Well, it could be worse. They could've had Turbine do it!
http://www.perpetual.com/pages/news.html
For immediate release:
PERPETUAL ENTERTAINMENT TO DEVELOP AND PUBLISH STAR TREK® MASSIVELY MULTIPLAYER ONLINE GAME
San Francisco, CA -- September 7, 2004 --
Perpetual Entertainment, Inc. announced today that it has secured the exclusive worldwide rights from Viacom Consumer Products to develop and publish a massively multiplayer online game based on Paramount Pictures’ Star Trek franchise.
Star Trek is one of the world’s most popular, longest-running, and beloved sci-fi properties, with millions of passionately devoted fans throughout the world. As Star Trek celebrates its 38th anniversary, Star Trek gaming begins its next evolution.
The license encompasses all live-action motion pictures and television series including, Star Trek: The Original Series, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager, and Star Trek: Enterprise. “The scope of the content license is extraordinary for a game of this kind, giving us the opportunity to immerse fans and players in the incredibly rich, diverse and exciting universe of Star Trek,” said Joe Keene, CEO of Perpetual Entertainment.
The game will deliver action, adventure and combat mechanics unique to persistent world games. Its design includes a rich array of solo and multiplayer missions set in space, on planets and in starbases throughout the universe. At launch, it will take place during the 24th century timeline in the series with other aspects of the Star Trek universe to be interwoven and added through expansions.
“Players will encounter characters, places, and situations from their favorite Star Trek movies and television series; will explore incredible new worlds; and will cooperate with or battle friendly and hostile races throughout the game,” said Chris McKibbin, President of Perpetual Entertainment.
“Fans of Star Trek have been longing for a game that lets them participate in and explore the Star Trek universe,” said Terri Helton, Executive Vice President of Viacom Consumer Products. “We have been searching for the right partnership for our time-honored Star Trek to create a game that not only appeals to fans but a broader audience as well. Perpetual’s experience, technology and vision for this game make them the clear choice.”
The game is expected to enter public beta testing in 2006 and to launch by early 2007. For more information, see http://gaming.startrek.com for “Frequently Asked Questions” about the game.
About Viacom Consumer Products
Viacom Consumer Products, Inc. merchandises properties on behalf of Paramount Pictures, Paramount Television, Viacom Productions, and Spelling Television, as well as third-party properties. Viacom Consumer Products is a subsidiary of Viacom Inc.
About Perpetual Entertainment
Perpetual Entertainment is a San Francisco-based developer, publisher and operator of networked multi-player and massively multi-player games for the PC and next-generation videogame consoles. For more information please visit http://www.perpetual.com.
For more information, visit the official home of Star Trek at http://www.startrek.com.
® & © 2004 Paramount Pictures. Star Trek and related elements are trademarks of Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved.
For immediate release:
PERPETUAL ENTERTAINMENT SECURES $6.5 MILLION INVESTMENT
SOFTBANK Capital Leads Series B Equity Funding
San Francisco, CA -- September 7, 2004 --
Perpetual Entertainment, a developer, publisher and operator of networked multi-player and massively multi-player games for the PC and next-generation videogame consoles, today announced that it has secured a $6.5 million equity investment. SOFTBANK Capital led the Series B funding round, with Manitou Ventures, Mobius Venture Capital and Chengwei Ventures participating.
In a previous Series A equity investment led by Manitou Ventures and Mobius Venture Capital that closed in November 2003, Perpetual Entertainment secured $4.5 million.
“We are excited to partner with investors who share our vision for the future of online gaming,” said Joe Keene, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Perpetual Entertainment.
Eric Hippeau, Managing Partner of SOFTBANK Capital, said: “SOFTBANK Capital’s investment in Perpetual Entertainment is part of our strategy of funding technology-based companies with dramatic growth and market leadership potential. Perpetual is at the forefront of developing innovative game experiences and applications for making multi-player games more fun, more challenging and more rewarding.”
Perpetual will use the $11 million it has secured to date to develop industry leading online game technologies and AAA online games.
In pursuit of those goals, Perpetual is creating the Perpetual Entertainment Platform, a complete solution for developing, hosting, monitoring and operating networked online games playable on a wide variety of consumer electronic devices, and the Perpetual Game Engine, a suite of reusable game tools and libraries for the high-quality and stable development of networked games of all genres.
In addition, Perpetual is currently developing two innovative online games and plans on partnering with other third party developers to bring additional games online.
Chris McKibbin, Co-Founder and President of Perpetual Entertainment added: “Combining leading-edge technologies with great creative teams will be the key to success for Perpetual Entertainment.”
About Perpetual Entertainment
Perpetual Entertainment is a San Francisco-based developer, publisher and operator of networked multi-player and massively multi-player games for the PC and next-generation videogame consoles. For more information please visit http://www.perpetual.com.
