@Matthew Vaj, as for “how to hard-core RP”… it’s actually easiest on the bridge, because we all have clearly defined officer roles, and a technical/professional vocabulary we use. “Contacts in Charlie 4”, rather than “little white arrows in that square” is RP. Battlegroups, lead ships, officer protocol, it’s all RP. The Fleet Captain’s outline of imminent missions is RP. Addressing CIC rather than “the GM” is RP.
Then you add your officer’s perspective, which is where creating a character history is useful, because it gives you fixed points to start from: Nhaima was used to fighting all aliens whenever and however she could, so orders for a cease fire troubled her; Matsiyan comes from a merchant background, so he knows people who can ship him real coffee; van Leigh served with del Pino, who turned traitor, so the subject is rather perilous (and he isn’t even that keen on RP, but he’s doing so effectively).
Your character can be almost exactly like you, if you want, but in space. Just ask a few questions: was he from Earth? It’s not a given. If not, from where? What is his pre-TSN experience of space? Of aliens? Why did he join the academy? Is it possible he met some of the other characters there?
You can go to ridiculous lengths with this – Matsiyan and Mundy’s avatars were created by using the Paragon Chat character creation program (all that remains of the old City of Heroes game), and I’ve gone and made avatars for Mundy’s Great-Aunt Adelaide (the Admiral), her father, and her defector younger brother. Not that anyone else needs to see them, but it helps me solidify her background. I’m taking the game into telling myself a story, which is what I enjoy, and I realise this may baffle other people, but it’s not a difficult thing to do.