Today we chat with Edward, the player behind Commander Edward Gregg. Edward joined Fedspace back in 2003, serving aboard both the Titan and the Ticonderoga before becoming the First Officer of the Pegasus.
Age, Sex, Location?
35, Male, Northern Ireland
When did you first join FedSpace?
I made my way through the Academy back in July 2003. My first ship was the Titan under Captain Tam Oltan. I started as an Ensign in the Science Department.
What brought you to FedSpace?
Early in July 2003 I met the player behind Patrick Ryan at a church camp. We’d been chatting and the conversation somehow came around to Star Trek. He mentioned Federation Space and I thought it seemed like an fun idea. I’ve been a fan of many sci-fi shows and had followed Star Trek since TOS, thanks to the BBC airing the old episodes.
Tell me a little about the process of developing your character.
I took who I was at the time and transplanted him into the Federation Space. The personal history part of my character biography is a condensed version of my actual life. I changed some words to ones that most of the players would be familiar with.
Developing Ed as a character can be tricky, depending on my mood when I’m typing. I take the emotional experiences of the mission and try to think what effect they would have on my character.
Do you think it is easier or more difficult to play someone based on yourself?
It can be hard as you don’t always know where to draw the line. I have read a lot of books and am well versed in typing so getting started is fairly easy. Getting the right words is often a challenge.
So far, what is your favourite part about being a member of FedSpace?
Being part of a team or crew. FedSpace players come from a diverse range of backgrounds and yet our enjoyment of creative writing and Star Trek unites us. Throw a crew into a challenging mission and once they get going any obstacle is mincemeat.
If you were president for a day, what would you change?
I think I’d bring back the Marines. Back the day they were a rather popular role. These days most any that are left are NPCs. They were great for some of the more intense combat and the rivalry with Security kept things interesting.
What makes a good ship?
Communication. Life is one of the perennial hiccups. Without good communication between the crew a mission can easily grind to a halt.
What do you spend your time outside of FedSpace doing?
I enjoy reading books and comic books and going to the cinema. I spend too much of my free time on computer games.
What is your favourite Star Trek series?
The Next Generation. I’d seen most of TOS and the movies attached. With the arrival of the Enterprise-D and her varied crew you were introduced to new technology and new or updated enemies. I remember seeing a picture from Skin of Evil on the cover of a sci-fi magazine and thought that looks like interesting. Thanks to BBC 2 I was able to enjoy episodes without having to worry about ads.
Do you have a favourite line or phrase from either a show or movie?
It would have to be from Q’s first appearance on DS9 when Ben Sisko punched him. I wonder if Janeway ever considered hitting Q, but Sisko proved that he was different from other Commanding Officers.
Q -“You hit me! Picard never hit me.”
Do you have a favourite character from the shows and why?
Data. The development of his character from his introduction in Encounter at Farpoint to his ‘death’ in Star Trek Nemesis was brilliant. Very much like Pinocchio wanting to be human and making so many mistakes. His growth as a character with all his quirks made Data enjoyable to watch.
What piece of Star Trek technology would you most like to see today?
Decisions, decisions. I’d love to see a proper starship, but that is a lot of technology. I’d have to say the replicator. It would require a utopian world before such a thing could exist but it would be very cool.
What FedSpace player would you most like to meet in real life?
Perry Brulotte. Possibly one of the few players I’ve known the longest. Even when I started he was known for having many NPCs.
What FedSpace character would you most like to meet in real life?
Commodore Paul Braggins. A dedicated pilot and command officer. It would be interesting to chat with a character I’ve served alongside in-game. There are few times when you get to see how far a character can rise.
If you could list one pet-peeve about your fellow players, what would it be?
Something I see a lot of in myself, hesitation. The time between posts can seem long. A gap of a day or two might be normal, but there are times I get paranoid when I’m left waiting for longer.
Do you feel there is any disconnect between you and other players based on geographical location?
The time difference can be tricky when trying to make connections with players. When I started MSN messenger was a life line as it meant I could discuss things with fellow crewmembers before posting.
If you could name your own ship, what would you name it and why?
The Leonard of Quirm. Ever since I played the first Discworld PC game I’ve been a fan of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series. Leonard is the Disc’s equivalent of Leonardo Da Vinci and I thought it would make a good name for a science vessel.
What is in your FedSpace future, for yourself and for your character?
At the moment it is rather uncertain. I’d love to make it as far as the rank of Captain or higher, but I need to get to grips with being a First Officer.
If there was one thing you would want everyone to know about you, what would that be?
When I came to FedSpace I was just a gamer. After over ten years of taking part in missions I’ve gained an appreciation for creative writing.
Thank you to Edward for answering the 20Qs! Are you interested in being our next 20Q feature? Contact Captain Leigh at andrea@fed-space.com.