Star Trek Online
| Star Trek Online | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Developer(s) | Cryptic Studios |
| Publisher(s) | Atari |
| Designer(s) | Daniel Stahl |
| Series | Star Trek |
| Engine | Cryptic Engine[1] |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows |
| Release date(s) | |
| Genre(s) | Sci-Fi MMORPG |
| Mode(s) | Persistent world Multiplayer |
| Rating(s) | |
| Media/distribution | DVD-ROM, Download |
| System requirements
Requirements:[3]
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Star Trek Online, often abbreviated as STO, is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) developed by Cryptic Studios based on the popular Star Trek series created by Gene Roddenberry. The game is set in the 25th century, 30 years after the events of Star Trek Nemesis.[4] Star Trek Online is the first massively multiplayer online role-playing game within the Star Trek franchise and was released on February 2, 2010.[5]
Contents |
[edit] Setting
Each player is the captain of their own individual ship. The game setting is in a war-time universe in the year 2409, utilizing any and all officers who have access to a ship, including the player's character. In keeping with naval tradition, anyone who commands a ship, regardless of his or her actual rank, is considered a de-facto "captain".[6] Players can start in Star Trek initially in only one faction as a Federation Captain, but other factions unlock as players level up. Currently the only two factions available are Federation (at the start) and Klingon (upon reaching Level 6).[7][8][9][10] Each ship has a number of crewmen who will all be NPCs, referred to as Bridge Officers.[11] Bridge Officers have a separate progression, including the purchase of skills and equipment, and can be promoted to higher ranks by their ship's captain.
The game features references to several famous storylines, ships, and characters from various Star Trek shows. While the game occurs in the original series timeline (which does not consider the storyline in the recent movie), one confirmed Star Trek film reference was revealed when Zachary Quinto announced at the 2009 Spike TV Video Game Awards that he will be voicing dialogue during the game's tutorial. Leonard Nimoy is heard for all of the gameplay and exploration voice-over samples. The LCARS computer system dialog is voiced by a Majel Roddenberry impersonator.
[edit] Gameplay
In Star Trek Online, each player acts as the captain of his or her own ship.[1] Players are able to play as a starship, controlling the ship's engineering, tactical and science systems by keyboard/mouse or using an on-screen console. Players can also "beam down" and move around as a player character in various settings with access to weapons and specific support and combat skills relating to their own character's class.[12] The two combat systems are intertwined throughout the game: Away-team missions feature fast-paced "run-and-gun" combat, while space combat stresses the long-term tactical aspect of combat between capital ships. Both are offered in concert with the Star Trek storyline and emphasize ship positioning to efficiently utilize shields during space combat, as well as the player's away team's positioning in consideration of flanking damage and finding various weaknesses to exploit during ground combat.[13]
[edit] Player customization
The game features a variety of ship classes which can be used by all players. Playable ship classes utilize one of three templates for appearance (additional ones can be unlocked/purchased in C-Store and using alternate methods) and can be "kitbashed" together or recolored to make a unique ship. Ship classes are not restricted based on a player's specialty; any class of starship is available using only the player's rank as a prerequisite[14], however, a player's earned skills often corresponds with one or more ship classes and must be considered carefully before choosing. Respecialization (Captain Retraining) is available to aid in selecting different abilities, or to change ship classes by spending points on another class. A player can also switch between any of their ships (purchased in-game or earned) at starbases, even choosing older ships the player no longer uses.
Uniforms can either be created in the character creation phase or via the tailor found on various starbases. New styles can be used, or, depending on which retail copy or C-Store Pack has been purchased, access to uniforms seen on the various TV shows are available. Costume parts are broadly available across all characters, but certain parts have restrictions based on factions played or gender.
