In the upcoming MMORPG "Star Trek Online" players don’t go on missions or quests, they partake in ‘episodes’, each of which is designed to feel like an episode from a Trek TV show. Today Atari has released a new video preview, which shows what this episodic gameplay will feel like. Catch that below, plus some more details on Klingon gameplay in STO.
The Veil of Space Pt. 1 – Into the Lion’s Den
This is the first of a series of videos, presenting the actual in-game episode ““Into The Lions Den”.
This video shows how the STO episodes are a mix of space exploration, planet- and ship-based encounters, combat and more. It seems Cryptic and Atari are going out of their way to make these mission/episodes feel like Star Trek on TV.
Klingon Q&A
Last week Atari released the first details on the Klingon Gameplay for Star Trek Online, which will be different than playing as a Federation character and much more focused on Player vs. Player (PvP). The info sparked a lot of questions, and so Atari and Crytpic did a Q&A on the official forums and have released the answers to help people get a better handle on what it is like in the STO Klingon Empire. Here it is in full…
Will there be more ships added to the Klingon side later on in the game?
Yes! We definitely want to add more ships to both factions after we launch.
Will Gorn, Nausican, and Orion ships be included further down the line?
If it turns out this is something that you, the players want to see, we will certainly consider adding in these ships in a future patch.
The article only states that Birds of Prey are capable of cloaking in battle, what about other Klingon ships?
All Klingon vessels with the exception of the Vo’Quv Carrier are equipped with a cloaking device. However, only Birds of Prey are capable of cloaking in and out during combat.
What kind of ship customization do Klingons have access to? Can they add warp nacelles, change the look of the command section of the ship? Or is it just a matter of tweaking the color and basic skin of the ship?
At launch Klingon ships will be limited to tweaking the basic color and skin of their ships only. However, they can also still fully customize their weapons, shields, deflector arrays, and other ship components. We do want to add in more customization for Klingon Ship Appearance later on down the line though.
What have you prepared to entice Federation players to enter these open pvp warzones? How will you avoid making Klingons into a lonely faction with no one to fight but themselves? Many Klingon players agree that they rather fight the enemy that they are at war with instead of their own brothers in arms.
There’s standard advancement available for Federation within PvP as well – the Fed players will gain skillpoints, etc.. There is also certain equipment, items and weapons that Federation players will only gain through PvP.
How will creature creation work for the Klingons? Would I be able to make a "human" captain (which doesn’t seem likely canon-wise) or will we be able to make more unique type of aliens?
Alien creation for the Klingons will work much the same as for Federation Characters. However, they will have access to different pieces that Federation players won’t have access too. It will be as robust as any of our other character creators though!
Will there be any Klingon-language content? Ever? Please?
We’ve been looking all over for someone to help us out with Klingon Localization. However, at this time there seems to be a shortage of Klingon linguists. We’re hoping that as the Klingon language becomes more prominent we’ll be able to find someone to help us out with this. We’re also looking into ways we can farm this out to the community. Any volunteers?
STO is coming February 2nd, 2010
You can pick pre-order Star Trek Online at Amazon.
Our continuing mission … to find a single cubic kilometer of the galaxy that isn’t filled with chunks of floating rock. But hey, we got guns! Boom! Boomedy! Zap-k-pow!
And the first comment is a hater! Good job breaking the stereotype!
What? No volunteers for the Klingon language job yet? oh my..
(second or third perhaps? whoopee me!)
Oh and by the way, feel free to follow my perfectly harmless nervous breakdown on Twitter :)
@1
Stick to board games.
I have no life !
If I end up getting to play this I will definantly go Federation for sure. Untill the Klingon campaign is more robust I’ll stick with the tried and true! What they need to do is make a very very universe large pvp system where both campaigns are inter twined. The same way command and conquer does it but instead have the federation episodes(as planned) and Klingon episodes mixed in the Klingon campaign. Oh and also I want a Borg campaign very baddly! Resistance is futile!
I understand why, but the ship interiors are way to big.
#2 im feeling that way more and more when i come to this site. i want to share my love for all things trek, not pick at it because it’s finally evolving. i hope this site doesnt get a bad rep bc of all the haters.
#2, #8: I’ve expressed no hate, and have none. By inventing “haters” where there are none, you create the problem you allege concern for.
Well that looked crap. Poor voice acting and unoriginal storyline. If that’s what the episodes will be like then maybe not.
Hey, “Number 1” has a point. Why is space always, a) colourful, and b) full of rocks. The average distance between asteroids in a asteroid field is one million kilometers.
I just think that there’s nothing uncool about the inky blackness of space.
This game is starting to look potentially cool though. Here’s to hoping.
I think the game looks cool!
I already got my open beta pre-order key from Target!
@ 1
Ok i LOLed at that comment. I had images of Spaceman Spiff (aka Calvin from Calvin and Hobbes) flying in his spaceship blasting rocks and saying Kapow! and the like.
One thing I dont understand in that clip, why is the Transporter room so FRIGGIN huge and the characters the size of hobbits’?
Is every ship interior in the game the Defiant? That’s all I’ve seen so far.
#13: “I had images of Spaceman Spiff (aka Calvin from Calvin and Hobbes) flying in his spaceship blasting rocks and saying Kapow! and the like.”
Man, it’s like you can see into my living room! Thanks for not mentioning I was in my undies at the time …
Zoom! Kapow! Argh! We’re hit! Crash landing on the planet below …!
The huge interiors bother me too… I can only hope it’s to allow room for a third-person cam without clipping. If it’s just a stylistic choice, then it’s incredibly stupid.
