Interview with Commodore (Capt) Otlan Stardate 20209.14
This month's subject is Capt Tam Otlan, Commanding Officer, USS Titan.
How did you come to play Federation Space?
Actually, my wife (Cdr Lanael) was recruited by her younger brother LCdr Rach Mah'Rid (deceased Valley Forge COS). She told me about the site and kept trying to convince me to join because it was so fun, and out of desperation to keep her quiet, I signed up. Then I became addicted to it and the rest is history.
Which Star Trek series is your favorite? Why?
My favorite Trek would have to be The Next Generation. Overall I felt like it had the most likeable characters and many of the most unique storylines. In all the other series I can easily pick my favorite characters, where with TNG I liked almost all of them equally.
Who is your favorite character from each series and why?
TOS - Spock. As pretty much everyone seems to agree, the relationship between Kirk and Spock was perfectly balanced. Vulcan Logic, lack of emotion and pure intellect versus the ultimate human. Kirk was all about reaction, emotion, & impulsiveness. But I don't think Kirk would have been as effective character without Spock as the contrast.
TNG - Data. The character was played so well that you actually believed he was an android. When Data did display emotion, it always seemed unbalanced and not quite right, which only added to the overall effect. Also, the way that everything was a curiosity to him, even though he had the knowledge of the most advanced computer, he still was child-like in his innocence. Definitely one of my favorites, though it's hard to pick only one.
DS9 - Sisko. While I think Sisko at the end was vastly different than Sisko at the beginning, he was still a very well rounded character. He managed to run through every emotion and do it well. He was a good fighter, a good diplomat and a good explorer. Overall I think he made the series much better than it would have been without him.
Voy - Tuvok. Mainly because of the episode where he was showing the violent side of Vulcan nature. I don't remember the name of the episode, but it was a planet where people bought other's emotions.
Ent - Trip. I just like his overall attitude. He seems like the laid back version of a Star Fleet Officer. Very much of a cowboy who would shoot first and ask questions later. Still too early to say if he will stay my favorite yet.
If you were Fleet Admiral for a day, what would you change about FS?
This question took me a long time to answer. I like the way things are run on Federation Space and can't think of anything I would change really. I guess the only thing I would maybe change would be the Romulan war. I would end it a bit sooner maybe with an all out assault against the Romulans. I'm looking forward to some missions regarding new worlds, new mysteries, new races, etc. Though I still like a good fight and I tend to get goosebumps when I write a battle sequence out. :)
What do you think makes a good post?
I think a good post is one that actually paints a picture in your mind when you read it and shows you some insight into the character. Not every post can be a good post, as some are just a way to move you from one place to another. But when you can add something to the post that helps the reader learn more about you, I think that helps to make a good post.
With such a wide selection of ships, why did you decide on the USS Titan as the ship you would command?
I chose the Titan for a couple reasons. One, we didn't have a Light Cruiser on the site yet and I like having some diversity in the ship types. I'm looking forward to some of the other types being launched in the future. I picked the name Titan because I thought it conveyed a sense of strength, and determination. Something I like for Starship names.
What’s it like being a commanding officer?
It's a lot of fun. I try and always remember that even though I'm a CO, I'm still just another player. I still want to try and be interesting to the other players, I want them to feel like they can approach me, joke with me, make fun of me, all the things that happened when I was Midshipman. There is more work involved because you have to watch over the entire ship and make sure that you aren't missing something, or that your players aren't getting neglected or left out, which is probably the hardest thing to do. I always want everyone to feel like they are part of it. I want everyone to have as much fun on the site as I do.
What exactly do you do as Public Relations Officer?
As the Public Relations Officer, I go to other Star Trek sites and advertise for Federation Space. I use message forums and chat forums to try and recruit new players. I maintain the Link page and try to make sure it stays up to date. I also try and make sure people vote for us on the voting lists. In simplest terms I guess I'm a Fed Space commercial trying to attract new players. :)
You also run Star Fleet Intelligence. What can you tell me about that?
Intelligence is a very tricky area to quantify, but we are trying. I would have to say that Intel players are likely going to have to be recruited from other areas for the foreseeable future. It's a position that would have to be played very carefully so that the Intel Corps didn't end up like the Tal Shiar or the Obsidian Order. They will also likely end up being advisors to the crew and helping to act as an information source for missions, so they would have to be extremely dedicated players that are willing to constantly be in the thick of it.
What’s your most memorable moment on the site, so far?
Probably playing the Changeling Garan on the Enterprise-E. Yssy and I worked for hours on end to try and make sure the joint posts we made would come out just right with the relationship between her character and the Changeling. We wanted it to be an emotional thing to read for anyone on the site, particularly the death of Jimmy-Patel Williams which was my favorite part to write. I tried to make it as cold and as inhuman as I could.
What advice would you give our newer members aspiring to gain a command of their own?
I would suggest trying to become involved with as much as you can on the site. NPC's on your ship, and when possible other ships (with consent of the CO's of course). Also try and be a good writer. I'm not a professional writer by any stretch of the imagination, but generally 2-3 line posts won't get you RPGer of the month or other medals. Try and get your character involved with the main plotline. The more visible you are on your ship and the better your writing, the more likely you are to be moved along quickly.
Where did you get the idea for your character?
I got the idea from the New Frontier books by Peter David. They chronicle the adventures of the Starship Excalibur and her Captain Mackenzie Calhoun. The COS of the Excalibur is Zak Kebron, the only Brikar I've ever read about. I thought that his character was an interesting one, and I liked his sense of humor, and the methods he uses to deal with his fellow crew and the enemies he faces. I applied knowing that I might not get to play a Brikar, but was extremely thankful that I could. I haven't seen any other Brikars apply to Fed Space, so I guess I get to be unique in that aspect for awhile.
