Massively

Zinkievich returns to the bridge of Star Trek Online and Cryptic

Eliot Lefebvre — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, MMO industry, News items, Star Trek Online

After charting the course to bring Star Trek Online to launch and through its early operation, Craig Zinkievich pulled a Captain Pike and left the game for greener pastures. Those pastures apparently weren't quite so green after all, as a recent interview with Daniel Stahl has confirmed that Zinkievich is back at Cryptic Studios once again as the COO. (The point is made almost as an aside at about 10:30 into the video.)

Fan reaction on the thread has been mixed, to say the least, but Stahl himself chimed in to say once more that he was happy to be working with Zinkievich again and that it should have no effect on the pace of updates. While there have been some fan misgivings, in the COO capacity Zinkievich is likely to have other responsibilities beyond solely overseeing Star Trek Online's continued development. Whether or not fans will join Stahl in welcoming Zinkievich back to the company remains to be seen.

Zinkievich returns to the bridge of Star Trek Online and Cryptic originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 08 Apr 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Perfect Ten: The movers and shakers of 2010

Justin Olivetti — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Age of Conan, Lord of the Rings Online, MapleStory, MMO industry, Star Trek Online, Guild Wars 2, Mabinogi, Champions Online, DC Universe Online, Star Wars: The Old Republic, RIFT, Vindictus, Perfect Ten, Miscellaneous

Even though MMOs are the products of great teams of talented workers -- from sound artists to writers -- it's inevitable that a few of the people behind the curtain step out into the limelight. It's a smart move, really; it provides a personal face for people to associate with the game, it keeps messages consistent, and it draws any potential hate onto one person instead of the team at large.

It stands to reason that these public figures end up being some of the major movers and shakers in the industry because of their high-profile positions. From CEOs to community managers, these are the people with power to make decisions, the voice to change opinions, and the personalities to inspire millions.

Oh, that last sentence is pure poetry. Let's re-read it again, shall we?

So in our last Perfect Ten of the year, I've asked the Massively team to compile a list of the 10 biggest MMO movers and shakers of this year. All of these people now owe us cupcakes of gratitude. (Legal Disclaimer: This does not signify a binding cupcake-blogger contract.)

Continue reading The Perfect Ten: The movers and shakers of 2010

The Perfect Ten: The movers and shakers of 2010 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Captain's Log: Star Trek Online's year in review

Ryan Greene — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Opinion, Star Trek Online, Captain's Log

Welcome back, Capsloggers! (Note: professional nicknamer here, available for all your mascot-imagining, brand-revamping needs.) I hope you've all had a merry merry and a happy happy so far. And if you haven't, then keep it to yourself, because Massively is no place to be sad.

Now the calendar's just one page, and of course I am excited. Tomorrow is New Year's Eve, and the end of the year means end-of-the-year lists! As we all know, 2010 has been a big year for Star Trek Online, from its release in February to the introduction of Season 3 just this month. Skip away with me down the Memory Brick Road as we recall the biggest STO stories of the year!

Continue reading Captain's Log: Star Trek Online's year in review

Captain's Log: Star Trek Online's year in review originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Perfect Ten: Most controversial MMO stories of 2010

Justin Olivetti — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Sci-fi, Dungeons and Dragons Online, EVE Online, Lord of the Rings Online, Warhammer Online, Opinion, Star Trek Online, Free-to-play, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Final Fantasy XIV, Alganon, Allods Online, Perfect Ten

Well, this is it, folks. The end of the year. A time of reflection, of massive weight gain and of lists. Man, we like our lists, do we not? Fortunately, at Perfect Ten Industries, we've been excelling in lists for months now. Frankly, we're just getting warmed up!

While 2010 may not have been much to write home about in terms of newly launched MMOs, there was more than enough controversy to keep the discussion brewing for months. MMOs are big business, and when every move you make is closely scrutinized by millions of gamers, there's no room to slip up unless you like forum hyenas pouncing all over you, snapping and snarling at your faulty flesh.

So let's take a jaunt down our top 10 list of the most controversial stories of 2010 on Massively, keeping in mind that it was devilishly hard just to keep this list to 10 at all. What's a week without being riled up about pixels and polygons, after all?

Continue reading The Perfect Ten: Most controversial MMO stories of 2010

The Perfect Ten: Most controversial MMO stories of 2010 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 16 Dec 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Captain's Log: Nine months of Star Trek Online

Ryan Greene — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Opinion, Star Trek Online, Captain's Log

Guess who's nine months old? Think red shirts, warp coils and forehead ridges. Think of your favorite Cryptic Studios-published space MMO.

That's right! Star Trek Online is celebrating a birthday this week. (OK, it actually happened last week, but who's counting? You there -- stop counting!) We here at Massively like to check in on our games every few months to reminisce about the past, recap the present and ruminate on the future. Let us away!

Continue reading Captain's Log: Nine months of Star Trek Online

Captain's Log: Nine months of Star Trek Online originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Nov 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Captain's Log: Starship interiors and hints of the future

Ryan Greene — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Patches, Opinion, Star Trek Online, Captain's Log, Guides

Oh, hi there, readers! You'll have to excuse me; I was just enjoying a little quiet time in my quarters. My starship quarters. Inside my starship. Because I have those now.

