Star Trek online Faq

[Martok]

01.20.2005

FAQ for Star Trek Online

January 2005

Star Trek fans have been eagerly waiting for the chance to experience adventure in the time of the United Federation of Planets in a massively multiplayer setting. Perpetual Entertainment is developing just such a game. Here is our second version of the FAQ. We will continue to update the FAQ as the game is developed.

General

What is Star Trek Online?

STO is a persistent world where thousands of players immerse themselves in the life and times of the Federation. You will explore the galaxy, defend against incursions, and pursue the needs of the Federation in space and on planets' surfaces.

Who is making this Game?

Perpetual Entertainment is three year old company created by MMO and networked game veterans with the express purpose of developing ground breaking persistent world games. They've spent the last three years working on genre defining server and graphics technologies for another unique MMO offering still in the works. They're excited to begin expanding their team and begin work on this famous property.

When is the Beta date?

2006

Will there be a monthly fee?

Yes, it will be competitive with other products of our genre.

Will the content grow during the lifetime of the game?

Yes, through updates and expansions

On which platform will this game be available?

PC

Game Play

What is the point of view?

You are a person, not a ship. You will play in both first and third person, as appropriate.

Will you be able to travel and explore space?

Yes. Space travel is going to be a fun and unique experience. Mission assignments will take you to interesting and dangerous places throughout the galaxy.

Will you be able to explore the surface of planets?

Yes. Action on planets will be an important part of game-play and a significant portion of our content will be ground-based.

How many people will be on a starship?

Starship crew complements range from little more than bridge crews aboard small ships to hundreds of players aboard the larger vessels.

Won't everyone want to be a captain?

Those who wish to pursue command can do so. Others may wish to focus on developing their skills and specializing in a particular department. Neither choice is exclusive; a captain can crew for someone else if he wants, and an officer highly trained in a particular department can also eventually become a commander.

How will grouping work?

Both away and bridge missions invite grouping, since both will benefit from the specialized talents of many departments. On a larger scale, an entire crew can be considered a group when squaring off against other ships — and even groups of ships can form armadas.

How will solo play work?

Mission content appropriate to your skills and rank will always be available. If a mission cannot be completed without help, NPC crewmates will assist.

Will there be any randomly created missions? Any hand-crafted missions?

There will be a mix of hand-crafted missions and generated missions.

Will crafting be an important part of the economy and game play?

Crafting falls into three categories: improving the ship, upgrading tools and weapons, and creating or modifying holodeck programs.

What will you do on the holodeck?

Relax, train, or perhaps engage in PvP competitions with players networked from all over the galaxy.

Will there be mini-games?

Yes, recreation areas will offer many leisure activities, including mini-games.

Character Customization and Growth

How will Rank be calculated?

As player complete missions and gain experience they will have opportunities to get promoted to higher ranks. Certain ranks will require a fair amount of leadership experience.

Is the game skill based or level based?

Both. Levels measure the player's total experience earned, and skills are improved by the successful completion of missions.

How will characters advance and grow?

Players will perform missions assigned to them by their department heads, Starfleet command, or other players. They can also join away teams that need assistance. Successful completion of these missions will be rewarded by experience and skill growth.

What are the professions available?

The current playable departments are flight control, medical, science, tactical/security, and engineering. Players will specialize in the skills for these departments, but all can become commanders.

What are the races available?

At launch we plan on allowing players to be Human, Vulcan or Klingon. These races were chosen for their relationship with Starfleet, the fact that their racial differences are significant (and therefore give real reasons to select one over another), and their popularity with the fans. We plan for expansions and updates to eventually expand these race choices.

How customizable will the characters be?

Our highly interactive character creation system allows players to create unique faces and builds. And as players advance, they will gain access to a surprising number of interesting uniform and clothing choices.

Will all characters be in Starfleet? Will there be civilian or non-federation options?

At launch all players will be part of Starfleet. We intend to open other factions through updates and expansions.

How will clans fit in to this game?

Cadets and junior officers will not see very much advantage to belonging to a clan. But as players advance they may join ships belonging to clan-mates and share in their adventures. Perpetual will support chat channels and organizational tools for all ships, but also for clans/fleets/guilds. Very advanced missions will require multiple ships and clans will find these especially well suited to their organizations.

Combat

What will ground combat be like?

