I won a beta key for Star Trek Online today. I won it through a trivia contest about Star Trek to get the key. Yes, I am one of the world’s biggest dorks.

Its a regularly running trivia contest on the irc channel #STO on gamesurge. Every wednesday at 11:30 am PDT. This week was my first try. So i show up, there’s chatting, then one of the mods shows up, we all settle down. He asks the first question, “Cryptic_StormShade 1. What was the name of the Edosian that Navigated in Star Trek Animated Series?” (The answer is Arex)

I try to use my google-fu to find the answer, but its already too late. TerryN gets it first within seconds. Then StormShade gets ready to ask the second question, “Cryptic_StormShade What Captain was found in the pattern buffers of the Jenolan?” I immediately jump in, knowing the answer off by heart. Someone named exracon beats me by a few milliseconds, and types “scotty”. I type “montgomery scott” no more than five milliseconds behind him. But I get the point, as I typed his full name, and not a psuedonym. So now its me and TerryN with one point each.

There’s only five questions, so I have to be really on the ball for the next ones. I’m at the UBC-Okanagan campus, so I’ve got a direct link pretty much to the Internet backbone. You wouldn’t believe the ping times you can get on campus. So I spawn a new firefox window, take it to google, and make it smaller so I can see the question.

The next question comes, “Cryptic_StormShade What rule of Acquisition is this? “Sleep can interfere with your lust for latinum.”" I google, I check the page, and I input my answer. But I was just a bit too late. In amidst all the random guessing(about fifty different numbers… nice try guys!), Vmann gets the right answer just mere milliseconds ahead of me. On my screen, it looks like I got first, but on the mods’ screens, Vmann is ahead. So close! Now, it is TerryN, Me, and Vmann each with one right answer. The next two matter, a lot. (Answer is 103)

By this time my hands are starting to shake, and I can feel my heart pound in its cage of bone. Too much adrenaline. Have to calm down. I made it this far. I got close. I can do this. And comes the next question, “Cryptic_StormShade Name Tuvok’s Wife please.” My google-fu is good. The name is right in the google summary of the first result. I type it in. And… I get it! Two points for me, one for TerryN, and one for Vmann. (Answer is T’Pel)

Getting a bit calmer, this next question is absolutely essential. I must prevent a tie. Only way to do that, is get the point myself. The question comes, “Cryptic_StormShade What was the name of of Trip’s childhood dog?” I use my google-fu, and… I’m having trouble. I can’t find the answer! Where is it! Oh shit, where is it!? By that time, I realize that TerryN had already been tapped as the winner of that question. (Answer is Bedford)

It is sudden-death now.

So the mods provide a tie-breaker, just between me and TerryN. People even start placing (virtual) bets on us! I seemed to be the favorite, though no one knew me, and this was my first time trying for a key.

The question comes, “Cryptic_StormShade For the game: In which sector is the Briar Patch?” I do my google-fu, and I see the answer right away. I sprint to type it in, feeling like I’d just run the 100 yard dash. And… I won. I got it right. But of course, you knew the results from the beginning of my post. (Answer is sector 441)

So thats how I won the key, told in dramatic fashion. I shall be enjoying the beta of STO, but of course, I won’t be able to talk about it. I do intend to try testing the client and MMO on Linux through Wine/Cedega.

And, in honor of the question that won me the key, my ship will be called, “Briar Rose.” I know it may be perceived as feminine, but ships are usually referred to as women, so its a good name for a good ship.