I would expand on the Cryptic vision by adding at least another side and have uncontested zones where combat can take place at any time.  I would also have objective points that once taken give the side some small advantages.  I would be sure to have plenty of non combat activities and cities/starbases with real purposes.  I do think there should be non combat type jobs and everyone can have both a combat and non-combat career.  Merchants and crafting/spying/smuggling/politics would play a major role.   There needs to be fully spec'ed space stations (DS9) and planets to explore and visit.  Ships should have decks to see and NPC's running about doing their jobs, make them interactive too! Exploration would have an effect on the territories and well being of empires.  planets discovered would have things you could do to help in their developement or conquest!  quests would be variable so we all don't end up doing the same ole ones over and over.  Would be nice if they could piggy back on the previous one. Federation would disappear in a cloud of disrupter fire from us Klingons!  LOL!

"Then they shouldn't have taken on the IP to begin with."

Your opinion and I for one am happy they did!  Once again we are arguing about those of you this game wasn't designed for verus those of us that are happy with their design choices.  Could they have designed it to please both sides?  Who knows but it really doesn't matter does it?  Cryptic wanted to design it the way they did and you knew that from the first game release they posted.  For two years those that wanted something else have complained here at MMORPG, guess what they aren't going to change their view to yours it seems fair to say.  As many of us who like their vision over yours, I'm personally happy there isn't just a Federation game based on ship exploits... how horribly boring! 

Most people I know wanted nothing to do with player crewed vessels, so i don't think the majority want that.  After all who wants to sit around until your position is required to aid the ship?  I do hope they have some good off ship experiences though.  When the developer before Cryptic stated the game was going to be about one faction the Federation, I quit paying attention to the game as i had absolutely no interest in a Star Trek universe without strife (Factioned warfare).  Then Cryptic came along and changed that to the better in my opinion.  What i don't understand is why so people consistently whine about something the designers said they weren't going to include in their game, say the game isn't for you and move along.  Hoping to kill the game by posting this game sucks because they didn't cater to me is immature and stepping all over the ones that want the game for how it is being designed.   But some of you want a totally different game and with two months left to release we know that isn't going to happen!

Basically I agree with the OP in that if this is the game you where waiting for, I would do what was necessary to make it viable if possible.  That doesn't mean supporting a big piece of Doo-Doo.  Lets take Vanguard for a good comparision.  That game appealed to a hard core base that not many companies want to make games for (limited audiance).  It came out early due to money problems and such, but had a good core game, but with many bugs.  The community (hardcores) got mad and left the game and now have nothing to play and nothing in the horizon either.  The game got sold to SOE who did a rather marvilous job at fixing it up and changing it to be one more friendly to the masses, which of course left the hard core bunch out in the cold.  I really don't see Star Trek as lacking in as it has opposing factions of Klingon and Federation, exploration where you can name planets, quests which are suppose to be like TV episodes, and full customization of avatars and ships!  But if it had 75% of what I wanted i would stick around to help shape the game if it has the main compoenent I require...FUN!

Those that want this game to consist of  mostly non-combat or bridge crewed by players really should go elsewhere as Cryptic has been up front with what their vision for the game was.   Basing that the game will fail because it doesn't cater to your desires is unrealistic as they aren't trying to please your crowd.  They have more than enough people who like their vision as long as they deliver on the fun factor!

Hmm...Lets see.  A game set in the Star Trek universe that has two competing sides consisting of Klingons verus Federation, exploration where you can name the planets you find, Quests that are made to be like Star Trek episodes, unlimited customization of your avatar and ship, sure why would anyone be interested in that...LOL.

Isn't this that section?

Talk about being negative! Sure they can't meet expectations of everyone, but theres a lot of people out there that could be happy playing a game in either ST or SW gender that is fun.  Saying there was no good SW game is your own opinion as to many of us the orginal SWG is how a game should be designed, and I'm sure there are many who like SWG as it is now.  The original Op is most likely unhappy over his choices of Warhammer or Conan, so I would of left this old post die in peace.  I will say ST stories are still being produced as we witnessed the recent Star Trek movie, so I disagree its a dying gender.

Hey Grumpymel how is that going to work with us being able to name the planets we find?  Thought I read somewhere that we could bring friends to the planets we find and they would see the names we selected.

