Well, looks like we're going to get another dumbed down version so that they can make it for consoles as well as PCs. Sad, because I am interested in an MMO from the Star Trek IP. I'll keep an eye on its development, but I'm not going to hold my breath.

  Every cloud has a sliver lining as that couldn't be more true for STO. Cryptic certainly have a far far better vision of what a Star Trek MMO should be than the previous development team who had the IP yank from their incompetent companies hands. I didn't like the direction they were taking STO with twhat info they gave. Cryptic look set to delivery a Star Trek MMO as it should have been in the first place.

Originally posted by happytklz

1. There has to be lots of instancing for this to work (away missions, conferences with VIPs, critical battles near planets), it can't be a big giant open world, it just wouldn't make any sense with the ST universe. 

2. The choice will have to be made between honoring a central theme of ST - career advancement and the conflicts that arise between personal/group loyalty and oath of service loyalty - and giving people instant gratification in running a ship.  I would argue strongly for the former.  You would have to work up to bridge crew, then captain.  Otherwise it's just a bunch of pretend Picards and Rikers running around.

1. I agree. Any missions that dont involve starship stuffs (combat, space exploration, travel, so on) will need to be instanced. Otherwise you're gonna beam down to a supposedly unexplored planet, only to find other players there. Or transport onto a enemy station only to find everyone dead, meaning the mission you were given doesn't make sense. On the other hand, anything done in starships can be part of one complete world. Because it'll be big enough that the chance of running into other players is low... Atleast I hope it'll be big enough, because darnit it's space!

2. Again, I agree. Giving everyone a ship right from the beginning is like SOE changing SWG so you can be a Jedi without any trouble. And look how many people STILL flame SOE for doing that. To me, Star Trek is more about crew interaction that takes during the missions, not the missions themselves.

Making everyone a captain is pretty much going to dumb the game down to the point where it's not Star Trek.

Just look at Puzzle Pirates. For those who haven't played it, Puzzle Pirates has player-owned ships that typically need player crews to run. And being on the crew can be just as fun as being the captain. If Cryptic can follow this example, they'll have one hell of a game.

It's in space. Space is big. If I beam down to Vagra II, I don't want to see thirty other starship captains "camping teh Armus for epix lewtz". Oh, and I wanna be able to beam down to Vagra III as well (if it's M or L class), just for kicks.

so the billion dollar question....

sandbox or linear design ?

Oh and in case your reading cryptic, dont forget that some of us prefer non-combat class roles. This is Trek after all where life didnt revolve around killing things.

I want to run my own bar on a space station providing drink buffs and a sympathetic ear to passing traders.

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Originally posted by admriker4
so the billion dollar question....
sandbox or linear design ?
Oh and in case your reading cryptic, dont forget that some of us prefer non-combat class roles. This is Trek after all where life didnt revolve around killing things.
I want to run my own bar on a space station providing drink buffs and a sympathetic ear to passing traders.

---

Hell man, yeah! This is best suited as a full-time Role-Playing Game, not as a Hack-n-Slash Game.

I agree with previous replies. This game will have a plenty of Instance because that's the best fit for the game.

However, they need to find a good balance. 50% Instance and 50% Persistent.
Example:
You are on an Away Mission on some newly discovered Planet. You left your #1 in the Bridge.

That Planet is an instance at that period of time. However, your ship and your player crews stays in the Open World. They could be fighting someone there already and you have to choose of going back or something.

---
Example 2:
Or that planet and it's immediate sector is instanced.

---
With my Example #1: it is obvious that there is a factor of "Time Period". As introduced by LotRO.

Again, they need to find a good balance. They can't just introduce "Time Period" like LotRO did - it is too much. They can't introduce too much instance like GW did. And too much Persistent world won't work either.

1st: A good balance between Instance and Persistent World
2nd: A good balance between "Time Period" and "Real-Time" flow.

If they can do that (and I believe they can), then STO will be "The" Sci-Fi MMORPG of the century - hands down.

And then they can claim: "Where no MMO has gone before"

"will be developed for console and PC"

Uh oh

To be honest, I'm not huge on Star Trek BUT if this game is done really well, it could be something special.  However, when I see a game is being developed for consoles, I always worry because I'm afraid of losing depth, detailed quality content for oversimplifications.

I'm not a fan of "control a crew" type games. Also, I know there are more races than Klingons and Humans, but they specifically only mentioned 2 races we can be. Everything else sounds fine I guess. I'd rather play an essential role in a team than control a whole team myself. I'm not one of those people who care about being a Captain. I'd rather see starships belonging to a guild and the guild running the starship, which the guild leader being the captain. I'd rather the game be about a guild effort to improve your starship and upgrade to better starships, while exploring the universe, forging alliances, and defeating foes. It aint ever going to happen though.

Originally posted by sinjin

Im a little disheartened, as soon as I seen him say towards the very end, "It is being developed for both the Console and  the PC." I lost all hope.  Good luck to Cryptic, I cannot name one good MMO that has been released with both platforms in mind.

Did you forget about Final Fantasy?
 

Originally posted by Laibeus_Lord

 

 

Hell man, yeah! This is best suited as a full-time Role-Playing Game, not as a Hack-n-Slash Game.

 

If you read the Jack Emeritt article it states an MMOG not an MMORPG so as for the idea of RPG content I do not think it will be what RPGers are used to.

I am extremely excited about this.  I am an oldtimer that STILL really only likes the old original show that aired on NBC in the late 60s.  I was five when it aired and was into the reruns as well.  

