Massively http://massively.joystiq.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://massively.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Star Trek Online dev diary details new Odyssey vessel]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/25/star-trek-online-dev-diary-details-new-odyssey-vessel/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/25/star-trek-online-dev-diary-details-new-odyssey-vessel/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/25/star-trek-online-dev-diary-details-new-odyssey-vessel/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Star Trek Online - Odyssey class ship
If you're looking for more details on Star Trek Online's new Odyssey-class starship, the game's official website has them.

Acquiring one is as easy as leveling a Federation character to five, since Cryptic is handing out the new hulls for free in celebration of STO's second anniversary. You'll need a Vice Admiral rank to pilot the ship, and if you're a bit behind, you'll receive an inventory item that can be redeemed later.

Cryptic says the Odyssey class is "the pinnacle of Federation starship design" and the largest vessel ever built. The ship can operate for lengthy periods without resupply, and it also features universal ensign and lieutenant commander bridge officer stations that can be operated by any bridge officer class.

MassivelyStar Trek Online dev diary details new Odyssey vessel originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anniversarycrypticcryptic-studiosdev-blogdev-diaryf2pfederationfree-to-playodyssey-classperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentsci-fisecond-anniversarystar-trekstar-trek-mmostar-trek-onlinestotwo-year-anniversaryWed, 25 Jan 2012 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Trek Online's free-to-play starships prepare to leave spacedock]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/13/star-trek-onlines-free-to-play-starships-prepare-to-leave-space/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/13/star-trek-onlines-free-to-play-starships-prepare-to-leave-space/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/13/star-trek-onlines-free-to-play-starships-prepare-to-leave-space/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Star Trek Online
As Star Trek Online's free-to-play final frontier approaches, the Cryptic team is fast at work trying to strike the right balance between the standard-issue starships that come with the game and the C-Store options available for purchase. In a new dev blog, Executive Producer Stephen D'Angelo says that each rank of gameplay is being shuffled around to offer a regular and premium starship for each class.

Because not every tier had enough for six starships, Cryptic is adding a number of spiffy C-Store versions for Federation players, including the new Exeter cruiser, the Sao Paulo escort, and the Bellerophon science vessel. The Klingon Defense Force is receiving a similar restructuring, with new ships like the Norgh Refit and Orion Dacoit Flight Deck Cruiser making their way into the store. D'Angelo admits that C-Store starships are slightly stronger and carry a special piece of gear that can be transferred from ship to ship as the player levels up.

D'Angelo also stresses that any C-Store starships are purchased for an entire account, not a single character. Cryptic is also planning to re-instate the free starship token at Lt. Commander and Commander ranks for everyone.

MassivelyStar Trek Online's free-to-play starships prepare to leave spacedock originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>c-storeclassclassescrypticcryptic-entertainmentf2pfederationfree-to-playin-game-storeklingonperfect-world-internationalpwistar-trek-onlinestarshipstarshipsStephen-DAngelostoThu, 13 Oct 2011 23:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Game Archaeologist goes to Earth & Beyond: The vet]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/08/the-game-archaeologist-goes-to-earth-and-beyond-the-vet/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/08/the-game-archaeologist-goes-to-earth-and-beyond-the-vet/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/08/the-game-archaeologist-goes-to-earth-and-beyond-the-vet/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Space: the final frontier... except for 4chan, which is a lot scarier to explore. These are the voyages of the Starship Massively. Its five-year mission: to explore strange, new worlds; to seek out new life and blow it out of the sky; to boldly exploit trade routes like no one has done before!

Erp, better stop there before I begin infringing on the Captain's Log's territory! In any event, we at The Game Archaeologist Institute for Fuzzy Nostalgia continue to forge ahead with the Earth & Beyond dig, carefully dusting off memories and screenshots to preserve in a blog-shaped museum.

It's one thing to talk of a game, but another to speak with one who was there at the time, so I went on a hunt through the dark recesses of the internet to find seasoned Earth & Beyonders. This search took me about two minutes before one of my associates practically opened the floodgates of fanboy gushing to drown me in his enthusiasm for this title. One interview, hundreds of screenshots and an Electronic Arts dev bible later, and we at the institute knew that we hit the motherlode.

Join us for a civilized discussion with an Earth & Beyond vet as he shares with us crumpets and recollections.

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist goes to Earth & Beyond: The vet

MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist goes to Earth & Beyond: The vet originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 08 Mar 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arduacanadacaptains-logcelestial-horizonclaudia-christiancolumbia-disastercommand-and-conquerdev-bibleeaearth-and-beyondechoes-of-nonsenseelectronic-artseveeve-onlineexplorerfantasyfeaturedfederationinterviewirelandJenquaijump-to-lightspeedlord-of-the-ringsnet7sci-fiscience-fictionspace-shuttle-columbiastar-trekstar-wars-galaxiessunsetswgtea-and-crumpetsthe-game-archaeologisttitanwargameswestwoodTue, 08 Mar 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Trek Online rethinks microtransactions in the latest State of the Game]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/16/star-trek-online-rethinks-microtransactions-in-the-latest-state/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/16/star-trek-online-rethinks-microtransactions-in-the-latest-state/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/16/star-trek-online-rethinks-microtransactions-in-the-latest-state/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Upbeat but still working hard: That is the motto of Star Trek Online's Dan Stahl in the latest state of the game. STO's executive producer strikes a positive note by saying that the game is enjoying a "healthy subscriber base" as well as an increase in the number of lifetime subs. The team is also proud to be releasing more frequent content in the form of weekly episodes.

Stahl then tackled three of STO's biggest complaints: the microtransaction shop (C-Store), ground combat and skimpy Klingon content. For players who are rankled that some of the better ships can only be purchased via the C-Store, Stahl reports that this will be changing: "I'm happy to say that we have been evaluating your feedback and looking at our internal resources and finding ways to ensure that coveted items such as ships can be be obtained in game as well as via micro-transaction."

