Star Trek Online

[Peter McCoy]

I'm surprised somebody else hasn't made a thread about this yet, so I thought I'd draw your attention to it in case you simply didn't know.

Yes indeed, there is a Star Trek MMO in the works. It's being developed by Perpetual Entertainment, who also developed 'Gods and Heroes: Rome Rising' due out next month. Although it's still in the development stage, wikipedia does have some interesting information about the game:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek_Online

As well as that, there's a devlog at the main site:

http://www.startrekonline.com/devlog/

Both are worth reading if you're interested in this title. According to the wikipedia page...

"Perpetual Entertainment has stated that they want every player to be able to command their own ship, even if it's only a runabout. Large-scale ship-to-ship combat, however, will require teamwork. Full-size starships will require a bridge crew to operate and probably at least one person in Engineering."

I love the idea of being part of a starship crew. As well as this (also on the wikipedia page)...

"As in Star Trek, money will not be emphasized, but it will be present in the form of Federation Credits. All of the player's basic needs (i.e. "food, lodging, uniforms, simple entertainment, and standard equipment") will be provided for free, but players can choose to spend credits on things the Federation does not normally provide—for instance, special items of value, special entertainment, or special treatment. Players will also amass "prestige", an intangible currency that reflects their favor with Starfleet. Obtaining command of a starship will not cost any credits but will require a great deal of prestige, with different ships costing different amounts. Prestige will be earned by impressing Starfleet and making special achievements."

If Perpetual Entertainment deliver on these points, this could be an excellent game with regards to free-form mmorpg's. It's says that players will be able to choose from well-know races such as Human, Vulcan, Klingon, Bajoran, Bolian, Cardassian, Ferengi, Tellarite and Andorian. (these aren't confirmed.) I imagine there'll be a fair number of familiar combinations such as vulcan and klingon security officers.

It says that players will start at Starfleet Academy to learn the basics before transferring to a starship in one of the well-known roles...

"Players will be given the option to specialize their skills in a particular area such as Engineering, Tactical/Security, and Science. Other familiar departments, such as medical, flight control, communications, and operations are integrated into these three main professions. Players may also have the option to take on the role of a Commanding Officer. However, the Command Track will be an optional route, rather than a mandatory selection."

Obviously the wikipedia page is incinclusive since the game's still being developed, but already I can see other plans that haven't been mentioned. For example, if Ferengi are a playable race then we won't be limited to Starfleet since the Ferengi Alliance are an autonomous power and not affiliated to the Federation beyond trade/treaties. Imagine being able to command your own D'Kora-class Marauder as a Ferengi merchant, travelling the galaxy trading rare artifacts and cultural delicacies, amassing as much latinum as your cargo hold can cope with - at least until you need to buy another ship...

...the makings of your very own fleet...

As with Star Wars, the Star Trek universe is extremely detailed and very well-established, and so including things that seem sketchy and unfinished - the bare bones if you like - would ruin the experience. Back to what I just said - I'd be very disappointed if the Ferengi were playable but you still had to start at Starfleet Academy and be on a Federation starship. Likewise, Worf is an exception regarding his position on the Enterprise - the option of being able to serve on an Imperial Klingon Starship would be extremely cool. I just wonder if the game will allow for players to be a Romulan - now that would be interesting.

I only hope the development team take their time and get it right. There's a lot I think (and I think most people would think) needs to go into a Star Trek MMO and unless it's really bang on the money, it just wont feel right to the fans.

I'll be keeping my sensors locked onto this game for an immediate beam-in when it drops out of warp.

(I can't believe I actually typed that. I'm such a geek!)

[Peter McCoy]

Though it's still nowhere near completion, the game engine is well underway and the first in-game screenshot (http://www.startrekonline.com/images/IntScreen.jpg) is now available.

There's also some more devlogs detailing how the player interacts with different objects. After that picture, the next big thing I imagine gamers will want to see is what the interior environments and planets look like.

I can't wait for this game.

[Aurelias Kazaar]

Ooo look good.

[Karl Valten]

I really hope this ends up being a solid title. As much as I don't really like Star Trek all that much, this looks like it has potential.

There'd better be multiple race choices. I soooooooo want to fly a Romulan Warbird

[Jeseth Cloak]

I soooooooo want to fly a Romulan Warbird
Amen to that.

[Peter McCoy]

I'm pretty sure there'll be a good selection of playable races. It'd be boring to see the same races everywhere you go. Star Trek is a wonderfully varied universe.

[Travis North]

Ooo Bridge Commander and Elite Forces rolled into one for $15/month.

This game is just a money grab like Galaxies. I'd heard rumors of this game's development during the launch of SWG as well. Then it got shelved and seems to have re-emerged since its sci-fi rival has bitten the big one.

[Fraro Alvir]

for some reason the sapce age MMOPRG has really caught on. SWG was really dull and empty. i played eve for a short time and that was pretty cool, i just didnt like the fact i was stuck on a ship the entire time.

i love star trek, i would really like this game to rule. i did not play the star trek 360 title. did any of you guys?

