SRP Update: Arcadia Concept, Season Five Report (June 2015)

[Grizz]

Well, I promised news of a miniseries in the break, so I suppose this is as good a time as any to reveal the idea that I have been running with. It's not fully fleshed out yet and all details are subject to change. But nevertheless, allow me to introduce you to Arcadia.

I joked about the prospect of a Devlin Marks spin-off, but this is actually it. Arcadia is a prequel to both Asteroid Base and Asteroid Field, taking us to the Tyrella Sector of old and returning us to the orbiting trade station in the Strovis system - Arcadia - first seen in AF: 'Hocus Pocus, Hokem.' In our time, Devlin Marks is a lone wolf, travelling alone and trying to keep out of Starfleet's way whenever possible. But this wasn't always the case.

Arcadia would tell the story of Marks' ship - the Taren - and the ragtag crew which once manned her. Instead of positions, your characters would have certain specializations, or perhaps none whatsoever. These wouldn't be Starfleet officers. They would be rogues, renegades, pirates and scoundrels - bound together through greed or desperation - seeking some kind of purpose through service to God.

Margot Godfrey (aka God) is Arcadia's administrator, controlling and taking a share of all business running out of the station and providing new opportunities to those who pass by. Having inherited the establishment built by her father's consortium, she rules firmly but fairly - relying on her enforcers to maintain order and balance. Marks and the Taren are considered to be one of these enforcers.

Surrounded by loyal captains, Godfrey has a strong hold on Arcadia - one which we know she will ultimately lose (perhaps to an amusingly named Peldari), just as Marks will lose his crew and the operation he helps to run. This will all be tied to his loathing of Starfleet - a grudge which this miniseries will set in motion when he his forced to choose between the incarceration of his crew and the ultimate betrayal.

Arcadia would be accessible to everyone, not relying on Asteroid Base & Asteroid Field lore. It would be a different take on the Star Trek Universe which I've been waiting to look at, having ran practically the same roleplay for some years now. Our very own take on the pirate haven of Nassau, if you will. If there is interest among current Asteroid Field members, I'll be looking at running this miniseries in the future. It will be small enough to run during a mid-season break or hiatus down the line. Not the current one, however, as the reveal / submission was delayed somewhat.

Something for you to consider. Things weren't always the way they are now: Before Pioneer, there was Arcadia.

I always have some kind of video on hand for these things. Though you'll have to settle for a blank, compressed, first-pass opening credits mock-up. With surprise Serris.

The fifth season is over now and (most of) you have been casting your weekly votes in the Crew Lounge. As ever, I have gone through the final results and here is how you ranked the season (highest to lowest):

God Only Knows | The Accobi Assimilation
Hocus Pocus, Hokem
Family Day
Dark Star
The Doppelgänger Heist
Internal Affairs
External Affairs | Federation Day
The Accobi Resurgence
Power Struggle
I, Rogan

Votes Cast: 81
Excellent Votes: 64
Good Votes: 15
Average Votes: 2
Poor Votes: N/A
Awful Votes: N/A

Personal Responsibility is omitted as the rating of Michael Bennett's cooking was deemed irrelevant.

Voting Data:

[spoiler]'I, Rogan'

Excellent: 4
Good:
Average: 1
Poor:
Awful:

Total: 5

***

'The Doppelgänger Heist'

Excellent: 5
Good: 1
Average:
Poor:
Awful:

Total: 6

***

'Power Struggle'


Excellent: 4
Good: 1
Average: 1
Poor:
Awful:

Total: 6

***

'Hocus Pocus, Hokem'

Excellent: 7
Good: 2
Average:
Poor:
Awful:

Total: 9

***

'God Only Knows'

Excellent: 8
Good:
Average:
Poor:
Awful:

Total: 8

***

'Federation Day'

Excellent: 4
Good:  2
Average:
Poor:
Awful:

Total: 6

***

'Family Day'

Excellent: 6
Good:  2
Average:
Poor:
Awful:

Total: 8

***

'The Accobi Resurgence'

Excellent: 4
Good:  1
Average:
Poor:
Awful:

Total: 5

***

'External Affairs'

Excellent: 4
Good:  2
Average:
Poor:
Awful:

Total: 6

***

'Internal Affairs'

Excellent: 4
Good:  4
Average:
Poor:
Awful:

Total: 8

***

'Dark Star'

Excellent: 6
Good: 
Average:
Poor:
Awful:

Total: 6

***

'The Accobi Assimilation'

Excellent: 8
Good: 
Average:
Poor:
Awful:

Total: 8[/spoiler]

Although we got off to a reasonably slow start, I have no major issues with how this season played out - and you've by-and-large voted it down as an Excellent season! Although we couldn't sustain it, this season saw the most well attended consecutive episodes throughout AB & AF. Unfortunately we have lost a few members in the final stretch and we were hampered by unexpected postponements. But hopefully we can come back in good form and welcome in the Sixth Season, next month.

Thank you to everyone who attended throughout the season - and special thanks to those who contributed towards the 'behind-the-scenes' production of it. Especially Criminula & Martin Thompson.

I hope to see you all again, next season... and maybe, just maybe - at some point in the future - at our potential spin-off.

Grizz

[criminula]

I'm most definitely up for this. Its been a while since we've had anything quite like this.

[Mutatio Nomen]

Sweeeeet, I'm game. Nice touch on the video for using Black Sails intro music, switching scenes with the hammering of the piano - just perfect.

[Martin Thompson]

New spinoff is quite a suprising take on something related yet unrelated to AF. I don't quite know how i feel towards the storyline you are describing but I'm certainly going to be there if and when the pilot airs!

As for the season, it was indeed quite a good season. Too bad we lost a few newer members due to the unexpected postponements, hopefully we can get them back at the start of season 6. As for the ratings, I'm quite happy to see that one of my penned episodes ranks overall 3rd of the season! I hope you enjoyed it and I hope that perhaps Grizz will give me another shot at penning an installment of the Accobar series somewhere in the future.

See you all for season 6!