Star Trek Online: Inside Beta: A Three Hour Tour

Stradden

MMORPG.com's Chris Higgins writes this overview of his time in one of Cryptic's Star Trek Online Closed Beta play sessions, giving an overview of the first three hours of gameplay.

Ever since I first heard that Star Trek was going to be made into an MMORPG, I have been chomping at the bit to get into closed beta. I love Star Trek, not to the point I have my living room made up to look like a bridge but I enjoy the shows, movies, and lore. Needless to say when I was presented this opportunity to play closed beta I was all over it.

I have heard many game companies say that most players quit a game in the first 15 minutes. So when logging in I was thinking "How will Cryptic grab me by the seat of my pants and hold my interest?" It's a fairly simple question, and one that could easily be answered during my three hour play session. If they don't have me hooked by the time they turn off the servers for the night, they've failed.

Read Inside Beta: A Three Hour Tour.

TuxedoSLY

Was never a huge Star Trek fan, but I did love Next Generation. Also wasn't as excited for this as everyone else, but I do enjoy Champions Online and this looks good enough that I preordered my copy. A good sci fi MMO is hard to come by.

Scrogdog

Sounds like a pretty good start to me!

rodingo

"If City of Heroes and Pirates of the Burning Sea had a baby, it would be Star Trek Online."

 

I know what you are trying to say with that sentence,..but if someone who has played both CoH and POTBS and knows nothing about STO other than that sentence, well it might be an instant turn off.  Just saying.

Draenor

Seems promising...I've always liked MMO's that take a break from the fantasy setting, especially ones that take  a break by going to the sci-fi setting...I'll probably check this one out if it comes around before swtor.

Nacon4

I've been an ST fan since the original came out in '67!  Which, I guess, marks my age.    This looks like a lot of fun and so, when it comes out in stores, I plan to buy it!  And if there is a monthly fee, I'll pay it!  So desu ka!

Pagoas

I don't envy Cryptic's task.  They have alot of fans to try and please.   Each with their own preconceived notions of what Star Trek should be and what that universe means to them. I'm still pretty undecided on this mmo and probably will remain so until they open up beta and I can get a better sense of how they treated this big, old sacred space cow. 

 

I always thought that playing a captain would be great for higher level characters where you've finally made it to get your own ship and the whole game opens up even more for you: exploration, diplomacy, planet surveying, ship-to-ship fighting, etc... while the lower levels are the cadet years where you hone the foundation for your eventual captain (i.e., archaeology, Picard; medicine, Crusher;  science, Janeway). Of course, my vision would frustrate the end-gamers and be more complicated for the designers... oh, well, maybe it'll happen in some parallel universe.

jotull

Typical mmorpg.com.

Before the ad space is purchased they have huge concerns and are deeply troubled about Cryptics ethics, after a few G's are dropped in Banner ad space the game is quite compelling, and most of all fun.

 

 

Terranah

"If City of Heroes and Pirates of the Burning Sea had a baby, it would be Star Trek Online."

 

I just threw up.

Cerion

Why no detail regarding the missions? What is the deal -- this is the second MMORPG review that has vaguely mentioned missions, and then left it at that.

When you grouped on the explorer mission, what did you have to do?  Was it combat only like everything seems to be?

If this game is so damn fun, why isn't there any detail about the missions?

Nightbringe1

My question about the group instance: was cooperation and teamwork required, or did everyone just do their own thing?

Danubus

Originally posted by Terranah


"If City of Heroes and Pirates of the Burning Sea had a baby, it would be Star Trek Online."
 
I just threw up.

 

Me too.

kahulbane

Originally posted by Cerion


Why no detail regarding the missions? What is the deal -- this is the second MMORPG review that has vaguely mentioned missions, and then left it at that.
When you grouped on the explorer mission, what did you have to do?  Was it combat only like everything seems to be?
If this game is so damn fun, why isn't there any detail about the missions?

 

We all want to know, not much out there on the details... damn NDA gives them the right to censer (spelling) what comes out, so mid Jan we will all know.

Stradden

Originally posted by jotull


Typical mmorpg.com.
Before the ad space is purchased they have huge concerns and are deeply troubled about Cryptics ethics, after a few G's are dropped in Banner ad space the game is quite compelling, and most of all fun.

Cryptic has been an advertiser of ours for years. It doesn't matter one way or the other to us whether or not they buy ad space. Is it possible at all that we have had concerns about the game and now that we're into the game, we're seeing that there are good points as well? Is it possible that the people voicing concern and the person writing this article are different and might have different opinions?

No one has said that the game was perfect, but we're not going to call something a complete train wreck when it isn't, and we're not going to stop voicing concerns when and where we have them.

 

 

kobietruman

i don't care about advertising policies at all

what i want to know are details

we got - "that was fun" "this is instanced" "that isn't instanced"

so are you or are you not allowed to give any details - - - as this article stands, at least for me, it is worthless

 

as for the "parents" of STO, i did not play either of those games so that also was of no use descriptively

 

hanshotfirst

Originally posted by Stradden

Originally posted by jotull


Typical mmorpg.com.
Before the ad space is purchased they have huge concerns and are deeply troubled about Cryptics ethics, after a few G's are dropped in Banner ad space the game is quite compelling, and most of all fun.

Cryptic has been an advertiser of ours for years. It doesn't matter one way or the other to us whether or not they buy ad space. Is it possible at all that we have had concerns about the game and now that we're into the game, we're seeing that there are good points as well? Is it possible that the people voicing concern and the person writing this article are different and might have different opinions?

No one has said that the game was perfect, but we're not going to call something a complete train wreck when it isn't, and we're not going to stop voicing concerns when and where we have them.

 

 

 

Just concede you're part of the Illuminati/New World Order, are responsible for World Trade Building 7's demolition, and in fact, were on that grassy knoll in 1963.

It's much simpler that way.

Dana

Originally posted by kobietruman


i don't care about advertising policies at all
what i want to know are details
we got - "that was fun" "this is instanced" "that isn't instanced"
so are you or are you not allowed to give any details - - - as this article stands, at least for me, it is worthless
 
as for the "parents" of STO, i did not play either of those games so that also was of no use descriptively
 

 

It was three hours. A more complex hands-on preview should follow next week. Up until now we've had very short windows to play. 

Lanthir

Originally posted by Draenor


Seems promising...I've always liked MMO's that take a break from the fantasy setting, especially ones that take  a break by going to the sci-fi setting...I'll probably check this one out if it comes around before swtor.

 

well you are in luck it is set for a feb release and they have a 2 week open beta set for january.   This will give everyone a chance to see the game and make their own minds up yet still preorder if they wish to get the goodies

HeH8Me

Can anyone say "WOW Killer"

 

erictlewis

You have to be telling a joke Pirates of the burrning see!!  I ws like omg I tried to beta that game and instanly hated it.

You probably turned off a lot of folks even saying that.   The naval battelts were lame,  so if thats what we have forward to looking too, then no thanks.

I guess one persons personal favorite are another persons pos.

 

erictlewis

Originally posted by HeH8Me


Can anyone say "WOW Killer"
 

 

I will take some of what you been smoking,  wow killer he he he.  If I wanted wow I would play it.  Why does everybody want a wow killer.  Let those who play wow play it and stay on the other side of the universe.

Gyrus

Originally posted by Danubus

Originally posted by Terranah


"If City of Heroes and Pirates of the Burning Sea had a baby, it would be Star Trek Online."
 
I just threw up.

 

Me too.

Hmmmm.  That's a worry really?



I think at this stage it would be fair to call PotBS a fail?

Forum activity and server closures tell the story?

I find it funny that some people tend to say how great and how 'fun' PotBS is - but as I asked in another thread "Do you still play PotBS?"

Terranah

This is what I remember about Pirates of the Burning Sea: they basically made a ship game, then tacked on land based play in a half baked way.  Character creation was cool, but the game was buggy, laggy, and broken.

 

This is what I remember about City of Heroes.  Great character creation.  Everyone is a hero, so no one is really. Instanced 'dungeons' regurgitated time and again making for monotonous game play.  A big instance with lots of instances inside the main instance.

 

So what I gather then, if the two games were mated, would be a ship game with shoddily tacked on away missions.  The humanoid avatars will have lots of customization options.  The game will be heavily instanced with instances within instances.  Combat also will be instanced.  So is that an accurate summation? 

 

I am a HUGE Star Trek fan, but I think if we are going to create this type of game then Bioware's Star Wars game offers a more compelling version.  I can't wait to feel like a miniature sitting in that big oversized command chair.  How heroic that will feel...

 

 

Lanthir

Originally posted by Terranah


This is what I remember about Pirates of the Burning Sea: they basically made a ship game, then tacked on land based play in a half baked way.  Character creation was cool, but the game was buggy, laggy, and broken.
 
This is what I remember about City of Heroes.  Great character creation.  Everyone is a hero, so no one is really. Instanced 'dungeons' regurgitated time and again making for monotonous game play.  A big instance with lots of instances inside the main instance.
 
So what I gather then, if the two games were mated, would be a ship game with shoddily tacked on away missions.  The humanoid avatars will have lots of customization options.  The game will be heavily instanced with instances within instances.  Combat also will be instanced.  So is that an accurate summation? 
 
I am a HUGE Star Trek fan, but I think if we are going to create this type of game then Bioware's Star Wars game offers a more compelling version.  I can't wait to feel like a miniature sitting in that big oversized command chair.  How heroic that will feel...
 
 

 

well i think his point was that POTBS had an inovative ship combat  which is not the same as it being a good mmo unfortunatly.  However, it does boad well for the ship combat in STO  as it was very realistic in POTBS  requiring skill  as oppossed to just who had best gear and the highest lvls.

Beanpuie

Originally posted by Terranah


This is what I remember about Pirates of the Burning Sea: they basically made a ship game, then tacked on land based play in a half baked way.  Character creation was cool, but the game was buggy, laggy, and broken.
 
This is what I remember about City of Heroes.  Great character creation.  Everyone is a hero, so no one is really. Instanced 'dungeons' regurgitated time and again making for monotonous game play.  A big instance with lots of instances inside the main instance.
 
So what I gather then, if the two games were mated, would be a ship game with shoddily tacked on away missions.  The humanoid avatars will have lots of customization options.  The game will be heavily instanced with instances within instances.  Combat also will be instanced.  So is that an accurate summation? 
 
I am a HUGE Star Trek fan, but I think if we are going to create this type of game then Bioware's Star Wars game offers a more compelling version.  I can't wait to feel like a miniature sitting in that big oversized command chair.  How heroic that will feel...
 
 

 

my thoughts exactly,

a Instance, inside a instance, which is inside another Instance????

Is there any point for pvp? esspecially now with the news of  klingons being pvp only sans all the key features youll get playing Starfleet? they have every right to place pvp in such a manner, but they best not being holding their breath if they expect that aspect of the game to hold any longevity.

I cant even fathom the genesis sytem now if  all it amounts to is instances caked on more instances,  i wonder how many people asked if they could venture to territory that another player discovered that is plotted on the star charts?

yes i am holding a pitchfork and torch...

Gyrus

Originally posted by Lanthir

...
 
well i think his point was that POTBS had an inovative ship combat  which is not the same as it being a good mmo unfortunatly.  However, it does boad well for the ship combat in STO  as it was very realistic in POTBS  requiring skill  as oppossed to just who had best gear and the highest lvls.

Yeah, but as an MMO it was a failure.

If Cryptic have a good ship combat routine then that's nice... but if that's all they have then make it a single player game with online PvP arenas.

Charge $90 for the box.

Leave the MMO rights open for someone else who can bring more to the table than just a good ship combat routine.