Improvements to both ground combat and the Klingon faction are on their way, he promised, stating that the team has struggled with the Klingon's "identity crisis" since the first day of the game. While the faction's content will grow to become more robust, Stahl admits that the team doesn't have the resources to beef up the Klingon side to be on par with the Federation, especially since only a fraction of the playerbase fight on that side. You can read the full state of the game on the official STO site.

MassivelyStar Trek Online rethinks microtransactions in the latest State of the Game originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 16 Sep 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>c-storecrypticcryptic-storecryptic-studiosdaniel-stahldeveloperexecutive-producerfederationground-combatitem-shopklingonmicrotransactionsstar-trek-onlinestate-of-the-gamestosubscriberstrouble-with-tribbles-and-microtransactionsThu, 16 Sep 2010 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Captain's Log: Starship interiors and hints of the future]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/19/captains-log-starship-interiors-and-hints-of-the-future/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/19/captains-log-starship-interiors-and-hints-of-the-future/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/19/captains-log-starship-interiors-and-hints-of-the-future/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

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

MassivelyCaptain'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]]>ask-crypticcraig-Zinkievichcrypticcryptic-star-trekcryptic-studiosdaniel-stahlengineeringfeaturedfederationklingonklingon-empirelisbeth-salander-pwns-facemain-engineeringst-onlineStar-TrekStar-Trek-MMOstar-trek-onlinestar-trek-online-season-twostar-trek-online-ship-interiorsstarship-interiorsstosto-bridgesto-crew-decksto-customizable-interiorssto-futuresto-improvementssto-season-2sto-season-2-patchsto-season-twosto-seasone-two-patchsto-ship-interiorssto-shipssto-starship-interiorssto-user-contentsto-user-generated-contenttrek-onlineunbridled-speculationThu, 19 Aug 2010 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Captain's Log: A look into the future of Star Trek Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/13/captains-log-a-look-into-the-future-of-star-trek-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/13/captains-log-a-look-into-the-future-of-star-trek-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/13/captains-log-a-look-into-the-future-of-star-trek-online/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


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

MassivelyCaptain'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]]>craig-ZinkievichfeaturedFederationfederation-diplomatic-corpsjack-emmertklingonsst-onlineStar-TrekStar-Trek-MMOstar-trek-onlinestar-trek-online-craftingstar-trek-online-demostar-trek-online-diplomacystar-trek-online-diplomatic-corpsstar-trek-online-referral-programstar-trek-online-season-onestar-trek-online-season-twostar-trek-online-ship-interiorsstar-trek-online-starship-interiorsstar-trek-online-veteran-rewardsstosto-craftingsto-crafting-changessto-craig-zinkievichsto-demosto-development-planssto-diplomacysto-diplomatic-corpssto-engineering-reportsto-faction-pollsto-factionssto-futuresto-interiorssto-jack-emmertsto-look-into-futuresto-memory-alphasto-official-pollsto-referral-programsto-season-onesto-season-twosto-ship-interiorssto-shipssto-starship-interiorssto-veteran-rewardssto-welcome-back-weekendtrek-onlineundineundine-terradomeThu, 13 May 2010 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Captain's Log: Three months of Star Trek Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/29/captains-log-three-months-of-star-trek-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/29/captains-log-three-months-of-star-trek-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/29/captains-log-three-months-of-star-trek-online/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


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

MassivelyCaptain'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]]>Atariborgchampions-onlinecity-of-heroescity-of-villainscraig-Zinkievichcrypticcryptic-star-trekcryptic-studiosfeaturedFederationguideklingonsspecial-task-forcespecial-task-force-missionsst-onlineStar-TrekStar-Trek-MMOstar-trek-onlinestar-trek-online-checkupstar-trek-online-contentstar-trek-online-launchstar-trek-online-season-onestar-trek-online-three-monthsState-of-the-gamestosto-atari-dealsto-checkupsto-contentsto-launchsto-season-onesto-season-one-common-groundsto-state-of-the-gamesto-subscriberssto-three-monthstrek-onlinezinkievichThu, 29 Apr 2010 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Captain's Log: More beginner's guide to Star Trek Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/22/captains-log-more-beginners-guide-to-star-trek-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/22/captains-log-more-beginners-guide-to-star-trek-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/22/captains-log-more-beginners-guide-to-star-trek-online/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Hello again, space cadets! Welcome back to Captain's Log, where I pretend each week to know a photon torpedo from a warp core. They both blow up sometimes, so what's the difference, right?

Last week we discussed starting out in Star Trek Online, from creating a character to beginning the tutorial. Let's jump right back into it this week. I'll run you through the rest of the Federation tutorial, adding a few helpful hints as we go. By the end, you'll be ready to set sail in your very own ship ... even if it does look awfully similar to everyone else's ship.

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

MassivelyCaptain's Log: More beginner's guide to Star Trek Online originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 22 Apr 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beginners-guideborgcrypticcryptic-star-trekcryptic-studiosfeaturedFederationguideklingonst-onlineStar-TrekStar-Trek-MMOstar-trek-onlinestar-trek-online-beginners-guidestar-trek-online-tutorialstosto-beginners-guidesto-bridge-officerssto-character-creationsto-combatsto-guidesto-tutorialtrek-onlineThu, 22 Apr 2010 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Captain's Log: Beginner's guide to Star Trek Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/15/captains-log-beginners-guide-to-star-trek-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/15/captains-log-beginners-guide-to-star-trek-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/15/captains-log-beginners-guide-to-star-trek-online/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Avast, me hearties! Shiver me timber beams, and raise the mainsail matrix! The weather in the Beta Ursae Sector Block has been so nice lately that the crew of the U.S.S. Bob Wiley has a little spring fever. We've been hanging out in the holodeck re-enacting a trio of historical recordings about Caribbean pirates, and the parlance has rubbed off on me a bit.