About SOFTBANK Capital
SOFTBANK Capital is the U.S.-based venture capital group associated with SOFTBANK Corp. that focuses on private equity investments in technology-related companies. To date, SOFTBANK Capital has made numerous investments in e-commerce, software, financial services, communications and digital media and marketing companies, including Yahoo!, E*Trade, LRN, NLG, UTStarcom, GeoCities, Danger and GSI Commerce. SOFTBANK Capital is currently investing through SOFTBANK Capital Technology Fund III L.P., which focuses on investing in U.S. technology companies taking advantage of the significant ongoing development and deployment of broadband and the resulting fundamental business and operational changes occurring across most industry sectors. There is more information available at: http://www.sbcap.com.
About Manitou Ventures
Manitou Ventures, established in 2001, invests in early-and mid-stage, U.S. and Asia-based companies with a focus on Asian markets. With its home base in San Francisco, Manitou invests in high growth technology sectors, including communications, Internet, new media, semiconductors and IT services.
About Mobius Venture Capital
With offices in Palo Alto, California and Superior, Colorado, Mobius Venture Capital is a $2 billion U.S.-based private equity venture capital firm managed by an unparalleled team of former CEOs and entrepreneurs, technology pioneers, senior executives from major technology corporations, and leaders in the investment banking community. Mobius Venture Capital combines its technology expertise and broad financial assets with the industry's best entrepreneurs to create a powerhouse portfolio of over 100 of the world's leading high technology companies. For more information on the fund's investment team, technology vision and portfolio companies, please visit http://www.mobiusvc.com.
About Chengwei Ventures
Chengwei Ventures, based in Shanghai, is one of the first independent venture capital funds to operate in China. Chengwei was founded in 1999 for the purpose of investing in high-growth potential companies in a variety of industries including communication software, enterprise software, financial services, IC design, niche component manufacturing, healthcare and media.
Nameless Developer Secures Star Trek MMO rights
Moderator: Dictators in Training
Nameless Developer Secures Star Trek MMO rights
What saves a man is to take a step. Then another step.
– C. S. Lewis
– C. S. Lewis
Follow up interview
http://pc.ign.com/articles/545/545392p1.html?fromint=1
September 07, 2004 - Today an announcement was released that surely sent waves of ecstasy throughout the populace. Klingon nose bridges were donned, Starfleet uniforms were pressed, and Vulcan neck pinches were applied when Perpetual Entertainment announced that they had grabbed the license to the Star Trek license and had begun work on the development of a Star Trek massively multiplayer game hoping to go into beta in 2006 with a release in 2007.
We know little about this title set in the 24th Century (there aren't even any screens or concept art at this time) but the guys at Perpetual, a company founded by industry veterans coming from EA, were kind enough to let us have a word with them about the project including what they're hoping to accomplish with the Star Trek universe, where they've come, and where they hope to go.
Company CEO Joe Keene and President Chris McKibbin were both on hand to lead us into the future.
IGNPC: This is obviously a pretty big announcement and we've pretty much just been wondering who was going to do it. How did you go about getting the license and what exactly does the license entail?
Joe Keene: The license gives us the right to do massively multiplayer online games. It's a ten year license that encompasses all of the Star Trek "universe," for lack of a better word. All of the movies and television series with the characters, stories and plotlines from each are in the package.
IGNPC: So you can pick through any of those and take it as history or use it directly in the game?
Joe Keene: That's right. And of course it will also include the right to invent things that intended to expand and develop the overall Star Trek universe.
IGNPC: We're assuming the process will include getting approval from Paramount for all of these things?
Joe Keene: Yeah, as with any major license, pretty much everything needs to be specifically approved. As for things that have already happened in the universe that are well known, that's not expected to be problematic. As for that, I have to say that Paramount has been extremely generous in giving us access to people that have worked in the series, for decades in some cases, and they're very eager to work with us to create the next evolution of the Star Trek franchise.
IGNPC: Are these people just going to be advisors into creating content for the Star Trek universe or help you in actual creation of the background and story of the universe?
Joe Keene: I think for the most part it's up to us to decide. There are a ton of resources out there and we're really at the early stages of sorting through it all and are making decisions about how were going to use those vast amount of resources. Those people are available and we'll be able to call on them to help us make decisions about whether we're doing the right thing.
IGNPC: Is there going to be an overarching story for the MMO as a whole or are you just going to stick them players in the universe and let them go crazy?
Chris McKibbin: I guess the answer is kinda both. We think the license lends itself to a lot of story lines, both as overarching ones and shorter durations, but we also think it's critically important that people get to establish their own characters and effectively experience what it would truly be like to live and adventure in the Star Trek world.
So we're going to do a combination of both with official missions and some dynamically created content. There will be overarching stories and missions to pursue, but players certainly won't be confined to those things.
IGNPC: How open is the universe going to be when the game is first released?
Chris McKibbin: We're at the front end of the design process, so knowing exactly the scope of the world that launches is still to be determined. However I will say that we have developed a technology that combines persistent territory with dynamically generated territory. The combination of those technologies allows you to have a pretty large and varied world without having the game be massive and persistent all the time.
IGNPC: So how long have you guys been working on this then?
