What is Arcadia?

:'''''Note:''' The Arcadia website is currently undergoing reconstruction due to a previous database corruption. Content is in progress and will be available in [[User:Sasoriza|the webmaster]]'s time.''

You do not have to register on this site to contribute to Arcadia.  To join, go to the Yahoo site and click "join this group".  Email the webmaster if you have problems, questions, or if there is something you simply don't understand.

what is Arcadia?

Arcadia is a saga, an experiment, and a universe of fan fiction, inspired by, and based upon, Star Trek.  While set in the future, exactly 400 years from now*, it's meant to reflect our own era more literally and intensely than Star Trek does.  Here you may find thematic content based on current issues, lifted from our lives or news headlines, given a futuristic, Trek-style treatment.

*347 CE, what to us would be the early 25th century, several years beyond the latest canon Trek developments.

Arcadia's vision of the Star Trek future differs from anything ever seen or likely to be seen in any other Trek-based production.  This is not your typical Star Trek sim.  It explores the Trek universe in a new way, by exploring the nature of that universe as interpreted by those who create it, and it does all of this in character.  Stories may feature political and religious tones, personal views, sentiments and opinions.  Issues may appear, transposed, of a nature not "politically correct" or suitable for everybody.  (No apologies will be offered for this.  This is not television; we aren't in it for ratings, and we don't make money or sell a product.  If you don't like it, you don't have to join or participate.)

The Federation in this future is an analog of the modern United States, with our world as the galaxy.  Aliens represent our world's different races and nations.  Stories are traditionally written by American (U.S.) writers with Western values for an American audience (= typically the Arcadia community of writers); so that is our focus: A white, Western, European/American perspective.  Characters should be these sorts of people; people like us... because they are us.  We are our characters.  "Write what you know." – a writer's adage.  All that we bring to our characters, and to this fictional world, is what we know and who we are.  Things of importance to us may likewise be important to our characters.  This makes Arcadia a meaningful opportunity to explore these aspects, to learn about each other and ourselves.

See: fourth wall

Arcadia is not restricted to one ship, planet or other location.  Two recurring settings that bear the name "Arcadia" are the starship Arcadia and the planet Arcadia, the past, primary settings in this fictional world, which may get used again.  The main setting is the world-stage.

How do characters interact, if not together in one location?  It relies on impetus, imagination and the desire of the writer.  Arcadia demands imagination and effort to get involved, as with any form of interactive fiction.  Characters may travel to encounter other characters or use other avenues of interaction.  Location (and likewise, means of travel) is not necessarily as important as characters, because, again, we are the characters.  Rather than battle with phasers and starships, we rely on characters for conflict.  Another writer's credo: Drama = conflict.  People are what's important; drama and conflict, if there is any; and the story.  (New places can still be fun to explore.  Arcadia is about exploration.  Exploring new worlds is really exploring ourselves.)

This connects to an important aspect of Arcadia's vision: Technology.  Much of Star Trek's "future" technology exists in the real world, and we may have more by the end of the 21st century (Star Trek is usually set in the 23rd/24th centuries).  Extrapolating from that rate of advancement, we may be much more advanced by then, with technology so great or different compared to now that it's difficult to comprehend.  Arcadia has technological developments which place it well ahead (or outside) of traditional Star Trek – which itself is a vision of narrow-minded Hollywood writers with limited imaginations, budgets & often liberal agendas.

See: Star Trek futurism

Arcadia is more than Star Trek: It's based on Star Trek.  It tries to put more science in science fiction than Star Trek does, while using science that Star Trek doesn't.  Subspace transporters, wormholes, holotechnology, artificial telepathy*, shared consciousness – All offer avenues of interaction and communication beyond restricted confines of a fixed setting.  While plots and traditional Star Trek appeal permit starships & similar vehicles for fun or travel (there's a "fanboy" in all of us), subspace beaming can make the need unnecessary.

*If you plan methods that involve use of "mental"/psi-powers, read this first.

Arcadia deals in mature subject matter.  This means intelligent, sophisticated content, which may hopefully be fun & entertaining, among reasonable adults (NOT pornography).  (It's okay to let loose and be silly once in a while, however.)  What kinds of writers are welcomed?  Those with these expressed qualities, who know how to write (and format posts), understand and accept these terms and conditions, will not cause grief or harass other writers, and want to learn or help others through this medium.  Age and experience are general prerequisites and determining factors.  Such contributions tend to make the difference, and make a fan-fiction world such as this stand out.

Arcadia strives to be novel, unique, original and exceptional, to truly go where no one has gone.  If you believe that you have something valuable to offer, please consider joining.  The more, the merrier!