This week on Priority One — we trek out what the masterminds behind Star Trek on CBS All Access have to say to Vanity Fair; IDW releases their first Picard Countdown comic; STLV dates are announced; and the Star Trek Community mourns the loss of a pioneer in the franchise legacy. In Star Trek Gaming, we transport into a Winter Wonderland thanks to Q in Star Trek Online — and with that come some interesting changes to rewards; and Star Trek Adventures continues with the minds behind Geek & Sundry’s “Shield of Tomorrow.”
Of course, as always, before we wrap up the show, we’ll open hailing frequencies for your incoming messages
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This Weeks Community Questions Are:
CQ: Have you read Picard: Countdown? What did you think?
AND
CQ: Have you seen the Shield of Tomorrow show? Are you excited for Clear Skies and do you plan to watch it?
by Shane Hoover
Vanity Fair recently sat down to chat with two of the driving forces behind the resurgent Star Trek television universe. In the interview Star Trek’s lead showrunner, Alex Kurtzman, was joined by Julie McNamara, the CBS: All Access Executive VP of Original Content. McNamara declared that the impending CBS and Viacom merger presented the joint company with many assets, pointing out that it wasn’t certain yet how it would all come together.
She did say, “I know that streaming and CBS All Access specifically are a huge priority for the company… For something like the Star Trek universe, we are putting a ton of resources toward it.”
Questioned about the upcoming Picard series, Kurtzman pointed out that while inspired by Next Gen, the show is very much different. He says, “It feels like a modern adult drama in the world of Star Trek, which has not actually really happened before.” He also praised the franchise for being one of few that could focus a show like this on an 80 year old lead character’s story.
The pair were also asked about the forthcoming Section 31 spinoff series, starring Michelle Yeoh. According to Kurtzman, Yeoh was eagerly championing the spinoff before Discovery had even premiered. Kurtzman and McNamara were both quick to highlight that Section 31 will bring us a new “tonality” for Star Trek, which will set it apart from other projects. In Kurtzman’s words, “In some ways it will be her “Unforgiven”, I would say.”
IDW Publishing has just released the first issue of its “Star Trek Picard Countdown” comic series. The story is co-written by Mike Johnson and KEERsten Beyer. Over the course of the coming Countdown series stories, we will witness how Picard loses faith in the Federation and retires to solitude on his vineyard. In a packed 36 pages, this issue begins to paint a picture of huge changes in Picard’s life. The pages publicly teased in the past week showed Picard in command of a new ship which is NOT the U.S.S. Enterprise. In fact, the new ship, the U.S.S. Verity, will be instantly recognizable to all of our listeners familiar with Star Trek Online. The ship is clearly what STO players would call an Odyssey-Class starship. Excitingly, this represents Star Trek Online’s closest yet brush with official canon.
In the issue, we’re treated to the news that Geordi LaForge has been reassigned to lead development and construction of a fleet of rescue vessels. () to rescue planets threatened by the impending Hobus supernova. With Will Riker and Deanna Troi also revealed to be aboard the U.S.S. Titan, Picard’s crew is full of new faces, including a new first officer.
Picard, and the U.S.S. Verity are operating in and around the Romulan Neutral Zone, working to ensure peaceful cooperation as the Federation offers to help the Romulan people escape Hobus. While we don’t want to spoil anything in the story for you, it goes without saying that where Romulans are involved there are secrets to be found. And where Romulan secrets are found, danger and intrigue can’t be far behind.
In exciting news to Trekkies around the country, Creation Entertainment has officially announced the first details for its 19th annual Official Star Trek Convention in Las Vegas. The dates announced for the 2020 Convention are August 5th through 9th. The event will once again be staged at the Rio Suites Hotel and Casino.
Currently announced headliners are William Shatner, Kate Mulgrew, Walter Koenig and Jeri Ryan, with other celebrity names sure to be announced in coming months. The 2020 event will also bring back the Nevada Pops Orchestra for a Saturday night performance.
If you’ve never visited Star Trek Las Vegas before, or if you’re eager to go again, be sure to trek out the website for information on the world’s largest Star Trek convention.
