Value Subtracted @ ValueSubtracted @startrek.website

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It's the most wonderful time of the year!

The Bombers...are not going to be favourites in the LDC or the Banjo Bowl, but they're in "must-win" territory when playing teams in the West.

As much as "Me Too" was supposed to be about ridding the industry of sexual harassment (and worse), it also had knock-on effects in terms of storytelling, cast composition, etc.

I don't think it's controversial to say that "Enterprise" was not terribly progressive by modern standards (or, in my opinion, the standards of the time) when it came to female representation in particular.

the implication is that the Daleks have been pushing things for a lot longer than just 100 years anyway.

Yeah, I'm not convinced that the Daleks' Master Plan actually makes any sense, but I'm prepared to withhold judgment until I've rewatched the big finale.

"Society collapsing into a horrifying regime way more quickly than you'd expect" is actually a bit of an RTD running theme, and...I think history is on his side there, to be honest.

I kept putting this off all week, dreading The Reality Show Episode. On rewatch...it's silly and dated, but I didn't actually mind it.

Oddly prescient for them to feature game shows that are still around 20 years later.

The episode itself is pretty thin, though: the Doctor, Rose, and Jack get separated into different reality/game shows, discover that losers get killed, and find a way to esacape. The highlights are Eccleston and Piper's performances - they both do terrific work here, selling the emotions that they go through quite well.

They probably could have done more with the fact that Rose had to play that entire "Weakest Link" episode, sending quite a few people to their deaths.

Jack is...present. He seems somewhat stilted again, much as he did in "The Empty Child."

The guest cast all turn in good performances, which help elevate the overall episode.

I can't decide if setting the episode on Satellite 5 100 years later was simply an excuse to reuse the sets (which I likely would not have recognized anyway), but confronting the Doctor with the revelation that he's the cause of this divergence in history works pretty well.

And, of course, the whole thing is a setup for the full-on return of the Daleks in the big finale. The weight of their reveal is really felt, with the heavy lifting having been done back in "Dalek".

I don't know, this feels like a pretty scattered collection of thoughts, but...it's that kind of episode.

Yup. It's good to have some momentum, but the Labour Day Classic and Banjo Bowl are going to be big tests.

Reed really is awful. It's almost better to be blandly forgettable like Mayweather or Hoshi.

There's a tonne of icky ambiguity to this one...which is honestly what I like about it, though I totally get why it's not to everyone's liking.

I think the answer is probably complicated - the overall tv landscape is in a tough place, and who knows what other factors are in play.

I personally think the RTD2 era has been fine, with the usual assortment of episodes ranging from outstanding to not-that-great, and some unfortunately disappointing finales that tend to leave an aftertaste.

"Documentarian with an agenda" is a real type of documentarian - maybe the majority.

His biggest sin was probably making a doc that was secretly about himself...

Well, that's disappointing...

After being underwhelmed last week, I enjoyed this one a lot.

I appreciated Beto cutting straight to the unspoken conflict at the heart of this franchise - Star Trek is kind of colonialist/imperialist.

When they got to the conclusion, my initial reaction is that "the people are the difference" was sort of trite...but what else is there, really? These are people who are willing to put their morality first, even as they walk an uneasy line.

The Steam page has a description:

Star Trek Voyager: Across the Unknown is a story-driven survival strategy game in which the fate of the iconic starship is in your hands. Take the helm, manage the ship and resources, and make difficult decisions. Will you be able to bring home the ship and its crew?

“What if?” Scenarios

Did you ever wonder what would have happened had Captain Janeway decided differently? If an important crew member had followed a different path? Or what the outcome would have been had the crew of the U.S.S. Voyager embraced Borg technology to increase their chances of survival?

Wonder no more: Star Trek Voyager: Across the Unknown allows players to take control and shape the journey of the U.S.S. Voyager as they want. Take a risky approach or play it safe. Be diplomatic or let phasers do the talking. Research technologies that were shunned by the crew. But: Be prepared to deal with the consequences of your actions! The game features rogue-like elements, so in each run you will encounter different situations and even iconic characters might meet an early end if you don’t react accordingly.

