A Star Trek MMORPG

merv · August 2004

A While ago I saw that A Star Trek MMORPG was in development but I can't seem to find out any more about it has it been developed or has it been canned.

Please if anyone knows could you tell me.

Merv ::::06::

Unknown · August 2004

Originally posted by merv

A While ago I saw that A Star Trek MMORPG was in development but I can't seem to find out any more about it has it been developed or has it been canned.
Please if anyone knows could you tell me.

Merv

Some friends and I talked about STO (Star Trek Online heheh) after we started playing SWG. The fact that AO, SWG, and EvE are successful has proven their IS a market for Sci-Fi MMORPGs. STO would easily succeed just by using the SWG game engine and the EvE game engine. The Star Trek franchise is just as popular as the Star Wars franchise. Though IMHO there are far less ST fans who play computer games than SW fans. There have not been many successful ST games made.

I do remember playing an early ST game on the Commodore 64. It was intresting. More recently there was ST Armada, and another very successful ST game. It's sequel was a flop though.

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More games:
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Enigma · August 2004

If they put the graphics of EVE into the Star Trek Universe and had a good set up, Ill would be there in a heart beat.

Unfortunately i dont see this happening. Star Trek had a RPG pen and paper series, but they hardly ever pushed it and finding it to play was just as rare as seeing the shroud of Turin in your backyard.

puffdragon · August 2004

URL GRHEY HAWT

admriker444 · August 2004

This has such potential, but so did SWG and look what SOE did to that. I can just imagine it now...

Each ship has a set area to patrol and missions to follow from Starfleet Command. Once you enter Starfleet Academy, you decide which area to focus on (security, bridge command, science officer, engineer, medicine, etc) and upon graduation get assigned a ship.

Each ship would be its own little world practically. Obviously some ships would have more prestige than others (flagship Sovereign class vs. freighter). You would strive for medals, and promotions in other things to get assigned your dream position, etc.

Going further, you could choose to start as several races that are members of united federation of planets OR become a romulan (spies, etc), Klingon, or ferengi each with their own ships. There could be monthly story arcs involving borg invasions, etc. The possiblities are endless.

Fraek · August 2004

Originally posted by admriker444

This has such potential, but so did SWG and look what SOE did to that. I can just imagine it now...
Each ship has a set area to patrol and missions to follow from Starfleet Command. Once you enter Starfleet Academy, you decide which area to focus on (security, bridge command, science officer, engineer, medicine, etc) and upon graduation get assigned a ship.
Each ship would be its own little world practically. Obviously some ships would have more prestige than others (flagship Sovereign class vs. freighter). You would strive for medals, and promotions in other things to get assigned your dream position, etc.
Going further, you could choose to start as several races that are members of united federation of planets OR become a romulan (spies, etc), Klingon, or ferengi each with their own ships. There could be monthly story arcs involving borg invasions, etc. The possiblities are endless.

The possibilities are endless? Oooooh, I thought you were being negative. Sounds really, I mean really dull. Medals? BAH! Get assigned ships? BAH! You may as well play a single-player game if that's what you want. Each ship should need a crew, and ships should be expensive. There should be no levelling, just skills. Fighting would be in FPS-style, but a person with better skills in battle would recieve less recyle shoot more accurately. Other skills would be for example Ship Engineering (but it would require a lot of resources to keep them expensive, thus really only making ship-crafting profitable for corporations), Robot Engineering, Healing, Gunsmithy etc.

There would be Space Stations to dock, or blow up if you have a nice armada, and lots of planets with lots of villages and cities. When on the ground or in a space station you can choose between first and third person. On a ship you can see in first or third person also, but the pilot could also get a ship view, which would look like the view in Eve.

