In this week’s installment, I am going to look at one of the most fundamental questions that you as a GM will need to answer before starting an RPG campaign in the Star Trek setting: what era will you set your campaign in? Depending upon your familiarity with the various television series, movies, games, and other source materials you likely have a favorite era already in mind. I am going to discuss the different eras of play focusing on the pros and cons of each one. I will also offer some other bits of advice as you prepare to boldly carry your gaming group to the final frontier!
Roleplaying in the Star Trek universe can be broadly defined in terms of two primary eras; The Original Series and The Next Generation. I am not considering the Kelvin Timeline of the newest Star Trek films in this discussion as it can be treated as an alternate reality of the primary timeline. With all the different shows out there now spanning approximately 250 years from Star Trek: Enterprise (ST:E) all the way to Star Trek: Picard (ST:P), I think that a GM should consider setting a campaign in one of six eras:
- Pre-Federation/Early Federation (c. 2150 – 2225)
- Discovery Era (c. 2225-2265)
- The Original Series (2265-2275)
- The Motion Picture Era (2275-2295)
- The Next Generation (2360-2380)
- Future of the Federation (2380+)
Pre-Federation/Early Federation (c. 2150 – 2225)
With the series Star Trek: Enterprise starting in 2151, this era is marked by early human exploration of the Alpha Quadrant. Mankind is building its relationship with the Vulcans and just becoming aware of other threats out in deep space such as the Klingons. Near the end of the NX-01 Enterprise’s mission under Captain Jonathan Archer, the United Federation of Planets (UFP) was founded by Humans, Vulcans, Tellarites, and Andorians.
Pros: A campaign set in this era is wide open for exploration as the Alpha Quadrant is still largely unknown to humanity. After the founding of the UFP, ships can incorporate members from any of the member worlds though the early alliance may still be marked by distrust. PCs can participate in events linked to the Temporal Cold War explored in the ST:E series or discover other threats which they can resolve early in the history of the UFP.
Cons: It’s a small sandbox primarily due to slower warp speeds and limited exploration. Equipment and vessels featured in most RPG supplements will need to be scaled back to fit the technology of the era. Aside from ST:E there is not much to go on in this time period.
Discovery Era (c. 2225-2265)
The events of Star Trek: Discovery (ST:D) begin around 2250 during this era. The UFP has grown and matured, having fought conflicts with both the Klingons and Romulans. The Federation is preparing to explore further than it has before with ships of the Constitution – class being developed.
Pros: This time period is a fertile ground for a campaign focused on exploration or military goals. It is just close enough to the time period of Star Trek: The Original Series (ST:TOS) to be familiar to most players while still preserving a sense of mystery. A wide array of character and ship options should be available.
Cons: We are still learning about this era as ST:D unfolds so it may restrict creativity for any GM concerned about continuity. Moving a campaign forward a few years into The Original Series era may make more sense. Much like the Pre-Federation/Early Federation era, there may not be enough information for this campaign to thrive.
The Original Series (2265-2275)
This is an era marked by the adventures of the U.S.S. Enterprise during it’s five-year mission as explored in ST:TOS and Star Trek: The Animated Series (ST:TAS) up until just beyond the events of Star Trek: The Motion Picture. Starfleet vessels each had their own unique insignia until after the successful mission of the Enterprise. The Federation has grown and new threats have been discovered such as the Gorn and the Tholians while open conflict with the Klingon Empire and Romulan Star Empire has been narrowly avoided.
Pros: Adventures in this era will evoke the adventure and charm of ST:TOS. There are a lot of resources available to flesh out this setting. Exploration and facing the unknown should be frequent themes of a campaign in this time period. Campaigns in this era could easily continue from the Discovery Era and/or into the Motion Picture Era.
Cons: This era spans only a decade and campaigns here run the risk of always being in the shadow of James T. Kirk and the Enterprise.
The Motion Picture Era (2275-2295)
This is a turbulent period beginning just prior to the events of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and wrapping up a number of years after the loss of Admiral James T. Kirk as depicted in Star Trek: Generations. Tensions rise with the Klingon Empire until the Khitomer Accords result in a solid peace treaty. Exploration is still a primary mission of Starfleet and new undiscovered adversaries lie in wait such as the Cardassian Union and the Ferengi Alliance.
Pros: This era sees the advent of trans-warp drive and other significant advances. Romulan espionage and Klingon aggression present opportunities for more combat oriented scenarios. This time provides opportunities for missions inside Klingon Space after the passage of the Khitomer Accords.
Cons: A campaign in this era runs against the backdrop of the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise saving the Federation again and again.
The Next Generation (2360-2380)
Beginning a few years before the start of Star Trek: The Next Generation (ST:TNG) and continuing through the events of Star Trek: Nemesis, this era is arguably the most fertile ground for an RPG campaign. During this time period the Bajoran Wormhole opens up exploration of the Gamma Quadrant and the Federation meets challenges by the Cardassian Union, The Dominion, and The Borg Collective. Additionally, an omniscient species of beings known as the Q Continuum periodically interferes in human activities in order to test humanity’s right to exist.
Pros: Three different Star Trek television series provide ample source material for this era. Two new quadrants, Gamma and Delta, are opened up for exploration. There are plenty of opportunities for PCs to contribute to larger storylines without being overshadowed by NPC heroes.
Cons: Some of the ugliest Starfleet uniforms are in this era. That is my only criticism.
Future of the Federation (2380+)
Currently, this is the cleanest slate for adventures in the Star Trek universe. This era is only explored briefly in the final episode of ST:TNG and in the new series ST:P. The state of the Federation at this time is unknown, but it is reasonable to expect that Starfleet is still dedicated to exploration and meeting new challenges all of the time.
Pros: Almost completely unconstrained with little chance of affecting continuity.
Cons: Until ST:P gets underway we are only left to speculate about the state of the galaxy in this time period.
In Closing
In my humble opinion, I believe that the Next Generation Era provides the best opportunities for setting a Star Trek campaign. Regardless of which RPG version you choose to play with most of them have ample source material for this era and Memory Alpha is a great online trove as well. However, when it comes down to making your final choice, the best thing that a GM can do is consult the players you are bringing to the table and get their input on what they want to experience. You will be creating adventures with them and having them invested in the setting will insure that your campaign is both entertaining and fulfilling for everyone at the table.
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