Taking the Final Frontier to the Virtual Frontier

Now that the uncertainty regarding Nuke-Con 2020 is out of the way, I can actually start making headway in planning and prepping for my October and November events. After a lot of gamer ADHD and anxiety, I've come to the conclusion that Cyberpunk 2020 hits too close to home with current events the way they are.

As such, I'm going to be running the Icon system edition of the Star Trek RPG. While Modiphius' 2D20 system is the current incarnation of Star Trek roleplaying in the hobby, Last Unicorn's edition is my version of choice. This post will be the central locus for information on my events.

First off, let's get the skinny on the two conventions in question. Nuke-Con is set for October 2-4, 2020. Virtual GameHole Con is scheduled for November 5-8 go here to register for the con. Essentially, I'm going to be running the same events for both conventions, so if you miss a certain event at Nuke-Con's virtual convention, you can always try to catch it at Virtual GameHole Con. All that being said, let's move ahead to the 24th century...

The Series Premise

The year is 2377 - only two years since the Dominion War ended. The Alpha Quadrant's long healing process is far from over. The Cardassian Union and Klingon Empire quietly rebuild from their devastating losses. Meanwhile, the Federation and Romulan Star Empire have resumed their cold war. In the shadows, predators and scavengers lurk, watching for any sign of weakness they can take advantage of.

Capt. Malcom Harrison. Yes, I went there.

Into this uneasy peace comes both a new ship and a new generation of Starfleet cadets. Cadet Training Squadron 42 - Delta Squad - find themselves assigned to the USS Odyssey, NCC-71832-A. One of many ships constructed under Starfleet's Rapid Reconstruction Initiative, the Odyssey is built from a number of refurbished, salvaged, repurposed, and new components. Despite being thrown into the deep end of this chaotic situation, Captain Malcom Harrison and his crew are determined to keep the flame of Starfleet and the Federation's ideals burning.

Canon and Apocrypha

While these are convention games, I feel it's important to remind some players that this game adheres mainly to the canon as presented in the TV series (excluding Discovery) and movies (excluding the J.J. Abrams films and despite my dislike of Generations, First Contact, and Nemesis).  Material presented in the novels, comics, and electronic games is considered apocryphal unless I introduce it into the game. 

The Icon System (Condensed)

 For those of you who don't own a copy of Last Unicorn Games' Star Trek: The Next Generation RPG, I've provided a condensed version minus the Renown rules. Why did I leave out the Renown rules? Mainly because I find them pointless, but also because they serve no purpose in these scenarios.

• Rules Handout (with Master Trait List)
• Rules Handout (no Master Trait List)
  

 

The Adventures of the Odyssey and Delta Squad

The following adventures represent the events of Delta Squad's extended cadet cruise. Event information for each convention will be added as details become available. Discord links will be provided here once they have been assigned by the respective conventions.

The Kobayashi Maru - Members of Delta Squad take part in the Kobayashi Maru simulation, but a cadet's secret agenda risks everyone's future.

 

GM's Note: Players whose cadet characters receive a promotion to Ensign in "The Kobayashi Maru" may bring those characters back to participate in the subsequent adventures below.

Shakedown Cruise - The unexpected arrival of Delta Squad and a mysterious subspace signal complicate the USS Odyssey's maiden voyage.

Bioadversity - A survey mission turns deadly when an ancient bioweapon is released and an old enemy of the Federation returns seeking revenge.

A Hungry Season - A mission of mercy is derailed when raiders hijack a convoy carrying medical aid.

USS Odyssey NCC-71832-A

• Icon System stat sheet for USS Odyssey NCC-71832-A
• Icon System starship record sheet
• USS Odyssey stat sheet and starship record sheet

Please note, the starship record sheet is not form-fillable.

Dramatis Personae

Here are the heroes of our adventures - the cadets of Delta Squad and the crew of the Odyssey. The character sheets are forthcoming.

 

Cadet Training Squadron 42 (Delta Squad)

• Tactical Cadet Mark Decker - Male Human
• Medical Cadet Kheris - Female Human-Klingon hybrid
• Engineering Cadet Hiromi Sulu - Female Human
• Biosciences Cadet Sharan Alea - Female Bajoran
• Command Cadet Sural - Male Vulcan
• Command Cadet Thraxana - Female Denobulan
• Operations Cadet Deron Val - Male Trill (unjoined)

 

Crew of the USS Odyssey NCC-71832-A

• Cmdr. M'rynn - Executive Officer - Female Caitian
• Lt. Cmdr. Sarah Hennings - Second Officer - Female Human
• Lt. Cmdr. Ghent - Chief Engineer - Male Tellarite
• Lt. Debrin - Assistant Engineer - Male Tiburonian
  
• Lt. Cmdr. D'vor - Tactical/Security - Male Andorian
• Lt. Cmdr. Teldar - Operations - Male Bolian
• Lt. Cmdr. Kohana - Chief Science Office - Female Andorian
• Lt. T'kel - Assistant Science Officer - Male Vulcan
  
• Lt. Cmdr./Dr. Melara Tebryn, MD - Chief Medical Officer - Female Centauran
  
• Lt./Dr. Chel Beran, MD - Second Medical Officer - Female Betazoid
• Lt. j.g. Michael Peretti - Conn/Ops - Male Human
  

Character sheets by Patrick M. Murphy, aka "The Mad Irishman".