I think that it could be really exciting. You're a part of the crew and you're walking around on the ship, you lift your hat off to the Klingon who is walking past you, and suddenly the ship starts rumbling. You run into the bridge and see the captain shouting out orders, and then a face appears on the screen. It's Surkleujkhdajndnajksjhdkmhnlknjackiechankajlkdjal Brunt

Annekynn · August 2004

Although a trek mmrpg would be very cool, it would also be extremely difficult to properly design. They would ideally have to base it during the DS9 era, noteably the dominion war. They would also have to design it such that a player would need to have a lot of experience and skill to be able to obtain the larger capital ships (ala Eve). No way could the game allow any noob to go on ebay and buy a sovereign class.

The game would mostly have to be a nation vs nation pvp game (ala DAoC), and be structured such that squadron/fleet formations would be often needed to complete tasks/missions (resulting in organized battles). We wouldnt want everyone simply flying everywhere on their own doing their own thing like it was at the start of WW2 Online. The game would need to be organized from the get go so everyone understands their role and purpose.

It can be done. I hope it will be done. But there are very few ways it can be done properly, and very many ways it can be screwed up.

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Played: AC1, DAoC, E&B, SWG
Tested: AC1, AC2, DAoC, Eve, Planetside, Rubies, Lineage 2, MU Online

Karliar · August 2004

A Trek game would have to have the Mirror universe and the Marquis to keep my interest. I like Star Trek and all but they are too goody-goody for my sustained interest.

I also think the game would be tough to balance. How many guys want to be the chief engineer when the Captain's chair is available? Also how many Klingons would there be? I think it may well be the first game I ever heard of where humans are badly outnumbered.

Anyway I have to admit if they had a Trek mmorpg I would definitely play it at least to try it out.

merv · August 2004

Thanks for the replies guys but i think some of you are being defeatist, now me i have so many ideas but don't have the skill or knowlage to design and create a MMORPG.

::::38:: I would love to be part of it both designing and playing as i think most who posted here would too.

If some one who has the relivant skill and knowlage would like to at least try to create a universe and help people boldly go where no man or woman has been before either leave an address for me to contact you on or contact me at
LRICHAR228@AOL.COM

Thanx guys and hope to see you among the stars.

MERV ::::28::

cyphor · August 2004

Originally posted by Fraek

The possibilities are endless? Oooooh, I thought you were being negative. Sounds really, I mean really dull. Medals? BAH! Get assigned ships? BAH! You may as well play a single-player game if that's what you want. Each ship should need a crew, and ships should be expensive. There should be no levelling, just skills. Fighting would be in FPS-style, but a person with better skills in battle would recieve less recyle shoot more accurately. Other skills would be for example Ship Engineering (but it would require a lot of resources to keep them expensive, thus really only making ship-crafting profitable for corporations), Robot Engineering, Healing, Gunsmithy etc.
There would be Space Stations to dock, or blow up if you have a nice armada, and lots of planets with lots of villages and cities. When on the ground or in a space station you can choose between first and third person. On a ship you can see in first or third person also, but the pilot could also get a ship view, which would look like the view in Eve.
I think that it could be really exciting. You're a part of the crew and you're walking around on the ship, you lift your hat off to the Klingon who is walking past you, and suddenly the ship starts rumbling. You run into the bridge and see the captain shouting out orders, and then a face appears on the screen. It's Surkleujkhdajndnajksjhdkmhnlknjackiechankajlkdjal Brunt

Umbrood · August 2004

Not to mention trekkies, (i suppose I belong in that category), are very VERY concerned when it comes to fidlling with content, it would have to be extremely well designed. I can see it now.

"Hey there is a RED button on the infopanel on deck 17 section c2, it should be BLUE damnit.."

And things like that, I assume you get what I mean

TookyG · August 2004

A Star Trek MMO would have a lot of potential but it would be a horrendous undertaking for the developer to do it right.

I'd subscribe to a trek MMO in a second.

Annekynn · August 2004

Originally posted by Umbrood
Not to mention trekkies, (i suppose I belong in that category), are very VERY concerned when it comes to fidlling with content, it would have to be extremely well designed. I can see it now.
"Hey there is a RED button on the infopanel on deck 17 section c2, it should be BLUE damnit.."
And things like that, I assume you get what I mean

Youve been watching too many simpsons episodes. I dont think any trek fan is that anal, as any inconsistancies can be attributed to different revisions/shipyards/models etc.