On the evening of December 2nd, after a short illness, the legendary Star Trek writer Dorothy “D.C.” Fontana passed away. As StarTrek.com wrote… Her importance to the universe of Star Trek cannot be overstated. Fontana’s writing produced many of Star Trek’s revered and beloved episodes, like “Journey to Babel”. She also penned the Animated Series episode “Yesteryear”, as well as co-writing TNG’s pilot, “Encounter at Farpoint” and episodes of Deep Space Nine. Fontana was particularly instrumental in developing the depth of Vulcan culture and the struggles of the half-human Spock to reconcile himself with that culture.
D.C. boldly blazed a trail for women’s acceptance as Sci-Fi television writers. Her writing credits can be seen in many beloved programs within and beyond Sci-Fi. Those credits include “The Waltons”, “Bonanza”, “Babylon 5” and “The Six Million Dollar Man”, among others. In recent years, Fontana filled the role of Senior Lecturer at the American Film Institute.
She is survived by her husband, Dennis Skotak. To read the news on the official Star Trek site, follow the link in our show notes. If you wish to make a donation in memory of D.C. Fontana, her family would like donations to go to the Humane Society, the Best Friends Animal Society, or the American Film Institute.
by Anthony Cox
Was that a flash? I’m in a strange place?
I look around. This isn’t outer space.
There’s snow on the ground.
And musical sounds.
I’m back in Q’s Winter Wonderland
That’s right! The Star Trek Online winter event is in full swing and Q has brought a plethora of new goodies and treats for all the good little cadets and warriors. As we mentioned on a previous show players can obtain the new Tier 6 Fek’ihri Fe’rang Dreadnought Carrier. We’ve already gone over the stats, console, trait but if you want more details on the ship powered by the nightmares of Klingons, then trek out the show notes. Also, with the new event system fully engaged you can now participate in almost any of the winter activities once a day to earn your daily progress towards the Fe’rang carrier. As for the rest of the presents Q has brought with him, this year’s Nanopulse weapons are black this year and deal plasma damage. There are three new holiday themed space Bridge Officer manuals. For Engineers there’s “Let it Go,” an endothermic DoT abilities that also debuffs. Science officers can get “It is very cold in space,” an AoE that slows enemies and periodically does cold damage. And finally “Best served cold” is for Tactical officers, which will cause cold damage to occur whenever an enemy takes energy damage.
There’s also two new winter weapons available. A hand thrown impaling device made out of extra snowman decorations and a candy-vine version of the Ferengi whip. And of course you’ll need to keep warm in one of the many costume options introduced this year. Three new holiday sweaters are available and FINALLY a Breen costume! This costume will be available thru the event in the winter wonderland store and can be purchased with the ornaments and is also available in the Lobi store. After the winter event ends you will only be able to purchase it from the Lobi store. Starships can also join in the dress up fun with a new Fek’ihri vanity shield. Q’s Winter Wonderland event is available on all platforms until January 2nd.
In what can only be described as more Kelvin Timeline influences, Spock’s Jellyfish ship from the 2009 Star Trek movie is now available as a choice in the Tier 6 promotional ship pack; Which will be available in purchased R&D packs available in the c-store. When opening an R&D pack you’ll either receive 10 Lobi crystals or the Tier 6 Special Requisition pack. The Jellyfish, or Vulcan Experimental Scout Vessel, comes with a Commander Science/Pilot station and a Lt. Universal/Miracle Worker station, and an Ensign Universal station. It comes with the universal console, Eject Red Matter, which will create a gravitational anomaly that will not only draw in foes, but other anomalies in as well. It also boosts phaser damage and Starship Particle Generators. The starship trait is Slippery Target, when activating Pilot abilities, or Aux to Dampeners, you will gain a significant amount of damage resistance. And as an added bonus this ship comes equipped with the Red Matter Capacitor ship device. This device was once only available as a preorder bonus when the game launched or currently only available in the Phoenix prize store. The Jellyfish also comes with a Quad Micro Photon Torpedo Launcher, which has a higher recharge rate than a normal photon torpedo launcher. This R&D promotion is scheduled to go until January 2nd and is available on both PC and console versions of the game. Be sure to trek out the show notes for full details and ship stats.
In a Tweet from Star Trek Online this past week it was revealed that the Phoenix Prize pack will be sticking around indefinitely. On PC only. And you won’t be able to claim a free pack anymore. It’s unclear as to what precipitated the change, but we do know that this change will be coming to the console version soon.
