Are online Star Trek RPG's dying out?

[JonBaas]

I host, maintain and direct a successful long-running Star Trek PBeM RPG. Originally, I started the sim after the previous sim I was in died. When I launched the sim years ago, the online Trek RPG genre was hugely popular. There were sims and sim websites everywhere. Now, though, there seem to be only a few Trek sims that remain even remotely active. And the web is littered with sims that have gone dead and are no longer maintained.

Is the PBeM/sim genre gasping for air? Or am I just not seeing the whole picture?

It saddens me. With the reboot of Star Trek, I would think interest would return to creatively independent RPGs. But that just doesn't seem to be the case.

I'm happy to be the host of one of the active sims still out there, but I still have to pause and wonder.... is there a future for fan-run online RPGs?

Comments? Commentary?

-Jon

 

[Kaziarl]

There are still many of them out there. Bravo Fleet I think is still rather big, but I haven't been with them for a while. Long story, that one.

I do think it's slowed down a bit. There was a rush of them at one point, and I think it just got to a point where there were too many. Some succeeded, some didn't, and I think what we're seeing now are the unlucky ones dying off and the successful ones just aren't as vocal as they used to be. I know I'm part of one group, but I don't really recruit for it.

Also, one other thing that's happened recently is STO. I think much as we see with other MMOs like WoW (For your own sanity, do not walk deeprun tram) that many "RP'ers" have started using the settings in those games.

And the third factor as I see it is the variety of sims out there. The group where I participate also has games for V, Seaquest, Andromeda, Battlestar, NCIS... There's historical RPGs like the HMS Terpsichore. I don't think this is a bad thing, in fact I think it's great. But it does mean that trek now kind of blends in with the rest.

 

[Nick Ryder]

I used to be in a Star Trek fan club years back - which was kind of like Starfleet International - and originally our 'President' was against us trying to add in RPG/SIM into the group - saying that he didn't want us to be another "bullshit sim group with 14 year old kids calling themselves Admirals and the like". Now fast forward about 5 years and it seems like Trek organised fandom has kinda changed quite a bit.

The online Trek RPG isn't really dying out it's that there's more things to take up one's time - and I've known quite a few 'simmers' who have moved on from PBEM to forum based posting to actually just outright writing fan fic or their own novels with original characters. Hell, the guy who was the "FCO" of my old sim group actually wrote and published 2 novels based on characters he developed for the sim.

I've never really stopped writing in RPG/SIMs with some level of involvement for over ten years now. But what I have noticed is that with the crappy economy, it's been easier for more players to either drop out or reduce big time their commitment to a sim because they're either working two jobs and don't have the downtime they usually had or they just don't have the time period. Which leads to some microposting on iPhones/Cell phones

There are still a LOT of groups out there and keep in mind that a lot of groups were run by 'kids' ie: teenagers to folks in their early 20s in school as a way to blow off some steam and kill time. I can't count the number of people I've played with over the years that were still in high school or still starting out in college. Then it seems once they grow up, they leave their old sims behind. OR they have kids and that cuts into their sim time.

But there is still hope for the RPG/SIM - as it seems like no matter how long I've been in it, there are always these fresh, eager 16 year old kids joining up and writing their hearts out. So I think the genre will never really die, it's just that Star Trek is no longer as massive in terms of popularity it once was when we still had like 2 shows on at the same time and even the DVD box sets were fetching well over $100 bucks a season.

I've given up on the massive orgs, as those usually seem to degenerate into a lot of in fighting or just ego battles - I'm kind of liking playing in smaller, more independent groups. Basically where we write for fun and enjoyment, not because some some jerk with delusions of grandeur impresses someone in a sim's leadership, becomes a gamemaster and starts hassling players to post 'or else!' Or treating it like the ranks are real and writing is 'serious business'.

I do agree that ST:O can fulfill many of the RPG style fun that a lot of people wanted - especially since the latest update with the Foundry where people can work up their own missions - granted there's no major character interaction like in an RPG - which sometimes, I'll admit can get a bit soap opera-y. I wouldn't be too shocked with a group that maybe does their usual stuff and then goes on ST:O and plays out a battle or something pvp or something.

