I think it is safe to assume that every single Star Trek fan out there, has a particular class of starship that brings a smile to their faces every time they think about it or see it on screen. Because the class in question, brings back fond and wonderful memories of a personalized Trek experience and I am no exception to that rule. But for me, there are actually several classes out there that bring me joy and a flood of nerdy memories due to my grand love of the franchise and it is my love of those ships, that fuels today’s edition of The Admiral’s Blog.
 
Because an important moment had arrived in the game, I had been promoted to Lieutenant Commander and with said promotion, came the opportunity to command a new vessel and upon arriving back at Space Dock with the crew of the Galactica, my excitement kicked into over drive. For while I was only able to pick a particular craft this time around with my free ship token, I was still able to window shop and look at every single vessel (or wessel) that Star Trek: Online had to offer and it was in this moment that I realized I was going to be able to live a true nerdy dream and fly every class of starship that I ever fell in love with.
 
That meant at some point, I would fly the majestic Galaxy Class, and likely a Sovereign Class, just like Captain Jean-Luc Picard once did. But before I could get too far ahead of myself, since those were reserved for higher ranks, I had to make a decision as to which ship my crew would board for my second command and well, considering the fact that my first real experience with Star Trek was The Wrath of Khan, and that that particular iteration of the NCC-1701 was gorgeous in its own right, it made choosing the Constitution Class Refit that was available a no-brainer and just like that, the adventures of the U.S.S. Majestic got underway and it was during my time aboard this vessel that I came to learn just how much fan service the game was going to offer Trekkies (or Trekkers if you prefer).
 
Because several of my missions aboard the Majestic involved a Star Trek staple, Time Travel, and it was during these missions that I was able to travel to the 23rd Century, circa the 2260’s and well, I think you see where this is going. Because on several occasions, I ran into members of the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701 and well, this was simply a dream come true. I mean come on, I was face to face with Montgomery Scott and Leonard McCoy and there was even a mission involving a run in with the old girl herself and Commander Spock, who was voiced by Leonard Nimoy and this…well this still gives me chills after all this time because holy crap man, I got fly alongside the Big E and help Scotty and Bones with a mission!
 
But this would be my only interaction with Star Trek’s illustrious history while commanding the Majestic. Because this game was leveling me up far faster than I had expected, and another promotion was drawing near. Which meant that another new ship would accompany my new rank and well, it’s a shame that I didn’t get to spend more time with the Majestic, but it was quite amazing to fly the same class ship as James T. Kirk once did and now I see why they have survived so long in Starfleet because she was quite the reliable vessel. But, that’s okay, because I’d get to try out a new class of starship in the meantime and those adventures are where we will pick up, next time. Until then.   

​While I always find myself excited and happy to write, because there’s no greater thrill than writing in my opinion, I have to admit that I’ve been counting down the minutes on my writing schedule to get to this particular blog. Because the only thing I love as much as putting digital pen to paper is Star Trek, and at long last, I get to combine two of my favorite things and geek out about my favorite science fiction franchise properly as I chronicle my adventures through Star Trek: Online and well, I won’t lie. I struggled to find the right starting point to begin the Admiral’s Log, simply because thinking back about my journey through this game brought all kinds of exciting moments to the forefront of my mind.
 
But eventually, I decided it was best to start at the VERY beginning, the exact moment where I was asked to design and name my character and my ship because those were surprisingly tough decisions. I mean, do I pick command, sciences or operations for my career path in Starfleet? Do I try and name a ship something nautical or have fun with it? I was at a nerdy crossroads and well, in the end I settled on joining the Command division, because it would be silly to choose anything else when I’ve always wanted to sit in the Captain’s Chair and I decided to pay homage to another sci-fi love of mine by naming the first ship I would ever serve upon the U.S.S. Galactica (NCC-1775) because I knew full well I’d never get aboard the Enterprise and well, if I couldn’t command my all-time favorite ship, I’d settle with my second and well, with those decisions out of the way, my voyage got underway in proper fashion, with my graduation from Starfleet Academy.
 
