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Star Trek Online was the working title of an MMORPG, previously being developed by Perpetual Entertainment, which was announced on September 7, 2004.^[1] Computer and video games redirects here. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... A video game developer is a software developer (a business or an individual) that creates video games. ... Cryptic Studios develops massively multiplayer online role-playing games. ... A game designer is a person who designs games. ... A game engine is the core software component of a computer video game or other interactive application with real-time graphics. ... In computing, a platform describes some sort of framework, either in hardware or software, which allows software to run. ... IBM PC compatible computers are those generally similar to the original IBM PC, XT, and AT. Such computers used to be referred to as PC clones, or IBM clones since they almost exactly duplicated all the significant features of the PC, XT, or AT internal design, facilitated by various manufacturers... Further information: Game classification Video games are categorized into genres based on their gameplay interaction. ... Players interacting in Ultima Online, a classic MMORPG. Massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) is a genre of online computer role-playing games (CRPGs) in which a large number of players interact with one another in a virtual world. ... A type of video game in which the game automatically loads adjacent rooms while you explore the one you are in. ... Players interacting in Ultima Online, a classic MMORPG. Massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) is a genre of online computer role-playing games (CRPGs) in which a large number of players interact with one another in a virtual world. ... Founded in March 2002, Perpetual Entertainment is an American computer game and video game developer, publisher and operator of multiplayer and MMORPG games. ... is the 250th day of the year (251st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

On January 14, 2008, Perpetual Entertainment announced that it is no longer developing Star Trek Online. The license for the game and all of its assets except for the code have been transferred to an undisclosed San Francisco Bay Area development studio. ^[2][3]. On January 18, all STO developers were laid off by P2 Entertainment.^[4] is the 14th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... Bay Area redirects here. ... is the 18th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

In early March 2008 the official Star Trek Online website posted a notice of 'coming soon', implying that the domain had been transferred to a new company and the game was once again under development. On 13 March, Star Trek news site TrekMovie.com reported having confirmed with "sources" that the new developer is Cryptic Studios, as had been the rumor for several weeks.^[5] is the 72nd day of the year (73rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Cryptic Studios develops massively multiplayer online role-playing games. ...

Perpetual version

Gameplay

Players' characters were to begin as Starfleet cadets and have the opportunity to advance in rank up to Captain and even Admiral. The game would have mainly been played from a 3rd person perspective, though there were hints that it might have been possible to zoom into a first person view under certain circumstances. Players would have been able to travel, explore space and the surface of planets, and engage in Player versus player (PvP) combat and Player versus environment (PvE) combat This article is about multiplayer computer role-playing games. ... Many new MMORPGs advertise themselves as being Player versus environment or PvE meaning there is more depth to the interaction between the player and the game than merely killing monsters the traditional way, cf. ...

Setting

Galaxy-class Observation Lounge.

The game was to be set in the early years of the 25th Century^[6] (just beyond the eras of The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, and Voyager), approximately twenty years after Star Trek Nemesis (the latest movie); the developers were using this interregnum to allow for some evolution in the Star Trek universe for the sake of better playability. Missions would have included storylines that involve established characters from the Star Trek franchise. Players would have begun at Starfleet Academy, where they would have learnt basic game skills, before progressing to Starship assignments. Players would then have been able to participate in activities on ships, on planets, or on stations and starbases. Image File history File linksMetadata Sprint2Final_sShots_0023_obRm02m. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Sprint2Final_sShots_0023_obRm02m. ... The title as it appeared in most episodes opening credits. ... Space station Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (ST:DS9 or STDS9 or DS9 for short) is a science fiction television series produced by Paramount and set in the Star Trek universe. ... The starship Voyager (NCC-74656), an Intrepid-class starship. ... Star Trek Nemesis (2002) is the tenth Star Trek feature film, and the fourth and last film to star the cast from The Next Generation. ... The official logo of Starfleet Academy, circa 2370. ...

Starship operations

Starship assignments and missions would have been one of the key components of this game. Players would have congregated and socialized aboard large starship "hubs" such as the Galaxy-class, and use them as jumping-off points to go on missions aboard their smaller personal starships, which would have been operated as advanced mounts from a 3rd person perspective, where each player would have had different controls relating to ship functions relevant to their department.^[7] The Galaxy-class is a fictional class of starship in the science fiction franchise Star Trek. ...

