Much of the pre-release info on MMORPG Star Trek Online has been about features, graphics, factions, and other gaming bullet points, but STO is also aiming to bring in Star Trek fans. Today we have more from Atari on how that is being done. First up we have details on Zachary Quinto’s role for the game. Plus we have Atari’s "Top 10 Trekkie reasons to get excited about STO" and their "Top 10 Trek locations".
Zachary Quinto to voice tutorial EMH in Star Trek Online
Zachary Quinto entered the lore of Star Trek this summer in the hit Star Trek movie playing the new Mr. Spock. Over the weekend during the Video Game Awards, Quinto announced he would play a role in the upcoming MMORPG Star Trek Online, which is set in the 25th century. Today Atari confirmed that Quinto will play the part of an Emergency Medical Hologram and will voice the tutorial, teaching fans how to explore the Star Trek Online universe, improve their characters, attain higher ranks, and succeed in space combat and on away missions.
In a statement Atari President & CEO Jim Wilson said:
Zachary Quinto has inspired both new and long-time Star Trek fans through his extraordinary portrayal of Spock in 2009’s Star Trek. We are thrilled to have him participate in Star Trek Online as players get set to explore this whole new chapter of the beloved universe.
And Quinto added:
Being a part of the Star Trek universe has been an incredible experience for me. Extending that experience into the gaming space – and sharing it with gamers and trek enthusiasts around the world – makes it even more exciting.
As noted in our article over the weekend, the inclusion of Quinto shows a big commitment to the fans on the part of Atari and Cryptic.
Quinto at Video Game Awards on Saturday
(Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic/Getty Images)
Atari’s Top 10 reasons Star Trek fans will love Star Trek Online
And if Zachary Quinto helping you learn how to play the game isn’t enough, Atari has provided us with their 10 things Trekkies will love about Star Trek Online.
10. Dropping by Quark’s.
At one point operated by an unscrupulous Ferengi bartender turned Grand Nagus, Quark’s bar and gambling establishment sits on Deep Space Nine’s famed Promenade between the Alpha and Gamma quadrants. It’s a watering hole all walks of life have visited… Cardassians, Dominion, Klingon, Federation, you name it. Whether you’re fresh off a mission from the Badlands or thinking about trying your luck on the other side of the Bajoran wormhole, Quark’s is the best and only place to grab a cold one.
9. You’re the captain.
Who hasn’t wanted to shout, “Engage!” and actually go to Warp? We got you covered. Right from the beginning, you’re the Captain – the decisions you make affect the outcome of everything you do in Star Trek Online, from the missions you accept to the Bridge Officers you employ. At the helm of your ship, you decide when to fire your weapons, when your Bridge Officers use their special abilities and where your ship goes. On the ground, you command a squad of your best crew to take objectives, keep the peace and explore new worlds.
8. A Risa Holiday
Dreamed of vacationing on Risa? Take your best swimsuit and spend shore leave on the quadrant’s number one paradise world. Not even an ill-conceived plot to muck with the weather can ruin your stay. Remember: What happens in Risa, stays in Risa.
7. Adventures in Time Travel
If you’ve ever wanted to fly alongside the Enterprise Kirk and Spock made famous – and who hasn’t? – this is your chance. Several Episodes (special mission arcs designed to feel exactly like an episode of Star Trek) will take you back in time to interact with famous Starfleet personalities. Maybe we’ll work out a way to let you create your own virtual grandfather paradox for your avatar!
6. Tribbles!
They’re born pregnant, or so Bones believed. Despite the Klingon Empire’s crusade to eradicate them from existence, in 2409 Tribbles are alive and well, and still the bane of every son of Kahless’ existence. Sometimes, the enemy of your enemy is still your enemy. Especially when they can reproduce faster than Jim Kirk can ignore a direct order from Starfleet.
5. The Guardian of Forever
If you’ve followed STO’s development at all, or hit the convention circuit in 2009, you’ll know the Guardian of Forever is “alive” and well in 2409, and you’ll be able to interact with the enigmatic, sentient rock that sends people hurtling through time itself.
4. Sunset on Vulcan
Visit Vulcan, the place where logic was invented! Vulcan is just one of many iconic locations you can visit in Star Trek Online, and certainly a great place to meet a potential Science officer.
3. Your Very Own Bridge
Sit in your own captain’s chair on your own bridge and order your own subordinates about. Or, head over to a friend’s bridge and exchange battle tactics, Starfleet gossip, or a cup of tea, earl grey, hot. You can select from over 20 bridges to call home at launch, and we’ll be adding more as we go.