Chris McKibbin: We founded the company two and a half years ago. We've been working on the technology that we'll be building the game on for that time. When we left EA we put together a list of franchises that would be good for the MMOG space and Star Trek was on the top of the list so we've had working designs for a Star Trek game since the beginning of the company.
IGNPC: How will you be balancing gameplay in space and on planets and space stations?
Chris: Once again, just to emphasize the point, we are still very early in the design process. That being said, we believe the Star Trek encompasses different things. You can effectively think of it as ground based and space based. And the ground can be space stations, planet surfaces, home planets, which include capital cities for races while space includes traveling through space. We're going to make it possible for players to choose whether they spend most of their time in space or on the surfaces of planets and space stations.
IGNPC: Obviously there are a lot of races in Star Trek. We're guessing that you'll have to focus on a few. Do you have any idea at this point which is going to be the most important to you?
Chris McKibbin: Well, we have an idea, but we haven't locked on anything yet so we'd just as soon not set any expectations.
IGNPC: From a gameplay perspective are you planning on adding a little bit of everything like a Star Wars Galaxies model where you have combat but you also have a ton of trade skills so that there will be a lot of different things to do?
Chris McKibbin: Well, I think our company is focused more on action/adventure game mechanics and experiences than more hardcore role-playing and crafting. It's important to have support skills and trade skills that support the community and the massively multiplayer nature of the game, but we're much more focused on what makes a compelling and exciting entertainment experience that embodies the action/adventure nature of Star Trek.
IGNPC: What kind of roles might players be able to experience in this kind of action/adventure environment.
Chris McKibbin: I think we're too early to set expectations around that as well.
IGNPC: Hmm, well then it might be too early to answer this as well, but we might as well ask. Will people be able to affiliate themselves with organizations like the Federation or the Klingon Empire?
Chris McKibbin: Without a doubt at launch people will be able to affiliate themselves with the Federation. We imagine through the life of this game that players will be able to affiliate themselves with multiple organizations. I don't know whether that's available at launch or will happen with an expansion. It's hard to say right now.
GNPC: How about player vs. player combat? Will it player a large role?
Chris: Here's kinda how we answer this... we don't think PvP will be a primary game mechanic at launch. Players will be able to test their skills against one another. We believe that PvP will evolve as the game evolves through the years.
IGNPC: Are you planning on using locations from the shows that people will recognize?
Joe: I think undoubtedly we will represent lots of places and territories that will be instantly recognizable from the movies and the series.
IGNPC: How are you handling space travel? Will players be able to have their own spaceships or will it be an EverQuest type of "get on this ship and go to that other place" type of thing?
Joe: We think we know the answers to those questions, but those answers are going to evolve as we develop and get feedback. I guess I'm comfortable saying that we believe it will be possible for groups of players to have control of ships that they pilot throughout the universe and adventure with. The extent and nature of the ownership of ships and actual controlling of the ships are details to be tuned.
IGNPC: Because graphic technology is increasing at an exponential rate at this point, are you guys looking way into the future to decide what's going to be possible and do the best, or are you guys going to try to keep it a little toned down so more people can get into the game and play?
Joe: We expect to be maybe the high-middle sweet spot of PC technology at the time of release. At this point it's a little hard to think about whether that's Shader 3.0 or beyond but I think what you'll be seeing is something that's on par with the vast majority of good looking games at the time. I don't think we'll be trying to push the envelope. We aren't trying to be Quake 5 but it should look good.
IGNPC: What are you guys hoping players will experience with Star Trek online game?
Chris: The first thing I hope they experience is the immersive experience of being a character in the Star Trek fiction. I think there will be multiple paths of evolving a character and as that character progresses and explores the entirety of the Star Trek property we want this game to match the themes of Star Trek which are exploration, community and communication, encountering challenges both known and unknown while working together with others to overcome them.
The game mechanics through that we hope to realize what you see in the shows in the movies that there is fast action combat, dangerous and difficult situations, ship to ship combat, universe lightship exploration and we believe that there's a core number of mechanics that allow those types of experiences. We also believe that players will also create their own balance of what they want to do whether that's creating communities in space stations or on planets, adventuring with their friends, or battling aliens and dangers.
One of the things we're excited to find out as we tune the game and go through alpha and beta is to see where people really want to spend their time.
Joe: I think the thing that we hope most to deliver to gamers is really the heart and soul of the Star Trek franchise which is exploration, adventure and action. We think those kinds of games are overdue in the MMOG market.
IGNPC: So you're planning on more action oriented combat that doesn't involve turns or the roll of dice?
Joe: In a word, yes. The details of that will be made public over time. As a company we're committed to raising the level of combat action in massively multiplayer games.
IGNPC: Are you concerned at all that the fans might have some problems with the way you treat the franchise?
Joe: Yeah, obviously it's a big, dedicated and conscientious group that likes to make their opinion known. If you look through our mail today you'll get a sense of that. I think there's a tremendous amount of excitement. We've gotten emails saying "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" followed shortly by other emails giving very specific ideas about what should be added into the game.
