Editing Newsletter/Fall 2008 (section)

== Star Trek Online: The Stuff of Dreams ==

by [[Daniel Greene]][[Image:Sto_screen13.jpg|500px|right|thumb|A ship in flight]]

You meander around a packed to near-overcrowded career fair. The noise is near deafening as you pass countless booths. Eager recruiters animatedly discuss the countless virtues of the profession they are enthusiastically trying to interest you in. None of it really strikes you as what you really want to do. Sure, you could go into the super awesome field of dental hygiene or welding, but you've pretty much decided that most of the options just aren't striking a particular chord with you. They just aren't exciting. So you politely move away from the booths and towards the exits. 

Just as you are about to fold up your portfolio and head out, a small booth draws your attention. Its simple plastic sign attached to the front of the table asking, "Are you ready to boldly go?" A pleasant looking gentleman in a familiar looking uniform beckons you over and begins to fill your ears with tales of embarking upon mission after mission. From the sparkle that fills your eyes, he knows you are hooked. 

Oh, if only it were so easy, right? Well, Cryptic Studios wants to make the dream happen. Currently, Cryptic has several games in various stages of production. But you aren't interested in their whole selection, are you? Nope, you're sitting with fingers crossed that they make Star Trek Online (STO) the great game it could be. I know I am at least. This software developer, responsible for the amazing City of Heroes (CoH) and less popular City of Villains (CoV) had acquired STO when Perpetual lost the rights to it. [[Image:Screen_sto_003.jpg|500px|left|thumb|Possible species to play]]I'd tell you the whole scoop behind that but that's not really what you want to read about. Their success with the CoH title made history. They have the graphics engines, the experience and the know-how to make this a truly great game. They picked up the game. What you want to know is there more in line with everything STO? 

Unfortunately, the game is still very much in the creation stage, so many of the things that people will want to know aren't being published yet. But there are a few tantalizing clues that would make even the most diehard Klingon warrior drool.

STO will have a progressive timeline. At the start, the game year will be 2409. The game setting is approximately 30 years after the events that took place in Star Trek Nemesis. According to the information available on the Star Trek Online website (www.startrekonline.com) the galaxy is a much more volatile place. 

How much more volatile? There will be two factions, Federation and Klingon and six playable races, three for each side. So far they are listed as Human, Klingon, Ferengi, Orion, Andorian and Gorn. An earlier interview indicated that you would be able to make your own race, but in later interviews it wasn't mentioned. Hopefully it's still an option. I have never seen any MMORPG where you could build your own species.

Possible professions aren't completely lined out just yet either, but they have released that there will be at the very least the following: Tactical, Medical, Science, Engineering and Command. And everyone can be the Captain of a ship, regardless of which of the professions you choose. 

Like other Cryptic games, character customization is something they are particularly good at providing. You will be able to modify the uniform of your character. The only restriction will be that it will always have the look of a uniform appropriate for your faction. [[Image:Screen_sto_002.jpg|500px|right|thumb|A potential planet to explore]]

Will you be able to play with other people? Absolutely. What fun would a massively multiplayer game be without interaction? You will be able to make teams, go on away missions and even run a star ship. The how and such are unfortunately still in production. There will also be an aspect of Player vs Player in the game, however there will not be specific servers dedicated to just that. There will be special zones or areas where you can participate in Player vs Player activity. 

Other teasers for the game include such things as being able to alter your crew quarters and cooperative missions between the factions. (These are both things that Cryptic has developed and extensively tested in their CoH/CoV titles. Those same titles are well supported, have regular content updates and are always pushing the limits of what you can do. Adding new power sets, creating character enhancements, earning special badges and completing ever-expanding story arcs are all things we can't help but believe that STO will have all of that and more.

As someone who has been a member of the CoH/CoV Community since Beta testing 5 years ago, I can not complain about the potential that Cryptic brings to the development of such a well known and loved franchise.

The main thing for me that summed up the full potential for the game was this description of the game from their Official website:

'''''"Adventure in the Final Frontier: Explore strange new worlds, seek out new life and new civilizations in an expanding vast universe. Make contact with alien races, discover resources and uncover mysteries that will change the future of the Star Trek universe."''''' 

For more information, screenshots, teaser video and Wallpapers visit the official Star Trek On-line website at http://www.startrekonline.com/archive

I hope to see you out there in the broad universe that is Star Trek. 

Live Long and Prosper!