great graphics

Looks promising, but screenshots..? It's more like concept art IMO... 

Yea the new screen shots do not look to promising to me, too cartoonish hope this changes.

Looks mint

Hmmm... at first, I thought they were concepts, but apparently they aren't.

I had to do a double take on the NX vessel. Frankly, I dislike it. It looks archaic and somewhat like it should be in a scrap yard. The Klingon vessel however looks very nice. The general design is a little too smooth for a Klingon vessel imho and it looks more like it is a Klingon/Romulan hybrid vessel than a pure Klingon vessel.

All in all, a little disappointed with these shots. STO isn't turning out how I had hoped it would.

It's looking sweet to me. Especially for pre-alpha! Finally some Klingon love!

Very very nice Cryptic.

That looks like concept art to me

Question: Why doesn't the exhaust/engine glow on the Klingon ship actually match up with the exhaust port?

Also...It appears as if all Federation ships are going to be marked with the NX91001 designation now? Is that because no one figured out that it was a date the last time and spent more time on bashing the fact it was a refit than figuring out what the numbers meant?

((I think I've figured out the first one. The glowing trails on both ships were added after the shot was taken, they must not actually leave these trails in game. Someone just did a bad job of photoshopping.))

I don't like the direction this game is headed.  Forced solo play, Forced to be a Captain, and Forced to play with Mastermind Pets doesn't sound fun for a MMORPG, they already made all the choices for you.  Maybe if it was a singleplayer game.

 When you say forced solo play do you mean no PVP, give me a beak.

I just realised something.. the font and emblem in the screenshots (go fullsize to see it) look, to me, the same as the font and emblem used for the upcomming movie.. just thought I'd point that out

Those screetshots look more like concept art. But if they are ingame footage, way to go Cryptic! This is gonna be the best MMO ever!

Those screenshots look awesome. Very happy to see a shot of a Klingon ship as well. Nice job Cryptic.

Everyone already know that the ship models will be able to be customized, so anyone complaining that they don't like a certain design on a ship needs to realize that these aren't the ONLY way your ship is going to look. Jeeze. And as for complaining about the NX registry being the same as on the other Starfleet ship release, give me a break. They've already stated that you'll be able to choose things like that yourself. I realize the ability to read is a tough one for some people on gaming boards but its amusing how blatantly ignorant some people are when it comes to POSTED facts.

customizable or not they definitely look very cartoonish

for me (as IMHO) star trek universe ships should look more "real"

Originally posted by gatheris

customizable or not they definitely look very cartoonish

for me (as IMHO) star trek universe ships should look more "real"

 

i agree

I don't know why a Star Trek game is taking on a cartoon stylization, but this style does have some attractive qualities.

What's up with the trails, though? Plasma leak in the nacelles?

Originally posted by Wolfdor

I don't like the direction this game is headed.  Forced solo play, Forced to be a Captain, and Forced to play with Mastermind Pets doesn't sound fun for a MMORPG, they already made all the choices for you.  Maybe if it was a singleplayer game.

same feeling here :(

---

Originally posted by Kvasir_029
Those screenshots look awesome. Very happy to see a shot of a Klingon ship as well. Nice job Cryptic.
Everyone already know that the ship models will be able to be customized, so anyone complaining that they don't like a certain design on a ship needs to realize that these aren't the ONLY way your ship is going to look. Jeeze. And as for complaining about the NX registry being the same as on the other Starfleet ship release, give me a break. They've already stated that you'll be able to choose things like that yourself. I realize the ability to read is a tough one for some people on gaming boards but its amusing how blatantly ignorant some people are when it comes to POSTED facts.

---

(blatant exaggeration ahead)
Customize all you want but a piece of dog crap will still look like a piece of dog crap. Some people just don't like the cartoonish look. I have to admit...if these are screenshots (it's VERY hard to tell) then it looks cartoonish to me...which I hate. If it weren't for it being Star Trek I would have already written this off after seeing those.

There's a reason I never used up my 10 day WoW trial...I hated the graphics...I couldn't get past how cartoonish they looked. I'm not saying these shots are as cartoonish as WoW is...they aren't...but they are cartoonish. If they are staying with this look then they are going to have to have an amazing game to get me to play for any length of time. I would much rather they go with an EVE-like look than this look.

Another game pushing out crappy graphics with the label "Styalized" over it and thinking people won't notice?

/sigh

I have never seen styalized graphics that actually looked good, and especially not in settings where they don't fit(like Sci-Fi). Why do these companies keep pushing this crap on us?