What we're trying to do is work with the fan base to the maximum degree that's feasible when developing a game. We'll be talking to a lot of community leaders and the fan base and seeing what's most important to them. I think again that if we can deliver what's inspiring about Star Trek then we'll have done our job.
http://pc.ign.com/articles/545/545392p1.html?fromint=1
September 07, 2004 - Today an announcement was released that surely sent waves of ecstasy throughout the populace. Klingon nose bridges were donned, Starfleet uniforms were pressed, and Vulcan neck pinches were applied when Perpetual Entertainment announced that they had grabbed the license to the Star Trek license and had begun work on the development of a Star Trek massively multiplayer game hoping to go into beta in 2006 with a release in 2007.
We know little about this title set in the 24th Century (there aren't even any screens or concept art at this time) but the guys at Perpetual, a company founded by industry veterans coming from EA, were kind enough to let us have a word with them about the project including what they're hoping to accomplish with the Star Trek universe, where they've come, and where they hope to go.
Company CEO Joe Keene and President Chris McKibbin were both on hand to lead us into the future.
IGNPC: This is obviously a pretty big announcement and we've pretty much just been wondering who was going to do it. How did you go about getting the license and what exactly does the license entail?
Joe Keene: The license gives us the right to do massively multiplayer online games. It's a ten year license that encompasses all of the Star Trek "universe," for lack of a better word. All of the movies and television series with the characters, stories and plotlines from each are in the package.
IGNPC: So you can pick through any of those and take it as history or use it directly in the game?
Joe Keene: That's right. And of course it will also include the right to invent things that intended to expand and develop the overall Star Trek universe.
IGNPC: We're assuming the process will include getting approval from Paramount for all of these things?
Joe Keene: Yeah, as with any major license, pretty much everything needs to be specifically approved. As for things that have already happened in the universe that are well known, that's not expected to be problematic. As for that, I have to say that Paramount has been extremely generous in giving us access to people that have worked in the series, for decades in some cases, and they're very eager to work with us to create the next evolution of the Star Trek franchise.
IGNPC: Are these people just going to be advisors into creating content for the Star Trek universe or help you in actual creation of the background and story of the universe?
Joe Keene: I think for the most part it's up to us to decide. There are a ton of resources out there and we're really at the early stages of sorting through it all and are making decisions about how were going to use those vast amount of resources. Those people are available and we'll be able to call on them to help us make decisions about whether we're doing the right thing.
IGNPC: Is there going to be an overarching story for the MMO as a whole or are you just going to stick them players in the universe and let them go crazy?
Chris McKibbin: I guess the answer is kinda both. We think the license lends itself to a lot of story lines, both as overarching ones and shorter durations, but we also think it's critically important that people get to establish their own characters and effectively experience what it would truly be like to live and adventure in the Star Trek world.
So we're going to do a combination of both with official missions and some dynamically created content. There will be overarching stories and missions to pursue, but players certainly won't be confined to those things.
IGNPC: How open is the universe going to be when the game is first released?
Chris McKibbin: We're at the front end of the design process, so knowing exactly the scope of the world that launches is still to be determined. However I will say that we have developed a technology that combines persistent territory with dynamically generated territory. The combination of those technologies allows you to have a pretty large and varied world without having the game be massive and persistent all the time.
IGNPC: So how long have you guys been working on this then?
Chris McKibbin: We founded the company two and a half years ago. We've been working on the technology that we'll be building the game on for that time. When we left EA we put together a list of franchises that would be good for the MMOG space and Star Trek was on the top of the list so we've had working designs for a Star Trek game since the beginning of the company.
IGNPC: How will you be balancing gameplay in space and on planets and space stations?
Chris: Once again, just to emphasize the point, we are still very early in the design process. That being said, we believe the Star Trek encompasses different things. You can effectively think of it as ground based and space based. And the ground can be space stations, planet surfaces, home planets, which include capital cities for races while space includes traveling through space. We're going to make it possible for players to choose whether they spend most of their time in space or on the surfaces of planets and space stations.
IGNPC: Obviously there are a lot of races in Star Trek. We're guessing that you'll have to focus on a few. Do you have any idea at this point which is going to be the most important to you?
Chris McKibbin: Well, we have an idea, but we haven't locked on anything yet so we'd just as soon not set any expectations.
IGNPC: From a gameplay perspective are you planning on adding a little bit of everything like a Star Wars Galaxies model where you have combat but you also have a ton of trade skills so that there will be a lot of different things to do?
Chris McKibbin: Well, I think our company is focused more on action/adventure game mechanics and experiences than more hardcore role-playing and crafting. It's important to have support skills and trade skills that support the community and the massively multiplayer nature of the game, but we're much more focused on what makes a compelling and exciting entertainment experience that embodies the action/adventure nature of Star Trek.
IGNPC: What kind of roles might players be able to experience in this kind of action/adventure environment.
Chris McKibbin: I think we're too early to set expectations around that as well.