 

[Kaziarl]

I used to be in a Star Trek fan club years back - which was kind of like Starfleet International - and originally our 'President' was against us trying to add in RPG/SIM into the group - saying that he didn't want us to be another "bullshit sim group with 14 year old kids calling themselves Admirals and the like". Now fast forward about 5 years and it seems like Trek organised fandom has kinda changed quite a bit.

I dunno, I think that still goes on today to some extent. Probably not as bad though, since even when I was in high school 7 years ago any form of RPG was associated with D&D, and D&D was the Devil.

The online Trek RPG isn't really dying out it's that there's more things to take up one's time - and I've known quite a few 'simmers' who have moved on from PBEM to forum based posting to actually just outright writing fan fic or their own novels with original characters. Hell, the guy who was the "FCO" of my old sim group actually wrote and published 2 novels based on characters he developed for the sim.

I actually started in the old StarTrek.com chat rooms. Back when they still had the lounge, holodeck, and I want to say there was a third one. My Chimera fanfic actually started in those chat rooms, and I've been writing ever since.

I've given up on the massive orgs, as those usually seem to degenerate into a lot of in fighting or just ego battles - I'm kind of liking playing in smaller, more independent groups. Basically where we write for fun and enjoyment, not because some some jerk with delusions of grandeur impresses someone in a sim's leadership, becomes a gamemaster and starts hassling players to post 'or else!' Or treating it like the ranks are real and writing is 'serious business'.

Sounds like Bravo Fleet all the way. My first PBeM sim was on one of their ships. Our CO was "court martialed" because she wasn't deathgrip strict about how we ran our stories. And any of us that stood up for her have been put on a black list, we aren't allowed to go back. Of course, with that kind of attitude, who'd want to?

I do agree that ST:O can fulfill many of the RPG style fun that a lot of people wanted - especially since the latest update with the Foundry where people can work up their own missions - granted there's no major character interaction like in an RPG - which sometimes, I'll admit can get a bit soap opera-y. I wouldn't be too shocked with a group that maybe does their usual stuff and then goes on ST:O and plays out a battle or something pvp or something.

I can't wait to play with the foundry. sounds like a lot of fun. And I think if it takes off, with further additions, we might find a much more flexible system then what we're seeing now. Should be interesting.

 

[JonBaas]

Yeah, I've had groups like Bravo Fleet and some of the other former powerhouse fleet sims come to me and ask that my Independent Trek sim fall under their banner. I declined, however (many times), and these days, am very glad that I did. Remaining independent, has spared us a lot of heartache (and headache) from the "higher ups".

-Jon

 

[Nick Ryder]

It was kinda funny for a while there, even my old org, Federation Intelligence, was approached by some numbnuts at Bravo Fleet about "alliances" - which really in a way was sort of funny, like having their banner in our 'allies' section really made a hill of difference? The other group that I joined, Python Fleet, was pretty big for a bit we had a lot of ships and players, then over the course of a couple years that went down big time - mostly due to egos and just apathy.

I did join Bravo Fleet briefly, played on the Excalibur but never really felt like I fit in. And usually when I start a new sim, even as a non department head or senior staff position, I can usually find a place and at least a couple people to play with that let things go from there. But I didn't find that. Eventually a friend of mine who I've played with for almost a decade now, brought me into an independent sim and I've been really loving it.

Helps when the other players can get on the same page with you and encourage some diversity of storytelling and character creation.

It's just frustrating when half the crew is still in college or worse high school and exams or something come up. LOL I mean that's the single most devastating thing to happen to a good sim, when finals come around or other big exams come round, things go from hot and heavy to ghost town and sometimes, that's when a sim will lose players and momentum. I've seen at least 3 ships I've been on falter during those times and sometimes never really get their mojo back.

Or... one of ladies on the ship has a baby IRL and never returns.

It's frustrating sometimes too, when you're a single guy and there are these girls on these sims that are into just about everything you're into, are similar age, even kinda cute, obviously not models, but attractive and... they're married. Or they're engaged. Or... they're half a world away! Of course then once other guys clue in that certain characters are really cute chicks their own age, then they get loads of attention.

