I really think the character models are fantastic and reminds me of a SWG look but with more detail but I just hope they motion capture it all so they feel natural like SWG did before they make them all fast moving and ruined it.

I'm only interested in Skill based mmorpgs though because I hate restricted classes and just wondering if they're doing that kinda system?

Very speculative statement here:

Cryptic's other game in Development, Champions is designed around the tabletop RPG Heroes System, which is a skill based system.  Star Trek Online is based around the same engine as Champions, among a lot of other tools Cryptic already has developed and proven.  So I'm assuming they'll be retooling the hero system rules slightly, so it will be a pointbuild skill system.  Which also may mean that your rank has to be purchased just like a skill, and not awarded to you when you've accumulated a certain amount of skill/xp.  This is true in both the Hero system and GURPs systems..which are the best examples of pointbuilt skill systems. 

But yes, I agree with you a lot.  I run a tabletop game with the GURPs system for that very reason, and Champions is very similar.  I hate for my character to be railroaded down a path, which is why I have forsaken pretty much anything D20(WotC).  I really hope this game's upgrading system is skill points...and not class or levels.     

cryptic did state that there wouldnt be any levels.

As far as class restrictions, dunno.

There was mention that you could specialize your toon beyond just being an ordinary captain. For example Cpt Picard had an affinity for archaelogy.

Perhaps the type of ship we control will act as our "class" some being better at pure damage and others better at exploration and tactics.

Considering we do know there arent levels Im very happy. We wont hear any "lvl 65 healer lfg for neutral zone quests pst"

Yea, yea bunch of useless skills or not, gotcha. Wont matter one way or the other, a month after release everyone will be crying about bugs and the fanbois will come to the rescue then begin the flame wars, cries of foul, polls and server population posts. Just play it if you like star trek and make it easy on yourself.

I'm thinking level based with a combat mechanic similar to Matrix Online.

From what I see, class based.  But with bridge crews (NPC pets you control), maybe you will get some access to the skills you want to mess around with anyways.

Originally posted by John.A.Zoid

I really think the character models are fantastic and reminds me of a SWG look but with more detail but I just hope they motion capture it all so they feel natural like SWG did before they make them all fast moving and ruined it.

I'm only interested in Skill based mmorpgs though because I hate restricted classes and just wondering if they're doing that kinda system?

The short answer... We just don't know. The longer answer would be that based on what little tidbits we've gotten from Cryptic on this matter the overall feel of the community is that it will be a Skill based system with professions. This means that all of the skills in the game will be available to you but your profession will steer you down a certain path. Hopefully this will be the case because it will allow a certain amount of cross profession skill mastery. This means that for example a Tactical Officer could have some minor medical skills or an Engineer could have some knowledge of science. This is all speculation based on very little information from Cryptic at this point however so it should be taken in that light.

Bren