IGNPC: Hmm, well then it might be too early to answer this as well, but we might as well ask. Will people be able to affiliate themselves with organizations like the Federation or the Klingon Empire?
Chris McKibbin: Without a doubt at launch people will be able to affiliate themselves with the Federation. We imagine through the life of this game that players will be able to affiliate themselves with multiple organizations. I don't know whether that's available at launch or will happen with an expansion. It's hard to say right now.
GNPC: How about player vs. player combat? Will it player a large role?
Chris: Here's kinda how we answer this... we don't think PvP will be a primary game mechanic at launch. Players will be able to test their skills against one another. We believe that PvP will evolve as the game evolves through the years.
IGNPC: Are you planning on using locations from the shows that people will recognize?
Joe: I think undoubtedly we will represent lots of places and territories that will be instantly recognizable from the movies and the series.
IGNPC: How are you handling space travel? Will players be able to have their own spaceships or will it be an EverQuest type of "get on this ship and go to that other place" type of thing?
Joe: We think we know the answers to those questions, but those answers are going to evolve as we develop and get feedback. I guess I'm comfortable saying that we believe it will be possible for groups of players to have control of ships that they pilot throughout the universe and adventure with. The extent and nature of the ownership of ships and actual controlling of the ships are details to be tuned.
IGNPC: Because graphic technology is increasing at an exponential rate at this point, are you guys looking way into the future to decide what's going to be possible and do the best, or are you guys going to try to keep it a little toned down so more people can get into the game and play?
Joe: We expect to be maybe the high-middle sweet spot of PC technology at the time of release. At this point it's a little hard to think about whether that's Shader 3.0 or beyond but I think what you'll be seeing is something that's on par with the vast majority of good looking games at the time. I don't think we'll be trying to push the envelope. We aren't trying to be Quake 5 but it should look good.
IGNPC: What are you guys hoping players will experience with Star Trek online game?
Chris: The first thing I hope they experience is the immersive experience of being a character in the Star Trek fiction. I think there will be multiple paths of evolving a character and as that character progresses and explores the entirety of the Star Trek property we want this game to match the themes of Star Trek which are exploration, community and communication, encountering challenges both known and unknown while working together with others to overcome them.
The game mechanics through that we hope to realize what you see in the shows in the movies that there is fast action combat, dangerous and difficult situations, ship to ship combat, universe lightship exploration and we believe that there's a core number of mechanics that allow those types of experiences. We also believe that players will also create their own balance of what they want to do whether that's creating communities in space stations or on planets, adventuring with their friends, or battling aliens and dangers.
One of the things we're excited to find out as we tune the game and go through alpha and beta is to see where people really want to spend their time.
Joe: I think the thing that we hope most to deliver to gamers is really the heart and soul of the Star Trek franchise which is exploration, adventure and action. We think those kinds of games are overdue in the MMOG market.
IGNPC: So you're planning on more action oriented combat that doesn't involve turns or the roll of dice?
Joe: In a word, yes. The details of that will be made public over time. As a company we're committed to raising the level of combat action in massively multiplayer games.
IGNPC: Are you concerned at all that the fans might have some problems with the way you treat the franchise?
Joe: Yeah, obviously it's a big, dedicated and conscientious group that likes to make their opinion known. If you look through our mail today you'll get a sense of that. I think there's a tremendous amount of excitement. We've gotten emails saying "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" followed shortly by other emails giving very specific ideas about what should be added into the game.
What we're trying to do is work with the fan base to the maximum degree that's feasible when developing a game. We'll be talking to a lot of community leaders and the fan base and seeing what's most important to them. I think again that if we can deliver what's inspiring about Star Trek then we'll have done our job.
What saves a man is to take a step. Then another step.
– C. S. Lewis
– C. S. Lewis
On the same vein, interesting NYT Article
LOS ANGELES, Aug. 30 - Could "Star Trek" be dying? It's enough to make Mr. Spock laugh.
"This is so funny," said Leonard Nimoy, who played Mr. Spock, directed two "Star Trek" feature films and produced another. " 'Star Trek' has died several times and come back stronger than ever."
Over the weekend Mr. Nimoy joined others from the cast of the original "Star Trek" television series at a fan convention here organized by Planet Xpo to honor James Doohan, who played Scotty, the Enterprise engineer, in his last convention appearance. Mr. Doohan, who is to receive his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame Tuesday, is showing signs of Alzheimer's disease, a family spokesman said. So with the exception of DeForest Kelley, who played Dr. Leonard McCoy and died in 1999, the Enterprise crew gathered one last time on Sunday.
There are reasons to question "Star Trek's" continued viability. Though the feature film series has grossed more than a billion dollars for Paramount, the last two outings have sputtered at the box office. The most recent release, "Star Trek Nemesis," could not hold its own against installments of the "Lord of the Rings" and "Harry Potter" film series in the summer of 2002.
And since "Star Trek: The Next Generation" received an Emmy nomination as best dramatic series and left the air a legitimate hit in 1994, subsequent "Star Trek" television dramas have slowly lost ratings ground. Completing its third season last spring after a generally rough ratings year for television drama, the current series, "Star Trek: Enterprise," faced cancellation by UPN.