Yes, among many other features, Season 2: Ancient Enemies introduced starship interiors to Star Trek Online. Continuing from last week's discussion of diplomacy, one of Season 2's other big additions, I thought we'd spend this edition of Captain's Log examining ship interiors. Plus, we'll take a special side trip into the future to consider what else STO fans can look forward to -- in the future!

Continue reading Captain's Log: Starship interiors and hints of the future

Captain's Log: Starship interiors and hints of the future originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Captain's Log: Six months of Star Trek Online

Ryan Greene — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, MMO industry, Opinion, Star Trek Online, Captain's Log

Grab a party hat and some confetti, because it's time for an extra-special edition of Captain's Log. This week, we put aside recent tribble-ations in favor of some celebration: Star Trek Online is six months old!

Can you believe Cryptic Studios' STO went live half a year ago? This Monday marks the big anniversary, and it sure has been a bumpy ride getting here. Awash in new content, and occasionally mired in controversy, STO is older and wiser now. So let's scoop up the sands of time with our beach pail of reminiscence, as we fondly recall the past six months of STO.

Continue reading Captain's Log: Six months of Star Trek Online

Captain's Log: Six months of Star Trek Online originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Jul 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Captain's Log: Pondering Star Trek Online's executive shakeup

Ryan Greene — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, MMO industry, Opinion, Star Trek Online, Captain's Log

Lieutenant, take the helm! It's time for another edition of Captain's Log, our regular foray into the farthest reaches of Star Trek Online. The big bombshell of the week -- no, not that one -- has left your humble captain with a serious case of the vapors, so allow me a moment to collect myself.

Unless you've been hiding on the holodeck for days -- a wise choice, given the circumstances here on Earth -- you surely have heard the news: STO Executive Producer Craig Zinkievich is gone, baby, gone. According to Zinkievich's farewell letter, Daniel Stahl, formerly a producer on STO, has taken the helm in his place.

I thought we'd briefly discuss Zinkievich's departure before moving on Stahl's recent video interview with the STOked podcast crew, where he dropped some delicious hints about future content and provided insight into his mindset as STO's head honcho.

Continue reading Captain's Log: Pondering Star Trek Online's executive shakeup

Captain's Log: Pondering Star Trek Online's executive shakeup originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Jul 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Craig Zinkievich leaving Star Trek Online's bridge

Krystalle Voecks — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 15:15:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, MMO industry, News items, Star Trek Online

We'll take "things we didn't see coming" for 5000, Alex. What would that be? Well, in a nutshell, Craig Zinkievich, Executive Producer on Star Trek Online and seven-year vet of Cryptic Studios, has announced his plans to step down. The long open-letter posted on the Star Trek Online official site is titled "What you leave behind" and indicates that his intent is to "take a break" allowing him to enjoy "hanging out with [his] kids over the summer, walking [his] goat more and taking care of [his] bees."

As to just what his plans for the future are, and whether or not they may involve a return to Cryptic Studios in the future, he does not say. In the meantime, Daniel Stahl will step into his position as Star Trek Online's new Executive Producer. According to both Zinkievich's note and Stahl's own profile on the STO site, the game's future trajectory appears to be in capable hands. We wish Zinkievich the best with his children and his goaty kids -- and may he especially never wind up covered in bees.

Craig Zinkievich leaving Star Trek Online's bridge originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Jul 2010 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Make love not war: STO's Craig Zinkievich shows off the Federation Diplomatic Corps

Justin Olivetti — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Interviews, Star Trek Online

As everyone knows in the television business, the second season of a show is usually tons better than the first (unless it's Heroes, for some reason). Considering how well Star Trek Online's Season One update was received across the community, the STO team has a lot of work to do to meet and exceed that standard with the upcoming Season Two. Cryptic plans to roll out one of these bigger updates every three months, which puts Season Two smack in the middle of July.

ZAM caught executive producer Craig Zinkievich on the way to his ready room for a chat about Season Two. The big discussion revolves around the launch of the Federation Diplomatic Corps, an effort to provide an additional emphasis on exploration, diplomacy and anthropology that STO's combat-centric gameplay has so far been lacking. Apparently, players will have to rise through the diplomatic ranks almost like a separate leveling system as they engage in first contacts and the like. We'll just have to wait and see if they introduce a "lengthy patronizing Picard-style speech" as one of the skills.

Zinkievich also pontificated on ship interiors and the new Dabo minigame, both of which are much-requested features to help Star Trek Online feel more, well, Trekky. You can get your captain on by reading the full interview over at ZAM.

Make love not war: STO's Craig Zinkievich shows off the Federation Diplomatic Corps originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 24 Jun 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Captain's Log: Difficulty settings and the injury system

Ryan Greene — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Opinion, Star Trek Online, Captain's Log, Guides

Ahoy, fellow officers! I trust you all enjoyed your long weekend of shore leave and sightseeing. And I hope those of you not morally opposed to microtransactions took advantage of the C-Store sale -- I'm still waiting for Cryptic Studios to add playable Catullans, complete with space grooviness.

So, with spirits and warp cores recharged, it's time again for Captain's Log, Massively's weekly voyage into the far reaches of Star Trek Online. Last week, we learned about selecting your first starship. This week, let's talk about what happens when you get that ship blown to smithereens. Brace yourself, because we're about to explore the exciting world of difficulty sliders and death penalties!