[edit] Playable races
During character creation, players may select a canonical race from the Star Trek universe, each with their own inherent racial traits, or choose to customize their own unique species. The majority of playable races are exclusive to either the United Federation of Planets or the Klingon Empire. However, a few exceptions (such as the Liberated Borg) are playable by both factions. While the majority of races come standard, additional races may be purchased from Cryptic's online C-store.
| Federation Races | Purchasable | Klingon Empire Races | Purchasable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andorian | Borg (Liberated) | Gorn | Borg (Liberated) |
| Bajoran | Caitian | Klingon | Trill (Joined) |
| Benzite | Ferengi | Lethean | |
| Betazoid | Klingon | Nausicaan | |
| Bolian | Pakled | Orion | |
| Human | Rigelian | ||
| Saurian | Tellarite | ||
| Trill (Unjoined) | Trill (Joined) | ||
| Vulcan |
[edit] Character advancement
Players will find new officers as they level up with various special abilities who can be recruited to the player's crew, or used to train their existing crew members with a new ability that the player's character may not have to offer.[13] New Bridge Officers can be recruited in this manner, or hired/released at an appropriate starbase. Individual combat successes offer Skill Points and Bridge Officer Skill Points as the main reward. Skill Points are the main "Experience Points", which are spent in a skill tree. Skill Points are also used to level up the player's captain, with each rank requiring a fixed number of points to receive a promotion. Bridge Officer Skill Points are spent separate of Skill Points, affecting only Bridge Officers. A captain needs to spend a certain amount of Bridge Officer Skill Points and Federation Credits to promote a Bridge Officer to a higher rank, but progression of a Bridge Officer is always limited to one rank beneath the player's captain. Increased Bridge Officer ranks add new abilities and functionality to ships that a player can trigger on command while in space, as well as added automatic skills for Bridge Officers to use in ground combat missions. Captain and Bridge Officer skills are organized between both systems, with each skill applying to either space combat or ground combat.
[edit] Crafting
Star Trek Online offers a skill-based crafting system that differs from the more conventional item generation features found in most MMORPGs. By collecting various Data Samples throughout the universe, players are able to upgrade existing items and equipment rather than creating them.
As a player's crafting skill level increases, they gain access to a wider array of upgrades as well as higher upgrade tiers. There are currently three tiers:
- General - Up to Mk II items
- Specialized - Mk IV to Mk VI items
- Advanced - Mk VII items and above
The Specialized and Advanced tiers feature specializations such as Energy Field R&D, Physical Sciences R&D and Technology R&D, each of which affect items in various ways that roughly correspond to the three officer "classes" (Engineering, Science, Tactical). Some items can even be upgraded using more than one specialization.
[edit] Player economy and rewards
Upon completing missions, players gain Skill Points, Bridge Officer Skill Points, various credits (Faction currency, Exploration Badges and Marks, and/or the neutral currency known as Energy Credits) and on most assigned missions, players can choose a single prize from a multitude of reward items related to one of the above-mentioned ship or personal equipment categories. Equipment is organized in a similar arrangement to skills, applying to either ground equipment (kits, weapons, personal shields, and body armor) or spaceship parts (consoles, weapons, shields, deflector dishes, emitters, ship devices, and engines). Equipment can be purchased from various NPC's inside of starbases through the Exchange (a silent-buy player market) utilizing only Energy Credits, or directly from Equipment Dealers at Earth Space Dock using only Exploration Badges and Marks (gained from the Genesis System or in Special Task Force missions).
Equipment that is rare or uncommon in value may bind to a character on purchase or upon utilizing or equipping the item to limit resale value once used. Equipment not bound to a player can be resold in the Exchange for Energy Credits with other players without restriction. If bound, equipment can be resold to any vendor for a fraction of what it costs at the market, or simply thrown away. Locked items cannot be sold and include pre-order bonuses and mission-specific items.
[edit] Teaming
It is possible for players to pool resources together in a number of ways. Missions are issued from Starfleet Command, and players can join together on the ground or in space. Gameplay is fully cooperative and dynamic events serve as one part of the game.[15] Teaming can be done using "Open Teaming" (which automatically joins up with a team running the same mission), or through traditional ad-hoc or search methods used in other MMOs. A fleet is the term for guilds in Star Trek Online, and are formed among a group of players. Fleets allow access to a central fleet bank, a chat channel, and allow a fleet insignia to replace their faction logo on their starship.
Special Missions are available that require teamwork as a prerequisite to accomplish a larger task. Fleet Actions are available in-game that require the cooperation of a number of players to complete a ground mission together. Special Task Forces are in later levels of the game and allow multiple factions to unite to defeat a common enemy. Deep Space Encounters are spread across all maps and allow players to team up to clear a field of a number of combatants in open-space battle. A neutral zone exists between Federation and Klingon space that allows Player vs. Player combat between factions. Combatants are queued up on a match map in space and fight the opposing faction to meet a single objective (defeat all, timed match, capture the flag, etc.).