Welcome to another edition of Captain's Log, ye olde Massively column on the vagaries of Star Trek Online. With the Bajoran lilacs in bloom, patrolling seems like such a drag. And with the solar winds wafting so lightly through the Rolor Nebula, spreading diplomacy throughout the sector blasting Cardassians into oblivion has lost some of its luster. Spring is a time of new beginnings. (Your humble captain assumes that the rest of the galaxy experiences spring at the same time as the Eastern Seaboard of Planet Earth's United States.) So let's take a look at the beginner's experience in Star Trek Online.

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

MassivelyCaptain's Log: Beginner's guide to Star Trek Online originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 15 Apr 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beginners-guideBorgcrypticcryptic-star-trekcryptic-studiosfeaturedFederationguideklingonnimoy-liciousst-onlineStar-TrekStar-Trek-MMOstar-trek-onlinestar-trek-online-beginners-guidesto-beginners-guidesto-bridge-officerssto-character-creationsto-combatsto-guidesto-tutorialtrek-onlineThu, 15 Apr 2010 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Captain's Log: The advisory council and fan service in Star Trek Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/08/captains-log-the-advisory-council-and-fan-service-in-star-trek/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/08/captains-log-the-advisory-council-and-fan-service-in-star-trek/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/08/captains-log-the-advisory-council-and-fan-service-in-star-trek/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


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

MassivelyCaptain'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]]>advisory-councilcraig-Zinkievichcrypticcryptic-advisory-councilcryptic-star-trekcryptic-studiosdeep-space-nineds9featuredFederationfleet-actionklingonseason-onest-onlineStar-Trek-MMOstar-trek-onlinestar-trek-online-season-onestar-trek-online-season-one-common-groundsto-advisory-councilsto-season-onesto-season-one-common-groundtrek-onlinetrekkerWarhammer-OnlinezinkievichThu, 08 Apr 2010 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Captain's Log: Fleet actions, the Crystalline Entity and you]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/01/captains-log-fleet-actions-draft/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/01/captains-log-fleet-actions-draft/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/01/captains-log-fleet-actions-draft/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Ahoy, ensigns and admirals! Welcome back to Captain's Log, our weekly dose of Star Trek Online news, tips and unfounded personal opinions straight from the final frontier. After Friday's look at the ups and downs of Season One, today's Captain's Log assumes its regular Thursday stardate. At least until his masters at Massively make good on their threat to reassign your humble captain to Q-tip quality control. On Ferenginar.

This week, let's take a look at Fleet Actions. Some are a rewarding change of pace from the often solitary grind of patrol and exploration. And some -- well, okay, just one -- is the bane of Starfleet's existence. We'll get to that in a minute.

Continue reading Captain's Log: Fleet actions, the Crystalline Entity and you

MassivelyCaptain's Log: Fleet actions, the Crystalline Entity and you originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Apr 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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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

MassivelyCaptain'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]]>battle-cruiserbig-digborgcommon-groundcraig-Zinkievichcrypticcryptic-star-trekcryptic-studioscrystalline-entitycustomizationdeep-space-ninedrozanads9Federationground-assaultklingonktanconausicaanokretpatchpvepvpqonosragenraidisoderespecseason-oneseason-one-common-groundshanty-townspecial-task-force-missionsspecial-task-forcesst-onlineStar-Trek-MMOstar-trek-onlinestar-trek-online-season-onestar-trek-season-onestosto-common-groundsto-season-onesto-season-one-common-groundtask-forcethe-curetrek-onlineFri, 26 Mar 2010 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Captain's Log: A non-trekkie guide to Star Trek Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/22/captains-log-a-non-trekkie-guide-to-star-trek-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/22/captains-log-a-non-trekkie-guide-to-star-trek-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/22/captains-log-a-non-trekkie-guide-to-star-trek-online/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Perhaps you've been hearing a lot of buzz about Star Trek Online lately. Or, perhaps you're reading this article in the year 2018, after the robots have begun their bloody revolt. Either way, you've never been way into Star Trek, but find yourself curious about this new MMO based on the franchise. In that cast, this iteration of Captain's Log is just for you.

As a side note, this will be the last week you'll find this feature going live on Friday. Henceforth, a new Captain's Log will appear every Thursday -- so keep an eye out!

Continue reading Captain's Log: A non-trekkie guide to Star Trek Online

MassivelyCaptain's Log: A non-trekkie guide to Star Trek Online originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 22 Jan 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>abramsataricaptains-logccpcrypticcryptic-star-trekcryptic-studioseveeve-onlinefeaturedfeatured-carouselfederationguidejj-abramsklingon-empireklingonsst-onlinestar-trekstar-trek-mmostar-trek-onlinestar-trek-online-gameplaystarfleetstosto-gameplayteleportationtrek-onlinetricorderwarpFri, 22 Jan 2010 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Trek Online character customization in pictures]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/21/star-trek-online-character-customization-in-pictures/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/21/star-trek-online-character-customization-in-pictures/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/21/star-trek-online-character-customization-in-pictures/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Cryptic Studios, the developer behind Star Trek Online, is well known for their character customization options. I know that I spent more time making characters in City of Heroes than beating up bad guys. Cryptic has brought that same design aesthetic to STO. For those of you not currently in open Beta, I've captured a gallery of shots below spotlighting all the available races in open beta (Federation and Klingon factions.) I've also shown the cosmetic customization screens for both factions and the color palettes available.

However the true fun lies not in tweaking the familiar Vulcan, Bajoran or Klingon races, but in the build-you-own-alien race tool. For both factions you can randomly create an alien species based on a humanoid model. Blotchy skin, tentacles, protrusions, ridges, antennae and more await those players looking for a unique presence in the game. I've taken screenshots of some crazy creations randomly generated, too. You can also customize your alien if you have something specific in mind.