"I don't expect it, either. I also don't intend to give Cryptic any of my money until I see otherwise. Those who do are just encouraging more shoddy MMO releases."

LOL MMO doubter if everyone did that how would we know if the game was good or not?  I surely wouldn't take anyones word on this forum lol!  As we all have different desires and expectations the only way to see if the game is any good is to try it out.

Well it might be to the better there are so many doubting Tom's, that way expectations aren't off the charts.  If cryptic can deliver a game that has the Star trek atmosphere and is fun, everyone will be happy in the end.  Better than either promising the moon (or trying half -ass to cover every aspect or play style) and not delivering the expected product in my opinion.

"I think this is how it will be also. There will be no "space" in Star Trek Online just hot spots where things occur. Forget just warping out into the middle of nowhere."

I think that is wrong that you can indeed fly through space and not instant to every spot, now once there exploration to the planet is instanted I think.  They put a lot of emphaze on exploration according to what I've read so far.  Of course we don't have a lot to go by but some people have seen and played the demos at the shows out there.

The freedom to chose your look is priceless as is customizing your ship.  I know some purest don't like those facts, but try to remember its a game first!

Games shaping up nicely, can't wait to command that Klingon ship!  Characters look very nice compared to most MMO's that only give limited choices and end up looking a like.

"Sorry but this agme is destined to fail."

Your reasoning is very weak to base your dislike for a game due to limited game play at a demo.  Thats as bad as basing the game will fail because it doesn't have features you wanted (Player crew members, interiors etc), as others could care less about those features.

 "probably will leave after the trial."

LOL, not much incentive there for them to finish the game!

I don't understand why people insist on comparing STO to CO, just because Cryptic designed both games.  I could care less what they did right or wrong with CO, only how they are doing with STO.  As we only have small glimpe into what they have done with STO all the rest is pure speculation on our parts.  If your expecting the end all of all games here, then thats your own hyped up conclusion that have no base in reality.  The same goes for those who claim the game is designed all wrong and will fail....thats just more speculation based on nothing but conjecture!  Me, I hoping for a game based in the Star Trek world that is fun to play!  I don't care if it takes a few liberties with the Ster Trek lore or doesn't have realism to the tee.  Just make it fun to play!!!  Oh and those of you who want a bug free game that is as complete as WoW is now, should move along now as no game released will make those expections now or never!

The game is one of the better PVE games out there, but most of its fans left disgusted at the release.  It would take some major advertising to change that, and SOE doesn't seem to be interested in that.

Coming from EQ, DAoC was like a breath of fresh air.  It gave me a sense of purpose lacking in EQ, after all I was part of alliance that could actually make a difference to the world I played in.  I remember my first time defending our frontier against the Hib hoards who had already obtained 20th level, and not minding in the least that I was going to die attacking them.  it only mattered that I hurt them enough for my fellow Middies to turn the tide and send them back to the black hole from whence they came!  To me the game had just the right amount of PVE, without becoming to over bearing.  My one big complaint was area control spells as that took a lot of the fun out, after all who wants to stand there waiting for their turn to be ganged!  I still rate DAoC as one of my favorite games along with the orginal SWG.

Well let me see this is MMORPG.com after all, lol.  Is there ever been a game on here that wasn't destroyed/knitpicked before it was released?  Honestly I doubt there can be a game that could possible please most of the posters on this site, and for some it is their hobby to destroy each and every game listed on this site.  The other problem is gamers seem thin skinned and can't let go to the fact that each game isn't designed for their particular game play.  So instead of just checking on a game that may suit there play style, they will repeatly post how the game is flawed because it isn't doing what they desire.

I'm a bit worried that the high Smucks in the gaming industry will give up on making MMO's as the cost to develope them are just too high for what they net.  After all, there is only one MMO that made it big, WoW.  I'm not sure if thats because of our high expectations, but nothing in the recent past has caught on.  It doesn't seem to matter if the game had years of development or just a couple of years, none has meet our expectations it seems.  Sure they all have some fans but not enough to make the venture a big success.  How long will it be before companies quit trying (maybe now if your EA), and use their capital in a less stressful market like the solo/small grouping games?  This may be the first shot fired, a farewell to our beloved MMO's! :(