[edit] Genesis System (Exploration missions)
There is a capability to explore new star systems in the game.[16] Players will be able to explore inside of uncharted star systems, and might find anomalies which opens up new resources and technologies, or uncharted planets offering random diplomatic or combat missions. In Season 2, a variety of missions in the Genesis system were added to the Diplomatic XP system, which over time grants non-combat missions, additional titles, and special items.
[edit] Fleet Actions
Similar to raids in other MMORPGs, Fleet Actions are special missions in which up to 20 players must cooperate to achieve a common goal. These missions can take place both in space as well as on the ground. Contrary to the name, players do not have to be members of a fleet (Star Trek Online's guilds) to participate.
In the Starbase 24 mission, the earliest accessible Fleet Action, players must work together to destroy 50 Klingon ships to protect the titular facility. Additionally, players can choose to beam down to the surface of Starbase 24 to complete various objectives.
Players who contribute the most in these battles are ranked upon completion and the highest-ranking contributors are awarded with powerful items.
[edit] The Foundry (User Generated Missions)
On December 2nd, 2010, The Foundry went in open beta on Tribble, the test server.[17]
The Foundry allows players to create their own missions and story-arcs that other players can play and then rate and comment upon. It's tentatively scheduled to be released on Holodeck, the live server, on February 24th.
[edit] Updates
[edit] Seasons (Free updates)
Updates to the game are called "Seasons" and are issued to current subscribers free of charge. Season releases are versioned, with major releases offering broad changes, and minor versions that add simpler features, "Quality of Life" changes, and bug fixes.
| Season & Title | Release Date | Description | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1: Common Ground | March 25, 2010 | Season 1 added high-level content known as Special Task Forces, new ships, additional captain skills and re-specialization, an achievement-based accolade system that grants additional experience points and titles, the first crafting system revamp, and UI improvements.[18] | Season 1.1 on April 29 and Season 1.2 on June 3. |
| Season 2: Ancient Enemies | July 27, 2010 | Season 2 included new factions and quadrants, a level-equity system, level cap raised to 51, diplomacy XP and ranks issued for non-combat missions, first contact and diplomacy missions, scanner and Dabo mini-games, retrofit ships for tier 5 vessels and ship interiors. The Feature Episodes also started, arranged in series' with 5 episodes each. A single episode is released each Saturday with a break between each series.[19] | |
| Season 3: Genesis | December 9, 2010 | Season 3 focused primarily on bug fixes and UI improvements. Sector Space was completely redone, Pi Canis sector block opened to Klingons, new Klingon quests added, NPC vendors merged and organized, second crafting revamp, new elite loot sets added.[20] |
[edit] Subscriptions
Two subscription plans are currently available: Monthly Subscription is available for $14.95 a month with price breaks available for 3, 6 or 12-month payments. Lifetime Subscription was offered during the beta release as a promotion for $249.99 which waives the monthly fee as long as the account is not cancelled. Lifetime Subscriptions also allowed two free character slots and unlocked Liberated Borg as a playable species, both of which were not offered to players buying Lifetime Subscriptions after the Beta Test and Head Start access ended. After launch the Lifetime Subscription price rose to $299.99. In Season 1, a number of perks were added to all Lifetime players (pre- and post-launch) including primarily access to "The Captain's Table", a private joint-faction starbase exclusive to lifetime and veteran subscribers.
[edit] Microtransactions
Additional content for Star Trek Online is available through Cryptic Points, which are purchased at the game website in fixed amounts. They are also usable in other Cryptic games including Champions Online. Additional items available for purchase include added TV and movie costumes, additional ship designs, new player and bridge officer races, pre-order bonus items, and account services.
[edit] Veteran Rewards
In April, 2010, Cryptic Studios launched a program known as Veteran Rewards which grants players additional perks, titles and items based on their total paid subscription time. Dispersements occur in 100-day increments and do not count days in which an account is inactive. In the case of Lifetime Players, time accrues for the Loyalty Program as long as the account is not cancelled.
[edit] Development
Initially, Perpetual Entertainment developed the game from 2004 to 2008 until its bankruptcy in January 2008. The license to develop the game and art assets were transferred to Cryptic Studios; however, the code remained with Perpetual Entertainment and its Perpetual Game Engine.
Cryptic Studios officially announced the development of Star Trek Online on July 28, 2008, as a countdown timer on Cryptic's web site reached zero and the new official site was launched.[21] A letter was sent out from Jack Emmert, the game's online producer, detailing some aspects of Cryptic's approach.[22]
Cryptic originally announced (and since released) a Windows version of STO. During the Las Vegas conference in August 2008, Cryptic announced that there would be neither Linux nor Mac versions for the original launch, though they did not rule out the possibility of later port releases. Console versions were announced several months before the release, with no specific console platform specified, but Cryptic has since announced that all console versions of their games are on indefinite hold due to difficulties "on the business side of things,"[23] largely referring to the fees assessed by Microsoft for their Xbox Gold premium online gaming service and the difficulty in asking a player to pay both that and the Cryptic subscription fee to play a single game.[24]
Star Trek Online was released in North America on February 2, 2010, in Europe on February 5, 2010, and in Australia on February 11, 2010. Customers who ordered the game in advance were able to gain access to the game on January 29, 2010 (before the official release date), via a bonus 'head-start' which was included with pre-order packages.
[edit] Las Vegas Star Trek Convention 2008
On August 10, 2008, the Las Vegas Star Trek Convention was held at the Hilton Hotel in Las Vegas. Leonard Nimoy and Cryptic Studios Chief Creative Officer Jack Emmert together revealed the first gameplay trailer, featuring various Federation and Klingon starships in combat with each other and Borg vessels, as well as footage of a Klingon squad boarding a Federation ship's bridge.[25] The release date was not publicly revealed except that it would be less than three years.
[edit] Beta test
Star Trek Online's closed beta test officially began when it was announced on October 22, 2009.[26] Cryptic Studios offered guaranteed beta access to users who bought 6-month and lifetime subscriptions to Champions Online. However, the offer did not explicitly state how early in the beta process the access would be granted.[27] Some pre-order packages included access to the 'open beta' running from January 12th-26th, 2010.
[edit] Release and operations
[edit] Promotions
Cryptic Studios partnered with several retailers for distribution of preorder copies. Each retailer had a version with unique and exclusive content, such as a Borg Bridge Officer (Amazon), a classic Constitution-class starship (Gamestop), Chromodynamic armor (Steam), 500 bonus skill points (WalMart), Neodymium deflector dish(SyFy), or a Tribble/Targ pet (Bestbuy). All versions of the game came with access to the Open Beta and Head Start launch date.[28] These are on a limited basis, but may still be found after launch, depending on stock. Most of the preorder benefits are now available through the Cryptic Points store without purchasing a retail box or adding time to an account.
In addition, the code for a "Wrath of Khan" Admiral's uniform is included in the DVD release of "The Best of Star Trek: The Next Generation Volume 2" and the Blu-ray release of "Star Trek: The Original Series -- Season 3."[29]
Also, Cryptic partnered with Del Taco to offer codes with collectible cups (Macho size drinks) that come with a Type 8 Shuttlecraft non-combat "pet", as well as two days of trial time per code that allow a total of 10 days of trial play time when a player uses all four available codes.[30]
[edit] Price reductions
On Feb 25th, 2010, Atari announced that they would be reducing the cost of Star Trek Online on their online store by $10 and including an extra sixty days of free game time, as a limited time offer that expired on March 3, 2010.[31].
[edit] Reception
Star Trek Online has received mixed or average reviews, garnering a 65 on Metacritic.[32] GameSpot praised the game's space combat as entertaining, but found the other aspects of the game to be "bland and shallow".[33] An IGN reviewer described the game experience as feeling like "two games" which didn't mesh together well, and although visually it was "quite a gorgeous game", found much of the gameplay to be repetitive in nature.[34]
On January 4th, 2011, Massive Online Gamer announced that Star Trek Online won Best New MMO of 2010 in its Reader Choice Awards 2010. [35]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Star Trek Online". Star Trek Online. http://www.startrekonline.com/about_star_trek_online. Retrieved 2010-02-20.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Welsh, Oli (November 6, 2009). "Star Trek Online out in February". EuroGamer. http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/star-trek-online-out-in-february. Retrieved 2009-11-06.
- ↑ http://www.startrekonline.com/support/tech
- ↑ "Star Trek Online: FAQ - When does the game take place?". Cryptic Studios. 2009-04-27. http://www.startrekonline.com/faq#15.
- ↑ "Star Trek Online". Star Trek Online. http://www.startrekonline.com/node/490. Retrieved 2010-02-20.
- ↑ Star Trek Online official FAQ, at game website.
- ↑ New Enterprise: Online ‘Trek’, by DERRIK J. LANG, Associated Press via Miami Herald, Sunday, August 10, 2008.
- ↑ Newsfactor article Barry Levine, newsfactor.com, Mon Aug 11, via yahoo news.
- ↑ Online 'Star Trek' game coming soon, by DERRIK J. LANG, Conn Post, August 8, 2008.
- ↑ Star Trek Online Unveiled:First gameplay trailer released, by Charles Onyett, ign.com, August 10, 2008.
- ↑ Ask Cryptic article, 9/17/08.
- ↑ "Star Trek Online". Star Trek Online. http://www.startrekonline.com/node/499. Retrieved 2010-02-20.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Interview with Craig Zinkievich, Cryptic Studios' executive producer, By Staff, GameSpot, Posted Aug 10, 2008 2:00 pm PT. (Star Trek Online Q&A - Overview, New Developer, Early DetailsWe sit down with developer Cryptic Studios to discuss this upcoming massively multiplayer online game based on the classic sci-fi universe.)
- ↑ Star Trek Online: Ask Cryptic, posted by Suzie Ford, cryptic.com, September 17, 2008.
- ↑ Star Trek Online out within three years by Rob Purchese, erogamer.net, August 11, 2008.
- ↑ Interview with Star Trek Online's Zeke Sparkes (Sr. Game Designer)
- ↑ The Foundry is now on Tribble! Retrieved 2011-01-29
- ↑ Season One: Common Ground Retrieved 2011-01-29
- ↑ Season Two: Ancient Enemies Retrieved 2011-01-29
- ↑ Season Three: Genesis Retrieved 2011-01-29
- ↑ Cryptic Studios Confirmed For Star Trek Online, Gamasutra news, July 28, 2008.
- ↑ producer's letter, accessed 7/29/08.
- ↑ Magrino, Tom. "Star Trek Online for consoles moved to 'back burner'" http://www.gamespot.com/news/6257079.html?tag=stitialclk%3Bnews Gamespot.com. Posted and Retrieved April 7th, 2010.
- ↑ Star Trek Online on console scrapped Retrieved 2011-01-29
- ↑ "Star Trek Online Las Vegas Webcast on Vimeo". vimeo.com. 2008-08-10. http://vimeo.com/1504688?pg=embed&sec=1504688.
- ↑ "Closed Beta, Here We Come!". Cryptic Studios. 2009-10-22. http://www.startrekonline.com/node/458.
- ↑ "Champions Online Special Offer". Cryptic Studios. 2009-08-04. http://www.startrekonline.com/node/330.
- ↑ "Star Trek Online". Star Trek Online. http://www.startrekonline.com/retail. Retrieved 2010-02-20.
- ↑ Wallace, Aaron. "The Best of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" Volume 2 DVD Review". UltimateDisney.com. http://www.ultimatedisney.com/dvdizzy/startrektng-bestofvol2.html. Retrieved 2010-01-08.
- ↑ ""Star Trek Online Del Taco Promotion"". http://www.startrekonline.com/deltaco. Retrieved 2010-01-24.
- ↑ "Atari's STO Game Details". http://atari.com/games/startrek_online/.
- ↑ "Star Trek Online Reviews". Metacritic. http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/startrekonline. Retrieved 2010-03-11.
- ↑ VanOrd, Kevin (2010-02-17). "Star Trek Online Review". GameSpot. http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/startrekonline/review.html. Retrieved 2010-03-11.
- ↑ Kolan, Nick (2010-02-17). "Star Trek Online Review". IGN. http://pc.ign.com/articles/106/1069985p1.html. Retrieved 2010-03-11.
- ↑ ""Massive Online Gamer"". http://www.massiveonlinegamer.com/announcements/1013-wizard101-wins-big-in-massive-online-gamer-readers-choice-awards.
[edit] External links
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