Not seeing the alien life form you're looking for? Borg will be available as a Federation faction playable race to those who pay for the Lifetime subscription option. Ferengi and Risian will be added as playable races right after launch and future expansions promise more familiar faction race sets including Romulan. Star Trek Online launches on February 2, 2010.

Gallery: Star Trek Online Character Creation


Enter the Star Trek universe with Cryptic Studios' Star Trek Online. From hands on reviews of the early levels and space combat, through noob question and developer interviews, we've got everything you need to know about the game trekkies are dying for.

MassivelyStar Trek Online character customization in pictures originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 21 Jan 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>character-creationcrypticcryptic-star-trekcryptic-studiosfeaturedfeatured-carouselfederationklingonst-onlinestar-trek-mmostar-trek-onlinestotrek-onlineThu, 21 Jan 2010 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[STO website adds faction page, hints at future factions]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/12/sto-website-adds-faction-page-hints-at-future-factions/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/12/sto-website-adds-faction-page-hints-at-future-factions/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/12/sto-website-adds-faction-page-hints-at-future-factions/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Open beta is here and launch isn't far behind, which is of course why we're starting to see stuff like the recently revealed faction page for Star Trek Online. While you can't look (or click) on them now, it's quite telling that Cardassian and Romulan faction symbols are there for the looking. Cryptic has been pretty open with the fact that they plan to add new factions in the future, but the upfront listing of them causes us to wonder what the schedule is for the launch of faction number three.

We really love the approach to this faction page, too. Why? Selecting a faction gives you the perspective of said faction, but from each side. That is to say, you get a Klingon's point of view of their own Empire, as well as the Federation. It's a nice touch of Trek that shows the men and women at Cryptic are keen to stick to the spirit of the series, even when outside of their own game.

MassivelySTO website adds faction page, hints at future factions originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 12 Jan 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ataricardassiancardassianscrypticcryptic-studiosfactionsfederationklingonklingonslaunchopen-betaromulanromulansstar-trekstar-trek-onlinestoTue, 12 Jan 2010 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A quick Star Trek Online PvP interview with Jack Emmert]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/11/a-quick-star-trek-online-pvp-interview-with-jack-emmert/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/11/a-quick-star-trek-online-pvp-interview-with-jack-emmert/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/11/a-quick-star-trek-online-pvp-interview-with-jack-emmert/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

We recently had the opportunity to ask Cryptic's Jack Emmert a few questions regarding Star Trek Online and its PvP elements. With the looming open beta (tomorrow!) and similarly imminent February 2nd launch, we consider ourselves lucky to get some fairly definitive answers on topics like the game's Cryptic Store and the Klingon faction's future -- including if deeper customization is in the wings or not.

It's a quick read, but with less than 24 hours until open beta kick starts, that's probably a good thing. We wouldn't want to take away from anyone's Star Trek movie marathon, which is obviously what everyone is doing the day before, right? Khan!

Continue reading A quick Star Trek Online PvP interview with Jack Emmert

MassivelyA quick Star Trek Online PvP interview with Jack Emmert originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 11 Jan 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>atariborgcardassianchampionschampions-onlinecryptic-pointscryptic-storecustomizationfeaturedfederationinterviewjack-emmertklingonklingonsmicrotransactionmicrotransactionspvpromulanromulansstar-trekstar-trek-onlinestoMon, 11 Jan 2010 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Hands-on with Star Trek Online's early levels]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/31/hands-on-with-star-trek-onlines-early-levels/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/31/hands-on-with-star-trek-onlines-early-levels/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/31/hands-on-with-star-trek-onlines-early-levels/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

There's been a lot of Star Trek Online coverage lately here at Massively, which is only normal given the looming early February release date. This particular feature is a look at the game over the course of around seven or eight "levels" of play. Sadly, that means I haven't acquired my first non-starter ship, although that goal will soon be reached even if it costs me more sleep. Still, you should check out the brand new beta gallery, because I was still able to catch plenty of cool stuff -- plus a classic Enterprise.

Now, onto the preview!

Gallery: Star Trek Online beta

Continue reading Hands-on with Star Trek Online's early levels

MassivelyHands-on with Star Trek Online's early levels originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 31 Dec 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ataribetaborgchampionschampions-onlinecharacter-creationcrypticcryptic-star-trekcryptic-studioscustomizationdatafeaturefederationguideshands-onklingonmirandapreviewromulanship-customizationst-onlinestar-trekstar-trek-mmostar-trek-onlinestotrek-onlinetutorialThu, 31 Dec 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Slipping through space majestic in five new Star Trek Online screens]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/01/slipping-through-space-majestic-in-five-new-star-trek-online-scr/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/01/slipping-through-space-majestic-in-five-new-star-trek-online-scr/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/01/slipping-through-space-majestic-in-five-new-star-trek-online-scr/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Romulans! They're pretty prevalent in today's exclusive Star Trek Online screens, although they're not the only antagonists fighting against the Federation. You've got to remember never to underestimate the Borg in their ability to frustrate and terrify the Feddies into tossing up shields and blaring red alerts ship-wide. Plus, there's the Klingons, whose very name just sounds sharp and dangerous.

We're getting off topic, though. If you like phasers, explosions and majestic Trek style space ships then we're certain you'll enjoy feasting your eyes on these five new screens.

Gallery: Star Trek Online Gallery

MassivelySlipping through space majestic in five new Star Trek Online screens originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 01 Dec 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>atariborgcrypticcryptic-studiosfederationklingonklingonsromulanromulansscreensscreenshotscreenshotsstar-trekstar-trek-onlinestoTue, 01 Dec 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: You or not you, in Star Trek Online?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/21/the-daily-grind-you-or-not-you-in-star-trek-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/21/the-daily-grind-you-or-not-you-in-star-trek-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/21/the-daily-grind-you-or-not-you-in-star-trek-online/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

This isn't often a question we find ourselves asking others when it comes to character creation in an MMO, but, well Star Trek Online is different in this regard. Considering the very specific sort of wish fulfillment Cryptic's next game offers, do you plan to first create a fictional captain or in-game version of yourself to captain a starship?

You see, we began thinking on this very subject not too long ago and a dilemma struck. While being a Vulcan or some odd new species is undoubtedly a tempting concept, seeing ourselves sitting in the captain's chair is nearly as exciting. Considering Cryptic's knack for powerful character creation tools, we've no doubt that coming up with a close approximation of our likeness wouldn't be too difficult.

We know that every Star Trek fan is going to create themselves at some point but your first "main" is so very important. Since creating a Klingon-sided character is unlocked after some initial Federation play, we're thinking of making ourselves first, and then, wait for it... a Gorn second. Yes!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: You or not you, in Star Trek Online? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 21 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ataricrypticcryptic-studiosfederationklingonklingonsopinionstar-trekstar-trek-onlinestothe-daily-grindSat, 21 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Plasma and Romulans in these five new exclusive STO screens]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/17/plasma-and-romulans-in-these-five-new-exclusive-sto-screens/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/17/plasma-and-romulans-in-these-five-new-exclusive-sto-screens/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/17/plasma-and-romulans-in-these-five-new-exclusive-sto-screens/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Today we bring you five more exclusive Star Trek Online screens, courtesy of Cryptic Studios. We hope you Romulan fans out there are paying attention, because there's one new screen in particular we think you'll find quite... satisfying. Although, as you can see from the image above, there's a little extra Romulan love.

We find ourselves wanting to express concern for this lone Connie class vessel attempting to take on a Borg cube. That's just dangerous! We're fairly certain such encounters in the game proper will consist of a substantial grouping of players -- we're sure those screens will be quite something, actually.

The fact that many of these screens depict space combat is adventitious indeed, as our current Community Q&A for Star Trek Online concerns the very topic. We'll be taking questions for Cryptic developers until the end of today, Tuesday, November 17th -- so get 'em in while the asking is good.

Gallery: Star Trek Online Gallery

MassivelyPlasma and Romulans in these five new exclusive STO screens originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ataricrypticcryptic-studiosfederationromulanromulansscreensscreenshotscreenshotsstar-trekstar-trek-onlinestoTue, 17 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[These are the box arts of Star Trek Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/16/these-are-the-box-arts-of-star-trek-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/16/these-are-the-box-arts-of-star-trek-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/16/these-are-the-box-arts-of-star-trek-online/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Okay, well there's only one of them, so saying, "these are the box arts" was more of an excuse to make a Trek reference.

However, we do find ourselves wondering if there should be more than one cover here, since half the game is dedicated to Klingon play. Sure, you've got some Birds of Prey in the background, but the iconic Federation logo, Constitution-like ship and Captain are most obviously the center of attention.

Then again, so long as the game is fulfilling our deepest Star Trek desires, we suppose it's all a moot point. Plus, we're sure many of you are just going to buy this on Steam or some similar magical online store. That's been our prerogative at Massively as of late, especially since it cuts down on unwanted PC games box clutter that turns into a mountain of excess over several years. You can check out a much larger version of the image right here in our gallery.

MassivelyThese are the box arts of Star Trek Online originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ataribox-artcrypticcryptic-studiosfederationklingonklingonsstar-trekstar-trek-onlinestoMon, 16 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Ships! Star Trek Online community Q&A answers, part 2]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/16/ships-star-trek-online-community-qanda-answers-part-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/16/ships-star-trek-online-community-qanda-answers-part-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/16/ships-star-trek-online-community-qanda-answers-part-2/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Continue reading Ships! Star Trek Online community Q&A answers, part 2

MassivelyShips! Star Trek Online community Q&A answers, part 2 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ataricommunity-qnacrypticcryptic-studiosfederationklingonklingonsromulanromulan-empireromulansstar-trekstar-trek-onlinestarshipstoMon, 16 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Ships! Star Trek Online community Q&A answers]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/16/ships-star-trek-online-community-qanda-answers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/16/ships-star-trek-online-community-qanda-answers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/16/ships-star-trek-online-community-qanda-answers/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

It's a bit late due to some scheduling issues, but your first batch of Star Trek Online community questions are here and they're all about ships as promised!

Of course, we noticed many of you had space combat questions. While those unfortunately weren't answered this week, our new topic (up later today, so be on the look out for it!) will in fact, be, space combat. Still, many of your questions are answered below. As the weeks continue to go by, we endeavor to fulfill your quest for as much information on Star Trek Online as possible. Enjoy!

Continue reading Ships! Star Trek Online community Q&A answers

MassivelyShips! Star Trek Online community Q&A answers originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ataricommunity-qnacrypticcryptic-studiosfeaturedfederationklingonklingonsshipsstar-trekstar-trek-onlinestarshipstarshipsMon, 16 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[New Star Trek Online gameplay trailer]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/04/new-star-trek-online-gameplay-trailer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/04/new-star-trek-online-gameplay-trailer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/04/new-star-trek-online-gameplay-trailer/#commentsFiled under: , ,


There's a new Star Trek Online trailer out from Cryptic, originally released through GameSpot. The trailer features some impressive gameplay footage that illustrates nicely a few aspects of STO we've been hearing about for a while.

There's both ground combat and space combat featured, with Klingon, Federation, and Borg ships taking part in the overall action. In one scene we see a fleet of ships attacking a single Borg cube in quite a nice display of firepower, including several (of what appear to be) quantum torpedoes.

One of the more impressive aspects of this gameplay footage that we picked up on right way was the tactical maneuvering of what appears to be a mid-range ship of Romulan design. A captured still of the scene is pictured above, and you can clearly see in the video that the ship is moving to direct hits against its "bottom side" after the port shields were taking a significant beating. Note that the two ships attacking the main ship with green phasers are Klingon Vor'Cha class, so we're assuming the ship demonstrating the tactical moves is of Romulan origin.

