531 - On the Verge of a New Discovery

This week on Episode 531 of Priority One: News is sparse as we gear up for the next season of Star Trek: Discovery, but there’s plenty to discuss in the world of Star Trek gaming!

TREK IT OUT

Edited by Thomas Reynolds

Power Seating on Star Trek: Discovery

By Rosco McQueen

Sonequa Martin-Green is on the interview circuit in the lead up Season 4 of Discovery. She spoke with SFXMagazine about the feeling of finally sitting in the captain’s chair, and the answer isn’t as simple as “soft and comfortable, and could they install a cup holder?”

"It feels very humbling. But it also feels very emboldening. I’m grateful for it because you feel like you earned this position with Burnham. You feel like you were able to learn and grow and make mistakes and mature from them with her."

It’s a new direction with a new captain, and the new series is set to premiere next week!

Don't everyone cheer at once. Image: ViacomCBS, via GamesRadar.

Time Enough For Mudd

By Rosco McQueen

Harcourt Fenton Mudd only appeared in two live-action episodes of Star Trek, and once in animated form, but he left a lasting impression [and I guess Rainn Wilson didn’t?–Ed.]. So much so that a spin-off was in the works, as revealed in an article from Fansided.  The article delves into the Starlog Magazine interview archives to discover that the pitch never got past the desk of the Great Bird of the Galaxy.  Gene Roddenberry told the actor, Roger C. Carmel, that the artists didn’t have time to develop the project, which would have seen Mudd take the lead in the series as a space pirate/intergalactic con-man. Carmel was supposed to reprise his role in a first season episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, but the actor died before filming began.    

[No thank you, I've already seen what Hell is like.–Ed.] Image: ViacomCBS, via TrekCore.

Quick News Roundup

Now, here are a few headlines that we didn’t discuss but might interest you. 

• With only three episodes of its first season having aired, Star Trek: Prodigy has already been greenlit for a second season. Additionally, season one is going to be draaaaaawn out with two breaks. After Nov 18, the season won’t pick up again until Jan 6 with another 5 episodes. Then, another 10 episodes will air later in 2022.
• Captain Kirk's vintage original phaser rifle from The Original Series just sold at auction for $615,000. The phaser rifle was used in the second pilot episode, entitled "Where No Man Has Gone Before" and was created by Reuben Klamer.
• It’s with a heavy heart that we report the passing of Trek alumnus Dean Stockwell at the age of 85. Known best for his role as “Al,” opposite Scott Bakula, in the TV series Quantum Leap, Stockwell guest starred on the Star Trek: Enterprise episode, “Detained.” Also Broadway actress Camille Saviola, who played Kai Opaka on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, passed away at the age of 71.

STAR TREK GAMING NEWS

Edited by Thomas Reynolds

Klingons Clash To Close Out 2021

By Rosco McQueen

The shattered shards of Praxis float above the Klingon homeworld, as disruptor fire scorches the hull of allied ships.  The Battle for Qo’noS has begun...again...and with it comes the opportunity for honor. And new starships! The TFO "Battle for Qo'nos" returns to PC (and soon to console) as the final event in Event Campaign III: your last chance to progress towards a free Tier 6 Infinity Promotion or Infinity Lock Box ship. 

Another Klingon civil war, or as the rest of the galaxy calls it, Tuesday. Image: Cryptic Studios.

After playing the event for 14 days, you’ll receive the Aakaar’s Vengeance console event reward.  If you’re a fan of electrical damage, then you are in for a treat! The console launches an electrical burst that flies to the target and immediately deals shield-bypassing Electrical Damage. It shuts down non-shield systems one by one. 

See what happens when you stick a fork in a power coupling? Image: Cryptic Studios.

This is also the last opportunity, if you haven't already, to complete the Event Campaign III. Once complete you can redeem a free Tier 6 Infinity Promotion or Infinity Lock Box ship. The starships included are those only released before December 31st, 2020–but the starship will be bound to account, not bound to a character.  

Doing $200 to Life(time) In Star Trek Online

By Elio Lleo

From now until December 9th lifetime subscriptions are on sale, for PC the sale price is $199.99, and console-specific prices are discounted by 33%. Some of the lifetime rewards include species unlocks like playable Talaxians or Joined Trill plus you get exclusive access to the Captain’s Table, a membership-required social zone. You also get automatic daily dilithium refining and a Zen monthly stipend.       

The Token Will Set You(r Stuff) Free

By Cat Hough

In non-STO, but STO-adjacent news, Cryptic’s Dungeons & Dragons-licensed MMO Neverwinter has announced that certain in-game items can be unbound using an Unbind Token purchasable from the Zen Store. These items that were previously bound to a character can now be readily traded or sold in the Auction House. They are only starting with a limited number of items, but plan to expand the options. Also, some items won't be able to be unbound such as equipped mounts and companions due to how those items work.

But we can still hear Cryptic saying that they'll never break the chain. Image: Cryptic Studios.

Why bring this up on Priority One [don’t look at me, you wrote it–Ed.]? Well, we’ve discussed this type of item becoming available in STO, but it seems like it wouldn’t work for ships or possibly bridge officers. However this would be amazing for bind-on-pickup items from the Lobi store.

STO Spinning Another Good Yar-n?

By Rosco McQueen

Denise Crosby has been a delight in Star Trek Online, adding just the right level of cloaked menace to the character of Sela. She also lent her voice to provide a conclusion to Tasha Yar’s temporal fate in the story mission “Survivor”.  But a tweet this week sparked our curiosity, with the prospect of more Yar in our future.

Denise tweeted “ I know one of you will know this. What was the name of the Ep. where I’m running from the rape gangs on Turkana IV carrying my pet cat? I have a special surprise coming soon and need to rewatch the Ep. but can’t remember the title! Ah, age!“

https://twitter.com/TheDeniseCrosby/status/1455688486699159552

If you’re playing along at home, the answer is “Where No One Has Gone Before” from TNG [S1E6–Ed.].  But what could this mean?  Will we see Tasha turn up in Star Trek Online sometime soon?  Perhaps a mirror version to help expand the current “Reflections” story arc?  Only time will tell. 

Gamemaster’s Log, Supplemental

By Rosco McQueen

Gamemasters and new players to Star Trek Adventures can now consult new books, when there are trying times at the gaming table. New editions of the Player’s Guide and the Gamemaster’s Guide, both now available for print preorder! The guides aren’t standalone, but complement your rulebook of choice for STA from Modiphius, (Starfleet Core Rulebook, Klingon Core Rulebook, or the Tricorder Collector’s box set).

"The Prime Directive...is the guiding principle of Starfleet, up until the script says it isn't." Image: Modiphius Entertainment.

Strangely enough, the play guide is for players, and the Gamemaster’s guide is for the gamemaster. In an article from STA Project Manager Jim Johnson, he explains that the guides are there to give tabletop players new and old the tools to play any type of character in the Star Trek universe.“The many optional rules provided in the Gamemaster’s Guide provide gamemasters with more ways to tweak the gameplay, enabling you to scale the rules you use at your table up or down, depending on your group’s preferred game style and desired level of ‘crunch’. Whether you run a rules-light, fast-paced game or a more detailed, tactical game (or even something in between), there should be enough interesting options in the book to help you create amazing Star Trek adventures with your friends.”