Our fast-paced FPS system is going to take advantage of many of the skills and abilities seen in Star Trek: using heavy weapons, energy shields, pattern enhancers, and more.

Can I crouch and jump?

Yes, hiding behind obstacles will be a good way to avoid fire.

What will starship combat be like?

Starship combat is slower and more strategic than ground combat; the Enterprise wasn't built to turn on a dime. It's more important to make good decisions than get a target into one's crosshairs. That said, the action can be furious and requires the contribution of all of the departments under the direction of an experienced captain.

Will there be player vs. player combat?

PvP will not be a primary means of advancement at game launch, but the holodeck will provide many opportunities for players to fight each other in ships and on the ground in a competitive holographic environment.

I want to board ships, can I?

Yes, you will sometimes need to board ships after successfully bringing down their shields in order to capture special equipment, hostages, and information. But you might find your ship being boarded as well!

If an important player goes link dead, is the ship doomed?

If a player goes link dead, a computer NPC will take their place until they return or another player steps in.

What happens if I die?

If the ship's sick-bay is intact, you will revive there after which you can either rejoin the battle or transport back to your away team. If the sick-bay has been captured or destroyed by an enemy you will revive once it has been recaptured or repaired.

Setting

Which time period or series does this game occur in?

The game's starting point is set some time following the latest movie (i.e. Nemesis). However, there will be missions with storylines and characters from other parts of the Star Trek franchise.

Can you tell us something about the story?

No, the story is secret and will slowly unveil as the player advances.

Will I be on the Enterprise? Can I be a famous character from the TV show?

You may encounter the Enterprise and characters from the Star Trek series, but you will be your own hero discovering your own story.

Which enemies will I encounter?

You will encounter many of the classic enemies from the various series — as well as some new ones.

How will the game start? Will there be a tutorial?

The Academy will introduce everything you need to know to start playing.

Will DS9 and/or Earth be permanent fixtures?

Some home planets will be permanent fixtures; certainly the Academy and its nearby environs will be open for exploration. We're not sure yet which star bases and outposts will be permanent fixtures however.

Where will the players live?

Players will often live on ships in quarters, but sometimes they may live on home planets or star bases. Some may even choose to take long-term assignments on a hotly contested battleground.

What will galactic navigation be like?

Galactic navigation will be fairly straightforward. Once you have selected the location, navigation and warp settings are automatic. Travel is very quick.

What will local navigation be like?

Impulse travel is a combination of automatic navigation and manual piloting (depending on the ship's situation).

What will planetary navigation be like?

Away missions on planets are moderately sized and zone-based.

How will players get around?

Content is never too far away. Starships, shuttles, and transporters remove much of the tedium of travel.

How much instancing of zones will there be?

We'll use them wherever they make sense. Dynamic zones allow us to craft content for smaller groups, and they also help to avoid overcrowding.

Ownership

Can I own a starship?

You can be stationed on a ship, be temporarily loaned a ship, or eventually receive a commission for your own ship.

Will there be housing?

Yes. You will receive quarters wherever you are stationed. It will display your earned trophies and other decorations.

Can I capture ships?

You cannot capture another player's ship, but there will be an opportunity to obtain and refit a starship of your own.

Can I loot corpses?

There will be rewards scattered around mission areas, but looting corpses for personal gain is not the Starfleet way.

How will I get better items during my characters growth?

As you improve your skills you will become trained in newer and more powerful tools and weapons. Also, players will be able to improve the efficiency and abilities of many tools and weapons.

When I log-off, where will I be when I log on?

When you log out from a ship, planet, or star base where you are stationed, you will appear there when you log back on. If you log out while on an away mission, you will appear back at your stationed location.

What happens when my ship is destroyed? What about all those people who are logged off?

Player-commanded ships are never permanently destroyed, only disabled. A disabled ship will be towed to space dock for repairs.

Will clans get star bases? Huge fleets of ships?

Clans are unlikely to get star bases at launch, however if the clan is very large it is possible that they can acquire a large fleet of starships.

Can I improve my ships?

Yes, through engineering upgrades or Starfleet sponsored refits your ship will improve. There also will be opportunities to trade up to bigger classes of starships.

Can I name my ship anything?

No, but the exact method of choosing ships names is still in the works.

[Martok]

New PC Gamer Q&A HERE

[Kelnica]

Nice! Thanks for posting this info!!