Continue reading Captain's Log: Difficulty settings and the injury system

Captain's Log: Difficulty settings and the injury system originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 Jun 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Star Trek Online warps to the next frontier in the latest State of the Game

Justin Olivetti — Sat, 22 May 2010 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Patches, Previews, Star Trek Online

Like dogged engineers in Jefferies tubes, Cryptic's crew have been working feverishly to tune up Star Trek Online to optimal performance. They haven't been quiet about communicating their accomplishments and intentions, either. As part of their ongoing efforts to keep players in the loop regarding STO improvements, a new State of the Game announcement was released yesterday to look at the past, present and future of the title.

After listing their accomplishments so far, Executive Producer Craig Zinkievich runs down a bullet point list of imminent additions to the game. Season 2 is almost here, and with it new minigames (such as Dabo), the Federation Diplomatic Corps (non-combat missions), weekly episodes, a level cap increase to Vice Admiral 1 and ship interiors. Many other features that are "coming soon" include the Accolade feature and the Squad system -- the latter giving players of different levels the ability to temporarily adjust levels to facilitate grouping.

Perhaps the most intriguing part of this already-packed State of the Game is a look at the not-so-distant future of STO, as Zinkievich teases a new faction (although no decisions have been made) and "user-generated content" of an unspecified nature. Read the full report and let Starfleet know how they're doing!

Star Trek Online warps to the next frontier in the latest State of the Game originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 22 May 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Captain's Log: A look into the future of Star Trek Online

Ryan Greene — Thu, 13 May 2010 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Patches, Opinion, Star Trek Online, Captain's Log

Hello again, everyone! Welcome to another installment of Captain's Log, our weekly dose of Star Trek Online goodness. I trust you all had a fine time with Captain Trout last week, learning about the Klingon beginner's experience. While you were gone, the lovely engineers on the U.S.S. Bob Wiley have installed a brandy new graphics processor, so we're back up and running!

Cryptic Studios have had a busy week or so with STO. First came their big push to welcome back players, which included a free weekend for lapsed subscribers. Then came the exciting news of Cryptic's development plans for the next three months. And today saw the release of an update to Season 1.1, which includes much-needed Memory Alpha improvements and the somewhat-delayed fourth Special Task Force mission, Undine Terradome. I want to take this opportunity to highlight some of the incoming content that could make this the summer of STO -- and to ponder a few roadblocks that might get in the way.

Continue reading Captain's Log: A look into the future of Star Trek Online

Captain's Log: A look into the future of Star Trek Online originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 May 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Dabo, Klingon missions, and diplomacy heading for Star Trek Online

Eliot Lefebvre — Fri, 07 May 2010 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Game mechanics, Interviews, Patches, Star Trek Online

There are a lot of things to expect out of Star Trek Online, including things that weren't in the game at launch which made some people rather unhappy. The game has passed its three-month mark, however, and seems to be doing fairly well for itself with updates coming at a steady clip. Executive Producer Craig Zinkievich recently sat down for an interview in which he discussed some of the upcoming content for the game, including the ever-popular pastime of any Deep Space 9 occupant: Dabo, the nebulously-defined gambling game that involved large sums of money and attractive Bajoran attendants.

Beyond that, the staff is working on Memory Alpha and tweaking the difficulty of the special task forces, which they felt were just about right for the high end and a bit too difficult for the average player. They've also got the beginnings of plans for Season 2, including a raise to the skill point cap, Klingon Episodes, and a Federation diplomatic corps. The next update is tenatively scheduled for July. For more details on what the future is currently slated to hold for Star Trek Online, take a look at the full interview.

Dabo, Klingon missions, and diplomacy heading for Star Trek Online originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 May 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Captain's Log: Three months of Star Trek Online

Ryan Greene — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Guides, Opinion, Star Trek Online, Captain's Log

Welcome, one and all, to another edition of Captain's Log, our weekly column on everyone's favorite Star Trek MMO, Star Trek Online. I'm afraid I must renege once again on my promise to tackle the Klingon beginner experience. But I forgot that Cryptic Studios' latest MMO will be 3 months old this Sunday!

That's right! STO launched a whopping three months ago, on Feb. 2, 2010. Why, it feels like just yesterday that my newly created Bajoran Science Officer took his first laggy footsteps on Earth Starbase in search of Commander Sulu. As we are wont to do with our favorite games here at Massively, let's look back at STO's first few months and take stock of its past, present and future.

Continue reading Captain's Log: Three months of Star Trek Online

Captain's Log: Three months of Star Trek Online originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Apr 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Captain's Log: The advisory council and fan service in Star Trek Online

Ryan Greene — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Opinion, Star Trek Online, Captain's Log

Hard to port! Disruptors on full! Fire the tachyon beam! Oh, hello again. Welcome back to Captain's Log, Massively's weekly -- y'know what, hang on. These Cardassians are being a real pain in the toukas. Yes, Ensign, some torpedoes would be fabulous right about now. And you wonder why I haven't promoted you.