In an echo of the original series's fate, it was saved after a fan letter-writing campaign but rescheduled on Fridays at 8 p.m. for the coming season, beginning in October. Both the UPN president, Dawn Ostroff, and the Paramount television president, Garry Hart, point to the example of "The X Files," a series aimed at similar viewers, that found its audience on Fridays. (They are also happy that "Enterprise" will no longer be competing with "American Idol.")
Still, Friday has also been a graveyard for shows meant to appeal to young adult viewers, including the original "Star Trek" in 1969.
Even Mr. Nimoy sees cause for concern. He likens the current situation to the period after the first "Star Trek" feature film, when "I felt that 'Star Trek' was like a beached whale," he said. "I think something similar is happening now. 'Star Trek' is in this stranded situation. The ideas that were propelling it have run dry."
Some people suggest the problem is audience fatigue. Some say it is creative exhaustion. One solution to both, several actors, writers, producers and directors of past "Star Trek" incarnations say, may be to stop making new "Star Trek" stories for a while.
"As soon as one series ends, the next one begins right away," said Denise Crosby, an actor in "Star Trek: The Next Generation" as well as executive producer of the new documentary "Trekkies 2." "How can you sustain that? The bar has been raised so high with sci-fi films. I'm not talking just about special effects but interesting, elaborate tales. You need to step back and refocus on what's pertinent to this moment in time."
LeVar Burton, who directed 27 episodes of four "Star Trek" series and was a star of "The Next Generation," also favors a hiatus. " 'Star Trek's' just not special enough, not anymore," he said. "They need to shut the whole thing down, wait five years, create an interest, an excitement, a hunger for it again."
The convention here offers an opportunity to look back at a 40-year cultural phenomenon that has produced 10 movies, hundreds of hours of 5 TV series and some of the most devoted fans in entertainment history. On Tuesday Paramount is releasing "Trekkies 2" on DVD. it is about those fans, and the DVD set of the first season of the original "Star Trek" series.
Trekkies are of two minds' about the franchise's trajectory. "There's a large group that thinks it's time to give "Trek" a rest," said Michael W. Malotte, president of the International "Star Trek" Fan Association, with 230 chapters worldwide. "There's another group that says, 'I enjoy Trek, I don't agree with a lot of what they're doing, but I still enjoy watching.' "
Those who are rooting for more new "Star Trek" are buzzing this summer about Manny Coto, the new co-executive producer of the current series, "Enterprise," which is set in the century before Capt. James T. Kirk, the original commander. "My goal is to deepen and expand its relationship to the 'Star Trek' universe," Mr. Coto said, "to fulfill its promise as a true prequel series."
This relationship will be made visible with the appearance of Brent Spiner (who played Mr. Data in "The Next Generation") in a story told over three episodes, the coming season's preferred format. Mr. Burton is to direct the third of these episodes. Negotiations are under way for a similar appearance by William Shatner, perhaps even playing Captain Kirk.
Another arc of stories will concern civil war on Vulcan, Mr. Spock's planet, which Mr. Coto says will covertly examine "the war in Iraq and the direction of the country." That story line reflects "Star Trek's" longstanding commitment to, as Mr. Burton puts it, "comment on our present condition by examining it in a future context."
Even if a pause could be creatively useful, commercial calculation will probably determine "Star Trek's" fate, and its recent problems may not be decisive.
"Movies cost so much to make that apparently the only thing that strikes the studios as worth doing is franchise-related," said Nicholas Meyer, who directed "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" and "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country." "Whether it's other movies, comic books, video games, it doesn't matter, as long as there is some presale. Which is not to say they can't turn out a good movie. A lot of good things are done for the wrong reasons."
Though he acknowledges that the performance of "Star Trek Nemesis" was disappointing, Rick Berman, the film's producer and the executive producer of the current "Enterprise" television series. noted that it was the 10th film in the series, "and I highly doubt it was the last." Discussions about the next film are "in a very preliminary stage," he said, adding that the story being considered "would not involve any of the casts that have existed in previous films and television series."
Mr. Hart, the Paramount executive, said that while another "Star Trek" television series was not being planned, he doubted that there would be more than a season or two pause after "Enterprise" before the next incarnation.
" 'Star Trek' has been the most successful franchise in the history of television," he said. "I have no doubt there will be a demand for more 'Star Trek' on television."
Even if "Star Trek" pauses or stops, most people agree that the fan clubs and conventions will continue. In some ways, fandom has become self-sufficient. For years fans have created and disseminated their own "Star Trek" stories, first on mimeographed pages, then on fan fiction Internet sites. Now, with increasingly accessible digital technology, they are creating their own films.
"They are no longer bound by what the TV tells them to do," said Eugene Roddenberry, the 30-year-old son of "Star Trek's" creator, Gene Roddenberry, who recently agreed to help produce a live-action fan film. "They can go do it themselves, which I love."