[Peter McCoy]

If you mean Legacy, I've played the PC version. It's fun...for a while. Not much longevity at all though I'm afraid. It felt like a space shooter that 'looked' like Star Trek. It didn't play how you'd expect Star Trek to feel.

And apparently the Eve Online folks are working on new content that allows you to initially walk around your own ship and stations, and eventually to enter a planet's atmosphere. I'm looking forward to that since I really like Eve.

[Yog]

I follow this project with much interest.

There is also a Star Wars KOTOR style MMO by Bioware in the works, for the sci fi fans. Although, it has not been officially announced.

[Peter McCoy]

Yeah, I really hope they make an announcement sometime soon. I'd love to see what they have in store for it.

I'd no doubt end up playing both games. Star Wars is a great adventure setting, blaster fights etc, but Star Trek is a very different kettle of fish. It's organised and efficient, it's clean and shiny and everything looks new all the time.

I love both franchises but I think ultimately Star trek will be harder to get right. There has to be a very distinct style of gameplay for it to work.

[Karl Valten]

Birth of the Federation is about the only Star Trek game I ever found worthy of being called good.

...until the borg show up, then you're boned. Only the Romulans and Ferengi can stand up to them for any length of time (the Federation is okay at it, I guess). The Romulans simply because every freaking ship can cloak. Free round of shooting FTW, a couple warbirds and strike cruisers backed up by plenty of destroyers for meatshields will do the trick. The Ferengi because, well, you just plain can afford to loose 30 ships at a time. You just giggle and buy 60 more with your bottomless wallet.

I still play it to this day.

[Peter McCoy]

It all depends on how you play it. I personally kick borg butt as the Federation. 2 Defiant-class warships with Legendary crew are unstoppable - they can easily take on a cube, not to mention 50+ enemy ships. It was silly just how pwoerful a ship was when it's crew were at Legendary status. Of course, getting them that high is a real commitment.

I hope the MMO has plenty of starships. I predict the biggest and best ships will be unavailable to players at the get-go. Stuff like a Galaxy-class ship will be really hard to achieve, and maybe even be unavailable until an expansion or something. It's no fun if everybody and their grandmother has the Enterprise three weeks after launch.Undoubtedly that'll be the most popular - a Galaxy-class ship. After that I'd say an Intrepid-class, then maybe a Defiant or Abassador, Excelsior maybe? Oh it's too exciting.

I'm typing this post while continually glancing at my model of the Enterprise from the Original Series. It'd be cool if the saucer sections can detatch from the ships that have that ability. I haven't seen a Star Trek game that incorporated that yet.

[Yog]

There are now news that Star Trek Online has been bought by Cryptic (City of Heroes / Villains). There has also been some rumours of employees leaving in dissatisfaction due to the game's new direction. Not the best developing environment I'd say.

http://www.startrek-online.net/messageboard/showthread.php?t=12178

[Yog]

Some more details:


P2 Entertainment - formerly Perpetual Entertainment - has ceased development on Star Trek Online, according to multiple sources at the San Francisco based developer. The news does not, however, mean that the game is canceled. The license, as well as the game's content - but not the code - have been transferred to another Bay Area development studio where work will continue. It is not entirely clear at this time what this means for the individual developers who worked on the project at P2.

As a company, P2 Entertainment will continue on with their profitable Perpetual Platform, which has been licensed to industry leaders like BioWare, and refocus their core business on the casual games market.

Without the code, whoever takes over Star Trek Online will be faced with a lot of work to complete the project, which means that fans may have longer to wait for a completed Star Trek Online.

P2 Entertainment had no comment on the story.

WarCry will continue to follow this story as it develops.

http://www.warcry.com/articles/view/breakingnews/2802-Breaking-News-P2-Out-As-Star-Trek-Online-Developer

[Peter McCoy]

Well that's just great.

Thank God I've got Eve. That's my sci-fi fix for the moment. I'd more than likely keep playing it once STO came out - money permitting of course. But that shouldn't be a problem since I start a new ful-time job at the end of the month :)

Lets hope whoever does pick the project up has the passion for the franchise Perpetual had.

[Peter McCoy]

http://www.startrekonline.com/

Looks like Cryptic have hit the ground running, if the trailer is anything to go by. No beta yet so it's likely there's still a while to go before we get this one.

[Peter McCoy]

I bought the pre-order on Steam and will be playing the beta from this coming Tuesday. I'll let you guys know what I think.

[Yog]

I'm already playing the beta. I quite enjoy it. :)

[Peter McCoy]

I've installed the game through Steam and trie dlogging on to check it out briefly before work, but wasn't able to log in at the time. Hopefully tonight when I get home I'll be able to actually get on it. I'm very excited about it, I can't wait! I watched First Contact last night in bed to get in the mood.

[Captain Untouchable]

Yog - are you under NDA, or are you allowed to give us a bit of insight into what things are like?

My big concern is that the starship combat sounds quite "Jump to Lightspeed"y. The notion of customisability on starships, and the fact that everyone has one effectively, doesn't sound particularly Starfleet to me. Does the game feel like it's Star Trek, or does it bear little / no resemblance to the source material?

[Droo]

"The line must be drawn here! This far, no further! And IIIIIII, will make them paaaaay for what they've done!"