--------------------------------------
Played: AC1, DAoC, E&B, SWG
Tested: AC1, AC2, DAoC, Eve, Planetside, Rubies, Lineage 2, MU Online

methane47 · August 2004

A Star Trek MMORPG would be epic if done right..... Kind of like the Star Wars MMORPG would have been if done perfectly...

I really like that idea someone said about the Different Shards being different Dimensions...

I would really Like the MMORPG if It you controlled a single person... highly customizable to satisfy the Trekkies of course.... This person also has his own clothing (for off duty) and even his own gun....
I think ANyone should be able to fly AnyShip... at anytime... the problem would be obtaining this ship and Controlling it .....
-For instance A newbie would not be assigned a carrier class ship from his/her organization.... But A newbie could possibly steal one while the main crew is down on a planet investigating an evil pressence on some planet.... Ofcourse it would be almost impossible because of AI and Player controlled security measures.... Like Drones and automated Defensive guns... or Just a player or two trolling the halls....
-Or a person could Buy a ship off of EBAY... but the problem is, to Run the ship the player would need to Run All the systems: engines, comm, weap, shields, comand, radar, blah blah.. by himself which would be close to impossible (because of the need to be constantly check up on them or else a failure could strand him) but not....
-OR he could buy AI bots to control those systems but they would need to be of a specific level depending on the ship AND his/her controlling skill...(Higher level skill - less bot skill needed) Ofcourse there would be noway to get these bots from a federation... Only from other players.... Which could prove expensive... since it is out of the free-money Federation thing...
-OR a newb could get some players to come help him or her take the ship... Ofcourse there is always that issue of Mutiny... ...
So after all of that It would be very wise for Newbs to stay away from the larger class ships...

Missions would not only be bounty, missions could be investigation missions... On planets far away or maybe transporting criminals across the universe, OR Escorting freighters, or spying, or infiltrating, or sabotage, or Find out information X from planet Y, or Build X on planet Z, or Assist ship X in Galaxy V, or respond to THe Mayday from Ship X, Or Map out galaxies.... (giving xp based on the Extent of detail given) ---> Those are missions for a whole Starship ======= Player Missions could just be clean this pest out of this StarShip, Or Clean the outside of DS9 and rid it of the Space Ameoba, Protect this AI on a trip onboard someone elses (could be different race) Starship... Explore Cave X on Planet Y.......
AND I hate to say it... Bring X rat pelts back to StarFleet..... (We all know how rare they are)... What about being part of A Jury in a court case... or also serving X amount of time in Y position abort the Z starship...........

I also think that besides starShips every player should have their own personal Fighter or transport... So that when You are in a huge starship and you're commanding officers log off or what ever or when No one else is aboard the starship you could hop into your Personal Craft and Fly around protecting the ship, or *Cleaning it* (yes cleaning) or Traveling down to a nearby planet to get some xp from Learning the culture of the natives, or Exploring..., or killing the evil bunnies that terrorize the Natives there..... And when People are back aboard the ship you will get beeped.. to return....

ON second thought.... I think we have to put alittle bit more thought on how Starships will be handled when Players log off... Just leaving the one person or couple people........ Anyone have any ideas?

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methane47 · August 2004

Adding::::: People handling the tasks aboard the ship will get the same views of the ship as anyone else... but would have task Specific bars with their specific Duties and Responsibilities on it.... And the tasks will also have task specific Camera views like the weapons people depending on amount of people at this task... Will have a view and control over their specific weapon or maybe could control all at once.... or could switch at whim....

Of course the CO can see every single task... but not all at the same time....

Also a second Note... If you are a commanding officer and you treat your staff wrongly you should be on the look out for Mutinies......

