The Inside Scoop on Gaming

Following in the time-honored tradition of White Wolf games, Stellar Frontier provides details on a Psi Order presumed destroyed or otherwise missing. In this case, it is the Upeo wa Macho, the teleporters of the Trinity universe. Like all of the Psi Order books released thus far, Stellar Frontier doubles as a sourcebook on the area with which the Order is most closely associated, in this case the far reaches of space.

The first quarter of the book is presented in full-color and provides plenty of background information on the Upeo and Earth's colonies in space. This section is very well done and expands on some of the material presented in the equally well done Extrasolar Colonies minibook. One of the truly fine things about these section is that it's written entirely from the perspective of people inhabiting the Trinity universe. A Storyteller could thus allow his players to read this section in order to get a sense of how both the Upeo and the colonies are viewed in the world of 2121.

The disappearance of the Upeo several years before the beginning of the game is one of the low-level mysteries of Trinity. The official histories record that the Upeo simply vanished at the same time as a massive Aberrant attack destroyed the space station Esperanza, sending it plummeting to Earth. In truth, the Upeo fled to avoid being destroyed by the other Orders, all of whom believed the Upero to have been corrupted by the Aberrants. Because of their importance in providing a psionic means of interstellar travel, the Upeo's disappearance left the colonies on their own, cut off from all contact with Earth. Only recently (and with the aid of alien technology) has humanity been able to recontact its lost worlds.

The equally mysterious reappearance of the Upeo answers many questions (such as why they left and where they went), but it also lays the groundwork for new questions. Stellar Frontier therefore ties into the ongoing meta-plot that has marked Trinity since its release in late 1997. This fact can be both a blessing and a curse. To date, I have found the meta-plot to be largely compelling and well worth its inclusion in the game. At the same time, some Storytellers may find it constraining. If the latter is the case, some of the material (though not all of it, or even most of it) may require some thoughtful reworking.

The bulk of the book is made of a lengthy description of the Upeo –– its organization, members, and rules on the use of teleportation. Given that the Upeo is a Psi Order undescribed previously, this is understandable. At the same time, it means that Stellar Frontier may have a bit more rules-related material than its counterparts for the other Orders. I didn't find this to be bothersome, as I enjoyed the information on the Upeo. Others may have a slightly different perspective.

The latter parts of the book also describe in some detail all of the colony worlds currently inhabited by humans. As noted before, this information supplements that included in Extrasolar Colonies and gives plenty of inspiration on how to include them in an ongoing Trinity series. I liked this section a great deal and found myself coming up with a variety of scenario ideas as I read it.

Among the worlds described are several new ones, including Eden, home to a few dozen novas (as Aberrants were called in the 21st century) who fled Earth rather than be destroyed with their tainted brethren. Living with the novas are thousands of baseline humans who accept their benevolent rule. With the recent release of Aberrant, Eden takes on a greater significance. The very idea of non-tainted Aberrants should be quite a shock for most Trinity characters. Naturally, not everyone trusts these novas or their intentions. That the Upeo have befriended them and become their greatest advocates only adds to the tension. To my mind, this adds yet another layer to the meta-plot and should make for some exciting episodes.

Stellar Frontier is thus an enjoyable supplement that should a great deal to Trinity. I recommend it highly to those who have been following the meta-plot with pleasure, as it adds further wrinkles to it. For those whose Trinity series follows a different path, it is still useful as well. The Upeo are a worthy addition to the ranks of the Psi Orders, being more interesting than some of those already described in detail (like the Aesculapians). I have little doubt that this sourcebook will greatly enhance any Trinity series in which it is used.

Style: 4 (Classy and well done)
Substance: 4 (Meaty)

Stellar Frontier
Author: John R. Snead and Greg Stolze Category: game Company/Publisher: White Wolf Line: Trinity Cost: $19.95 Page count: 144 ISBN: 1-56504-763-X SKU: WW9005 Playtest Review by James Maliszewski on 09/02/99. Genre tags: Science_fiction Far_Future Space	Following in the time-honored tradition of White Wolf games, Stellar Frontier provides details on a Psi Order presumed destroyed or otherwise missing. In this case, it is the Upeo wa Macho, the teleporters of the Trinity universe. Like all of the Psi Order books released thus far, Stellar Frontier doubles as a sourcebook on the area with which the Order is most closely associated, in this case the far reaches of space. The first quarter of the book is presented in full-color and provides plenty of background information on the Upeo and Earth's colonies in space. This section is very well done and expands on some of the material presented in the equally well done Extrasolar Colonies minibook. One of the truly fine things about these section is that it's written entirely from the perspective of people inhabiting the Trinity universe. A Storyteller could thus allow his players to read this section in order to get a sense of how both the Upeo and the colonies are viewed in the world of 2121. The disappearance of the Upeo several years before the beginning of the game is one of the low-level mysteries of Trinity. The official histories record that the Upeo simply vanished at the same time as a massive Aberrant attack destroyed the space station Esperanza, sending it plummeting to Earth. In truth, the Upeo fled to avoid being destroyed by the other Orders, all of whom believed the Upero to have been corrupted by the Aberrants. Because of their importance in providing a psionic means of interstellar travel, the Upeo's disappearance left the colonies on their own, cut off from all contact with Earth. Only recently (and with the aid of alien technology) has humanity been able to recontact its lost worlds. The equally mysterious reappearance of the Upeo answers many questions (such as why they left and where they went), but it also lays the groundwork for new questions. Stellar Frontier therefore ties into the ongoing meta-plot that has marked Trinity since its release in late 1997. This fact can be both a blessing and a curse. To date, I have found the meta-plot to be largely compelling and well worth its inclusion in the game. At the same time, some Storytellers may find it constraining. If the latter is the case, some of the material (though not all of it, or even most of it) may require some thoughtful reworking. The bulk of the book is made of a lengthy description of the Upeo –– its organization, members, and rules on the use of teleportation. Given that the Upeo is a Psi Order undescribed previously, this is understandable. At the same time, it means that Stellar Frontier may have a bit more rules-related material than its counterparts for the other Orders. I didn't find this to be bothersome, as I enjoyed the information on the Upeo. Others may have a slightly different perspective. The latter parts of the book also describe in some detail all of the colony worlds currently inhabited by humans. As noted before, this information supplements that included in Extrasolar Colonies and gives plenty of inspiration on how to include them in an ongoing Trinity series. I liked this section a great deal and found myself coming up with a variety of scenario ideas as I read it. Among the worlds described are several new ones, including Eden, home to a few dozen novas (as Aberrants were called in the 21st century) who fled Earth rather than be destroyed with their tainted brethren. Living with the novas are thousands of baseline humans who accept their benevolent rule. With the recent release of Aberrant, Eden takes on a greater significance. The very idea of non-tainted Aberrants should be quite a shock for most Trinity characters. Naturally, not everyone trusts these novas or their intentions. That the Upeo have befriended them and become their greatest advocates only adds to the tension. To my mind, this adds yet another layer to the meta-plot and should make for some exciting episodes. Stellar Frontier is thus an enjoyable supplement that should a great deal to Trinity. I recommend it highly to those who have been following the meta-plot with pleasure, as it adds further wrinkles to it. For those whose Trinity series follows a different path, it is still useful as well. The Upeo are a worthy addition to the ranks of the Psi Orders, being more interesting than some of those already described in detail (like the Aesculapians). I have little doubt that this sourcebook will greatly enhance any Trinity series in which it is used. Style: 4 (Classy and well done) Substance: 4 (Meaty)