Eugene Roddenberry is also working on a documentary called "Trek Nation," which highlights "Star Trek's" impact on world culture and its fans' lives. Fan organizations typically do charity work and public service, and some require it.
"Many fans live their lives by these philosophies like the Prime Directive and I.D.I.C.," said Roger Nygard, director of "Trekkies 2." The Prime Directive was to avoid interfereing with less advanced cultures, and fans have adopted it as a principle of noninterference. I.D.I.C. stands for "infinite diversity in infinite combinations," the Vulcan motto adopted by fans to summarize Star Trek's commitment to diversity and equality.
Over the weekend the original "Star Trek" actors emphasized those themes to their convention audiences, as they usually do.
"Because the fans are loyal to Gene's dream, we are loyal to the fans," Nichelle Nichols said on Sunday. She played Uhura, the communications officer.
The bond goes both ways. "In a society with so much violence and stupidity, the conventions are an oasis where you can find some genuinely good people who believe in humanity and respect the rights of others," said Walter Koenig, who played Ensign Pavel Chekov, the assistant navigator on the Enterprise.
"Star Trek" is notable for having created its own elaborate history of the future, which together with its themes, best stories and strongest characters add up to a modern mythology. "You'd be hard pressed to find anybody who doesn't know what a Klingon is, or doesn't know what 'Beam me up, Scotty' is all about," Mr. Berman said. "It is a phenomenon that will continue to exist, and whether it will continue to exist after a pause or not, probably in the long run doesn't matter."
Just one indication of "Star Trek's" intersection with real life came at the convention on Saturday night, when the featured speaker at the banquet honoring Mr. Doohan was Neil Armstrong, the first human to walk on the moon.
Ending a talk full of "Star Trek" references, including a wish for a Federation starship for his next command, Mr. Armstrong addressed Mr. Doohan: "From one old engineer to another: thanks, mate."
LOS ANGELES, Aug. 30 - Could "Star Trek" be dying? It's enough to make Mr. Spock laugh.
"This is so funny," said Leonard Nimoy, who played Mr. Spock, directed two "Star Trek" feature films and produced another. " 'Star Trek' has died several times and come back stronger than ever."
Over the weekend Mr. Nimoy joined others from the cast of the original "Star Trek" television series at a fan convention here organized by Planet Xpo to honor James Doohan, who played Scotty, the Enterprise engineer, in his last convention appearance. Mr. Doohan, who is to receive his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame Tuesday, is showing signs of Alzheimer's disease, a family spokesman said. So with the exception of DeForest Kelley, who played Dr. Leonard McCoy and died in 1999, the Enterprise crew gathered one last time on Sunday.
There are reasons to question "Star Trek's" continued viability. Though the feature film series has grossed more than a billion dollars for Paramount, the last two outings have sputtered at the box office. The most recent release, "Star Trek Nemesis," could not hold its own against installments of the "Lord of the Rings" and "Harry Potter" film series in the summer of 2002.
And since "Star Trek: The Next Generation" received an Emmy nomination as best dramatic series and left the air a legitimate hit in 1994, subsequent "Star Trek" television dramas have slowly lost ratings ground. Completing its third season last spring after a generally rough ratings year for television drama, the current series, "Star Trek: Enterprise," faced cancellation by UPN.
In an echo of the original series's fate, it was saved after a fan letter-writing campaign but rescheduled on Fridays at 8 p.m. for the coming season, beginning in October. Both the UPN president, Dawn Ostroff, and the Paramount television president, Garry Hart, point to the example of "The X Files," a series aimed at similar viewers, that found its audience on Fridays. (They are also happy that "Enterprise" will no longer be competing with "American Idol.")
Still, Friday has also been a graveyard for shows meant to appeal to young adult viewers, including the original "Star Trek" in 1969.
Even Mr. Nimoy sees cause for concern. He likens the current situation to the period after the first "Star Trek" feature film, when "I felt that 'Star Trek' was like a beached whale," he said. "I think something similar is happening now. 'Star Trek' is in this stranded situation. The ideas that were propelling it have run dry."
Some people suggest the problem is audience fatigue. Some say it is creative exhaustion. One solution to both, several actors, writers, producers and directors of past "Star Trek" incarnations say, may be to stop making new "Star Trek" stories for a while.
"As soon as one series ends, the next one begins right away," said Denise Crosby, an actor in "Star Trek: The Next Generation" as well as executive producer of the new documentary "Trekkies 2." "How can you sustain that? The bar has been raised so high with sci-fi films. I'm not talking just about special effects but interesting, elaborate tales. You need to step back and refocus on what's pertinent to this moment in time."
LeVar Burton, who directed 27 episodes of four "Star Trek" series and was a star of "The Next Generation," also favors a hiatus. " 'Star Trek's' just not special enough, not anymore," he said. "They need to shut the whole thing down, wait five years, create an interest, an excitement, a hunger for it again."
The convention here offers an opportunity to look back at a 40-year cultural phenomenon that has produced 10 movies, hundreds of hours of 5 TV series and some of the most devoted fans in entertainment history. On Tuesday Paramount is releasing "Trekkies 2" on DVD. it is about those fans, and the DVD set of the first season of the original "Star Trek" series.
