STO EUROPE

original preview from alltern8.com

2010 may seem a long way off for those anticipating Star Trek Online, so here’s all we currently know about Cryptic’s intergalactic MMO.

When J.J. Abrams’ time-bending reboot surprised critics, stubborn fans, and casual cinemagoers alike – and, more importantly, knocked the Box Office for six – it was easy for many to tout it as the return of Star Trek. But in all fairness, if one movie every three years is all we can expect from Gene Roddenberry’s multifaceted universe then it’s probably safe to say that the franchise is still in further need of a boost if it’s going to once again enjoy the reception met by The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine during the 80s and 90s.

Star Trek Online, the long-awaited MMORPG from Cryptic Studios and Atari, has a lot riding on it. Recent Star Trek games have hardly proven critical or financial successes, with the most memorable spin-off, Raven Software’s Voyager: Elite Force, being released all the way back in 2000. The game’s journey has also been troubled, with Perpetual Entertainment going bankrupt while developing the game from between 2004 and 2008. But latest developer Cryptic, the creative minds behind the accusable superhero MMO Champions Online, will undoubtedly find that the series’ faithful fans are still out there, and no less eager to boldly go where no one has levelled-up before.

And it’s this fervent fanbase that Cryptic is clearly going to have to work hard to please. Not least because the Trek community is notoriously critical of the franchise’s new directions, but because the cerebral pacing and ambitious allegories of Star Trek don’t always translate well to the action-packed experiences most gamers expect. But from what we’ve seen of the game so far, it’s looking to be an involving blend of the series’ staple exploration, trading and direction and dynamic phaser battles. The latter of these which may not feel entirely synchronised with the shows ethos, but is a realistic requisite in bringing a large enough number of people into this virtual Trek universe.

So far, here’s what we know STO will offer:

Basic Premise

Chronologically, the game will take place from Stardate 86645.315 (2409), around 30 years after the events of Nemesis, and approximately 20 after the destruction of Romulus which drove Nero to travel back in time in 2009’s Star Trek. It’s a promising idea, and will theoretically permit Cryptic to introduce new races, technology and conflicts to the Trek universe without contradicting the established mythos – until the franchise inevitably receives its Next, Next generation, of course. Quite what major events will be rocking Federation space is anyone’s guess, but with footage shown of a Klingon/Federation war, a Borg attack and such the rumoured inclusion of such familiar plot devices as time travel and the Mirror Universe, there’s more than enough possibilities.

Player can create an avatar that is Human, Vulcan, Andorian, Klingon, Orion, Gorn or an entirely new species altogether, though how this will factor into your allegiances and the initial portion of the game is still unknown. Cryptic are also promising us that outside of the planned story events, the games “genesis system” level generator will allow the game to spawn new planets, systems and alien species, potentially opening up an infinity of planets to explore. This does provide some concerns, however; how far will players be compelled to explore new planets without for no apparent plot or goal-driven reason?

New Frontiers

When STO was first announced, the idea of a thousand avatars co-operating aboard the same vessel was perhaps the structure many had naturally assumed the game would take. But if you were planning on becoming the digital equivalent of Reginald Barclay, think again; every player in STO takes the helm of a starship, be it Federation or Klingon, and is solely responsible for the crucial decisions and the lives of their crew. While this may disappoint those expecting a more close-knit social gathering, it’s a design necessity. Who genuinely wants to spend hours crawling through Jefferies tubes performing engineering maintenance?

Rather than working together as crewmates, the space section of STO sees your ships join forces as fleets. Cryptic have reportedly gone to great lengths to ensue that the space combat leans on the side of deliberate strategy rather than the nippy dogfights seen in Star Wars Galaxies. Your ship will systematically be upgraded or exchanged for more advanced wessels (sorry…) while recruiting new bridge officers will provide attribute bonuses such as superior shields or repair time.

In order to ensure that journeys from one planet to another don’t take weeks or months, Cryptic will be introducing accessible transwarp conduit technology to the Star Trek universe, allowing you to almost instantly hop across the galaxy via worm holes. Again, while this may seem against the spirit of Trek, it’s an innovation born from necessity.

On-planet Diplomacy…with a Phaser

But what’s the point in a captain traversing new frontiers if he/she can’t put themselves in danger by beaming down to potentially hostile planets? Depending on who many friends you take planetside with you, you’ll be accompanied by up to four AI-controlled bridge officers, who are controlled in a manner similar to pets from most MMOs and have abilities that take up skill slots. So yes, you can order hapless red-shirts to their doom in the name of preserving principal characters.
Your captain will have access to range of career paths, including Engineer, Tactical Officer, Doctor and Science Officer, with each allowing a large degree of customisation depending the direction you intend to take your creation, and the manner in which you’ll command your crew. The accompanying officers are also fully customisable.

Visuals

Coming from the developers of Champions Online, it’s hardly surprising that Star Trek Online looks the part, with everything from outer space explosions to phaser effects looking both spectacular and faithful to their source. Screen shots and footage have shown a more advanced version of the standard phaser and phaser rifle, as well as distinctive new Starfleet uniforms. Klingons have also been revealed wielding Bat’leths. System requirements are still unspecified, but if Champions Online is any indication, the game will run on a wide variety of PCs; though the expansive galactic panoramas we’ve seen are clearly going to require top of the range set-ups to run at optimal settings.

Final Thoughts 

So far Star Trek Online is looking to be an accessible and visually spectacular blend of interstellar and on-planet exploration, trading and warfare. One area that still needs to be addressed is whether or not the AI bridge members and Cryptic’s haziness concerning PvP will encourage players to go solo rather than make an effort to interact with others. But overall the developer appears to have made a great effort to find a balance between a fast-paced and accessible experience that won’t exclude casual gamers and a faithful depiction of the venerable Trek universe.

Following the upcoming Beta Test, Star Trek Online will be released for the PC in early 2010, with the undisclosed console versions expected to be announced sometime after. The monthly fee, if there will indeed be one, has yet to be announced.