Sorry about that. This is Captain's Log, where I administer your weekly dose of Star Trek Online news, analysis and meaningless conjecture every Thursday. At least until the Massively overlords relegate me to the spice mines of Kessel. Oh, wait...

After discussing Season One and the joy of Fleet Actions, I have two items on this week's agenda. First, I thought I'd introduce myself! It's silly to read the Captain's Log without knowing who the captain is, right? After that I'll discuss STO's hot topic du jour, the Advisory Council, and whether fan service will kill or save Cryptic's spacefaring MMO.

Continue reading Captain's Log: The advisory council and fan service in Star Trek Online

Captain's Log: The advisory council and fan service in Star Trek Online originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Apr 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Captain's Log: Pros and cons of Season One

Ryan Greene — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Guides, Patches, Opinion, Star Trek Online, Captain's Log

Hailing frequencies open. Testing. Is this thing on? Yes, Lieutenant, I'm pushing the-- ah! Greetings and salutations, fellow Starfleet officers! And a hearty nuqneH to all you Klingons out there. Welcome back to Captain's Log, the weekly Star Trek Online column here at Massively. After a few weeks of tuning down in Engineering, Captain's Log is back, shinier than ever, with a new captain at the helm. Now let's set sail before the admirals at Massively reassign me to replicator cleanup duty. You've never seen a mess until you've seen someone order haggis and Ferengi snail juice.

Federation and Klingon captains all over the galaxy have reason to rejoice. Thursday saw the release of Season One: Common Ground, one of the first really huge content patches for Star Trek Online. The patch introduces a bevy of features, including new fleet actions, a new task-force mission and more stuff for Klingons to do.

Continue reading Captain's Log: Pros and cons of Season One

Captain's Log: Pros and cons of Season One originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 26 Mar 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Star Trek Online and the breadth of content

Eliot Lefebvre — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Game mechanics, New titles, Patches, Star Trek Online

If you're a fan of the franchise, there are things that you likely want to be in Star Trek Online that aren't there yet. Ship interiors, missions taking place on board the ship, improved ground combat, diplomatic missions... it's not a difficult list to fill out. Executive producer Craig Zinkievich conducted a recent interview in which he was taken to task on several of these points, which he responded to in a fairly straightforward fashion. The short answer is that it's not a lack of want from the team, just a matter of time and resources to be invested.

For example, as he points out, ship interiors (a much called-for feature) can post a slight problem due to the nature of the ships. Galaxy-class starships are the size of a small city, so they want to incorporate the feature in a way that makes it a meaningful use of a player's time. The interview covers a range of topics from exploration and diplomacy to shoring up the weaker points of combat (mostly ground combat, as players would expect). Take a look for a few more ideas about the future direction of Star Trek Online, up to and beyond the upcoming "Common Ground" content patch.

Star Trek Online and the breadth of content originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 25 Mar 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Star Trek Online locks phasers on Season One: Common Ground

Justin Olivetti — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 23:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Patches, Star Trek Online

On March 18, it's do or die for the Federation, as Cryptic's first major content patch -- Season One: Common Ground -- promises to hit Star Trek Online's live servers. Love 'em or hate 'em, the STO dev team looks to live up to their word on "walking the talk" by pumping out more content that players crave.

We didn't think there could be any news more exciting than a brand-new faction coming to STO, but Season One might just top it with a heap of new goodies. In addition, Cryptic's Craig Zinkievich released a new State of the Game report to address player concerns and the course STO is heading for over the next few months. There's even a new video entitled "Expanding Universe, Part I" that gives players a sneak peek into this brave new patch.

Engage thrusters, mister, and we'll break it down for you after the jump.

Continue reading Star Trek Online locks phasers on Season One: Common Ground

Star Trek Online locks phasers on Season One: Common Ground originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 12 Mar 2010 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

GDC10: A chat with Cryptic's Bill Roper and Craig Zinkievich

Justin Olivetti — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: Events, real-world, Star Trek Online, Champions Online

As two of the most public figures at Cryptic Studios, Bill Roper (Champions Online) and Craig Zinkievich (Star Trek Online) are typically at the forefront of controversy, adulation and speculation. At GDC 2010, Massively sat down with the pair to discuss what it's like working for Cryptic, how they deal with the ups and downs of being game developers, and the pressure of handling the future of two hot MMORPG franchises.

Massively: How do the Champions and STO teams collaborate between each other?

Bill Roper: I think it's really good the way the company interacts back and forth -- "Hey, this worked for us, you guys should do that too." "This totally didn't work for us, don't do that, do something different."

Craig Zinkievich: "Hey, you know, about three-and-a-half weeks after launch, don't have a free 90-day promo! Don't do that! That didn't work well!" [Laughs]

Continue reading GDC10: A chat with Cryptic's Bill Roper and Craig Zinkievich

GDC10: A chat with Cryptic's Bill Roper and Craig Zinkievich originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

GDC10: New playable faction and more coming to Star Trek Online

Rubi Bayer — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:55:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Classes, News items, Star Trek Online

We spent some time talking with Cryptic's Craig Zinkievich at GDC today, and got some fun new information on Star Trek Online.