This of course, led to my first real taste of the wonder of this game because not only I was wearing Lieutenant pips on my uniform, but I was at Starfleet freakin’ Academy, off to meet with my Captain and my goodness, I couldn’t help but delay that meeting for a bit just to walk around and see the wonder of Earth in 2409 and try to process the fact that I was finally in this world, a part of this universe and as soon as I met with the skipper, I’d be traveling through space. And that made the moment I boarded the Galactica all the more joyous because this was it, I was finally aboard a Starfleet vessel, ready to work my way up to the rank of Captain and beyond and well, I was ill prepared for how fast I was going to sit in the big chair.
 
Because at this point in time, a war with the Klingons was underway, and of course, we ran into them whilst traveling through space and well, my Captain met his end quickly, making me the new commander of the vessel and talk about a bittersweet way to take your first command. But, it was war, and after that first battle, and a farewell to the Captain, the wonder and awe began. Because despite being embroiled in conflict, she was mine to command now, and the crew of the Galactica was exploring strange new worlds and seeking out new life and new civilizations and I couldn’t ask for anything more. I mean come on, I was beaming down on missions, living the adventures I had dreamed of and just like that, I was hooked.
 
Yet, what I truly found funny, was how loyal I suddenly became to my ship. Which is funny because the Galactica was a Miranda Class vessel, with minimal shielding and piddly weapons, but that didn’t stop me from believing in her ability to get the job done, and she was a tough little ship to say the least, and got us out of scraps for certain and well…being able to be her skipper and being able to live the life of a Starfleet Field Commissioned Captain was like a drug. I was all in on this game for certain and quickly found myself pouring over it and of all the incredible moments that came about from getting to command a star ship. But what truly sold me on playing this game and dedicating as much time to it as possible, was the ability to simply traverse the vastness of space.
 
Sure, I could only travel around the Beta Quadrant, but it’s a big ol’ quadrant and there was something peaceful and beautiful about warping through the void. But alas, the first command always comes to an end, and it wasn’t long before I leveled up and received a promotion to Lieutenant Commander, which meant it was time for a new ship, and new missions and while this particular log was a tad technical, it had to be. Because the logistics and the magic of my first command set the stage for what awaited me next, incredible storytelling and magnificent adventures, which is where we will pick up next time. Until then. 

Over the course of my time here at Nerds That Geek (which has been an absolute blessing in my humble opinion), I’ve been able to enjoy some incredible freedom when it comes writing as a whole, which has allowed for me to write about every topic that I’ve honestly ever wanted to write about. I’ve been able to talk about my favorite movies, I’ve been able to attend some of the nation’s largest conventions and most importantly, I’ve been able to geek out with all of you fine folks on this platform and do exactly what we set out to do when we founded this site, celebrate the stories we love.
 
However, if there’s one thing I personally feel I have not accomplished when it comes to this site, it’s that I’ve never truly let my geek flag fly and unleash my inner nerd when it comes to my all-time favorite franchise, Star Trek. Because let’s be honest, we all have that one franchise that we totally lose ourselves within, to the point where people give you that look that reminds you, you need to tone your love of said franchise down, but you won’t and you don’t and well, Trek is the one that does that for me and considering the fact that Joel is getting personal with a comic themed blog on the comics page, and that my birthday is next week and I’m no longer a spring chicken, the time has come for me to let loose and do something new on the digital page. 
 
Now, before we get into the meat and potatoes of what I’m planning, let’s set up a little context as to just how big of a Star Trek fan I am. Because not only have I seen every single film and every single episode of every single series, my home is quite the shrine to this storied series as well. There are multiple model starships from the franchise littered about my home. There’s a Wrath of Khan NCC-1701 on a shelf, alongside the U.S.S. Reliant. There’s a 1701-D and a Klingon Bird of Prey on the shelf above those ships. An NCC-1701 from the Kelvin timeline on a coffee table and an NCC-1701-E next to that. There’s a Spock POP! above me at my desk here, autographs from Patrick Stewart, Brent Spiner, Jonathan Frakes, Leonard Nimoy and Avery Brooks to my right and the messenger bag at my feet is from Think Geek and its Next Generation themed, and my obsession doesn’t end there. 