C'mon, all I'm asking for is ONE cute Trek writing chick in the midwest!

 

[JonBaas]

Hey, Nick. I'm in Wisconsin too. Used to live in Milwaukee myself until five months ago when I got married and move north near Green Bay. Just thought I'd throw that out there! :P

I hear you on the RL events that often pull people away from a good sim. Aka, college, high school, marriages, etc. I'm facing that with a few players in my sim right now. And you're right, it's quite a challenge to keep the momentum going when those players get caught up in RL test and such. Hey, real life always comes first... that's what I tell the players, but it does become a challenge picking up the slack in their absence. Especially if they were phenomenal writers.

[sigh]

-Jon

 

[Kaziarl]

This doesn't always work out, but in the Band of Brothers group where I sim now we usually try to wrap up missions and stories leading up to things like holidays and final exams, then start a new one after thats over. This of course doesn't help with new kids, and things like that.

 

[Nick Ryder]

Yeah usually we tried wrapping up missions before breaks and such, but then invariably someone gets bored and wants to move on with the next episode, which usually starts out really slow or just becomes a character piece, time for those characters of ours that are 'hooked up' to play a bit. BUT you can only go so long on that.

I'm a fairly prolific writer and could probably just do a whole episode with the characters I've created but that's no fun... I like interaction! LOL

 

[Kaziarl]

Same here, I think thats why I write as well. When the sim gets slow, I write. When I want the interaction, I sim. And since BoB is a forum, there's plenty of other area's to occupy ourselves, including discussions about shows, current events, writing challenges, etc. Where as the old PBeM sim was pretty much all about the sim.

 

[Cicero]

The group I used to write with actually tended to do very well during finals, etc. It seemed to be a calming activity or release valve for some of the writers. Oddly enough, school vacation breaks tended to be our slowest periods.

Unfortunately, the group closed several years ago when the pseudo-owner of the group returned (he'd not been present in the five years I'd been writing there) and fired the editor of my group. All of the group's posters left within a week, and that was that. I still miss it.

 

[Herkimer Jitty]

I'll admit, the PBeM format never really clicked for me. I'm more of a message board guy.

Anyways, its like Nick Ryder said, there's just a ton more stuff to do. Heck, I spend most of my RPing time on a Mass Effect RPing board.

 

[Expendable]

I've been involved in a couple of sims that were really good ideas and had really talented writers but for some reason we just couldn't keep it together. One bad mission idea, one twerp who likes to cause problems, one person with a god complex can ruin a sim.

To be honest I'm looking for a good sim thats about writing and not internal politics (like many of the organized "groups").

 

[Kaziarl]

Well sounds like any of the guys who have posted in this thread could give you a couple ideas. And we're wrapping up one mission and getting ready to start a new one on BoB if you're interested. Could be a good time to get a new player in.

The site is st-bob.com

Take a look around, read a mission or two. It's pretty free form. We have the plot that's going on, but Lupe doesn't mind if you're doing your own personal character stuff as well. Very refreshing compared to other groups I've been with.

They also have lots of others listed as well, so could lead you to one of those.

 

[Nick Ryder]

Well the one I'm involved with and actively trying to actually get active since 2 of my founding members are on LOA for a while and some of the new people we got haven't been around in a while - buuuut I don't let that stop me too much. I've always been more about quality not quantity.

Here's my sim - http://s4.zetaboards.com/ussbyron/index/ My friend is the CO but we both run it as equals. I play... a lot of characters, which mainly is due to needing to fill certain holes and because one or two characters really can't allow me to be involved with different areas or even different stories and with a small group, has to be done.

It's pretty slow at the moment, but we only launched it officially about a month and a half ago. We spun it out of a sim I and some other friends are on, the USS Mata Hari - which today the CO, who's also my Chief Science Officer said he's tempted to mothball for a while because no one's posting on the Mata Hari - which I think is coming out of his own busy-ness with school and such and awol other members.

So hey... if you're really interested in just writing and focusing on character stuff instead of worrying about politics... shoot me a line. I'm not trying to just sit here and recruit but... I wouldn't be gamer worth my forum if I didn't make a mention!