---

Originally posted by Kvasir_029
And as for complaining about the NX registry being the same as on the other Starfleet ship release, give me a break. They've already stated that you'll be able to choose things like that yourself. I realize the ability to read is a tough one for some people on gaming boards but its amusing how blatantly ignorant some people are when it comes to POSTED facts.

---

LOL...I'll let you slide this time because you are off base on the meaning of what I said, but let's not get into an argument over reading comprehension.

I said that I guess all federation ships would be under the NX-91001 designation now, not as a complaint but as a point of interest. I had thought that they would have kept it to the Sovereign class ship that they revealed with that designation earlier, but, as I said in my post, it seems that too few saw the actual meaning behind it and instead focused on the ship itself and why blah blah blah *insert nerdrage here* When the truth is that it is the ship's designation and not the ship itself that was the important part.

Seems some can't see the forest for the trees as the old saying goes.

((And none of that is meant as a bash on you Kvasir, I too am impressed by Cryptic's work and am a firm supporter of their studio. I just wanted to clear up that I was not bashing them, and that I am not 'ignorant'.))

So far the game is too Cartoony for my taste,The ship Designs really do suck. I was hoping to play a Star Trek game in The Next Gen time frame. Most of the ship designs do not look at all the way they did during these shows,and I know its in a timeline past Nemesis,but why did they have to do it in the timeline of this Movie? It was the worst of the Trek Movies as well. I feel like they are losing the vision that Gene Roddenberry had. Rick Berman everything was fine and dandy until you decided to make a pre-quel.

Originally posted by Abrahmm

Another game pushing out crappy graphics with the label "Styalized" over it and thinking people won't notice?

/sigh

I have never seen styalized graphics that actually looked good, and especially not in settings where they don't fit(like Sci-Fi). Why do these companies keep pushing this crap on us?

I got an idea, why don’t you license a game engine and build your own MMO how you think it should be.

I have noticed a number of people saying they dont like the graphics because they look cartoonish. It just goes to show that no matter how good something looks there will always be a bunch of idiots who lack the ability to appreciate it. Sorry but you have to be either a bit dense or have problems with your eyes to reach this conclusion. If the graphics in those screenshots are cartoonish then EVERY computer game is cartoonish. I suppose Fallout 3 is a cartoon game as well then right? What do want? Absolute photo-realism?!

Its a shame I hate Star Trek because the game looks like its coming along very nicely. Those graphics are very impressive and I totally appreciate the level of hard work that must have gone into making them. Of course its a shame that Cryptic studios did not have the foresight to employ the few mmorpg readers who think the graphics are too cartoony because then these peoples extremely advanced artistic skills could have been put to use to make this game the first photo-realistic mmo we have ever seen.

Originally posted by neonwire

I have noticed a number of people saying they dont like the graphics because they look cartoonish. It just goes to show that no matter how good something looks there will always be a bunch of idiots who lack the ability to appreciate it. Sorry but you have to be either a bit dense or have problems with your eyes to reach this conclusion. If the graphics in those screenshots are cartoonish then EVERY computer game is cartoonish. I suppose Fallout 3 is a cartoon game as well then right? What do want? Absolute photo-realism?!

Its a shame I hate Star Trek because the game looks like its coming along very nicely. Those graphics are very impressive and I totally appreciate the level of hard work that must have gone into making them. Of course its a shame that Cryptic studios did not have the foresight to employ the few mmorpg readers who think the graphics are too cartoony because then these peoples extremely advanced artistic skills could have been put to use to make this game the first photo-realistic mmo we have ever seen.

Pretty much exactly the way I feel. These same people say this about every game here, I'm just beginning to think they don't really like games. One thing they all seem to have in common is SWG, and Darkfall. Hmmm troll bait perhaps?

Personally I've never heard Fallout 3 or EVE being called "cartoonish"

The "problem" doesn't lie in the textures themselves, its the lights/shaders. Actually, I doubt much of that work has been done yet.

The "cartoonish" look should diminish when they get the shaders and lighting done that give it the dirty "real" look. Not that its going to go away entirely, but it should be more "real" than those.

Sorry guys, but your not going to get a game that has ship/ground interaction with photorealism. Unless its the Infinity engine, which will tax your computer like you wouldn't believe, very few computers are going to be able to play that game on high settings.

Personally, I don't like the "forced" thing, but the forced thing sells apperently.

O, and I wouldn't want to trade places with the STO designers. Imagine having to build a game that will bring in income, and try to keep all the ST worshipers happy with immersion. Nothing in the world would make me want that job....