​The vest I use for photography has a First Contact era combadge on it, and an Operations Delta from the Kelvin timeline as well, plus, there’s a 1701-D themed LCARS display on the aforementioned coffee table, a pair of Starfleet uniforms in my closet (Kelvin timeline command and First Contact era command), a phaser, and heck I even have the latest Bluetooth TOS Communicator that’s basically a replica and my phone is filled to the brim with Trek themed wallpaper and sounds and while that seems like a bit much, all of it makes me happy because it reminds me of the joy I felt watching this series with my dad growing up and also because it reminds me of what the franchise stands for in how we can be better as a people and really, I eventually came to realize that the only way I could possibly take my love of the saga to the next level would be to somehow immerse myself into the story itself, something that a while ago, I didn’t think was possible in the slightest.
 
Enter Star Trek: Online. A game that serves as the ‘official’ sequel for the franchise by taking us to the year 2410, long after the Voyager finale and well, what this game offers to fans of Trek is nothing short of a dream come true. Because at long last, I found a game that put me firmly in the Captain’s Chair and gave me adventures to enjoy that look and feel like an episode from just about any series out there and well, I instantly fell in love with this game. The chance to be a Starfleet Captain was more than I could pass up and over the course of the past year and a half, I’ve played every mission available, including every single moment of the newly released Victory is Life, and it is hands down the only MMO that I’ve ever committed to heavily, and spent money on for that matter, all in the name of living a boyhood dream and really, this is a game that I don’t feel is celebrated enough online and I think the time has to come to do my part as a writer, and change that.
 
Which brings us to the point of this long (and nerdy) and winding blog where I’ve ranted and raved at warp speed. Because I think it’s time to chronicle my experiences in this game, and the joy that it’s brought me over the past year and a half, because there are some incredibly awesome moments when it comes to this game and honestly, Victory is Life was downright incredible when it comes to its writing so without further ado, welcome, to The Admiral’s Log, a Friday blog that will definitely deliver on the geek factor since I’ll be recounting every step of my fictional journey as a Starfleet Officer, and I hope you’ll join me, as I reminisce about my fictional ship and my fictional crew and our magnificent trek through the stars…

There was a time, where football and gaming fans everywhere dropped everything this time of year to line up for hours on end to get their hands on a brand-new copy of Madden. They would chat up the potential changes in the line, discuss their favorite teams and really, just come together over the fact that their favorite game was back on the shelves and the time had arrived to lose one’s self in a digital world of football to handle their fix in between preseason and regular games.
 
Of course, the times have changed. These days, one can simply hit a button on their console at home and enjoy the game in a short while without having to ever leave the house, but the magic and anticipation still remains. Because whether you’re a fan of it or not, Madden, truly is a gaming phenomenon and I know that I sat on my couch with baited breath as I waited for my download of this year’s edition of the game to finish and let me go ahead and say it now, Madden 19 was completely and utterly worth the wait.
 
Because once again, the folks at EA have worked hard to put quite an immersive football experience together and while I normally like to get a review for a game up as quickly as possible, the vast amount of changes that came to this year’s iteration of the game warranted some in depth play through before I sat down to type this out and I’m glad I went that route because now I feel as though I have a wonderful handle on this game and every wonder that it just so happens to offer. 

Now, the first thing I noticed about this game that impressed me is that visually, they actually found a way to improve upon last year’s graphics and presentation and this newly enhanced version of the game only enriches the experience further. Because the new introduction graphics look and feel like a T.V. broadcast of the game, replicating some of that game day feel and my goodness, everything simply looks amazing in this game. The uniforms, the players and the stadiums simply pop thanks to the Frostbite graphics engine and the wonder of this game doesn’t end there.
 
Because the folks behind the scenes also added some serious tweaks to Franchise Mode that are an absolute delight. Case in point, the new XP system. Gone are the days where you simply focus on a particular trait for a player to improve them, now there are scheme related skill packages available to help them become a better fit on your team and these improve multiple traits all at once, allowing for your players to grow quicker and you’re finally allowed to decide who your team captains are on the squad, which while that isn’t overtly impactful to the gameplay, it’s the little things that matter when it comes to the overall experience. 
 
Speaking of the gameplay however, it’s an utter delight. The new run game and physics systems bring back a challenge to Madden since you now need patience when you’re pounding the rock and how the players make contact on offense and defense can change the course of a drive or the game for that matter as well and really, when all is said and done, it’s clear that Madden 19 is all about having fun and it delivers in spades when it comes to that and all of these improvements have made this version of the game tough to put down because this one, resurrects the good ol’ days, since quality gameplay and the experience are king once again.