The most exciting thing was news of a new playable faction in Star Trek Online. We can expect that sometime "within the year", and we as players get to help decide. Borg, Romulan, it's up to you guys. Zinkievich says: There's a huge amount of the dev team right now interested in doing Romulan. I think the Borg would be really interesting as just something totally different, totally different gameplay. There are a lot of really cool mechanics, a lot of really cool things you can do there. Really, if you're in the MMO for the long haul, there are going to be a lot more playable factions, you can't stop with those two. There's Jem'Hadar, you're going to be going to the Dominion, there's Cardassians [...] so many playable factions that we can and will be releasing with the game.

Cryptic is looking at the next big update to arrive for Star Trek Online around July, with another possibly near November: "We know that we just had a player survey when you first arrive at the site, and, like, ship interiors. [Players] want a whole lot more there, want a whole lot more functionality, why are other players coming to my ship, what's going on there? So we're making sure in July that's one of the things that we do. There's a big huge outcry for first contact missions, diplomacy missions, more non-combat within Star Trek, so we're really making sure with that July update we're really focusing on that."

It sounds like we can look for a lot of new content tailored to what the community wants coming with the July update, so we'll be keeping a very close eye out for more information. (There was brief mention of the Horta being a playable race as well. We can only hope.)

GDC10: New playable faction and more coming to Star Trek Online originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Star Trek Online Executive Producer discusses game creation

Rubi Bayer — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Game mechanics, News items, Star Trek Online

Star Trek Online Executive Producer Craig Zinkievich has been busy lately, and not just with working behind the scenes at Cryptic. Last week he found time for two interviews covering where Star Trek Online has been and where they're going.

He spoke with MMOHub and Altern8 at length, discussing the ideas and thoughts behind many of the decisions made when creating the game. As a long-time Star Trek fan, Zinkievich "jumped and did a little dance" when the opportunity to get the license came through, and it's no secret that he's been having a great time producing the game.

From the overall feel of the Star Trek Online world right down to small details such as the realism of stellar phenomena in the background, the entire STO team has definite ideas on how they want the game to work. Both interviews give a good look at the inner workings of the team.

Continue reading Star Trek Online Executive Producer discusses game creation

Star Trek Online Executive Producer discusses game creation originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Boldly going where you can't currently go: Star Trek team interested in expanding ship interiors

Seraphina Brennan — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: At a glance, Sci-fi, Interviews, News items, Star Trek Online

You can visit the furthest reaches of space, but you can't actually visit your own engine room. You can travel great distances across the universe, but you can't walk that 20 feet outside of your bridge. Restrictive, no?

Well, Trek fans should be interested to hear that Craig Zinkievich, Star Trek Online's executive producer, has recently mentioned to IncGamers that he is interested in fleshing out more of the interior of the player's starship, giving them more room to walk around and get a feel for their ship. Plus, you know, it's only been requested by the players at least 40 billion times.

"Anything we can do to make the game feel even more like Star Trek is something we want to do. So, definitely, we want to give people more of their ship," Zinkievich told IncGamers. "This is one of those things we want to get perfect before introducing it to players, though it's going to be an undertaking."

[Via The Escapist]

Boldly going where you can't currently go: Star Trek team interested in expanding ship interiors originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 15 Feb 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Star Trek Online's producer: "In hindsight, it was pretty darn risky"

Eliot Lefebvre — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Game mechanics, Interviews, New titles, Star Trek Online

Star Trek Online hit some pretty major windfalls, even disregarding the fact that it's built on a popular intellectual property with legions of dedicated fans. It launched during a timeframe when there were no other major releases scheduled, came out not too long after a very popular movie in the franchise, and caught a lot of exposure with its open beta. And as executive producer Craig Zinkievich points out in a new interview, the entire operation relied not just on hard work, but also on luck.

The full interview confirms that the whole game had a two-year development cycle -- an astonishingly short turnaround for a game starting, essentially, from nothing -- and details the scope of problems that the staff had to deal with. The game included a number of major departures from expected norms, up to and including divorcing the player from their avatar to a greater extent than normal and creating two different combat systems with just one team on the assignment.

Whether or not you're happy with the end result is a matter of personal opinion, but Zinkievich is quite pleased with what the team produced operating under their several constraints. He also details some of the planned enhancements for Star Trek Online in the near future, which promises to be a bit less risky and a bit more straightforward.

[Thanks to Randomessa for the tip!]

Star Trek Online's producer: "In hindsight, it was pretty darn risky" originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Feb 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Captain's Log: Community guide to Star Trek Online

Brandon Felczer — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Guides, Opinion, Star Trek Online, Captain's Log

Captain's Log, Supplemental, Stardate 64684.5...

As you all know, we here at Massively are dedicated to keeping you up-to-date on all the latest MMO news as well as entertaining you to your wits' end. Over the past year, our Star Trek Online coverage has been phenomenal, including the introduction of our weekly column, Captain's Log. As I mentioned in my first entry, I am honored to be a part of the team and to bring STO out of the dark recesses of space and onto your (computer, iWhatever, etc.) screens. When the game first launched, the original Community Guide to STO came to fruition as well -- since then, many things have changed, so it is time for an update.

Beyond the jump, you will find an ever-evolving list of podcasts, fansites, dev blogs, Twitter accounts, and more. As things further change, I will be updating this guide, so keep it bookmarked! Got a new STO podcast you want everyone to hear? Working on a fansite for the community? Found something that everyone else should know? Let me know by sending the info in to brandon@massively.com.