Bonus: Wonder what the theme song would be like? I think Nick Phoenix's "Starfleet" fits the bill.

Nuke-Con LIVES!

After weeks of feeling adrift in seas of uncertainty, the sun broke through and I can see clearly now. Nuke-Con 2020 is going ahead, but in an online format. Just an hour ago, the con coordinator posted the following announcement: 

Good morning, Fellow Gamers.

I have to announce today that Nuke-Con has decided not to hold a face-to-face convention in October 2020.

We also decided that we can’t let our 30th Annual Convention disappear with just a whimper, so we’re shifting gears to an online convention. It’ll be the same weekend you’ve been planning for: October 2, 3, and 4, 2020. We’re still working out details, but in the meantime we invite all GMs to talk with us about how to shift your game to one of the many available online platforms.

You can reach Erik Luken, Game Registration, at gmreg@nuke-con.com.

You can reach Josh Stortz for membership questions at reg@nuke-con.com.

You can reach Speedy Coveny to talk about pre-paid booths at vendors@nuke-con.com.

You can reach me for general questions and comments at main@nuke-con.com.

You can also send a message to https://www.facebook.com/nukecon/inbox/.

We’ll post updates as we finalize details.

Like you, we’ve been hoping for the best but planning for the worst. The staff talked about better spacing around tables, limiting the number of people at a given table, masks, and disinfectant. We discussed the financial impact to the organization, how much we’ll miss seeing our friends, and what the Nuke-Con community might think of us whichever decision we made. In the end, we decided that we can’t, in good conscience, open an arena for possible – maybe even likely – transmission of disease.

Thank you all for understanding.

Norajane McIntyre
Aka the GodMom
Nuke-Con 2020 Convention Coordinator

So there it is, and to quote Droopy Dog, "I'm happy."

"You know what, folks? I'm happy."

I know there are some folks who aren't happy with this situation, but it can't be helped. We're already seeing spikes in COVID-19 case numbers now that restrictions are being lifted in various states. While those spikes alone don't constitute a second wave of the virus, we can't let them grow to that stage. I'm so very glad that Nuke-Con isn't going away and that with hope there will be a Nuke-Con and a vaccine in 2021.

All that being said, keep an eye on this spot for more info on my convention events. I may also be running games at Gamehole Con's virtual convention in November if the stars align right.

On Adapting

Change is hard. Change is scary. But sometimes change is necessary for survival. That's something everybody is learning in this ongoing pandemic. One would think that gaming would be immune to this, but it's not. Groups normally accustomed to meeting in person are having to meet online in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Our favorite gaming conventions and convention-related services have also felt the effects of all the uncertainty.

GenCon, GaryCon, PretzCon, Nuke-Con. All of these are institutions in our hobby, either locally or on a larger scale. While GenCon and GaryCon both canceled their physical events, they adapted quickly and went virtual. PretzCon, a smaller convention here in Omaha, sadly canceled for 2020 and now it looks like Nuke-Con is on equally uncertain footing.

I originally wasn't going to raise a fuss regarding the option of going virtual, but given possibility of Nuke-Con 2020's cancellation, I've decided to come out and say this: I would rather see a online Nuke-Con rather than no Nuke-Con at all this year.

While there are people who tout the efficacy of such things as social distancing, masks, gloves, and plastic shields, these measures aren't entirely foolproof. In a convention scene, they're pretty much counterproductive. Masks and gloves can tear or become otherwise contaminated; plastic shields are expensive. Also, I can't see myself sitting six feet away from my players, shouting over the din of an open convention hall through a mask. Living with multiple risk factors, the only way I'll truly feel safe in physically attending a convention is if a working COVID-19 vaccine is made readily available.

This might appear selfish to some people, but think about it. While we would all love to get together with our friends and love ones at Nuke-Con, we all have to act responsibly to prevent the spread of the virus. Meeting virtually is the only way around this, in my opinion. Yes, I know meeting online is not everyone's thing, but sacrifices have to be made in order to protect ourselves and others from this pandemic. I'd rather run my games online than not run them at all.

As such, I'm going to be registering my events – with the proviso that if Nuke-Con happens physically (with or without a virtual Nuke-Con), and a working vaccine is not available at the time, I will run my games on Roll20. I will be including info in my event descriptions for where players can go on Roll20 and Discord to find the games if I am not physically at the convention. I would only need communication from Nuke-Con as to who signed up for what game. No prize support, no con bucks, no physical support of any kind. Just communications from the event team regarding players.

So the long and short of it is this: if there's no vaccine, I won't be there physically at Nuke-Con; instead, I'll be more than happy to run my games online for anyone interested. If a vaccine is available, I'll take the jab and be there to run my games in person.

We're all in this together, folks, and I hope we're able to see each other for real in October.