Recreation deck The recreation deck was a location on Federation starship s where crew members could go to relax when off duty . The area included a number of game s and other recreational activities . The refit ted had a recreation deck . Overseeing the area was a display showing the legacy of ship s named USS " Enterprise " . In the 2270s , Will Decker showed a probe of Ilia to the display and games on the recreation deck in an attempt to revive the real Ilia ' s memories and emotion s so as to learn about the intentions of " V ' ger " . The attempt failed , with the Ilia probe stating that the game which the real Ilia had enjoyed served no purpose . While Decker and the probe were still on the recreation deck , the probe revealed " V ' ger " s plans to eradicate the " Enterprise " crew , after which Decker suggested resurfacing the true Ilia ' s memories so " V ' ger " could gain a better understanding of Human s . The Ilia probe found this logic al and permitted the process . ( ) Appendices . Background information . The located the recreation deck on deck seven . According to the for the film , on the same deck as the recreation deck , there were gymnasiums , food centers , lounges , game rooms , etc . A recreation room set had already been built on Paramount Stage 10 in the last quarter of 1977 for the abandoned television series / movie " " . This set however , was far smaller than the one seen in its immediate " The Motion Picture " successor and it was deemed too small for the envisioned crew gathering scene at " Enterprise " s mission launch . Production Designer Harold Michelson , after he was brought in in late April 1978 , completely redesigned the room for it to become the largest , 24 foot high , interior set build for the movie , capable of accommodating the crowd of over 300 people . The set for the recreation deck was built on Paramount Stage 8 and cost US $ 252 , 000 . ( " " , pp . 93 , 95 ) The original room was designed by " Phase II " Technical Consultant Matt Jefferies , a veteran , and one element of his design made it into the movie . During the production of " Phase II " , Jefferies received a memo on 9 September 1977 from Gene Roddenberry who , inspired by a letter he had received from a fan , wrote , " " Some fans have suggested that our new Enterprise should carry a plaque somewhere which commemorates the fact it was named after the first space shuttle launched from Earth in the 1970 ' s . This is an intriguing idea . It also has publicity advantages if properly released at the right time . " [ note : almost to the day , the first space shuttle , named after the fictional " Enterprise " had been revealed one year previously in a highly publicized ceremony with many " Star Trek " alumni as guests of honor , whereas Jefferies himself had less than a month earlier attended , on NASA ' s invitation , its first - free flight test ] " It won ' t hurt NASA ' s feelings either . I ' ll leave it to you where you want it on the vessel and who should design it . " " Already an accomplished aviation artist , Jefferies needed no further enticement to create the artwork for the historical vessels named USS " Enterprise " , which served as the source for the backlit transparencies seen on the wall of the recreation deck . ( " " , p . 94 ) The ships , for which Jefferies provided the artwork , seen on the wall are from left to right : With the visual representation of the historical lineage of the " Enterprise " , Jefferies had created a tradition that was adhered to in later " Star Trek " live - action incarnations .