Ensign, warp 10! Let's get these players updated on their resources...

Continue reading Captain's Log: Community guide to Star Trek Online

Captain's Log: Community guide to Star Trek Online originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 15 Jan 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

New Star Trek Online video shows tactical combat, UI

Adam Holisky — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Video, New titles, Star Trek Online

Cryptic has released the first part of a series looking at the tactical ship combat in Star Trek Online. It's definitely worth watching, especially if you've been following the progression of Star Trek Online's combat development; in this regards it's nice to finally see some in-game action as we'll experience it when STO releases in February.

There are a few points that STO Director of Production Craig Zinkievich, Game Designer Zeke Sparkes, and Producer Daniel Stahl make which are worth noting. We've already heard most of it, but the in-game footage demonstrates most of these concepts nicely.

You can watch the video above, or head over to our sister site Big Download to grab the hi res version. The hi res version of this video is worth it.

After the break we'll take a look at the major points, as well as talk about some of the high resolution screen grabs of the UI shown in the video.

Gallery: Star Trek Online Beta User Interface

Continue reading New Star Trek Online video shows tactical combat, UI

New Star Trek Online video shows tactical combat, UI originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Make it so: Star Trek Online to feature ship bridges

Seraphina Brennan — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, News items, Star Trek Online

Yes, you read the title right! You're also not hallucinating the picture above either! You can actually sit on the bridge of your ship in Star Trek Online!

It appears Cryptic has decided to add the infamous setting to STO for players to enjoy as a social destination -- a hang out for bridge officers and visiting captains from other vessels. The Associated Press has reported that the game will feature 20 bridges at launch, giving even the most discerning captains their own pick on bridge design.

Regarding the addition of bridges, Craig Zinkievich, the executive producer of Star Trek Online, told the AP, "We didn't want to have interiors at launch. We thought it was just a little bit too much. We really wanted to make sure we delivered a really deep experience, but your bridge not being in the game, it really felt like a hole in the game, and it was just something that we had to put in."

We'll try to get you a more high resolution screenshot later, but for now, enjoy this brief glimpse at your future command chair.

Edit: We've added a new, larger picture, and three shots of the bridges to our STO gallery!

Gallery: Star Trek Online Gallery

[Thanks, Chris!]

Make it so: Star Trek Online to feature ship bridges originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Massively's Star Trek Online beta interview

Kyle Horner — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, News items, Star Trek Online, Massively Interviews

With beta now beginning, we shot some relevant questions at Cryptic's Craig Zinkievich, executive producer on Star Trek Online. He gave us his insight on what the team's goals are during beta and what some of their toughest challenges were from their point of view. Plus, we even got him to spill the beans on when Klingons would be entering the fray for beta testers -- hopefully the rest of us get to see and hear more about the warrior race soon thereafter.

It's a short interview, mostly because we kept our questions on topic and well, also because we didn't want to distract Craig from working on his game for very long. Someone's got to work on fulfilling our childhood fantasies!

Continue reading Massively's Star Trek Online beta interview

Massively's Star Trek Online beta interview originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 31 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

What voice does for MMOs

Eliot Lefebvre — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Opinion, Star Trek Online, Virtual worlds, Star Wars: The Old Republic

One of the big claims about Star Wars: the Old Republic is that the game is meant to be fully voiced, from start to finish. On the flip side, Star Trek Online will not be fully voiced -- in fact, its executive producer Craig Zinkievich recently made some statements asking more or less what the point of voice acting in the game really is. To quote: "It adds something to the game, but I don't think that VO-ing all of your text provides for that big a bang for the buck in terms of immersion."

Bio Break seems to disagree rather emphatically. As he points out, voice is one of the most immersive and important parts of a game world in which our immersion is, by necessity, limited. We can only hear or see what's going on in front of us, which makes the things we hear and see all the more important. (Or makes a USB taste simulator all the more urgent.) He points out, quite rightly, that each of us have at least one or two bosses that we remember more on the strength of their voice acting than because of the fight itself.

Bioware, of course, has long offered a great deal of voice acting in its games. It remains to be seen if the promises of pervasive acting in Star Wars: the Old Republic will be carried out, but the discussion about how important voice is will remain either way. Take a look at the article, and share your thoughts in the comments: is it important that a game have full voiceovers and cutscenes, or is that a distraction without much relevance?

What voice does for MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 24 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Cryptic confirms Star Trek Online first quarter 2010 release

Rubi Bayer — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Launches, New titles, News items, Star Trek Online

Cryptic Studios unveiled Star Trek Online over a year ago, and since then we've had lots of questions. One of the foremost is the same with any highly anticipated game: When? The answer we've been waiting for is finally here: Craig Zinkievich, Star Trek Online's executive producer, confirmed the news to Videogamer.com. "Without giving you the date, which I'm not allowed to give out or else the marketing people will come and smack me in the back of the head, I can tell you that the game will be out the first quarter of 2010."

Possibly risking that smack on the back of the head anyway, Zinkievich went on to give a little more information, mentioning the closed beta. "The closed beta is really just right around the corner. I think that there's a press release that's going to go out in just a couple of days."