Trekkies are of two minds' about the franchise's trajectory. "There's a large group that thinks it's time to give "Trek" a rest," said Michael W. Malotte, president of the International "Star Trek" Fan Association, with 230 chapters worldwide. "There's another group that says, 'I enjoy Trek, I don't agree with a lot of what they're doing, but I still enjoy watching.' "
Those who are rooting for more new "Star Trek" are buzzing this summer about Manny Coto, the new co-executive producer of the current series, "Enterprise," which is set in the century before Capt. James T. Kirk, the original commander. "My goal is to deepen and expand its relationship to the 'Star Trek' universe," Mr. Coto said, "to fulfill its promise as a true prequel series."
This relationship will be made visible with the appearance of Brent Spiner (who played Mr. Data in "The Next Generation") in a story told over three episodes, the coming season's preferred format. Mr. Burton is to direct the third of these episodes. Negotiations are under way for a similar appearance by William Shatner, perhaps even playing Captain Kirk.
Another arc of stories will concern civil war on Vulcan, Mr. Spock's planet, which Mr. Coto says will covertly examine "the war in Iraq and the direction of the country." That story line reflects "Star Trek's" longstanding commitment to, as Mr. Burton puts it, "comment on our present condition by examining it in a future context."
Even if a pause could be creatively useful, commercial calculation will probably determine "Star Trek's" fate, and its recent problems may not be decisive.
"Movies cost so much to make that apparently the only thing that strikes the studios as worth doing is franchise-related," said Nicholas Meyer, who directed "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" and "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country." "Whether it's other movies, comic books, video games, it doesn't matter, as long as there is some presale. Which is not to say they can't turn out a good movie. A lot of good things are done for the wrong reasons."
Though he acknowledges that the performance of "Star Trek Nemesis" was disappointing, Rick Berman, the film's producer and the executive producer of the current "Enterprise" television series. noted that it was the 10th film in the series, "and I highly doubt it was the last." Discussions about the next film are "in a very preliminary stage," he said, adding that the story being considered "would not involve any of the casts that have existed in previous films and television series."
Mr. Hart, the Paramount executive, said that while another "Star Trek" television series was not being planned, he doubted that there would be more than a season or two pause after "Enterprise" before the next incarnation.
" 'Star Trek' has been the most successful franchise in the history of television," he said. "I have no doubt there will be a demand for more 'Star Trek' on television."
Even if "Star Trek" pauses or stops, most people agree that the fan clubs and conventions will continue. In some ways, fandom has become self-sufficient. For years fans have created and disseminated their own "Star Trek" stories, first on mimeographed pages, then on fan fiction Internet sites. Now, with increasingly accessible digital technology, they are creating their own films.
"They are no longer bound by what the TV tells them to do," said Eugene Roddenberry, the 30-year-old son of "Star Trek's" creator, Gene Roddenberry, who recently agreed to help produce a live-action fan film. "They can go do it themselves, which I love."
Eugene Roddenberry is also working on a documentary called "Trek Nation," which highlights "Star Trek's" impact on world culture and its fans' lives. Fan organizations typically do charity work and public service, and some require it.
"Many fans live their lives by these philosophies like the Prime Directive and I.D.I.C.," said Roger Nygard, director of "Trekkies 2." The Prime Directive was to avoid interfereing with less advanced cultures, and fans have adopted it as a principle of noninterference. I.D.I.C. stands for "infinite diversity in infinite combinations," the Vulcan motto adopted by fans to summarize Star Trek's commitment to diversity and equality.
Over the weekend the original "Star Trek" actors emphasized those themes to their convention audiences, as they usually do.
"Because the fans are loyal to Gene's dream, we are loyal to the fans," Nichelle Nichols said on Sunday. She played Uhura, the communications officer.
The bond goes both ways. "In a society with so much violence and stupidity, the conventions are an oasis where you can find some genuinely good people who believe in humanity and respect the rights of others," said Walter Koenig, who played Ensign Pavel Chekov, the assistant navigator on the Enterprise.
"Star Trek" is notable for having created its own elaborate history of the future, which together with its themes, best stories and strongest characters add up to a modern mythology. "You'd be hard pressed to find anybody who doesn't know what a Klingon is, or doesn't know what 'Beam me up, Scotty' is all about," Mr. Berman said. "It is a phenomenon that will continue to exist, and whether it will continue to exist after a pause or not, probably in the long run doesn't matter."
Just one indication of "Star Trek's" intersection with real life came at the convention on Saturday night, when the featured speaker at the banquet honoring Mr. Doohan was Neil Armstrong, the first human to walk on the moon.
Ending a talk full of "Star Trek" references, including a wish for a Federation starship for his next command, Mr. Armstrong addressed Mr. Doohan: "From one old engineer to another: thanks, mate."
What saves a man is to take a step. Then another step.
– C. S. Lewis
– C. S. Lewis