@ 15
Thanks for burning that image into my brain *shudders*
I gotta make me one of those new Federation uniforms. I saw on on ebay but I can’t pay that much.
Specifically to #2. 4 and 8 (and anyone else who fits)
I am so sick of hearing anyone who posts a comment that is not along the lines of “This is the best star trek game ever!!!!” getting slammed by others.
First of all as long as it not a personal attack and sticks to what they do not like about the game, they can post as much as they like. Free speech and all that, it became popular in America during the 60’s I think, go check.
It seems if you are not a sycophant of the thread subject, you are not welcome. Pathetic.
For my 2 pennies worth, I have talked at length with a friend of mine who is fortunate(?) enough to be playing the beta.
His thoughts, too much fighting, not enough missions down on planets. When you do get to a planet, you normally have to blow something up or kill other players.
Unless the planet is part of a mission, you cannot beam down just to explore. There are invisible barriers which stop you going to all planets and systems.
You can’t explore your ship and have minimal control over its systems.
There are hardly any pure exploration/diplomatic missions. My friend has only played one and that involved sorting out some sort of Mining dispute. Go talk to the miners, go back to the leader, have a chat, tell him why they’re unhappy. Mission over.
My friend says that he will not be playing it after it goes live and that I would not enjoy it either. He is a long time trek fan just like me and I trust his opinion.
It seems to me that there is not enough of what makes Star Trek, Star Trek, in this game.
At best it is Star Trek Lite at worst, Star Wars Reskinned.
Now go ahead and slag me off because I don’t like it. Just remember I do have an informed opinion before you start.
What’s the average age around here these days? 7 and a half?
~19 Dear oh me oh my…Seems two pennies goes a long way these days… why not save ’em up? (for the rest of our sakes)..
You guys are silly…
The game hasn’t even come out yet and there are people fighting over how “awesome” (or not) it is. Wait till it comes out…until then, RELAX!
#19 – Sorry, but I don’t consider you to have an informed opinion, as you have no direct experience with the game, only your friend’s viewpoint (which I believe he is in breach of contract by telling you about it). So until you do play the game for yourself. form a REAL “informed” opinion of the game’s “trek-ness” and then continue to agree with your buddy, you will not have a complete and total level of informed-opinion.
-not to say you can’t have an opinion, just don’t sell it as something it’s not.
p.s.- Does anyone remember when games were fun, just because they were fun?
The Klingon content in this game is garbage. This is a one faction game with LOTRO Monster-play added as Klingons. FAIL
From all that I have read and seen the game is still in BETA, and like all MMO games will go through numerous patches to update content , missions , and missing detail. If there is a lack of exploratory missions I am sure they will add more. but the game needs to be released to shake all the bugs out of it, there is only so much BETA testers can do. I for one will give it a chance, and see how it goes.
@22 – Cause you’re in the beta and you know this for a fact, amiright?
:)
I would have to agree on the point that it’s foolhardy to make a decision based on a game still in development. Star Wars Galaxies for example, underwent several revisions and mutations before it became what it is now.
World of Warcraft also underwent a great deal of change. City of Heroes, City of Villains, seeing a pattern here? Anyone who has played any of these games from beta to at least a year after live knows that things change. Sometimes for the better, sometimes worse (Like SWG).
It’s been my observation that people that call a game garbage or state that they have no intention of buying a game that ISN’T even FINISHED yet because it LACKS something, is most likely a troll fishing for a flame war out of boredom.
@19: If you want, you can always buy a used copy of the old game Star Trek: The Next Generation-A Final Unity by Spectrum Holobyte-lots of exploration, meeting new lifeforms and new civilizations, and not a lot of blasting and shooting up.
@26, thanks but I already have it, a great game. Shame I can’t play it on my Windows 7 PC….. :(
Perhaps I should re-install DOS-BOX.
In fact I own or have owned virtually every Star Trek game since Star Trek 25th Anniversary came out on floppy disk… Yes I said floppy disk, 5 of them I think. But the re-issue on CD was a welcome upgrade.
From what information I have been able to find, I firmly believe that Star Trek: Secret of Vulcan Fury, is the best Star Trek game that was never released. I know the grammars off, but hopefully you get what I mean.
It would be wonderful if some games developer picked this up, finished it off and released it. Rumours are that it was 80-85% completed.
Perhaps STO will go more toward exploration etc. in time. Then I might consider giving it a try.
This is one of those STO posts that makes me like the game less. The ship interior’s are unimpressive at best, and yes, wayyyy too big. The external graphics are nice, but the movement and effects are shaky, hopefully they’ll be better by launch. I’m still waiting for an actual good gameplay video. Story and all that is important, but how it plays is what an MMO comes down to.
I just drove by Cryptic on the way home. Just a few cars in the parking lot. Hope these guys are working hard on the release!!
If 19. is right then were are all screwed as I want to explore different worlds too but to have a barrier? bah how lame is that. To be on the safe side I am pre-ordering with a $5 dollar deposit to try open beta. I am not gonna rush and shell out $80 bucks for a CE without trying the game myself, this way if it sucks I just loose $5 bucks rather than $50 or $80 So far all I see are more rocks than space itself and a huge bridge with small characters. And that is so unrealistic to send so many ships after one federation starship. Come on be real Cryptic. I really have high hopes that this wont be a big disappointment to us Star Trek fans. Curious to why the other company abandoned the making of this game and let cryptic take over. So glad I am hanging on to my WoW account. Merry Christmas Everyone!!