First Screenshots from Star Trek Online

[sheld0n]

Enjoy:

http://www.startrek-online.net/vgallery/files/1/7/7/0/intscreenbq5_original.jpg

http://www.startrek-online.net/vgallery/files/1/2/4/9/warcryground1_original.jpg

Note the cartoon approach. It's definitely not something I expected, but hey it worked for WoW and at least it'll make it easier on the ol' humming paperweight.

Here's a quote from one of the game designers:
Daron Stinnett: We love the caricatures of the races in Star Trek and we had a strong desire to make sure that each race was as visually distinctive as they are on an emotional level. However that presented a game design challenge given that on TV, all those great races are just human actors with prosthetics and makeup to differentiate them; an approach does not translate well to the game world where subtle differences among players and NPCs would not be legible at typical view distances during gameplay.

[WingedAvenger]

Um, awesome?

And I don't think it looks that cartoony. It's certainly not any less realistic-looking then Tabula Rasa.

[Kinetix]

These games need to learn that tons of bloom lighting effects do not equal realism. Just looks like a ton of vaseline was smudged on the camera.

[Masked Revenger]

Oh, man, this looks cool. I can't wait!

:mr: Chris

[Nerfed]

I can wait. I'm not much of a trekkie.

[Seadevil]

Hrrrm. Looks like WoW with phasers. I guess we'll have to wait for more info.

[Kinetix]

I don't think it looks nearly as cartoony as WoW...Also, they should've made the UI look more like the ship computers .

This ****: http://www.lcarscom.net/

[Astartus]

The first screens really looks nice.

But the second one is just "bah". Looks really like WoW with phasers, like Doctor Death said. And this is surely not what StarTrek is all about. Looks alot like a "Kill 10 Space Rats" mission or so, totally unrealistic.

[8 Ball]

I don't think it looks nearly as cartoony as WoW...Also, they should've made the UI look more like the ship computers .

This ****: http://www.lcarscom.net/

I'm not a huge trekkie but that's actually a pretty kickass site :D.

[Nerfed]

Daron Stinnett: We love the caricatures of the races in Star Trek and we had a strong desire to make sure that each race was as visually distinctive as they are on an emotional level. However that presented a game design challenge given that on TV, all those great races are just human actors with prosthetics and makeup to differentiate them; an approach does not translate well to the game world where subtle differences among players and NPCs would not be legible at typical view distances during gameplay.
Typical "we're gonna do it our way because staying true to the spirit of the IP wouldn't be cool" developer mentality.

[MikeKAY]

I love how the giant alien slug, despite his apparent disdain for "hairy" humans, still uses no less then three very distinctly human figures of speech in the space of two sentences. Visual distinction is one thing, but do the characters in science fiction always have to pander to a human level of understanding? Can't we please have some aliens who are, well, alien? It shouldn't be to the level that you can't understand what the hell NPCs are saying, but they need to work on developing unique cultural identities to go with the unique physiology.

The graphics don't bother me. In fact, I'm gritting my teeth at the fact that I need to upgrade my computer to play Age of Conan. MMOs should make some compromises when it comes to super-realism and graphical bells and whistles for the sake of, yanno, people actually being able to play the game. Plus you avoid the whole Uncanny Valley thing that games are beginning to stray into.

As for the UI... They change. A lot. Remember what the interface looked like in the first City of Heroes screenshots? Almost all games go through a few generations of interfaces prior to and during beta testing. Since these looks more like bare bone mock ups, I'd say there is still a good chance of seeing an LCARS one by the time this thing is done.

My only real concern is that they stay away from the "Kill 10 Gorn Soldier" thing. That would blow.

[Masked Revenger]

Okay, I'm confused.... I've looked all over that second screenie, and I don't see ANYWHERE where it says "kill 10 Gorn." Where are you guys seeing that?

:mr: Chris

[Sebastian Kain]

I'm kindof excited about this. :)

[The Icy One]

I'll probably try it out.. just to see how it is.

[WingedAvenger]

I don't think it looks nearly as cartoony as WoW...Also, they should've made the UI look more like the ship computers .

No argument here, especially considering the ship and uniform look like they come from the TNG timeframe, and not the TOS timeframe.


Okay, I'm confused.... I've looked all over that second screenie, and I don't see ANYWHERE where it says "kill 10 Gorn." Where are you guys seeing that?

I think he's assuming that will be a standard mission type in the game, as it is in pretty much all MMORPGs.

[Nerfed]

As for the UI... They change. A lot. Remember what the interface looked like in the first City of Heroes screenshots? Almost all games go through a few generations of interfaces prior to and during beta testing.
What? Different? I don't believe you, sir...


...pics or it didn't happen! O_o

[Snakebite]

GLEEEEE!!!!!*passes out*

[T!M]

Not my bag...but neither was WoW when it first came out but if it gets a lot of hype like WoW did naturally I'll check it out.

[Bitter Babe]

I think it looks great and the fact that it appears to be in TNG time is awesome since thats when I started watching and it was my favorite :)

[Dynamo-Man]

Not a screenshot, but a new ship design. That's always been my favorite thing about Trek. This is my wallpaper at work now:

http://www.startrekonline.com/gallery/viewimage.php?STOSacagawea.jpg

[Half Life]

This cant come out soon enough

[DartZader]

Typical "we're gonna do it our way because staying true to the spirit of the IP wouldn't be cool" developer mentality.

