My Personal Trek

Growing up in the 1970s with only a few television channels available, finding science-fiction broadcasts was a rare treat. Stumbling upon reruns of the original television series created a lifelong passion for the franchise. Watching original broadcasts, going to cinematic releases with family, and catching up on syndicated episodes during college solidified a deep familiarity with the fictional universe.

That passion eventually led to pitching story ideas to television producers during a career as a Hollywood writer. One pitched concept involved storing critical data inside an android's brain, while another centered on a temporal puzzle featuring a beloved young crew member. Though those specific pitches were not produced for television, the core narrative themes later inspired published short stories and game concepts.

When Wizards of the Coast began planning the Magic: The Gathering | Star Trek crossover, internal surveys helped gauge employee familiarity with the property. Because other internal designers took on the primary set building responsibilities, this project marked a rare occasion where a veteran designer had virtually no hands-on involvement during early vision work.

Participating in an internal R&D draft day provided a totally fresh experience. Without prior knowledge of specific card designs or limited archetypes, the experience mirrored how everyday players discover a new Universes Beyond expansion. Opening iconic legendary characters during the draft immediately sparked nostalgia and reshaped draft strategies on the fly.

Drafting recognizable legendary figures like Captain James T. Kirk and Mr. Spock, Science Officer highlighted the emotional appeal of bringing famous stories into Magic's game system. Other familiar faces like Data and Worf anchored draft decks in familiar thematic colors, creating a strong bridge between gameplay mechanics and decades of established lore.

The preview card for this feature is Deep Space 9, a flavorful top-down artifact design. Costing nine mana to play, it utilizes the station mechanic to accumulate charge counters over time. Once it reaches nine or more counters, it grants a massive power boost to your entire team, bringing all the action directly to your side of the battlefield.