Star Trek: Strange New World

[BoxWhatBox]

Premise: A pre-warp alien, embroiled in their planet’s version of World War II, shoots down an already battle-damaged starship. Now stranded, with no hopes of repairing their ship, the crew must attempt to survive on a strange war-torn world, observe the prime directive, and survive four years until help arrives.

Unlike Voyager, the crew will remain in contact with Star Fleet and know help is coming, but lack the technology to repair their wrecked ship to flight status. Shuttles, while viable, will be incredibly short range and to easily detected by the natives.

As a possible quirk, the native species could be developing at a significantly faster rate then Star Fleet, making it necessary for the crew to continually adapt to an ever rapidly evolving world.

 

[All Seeing Eye]

No offence but it sounds crap, it wouldnt feel like Star Trek and your idea would suit a single episode rather than an entire series, secondly if they're in a world war and the crew are only there for 4 years I highly doubt any significant technological advances could take place that would pose any significance to Starfleet, they dont even have warp yet. Are you trying to say that in 4 years during a world war conflict they're going to develop not only warp travel of a significant speed but also design a super-mega-uber torpedo and energy weapon system that poses a threat to Starfleet? not to mention bypassing polarised hull plating and developing shields. The only possible way they could develop tech fast enough to be of significance would be if the planet was in some kind of temporal flux but we've already had an episode like that in Voyager.

 

[BoxWhatBox]

Fire said:
No offence but it sounds crap, it wouldnt feel like Star Trek and your idea would suit a single episode rather than an entire series, secondly if they're in a world war and the crew are only there for 4 years I highly doubt any significant technological advances could take place that would pose any significance to Starfleet, they dont even have warp yet. Are you trying to say that in 4 years during a world war conflict they're going to develop not only warp travel of a significant speed but also design a super-mega-uber torpedo and energy weapon system that poses a threat to Starfleet? not to mention bypassing polarised hull plating and developing shields. The only possible way they could develop tech fast enough to be of significance would be if the planet was in some kind of temporal flux but we've already had an episode like that in Voyager.

Nope, but imagine 2 to 4 decades of human development compressed into less then 1 decade. First atom bomb to a moon landing inside of a decade. They will never be on par with Star Fleet technology, but the stranded crew has lost most of their technology when their ship crashed.

I just thought about it, a better description of this show Star Trek meets Lost.

 

[Red Ranger]

I think this would work better as an episode, maybe a two-parter, in a another ST series. But it is an interesting notion. -- RR

 

[Jack Bauer]

Sounds like a good idea for miniseries either on television, in a comic book or a novel trilogy. I don't see it sustaining itself as an ongoing tv series. The premise seems quite limiting.

 

[hellsgate]

I like the idea.

"Star Trek: The Continuing Mission"
"Strange New World"

Which era does this adventure occur in? TNG (Pre/Post-Nem or Pre/Post-Dominion War?) I'd like to see this added to my fan fiction anthology & I'd love to assist in its' development.

2374

Investigating troubling energy readings, the crew of the Sovereign-Class U.S.S. Damascus-E uncovers a new class of Terran Empire vessel (identified from visible hull markings & gloating by its C.O.) Off to one side of the view-screen, some Jem Hadar are confirmed aboard the Empire vessel's bridge.

http://bridgecommander.filefront.com/screenshots/File/44436/2

http://bridgecommander.filefront.com/screenshots/File/44436/5

http://bridgecommander.filefront.com/screenshots/File/44436/2

The crew of the severely battle-damaged Sovereign-Class vessel, (after successfully protecting the science station in geosynchronous orbit of the Guardian of Forever,) is forced to abandon & scuttle her.

 

[Superman]

Fire said:
No offence but it sounds crap.

Nah, nothing to take offense to, except you not knowing jack shit about constructive criticism.

Why don't you go read up on it and come back when you can respond like an adult.

\S/

 

[sericali1]

BoxWhatBox said:
Premise: A pre-warp alien, embroiled in their planet’s version of World War II, shoots down an already battle-damaged starship. Now stranded, with no hopes of repairing their ship, the crew must attempt to survive on a strange war-torn world, observe the prime directive, and survive four years until help arrives.

Unlike Voyager, the crew will remain in contact with Star Fleet and know help is coming, but lack the technology to repair their wrecked ship to flight status. Shuttles, while viable, will be incredibly short range and to easily detected by the natives.

As a possible quirk, the native species could be developing at a significantly faster rate then Star Fleet, making it necessary for the crew to continually adapt to an ever rapidly evolving world.

While there are obvious limitations on this idea the way it's originally posed, it could springboard into a few things. If the ship is scuttled, then your sudden explosion in technological advances on this world could be due in part to some of the Federation tech falling into the hands of the native population. While you use "Their version of World War II" to explain the conflict, the world doesn't necessarily have to be stuck in Earth of the 1930s and 40s. One because it's been done to death all over the place and two, it makes the native development more credible. Maybe they even have the raw materials to duplicate cruder versions of a phaser or something, but can't quite get the hang of their first warp drive.