Next weekend on PC, captains can participate in a Tzenkethi Red Alert weekend from December 12th to the 16th. Captains on console will have a Bonus marks weekend that same weekend, the 12th to the 16th. And the following events are for both PC and console platforms: To kick off the R&D ship promotion there is a Research & Development weekend from now until December 9th. Hearts and Minds returns the 12th thru 14th, both platforms will have a Bonus Experience weekend from the 19th to the 23rd, and finally there is a Borg Red Alert weekend scheduled for December 26th to the 30th.
With the new event system giving players a choice of which event to run for your daily event progress you can now STO your own way. But what if you just want to hop in, get the progress, and hop out? Well, as with years past, The Fastest Game on Ice is the only activity that isn’t part of the map rotation of activities. It’s available as soon as you log it, assuming it’s been more than 20 hours since you last ran it. So I thought I’d give my yearly tips on running the ice race track as smoothly and efficiently as possible. First off, don’t use the ice boots. I know it may seem like a good idea, but ice on ice will make you crazy fast on the straights, but when get to a turn you’ll launch yourself up a snowbank faster than Clark W. Griswold Jr. and land out of bounds. Then you’ll have to start the race all over again. The best thing to do is just run as fast as you can down the straights and when you get to a turn you have two options. Either you roll, by tapping the “w” key twice on PC, or by pressing the R3 analog stick button on consoles. You can either roll straight or you can roll in the direction of the turn. Your choice. The other option is to jump and stop moving forward. If you just jump straight up when you land you’ll stick to the ice without sliding. Once you’re planted just starting running in the new direction. Once you’ve done this a few times you’ll start to learn when and where you can run through some of the smaller turns. Hopefully one of these methods is helpful. And if you’d like to see a visual of this tip, trek out our youtube channel at youtube.com/p1network
It’s been over 3 years since the Star Trek Adventures RPG hit store shelves and almost a year and a half since the popular show, “Shield of Tomorrow” streamed it’s final epilogue episode on the Geek & Sundry network. The program showcased veteran role players crewing the U.S.S. Sally Ride throughout her perilous adventures on the brink of war with the Klingons. And even crossed over into the Star Trek Online time frame. In recent weeks, though, Shield of Tomorrow’s Game Master, Eric Campbell has taken to Twitter and Youtube to announce a new Star Trek Adventures Project, “Clear Skies”. The project is in partnership with Modiphius Entertainment and Star Trek Online, and will be streaming on the Twitch channel of QueueTimes. Returning names from Shield of Tomorrow include actors Sam De Leve, Gina Devivo, Bonnie Gordon, Xander Jeanneret, and Aki, along with Eric Campbell himself. Campbell clarified in Twitter comments that the show will be set in 2381, roughly six years after the Dominion War. The story will not be a direct sequel to Shield of Tomorrow, but is described as a spiritual successor. Cambell also instructed followers to “stay tuned” for more news on how Star Trek Online will be involved. To trek out the teaser trailer follow the link in the show notes. And if you’d like your very own gold admiralty card for the USS Sally Ride, set course in game over to the Narendra System, pull up to the ship, and open hailing frequencies.
Star Trek Command School, official Timeline, Star TreKelvin 4, Dr. Hurt on the Discovery Virtual Reality missions, Mudd’s Market, and retro Star Trek gaming
JG on 2019-12-13
Hrmmm, I think you guys may be barking up the wrong tree when it comes to canon and Trek novels. I mean, they have never been canon, as much as we might like them to be. That doesn’t stop me from enjoying reading them though. As for Star Wars, if memory serves before Disney wiped out the EU, they had different levels of canon and G (George) canon was whatever George Lucas put on the screen. It meant that he wasn’t beholden to anything in the EU, if Trek is working like that, I see no reason to get annoyed.
But, gents, PLEASE, please, please, PLEASE stop saying my state’s name wrong! It’s NevAda, NOT Ne-vah-da!
Tyler Maxwell on 2019-12-10
Heya P1!
Have you seen the Shield of Tomorrow show? Are you excited for Clear Skies and do you plan to watch it?
That was a lovely show, with wonderful players. 🙂 Clear Skies may peak my interest depending on the setting and the characters that they come up with. Since it’s partnered with STO, is it meant to be a sort of STO-prequel? Does it deal with some of the backstory changes now that the pre-2409 timeline is in flux due to the Picard show? Also, wasn’t there some contest to write a mission for an upcoming Star Trek Adventures STO-timeline game book? Does this new show have something to do with that?
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