Most of these "art critics" just crack me up anyway the art looks good can't wait to actually play the game

Looks great, the way they're putting the universe together looks amazing.

Looks like crap.

Like the new screenshots a lot kind of wished the Miranda would look like the classic one though :( but all in all been following the game for a bit now and since Cryptic is going in the right direction by catering to both sandbox and mass mainstream we may get a MMO all can enjoy and all the elements of both worlds that can agree on.

Originally posted by tillamook

Originally posted by Abrahmm

Another game pushing out crappy graphics with the label "Styalized" over it and thinking people won't notice?

/sigh

I have never seen styalized graphics that actually looked good, and especially not in settings where they don't fit(like Sci-Fi). Why do these companies keep pushing this crap on us?

 

I got an idea, why don’t you license a game engine and build your own MMO how you think it should be.

QFT

The above comment is a waste of space.

In regards to the screenshots, they do indeed look like they are either Concept Art, or very stylized. If this is indeed in-game graphics, I really think this could be a good and a bad thing. The problem with stylized graphics is as has been mentioned in this thread; Many people simply do not think they belong in a sci-fi game. I am of this train of thought.

Contrastly, the developers may be looking for a way to revitalize a dying franchise. If the Realistic approach of previous failed games didn't work. Perhaps treading into different waters may work for them.

Personally, a cartoonish Star Trek game seems wrong, but without playing the game I could be entirely incorrect and it could play great and work with the cartoonish look.

Either way, I'd wait to see more SS before laying final judgement.

 Judging/selecting a game based on graphics is idiotic. Ever heard of gameplay and content? Those two matters most.

No wonder a majority of the games last year were terrible, because the developers focused more on graphics since people were looking for good graphics instead of gameplay/content...

Not a comment on the style, just looks like somebody mis-labeled the article or pictures.

The backgrounds may have been game rendered (though even those look suspiciously too uniform), but those comic book candy-colored disneyland ships?  They're either hand drawn concept art or untextured and unlighted as previously suggested. 

After re-watching the trailer. 

----->   http://www.startrekonline.com/videos <-----

This trailer and the screen shots look fairly consistent to me not identical but similar. Whether you like it or hate it this looks like the graphics to me.

Personally i think it looks ok it may get a bit better than it currently is before release but i wouldn't expect "Photo Realism" at any point.

As some others have said graphics are NOT my primary focus. I want STO to look nice but it HAS to have good solid gameplay.  It does appear that they are moving in the right direction with the gameplay.

-On a side note for those that don't know Cryptic is currently the King of MMO customization you will be able to make highly customizable ships.

Read the FAQ it answers a lot of questions  --->    http://www.startrekonline.com/faq#9

Great science fiction shouldn't be CARTOONY!

Star Trek should be PHOTOREALISTIC!!!

The style on those screenshots is appropriate for a fantasy MMO, not a SCIFI one. I do hope its either concept art or the art will get adjusted more towards reality. There is no need to be photorealistic, Eve manages to be more real and not photorealistic, so why cant STO? i'll just have to wait and see.

those are screenshots? lol looks like sketch drawings to me.

I think people need to take a step back from this argument that games should have detailed and realistic graphics. That's OK when you are making a single player title for a particular audience, but with MMOs you are dealing with a whole other kettle of fish.

MMO developers will want a wide demographic to be able to play the game and the most obvious way of doing this is by compromising on the high end machines. People sit there and ask, "well why not have a system that is highly scalable from bottom to top end?" but then you encroach on the problem of game client size. I'm pretty certain that, by adding a whole array of textures to cover both low and high end systems, the size of the client will escalate to proportions many of us won't want to see. The other thing to remember is that, with higher textures and better graphics, the amount you can display on your screen at once is much lower than with lower textures. The best, easiest and most rewarding way to offer increased performance to higher end machines is through things like draw distance, vegetation density, weather effects; the little things that bring a bit more to the game but don't require an extra year to add in. You can see way, way, way further than normal and have hundreds of characters, buildings, effects and various other features on your screen at the same time with lower texture, stylised graphics, or you can see three foot in front of you, only have 5 other characters, an NPC and a tree on your screen at any given time that all look really, really nice with higher texture, realistic graphics.

Tbph, it's becoming apparent that developers of all genres and types are beginning to move away from making things look real in their game. The quest for reality has become the mission of the few, not of the many.

Obviously, and wrongly.

My rule is if there is no UI present, it's a render. If there is, it's a screenshot.

