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This week in our genre TV wrap-up we have another big Lost update with spoilers, explanations previews. We also have a big upates on ABC’s other genre shows FlashForward and V, both returning soon from hiatus. In addition, there is news and previews from Fringe, Caprica, Smallville, Supernatural, Stargate Universe, Doctor Who and more of [...] 19

Entering a fan writing contest back in 1997 lead to a professional writing career for Dayton Ward.

In 1997, Ward entered the first Strange New Worlds writing contest. His story was good enough to be chosen for inclusion in not only that first volume of Strange New Worlds, but the next two volumes as well.

Authors were only allowed to have stories be placed in Strange New Worlds three times. Ward then turned to writing full-length novels including the Star Trek: Vanguard series.

“I love the entire Vanguard series, and David Mack is quite simply one of the most talented writers working today,” said Ward, “so working alongside him to develop the ongoing Vanguard storyline is just too much fun.”

Ward explained how the series began and how the writing duties have been doled out. “David Mack co-created the Vanguard series with Marco Palmieri, who at the time was an editor for Pocket’s various Star Trek lines. David wrote a rather large and very detailed “writer’s guide” for the series, and also wrote the first book. The writer’s guide laid out in very broad terms the main plotlines that would guide the series, including the use of characters and other little plot points that Kevin [Dilmore] and I had introduced in some of our other Star Trek stories. Based on that, Marco asked Kevin and me if we wanted to write the second book of the series, which became Summon the Thunder. Along the way, Kevin and I also wrote a novella for the Star Trek: S.C.E. (later renamed Star Trek: Corps of Engineers) series, Distant Early Warning, which acts as something of a prequel to the entire Vanguard storyline. Once we were finished with Thunder, Marco decided that Kevin and I would alternate writing duties on the series with David, and so far that’s how things have gone.

One of the things I love most about writing for Vanguard is that we’re able to play within the defined 23rd century Star Trek setting (again, my favorite), while at the same time doing things that we likely wouldn’t be able to get away with using the established or ‘canon’ characters, ships, and so on.”

And what are future plans for Vanguard? “David, Kevin, and I are already in the early stages of developing the outlines for what will be the next books in the Vanguard series,” said Ward. “I can’t offer any details or even teasing hints at this time, but stay tuned!”

The English version of the interview, courtesy of TrekZone Network can be found here.

Welcome back with a late edition of this week’s Science Saturday! Learn about how earthquakes in Chile can changed the world, turn your body into a touchscreen, introduce an icy comet to a fiery sun, see the most detailed views ever of our home planet, and much much more! All this plus our gadget of [...] 22

Next week IDW continues their adaptation of the 2009 Star Trek movie with the second issue out of six. Just like with issue one, the series continues to present an extended version of the film with the deleted scenes inserted. Check out our exclusive  5-page preview below.   Preview: Star Trek Movie Adaptation #2 Writers: Robert Orci, [...] 23

The massive multiplayer game Star Trek Online is now a month old, and already the game is set to evolve with more content. Today we have a all the details on upcoming "Common Ground" content update, plus a video showing off some of the cool new additions to the game.   VIDEO: Star Trek Online Content [...] 31

Link to the forum post

As reported yesterday, Leonard Nimoy will be attending the Emerald City Comic Con this weekend in Seattle, WA. There is another good interview with the actor promoting the event, where he discusses his past and future with Star Trek, Fringe and how he isn’t going to be attending conventions after 2010. Excerpts below.   Nimoy ‘moved’ [...] 36

http://forums.startrekonline.com/showthread.php?t=137364 -->

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Our latest Special Task Force, “The Cure,” will challenge you and your friends in brand new ways.

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Our latest content update, Season One: Common Ground, is releasing shortly. Here’s just a bit of the updates we have headed players’ way.

PVP Updates

• Wargames – Federation players can now participate in PvP against one another to better prepare for the dangers of the battlefield.
• New PvP Map – Explore “Shanty Town,” a brand new Ground Assault map available for both Klingon and Federation players.