We also noticed that the ship pictured above bares some resemblance to the unidentified "classified" ship listed in the Ships of the Line articles at the official STO website. The above ship can be viewed more clearly in the HD trailer, however the unidentified ship on the STO website doesn't have a clear image -- only a blurry reconnaissance image. The warp nacelles both look similar (espeically if you take the image angles into consideration), both have the same general outline, and both have guns protruding from each wing. An interesting coincidence we wanted to point out.

The video after the break.

Continue reading New Star Trek Online gameplay trailer

MassivelyNew Star Trek Online gameplay trailer originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>borgborg-shipbreakingcrypticcryptic-studiosfederationgamespotklingonstar-trek-online-gameplaystosto-borgsto-gameplaysto-klingonsto-tactical-movessto-trailertacticalWed, 04 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Trek Online lore: 2379 to 2384]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/03/star-trek-online-lore-2379-to-2384/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/03/star-trek-online-lore-2379-to-2384/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/03/star-trek-online-lore-2379-to-2384/#commentsFiled under:

It's rare for an MMO to bring with it a history as rich and generational as Star Trek. The Trek universe is as deep and rich with lore as Lord of the Rings or Star Wars, and just like both those titles the lore has been passed down from parent to child over generations now. This leaves any game which attempts to encapsulate that lore in a precarious situation of both having to remain close to the canon, yet leaving enough creative room for the player to feel like they're making a true difference in the universe.

And while we have yet to see if Star Trek Online lives up to the second part of that criteria, we can take a look at how they are moving the lore forward and dealing with the canocial events of past Trek incarnations. The main conduit for this lesson in lore has been through the sporadic postings of The Path to 2409 on the official STO website. However, there's a lot of information there and it's quite easy to get lost in it all.

So, let's take a look at the Star Trek Online timeline Cryptic has released thus far. To begin with, we'll go over the years 2379 through 2384.

Continue reading Star Trek Online lore: 2379 to 2384

MassivelyStar Trek Online lore: 2379 to 2384 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alternate-timelinebajorcardassiancrypticcryptic-studiosfeaturedfederationjj-abramsklingonremanromulanspockstar-trekstar-trek-moviestar-trek-onlinestar-trek-timelinestark-trek-moviestosto-featuredsto-timelinetimelinevulcanTue, 03 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Demo impressions of Star Trek Online from Eurogamer Expo 2009]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/02/demo-impressions-of-star-trek-online-from-eurogamer-expo-2009/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/02/demo-impressions-of-star-trek-online-from-eurogamer-expo-2009/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/02/demo-impressions-of-star-trek-online-from-eurogamer-expo-2009/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


We recently mentioned that Star Trek Online fans would get a chance to play through a demo of the game at Eurogamer Expo last week. One of the first reports we've read about the Star Trek Online demo comes from Oli Welsh at Eurogamer who was uniquely positioned to check out the game (it was their Expo after all.) Welsh begins by writing, "Trekkies can put one fear to rest right now: Star Trek Online feels just like Star Trek." Although this might assuage a bit of the apprehension some gamers have about trying yet another Star Trek game, Welsh is up front about the fact that the demo he played through was a contained single player experience. It's too soon to say what gameplay will feel like when hundreds of other players are thrown into the mix.

He writes about the demo's transitions between locations via warp jumps, keyboard navigation of star ships (standard WASD, with additional throttle control), and the pacing of ship combat. Welsh also walks the reader from the bridge of a Federation vessel down to the surface of a planet where Klingon opponents await. Fans of the game should read Eurogamer's hands on with Star Trek Online and may also be interested in the video footage of STO gameplay from Limited Edition, shot at this year's Eurogamer Expo (starting at 02:40. They've also captured gameplay of Global Agenda as well.) We've got a video embed of that for you after the jump.

Continue reading Demo impressions of Star Trek Online from Eurogamer Expo 2009

MassivelyDemo impressions of Star Trek Online from Eurogamer Expo 2009 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>combatcrypticcryptic-studiosdemoeurogamereurogamer-expoeurogamer-expo-2009federationgameplayglobal-agendahands-onjohn-nicholsonklingonlimited-editionnew-titlesoli-welshpvequestssci-fishuttlerstar-trekstar-trek-onlinestovideoMon, 02 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively's Star Trek Online beta interview]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/31/massivelys-star-trek-online-beta-interview/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/31/massivelys-star-trek-online-beta-interview/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/31/massivelys-star-trek-online-beta-interview/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

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

MassivelyMassively'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]]>ataribetaclosed-betacontentcraig-zinkievichcrypticcryptic-studiosfeaturedfederationklingonklingonsship-combatspace-combatstar-trekstar-trek-onlinestosto-featuredSat, 31 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Cryptic isn't spreading Klingon propaganda, but it's still awesome]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/27/cryptic-isnt-spreading-klingon-propaganda-but-its-still-aweso/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/27/cryptic-isnt-spreading-klingon-propaganda-but-its-still-aweso/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/27/cryptic-isnt-spreading-klingon-propaganda-but-its-still-aweso/#commentsFiled under: , ,

You there! You look like the kind of aspiring individual who knows what's best for him or her. Why, we bet that if you had to choose between the cowardly Federation or mighty Klingon Empire, you'd make the right decision. Would you? Of course you would. That's right, you're a proud and courageous warrior, it's so obvious now.

We asked Cryptic if they were involved, but their official response was that, sadly, they weren't. Even still, the video is nothing but pure awesome and we hope that whomever is responsible makes a Federation variant at some point -- or even a Borg version!

Check out the video after the break, and afterwards you will come to love Qo'noS as much as we now do.

