Boldly Go Where No Writer Has Gone Before

John Funk

U.N. Owen Was Him?
Dec 20, 2005
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Boldly Go Where No Writer Has Gone Before



Want to be in the upcoming Star Trek Online beta test? Get in line. If you fancy yourself a writer, though, you might have a shot at a 100% guaranteed beta spot through Cryptic's Planet Exploration Contest, asking would-be explorers to imagine and describe going where No One Has Gone Before.

All right, so we're not exactly sure yet how Star Trek Online is going to handle the whole "crew on a giant spacefaring vessel" thing that fans loved from the various series, but the "beam down to unexplored alien world, punch some stuff and sex up the green chick" aspect should be a bit easier to nail down.

Cryptic is holding a contest for one lucky writer, asking for submissions of under 500 words describing potential adventures on the surface of a barren-looking red planet:

[blockquote]Part of the adventure that comes from exploring strange new worlds is discovering that planet's history and hearing the stories of its inhabitants. Imagine you have just entered orbit around the planet pictured here [http://media3.startrekonline.com/img/planet_background_contest.jpg]. Your mind races with the possibilities of what you will find. What is the planet's name? What or who lives there? Are they peaceful or antagonistic, welcoming or outright hostile? Are they long gone leaving only more mysteries to solve?[/blockquote]

It's an interesting - and fairly unique - contest, with a nice deal of creative freedom to it. Speaking from experience, though, I can't help but pity whoever has to read all the entries - yes, even the ones that discreetly tell the tale of the forbidden manly love that exists between a captain and his First Officer - and actually pick a winner.

(Via Wired Game|Life [http://blog.wired.com/games/2009/01/writing-contest.html])

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Lukeje

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Feb 6, 2008
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So is that a spelling mistake, or a jab at Sir Patrick Stewart? (I'm referring to the misspelling of 'boldly').

Meh, this game is still not enough to get me into MMOGs... especially not through embarrassing myself by writing a story set in the Star Trek universe...
 

nimrandir

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Oct 30, 2008
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Can you discreetly write about forbidden love in five hundred words? I come from the Tolkien school of storytelling, where I need at least a thousand words to describe my journey to the mailbox.

I plan to enter the contest, but I will probably write something akin to an extended version of the Mass Effect planetary survey data.
 
Feb 13, 2008
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Lukeje said:
Meh, this game is still not enough to get me into MMOGs... especially not through embarrassing myself by writing a story set in the Star Trek universe...
Just set it on the holodeck. Trek Fortress 2? Q be sappin' mah Enterprise!
 

John Funk

U.N. Owen Was Him?
Dec 20, 2005
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Lukeje said:
So is that a spelling mistake, or a jab at Sir Patrick Stewart? (I'm referring to the misspelling of 'boldly').

Meh, this game is still not enough to get me into MMOGs... especially not through embarrassing myself by writing a story set in the Star Trek universe...
Fixed :)
 

DamienHell

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Oct 17, 2007
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Whens this due by? I have like 6 essays or papers I have to write for school so I don't have time now.
 

nimrandir

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Oct 30, 2008
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If I remember the Star Trek Online site correctly, you have until January 29.

Wait -- never mind. I just checked again, and you have until next Octember 46. Take your time. Yeah, that's the ticket . . .