Deep Ship Management and Research

After being moved forcefully into the Delta Quadrant, the U.S.S. Voyager ends up heavily damaged and in dire need of repairs as well as internal reconstruction. Restore destroyed rooms, secure life support and energy supplies, and start constructing. Ship systems, crew quarters, industrial and research facilities: You must decide what to build and when, to ensure the ship has what it needs for the perilous journey.

Expedite research into different fields. New technologies and improved layouts will not only strengthen the ship but also boost your crew’s morale. Exotic and dangerous research, like the technology of the Borg, is also within your reach. As captain, will you embrace it for the potential it offers, or will you omit it for the dangers it presents?

Exploration and Resource Acquisition

The dangers and opportunities of the Delta Quadrant beckon to be discovered by you and your crew. Scan celestial bodies to locate precious resources that fuel your journey. Find points of interest and oddities along your way, but beware: While the Delta Quadrant may reward the bold, it punishes the careless just as quickly. As captain, you have the final say in plotting a course and defining an approach.

Ship Combat and Away Missions

The journey of the U.S.S. Voyager would not be possible without both combat between ships and away missions to planets or space facilities.

For away missions, put together a team based on the individual talents of your crew. A team with skills that complement each other might be best suited for the task, but it is up to you to call the shots. Minimize the risk for the team’s members, rush headlong into danger, or take a scientific approach - you decide.

When diplomacy fails, the U.S.S. Voyager and its crew are ready to enter ship combat at your command. From the bridge, you give commands for offensive and defensive maneuvers, targeting enemy ship systems and using special weaponry. And even during ship combat, the individual skills of your crew members come into play: Assign battle stations to crew who bring precious skills to the table and trigger them in crucial moments to maximize your combat effectiveness.

Features

”What if?” scenario and storytelling: The ultimate platform to play out your course of action during the iconic journey of the U.S.S. Voyager.

Complex ship management: Repair, construct, and maintain an efficient and habitable ship to ensure systems and crew operate effectively.

Exploration and decision making: The Delta Quadrant is a fascinating yet perilous place that awaits exploration and demands decisive action.

Combat and away missions: Use the talents of your crew smartly to minimize risk during away missions as well as strike boldly during ship combat encounters.

My takeaway? This time, Tuvix lives.

The Winnipeg sports podcast I listen to really ripped into MLSE and the league for next year's Toronto "home" games in Hamilton, Winnipeg, and Regina - they argued that this is a prime opportunity to host some games on the East Coast, or in Quebec City, or elsewhere in Ontario - any place they could go to generate a little hype and grow the game. Instead, it seems like they're taking the easy cash-grab route, and ruining any semblance of a home field advantage for the Argos.

It's a shame to see them underperforming so far this year, but maybe they'll get it together. Still lots of games to be played.

What's the vibe in Toronto, anyway? Does hope spring eternal in the East?

It's worth noting that the last time I heard Ben Stiller talking Trek - five years ago on the official podcast - he made it pretty clear that he was a TOS fan, and hadn't really seen anything else.

Nothing wrong with that at all, but relevant IMO.

Also, he definitely doesn't actually have a pitch.

...they asked him “Do you have any Star Trek pitches?” He promptly replied, “Yeah, let’s do it.”

I definitely noticed, but I wouldn't say it bothered me. Dammit Jim, he's an actor, not an astronomer!

And he's speaking off the cuff at a convention, about a plot that would have been written nearly a decade ago. There's any number of wires that could've been crossed in the retelling.

🙏

Riders @ Stamps should be a good one!

Is there any chance they could both lose this one? It'd help the Bombers a lot.

I don't think I've heard anything about the reasoning re: Sundays, but I've definitely noticed it. Scheduling has been kind of odd across the board this year.

...Huh. Was this thing previously announced? I feel like this is the first I'm hearing of it.

I have no idea what the state of the VR games industry is these days - from this non-participant, it feels like it might have peaked a couple of years ago, but maybe I'm just ignorant.

Yeah, I wish I could say I was confident that they will be dismissed...