The universe is huge and full of different media.I've watched the shows, played the video games, read a ton of the novels ( is a personal favorite), and have even written about -related songs.Since this year is the series' 60th Anniversary, I thought I'd celebrate with these tech-related hobbies.
Explore virtual bridges online Engage in a virtual bridge tour or pretend you're on one Close If you've ever wanted to take a tour of one of the Federation's finest starships, you can do so at Trekorama, a site dedicated to taking content from old CD-ROMs and making it available to explore in your modern browser.They were converted and upgraded last year by mijofr on Github.You can check out virtual tours of the bridge, holodeck, a Klingon Bird-of-Prey, outer space, and many other things you might have seen on the show.
If you've ever wanted to run your own starship or be part of a bridge crew, there are a few ways to make it so.You can always buy a copy of and play with your friends.Then there's Space Nerds in Space on Linux.
And if you want to get really ambitious, you can try the slightly more generic (but very powerful and fun) Empty Epsilon project.Getting started is fun, but the hardest part is finding a crew big enough to play with.Convert your tablet or phone desktop to an LCARS display Enjoy classic TNG visuals on your home screen If you've been watching Trek for the past 30 years, you've undoubtedly noticed the way their starship interfaces are designed.
Or maybe that's just me.Anyhow, the LCARS (Library Computer Access/Retrieval System) was created for I recently watched an interview with LCARS’ creators, Michael and Denise Okuda, and was inspired to seek out something similar.I tried installing an LCARS program on my Raspberry Pi, but all it did was act as a screensaver.
I've had some luck finding Android themes that simulate the style.You need to have Total Launcher installed on your device.From there, I downloaded a theme called Trek: Total Launcher and the Total Launcher app.
It’s unique and customizable, but gives a decidedly Trek feel to my phone and tablet.I was also impressed with a website that just runs an interactive star chart in the LCARS format, which is worth checking out on Desktop.Make your own Star Trek comm badge A little bit of DIY and 3D printing fun If you're into 3D printing, you can print and paint your own comm badge.
I like this Star Trek: The Next Generation comm badge on Thingiverse.I don't currently own a 3D printer, but when I eventually get a new one, I'm going to be printing minis like they're going out of style.But for those of you who do have one, you can print this high-resolution comm badge to ring in the 60th anniversary.
I recommend priming and painting it with acrylic paints, then putting a magnet on it so you can pin it to your own uniform (or shirt).Run a Star Trek RPG adventure on a virtual tabletop Immerse yourself in the world of the modern Federation If you need a break from building a tricorder or battling the Borg, get some friends together for an online RPG session.Specifically, the .
A company called Modiphius currently publishes the game (as of 2026), and you can grab a free copy of the starter rules from their website.All you really need for a Tabletop RPG (TTRPG) is some players, a story, some dice, and your imagination.For purposes of this project, you'll also need a virtual tabletop (VTT).
I use Fantasy Grounds and a gaming headset to run remote games on the platform.Battle the Klingons with QWERTY Relearn or sharpen your typing skills with the original series crew During my research for a recent piece on the Dvorak keyboard layout, I came across several different typing tutor applications.One of them was , an -themed typing tutor.
It teaches you typing in the QWERTY style, but with the bonus of line graphics in the style of the ships.And you get to battle Klingons across the galaxy while learning a new vocabulary.Play it at the Internet Archive, but don't expect it to move beyond Warp 2.
For a fun challenge, try Level 15.I played with it for a lot longer than I'd care to admit, and if you want to play other games like (there's a PC and an NES version) or (the one where you play as a member of the Voyager Crew and fight the Borg), they're usually available for a low price at Good Old Games (GOG).Exploring the great unknown with Trekker hobbies From 3D printing ships and comm badges to simulating a starship bridge or building a plastic Enterprise, there are some really cool and fun things to do.
Of course, I recommend watching the show while you do.I like and myself.So go out and celebrate 60 years of and don't forget to live long and prosper.
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