The Centaurea Cluster: IDIC
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Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations. Sounds crazy, no? But here I am, long-time player, first time game-runner, giving it a go.
The Centaurea Cluster is a polyzoötrophic star cluster on the border of the beta and gamma quadrants and close to the galactic threshold which boasts over two hundred life-sustaining planets. Players will be encouraged not only to create characters from these planets, but to create whole species and cultures to inhabit these worlds; to collaborate with other players to interlink their cultures with alliances, rivalries, cultural misunderstandings, trade deals and rocky histories; to fill out the cluster into a rich tapestry.
This isn't to say that the standard Starfleet favorites are nowhere to be seen. The nearest major canon planets to the Cluster are Betazed, about an 8 hour journey at warp 1, and Risa, about a 6 hour journey at the same speed. But there are also two Federation postings at the Cluster's edge: a combination science station/diplomatic outpost with an interesting history and a brand new engineering research station. These areas are considered neutral ground for species from the Cluster and are often used as meeting places for sensitive talks; vetted members of Cluster species can even take on honorary ranks and work alongside Federation officers and one another in an experiment in unity.
My major notions of what the game will be like include:
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lots of fun worldbuilding, but without the need to be down to a nitpicky level of detail. Ever wake up and go, "Hey, I wonder what would happen if there were a species on Star Trek with NO ARMS"? Well, make one. Go for it. Play with the implications and have it ripple out from there. We have 200+ planets to blow through. If you get tired of your arm-free species, well... how many alien species show up for one episode of Star Trek and are never seen again? It's fine. Make a new one.
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lots of room for people to advocate for what they want in storylines, both for their planet/culture/species and for their individual characters. I don't have any sort of metaplot in mind here. Tell me what you want to happen. Let us lift you up, and then help lift other people up in their desired storylines, as well.
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ample opportunities for preferred sandboxing. If all you want is to have a ship of your own and fly around with the two other people you like to RP with, I mean. OK, sure! Want school/young adult RP? We have a satellite campus of SFA on the outpost. Heck, want to app a species of pre-spacefaring technology and just hang out on your own planet doing medieval-ish looking stuff? Sure! I mean, you might end up with alien anthropologists hanging out in your midst or with your deity actually turning out to be a lost piece of technology or something, but sure! Do you just want to get straight to figuring out the complexities of interspecies mating? I mean, go for it. We're all just here to have fun, aren't we?
Anyhow, that's it. That's the pitch. Please be advised that it's really just me and one other person there right now and neither of us are online 24/7 or anywhere close to that. Feel free to drop +mail to Sagittarius there or just message me here with interest or questions.
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This sounds fantastic. You sound incredibly enthused. I'm particularly impressed by the particular balance struck between providing a framework/structure for people to play within, and a great deal of creative freedom. Just, a lot of good stuff here. Are you looking for players, or looking for help, or some mixture thereof?
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It's a game concept that's been rattling around in my head for years, so, yeah, I'm a little excited I actually got to build it. I'm looking for players, but players will also be help, really. They'll be bringing the ideas to the table, after all. And I definitely assume that anyone who creates a species will subsequently be 'in charge' of that species and its development. I will also be happy to elevate players to Actual Staff with time and familiarity.
