German Galven

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Lower Decks Interview: Ensign Beelam Grog, USS Montreal

April 9, 2019by German Galven in Lower Decks

We’re here with another interview with a newer member of our community. The title of this column is “Lower Decks,” hearkening back to the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode titled “Lower Decks,” in which junior officers aboard the Enterprise-D speculate on the reasons for recent unusual actions taken by the command crew near the Cardassian border.

This month’s interview is with the writer behind Ensign Beelam Grog playing a Trill female medical officer assigned to the USS Montreal.

GALVEN: I appreciate you for accepting my Interview! Could you tell us a little bit about yourself for our readers out there?

GROG: Sure thing. I live and go to college in Colorado where I am studying to become a special education teacher. In my free time I do role play for systems like Star Trek adventures, write and watch British history programs.

How did you find out about Starbase 118 and what made you ultimately choose our community and stay with us?

I find it to be a funny story. I found your group when I was searching google for Information about Starfleet academy. I found the wiki and upon seeing that this group was still active decided to join. I mostly stayed because I liked the people and how they valued the players as real people first.

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Lower Decks Interview: Lieutenant JG Groznin Smith, USS Gorkon

February 24, 2019by German Galven in Column, Lower Decks

We’re here with another interview with a newer member of our community. The title of this column is “Lower Decks,” hearkening back to the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode titled “Lower Decks,” in which junior officers aboard the Enterprise-D speculate on the reasons for recent unusual actions taken by the command crew near the Cardassian border.

This month’s interview is with the writer behind Lieutenant JG Groznin Smith playing a Human/Denobulan hybrid male tactical officer assigned to the USS Gorkon.

GALVEN: Thank you for taking the time to do an interview with me. Could you tell us a little about yourself for our readers out there?

SMITH: Thanks for the chance to do this interview. My names Zech, I’m 18 and from England. I’m an avid Star Trek fan and have watched almost everything. I have two more canon films and the JJverse films and then I will have watched everything in just over 2-3 years I can’t remember.

Out of all the permitted species listed on the wiki, did you take any inspiration from any film/TV show/book when you chose to play a Denobulan?  

Yes. Dr. Phlox is one of my favourite characters in Star Trek. He is really interesting as is his species (Denobulan) I wanted to explore them further and develop them more as apart from in Enterprise we don’t see them. Since then I’ve, with the help of yourself and another one of the Denobulans Pholin Duyzer, we have created the entire planet of Denobula and even gone into a little bit of history on the planet which was super fun.

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Duty Post Award Winner – Mirra Ezo, USS Columbia (Lwaxana Troi Medallion)

February 3, 2019by German Galven in Award Winning Interviews

Join us for another in a series of interviews with winners of Duty Post awards from our recent 2018 Awards Ceremony. Our goal is to give you insight into how our fleet’s best simmers write, and imagine their characters.

This month we’re interviewing the writer behind Lieutenant Commander Mirra Ezo playing a Betazoid female diplomatic officer assigned to the USS Columbia. She won the Lwaxana Troi Medallion: “This award is given to a member who takes on a unique and non-traditional role outside of the normal Starfleet positions, while creating a colorful and engaging character such as, but not limited to: diplomat, civilian or mission specialist.”

GALVEN: First off, thank you for taking the time with me and answering a few questions! Could you tell us a little about yourself for our readers out there?

EZO: Thank you for having me! I’ve been a member of the fleet for about 3 years now, I live in Ohio with my two daughters, and I work in the healthcare field. Pretty much very un-Mirra like.

Winning such a distinguished award in our community must be a great feeling! Congratulations by the way! The award is given to a member who’s character is colorful and engaging outside of normal Starfleet positions. Do you take any inspiration from films, television, or books when writing your character and her actions?

Thank you very much, I was honored. Honestly Mirra just kind of lives in my head. I had an idea of what I wanted to play, and she kind of just became this larger than life little creation. I primarily played her as a doctor, so I did indeed take inspiration from TV and books for someone in that high pressure type role. And if I found something funny, I went with it. 

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Lower Decks Interview: Ensign Pholin Duyzer, USS Columbia

January 9, 2019by German Galven in Lower Decks

We’re here with another interview with a newer member of our community. The title of this column is “Lower Decks,” hearkening back to the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode titled “Lower Decks,” in which junior officers aboard the Enterprise-D speculate on the reasons for recent unusual actions taken by the command crew near the Cardassian border.

This month’s interview is with the writer behind Ensign Pholin Duyzer playing a Denobulan Male Science Officer assigned to the USS Columbia.

