EAE Award Winners 2002
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Starship Schematic
Database and Gilso Star Trek Schematics (January 2002)
The January 2002 EAE Award goes to two sites with different organizations but
similar goals: the resurrected Starship Schematic Database (SSD) by Jim
Stevenson and the new Gilso Star Trek Schematics by Gerard aka Gilso. The SSD is
an extensive searchable database that includes every ship of which orthographic
views are available, canon and fan-made. For a couple of years, the SSD has been
the most popular place to look for Star Trek schematics - so popular that
traffic limits forced webmaster Jim to take the site temporarily down. Now it is
back, and I think thousands of fans are glad about it. The SSD has a simple
basic layout, but the single sections on Federation and alien ships (and the
non-Trek ships too) all have distinctive graphic interfaces. Gilso Star Trek
Schematics offers a great deal of orthographic exterior views too. In addition,
the site has technical data on the ships, cross-sections, bridge floorplans,
high-resolution images and modeling instructions. Gilso cleaned up all the
schematics from various sources, and he created a "checkered paper"
look for them. The same style is maintained all over the website, giving it a
typical "technical" look. Congratulations to Gilso and Jim!
Trek5.com (February 2002) 
Trek5.com is a new site with some of its content still under construction. Nevertheless, I
feel that the fresh new approach to Star Trek deserves to be honored with the
EAE Award. Trek5.com is quite unlike other sites I have visited lately in that
it consciously doesn't try to present just everything, but picks items of
special interest. The site has something like a collection of media and articles
for the ambitious fan. The most prominent features are a growing gallery of
high-quality screen caps, wallpapers and an Enterprise episode guide. In
addition, there is a video collection of TOS bloopers, interviews with the
production team, and specials like the new "Enterprise" font. The site
design is the most innovative I have seen recently, although it is not even very
complex and it doesn't use any slow-loading effects. The success of the design
lies in the countless individual graphics that all have a very professional
look. It is fun to discover Trek5.com, and I am looking forward to future
attractions that webmaster Matt may have for us. Congratulations!
Antares Project (March 2002)
Sometimes I'm sorry that the above rules for the EAE Award give RPGs only a
small chance, but this is because they usually don't have what most Trek fans
are looking for in the web. The Antares Project is one of only few sites in this
category that are attractive with their content and design also for non-members.
As a SIM, Antares Project is convincing in that the site provides a thorough
introduction and rules for beginners, and I think the size of the SIM may be
taken as a sign of quality too. The ships attached to Antares Station have their
own websites, all with a pleasant web design and an elaborate presentation as
far as I can tell. Frequent announcements, articles written by members and a
Trek trivia game complete the presentation of the community. Supported by a large and easy to use
database, Antares Project members shouldn't have to look around everywhere in
the web for Trek information. With hundreds of entries, the Antares Project
Database provides a complete overview of the races, vessels and technology. This
is also the probably most interesting feature for non-members. Congratulations
to the makers of this great SIM website!
Phasers (April 2002)
"All of Star Trek in one site" may be a good intention, but many fans
are looking for more specific information and for expertise in a certain field.
This is exactly what Phasers by Lee Kelly, one of the best themed sites, is
aimed at. The site is unique in that it covers the hand weapons of Star Trek in
the greatest possible detail. Chronologically ordered, Phasers provides a
complete overview of about 30 types of weapons with basic descriptions, specs
from technical manuals, specific observations and oddities, behind-the-scenes
information, images, screen caps and schematic diagrams. Not even Captain
Proton's ray guns (which, as we should know, actually work) are missing. There
is also a section on the principle and the different settings of phasers. The
site exists for quite some time, and is updated whenever new information becomes
available. The page design is simple and pleasant, as it does not need flashy
illustrations or effects. Thanks for this comprehensive coverage of a specific
aspect and congratulations to Lee!
Trek Brasilis (May 2002)
"Welcome to a different Star Trek website!"
Trek Brasilis keeps this promise. Most of Trek Brasilis is in Portuguese, as the
site serves as an internet portal for Jornada nas Estrelas ("Journey to the
Stars") in Brazil, but it is much more than just a collection of links and
the usual features of Star Trek sites. Trek Brasilis is made with the intention
to present something special, and not simply to translate or warm up content
that has been presented elsewhere. The episode guide encompasses the movies and all
Star Trek series in great detail, including trailers for download. In addition,
there is an extensive special on the never produced Phase II series, with lots
of background information and a guide to the lost episodes. There is nothing
comparable on the web, and I wish that it may be translated to English soon.
Other highlights are the series of interviews with Michael Piller, Rick
Sternbach, Andrew Probert and Robert Duncan McNeill, as well as the homage to 35
years of Star Trek. Almost no need to mention that the site also offers features
like daily news, a TV guide, a forum, a newsletter and a trivia game. The
original web design of Trek Brasilis with many, but never too large
illustrations completes the overall excellent impression. Congratulations to
webmaster Salvador Nogueira!
Trekplace (June 2002)
Formerly known as "Remember: The Lost History of Star Trek", Greg Tyler's
Trekplace is a treasure trove for fans who think they already know everything.
Greg has archived several interviews with major players in (technical) Star
Trek, including the designers Andrew Probert and Rick Sternbach, but also with
Shane Johnson (Mr. Scott's Guide to the Enterprise), Bjo Trimble (Star
Trek Concordance) and Franz Joseph Schnaubelt (Star Fleet Technical
Manual). Technical articles, such as on the question "Constitution
class or Enterprise class?", on the mystery of the torpedo bays of the
refitted Enterprise or on the Enterprise-D studio miniatures, complete the
site. Navigation through the sections is easy, and the simplistic site design
doesn't distract from the content. What I especially like about Trekplace is
that it presents original content and that it does not remain silent about
critical or controversial issues, such as the possibly undeserved
de-canonization of Franz Joseph's work. Thus, Trekplace is not only a look
behind the scenes, but also beyond some common fan preconceptions.