Customization

• Off-Duty Uniforms – Experience DS9 in style! Starfleet officers will have the option to change into off-duty outfits to enjoy more casual attire.
• New Stances and Hairstyles – Further customize your Captain by changing his or her hairstyle, or adopting two brand new stances: Stern and Relaxed.
• The Captain's Log - A web-based application to check in on you and your friends' Captains and ships.

Ships

• A New Klingon Battle Cruiser – The K’Tanco Battle Cruiser has been made available to Klingon Lieutenant Commanders.
• Klingon Ship Customization - Use the ship tailor to customize your Bird of Prey, Carrier or Raptor.

Missions

• New Fleet Actions Everywhere!
  • The Big Dig – Available in Romulan space.
  • DS9 Under Siege - The True Way has attacked and boarded DS9. Repel the invasion to save the day.
  • Klingons Can Play, Too – Klingon Captains may now access the Crystalline Entity, Big Dig and Breaking the Planet Fleet Actions

Skills

• Respec Is Here – Unhappy with your Captain’s skill point allocation? Use the respec tool to change things up. (Available both in-game and as a C-store item.)
• New Skill: Starship Attack Vectors – Improve your ship’s accuracy and critical hit chance.
• New Skill: Combat Maneuvers – Improve your ship’s evasion and turn rate.
• New Skill: Starship Battle Strategy – Improve your ship’s critical hit severity and damage resistance.

In The C-Store

• New Bridge Variants - All new ways to update your Bridges’ look, available for a low price in the C-Store for both Federation and Klingon ships.
• Federation Ship Variants – New takes on your old favorites, available for a low price in the C-Store.
• Respec - Unhappy with your Captain’s skill point allocation? Use the respec tool to change things up.
• Character Slot - Purchase an additional character slot if you'd like to have more than three characters on your account.
• Rename - Changed your mind about the cool name you chose? Get it legally changed! Recognized across the Alpha Quadrant.
• New Federation Playable Species - Become a Tellarite, Pakled or Rigelian.

This is only a bit of the changes, fixes and updates coming to Star Trek Online in March. Season One: Common Ground will be available in mid-March. For a full list of what will be available in Season One, please visit the Engineering Reports forum. Interested in checking things out early? Visit the Tribble test server forums for early release notes.

Each year the Glo Global Language Monitor releases their list of the most influence "HollyWords", or words from Hollywood that most influenced the English Language in the past year. Topping this list this year was "Pandora" from Avatar, but there is also a contribution from Star Trek on the list this year, with "Her" coming [...] 114

Star Trek: Online will be releasing updates to their MMORPG game in the next week and a list of what will be added or changed lets players know what to expect.

The changes will affect PvP, customization, ships, missions and skills. In addition, new items are offered for sale in the “C-Store” and lifetime subscriber perks are described.

For lifetime subscribers, Cryptic offers a special thank you package, containing classified access codes, “The Captain’s Table” (a special social area, for both Federation and Klingon captains, exclusive to lifetime subscribers), and a special in-game title.

Customization changes include off-duty uniforms, so that officers can relax in style, and new stances (stern or relaxed) and hairstyles.

Klingon Captains have a new Battle Cruiser, the K’Tanco (available to Lieutenant Commanders) as well as the ability to customize the Bird of Prey or Raptor.

Michael Giacchino (Star Trek XI) will compose the music for John Carter of Mars, the new Andrew Stanton (Wall-E, Finding Nemo) film based on the novels of Edgar Rice Burroughs.

Fresh off his Oscar win for Pixar’s Up, Giacchino will score John Carter of Mars, which takes place on the “Red Planet” where Civil War veteran John Carter, imprisoned by twelve-foot tall green creatures, escapes and encounters the Princess of Helium.

John Carter of Mars, featuring Taylor Kitsch (Friday Night Lights) as John Carter, is due out in 2012.