2. For the Honor of the Empire.
Grab your best Bat’leth and a cask of blood wine and head to the Neutral Zone to duke it out with the gutless Federation, or battle within different houses to prove your nobility. Bloodthirsty player-vs.-player combat has never been better, or made so much sense.
1. Engage!
"Numbah one, set a course for planet Earth, Sol system, February 2, 2010 … Engage!"
Atari’s Top 10 Star Trek locations
And here are their top 10 Star Trek locations to visit in the game (some of which were also on their top 10 reasons list above).
Andoria
Deep Space Nine
The Guardian of Forever
H’atoria (Klingon colony Worf was governor of in "All Good Things")
Space Station K-7
Mutara Sector
Qo’noS
Risa
Vulcan
Wolf 359
Star Trek Online coming February 2nd
The release of Star Trek Online is coming faster and faster. We have more STO updates this week with new video and screenshots and more, so stay tuned
You can pre-order the regular or collector’s edition of STO at Amazon.
can’t wait to visit Quarks again ! Nostalgic moment !
CANNOT WAIT
I hope Harlin is happy with the Gaudian idea.
We need a Guardian origin story. Just how did it get that way? It must have been perfectly circular once.
I guess we can all see now why Harlans Guardian was finally settled
I wonder if they are going to go after the Grand Theft Auto crowd and allow you to kill hookers on Risa
You know you just increased the number of women buying this game exponentially, which is a win for any game.
wow… all i can say is WOW!!!
I may just have to get this… This sounds so cool!
Yes! The Mutara Nebula returns!
Does this mean Vulcan still exists in the 25th century? I though vulcan was destroyed by Nero…yes/no? help!!!
Vulcan was destroyed in the new movie timeline’s 23rd century, but still exists in the 25th century of the ‘prime timeline’
However Romulus was destroyed in the prime timeline in the late 24th century (as shown in Spock Prime’s mind meld in the Star Trek movie)
It can get confusing, I think a lot of casual fans and gamers may get this all confused. It will only get more confusing as they now have the new Spock in the game. Atari has set up a page to help explain it
http://startrekonline.com/startrek_xi
11. – Where were you during the whole alternate universe discussion? In this universe, yes, Vulcan still exists. Nero destroyed Vulcan in a parallel universe.
Also, why is Quinto not playing a Spock hologram teacher? Why some random EMH-type of thing?
#11. This is the prime universe and not the altered Universe. Looks kool. I can’t wait to play this. I hope there is one of the Terran Empire and how the Empire will once again Domanate all the Universe.
Ok. Looks like tha has been elplaned for post 11. So much going on nd so little time to do it in. As Kirk said.(Sounds like Fun.)
Those tribbles look like dirty Iced Gems…..
(Homer voice)…..mmm, dirty Iced Gems
13
I am guessing the EMH is your guide in the tutorial as you build your character. An EMH is a 25th century entity and makes more sense than a 23rd century hero showing up, even as a hologram. Also, I bet they have already built much of the tutorial with an EMH.
it is a way for them to have the ‘new spock’ in the game without the new spock actually being in the game
Got to get this game, Quark’s, Risa,love it all. Can’t wait to see the Inside of the ship!
@11
I assume this takes place in the “prime” universe. Spock and Nero have left it…but that original timeline rolls on. Their incursion into the past created a new timeline/universe that only diverges from the prime at the point where the Narada attacked the Kelvin…the new timeline we’ll presumably be exploring in future movies/episodes.
What’s the difference between the regular and collector’s edition already? :-)
I think you just sold me, will get this when it gets out.
Looks very cool.
I wonder if you can ‘pay your respects’ if you go to visit Wolf 359? I’m guessing some debris is still there? Or else it’s just a star!
11.
The new movie takes place in a parallel universe.
I have to say: It looks pretty COOL!! =D
might have to try this one…
I certainly would enjoy running around the hallways of the original NCC-1701.
Was scrolling down and hoping for a mention of Romulus… then I remembered. Seriously, why does everyone complain about Vulcan in the new film when we lost Romulus in the other timeline too?
idk, right now (in the 21st Century) Wolf 359 is just a star, and yes, it is a REAL place.
Item number 9 (“You are the captain”) is the main reason I’m _less_ interested. Not because I have any strong feelings, one way or another, about playing Captain, but because if every PC is captain, that means _no_ PCs are a cooperating bridge crew, Star Trek style. That means (unless I’m misreading it — someone PLEASE correct me if I’m wrong) there’s no such thing as having a Kirk/Spock/McCoy/Sulu/Uhura team or a Picard/Troi/Worf/Data/Riker/Yar team of PCs, etc … everyone (everyone???) has their own starship? Buh-wah-the-fuh?