We're just as excited as you are, so we'll be keeping a very close eye out for that announcement.

Cryptic confirms Star Trek Online first quarter 2010 release originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Star Trek Online: wouldn't you like to be a Klingon too?

Rubi Bayer — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, New titles, PvP, News items, Star Trek Online, Races

Craig Zinkievich covered a great deal of new information about Star Trek Online in his interview with Eurogamer yesterday, including the burning question "Can I play a Klingon? I want to wield a Bat'leth!" Well, you can. It turns out that Cryptic has put a great deal of thought into this, offering full character advancement as a Klingon and a "drastically different" playing experience.

Klingon gameplay is initially locked, requiring some time to open it, but Zinkievich says it's "not deep in the game." Once unlocked, the Klingon faction will be less story driven than the Federation story line. "The content that they will be experiencing is a lot more focused on PvP -- fighting the Federation, fighting House versus House within the Klingon empire. So it is a full-on character with advancement, with items, with bridge officers as well," says Zinkievich.

While the overall Klingon arc in the game is that of a "bad guy," there will be chances for the Klingon and Federation sides to work together, as well as some good Klingons in the federation. "You can't really make a Star Trek game these days without allowing people to live out their Worf fantasy," said Zinkievich.

He goes into further detail in the full interview.

Star Trek Online: wouldn't you like to be a Klingon too? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 10 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Star Trek Online interview answers questions of combat, grouping, launch, and more

Rubi Bayer — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, Interviews, New titles, Star Trek Online

Cryptic's Star Trek Online has been releasing information on a daily basis and answering many player questions, but fans looking forward to launch are eager for more. Star Trek Online's executive producer Craig Zinkievich talked with Eurogamer today, and offered answers.

Details of player interaction has been one of the biggest questions. How much interaction is possible when it's just you and a ship full of NPCs? STO doesn't disappoint, offering a space station that serves as a central social hub. There is also an over-world view that allows you to see what others in the area are up to, and join up with players pursuing the same things you are.

Zinkievich also addressed ground combat (yes, there is ranged and melee combat and not just phaser fire exchange) and rewards (lots - plenty of upgrades for you, your crew, and your ship), as well as plans for the first year after launch. He also reminds us that launch is planned for early 2010, and that they are still taking beta applications.

The original interview contains more details and more answers -- it's definitely worth reading.

Star Trek Online interview answers questions of combat, grouping, launch, and more originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 10 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

PAX 2009: Hands-on and phasers locked with Star Trek Online part 2

Kyle Horner — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: New titles, Star Trek Online, Massively Hands-on

Continue reading PAX 2009: Hands-on and phasers locked with Star Trek Online part 2

PAX 2009: Hands-on and phasers locked with Star Trek Online part 2 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 08 Sep 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

PAX 2009: Hands-on and phasers locked with Star Trek Online

Kyle Horner — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: New titles, Star Trek Online, Massively Hands-on

We stopped by Cryptic's booth at PAX 2009 for a chance to speak with the Executive Producer for Star Trek Online Craig Zinkievich, and obviously to get our hands on the game as well. Well, turns out our demands were acceptable, and we got to both play the game and prod at Craig with our incessant "questions" for your -- and of course our own -- pleasure.

Cryptic's goal for Star Trek Online is to make players feel like they're inside an episode of Star Trek when they play the game. That's why they call their story-focused missions episodes, and why every one of them deals with both ground and space combat. Our hands-on experience focused on this aspect of the game, and much combat was had by, well, us.

Continue reading PAX 2009: Hands-on and phasers locked with Star Trek Online

PAX 2009: Hands-on and phasers locked with Star Trek Online originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 08 Sep 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Star Trek Online's executive producer sits down for a 25 minute podcast interview

Seraphina Brennan — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Podcasts, Game mechanics, Interviews, Star Trek Online

Star Trek Online's Craig Zinkievich, the executive producer, has taken some time away from work in order to sit down with the guys from the Hailing Frequency podcast.

The podcast interview, spanning a nice length of 25 minutes, features questions geared to Zinkievich's background and early days with Cryptic Studios before moving in and discussing the game at large.

Questions regarding the game design span a huge range of things, including sending over away teams during combat, different type of missile salvos and configurations, how healing and protection is handled during away missions, and the biggest question of them all, can you turn off the engine's trail effect. Very serious Star Trek lore in that last question. (And yes, Craig says there will most likely be a toggle to turn it off.)

If you're interested in more Star Trek Online information, listen in on Hailing Frequency's interview podcast or, if you can't listen, check out the written transcripts.

Star Trek Online's executive producer sits down for a 25 minute podcast interview originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 Aug 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Star Trek Online dev chat explains ship classes and configurations

James Egan — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Classes, PvP, PvE, Star Trek Online

Star Trek Online is a game that's being built upon one of the most popular sci-fi IPs of all time. As such, gamers have certain expectations of the title, particularly when it comes to the ships they'll be flying. As with the Star Trek films and shows, the game will stick to certain ship classes and configurations, but the developers at Cryptic Studios also need to allow for customization within that system -- everyone wants to fly something that's unique in some way. Something that's their own. This customization was the theme of a recent Star Trek Online dev chat with executive producer Craig Zinkievich.