Hey, that worked for Berman and Braga. Oh wait...

[Chain Lightning]

I'm excited for this mainly because Perpetual, the company making it, has the rights from Paramount to use ALL Star Trek history from all the t.v. series and the movies. So just imagine all the missions and story arcs they can get out of all that material.

[WingedAvenger]

More screenshot here: http://www.startrek-online.net/vgallery/browseimages.php?c=4&userid=

[Nerfed]

Not a screenshot, but a new ship design.

http://www.startrekonline.com/gallery/viewimage.php?STOSacagawea.jpg

So this is the new Starfleet personal ship design, right? ...to explain why Starfleet officers can roam about where ever without being tied to a starship with hundreds or even thousands of other crew?

I can't say I'm overly thrilled about the galaxy being suddenly filled with many thousands of solo mini-starships to accomodate the MMO style of play... however, I do love the ship design.

[Dynamo-Man]

No, it's more of a smaller exploration vessel. I imagine about the size of the Defiant. It has a full crew no doubt.

[Chain Lightning]

Those others aren't in game screen shots, unless they were later incorporated into the game. I saw these on Perpetual's site a few months ago. They were/are development screens they did to get interior design look and character mappings and size.

[Cold Quake]

Just give me a half-decent Nova class starship and I'll be on my way, thank you very much. :D

[Meltman]

What? Different? I don't believe you, sir...


...pics or it didn't happen! O_o

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e380/Meltman2/userinterface/9_3.jpg

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e380/Meltman2/userinterface/9_1.jpg

[bpphantom]

Perhaps it's going to be similar to DDO in that you have to group to complete the missions. That would mean your team shares a vessel and various roles for each off world quest.

[Dynamo-Man]

Yeah, I can't see this as being much of a solo-play MMO. At least not after the first few "levels" or such. Perhaps as you get experience, you will be promoted. Allowing you to do more.

[MajorMarvel]

those arent the first screenshots to the game :p

[sheld0n]

I'm guessing every guild has a fleet and if you're a member, you stay on one of their ships. If there isn't enough people online to operate it, NPCs take over, etc.

those arent the first screenshots to the game :p

That's true, they're the first screenshots from the game.

[Dr Jack Wolfe]

Hmm, not in love with the first ship's design. I love the ship tech in Star Trek, when I was a kid it was all about WW1 and WW2 navies, then it evolved into Sci Fi.

I'm just being cautious about this one. I think its way to easy for a trek fan to get overwrought about detail, so I'll apply to the beta and play it and see.

I'd still like to see Birth of the Federation redone with ships from every era. Or a Trek like Homeworld, but I'll take this. I really enjoyed the first two Starfleet Battles game (or was it 3? Nah 3 dumbed it down)

(and klingon acadamy is still the best big ship ST game ever :) Yamato class for the win)

[Graphite]

Re Tard ed
What is this, a sappy Sat Morn Cartoon?
Thats the most horriffic ship I've ever seen in Trek lore.
Whole thing was doomed from the start anyway.

[WingedAvenger]

Well I guess no one ever said you can't judge a book by its cover. :rolleyes:

I think it's a little... no, actually it's a LOT too early to be firing off the DOOOOOOOOOOOM cannons. Its two early screenshots from what is likely to be a pretty involved MMORPG that they are still working on, so try to rein in those dogs a little under we get closer to seeing some actual gameplay.

[FrostyPox]

The space screenshot looks pretty cool. Not so sure about the ground one.

Either way, I've never watched much Star Trek, so I can't say I'm terribly excited about the game.

[WingedAvenger]

P2 Loses Star Trek Online license (http://www.warcry.com/articles/view/breakingnews/2802-Breaking-News-P2-Out-As-Star-Trek-Online-Developer)
P2 Entertainment - formerly Perpetual Entertainment - has ceased development on Star Trek Online, according to multiple sources at the San Francisco based developer. The news does not, however, mean that the game is canceled. The license, as well as the game's content - but not the code - have been transferred to another Bay Area development studio where work will continue. It is not entirely clear at this time what this means for the individual developers who worked on the project at P2.

As a company, P2 Entertainment will continue on with their profitable Perpetual Platform, which has been licensed to industry leaders like BioWare, and refocus their core business on the casual games market.

Without the code, whoever takes over Star Trek Online will be faced with a lot of work to complete the project, which means that fans may have longer to wait for a completed Star Trek Online.

P2 Entertainment had no comment on the story.

WarCry will continue to follow this story as it develops.

[Seadevil]

So in other words, don't expect this for at least a good 4-5 years.

[razoras]

Thank Perpetual for their questionable business practices and shuffling of equity to have to avoid paying bills.

[8 Ball]

****!!!!


Ohh...neat little tidbit:

Update:

trekmovie.com is reporting that Cryptic Studios may acquire the license, as they're currently interviewing ex-Perpetual employees to move over to the studio in some capacity. While Cryptic has yet to confirm whether or not they're the studio picking up the license, they are located in Los Gatos, CA -- only 20 miles or so south of the Bay.

We'll keep an eye on this as more information becomes available.

link (http://news.curse.com/details/5074/)