01-14-2010, 11:18 PM
Due to the vast number of races in the Star Trek universe the game's character generation is the most detailed i have ever seen. There are the known races: Human, Andorian, Bajoran, Bolian, Vulcan, etc as well as the ability to create a totally new species. Classes/professions as a Captain are few in number: Engineer, Science or Tactical but there are many fields within each to specialize or generalize. These few classes aren't a problem because you, the captain, are enhanced with the addition of Bridge Officers to your team. They can be obtained through purchase, trade or as rewards for completing missions. Bridge Officers are like player characters as they have their own xp levels and ranks, abilities to upgrade, and the ability to beam down and join you on away missions. Even when your soloing you will have 4 others on your team. When you group up your friend's Captain and Bridge Officers will make up the other members of the team.
The tutorial throws you into ground combat against Borg Drones right away followed by space combat with Borg Probes. This division of missions into ground/space combat is imo a novel way to break up what would other wise be a monotonous quest grind like seen in so many other MMOs. Refreshingly the missions aren't all combat, ambassador escort, mediate trade disputes, scan unknown entities, these all give a feeling of actually being a part of the Federation as seen in the TV shows. I have not played the Klingons yet, their mission in life is mostly combat so Cryptic Studios has made them into a 95% PvP, 5% PvE race. This was a huge dissapointment for me as i had planned on playing the "Horde" side as i did in WoW. Other planned races include the Romulans and Cardasians.
Gear upgrades are numerous and varied, the tutorial rewarded me with a phasor rifle and i picked up body armor, hypo spray medkits, and a improved personal shield off the fallen npcs. The Starbase in the Sol system had vendors everywhere and a exchange/market where i bought a stronger phasor bank for my light crusier star ship. My light crusier can be upgrade as well when i obtain enough prestige. Ship hulls are divided into 3 main groups: Crusier (tank), Escort (DPS), and Science (buff/debuff) with variations totaling 16? different types. With the ablity to upgrade each of those with new beam and missile weapons, bridge consoles, shields, warp cores and specials as well as customizing the looks and colors of the saucer, pylons and nacells no two ships will be alike.
Grouping into a fleet to complete space combat missions is automatic, similar to Wahammer Online so you don't have to compete for spawns with other Captains. One battle i was recently in involved 5 Federation light crusiers versus 3 Orion Pirate groups each consisting of 3 Battleships and their escorts. Space combat isn't lightning fast but rather a tactical dance with each of us trying to line up our ships's with the enemy's downed shield in order to deliver a photon torpedo to the hull. Beam weapons, torpedo and warp core explosions lighting up the darkness of space.
http://www.startrekonline.com
The tutorial throws you into ground combat against Borg Drones right away followed by space combat with Borg Probes. This division of missions into ground/space combat is imo a novel way to break up what would other wise be a monotonous quest grind like seen in so many other MMOs. Refreshingly the missions aren't all combat, ambassador escort, mediate trade disputes, scan unknown entities, these all give a feeling of actually being a part of the Federation as seen in the TV shows. I have not played the Klingons yet, their mission in life is mostly combat so Cryptic Studios has made them into a 95% PvP, 5% PvE race. This was a huge dissapointment for me as i had planned on playing the "Horde" side as i did in WoW. Other planned races include the Romulans and Cardasians.
Gear upgrades are numerous and varied, the tutorial rewarded me with a phasor rifle and i picked up body armor, hypo spray medkits, and a improved personal shield off the fallen npcs. The Starbase in the Sol system had vendors everywhere and a exchange/market where i bought a stronger phasor bank for my light crusier star ship. My light crusier can be upgrade as well when i obtain enough prestige. Ship hulls are divided into 3 main groups: Crusier (tank), Escort (DPS), and Science (buff/debuff) with variations totaling 16? different types. With the ablity to upgrade each of those with new beam and missile weapons, bridge consoles, shields, warp cores and specials as well as customizing the looks and colors of the saucer, pylons and nacells no two ships will be alike.
Grouping into a fleet to complete space combat missions is automatic, similar to Wahammer Online so you don't have to compete for spawns with other Captains. One battle i was recently in involved 5 Federation light crusiers versus 3 Orion Pirate groups each consisting of 3 Battleships and their escorts. Space combat isn't lightning fast but rather a tactical dance with each of us trying to line up our ships's with the enemy's downed shield in order to deliver a photon torpedo to the hull. Beam weapons, torpedo and warp core explosions lighting up the darkness of space.
http://www.startrekonline.com