Ships in Star Trek Online will have defined purposes, with Escort (cannons, heavy attack rating), Cruiser (general purpose, large crew), and Science vessels (emphasis on deflector dish 'powers') to be in the game at launch. Of course, you'll be able to modify them in various ways. The producer explains that the customization options won't allow players to drastically alter the look or silhouette of any of the ship classes from Star Trek canon, but you'll definitely have options within your chosen configuration.

Continue reading Star Trek Online dev chat explains ship classes and configurations

Star Trek Online dev chat explains ship classes and configurations originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 16 Jul 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Star Trek Online executive producer on how ship combat will play out

James Egan — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Game mechanics, PvP, PvE, Star Trek Online

Star Trek Online is a game being built upon many years of television and films of the sci-fi IP, which has been packed with hundreds of skirmishes and full-on battles. It's not surprising that a number of gamers who are curious about STO want to know about the game mechanics of space combat in the upcoming MMO, and if they'll be able to do the things they've seen play out on their television screens. This was the focus of yesterday's dev chat at Cryptic Studios, where Star Trek Online executive producer Craig Zinkievich fielded questions from the game community.

Starship navigation in Star Trek Online will allow for a range of movement but it won't be possible for ships to dogfight. (And honestly, should these massive ships really be pulling barrel rolls in combat?) But even the smaller vessels with very different attributes will be subject to limitations in movement, so "there's no strafing, no moving backwards and shooting (kiting)" says Zinkievich. He clarifies this by saying that ships can move in reverse, but doing so wouldn't be useful in combat. So apparently the game will not have Jumpgate Evolution-type scenarios where smaller ships move with blazing speed and agility, as STO combat is by design a more tactical experience.

Continue reading Star Trek Online executive producer on how ship combat will play out

Star Trek Online executive producer on how ship combat will play out originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 17 Jun 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Star Trek Online executive producer Craig Zinkievich discusses ship customization

James Egan — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Game mechanics, Interviews, New titles, Star Trek Online

The concepts behind Star Trek need no introduction to its legion of fans well-versed in the various films and TV incarnations of this particular sci-fi IP. Given how zealous science fiction fans can be about continuations, offshoots, or reboots of their favorite properties, we've been curious about how well Star Trek Online will match up with player expectations, especially given the disappointment some Trekkie gamers have had with older Star Trek titles of the non-MMO variety.

That said, we're always looking to find out more about what Star Trek Online will offer MMO gamers, whether they're Trekkies or not. Cryptic Studios has been releasing bits of the game's lore which we hope will give us an accurate picture of where the game sits in the Star Trek timeline. We've also came across a Star Trek Online interview that might interest you. Gareth Von Kallenbach from Skewed and Reviewed recently interviewed Star Trek Online's executive producer Craig Zinkievich, who discusses some of the customization options that will be available to players in STO.

Continue reading Star Trek Online executive producer Craig Zinkievich discusses ship customization

Star Trek Online executive producer Craig Zinkievich discusses ship customization originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 29 Apr 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

MSNBC video interviews STO executive producer Craig Zinkievich

Jon Shute — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Video, Interviews, New titles, Star Trek Online

MSNBC have released a video interview with executive producer Craig Zinkievich from Cryptic Studios about their upcoming title, Star Trek Online. The video is released at a time of renewed interest in the Star Trek franchise with the latest film, simply called Star Trek, due for release in May.

Star Trek Online is set in the year 2409, which is 30 years after the events of the last Next Generation film, Star Trek: Nemesis, and allows players to take the role of starship captains. In the video Zinkievich explains the basic themes of the title while video showing footage of the game plays alongside footage from the new film. Traditional Star Trek style gameplay is emphasized, with starship combat featuring heavily in the video and Zinkievich focusing on the ability to form away teams of up to four player captains, although if you have less than four then NPCs will take the roles of any slots not taken by other players. These NPCs are bridge officers that you level up and equip who also bring abilities to the space combat side of the game. Finally the fact that Star Trek Online will appeal to all science fiction fans, not just fans of Star Trek is emphasized. You can view the full video over at MSNBC.

MSNBC video interviews STO executive producer Craig Zinkievich originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 21 Apr 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Star Trek Online producer blog explains early choices made in development

James Egan — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Culture, Game mechanics, Lore, MMO industry, Professions, Star Trek Online

One of the massively multiplayer online titles eagerly awaited by sci-fi fans is Star Trek Online, currently in development at Cryptic Studios. Star Trek Online's executive producer Craig Zinkievich has written a dev blog for MMORPG.com titled "Focusing the Experience." Zinkievich discusses that initial excitement the Cryptic Studios team had when they obtained the license to create Star Trek Online, and the process of deciding what the IP's MMO universe should encompass.

This was no small task. The Star Trek universe spans decades across multiple television incarnations and film, so the challenge wasn't so much about what to include, but what not to include while making sure that the setting is fleshed out. The developers asked themselves how they could make the MMO universe of Star Trek Online a place where there's more to being part of the setting than energizing transporters all day. And how to incorporate the roles of characters seen in Star Trek television and film into the MMO?

Continue reading Star Trek Online producer blog explains early choices made in development

Star Trek Online producer blog explains early choices made in development originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Mar 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments