Is there collaboration between STO and Novelverse?

[Tzenkethi1]

The thing is, not everyone is into every form of media. For example, as much of a Trek-nerd I am, I'm really not a gamer at all, so I've never felt compelled to bother with STO (though I did read the novel based on it a few years back). Likewise, there are those who are into STO who likely don't read novels.

I'll admit, the whole "story group" thing hasn't turned out to be the restrictive disaster I was expecting when first announced, it's not an approach that would work with anything. And besides, unilateral conformity among the tie-ins wouldn't work with Trek, IMO

The thing is, not everyone is into every form of media. For example, as much of a Trek-nerd I am, I'm really not a gamer at all, so I've never felt compelled to bother with STO (though I did read the novel based on it a few years back). Likewise, there are those who are into STO who likely don't read novels.

I'll admit, the whole "story group" thing hasn't turned out to be the restrictive disaster I was expecting when first announced, it's not an approach that would work with anything. And besides, unilateral conformity among the tie-ins wouldn't work with Trek, IMO

I either like conformity managed or complete freedom. If another author chose to write a Tzenkethi centric novel and depict them as they appear in STO, I would ok with it and actually welcome it. If creative freedom is a main objective, I would prefer there to be no restrictions. If multiple authors wanted to have very different portrayals of the same species or character it would drive more stand alone stories anyway.

 

[Paul Weaver]

I don't have a problem with STO, it's the effect on memory beta that annoys me.

 

[Tuskin38]

memory-beta appears to be barely maintained anyways

 

[Sci]

Memory Beta? You mean Capt. Mike's private playground?

 

[Markonian]

Memory Beta is still being maintained, and it's only somebody's personal playground if few participate.

It appears more active than STOwiki.

 

[James Swallow]

I do have to admit, I'm a little surprised that the game writers never even chat with the authors. Not because there should be a consistency or anything like that, just because the game writers are obviously fans of the Litverse considering the inclusions of Litverse aspects in STO, so I'm surprised that they don't have any desire to chat with the authors just as fans.

I write for videogames as well as working on books and during the years Star Trek Online has been, uh, online, and I did have a few conversations with folks at Perpetual Entertainment (and later Cryptic Studios) about working with them but it never panned out. I still play the game now and then; recently I had a go at the new console version and it's always cool to see a reference to one of the novels in it.

TTN: Sight Unseen calls the solanagen/solanogen-based aliens 'Solanae'.The more the merrier! *winkwink*

Yeah. Originally, I'd planned to come up with a name for their species. I was going to called them the Ciari, after Brian Ciari, the actor under the 'fish-monk' make-up in "Schisms"; in the end, I used his name for the dissident faction in the novel instead.

I think this actually came down from above, if I remember right? I think this was a rare instance of a time when the higher-ups did try to make something consistent cross-tie-in.

Indeed. I was asked by CBS to put in the Solanae ref, and I was fine with that. Despite the differences, the novels and Star Trek Online still spring from the same roots, so it works for me.

 

[borgboy]

While I'm a big TrekLit fan I couldn't get into STO. I tried. I really really tried. It's probably just my lack of skills. I created a hunky Andorian male captain I was really pleased with, I enjoyed the shipboard adventure....and then I spent hours flying my ship in circles, completely lost and miserable. My understanding is that the bulk of the game is ship piloting, which was my least favorite thing by far of the ship. By the time I gave up on it I was sick of it and never wanted to go near it again.

 

[JD]

I played STO a while back, and I was enjoying it quite a bit. I ended up getting stuck in a ship battle for a few days, and then got distracted by other games. I'm mainly a console gamer, so now that it's on PS4 I've been thinking about giving it another go. I was actually enjoying the story elements quite a bit, it was very different from STO, but still good.

 

[Tzenkethi1]

If anyone is wondering what STO came up with for the Tzenkethi borrowing Robert Hewitt Wolfe's concept.

https://pwimages-a.akamaihd.net/arc/8f/7b/8f7b1e6a46a747a2064327b36588ca3d1483473497.jpg

 

[jaime]

I've spoken with several of the people involved (or previously involved) with STO, and we follow each other on social media here and there, occasionally run into each other at conventions, and so on. We've even discussed notions on how to do some sort of cross-platform project (mostly in the "wouldn't it be fun if we....." sense, but still). Their storytelling needs are different than those of the novels, and so drive their decisions accordingly.

Imagine not having the Borg as a possible adversary in the game, for example. That's a huge chunk of Trek lore that's well-known to the larger Trek fan community, and hamstringing the game because of something the books opted to do - and which are read by a small percentage of that community, to boot - seems unfair.

There is wiggle room on the Borg...in game, we are simply told they have returned...but not where from. They also seem to be closer to shatnerverse Borg origins...v'ger ships. Between recent in game events (temporal incursions) existing similarities (Vesta captained by Ezri, the Picard and Riker children) and the future setting of STO, it's still not entirely impossible to one day bring the two closer in line...there are a few big things mind you, of which one is the Tzenkethi.

When I was in an RP fleet I just had my character be a Trill with a symbiont from the novel verse. Worked for me as I didn't know the game lore half as well.