While the bulk of respondents to this premise seem to think it might not make a series that last years, it's a matter how exactly the idea is executed. Give it some thought, settle on the exact level of technology the natives are at when a wrecked starship crashes into their version of Area 51 and add the wrinkle of compromised Federation technology (which might even loosen the Prime Directive a bit with 'Fleet approval no less), and suddenly you have a few possibilities...

Again it may not carry a series, but it could carry a miniseries or something slightly longer than a two hour show. I wouldn't be so quick to toss the baby out with the bathwater though, "Strange New World" would easily take on a new meaning as we watch how the crew survives and the impact of their technology on an unsuspecting world...

At least that's my two bits...

Later!

Ali

 

[cardinal biggles]

Another interesting twist might be if some members of the crew split off into a separate faction -- for whatever reason, they're desperate to get off the planet, and so they decide to screw the Prime Directive, and help the natives build that elusive first warp drive.

 

[Lindley]

Superman said:

Fire said:
No offence but it sounds crap.

Nah, nothing to take offense to, except you not knowing jack shit about constructive criticism.

Why don't you go read up on it and come back when you can respond like an adult.

\S/

Both of you cool it, or I will dust off my warning stick.

or a novel trilogy

Check out March Upcountry and its sequels, by John Ringo and David Weber. No prime directive there, though.

 

[All Seeing Eye]

Lindley said:

Superman said:

Fire said:
No offence but it sounds crap.

Nah, nothing to take offense to, except you not knowing jack shit about constructive criticism.

Why don't you go read up on it and come back when you can respond like an adult.

\S/

Both of you cool it, or I will dust off my warning stick.

What do yo mean both of us cool it? I thought it sounded crap so I gave my opinion, crap is a word within the English dictionary, it is not a flamatory word and is not a swear word, its is a discriptive word, ive done nothing wrong in telling someone something sounds crap, its superman with the problem NOT ME.

Im sick and tired of people assuming the word crap is a bad word, far too many people take it the wrong way, where I come from if you say somethings crap you take it with a pinch of salt because its just a normal thing to say, people on this board need to chill out a bit.

Oh and superman, I did give constructive critisism, I gave an entire post of it following my 'it sounds crap' line.

 

[Lindley]

Fire said:
What do yo mean both of us cool it? I thought it sounded crap so I gave my opinion, crap is a word within the English dictionary, it is not a flamatory word and is not a swear word, its is a discriptive word, ive done nothing wrong in telling someone something sounds crap,

And thus you'll notice how I didn't warn you. Cause and effect, eh?

its superman with the problem NOT ME.

His response isn't warnable either. But they're both at a similar level of needless antagonism. Hence, the caution.

Oh and superman, I did give constructive critisism, I gave an entire post of it following my 'it sounds crap' line.

Yes, you did. Which is why it wasn't trolling.

Now, that's the one and only time I'm going to explain this here. Any further issues, take it to PM.

 

[hellsgate]

The story would work if the author was prepared to allow for a few wrinkles. A Section 31 operative laying-low among the Federation vessel's survivors. The S31 operative is quite prepared to suspend observation of The Prime Directive to monitor this new alien planet & the direction its populace is taking. One thought is to simply steal the raw resources necessary to construct a small shuttlepod or augment a native probe capable of making the trip. The other is to suppress this race & its socio-political development until help arrives. Or, maybe the author can cut down on the time until Starfleet help arrives. From the original idea speculating at waiting four years, to about three weeks at the low end - to a month and a half at the longest.

 

[blockaderunner]

You know, I hardly ever say this in these types of threads, but I think this is a great idea for a series. It's a classic UFO encounter story, but this time the it's told from the prespective from the "aliens". I think that the stakes could be raised by having some natural or man-made phenomenom occuring in the planet's atmosphere preventing any communication offworld. It could be a test of survival for the crew and really put the Prime Directive to the test. As in, how much of it could be bent or broken for the sake of survival? Should they share what little functioning technology they have left with the people?And since they are in the middle of a war, which side do they trust? Lots of potential for this one if you don't mind stretching Trek's parameters. Good work BoxWhatBox. :thumbsup:

 

[sericali1]

blockaderunner said:
You know, I hardly ever say this in these types of threads, but I think this is a great idea for a series. It's a classic UFO encounter story, but this time the it's told from the prespective from the "aliens". I think that the stakes could be raised by having some natural or man-made phenomenom occuring in the planet's atmosphere preventing any communication offworld. It could be a test of survival for the crew and really put the Prime Directive to the test. As in, how much of it could be bent or broken for the sake of survival? Should they share what little functioning technology they have left with the people?And since they are in the middle of a war, which side do they trust? Lots of potential for this one if you don't mind stretching Trek's parameters. Good work BoxWhatBox. :thumbsup:

Exactly what I thought when I first read the premise. You're not even stretching the parameters of Trek all that much as DS9 proved involving itself in the day to day matters of one planet and still exploring "the human adventure" which has always been Star Trek's stock in trade. What this idea also does is remove all the Trek cliches (depending on the era), like self aware androids/holograms, the Borg, holodecks, time travel, or Section 31 to name a few so you can focus on actual story telling.