GALVEN: First off, thank you for taking the time to answer a few questions. Could you tell us a little about yourself for our readers out there?

DUYZER: Thank you for inviting me! I am Quinten; I come from the Netherlands and was born and raised in the Hague. I love watching and reading science-fiction, which all started with Star Trek. I have a Goldendoodle named Silke and taking long walks with her is another hobby of mine.

How did you find out about Starbase 118 and what made you ultimately choose our community and stay with us?

Lately I’ve become what some would say obsessed with Star Trek, and I really wanted to be part of it. After realising I had to wait until 2063 for First Contact, I opted for the next best thing. I browsed around multiple different groups. Most websites looked like they were last updated in the zero’s. I chose SB118 for the great looking website and the extensive wiki. Of course, I stayed for the active community in the group and forums, and the quality of writing in all the sims.

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Duty Post Award Winner – Ensign Sotak, USS Atlantis (Cochrane Award)

January 2, 2019by German Galven in Award Winning Interviews

Join us for another in a series of interviews with winners of Duty Post awards from our recent 2018 Awards Ceremony. Our goal is to give you insight into how our fleet’s best simmers write, and imagine their characters.

This month we’re interviewing the writer behind Ensign Sotak playing a Vulcan female science officer assigned to the USS Atlantis. She won the Cochrane Award: “Awarded to those science officers who have contributed greatly to the advance of science in the midst of their Starfleet career, by staying knowledgeable about their field, participating in the community of science, but most importantly, by placing their knowledge at the service of their ship and its mission.”

GALVEN: First off, It’s an honor and a privilege that we could sit down together for an interview and answering a few questions. Could you tell us a little about yourself for our readers out there?

SOTAK:  Hello! Thank you for inviting me for this opportunity, I’m greatly honoured as well. I’m from Mexico, and I have a deep love of science and its community, so just like Sotak and other science officers in the fleet, I hope to one day contribute something to the world (or the Federation in our scientists’ case). I began simming in this group back in March of this year, and it is my first simming experience, one which I believe to be unmatchable.  It is a wonderful and irreplaceable community, and I have deep appreciation and respect for it.

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Duty Post Award Winner – Randal Shayne, USS Eagle (Voyager Medallion)

December 19, 2018by German Galven in Award Winning Interviews

Join us for another in a series of interviews with winners of Duty Post awards from our recent 2018 Awards Ceremony. Our goal is to give you insight into how our fleet’s best simmers write, and imagine their characters.

This month we’re interviewing the writer behind Lieutenant Commander Randal Shayne playing a Human male chief engineer assigned to the USS Eagle. He won the Voyager Medallion: “Named after the USS Voyager, this award is presented to those Operations officers who have shown great skill in keeping a starship in working order despite near-impossible circumstances. The officers receiving this award have advanced the field of Operations, making sure duty rosters, provisions, gear, and even recreation time are available… no matter what.”

GALVEN: First off, thank you for taking the time with me and answering a few questions. Could you tell us a little about yourself for our readers out there?

SHAYNE: Thank you for having me! My name is Quinn, and I hail from Chicago. I’m a full time student, closet philosopher, couch potato and Star Trek fanatic.

Congratulations on winning the Voyager Medallion! The award is presented to people who have advanced the field of Operations. Could you explain how through Randal Shayne you have accomplished just that?

Allow me first to properly state just how touched I was to receive this distinction, and how grateful  I still am. I genuinely didn’t expect it, which makes it difficult for me to reflect accurately on what I might have done to earn such recognition. One thing I noted going into the role of Ops Officer was the freedom it afforded, the ability to make strange connections and to do very nearly anything you wanted, within reason. I suppose it was that mentality, and the brilliant plots my fellows helped create around me, that granted me the opportunity to explore, to try new things, and to experiment, in character and otherwise.

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Lower Decks Interview: Ensign Esbrun Vardai, USS Montreal

December 4, 2018by German Galven in Lower Decks

We’re here with another interview with a newer member of our community. The title of this column is “Lower Decks,” hearkening back to the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode titled “Lower Decks,” in which junior officers aboard the Enterprise-D speculate on the reasons for recent unusual actions taken by the command crew near the Cardassian border.

This month’s interview is with the writer behind Ensign Vesbrun Vardai, playing a Betazoid male Science Officer assigned to the USS Montreal.

GALVEN: First off, thank you for sitting down with me and answering a few questions. Could you tell us a little about yourself for our readers out there?

VARDAI: Thanks for inviting me. I’m Connor, from the UK. I work in software development, and have liked Star Trek since I was very young. Starbase 118 is my first foray into this format, but I do have a good deal of wider rpg experience.

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