Star Trek Online: Difference between revisions
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On January 14, 2008, Perpetual announced that it was no longer developing ''Star Trek Online''. The license for the game and all of its assets except for the code were transferred to another developer, now known to be Cryptic Studios.<ref>[http://www.warcry.com/articles/view/breakingnews/2802-Breaking-News-P2-Out-As-Star-Trek-Online-Developer WarCry: P2 Out As Star Trek Online Developer]</ref><ref>[http://blog.wired.com/games/2008/01/star-trek-onlin.html Star Trek Online Developers Dropped]</ref> |
On January 14, 2008, Perpetual announced that it was no longer developing ''Star Trek Online''. The license for the game and all of its assets except for the code were transferred to another developer, now known to be Cryptic Studios.<ref>[http://www.warcry.com/articles/view/breakingnews/2802-Breaking-News-P2-Out-As-Star-Trek-Online-Developer WarCry: P2 Out As Star Trek Online Developer]</ref><ref>[http://blog.wired.com/games/2008/01/star-trek-onlin.html Star Trek Online Developers Dropped]</ref> |
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==Contest Controversies== |
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Cryptic has held several community contests that award a garaunteed slot in the closed Beta<ref name="Contest Winners"> [http://www.startrekonline.com/contest_winners Contest Winners], Contest Winners, February 4, 2009. </ref>. The latest involved a contest to tell the story of a new alien species<ref name="Alien Identification Contest"> [http://startrekonline.com/node/189 Alien Identification Contest], Star Trek Online Website, March 4, 2009. </ref>. The contest rules stipulated that the entry could not be more than 300 words<ref name="Alien Identification Contest Rules"> [http://startrekonline.com/contest/alien Alien Identification Contest Rules], Star Trek Online Website, March 4, 2009. </ref>, yet the winning story was 609 words<ref name="Alien Identification Contest Winner"> [http://startrekonline.com/node/205 Alien Identification Contest Winner], Star Trek Online Website, March 24, 2009. </ref>. Many in the community were upset by the fact that the judges not only ignored their own contest rules, but actually blamed the community for being upset<ref name="Developer Post on Star Trek Online Forums1"> [http://forums.startrekonline.com/showthread.php?p=430443#post430443 Developer Post on Star Trek Online Forums], Star Trek Online Website, March 25, 2009. </ref>. The Dev team has since appologized to the community and stated that future contest winners will be selected by random lottery<ref name="Developer Post on Star Trek Online Forums2"> [http://forums.startrekonline.com/showthread.php?p=430579#post430579 Developer Post on Star Trek Online Forums], Star Trek Online Website, March 25, 2009. </ref>. |
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==References== |
==References== |
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Revision as of 19:27, 25 March 2009
| Star Trek Online | |
|---|---|
| File:Startrekonline.png | |
| Developer(s) | Cryptic Studios |
| Publisher(s) | Atari |
| Engine | Cryptic engine[1] |
| Platform(s) | PC, Xbox 360 |
| Release | TBA |
| Genre(s) | MMORPG |
| Mode(s) | Persistent world |
Star Trek Online is the working title of an MMORPG set in the Star Trek science fiction universe and being developed by Cryptic Studios, after taking over development from Perpetual Entertainment in January 2008.
Current development
Cryptic Studios officially announced its development of Star Trek Online on July 28, 2008, as a countdown timer on Cryptic's web site reached zero and the new official site was launched. [2] A letter was sent out from Jack Emmert, the game's online producer, detailing some aspects of Cryptic's approach. [3]
Previously, on January 15, 2008, Warcry Network reported that Perpetual Entertainment, the game's earlier developer, had ceased work on the title. The license and other assets were transferred to another San Francisco Bay Area development studio.[4] The new developer was unnamed at first, but several clues pointed toward Cryptic Studios, original developers of the superhero MMORPG City of Heroes.
Conference in Las Vegas
On August 10th, 2008, a conference was held in the Hilton hotel in Las Vegas. Leonard Nimoy and the leader of Cryptic studios revealed the first gameplay trailer, featuring various Federation and Klingon starships in combat with each other and Borg vessels, as well as footage of a Klingon squad boarding a Federation ship's bridge.[5] The release date was not publicly revealed except that it would be less than three years.
Platforms
Cryptic has announced that they will release a Windows version of ST:O, and possibly a version for either the Xbox 360 and/or PlayStation 3, as a "console release" is hinted at in the FAQs on StarTrekOnline.com.[6] During the August 10 Las Vegas conference, Cryptic announced that there would be neither Linux nor Mac versions for the original launch, though they did not rule out the possibility of later releases.[7]
Gameplay and dynamics
According to the official web site[1], each player can be captain of his or her own ship, with explicit mention of a "Federation Captain" and a "Klingon Warrior" as possibilities. It also stated that players will be able to beam down onto the surfaces of different planets "for face-to-face confrontations". Exploration of the inside of starships is also implied.
