The Admiral's Log: My Journey Through 'Star Trek: Online' - An Introduction

Written by John Edward Betancourt

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. 

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​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…

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