To Boldly Go - The History of the Enterprise (July 2002)
Even the smallest Star Trek site seems to have a section dedicated to the
history of the (star)ships with the revered name "Enterprise". I used
to deem the information on most of these sites little interesting because it was
already well-known and too often literally taken from reference books. I changed
my mind when I discovered To Boldly Go. This site presents all aspects of
Enterprise ship history in great detail, including images, technical specs, crew
information, key events and trivia - with new observations and personal remarks.
If there is one place to find anything about the six (sorry, seven) starships
named Enterprise, it's here. But that is not yet all. Webmaster Nick Angeloni
has developed his site beyond a mere database. Unlike it is on most other themed
sites that are too often considered as "finished as they are", there
are frequent updates, and new sections like a TNG episode guide are already
being prepared. The design of To Boldly Go is clean, navigation through the
pages is easy. Congratulations and thanks for a great website!
The Computer Core Dump (August 2002)
Many fans are seeking general Trek facts or pictures in the web, but this is
often more time-consuming than one might think. There are a lot of databases,
but most of them seem to be permanently under construction. Fortunately there is
a one-stop place called The Computer Core Dump. This site has all the canon
information about characters, ships, places, uniforms and equipment from all
five series that fans are looking for. The Computer Core Dump has a good balance
between textual information and pictures, and there are frequent updates with
new information about Enterprise or about the upcoming movie. The site's
navigation is very user-friendly, as the visitor does not have to browse through
menus with abstract names, but finds direct links to all the categories already
on the main page. The LCARS design of the Computer Core Dump may be overused
throughout the web, but I think it suits the site. As the site's introduction
says, it is "for new people and old pros alike", and I can affirm
that.
Titan Fleet Yards (September 2002)
Harry Doddema's Titan Fleet Yards is not one of the mega-sites that have much
of everything (or claim to have). The site may not have the most content, but
all of it is carefully selected and original. Harry, the webmaster and our dear
colleague in the ASDB, has talents in many fields, including graphic design,
technical (starship!) design, writing, scientific analysis and programming. All
of this is visible at the latest version of Titan Fleet Yards. Instead of making
just another list of existing (canon or conjectural) starships, Harry is
creating his own ones, and they are always getting better. A highlight of his
site is the section on the members of the Federation which is the most profound
and most extensive of its kind in the web. There are also book reviews and
articles on starships and other topics. Everything on the site has been
consciously developed instead of just thrown together, and sources are unusually
carefully credited. Harry has recently upgraded the whole site with an unusual
and modern graphic layout and PHP scripting, leading the site into a bright
future. Congratulations, Harry!
Maritime
Science Fiction Modelers and Erick's Models (October 2002)
This month's EAE Award goes to two modeling sites. I first became aware of
Erick's Models when he built the Cheyenne class and the New Orleans class based
on our reconstructions at the Flare Forums. Being a skilled kitbasher, he
created the first authentic models of these ships besides the almost forgotten
originals. There is some sort of friendly competition with the Maritime Science
Fiction Modelers in this respect. The group has built, among other models, a
large number of canon and non-canon vessels from the Star Trek Universe. In
particular, Stephen L. who is also the webmaster has reconstructed several Wolf
359 and DS9TM ships with great attention to details. None of the two
sites has a sophisticated web design, but that is no disadvantage. On the
contrary, it would only distract from the model galleries. With a wealth of
photos of their work, descriptions and modeling tips, Erick's Models and the
Maritime Science Fiction Modelers are an inspiration for anyone building
starship models (and I should really take the time to start building again
myself...).
Trekpulse (November 2002)
Trekpulse, albeit not yet complete (but which website actually is?), may be the
most exciting new Trek site lately. Formerly known as The Mess Hall - Enterprise
(which I already liked a lot), the site has recently been completely redesigned
and newly conceived as a universal place about all things Trek. Presently the
focus is still on Enterprise with an encyclopedia, an episode guide and reviews,
character and tech info, multimedia. It is possibly the most comprehensive
collection on the web - and always up to date. The same will (hopefully) be soon
available for the other parts of the franchise too. In addition, Trekpulse has a
community section with a forum, chatroom, links and an award. The professional
design approach of the webmaster Robert Gallagher who studies web design and Mike Broadhead
who created the graphics is quite visible all over the site. Hundreds of accurate graphics and a
well-defined color scheme leave a long-lasting impression of Trekpulse, inviting
the visitor to return. Congratulations and thanks for a new
"must-visit" site!
Original Trek (December 2002)
Original Trek exists for quite a while, but I discovered the place only
recently. After learning the secret of the somewhat mysterious navigation on the
index page (one has to click the colorful buttons to get to the single
sections), the rest is very easy to navigate. Original Trek presents itself as
the probably most complete site of its kind, covering everything about TOS and
nothing else. Aside from the usual features such as the episode guide, an image
gallery and video clips, Original Trek has a wealth of technical and political
information from canon sources and from established fandom such as Franz
Joseph's Technical Manual. The site design is pleasant, as it doesn't overuse
colors and instead of that relies on a strict palette and precise illustrations.
Some sections are still under construction and the last update dates back a
while, but I hope the author keeps up his good work. Congratulations!
Proceed to EAE Award Winners 2003