The first announcement of the game structure took place at a media event in Las Vegas in August 2008. it was announced that players could play as a Starfleet or Klingon officer, or can create entirely new races. Adventures will be possible in space, on planets, or aboard ships.[8][9][10][11] Every player will be captain of their own individual ship; in keeping with naval tradition, anyone who commands a ship, regardless of his or her 'actual' rank, is considered a 'captain'.[6] Their ships will have a number of crewmen who will all be NPCs. [12]
According to an interview by Gamespot with Cryptic Studios' executive producer Craig Zinkievich, there will be references to several famous storylines, ships, and characters from various Star Trek shows. Players will be able to explore uncharted star systems, and might find content which opens up new resources and technologies. Players may find races with various special abilities who can be recruited to the players' crew.[13]
The game will feature two very different combat systems. Away-team missions will feature fast paced "run and gun" combat. Space combat will stress the long-term tactical aspect of combat between capital ships, in concert with the Star Trek storyline, and will entail positioning, shifting power from weapons to shields, and finding various weaknesses.[13]
There might be a Galactic Economy, which would be based on trade, and might fluctuate like a stock market. It will be possible for players to pool resources to form fleets or guilds. Fleets will be able to build space stations, mining platforms, satellites, shipyards, and more. Quests will be issued from Central Command, and players can join together on the ground. Gameplay will be fully co-operative, and dynamic events will be one part of the game. A "system of infinite exploration" will enable players to find and explore random, uncharted planets.[14]
There will be variety of ship classes which can be used by all players. Playable ship classes will not be restricted based on a player's specialty.[15]
Previous development
Until January 2008, Perpetual Entertainment was the developer for Star Trek Online. The studio first acknowledged working on Star Trek Online on September 7, 2004, when Perpetual and Viacom issued a press release.[16] Information from Perpetual was scant, although a few in-engine screenshots were released and Perpetual interacted with potential customers via fan-created message boards.
In late 2007, several rounds of negative news hit in quick succession. In October, Perpetual placed development of its other MMORPG, Gods and Heroes, on hold, despite already being in beta test, to focus resources on Star Trek Online, which was believed to have more revenue potential. Soon after, it was announced that Star Trek Online would have a more "casual" approach, and was considering alternative payment strategies, such as allowing players to spend money on in-game items, instead of paying subscription fees.
In December, Perpetual released Star Trek Online's first two in-game screenshots, one of the space/shipboard environment and one of a planetary combat encounter. In an interview with WarCry Network released with the second screenshot, executive producer Daron Stinnett said that Perpetual had decided to "keep the stylized avatars in a stylized world." Their aim was to "take the look of Star Trek in a new direction whilst staying true to its core values." Stinnett, responding to previous allegations about the team and project shakeup, confirmed that while they were indeed exploring alternate payment methods, no decision had been made in that regard, and nobody had left the team as had been reported.[17]
On January 14, 2008, Perpetual announced that it was no longer developing Star Trek Online. The license for the game and all of its assets except for the code were transferred to another developer, now known to be Cryptic Studios.[18][19]
Contest Controversies
Cryptic has held several community contests that award a garaunteed slot in the closed Beta[20]. The latest involved a contest to tell the story of a new alien species[21]. The contest rules stipulated that the entry could not be more than 300 words[22], yet the winning story was 609 words[23]. Many in the community were upset by the fact that the judges not only ignored their own contest rules, but actually blamed the community for being upset[24]. The Dev team has since appologized to the community and stated that future contest winners will be selected by random lottery[25].
References
Footnotes
- ^ a b http://www.startrekonline.com/about_star_trek_online
- ^ Cryptic Studios Confirmed For Star Trek Online, Gamasutra news, July 28, 2008.
- ^ producer's letter, accessed 7/29/08.
- ^ Dana Massey (2008-01-15). "P2 Out As Star Trek Online Developer". Warcry Network.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: year (link) - ^ Gameplay trailer.
- ^ a b Star Trek Online official FAQ, at game website.
- ^ Forum thread detailing the Las Vegas conference, accessed 8/10/08.
- ^ New Enterprise: Online ‘Trek’, by DERRIK J. LANG, Associated Press via Miami Herald, Sunday, August 10, 2008.
- ^ Newsfactor article Barry Levine, newsfactor.com, Mon Aug 11, via yahoo news.
- ^ Online 'Star Trek' game coming soon, by DERRIK J. LANG, Conn Post, August 8, 2008.
- ^ Star Trek Online Unveiled:First gameplay trailer released, by Charles Onyett, ign.com, August 10, 2008.
- ^ Ask Cryptic article, 9/17/08.
- ^ a b Interview with Craig Zinkievich, Cryptic Studios' executive producer, By Staff, GameSpot, Posted Aug 10, 2008 2:00 pm PT. (Star Trek Online Q&A - Overview, New Developer, Early DetailsWe sit down with developer Cryptic Studios to discuss this upcoming massively multiplayer online game based on the classic sci-fi universe.)
- ^ Star Trek Online out within three years by Rob Purchese, erogamer.net, August 11, 2008.
- ^ Star Trek Online: Ask Cryptic, posted by Suzie Ford, cryptic.com, September 17, 2008.
- ^ http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/gaming/online/article/6630.html
- ^ WarCry - Interview with Daron Stinnett
- ^ WarCry: P2 Out As Star Trek Online Developer
- ^ Star Trek Online Developers Dropped
- ^ Contest Winners, Contest Winners, February 4, 2009.
- ^ Alien Identification Contest, Star Trek Online Website, March 4, 2009.
- ^ Alien Identification Contest Rules, Star Trek Online Website, March 4, 2009.
- ^ Alien Identification Contest Winner, Star Trek Online Website, March 24, 2009.
- ^ Developer Post on Star Trek Online Forums, Star Trek Online Website, March 25, 2009.
- ^ Developer Post on Star Trek Online Forums, Star Trek Online Website, March 25, 2009.
Notations
- Podcast/Audio Interview with Ryan Denning , Lead Concept Artist for STO on April 1st 2007 at Hailing Frequency 'The Internets First Podcast Dedicated to Star Trek Gaming'
- Podcast/Audio Interview with Daron Stinnett, Executive Producer for STO on September 17th 2006 at Hailing Frequency 'The Internets First Podcast Dedicated to Star Trek Gaming'
- Podcast/Audio Interview with Daron Stinnett, Executive Producer for STO on March 12th 2006 at Hailing Frequency 'The Internets First Podcast Dedicated to Star Trek Gaming'
See also
External links
Official
- StarTrekOnline.com The official Star Trek Online MMORPG site by its developers at Cryptic Studios.