[Peter McCoy]

"Jean-Luc, blow up the damn ship!"

[Droo]

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[Figrin D'an]

Yog - are you under NDA, or are you allowed to give us a bit of insight into what things are like?


If possible, I'd like to know a bit about this as well. A Star Trek MMO, if done right, has a ton of potential. My concern is that Cryptic doesn't exactly have the best reputation as a MMO developer, and I've heard some rumors about this being too much of a redux of Champions Online except in space.

I'm interested in this, but I need some more input from legit beta testers.

[Tear]

I think the NDA is lifted either today or tomorrow?

[Yog]

Yog - are you under NDA, or are you allowed to give us a bit of insight into what things are like?
Well, it's in open beta as of this moment, so that should no longer be a concern. The NDA dropped on the 12th of January at 10:00 AM PST, the same time open beta started. :)





My big concern is that the starship combat sounds quite "Jump to Lightspeed"y.
It's not like JTLS at all. JTLS was twitchy. It had much faster turnrate, and you had to keep your crosshair centered on target to fire. Star Trek Online on the other hand, features stuff like 250 degree arc of fire on the phasers, and toggle targets with tab button. It also focuses more on shield management, and it relies on the special abilities of your bridge officers.

That being said, there is a disturbing amount of button mashing flying your ship in combat until you figured out how to configure and get used to the controls..

Some protips to avoid a sore wrist:
- once you get within 10km or so range (firing range), reduce speed to about 1/4, so you don't have to turn constantly.
- set up phasers and photon torpedo launchers on hotkey toolbar (1-2) number keys.
- right click on phasers or photon torpedo launcher to toggle autofire.
- use tab to toggle targets.
- note that targeting affects camera angle.
- use WASD to fly ship instead of mouse.
- there is a hotkey for balancing shields, drag that to your toolbar instead of mashing arrow buttons.




The notion of customisability on starships, and the fact that everyone has one effectively, doesn't sound particularly Starfleet to me. Does the game feel like it's Star Trek, or does it bear little / no resemblance to the source material?
IMO, it feels a lot like Star Trek, but then I am just a casually interested in Star Trek. If you're super sensitive about everything being accurate to the lore, your might not enjoy it quite as much. For example, in one of the early tutorial missions, you're destroying borg cubes and spheres like they were any other type of ship.

Be glad there is some customization, otherwise that aspect would have been very dull. You loot or buy improved components to your ships, but the customization is nothing outrageous.

Is it going to be a success or a fiasco? I don't know honestly. There is a LOT unfinished about this game. Klingons seem to have only one PVE mission for example (I recommend rolling human), crafting is not in yet and the economy is nearly non existent. Controls and camera can be clunky, as mentioned.

That being said, there is a lot that is pretty neat about this game. Character customisation is ok, tutorial is pretty good, and the immersion is good. You never feel like you're grinding, because you're doing missions all the time, or you do PvP, to advance your character. And because you don't "ding" levels like in other MMO's, rather you spend skill points to upgrade your skills and your bridge officers skills, and then you gain in ranks.

Bridge officers are the most innovative part of the game. You're not only developing your own character, but you compose your own crew, and promote / give them new skills that vastly affects your abilities in battle.

Graphics are decent enough overall, planets and asteroid fields look very nice. Traveling around the map has so far been a breeze. There are some very good sound effects and orchestral soundtrack to help immersion.

Like I said, some clunky / unfinished stuff, but yet it feels like a breath of fresh air. Enough potential in this that I decided to subscribe to this for a month to find out if it's something to play in the long term.

[Yog]

Oh, and if you don't have one yet, get a beta key here:
http://www.massively.com/2010/01/12/star-trek-online-open-beta-key-giveaway/


.. also, you're not missing much at this moment. The servers are getting hammered. Can't even log in, or I get disconnected.

E: Continuing on that note, if this is how their server infrastructure handles large amount of players at once, that could be a huge issue. You see, this is on a single shard, one universe.

E2: It's a lot better now. Have not been disconnected in a long while. :)

[Captain Untouchable]

It isn't the control / twitch-basedness of JTL that I'm comparing it to - more the idea that everyone has a ship, and everyone gets to needlessly "pimp" their ships. The extent of the ship customisation - based on the pre-release information, anyhow - made me uncomfortable. That kind of variety just isn't Star Trek-y to me, and seemed a bit (though less) dissonant in JTL, too. :(

I don't think that lacking customisation would be boring; not based on how the original producers wanted to do it, anyhow. But then, that wasn't an "everyone is a Captain" scenario; they wanted a more complicated crew type system and what-not.

[Morgan Evanar]

The game is pretty interestingly. Like all Cryptic games, the initial character customization is tremendous. I find the space combat fun and entertaining. The ground part has good strategy but feels laggy. Overall I'm enjoying the Beta

[Dasquian Belargic]

A couple friensd of mine have just bought this and I was thinking about joining them, but overall the reviews on the net aren't doing a lot to convince me that I should break my MMORPG fast.

[Peter McCoy]

I've binned the game indefinitely. I'll check out how things are in 12 months - as it is it just doesn't grip me at all.