Since then alot of water has passed under the bridge.  I was into the first few episodes of ST Generation but lost interest after Natasha Yar left.  Tried Voyager but didn't like an android doctor, a black vulcan, nor a female starship captain so watched maybe one episode of that.  (Forgive my prejudices).  After that, the only other star trek stuff that I liked was Starfleet Command.  (Hard to beat for starship play), and Star Trek Elite Force (Voyager) which was done by the classic team of Activistion and Raven.  (The movies gave me no satisfaction in comparison to the original show though Wrath of Khan was good Science Fiction). 

I am sure alot of the content will be based on the recent changes that have happened to the ST Universe over the years as it has been updated but I hope there is some respect and consideration for some of the storylines and ideas of the original show.

I am sure Cryptic Studios is not interested in satisfying the want and needs of an oldtimer Star Trek fan as myself but none-the-less I wish them luck with their project.  (You can please some of the people some of the time but none of the people all of the time).(Or something like that).

The heirarchy, creatures, and storylines (please no soap operas) have changed so much over the years that there is plenty for them to play with.  But if their quality and design is anywhere near on par with what they did with City Of Heroes I am sure it will be a good game.

My advice is to look at the world as what it is, a universe.  One that is real and that we know so little about.  With a canvas like that I can not see how they can fail.

As for the content of the game if they are able to satisfy me in my game playing and what I expect out of a sci-fi MMO I can only say that I would continue to play it for many years to come.  I have seen the progress and launches of Eve Online, Star Wars Galaxies, Starrgate Worlds, and Tabula Rasa.  Each having the possibilities for new content and exploration that is what the original Star Trek story was about.  I have been mildly interested to see where their "new content" goes.  'To boldly go where no man has gone before' is where it should go.

With the birth of Star Trek Online and the possibilities of new content added over time it can make for an extrememly successful MMO.  In Jack Emeritt's article I only saw a few of the races mentioned, Human, Vulcan and Klingon.  Let's not forget the Romulans and those silly blue skinned guys with the suckers on their heads,  I am hoping that the PVP and gameplay is enjoyable.  Not so much PVP domination that can overpower and ruin an online multiplayer game but some concern also given to the exploration of space and the now 'ranking-system' that most of the games since the mid 2000's seem to have.

I know there is alot of pressure involved with this probably also including the rights that are involved with Paramount studios.  (Worked for a company that sold ST items),   But if a good team that is well organized, professional, clever, talented, and the key word here, 'caring", I am sure that the game can exceed expectations that are only dreamt of.

Please Cryptic, take your time, Q&A, and pre beta beta.  I still very much love City Of Heroes/City Of Villians.  GJ.  I wish you much luck and success.

<GlassEye> is watching you play.

Well, I might try it, but I was actully looking forward to getting my friends together and crew ONE SHIP.

Meh, I'll just design my own game then :P

The only thing I don't like is that the Art looks like Cartoons......here we go with another WOW..Crap !!

Originally posted by Solarman

The only thing I don't like is that the Art looks like Cartoons......here we go with another WOW..Crap !!

How in the hell can you get World of Warcraft out of STAR TREK?!?!

You haven't seen no more then 7 screenshots  and you've alreayd sealed the fate of the game.

WOW!  You're really something.

Oh well the dream was nice while it lasted.......

PC + Console = FAIL!

Jack will cave in to a 6-figure income waved in front of his nose just like every other developer. 

"Let's make a <fill-in-the-blank> clone/killer says the Director of Marketing, here's $250,000 + perks + bennies Jack , make it happen !!!! "

Everyone in the biz is bought and paid for. 

Welcome to free market capitalism 101. - it's what you voted for.

Originally posted by BodyBuilder

Originally posted by Solarman

The only thing I don't like is that the Art looks like Cartoons......here we go with another WOW..Crap !!

 

How in the hell can you get World of Warcraft out of STAR TREK?!?!

You haven't seen no more then 7 screenshots  and you've alreayd sealed the fate of the game.

WOW!  You're really something.

The art does look rather cartoon like.  Hope they don't add the silly comic book shaders from the Champions engine.

LOL  Space.. the final frontier, errr the epic cartoon.

I have to agree with what other posters have already mentioned - the enthusiasm of the announcement was quite infectious and interest was starting to peak....right up to the mention of consoles.

From a purely practical point of view in order to provide a balanced playfield for both pc and console camps to play in - the interface has to be limited (read: crippled) to the capabilities of the lower specced device.  Consequently any interface features that could have been afforded to the sole domain of pc users surely cant be implemented for fear of introducing play-balancing issues against console owners.

Regarding group-play with everyone being a captain or designated a subordinate role within a ship. I doubt too many paying players are going to be happy with being 'ordered' around by some other player-captain ALL the time - perhaps as an option to those who like to group together against the odds.

I sure as hell want the freedom to go where I choose when I chose - not limited by the megolomania of some other player or team decision.

This had BETTER not turn out to be another killfest like EVE.

It also needs to include the ability to make progress through the ENTIRE game via SOLO and/or CO-OP play without any FORCED requirement on PVP or group play.

Here's to hoping they actually pull this off!

Does anyone else here not believe that Cryptic can pull off a true-to-IP Star Trek game?  It would be great if they took a chance and said "Hey, instead of the usual talk to Quest Guy A, go collect Quest Item 1 and 2, return to Quest Guy A.  We are actually going to make a ST game where you are a part of the ship's crew and actually had a virtual purpose past collecting loot.  Instead of a pointless grindfest game, we are actually making a role playing game."

Too bad they didn't say that huh?

Everyone has their own ship?  Give me a break.