Fan gaming
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Fan gaming, normally a form of online gaming, is any type of gaming based on the Star Trek universe but not officially licensed by the studios or production companies who own the franchise. This type of gaming is generally affiliated with the World Wide Web as they are either played online or available via a downloadable client or program. Like officially licensed gaming products, these games take place outside the canon Star Trek universe.
- Please note that this is not a page to promote your own fan games.
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[edit] Role-playing game simulations
Star Trek role-playing (also known as simming) is a recreational activity in which fans of Star Trek adopt the character of a person in the Star Trek universe, typically on a Federation vessel. Many different groups exist for this purpose; they often use AOL Instant Messenger (AIM), Internet Relay Chat (IRC), or e-mail as a means of communication. Second Life also has a strong Star Trek role-playing community. Many other groups also exist on the internet, on various Star Trek MUDs and MUSHes.
[edit] Multi User Dimension and MUSHes
A MUD is a general term for any text based MMORPG on the web, commonly being connected to by use of a client, such as MUSHclient. One specific breed, a MUSH, is used for role-playing more than others, and thus attracts quite a few gamers. One of the largest TrekMUSHes is Star Trek: Among The Stars. Many other smaller TrekMUSHes exist as well, and are still being created, even. In most all cases these MUSHes are non-profit games, and are not affiliated with Paramount Pictures in any way.
[edit] Star Trek: A Call to Duty
Star Trek: A Call to Duty (abbreviated ACTD) was made public in 1996 with the creation of the Star Trek: The Continuum website by MSN. It hoped to provide an online chat based role-playing experience to members of the ISP similar. Serving as the first official online role-playing organization of the Star Trek website, it lost sponsorship in 2000.
The RPG was originally formed out of an organization called Virtual Trek (abbreviated vTrek) operating on The Microsoft Network (MSN) in May 1995. When an affiliation agreement was signed in 1996 with organization head Chad Morrett for the group to provide role-playing games on Star Trek: The Continuum, the organization's publicly advertised name changed. [1] The establishment of this organization, and attempts to make it successful, are what many contribute to legal action by Paramount Pictures against America Online in 1997.
When Paramount Digital Entertainment refused to renew MSN's contract to run the official website in January 1998, Star Trek: A Call To Duty remained active on the IRC based chat system of the site. However, by January 2000 the organization had lost sponsorship by Paramount Digital Entertainment. The official Star Trek website would not recognize and advertise another role-playing group until 2002 with the establishment of the Star Trek Simulation Forum (STSF). ACTD moved onto its own servers as a result.
[edit] Star Trek Simulation Forum
The Star Trek Simulation Forum, also known as STSF, is a simming organization that was created in 2002. Since shortly after its launch, STSF has served as the official chat based role-playing game of Startrek.com. Throughout its existence, the forum has featured games focusing on Star Trek games taking place during The Original Series, Post-Nemesis, Late 24th century and Enterprise eras. In addition to a separate website and forum, STSF has boards located on the official Star Trek website.
[edit] Fan-released games
In addition to the fan created simulations endorsed by Paramount, a number of other fan releases have been released over the years, the best known including FlashTrek, Netrek, and Star Trek: Rescue!. The last of these three was challenged by Paramount and the author, Tom Spreen, was forced to alter his game significantly before abandoning it entirely.
There have also been a number of modifications for other games in existence including Half-Life 2 and Star Trek: Voyager - Elite Force.
[edit] Second Life: Star Trek Museum of Science
The Star Trek Museum of Science is a 3D interactive museum found in the online virtual world, Second Life. It provides visitors with an immersive Star Trek experience and provides Second Life users with Star Trek-related information, images, sound files and computer programs.
The Star Trek Museum of Culture lies adjacent to the Star Trek Museum of Science and allows Second Life users and Star Trek fans alike to explore the different races and cultures of the Star Trek universe, interacting with different cultural objects and sampling some of the most exotic food the galaxy has to offer.