Definitely screenshots. You can obviously notice the low-polygonal models. If it were concept art, those ships would be more natural. Several of the screenshots I have seen over time have looked blah to me. I agree with some of you. I would expect a quality of high standards with a name like Star Trek.

Meh, no matter how much they change the graphics, they aren't going to come near matching EVE.

Now if they tried something new and made player crews, I would play it over EVE.

But nope.....

I do have to agree though, those guys need to check the coolant FAST, it must be a huge leak for the trails to be streaming back that far.

Originally posted by Abrahmm

Another game pushing out crappy graphics with the label "Styalized" over it and thinking people won't notice?

/sigh

I have never seen styalized graphics that actually looked good, and especially not in settings where they don't fit(like Sci-Fi). Why do these companies keep pushing this crap on us?

Like in Star Wars Galaxies, right? 

Pretty underwhelmed by these screens, especially the Federation shot. As a canon nut, I wasn't too thrilled by customization being allowed, but I accepted it as part of the game. But this just looks silly. There's customization, and then there's this.

this is just more pandering STO will suck arse just you watch it at least EVE has a reason for you to be a ship as opposed to a person plus the graphics are better and the back story fits with the game play and its all on a single server STO has Nothing bar the IP going for it and they are even butchering that

Originally posted by zenaphex

. I would expect a quality of high standards with a name like Star Trek.

I wouldnt, I really wouldnt... out of all my favorite SCI-Fi on TV, "star-trek" to me is the cartoon out of all of them.

Compared to Stargate, Babylon 5, even star-wars...  Star-trek is always the "feel good" cheesy costume wairing series where people die from mysteriously exploding consoles. 

Compared to the realistic look space ships in other SCI-FI,  I actually EXPECT the star-trek game to look slightly cartoony.. smoothed over with nice colourfull glowly warp nasels..

Seriously, the enterprise with its bright blue glowy effects in the films and the series looks like its something out of WoW.

Dont get me wrong Im a huge fan of Star-trek and have been all my life, but next to my other favorite SCI-fi series Star-trek really is the cartoon.

Originally posted by Infalible

I think people need to take a step back from this argument that games should have detailed and realistic graphics. That's OK when you are making a single player title for a particular audience, but with MMOs you are dealing with a whole other kettle of fish.

MMO developers will want a wide demographic to be able to play the game and the most obvious way of doing this is by compromising on the high end machines. People sit there and ask, "well why not have a system that is highly scalable from bottom to top end?" but then you encroach on the problem of game client size. I'm pretty certain that, by adding a whole array of textures to cover both low and high end systems, the size of the client will escalate to proportions many of us won't want to see. The other thing to remember is that, with higher textures and better graphics, the amount you can display on your screen at once is much lower than with lower textures. The best, easiest and most rewarding way to offer increased performance to higher end machines is through things like draw distance, vegetation density, weather effects; the little things that bring a bit more to the game but don't require an extra year to add in. You can see way, way, way further than normal and have hundreds of characters, buildings, effects and various other features on your screen at the same time with lower texture, stylised graphics, or you can see three foot in front of you, only have 5 other characters, an NPC and a tree on your screen at any given time that all look really, really nice with higher texture, realistic graphics.

Tbph, it's becoming apparent that developers of all genres and types are beginning to move away from making things look real in their game. The quest for reality has become the mission of the few, not of the many.

The client size is easily avoidable by downloading high-resolution client or low-resolution client like LOTRO and Eve do. Besides, its not the quality of the graphics that concern most people, its the style. The style is too "flashy", too "bright", too "fantasy". Its not sci-fi enough.

got to admit that I too think these look more like mislabeled concept art rather than actual screenshots

and that they do look very cartoony(especially the miranda) when compared with the screenshots of eve or jumpgate evolution

hoping these are just alpha screens and not the style they are aiming for

Saying sci fi and cartoons don't go together is like saying milk and oreos don't go together.  There IS a cartoon Star Trek series out there with Shatner, Nimoy, Kelley, et. al. 

I didn't care much for WoW's graphics either but that didn't stop me.  The gameplay is FAR more important.  WAR, Vanguard and AoC focused way too much money/time/resources on graphics and too little on everything else and it shows.

That said, these screenshots look awesome.

http://www.startrekonline.com/screenshots

I'd have to agree that these screenshots look more like something you would see in a graphic novel, but I just watched the STO video trailer, and the ships in it look just fine to me -- maybe not as polished as EVE, but still very believable.  I have to think that as these ships get more refined, they'll more closely resemble the ones in the trailer.

We just have to remember that these are works in progress, and Cryptic is throwing us a bone by letting us peek at the game while it's still being designed.