I hope I’m just misreading. Clarification, anyone?
the everyone is a captain thing is a matter of practicality and really means ‘everyone has their own ship’, although you still gain rank and get bigger and bigger ships as your progress.
When you do away missions and are cooperating with ohter players, you will have the Kirk/Spock/Bones experience, as each player can have their own skills and specialties. You can also have that in space as each ship and player will have their own specialties. They just wont all be on the same ship. You can still talk to each other via gaming chat and interact within the game.
The problem with putting everyone on the same ship is that you would need to gather up real players to even leave spacedock for your mission and what happens if your weapons officer has to take a leak or loses his connection in the middle of a fight. There just isnt a practical way to make that kind of thing work.
That being said Cryptic have worked hard to make the bridge crew a key part of the game, although they are NPC and not real players. You interact with them all the time, they make suggestions, each has their own skills and equipment and grow over time. So you get the kirk/spock/bones/sulu/scotty experience with both real players and with the non player characters
I think its cool, Even though hes not playing Spock in the game, At least hes involved in another way in the game.
The only things mentioned up there that would make me want to play this game are:
The Guardian of Forever
Space Station K7
TOS Klingons
As for the TNG crap, they can shove it!
Just pre-ordered it today (ZOMG a girl playing a Trek MMO?? GASP) and this all makes me even MORE excited!! :D
Seriously… this article made me giggle hysterically. I can not wait to get my Constitution class ship and get into the open Beta! WHOO!!!
:D
does anyone know if there’s a fee for open beta? Or do you just have to pay for the software?
Wow, I might never leave Risa, it looks beautiful!
I know Quinto’s going to be good, but I kind of wish that Robert Picardo had the part. Only cause it’s an EMH, though. I’d love to listen to him snark it up through the tutorial. :)
I’m surprised the Mutara nebula is back from it’s destruction in TWOK. I wonder if we will see the starship graveyard in the Wolf 359 system.
That’s a good point about the Mutara Nebula having dissipated in that explosion from the Reliant.
D: huh… I wasn’t all that convinced or excited about this game before, but I might have to give it a try now :D
and about the mutara nebula returning, I always thought that the nebula sorta got sucked into the genesis wave and became a part of the planet while it was forming. at least that’s what it looked like to me. given the rapid acceleration of the planet from the protomatter and the planet’s destruction, I think it’s plausible that the nebula could have reformed at an accelerated rate too. might be stretching it a bit, who knows. either way I’m glad it’s back in the game! :)
Quinto as an EMH?
So maybe this new EMH has a name now: Dr. Spock. :D
Now if they’d announce something about payment (I really hope for a free-to-play option, however unlikely), I can finally get started on getting interested.
I thought having Roberto Picardo would have been more appropriate for the role of the EMH. But seeing as how Andy Dick played an EMH on “Voyager” (Message In A Bottle), having Zachary Quinto in the game is pretty cool. He does have a nice voice and it is a nice marketing connection with the new movie however indirectly.
This sucks….I dont have a computer fast enough to play this…I only have a Mac laptop…shit.
Hah, I’m already playing :P
that’s all I’m allowed to say, lol
#29: “the everyone is a captain thing is a matter of practicality and really means ‘everyone has their own ship’,”
Okay, I read it correctly, then. Alas.
“There just isnt a practical way to make that kind of thing work.”
That’s not true, but if that’s the company line, I guess that’s the company line.
Thrusters on full.
To all those that are excited about this game, good for you.
Me I am going to wait for Excalibur, because I think it will look and play better. Unfortunately, no-one knows how long that is going to be.
@44 – http://www.ubergames.org/forums/showthread.php?p=40351#post40351
I wonder how much money Harlan will sue for now that we know the Guardian of Forever is in the game… lol
if it were to be the prime universe then ith had to have been Leonard Nimoy doing the voice as he is Spock.
someone told me that this game is coming out for the Xbox as well. is this true!
The more I see of this game, the more I look forward to 2010 :)
I can’t belive it comes out the same week as Lost! and it’s my birthday too! There is a god! (and not that bogus fella at the end of STV!)
TITAN2010 – they say they’re working on it, but not for feb10, that’s just pc.
Personally I’m looking forward to taking my Andorian commanded ship and spending some quality time on Andoria after a few hard missions. It’ll be great to go back and see the folks. lol
Seriously though, while the ground based adventuring doesn’t wow me terribly, I am looking forward to this game.
See you on Risa!