Click Here --->Just one of those days<--- Click Here
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Donovan --> Wu Name = Violent Knight
Methane47 --> Wu Name = Thunderous Leader
"Some people call me the walking plank, 'cuz any where you go... Death is right behind you.."
<i>ME<i>

NCX-Charger · August 2004

Not reading a whole lot of replies, just want to interject...

If a ST MMORPG were to work, it would have to (in my opinion) be a Darkspace style RPG, where you start off as a lowbie captain of small ships like scouts & work your way up. Your experience could be used to alter personal properities like communication (allows you to better talk to your crew & repairs, manuvers get done quicker), or it can be used to enhance your preistege to gain command abilities of higher classes of ships, the ability to requisition custom parts for your ship.

It would have to have a very nice nav system, using mouse to plot courses (and the ever-dangerous manual control using keyboard/joystick/gamepad that has the potential to overload inertial dampeners - yes I'm a ST geek ). To be successful, it would have to 1) be produced & programmed by ST fans, 2) have a LOT of player feedback, and 3) NOT have anything to do with SOE...

Just some thoughts

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the_traveler · August 2004

Originally posted by rentantilus

Originally posted by Annekynn

Originally posted by Umbrood
Not to mention trekkies, (i suppose I belong in that category), are very VERY concerned when it comes to fidlling with content, it would have to be extremely well designed.

Youve been watching too many simpsons episodes. I dont think any trek fan is that anal, as any inconsistancies can be attributed to different revisions/shipyards/models etc.

I agree with Annekynn. Hardcore Trekkies wouldn't have time to complain about a Star Trek MMORPG because they would be too busy sending bribe money through PayPal to get a beta slot, screaming at eachother in the game's forums over who would win an armwrestling match: a Vulcan or a Klingon, and drooling all over the store windows waiting for the game to be released.

Star Trek is perhaps the last "MMORPG waiting to be created" that has a pre-existing fan base. People like Star Wars because the movies are fun, but Trekkies aren't just fans; they want to LIVE in the Star Trek world. A Star Trek MMORPG has literally MILLIONS of people out there just waiting for it to be developed so they can throw billions of dollars at it. I'd go so far as to honestly wager that there are more Star Trek fans that own computers (in other words, potential Star Trek MMORPG customers) than there are current subscribers to all existing MMORPGs combined in North America. I dare someone to come up with numbers to prove me wrong, too.

On a side note, Star Trek fans are usually a bit older and more mature than other fantasy/sci-fi fans. For every 13-year-old Trekkie you show me, I'll show you a hundred 40-year-old men that play Pokemon.

__________
When you see a new MMORPG, honestly think to yourself: "Is this game designed to EARN my $15 per month subscription with content, originality, and long-term value, or is it just designed to SCAM me out of $50 when I buy the box at the store with flashy advertising, biased reviews, and empty promises?"

This is what I find so constistently mind-boggling. ST has a huge, loyal fan base. Yet, for some reason, most of the ST games that have come out over the last 10 years have sucked. Its like the game developers just dont quite realize what opportunity is there. If someone even came out with a single player ST game that rocked, it would sell for ages. I cant even imagine a solid ST MMO and how well it would sell.

Now not all of the ST games have sucked. Armada was great, I liked Bridge Commander too. There were a few other pretty good ones.

PS: I'm all over a ST MMO if it ever came out, no matter the format/premise

Unknown · August 2004

Originally posted by rentantilus
Star Trek fans are ready for a Star Trek MMORPG.

MMORPG players are ready for a Star Trek MMORPG.

It's the MMORPG INDUSTRY that isn't ready for a Star Trek MMORPG.

   Very intresting point you make here. I blame the suites and ties who do not care about computer games, and who probably never play computer games.

Let's face it, if Star Trek Online came out right now, it would most likely be the next casualty of the Sony Online Entertainment crime spree.

   Just something you forgot about .... SONY is not the only one who has a sci-fi MMORPG. CCP makes EvE Online and it is successful. Funcome makes AO and it is successful. They are not related to SONY in any way at all. In fact, Funcome (or is it Funcom?) is a Norweigen(sp) company. Talk about coming out of left field... who would expect out of all places?

As for the problems at SONY, It is not the game DEVs, it is the money men who are the problems. The suites and ties who are the problems. Just like what happened to Ozzy and Black Sabbath in the late 1970's when they got raped by the suites and ties and left with no careers. (Before Sharen stepped in and helped rescued the band because she actually WAS an actual Fan of Ozzy and Black Sabbath. She listened to their music!) In the MMORPG industry the suites and ties do not play the games they make. They are not actual fans.

It's the MMORPG Industry, game developers, and investors that don't have a fucking clue how to break the mold and make a truly unique, new game.

   I fully agree. But less about the Game DEVs. Too bad the days of Lord British are gone.... the days when the game DEVs theirselves could save up 5,000 or 10,000 or even 50,000 and make their own game in their garage.

__________
When you see a new MMORPG, honestly think to yourself: "Is this game designed to EARN my $15 per month subscription with content, originality, and long-term value, or is it just designed to SCAM me out of $50 when I buy the box at the store with flashy advertising, biased reviews, and empty promises?"

=========================
======= SIGNATURE =========

MMORPG games I've played:
---------------------------------------
http://community.webshots.com/user/xplororor

Star Wars Galaxies:
http://community.webshots.com/user/capt_xplororor

More games:
http://community.webshots.com/user/xplororor_archives01

EVE Online !!!
http://community.webshots.com/user/sica_xol_archives01

DAoC (coming soon)
---------------------------

Unknown · August 2004

Originally posted by merv

Thanks for the replies guys but i think some of you are being defeatist, now me i have so many ideas but don't have the skill or knowlage to design and create a MMORPG.
I would love to be part of it both designing and playing as i think most who posted here would too.
If some one who has the relivant skill and knowlage would like to at least try to create a universe and help people boldly go where no man or woman has been before either leave an address for me to contact you on or contact me at
LRICHAR228@AOL.COM
Thanx guys and hope to see you among the stars.
MERV

Send me an email with a list of your ideas:

captainxplororor@yahoo.com

I'm still in school, but when I finnish, and get whatever career started, and 50,000 or so saved up, I intend to look into making my own MMORPG one day.

=========================
======= SIGNATURE =========

MMORPG games I've played:
---------------------------------------
http://community.webshots.com/user/xplororor

Star Wars Galaxies:
http://community.webshots.com/user/capt_xplororor

More games:
http://community.webshots.com/user/xplororor_archives01

EVE Online !!!
http://community.webshots.com/user/sica_xol_archives01

DAoC (coming soon)
---------------------------

Thoom · August 2004

The ST online game could have the Starfleet char creation base where you have to train as a cadet, and your actions as a cadet could steer you into what courses<skills> you gain at the academy. You graduate to your first ship or post as a ensign doing your career path, medical, science, engineering, security, and command. As you lvl in your career you get access to better ships or postings to transfer to gain better training, and quest opportunities. I can see ultimately at a certain lvl you serve on a entire player ran ship or post <ala guild> doing starfleets bidding. Of course, Vulcans, Klingons, Feringi, Bajorans, Romulans, and Founders, have "Their" academies, cadets, ect as well. The game would be one ultimate PvE/PvP experiences out there.

~Sparrow~ · August 2004

I am not a very big Star Treck fan so I wouldn't like it at all. sorry

~Sparrow~

Enigma · August 2004

I would think you starting as a cadet would be an ideal start.

Then having to tackle flight simulations, diplomatic scenerios, educational, science, etc. to gain skill (NOT LEVEL!!!!!!!!) to advanced to the next class and so and so forth. I believe the first 4 years of the Academy SHOULD NOT be spent shooting Spine Flappers behind the San Francisco Acadamy.

I would like to see, upon graduation you get assigned to a starship based upon your success rate in various "classes" and give players 3 chances to take the course over ...that way you dont have power gamers redoing the classes over and over until they achieve a perfect rating.

Then based upon missions, planet interactions, combat, peaceful negotiations, not violating the Prime Directive, you can move up rank.

Rank should tie into your skill points and should not be a specific number. Also, I firmly believe after your first promotion you can then get options as to what ships of stations you want to work in. The higher your rank the more options you have.

I also would like to see a player have another "Perk" besides Rank. He or she should also have "reputation" points. You receive reputations based upon how effectively you completed a mission or handled a situation. The higher your reputation, the better posts you are offered. This could be calulated between rank and reputation. Hence, you see a Lt. heading up Engineering in a FlagShip but see a Commander second in charge of a beat down medical frigate. Why? Because while the Lt. has lower rank, he also had impressed some brass along the way through his actions or his "reputation"

Also, I think when in battle mode you could switch to a tactical form of fighting or a twicth base combate simulation. Once receiving the promotion of Captain, you could have full control of Ship Operations in your "datapad" ...lesser ranks will receive similiar ship functions but more limited, etc.

I just spent 5 minutes coming up with this stuff. Imagine if a group of talented Developers with a budget got together? It would be arather nice game to play.

Hype · August 2004

This game would be loved...

Someone said it best: Trekkies want to live in the Star Trek universe... they want to be medical lieutennants and, in some cases, starport directors or simple farmers... and they tend to be older and more mature... Star Wars fans want to be Jedi, or in some rare cases, Han Solo or Boba Fett... nobody wants to be the big headed alien in the band...

Klingons being playable out of the box would be a good idea... though, on the other hand, that would make one heck of an expansion pack... I do agree, however, that phasers should be a matter of FPSing... and perhaps even manual control of the helm be left up to arcade style... after that of course, the twitching should stop, since all Starfleet over does is give you the two hands to the back move...

More than anything, Ships should be about a ton of people working together, the bigger and more successful the 'crew' (guild), the greater ship that they could be assigned. However, within faction, ship crew transfers could be relatively simple and consistent. Agree: no levels. And cater to multiple playerstyles. Federation is for exploers and socializers. The Prime Directive should enforce that. You steal someone's ship, everyone in the quadrant is alerted about the reward for your capture. For Klingons though, hardcore PvPers should feel free and welcome... with inter-house wars happening all the time... achievers, of course, should be free to advance all the way up to captain and so forth... where real life leadership skills, ideally, would come into play...

The problem with STO would be Content. There are a LOT of little planets around with their own little mysteries to be explored. Generating that kind of content manually is, to be honest, absolutely monstrous. You would need to randomly instance those planets and then save that info for future instancing for other races... each planet should have dozens of variables about the race(s), environment, storyline/anomaly/issue and technological advancement, and likely other issues. By having say, ten different ways to focus a disease (children, children and elderly, working men, working women, people born within a certain time period, people who did X within a certain time period, people who were at location Y within a certain time period, etc, combination of the above) then we may be approaching the level of variation that would keep things from growing repetitive too quickly, even for the explorer, especially if new variables are added often...

This game could be great, but it also demands a lot of work... click-click engineering, for instance, will simply not do... not with the way they talk:

Engineer: "Maybe if I reroute the power nacelles to the main core and reverse the ionic stream, I might be able to cook up something."

Captain: "How long will it take?"

Engineer: "It's gonna be about two hours."

Captain: "You have 2 minutes. Make it so."

----------------------------
City of Heroes Fanboy
Future Game Designer
All-around bad mutha-shutchomouf

Ackbar · August 2004

Honestly this souns like such an awesome idea. My character wll be a Q.

----ITS A TRAP!!!----

Finwe · August 2004

One problem with this, it would need one HECK of a random content generator. All the planets, all the landmass. Etc.

I think it'd just require too much at this point to be really good.

Btw....If they did do this, you'd have to have romulans and cardassians. Especially Cardassians, they're so evil, I'd definitely play one of em.

"The greatest trick the devil played on humanity in the 20th century was convincing them that he didnt exist." (Paraphrasing) C.S. Lewis

kynot · August 2004

I would only play a ST mmorpg if I could play a klingon

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