Continue reading Cryptic isn't spreading Klingon propaganda, but it's still awesome

MassivelyCryptic isn't spreading Klingon propaganda, but it's still awesome originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ataricrypticcryptic-studiosfederationklingonklingon-empireklingonspropagandastar-trekstar-trek-onlinestoTue, 27 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Five new Star Trek Online screenshots]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/19/five-new-star-trek-online-screenshots/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/19/five-new-star-trek-online-screenshots/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/19/five-new-star-trek-online-screenshots/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


We've got five new Star Trek Online screens for you, hot off the computers at Cryptic Studios. Usually we have an exceedingly difficult time picking a favorite, but the above image contains Klingon warbirds and so it wins our hearts. Our love of the Federation isn't gone, but if you hadn't been able to tell yet, we're very happy to finally start seeing more of the Klingon side of Trek -- even if it's only a screenshot and video.

Telling you how the other screens show off amazing space battles and cool interiors is probably unnecessary. So in lieu of that, we'll mention that we can't wait to see Klingon interiors and all their angular, red and green glory.

Gallery: Star Trek Online Gallery

MassivelyFive new Star Trek Online screenshots originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ataricrypticcryptic-studiosfederationklingonscreensscreenshotscreenshotsstar-trekstar-trek-onlinestowarbirdMon, 19 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Klingons make their first Star Trek Online video appearance]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/17/klingons-make-their-first-star-trek-online-video-appearance/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/17/klingons-make-their-first-star-trek-online-video-appearance/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/17/klingons-make-their-first-star-trek-online-video-appearance/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Just when you thought you'd seen enough Star Trek Online space combat videos to keep you satisfied for a day or two, Cryptic Studios whips out a Klingon focused trailer that's sure to get your Pepto Bismol colored blood beating through those hardened, warrior-like veins.

That's right, Klingons are in this game! We almost forgot with all that Federation love coming from Cryptic ever since the game was announced. But that's okay, because Klingon's are accustomed to waiting in secrecy for the right moment to strike. This is only the first small disruptor blast in what's sure to be a volley of ferocious strikes far greater than any puny Federation ship could handle.

See the glory of the Klingon Empire after the break.

Continue reading Klingons make their first Star Trek Online video appearance

MassivelyKlingons make their first Star Trek Online video appearance originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 17 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ataricombatcrypticcryptic-studiosdisruptorfederationignklingonklingon-empireklingonspepto-bismolspacestar-trek-onlinestotrailervideoSat, 17 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Sling your phasers in STO's first timeline video]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/14/sling-your-phasers-in-stos-first-timeline-video/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/14/sling-your-phasers-in-stos-first-timeline-video/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/14/sling-your-phasers-in-stos-first-timeline-video/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

You're gonna get two things with this new Star Trek Online timeline video: Lots of in-game footage and plenty of lore at the same time. The footage is 100% ships blowing the ablative plating off each other, and for those hardcore Trekkies out there wondering why the Klingon Empire and Federation are blowing each other up, we've got one word for you: war.

Now of course, you're probably wondering why there's a war going on in the game -- which is set 30 years after Star Trek: The Next Generation's final movie, Nemesis. Well, you'll really need to watch the video for that. Said video -- full of awesome space battles -- can be found after the break.

Continue reading Sling your phasers in STO's first timeline video

MassivelySling your phasers in STO's first timeline video originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ataricombatcrypticcryptic-studiosfederationgamestopklingonlorestar-trekstar-trek-onlinestotimelinevideoWed, 14 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[See the full Star Trek Online Federation player ship list]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/04/see-the-full-star-trek-online-federation-player-ship-list/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/04/see-the-full-star-trek-online-federation-player-ship-list/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/04/see-the-full-star-trek-online-federation-player-ship-list/#commentsFiled under: , ,


The final list of player-flyable Federation ships has been revealed on the official Star Trek Online website and it's quite lengthy. Several of the new ships are based on one seen in the movies or TV series, including their names. For instance, the Sovereign class -- best known as the Enterprise-E or "That ship in the later Star Trek movies" to everyone else -- is only available to Admirals and has two kingly-named variants known as the Noble and Majestic.

With the entire list of flyable Federation ships known, it's safe to say we'll start hearing more about Klingon ships sometime soon. And with a substantially smaller list of established Klingon ships to pull from the movies and series, we're looking forward to see what Cryptic has up their sleeves.

MassivelySee the full Star Trek Online Federation player ship list originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 04 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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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

MassivelyPAX 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]]>ataricraig-zinkievichcrypticcryptic-studiosfeaturedfederationklingonpaxpax-2009star-trekstar-trek-onlinestosto-featuredTue, 08 Sep 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Latest Ask Cryptic for Star Trek Online focuses on combat balance]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/22/latest-ask-cryptic-for-star-trek-online-focuses-on-combat-balanc/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/22/latest-ask-cryptic-for-star-trek-online-focuses-on-combat-balanc/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/22/latest-ask-cryptic-for-star-trek-online-focuses-on-combat-balanc/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Ask Cryptic is a regular Q&A between the developers working on Star Trek Online (and Champions Online) and the game community that's formed around the upcoming title(s). This week's Ask Cryptic for Star Trek Online focuses on ship combat, particularly how the damage inflicted upon your vessel affects its performance. Essentially, you'll be able to go all out in combat right up until your demise. That said, focused attacks on your specific subsystems can take them out, and losing crew members will weaken your skills in tasks that the injured or deceased personnel handled.

The Cryptic Studios devs also clarify that solo players will be able to acquire the same ships as those involved in high level group play, although soloists will likely find they're not able to get through some higher level content. Endgame rewards are meant to be a guild-level pursuit, but Cryptic stresses that the best ships will be available to anyone, regardless of play style.

Continue reading Latest Ask Cryptic for Star Trek Online focuses on combat balance

MassivelyLatest Ask Cryptic for Star Trek Online focuses on combat balance originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 22 Jul 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In an inventive -- if not creatively fun for whoever wrote it -- display of storytelling, the most recent "Path to 2409" update on the official Star Trek Online website takes the form of an in-character interview set against the backdrop of Quark's Bar. Now it just may be us, but placing your characters in Deep Space Nine fans' favorite locale seems like a great way to pique interest among usually too-long-to-read types.