The idea could play out a few ways and since we already have a built in resolution in the eventual arrival of a rescue ship, you keep things lively with the crew and the natives of the planet and how they affect one another. Even if you have a starship show up in a year or sooner, the damage has been done so to speak, Starfleet has introduced itself into another culture and affected that culture's natural development. Unlike classic shows like "A Piece of the Action", where we never hear from the aliens involved again, this is a situation where the crew can't warp off to the next mission or beam all of their technology off the planet and call it a day. They have to resolve this situation in the midst of a planetary conflict that they will be doing their level best to stay out of.

At least that's the way I'd see it based on whether or not Federation technology fell into the native race's hands from the scuttled starship.

Add to that an alien culture caught up in war, not aware of the Federation or the end result of finding a way to effect peace for the common benefit of their planet, and you have plenty of fodder for a human adventure. I've fleshed out the idea in my head in one direction, others who have looked at this past the one or two episode thing have flesh it out in their own way, which makes me think if this were pitched as a series, it would have enough legs to make it to a decent pilot, but it would depend on the execution of the final product...

Just because it sounds like a good idea to a few of us, doesn't mean it would be done well enough to support a four year wait, much less a seven year series...

Later!

Ali

 

[hellsgate]

sericali1 & blockaderunner: No, perhaps it wouldn't work as a 7 year series series but the premise would work beautifully as a ".pdf" format e-novel/novella.

 

[Wowbagger]

There is a -lot- you can do with this premise. And that's really what you need in a TV series.

However: why make it be Star Trek at all? It sounds to me like something I'd watch just as standard SF&F.

 

[cardinal biggles]

hellsgate said:
sericali1 & blockaderunner: No, perhaps it wouldn't work as a 7 year series series but the premise would work beautifully as a ".pdf" format e-novel/novella.

It doesn't even have to run for seven years. Just because TNG, DS9 & VOY ran seven seasons doesn't mean this show has to; especially if they plot out the broad story arc ahead of time. This is the kind of thing that might work as a "half-season" show like Doctor Who or some of the stuff on HBO.

Wowbagger said:
However: why make it be Star Trek at all? It sounds to me like something I'd watch just as standard SF&F.

I was about to say "The Trek name will probably bring in some people who wouldn't normally try it," but these days the opposite seems to be true. Of course, if the brains behind the new movie were to attempt a series like this, and the new movie turns out to be good and popular, a Trek-branded show with this sort of storyline might stand a chance in hell. (Or, it might just be rejected out of hand as being Star Trek: LOST.)

 

[sericali1]

cardinal biggles said:

hellsgate said:
sericali1 & blockaderunner: No, perhaps it wouldn't work as a 7 year series series but the premise would work beautifully as a ".pdf" format e-novel/novella.

It doesn't even have to run for seven years. Just because TNG, DS9 & VOY ran seven seasons doesn't mean this show has to; especially if they plot out the broad story arc ahead of time. This is the kind of thing that might work as a "half-season" show like Doctor Who or some of the stuff on HBO.

This is true, the seven year mark tends to be the standard that was used against other trek shows. This idea could even fly in a Battlestar Galactica style with the documentary like filming.

And while I admit the idea would fit well in fan fiction, I wouldn't presume to take someone else's idea and make it my own without their approval. It's one thing to kick it around, but from where I sit, BoxWhatBox would have to be the one to move it into any other format or allow someone else to do so...

Sure I've already outlined at least one story in my head, but in my head is where it stays unless told otherwise...

Still we have shown the idea has more legs than originally thought and that's always a good thing...

Later!

Ali

 

[Wowbagger]

cardinal biggles said:

Wowbagger said:
However: why make it be Star Trek at all? It sounds to me like something I'd watch just as standard SF&F.

I was about to say "The Trek name will probably bring in some people who wouldn't normally try it," but these days the opposite seems to be true. Of course, if the brains behind the new movie were to attempt a series like this, and the new movie turns out to be good and popular, a Trek-branded show with this sort of storyline might stand a chance in hell. (Or, it might just be rejected out of hand as being Star Trek: LOST.)

The "branding" justification for giving things the Star Trek name has always profoundly irritated me. Star Trek means something. It represents a certain vision and, to some extent, a certain formula, and it most definitely is part of a certain universe. If there's a new show that eschews that vision and formula, I think it's insulting to the new show, viewers and to to Star Trek itself to call it "brand" it in order to "draw in eyes" from another work's independent success. It shows that the executives don't believe this show can succeed on its own, it supposes the viewers are too stupid to realize that they're watching something very different than what they tuned in to see, and it demonstrates a lack of respect for the vision so many have invested in the name Star Trek.

So, no. This show needs to be uniquely Trek or it needs to stand on its own two feet.