STF operates within a set Universe that we know a fair bit about but that doesn’t mean you’re limited within it. You have the opportunity to create a vast number of elements that are uniquely yours and can not only set your sim apart, but add a richness that will help your crew immerse themselves better in your story.
But before you go creating all these fantastic pieces, it is wise to double-check that there isn’t something already done in canon. That’s where you check our club resources and places like Memory Alpha. The more you’re familiar with these sites the more you’ll know what you may or may not need to create.
Characters
Not every sim will require fleshed out characters, but even having a few details about what few characters you do use will help enrichen your sim environment. It can be simply a name, species and appearance, or you can go ahead and write a quick bio for them. A quick rule of thumb would be that the more interaction this character will have with the crew, the more details about them you should prepare in advance. Having a solid backstory for a character for whom the sim revolves around will keep you organized and stop you contradicting yourself as you go along.
Worlds
There are lots of reasons you may need to create a world. Perhaps that is where your crew is headed and where the sim will take place, or maybe this is the place where a central sim character hails from. Especially if it is a place that is unusual or unknown in some way, planning out the details in advance will save you a lot of grief and scrambling.
Some things you could consider:
- Size and class of planet, and location in solar system as well as within its home galaxy
- If in the Alpha or Beta Quadrant of our galaxy (the Milky Way Galaxy), refer to the GMD Star Chart and decide what makes sense for the fleet your ship/RP area is located within. Keep distances/travel reasonable!
- Solar system details, including the star(s)/star remnants found there. Are there special characteristics that shape this world or that the crew may need to know about for the sim?
- Orbital period (year) and rotation (day). How long are these? Are there any quirks that might need to be explained?
- Population size, if it’s inhabited. This should match the size of the planet and level of civilization found there. (Refer to Species section below)
- Climactic zones, geography, atmosphere composition.
- Presence of moons or other orbital bodies. Remember that moons (and stars) are important elements for tides.
- If it’s habitable, any non-sentient life that people might encounter (good to know if your crew is going to be present outdoors at all.
- Economy the planet uses. Is is consistent around the planet or do different regions have different methods? Do they use a credit system like the Federation, or are they a monetary based economy? Are they capitalist, socialist, other? Don’t be afraid to do some research in this area to provide believable details.
It’s important to remember that you may not know a lot about some or any of these topics. Don’t be afraid to do research to learn more and create a place that perhaps, despite some uniquely sci-fi details, still makes some sort of sense scientifically. Ground your sim in some realism!
Species
Creating a custom species can be an extremely rewarding process. You get to decide everything that makes this group of beings unique and compelling enough to have a place in your story.
Like any character you roleplay, what you choose to hold back about them in interactions with others is as important as what you reveal. But it’s important to have your species well fleshed out so that you aren’t creating questions you can’t answer and issues you can’t solve.
There are many details to consider and it can be overwhelming to know where to start. Some people have a particular crux in their sim they need this species to fulfill. For example, maybe you need them to be non-corporeal because of how you want the crew to first encounter them. Or maybe they are very religious and their encounter with the crew presents a problem that has to be solved. Whatever the details are, make sure they make sense when all put together.
Finding Inspiration
How do you go about even starting? It depends on your creative process. Some start with an image in mind of what their species looks like. Star Trek’s makeup designer extraordinaire, Michael Westmore, famously used images of dinosaurs, reptiles, fish and other creatures as a basis for the appearance of many of Star Trek’s alien species. Whether you use something existing as inspiration or draw out something entirely new yourself, imagery can be a powerful place to begin.
Some key things to decide about your species:
- Appearance and Physiology. Perhaps they not only look different than Humans but their physiology has many unique components. You can decide not only how long they live, but whether they are psi-positive (empathic/telepathic), corporeal or not, prone to certain diseases etc. The possible combinations are endless!
- Places they live and/or can be found. Do they live on one planet? Have many colonies? An unknown Empire? Are they Nomadic? This important decision can branch off and determine other areas, so decide this first. And if they live on a planet, see the previous section on Worlds.
- Level of civilization. Are they pre-industrial, warp capable, highly advanced? Often this is determined by your sim, but maybe not. Perhaps this detail will inspire possible events for your sim.
- Technology. Related to level of civilization, it’s important to nail down what they do and don’t have and whether this will pose any issues in their interaction with your crew? Keep in mind the Prime Directive!
– This is also your chance to think up new or modified technology that they might have, especially if your sim revolves around it in some way. Do your research, ask questions and try to imagine how things in the Star Trek Universe might function differently in a way that can be exciting for your crew, but also reasonable. Remember, you have to explain it and have it make sense! - Culture. How do they entertain themselves? Do they have religious or spiritual beliefs? Do they value science? What values and social behaviours are important or even repulsive? How do they educate themselves?
- Societal structure. How do people organize themselves in groups? Do they at all? (ie. They could prefer isolation for periods of time) Do they have a form of government? Are there family groups?
No matter what you decide your species looks like or how they act, make sure you do your research where necessary and your details make sense. You want your crew to believe that this species could actually exist in our made-up Universe. The more compelling you make those details, the more interesting this species will be within your sim.