And hopefully it works, because this interview details the beginnings of the war between the Federation and Klingon Empire from an engaging first person perspective. Historical logs can be interesting for some but yawn-inducing for many others -- so more of this wonderfully more interesting approach is definitely for the best.

Hopefully if enough people check this one out, Cryptic will see the demand and create even more dynamic media for the game's lore. It's certainly been working well for Star Wars: The Old Republic, so why not for this game as well?

MassivelyStar Trek Online lore interview style at Quark's Bar originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 19 Apr 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Another Star Trek Online ship -- this time a Klingon vessel -- has be tossed up on the official game site. This time around, we get a look at the beautifully designed Raptor class. Now, it's been a forgone conclusion that some of us here at Massively are rolling Federation, while others are most certainly rolling Klingon. But with ship designs like these, the Federation had better step it up or we may start considering a pre-launch defection.

The Raptor class is packed with more weaponry than it ought to be allowed to have. In fact, it's got so much that the medical bays are in a very bad way. Let's put it this way: you don't want to break, burn or otherwise cut anything while serving on this ship. Although if the captain makes good use of the speed, cloaking and front-facing weapons of pure death, the lack of proper medical facilities probably won't matter too much. At least... we think.

MassivelyStar Trek Online assaults our allegiances with Klingon Raptor originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 02 Mar 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Upon seeing these latest Star Trek Online screens, it was like getting smacked in the face with the broadside of a bat'leth -- and we mean that in the best of ways. Our Star Trek sensibilities have been happily inundated by these screenshots. Our favorite is probably this majestic shot of a federation ship, which we're going to guess is a nebula-class.

At this point we're just waiting for the next in-game video to come out, because as great as everything looks frozen in time, what it really comes down to is how everything comes together in motion. This is especially true of the way ships and avatars move about the game space, both figurative and literally. Oh, and as a final note to Cryptic -- can we see some riveting bat'leth vs lirpa action in that next video? We'd be eternally grateful for it.

Gallery: Star Trek Online Gallery

MassivelyFantastical imagery abound in latest Star Trek Online screens originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 02 Feb 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cryptic has updated the Star Trek Online timeline that leads up to when the game takes place. Just to refresh everyone's memory, Star Trek Online is set in the year 2409, which is thirty years after the events of Star Trek: Nemesis. The newest update on the official website covers the events of the year 2382, or 27 years prior to the game.

The biggest part of this updates deals with the Romulans (biological cousins to the Vulcans) who are heading down a path to civil war, as political in-fighting continues to grow. Meanwhile the Unification movement, represented by Ambassador Spock, once again attempts to push their agenda by seeking the support of the Federation Council. Ultimately though, the Federation declines to support the movement to unify the two races, as the Vulcan members of the council aren't too keen on such an uncertain and essentially illogical idea.

Gallery: Star Trek Online Gallery

Continue reading Star Trek Online timeline update covers the year 2382

MassivelyStar Trek Online timeline update covers the year 2382 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 08 Dec 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Combat is the main topic this time around in the latest Ask Cryptic for Star Trek Online. The first question pertains to melee combat and just how it'll work. Surprisingly, it looks as though melee combat will actually be more than a simple aside to back-and-forth phaser fire. Cryptic says that Klingons will make use of bat'leth and the Federation will use lirpa -- that historically memorable staff-like weapon Spock and Kirk used to battle it out. It still remains slightly unclear whether or not players from opposite factions will be able to effectively use melee weaponry.

As for question number two -- and probably the second-most important -- a forum poster asked Cryptic whether ship combat would be point-and-click like EVE Online or more tactical like traditional Star Trek battles. Thankfully, the answer was that yes, players can expect to have full control over their ship in order to hide their weaker points while attacking the structurally unsound targets of their enemies' shields and hull.

Continue reading STO combat and character questions answered in latest Ask Cryptic

MassivelySTO combat and character questions answered in latest Ask Cryptic originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 28 Oct 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bat-lethbatlethcrypticcryptic-studiosfederationkirkklingonklingonslirpaspockstar-fleetstar-trekstar-trek-onlineTue, 28 Oct 2008 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Some fresh Star Trek Online customization info (for humanoids only)]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/23/some-fresh-star-trek-online-customization-info-for-humanoids-on/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/23/some-fresh-star-trek-online-customization-info-for-humanoids-on/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/23/some-fresh-star-trek-online-customization-info-for-humanoids-on/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Cryptic Studios made clear the basic framework of its vision for Star Trek Online immediately after announcing the game, but the occasional interview or FAQ has revealed greater detail over the past few days. The latest example is a video interview at MMORPG with Cryptic's Jack Emmert, who in the interview reveals specifics about character, race, and starship customization. He also talks about Cryptic's relationship with the previous holders of the Star Trek Online mantle, Perpetual Entertainment.

As far as the customization goes, you'll be able to customize the "skin, eyebrows, antennae, and hair" of your characters and races. At launch, it's likely that all players will be humanoids. Ship geometry, colors, decals, names, and even serial numbers can all be set by players. It sounds like they'll use basic "kits" of tools based on which faction (Federation or Klingon) they choose.

Emmert also says that "war games" within factions would be possible, allowing players to engage in PvP with members of their own factions in a limited way. He doesn't sound at all certain that it will be possible at launch, though.

MassivelySome fresh Star Trek Online customization info (for humanoids only) originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 23 Aug 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cryptic-studioscustomizationfactionsfederationhumanoidinterviewjack-emmertkitsklingon-empireklingonsperpetual-entertainmentracesshipsstar-trekstar-trek-onlinestarfleetstounited-federation-of-planetsvideowar-gamesSat, 23 Aug 2008 19:00:00 EST