STO Update: Check Out The Klingon Empire’s Next Tough Little Ship March 2, 2009
by TrekMovie.com Staff , Filed under: Star Trek Online , trackback
Cryptic have released details on their first Klingon Empire ship for their Star Trek Online MMORPG. The new game takes place in 2409, a few decades after Nemesis, with the the Federation facing off in a war against the Klingon Empire (and allies). Today the have released an image and details on a ‘Raptor Class’ destroyer, check it out below.
Klingon Empire – Raptor Class – Destroyer: Commissioned: 2397
After the Dominion War, the Klingon Empire embarked on an aggressive period of starship design and construction to replace ships lost during the war and subsequent conflicts.
Facing the increasing demands of Chancellor Martok and the Klingon High Council to create more ships in less time, the design teams at the shipyards of Ty’Gokor looked to the past for inspiration for new ships for the Empire.
The Raptor class of the 22nd century was a small frigate intended for use as a scout ship. Its limited weapons and small crew compliment made it a ship for hit-and-run raids rather than extended conflicts. It was, according to lead designer Kurak of the House of Palkar, "capable of winning a battle, but not a war."
The new Raptor shares the basic geometry of its ancestor but is larger and packs a much more powerful punch. The ship is classified as a destroyer and is fast, maneuverable and armed to the teeth.
An improved cloaking device allows it to travel at warp six or higher without radiating a subspace variance detectable by Federation sensors and particle dampeners limit the Raptor’s emissions of tetryon particles. Ablative tetraburnium alloy hull plating adapted from captured Federation technology allows the ship to fight longer and harder.
Fore and aft torpedo launchers and disruptor beam arrays give the Raptor the ability to take on multiple foes at once, and a disruptor cannon and twin disruptor beam banks make it a dangerous opponent. While many of the weapons on the Raptor class are designed for a frontal attack, it can deal damage from almost any angle and then turn quickly for a decisive strike against a wounded foe.
The Klingon Defense Force is assigning some of its most aggressive and ambitious captains to the new Raptor vessels, and they have scored some impressive victories against Federation and Romulan targets. Captains of Raptor class ships are fond of overcharging their weapon banks for greater effect, and Federation ships facing a Raptor are warned to be prepared for these devastating attacks.
If the Raptor class ships have a weakness, it is that so much of the available space in the ships is taken up by weapons and shield generators that the limited medical facilities are ill-equipped to deal with large numbers of wounded crew. When asked, Kurak retorted that this was not a failing of the Raptor class, rather it was a reflection of the Klingon warrior ideal to fight with honor, to strive for success and, if necessary, to die in glorious battle. "Klingon warriors do not need healers to lick their wounds. Klingon warriors fight only one way – to the death."
Previously released image of Raptor (click to enlarge)
Raptor Class Specifications
Dimensions:
* Overall Length: 240 meters
* Overall Draft: 32 meters
* Overall Beam: 88 meters
* Displacement: 88,000 metric tons
Defensive Systems:
* Class 6 Cloaking Device
* Particle Dampeners
* Paratrinic Shield Generators
* Ablative Tetraburnium Alloy Hull Plating
Velocity:
* Cruising: Warp Factor 7
* Maximum: Warp Factor 9.8
Offensive Systems:
* Disruptor Pulse Cannon
* Twin Disruptor Beam Banks
* Fore and Aft Photon Torpedo Launchers
* Fore and Aft Disruptor Beam Arrays
* Emergency Power Reserves
Also check out the NX-91001
Details for Cryptic have also previously released details on a Federation ship, the NX-91001 (see full story).
The Federation’s next big ship
Coming up – interview with STO Producer
Later in the week, look for our exclusive interview with STO Producer Craig Zinkievich, and hopefully some new images as well.
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Comments»
First? Now all I want is to be able to find an old NX-class ship and limp around at whatever the old Warp 5 translates to in the new warp scale.
Clicking on the pic does not embiggen.
1# who really cares if your first? You didn’t even have anything particularly interesting to say either.
This Raptor class sounds like it’ll be a formidable foe, the Paratrinic Shield Generators can be a hassle to get around although the new E should be able to soundly defeat it with some clever energy management.
try the ‘click to enlarge’ again
The raptor looks like…well the ship by the same name from Enterprise. Not that its a bad thing, and it looks a lot better than the Sov knockoff below it. If the ship designs keep going in this direction (the Klingon being good and the Federation being lame) I’ll probably play Klingon in the game when it comes out, which makes sense for me anyways since I played Horde when I was in WoW.
The ship looks nice, but just like the NX-91001, it’s nothing we haven’t already seen before. At this point, I’m beginning to doubt whether or not we’ll ever see a bold new design in this game. I hope it turns out well though. I’d still play it.
I am eagerly anticipating the release of STO, but the recent ship designs released show to me an alarming lack of creativity on the part of the STO crew. The NX-91001 has very little separating it from the Big E-E, and the new Raptor is the spitting image of the Klingon Bird of Prey from the 22nd century, I recognized it immediately. I would rather have a familiar-looking Star Trek universe, but for crying out loud, if you are going to create a different ship, start from scratch, don’t add an extra weapons pod or beefier shields to a 200-year old design
Yes, very nicely embiggend.
There is, of course, the fact that Klingons don’t change all that much…
I mean Bird of Preys have been around since the 22nd century… why not this ship?
It’s hard for me to imagine “Klingon designers” in the first place – they made the Klingons so primitive in TMP onward (Vikings in space, anyone?) that it’s hard to imagine Klingon culture even being able to reach space-travel capability, much less anything else.
Kind of disappointed that they continues the silly tradition of “upscaling” a kwown design to make a new ship class. Plus, it looks almost identical to the 200+ year old ship, which also stretches plausibility.
However, they’ve done well on the “technobabble”, so at least that’s something.
I just wish they had done something more creative.
I don’t mean to be negative, but I would like to see something a bit more original here. Sure, in real time this ship was designed after the D7 and seems to have some more “modern” aspects, but just like I didn’t want to see the D7 show up in Enterprise, I don’t want to see Enterprise ships show up now. The next step up from the Negh’Var would have in my opinion been a better choice. On the other hand, this does give immediate visual recognition as a Klingon ship.
Re: 10
In all fairness to the Terran Vikings, despite their image as crude savages, they were the most innovative ship designers and navigators of their era.
like this very much !
Don’t forget that these are all standard designs as Cryptic is going to allow crazy amounts of customization…which means you can take this raptor class and do what you want with it.
I wish the Trek Movie forum folks would read the STO forums before commenting here.
15- Then I’d rather monkey around with the D7 I think- more iconic.
It felt like the interviewer was actually talking to real klingons about the new ships and such..like it..
nice to know that martok got the ball rolling after the dominium war…I did notice that in the voyager finale that the battlecruisers featured were the newer ones..now we can see what other ships were around at the time of old admiral janeway.
#16 you’ll be able to…they are going to have multiple classes of ships that can all be customized. They are simply just revealing little details here and there…..
#11 said: “However, they’ve done well on the “technobabble”, so at least that’s something.”
We taught them well. :)
^^^
ROTFL!!! :D
Go Rick!
•Programming Update•
George Takei “Sulu” is sitting in all this week on the Howard Stern show.
awwwww man this new klingon ships design SUCKSSSSSSSSSSSS oh WOW does it suck! and i’m still baffled at how the Klingon Empire while still under the Chancellorship of Martok could declare war on the Federation! WTF??? NOT COOL!!!
STAR TREK: KLINGON DESIGNERS
Kral: “Hey, Krom, you cheeky devil. How’s it hangin’?”
Krom: “Oh! You bitch! It’s hangin’, if you get my drift!”
Kral: “Sorry to hear that. I LOVE your hair, by the way, and you stink like dead gakh. It’s sexy as hell.”
Krom: “Don’t get me started, Kral. I’m…I’m just so busy designing this new “Raptor” class starship. The Klingon Defense Force just rejected my sparkles. They want to keep it green.”
Kral: “Oh, how boring.”
Krom: “Exactly. Bitches. By the way, my friend, you’re lookin’ pretty hot yourself! (touches Kral’s lips with his forefinger) SSSSSSsssssss! Wow super hot!
Kral: “Of course! We’re both super hot! We’re Klingon Designers!”
#22 – It is sooo like COOL!!
While I was born in TNG times and should have been a TNG kid (TNG, DS9 and VOY) I was a TOS kid…loved it. It was what made me fall in love with all of Trek.
That being said, as a TOS kid, I much prefer the Klingons as ruthless enemies than the toothless dogs they later became. There should be nothing less frightening to a Starfleet captain than the sight of a Klingon Battlecruiser on his/her viewscreen.
I am excited that the Klingons and Feds are enemies again!
p.s. How could you be baffled by this? STO takes place 30 years after Nemesis and a lot can happen in that time period. After all, the Feds and Klingons when from enemies to friends during Kirk’s time…why couldn’t the opposite happen during Picard’s?
“We taught them well. :)”
…That you and Mike did, Rick. That you did. If only they’d paid attention to some of the lessons, tho. Personally, I’d rather have a D-7 to modify and buff up. Then again, I’m more towards wanting a FASA D-10 or the “Deadly Fat Man” troop carrier, but I doubt Cryptic would give us anything that good based on the lame-assed designs they’ve offered so far.
If the Federation can recycle the NX to create the Akira, I suppose the Klingons have as much artistic license to recycle the Raptor to create the, erm, Raptor.
26- Oh man- don’t dig up THAT can of worms!
AJ, post 23
Well done for making me laugh out loud.
hm that ship looks nice – way better than the federation vessels
i think i’ll play a klingon and blow you guys all out of the galaxy
muharrrrrr
#24 its not the fact that the Klingons waged war on the Federation that I’m baffled at its that its not in Martok’s character to wage war on those who were so instrumental in helping him defeat the Dominion; it is not honorable in the least; it sounds more like something Lursa and B’Etor would’ve done had they still been alive…
A simple story adjustment such as forces with similar ambitions as the late Lursa and B’Etor having seized control of the Klingon Empire wouldve made this much more believable…but with Martok as Chancellor; nope…
I guess I’m too easily pleased. The ship looks fine to me, and I’m looking forward to playing around with the designs with STO comes out.
This is their *new* ship?! It’s virtually identical to the Klingon Raptor in service during Capt. Archer’s time — hundreds of years before this! Very, very lame. Very, very lazy designing.
#3 Agreed with the whole “First!” thing. It gets tiresome after a while, especially when the only point of the post is to shout it. I like nothing better than seeing someone shout “First!” but end up at number 5 or 6 :-)
Lame.
This is something I always hated during the series (mostly enterprise) when they would just recycle ships from other times. It is an affront to the technological prowess of all these species, the players suspension of disbelief, and a testament to the laziness and lack of creativity on the part of the people who make these games. I was willing to let the Sov with a roll bar go but this is just inexcusable.
Sorry cryptic, you just lost 1 customer.
The Raptor is actually a slick looking ship. I’m looking forward to this game. It gets my usual 30-day tryout (if i don’t make beta).
9. The Doctor –
“There is, of course, the fact that Klingons don’t change all that much…
I mean Bird of Preys have been around since the 22nd century… why not this ship?”
No, the reason we viewers have had to just assume the Klingons don’t innovate in ship design that much has more to do with budgets of the various Trek shows and movies (particuarly prior to cgi ship building). The same ol’ Bird of Prey build for ST3 got used over and over simply because it was cheaper to use than design and build a new model. It’s been one of those little annoyances that has always made Trek look cheap. That BoP appeared in Trek 3, 4, 5, 6 and Generations as well as countless episodes of TNG and DS9. It defies all reason. The Klingon empire is supposed to be roughly the same size as the Federation and most worlds were annexed after being conquered — yet they still use these clunky out-moded designs.
The ENT Raptor was one of the rare times we got a new Klingon ship that didn’t look like a cheap kit-bash. This was because it became a lot less expensive to design new cgi ships.
The lazy justification for building a new cg model of essentially the same 200-year-old design (”Facing the increasing demands of Chancellor Martok and the Klingon High Council to create more ships in less time, the design teams at the shipyards of Ty’Gokor looked to the past for inspiration for new ships for the Empire…”) is just that: lazy. And I find it insulting.
why would aliens call a ship class “Raptor”, being the raptors extinct terrestrial dinosaurs…that’s just flat out retarded.
I like the ship, and I don’t mind it being a homage if you will to an earlier design. I would love to have a smaller vessel (compared to the D/E) that I could rebuild as an Constitution Refit or something close. Or if I play Klingon, just a K’Tinga class.
Yspano, I believe the Akira was actually the inspiration for the NX…
Never mind, I get what you’re saying now, I was thinking literally.
Basic rehashing of established ship designs throughout all eras of the star trek universe, the cheap pylons and weapons pod on the NX91001 looks like a backwards and possible prototype for the sleak sovereign class of the E -E, not to mention a new class of vessel.
Shame as a real opportunity to establish how fleets of all races who suffered losses to the Dominion and post nemisis era had adapted and replenished their respective fleets, expected bold new designs, new ships, but with the same traditions, e.g. for the Federation a saucer, hull, nacelles, etc, and maybe a Federation carrier or mothership not seen in the Trek Universe
A 200 year old Klingon design could be understood with the limits of time and money on a TV series, but not for a computer game, with CGI, and Art work.
It’s ok, but no where near the commanding presence that the D7s from ST:TMP had. And can I say this design mirrors some of the designs from ‘Enterprise’ a bit too closely?
@ 19 Rick Sternbach
Now if only they’d taken lessons from you guys in designing original ships, and in forwarding the design lineage. Nothing says progress like a Vorcha or an Intrepid. The “Raptor” just says “retro”, unfortunately.
37. Cpt. Retri -
“why would aliens call a ship class “Raptor”, being the raptors extinct terrestrial dinosaurs…that’s just flat out retarded.”
A raptor is a bird, specifically a carnivorous bird like an eagle or falcon. You are thinking of a velociraptor which is actually an ancient cousin of the modern flying raptors.
Don’t be so quick to label things retarded.
All Klingon ships are quite phallic in structure. Klingon designers wear red saches which have faded over time. And enemies keep loping off the ships bridges.
# 42
I read some where that some time after nemesis, similar events that took place in AGT occured. The E-E was supposedly sent to a research facility (can’t remember the name right now, might be daystrom) and was used as a test bed for all theses advanced technologies.
Oh well, im not too deep into being cannon. I’ll just enjoy the game.
#36—look at it this way..,if we were the TV show viewers would be gawking at our aircraft carriers saying the same thing ur sayin about the bird of prey but in reality if a reliable design comes out of the mix, one sticks with it
#37–think, ok? its likely called something else in klingon but it translates into english on the universal translators as ‘Raptor’… :S
“An improved cloaking device allows it to travel at warp six or higher without radiating a subspace variance”
It should be warp six or lower. Otherwise it doesn’t make sense.
It looks like if the ship is traveling slower than warp six it is detectable while cloaked.
#48 – Isn’t that just a bit nitpicky? They obviously meant it, but said it like that
Glad to see they’ve kept the Klingon warrior tradition alive, lovin the weapons systems.
Man, I want to play the ships I know and love. I want Galaxy class, Miranda class…something that connects me with my favorite tv shows. I guess you could say these are just upscaled versions of the classics, but still…without any television Trek to link this stuff to, it just becomes yet another sci-fi MMORPG.
Okay, that said, this game looks awesome and the Trek fanboy in me is giggling like a japanese school girl. I still can’t wait to play this damned game.
Loojks great, but i think it would have made more sense to set it 8-10 years after Nemesis..hence it ties in with the the comics, new movie etc.
There’s something about the Klingons post original series that just doesn’t work. All the ships are dull in comparison to the original Battlecruisers and Bird of Prey from the movies and have that flat, streamlined look which characterises all the Next generation onwards Federation ships. The Klingons in the original series, while obviously shackled by budgetary limitations on costume and makeup, at least suggested a race that were capable of designing and building these ships and taking them into outer space. All the Klingons after TMP were a bunch of retarded buffoons, Worf included, and impossible to take seriously in any way.
#3: was that really necessary?
@30: How do we know Chancellor Martok is still going to be around come the start of the game time? We’ve not yet got to the point in the build-up where it explains why or how the war starts. Who’s to say that Martok isn’t overthrown?
A 22nd century Klingon raptor from ENT. Oh my…
@55
The problem with the community on TrekMovie.com is that none of them are actually part of the STO community, don’t read the info that comes out or follows along with its development so when things like this are posted, they all go crazy and get super negative despite the fact that they are responding without all of the information or background on the game. You’ll see completely different responses at the STO forums. TrekMovie community members obviously need a dose of Star Trek’s optimism because they are some of the most negative online people I have seen posts from and most of it is just nitpicky garbage.
Most of you aren’t thinking 3-dimensionally (except Rick, who is at 5 or 6 sometimes).
Technology: Obviously the Klingons know how to use it, and to their advantage. Their ships are tough, and their weapons are top of the line.
Design: So the design *looks* 200 years old on the outside. What’s that expression, “Don’t judge a Klingon scout ship by it’s cover”? I bet it could kick a majority of the ships’ arses before they realize they needed their shields up.
Culture: Klingons have no Surak to be a “savior”. They still worship Kahless the Unforgettable, even in the years of detent with the Federation. The ideas of peace and getting along are not culturally intrinsic as with the Vulcans. Even the Vulcans killed a lot of each other in the process to peaceful civilization, over hundreds of years.
Ship Design: Of course it’s going to have some Federation looks to it. They’ve done that since at least the days of Picard taking command of the Enterprise-D. If it’s of advantage, the Klingons will use it. No point in reinventing the wheel…or quantum torpedo, as it were.
From what I’ve seen of the Trek universe, anyone who underestimates a Klingon usually soon doesn’t have enough left of himself to I.D. by CSI.
Why are you complaining? Klingons DO OVERUSE certain ship designs… so why the hell not this ship? 200 Years old D7 and K’t'ingas… Bird of Preys… everythings fine with them… but why are you now complaining about the Raptor?
tetryon particles
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
57:
“none of them are actually part of the STO community.”
There is no ‘community.’ There is no game. And when the game is finally released after 10 more corporate buy-outs and shifts in strategy, it will most likely be unrecognizable. You’re not part of an MMORPG’s “community” until you have a paid subscription.
The Trekmovie “community” is the de facto online Star Trek community, and it has given huge coverage to this game. Over here, we’re more concerned about a new film coming out in two months. STO’s fortunes are directly tied to the film’s success.
Over in your “community” I hope you are very worried that STO’s chances for success are slim due to the tiny bit of market share that is available for plunder during a recession, and not just about Martok’s government.
Yea! New ship!
I liked the Raptor “back then” and I like it now.
But I won’t play the game b/c my Centro won’t support it.
#61 – if you go to http://www.startrekonline.com, there is plenty of community. We not be part of a “mmorpg” community until the game is released, but we are certainly part of an online community that is discussing it’s development.
Glad I’m not poor, I’ll still be able to play STO while you’re hear complaining about all things Trek ;)
I love reading these comments. Whenever a game or movie changes our old Trek designs too much, we all whine and complain. But when STO goes with familiar designs…we all whine and complain.
Look, folks, either things get changed or they stay the same–it’s that simple. If you want all new designs, then don’t whine when they look very different from old stuff. If you want old stuff, don’t whine that it’s just the same ol’ thing.
And yet again, some comments make it clear that folks are commenting without even reading the article. Yes, this ship looks JUST LIKE the one from Enterprise because–gasp!–”the design teams at the shipyards of Ty’Gokor LOOKED TO THE PAST for inspiration for new ships for the Empire. … The Raptor class OF THE 22ND CENTURY….” (emphasis added)
And I, for one, wish they’d cut out the technobabble. That’s one reason I stopped watching TNG–I got tired of hearing about phased tachyonic barodensified quantum disenfragulators, or whatever…
This design actually seems quite practical. The STIII BoP was over-used. Time to move on,
The front of the raptor looks like a federation shuttlecraft to me.
Shame on Perpetual/Cryptic for recycling the “Raptor” design from “Star Trek: Enterprise” as a 25th century starship in “Star Trek Online.”
I can understand why it was cost prohibitive to come up with new models in the “Star Trek” films and television programs, but there is no excuse for “Star Trek Online.” Especially when gorgeous computer models are being created by the “Bridge Commander” and “Legacy” modding community and there is an active 3D modeling community such as “Sci Fi Meshes.” Why not give fans a few bucks to buy their models and include them in the game if they cannot come up with anything original?
Nice addition.
After uglyfying theSovvy even more they now copy an Akiraprise one-off and try to bury it under a pile of technobabble.
Why are they destroying the Klingon / Federation alliance? That was Roddenberry’s idea. Don’t these people have any respect for him and his work? This goes against his parallel of the close of the Cold War.