writers' Technical Manual.

 

[Christopher]

^Does Lincoln Enterprises still exist? I thought they'd turned into Roddenberry.com.

 

[Mysterion]

^^^
That is indeed true.