There would have been over a hundred ships recreated in the game, at least 50 of these would have been obtainable by players.^[8] It had been indicated that player ship interiors would not have been available at the initial release, with ship systems being controlled from an exterior view during combat, though interior gameplay was an important aspect of STO and would have been represented in a number of ways.^[9][10]

Most missions would not have been "instanced," according to statements by Star Trek Online executive producer Daron Stinnett. ^[11] This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Character development

After a player had chosen a career, the selection would have become permanent for the character's entire existence. Characters would have physically aged as they progressed through the game and gain more experience, thus the experience of higher-ranking officers would have been accurately portrayed in game. The final list of playable races had not yet been announced by the time the game was effectively cancelled; candidates included Human, Vulcan, Klingon, Bajoran, Bolian, Cardassian, Ferengi, Tellarite and Andorian.^[12] In the Star Trek science fiction universe, Humans/Terrans (Homo sapiens sapiens) are one of the races undertaking interstellar travel. ... For the Vulcan homeworld, see Vulcan (Star Trek planet). ... This article is about the fictional race. ... Bajorans, a race of humanoids in the fictional Star Trek universe, were introduced in the Next Generation series and played an integral part in the Deep Space Nine series. ... The Bolians are a fictional alien race in the Star Trek universe. ... This article is about the Star Trek universe. ... The Ferengi are a fictional extraterrestrial race from the Star Trek universe. ... Tellarites are a fictional species from the planet Tellar from the Star Trek television show. ... In the fictional Star Trek universe, the Andorians are a species of humanoids native to the icy moon Andoria, which orbits the ringed gas giant Andor, described in Star Trek: Enterprise as being in the Procyon System. ...

Astrometrics concept art.

Image File history File linksMetadata STO_Astrometrics. ... Image File history File linksMetadata STO_Astrometrics. ...

Combat

Star Trek Online would have include both personal and ship-to-ship combat. However, the developers had released very little information as to how combat will work.

Personal combat

It was believed that the game will operate using both first-person and third-person cameras; personal combat was expected to be primarily third-person, with the use of first-person views from time to time. It would have take place on the ground and aboard ships.

Ship-to-ship combat

Perpetual Entertainment had stated that they wanted every player to be able to command their own ship, even if only a runabout. Large-scale ship-to-ship combat, however, would have required teamwork. Full-size starships would have required a bridge crew to operate and probably at least one person in Engineering.

Space combat in Star Trek Online would have been three-dimensional and not based on a 2D plane as previously supposed. Player-Controlled starships would have been piloted by their captains via a system of coordinated instructions and not by a player in a separate flight control position, though an NPC pilot would have been present at the helm. An NPC from the video game The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. ...

Travel

Players would have travelled through the gameworld by foot, by transporter beam, at impulse power, at warp, and transwarp conduits constructed by the Federation in the twenty years since Star Trek Nemesis.^{[citation needed]} USS Enterprise-Ds transporter A transporter is a fictional teleportation machine used in the Star Trek universe. ... In Star Trek, the impulse drive is the method of propulsion that starships and other spacecraft use when they are travelling below the speed of light. ... For other uses, see Warp drive (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Warp drive (disambiguation). ...

Economy

As in Star Trek, money would not have been emphasized, but it would have been present in the form of Federation Credits. All of the player's basic needs (i.e. "food, lodging, uniforms, simple entertainment, and standard equipment")^[13] would have been provided for free, but players could have chosen to spend credits on things the Federation does not normally provide—for instance, special items of value, special entertainment, or special treatment. Players would also have amassed "prestige", an intangible currency that reflects their favor with Starfleet. Obtaining command of a starship would not have cost any credits but would have required a great deal of prestige, with different ships costing different amounts. Prestige would have been earned by impressing Starfleet and making special achievements. One of the fictional ships called the Starship Enterprise from Star Trek, one of the most famous fictional starships. ...

Story

The game would have begun during a time of relative peace for the Federation, a time known as the "En'ock tu Ch'enock," which roughly translates to "The Calm before the Inferno.", approximately twenty years after the Dominion War. All of the Federation's traditional enemies (such as the Borg, the Romulans, and the Klingon Empire) have either tentatively made peace or ceased to be a threat. The developers had stated that a new enemy from deep within the Beta quadrant would have been the main antagonists.^[14] This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The Borg are a fictional pseudo-race of cyborgs depicted in Star Trek. ... Introduction The Romulans, a fictional race in the Star Trek universe, are descended from Vulcans and are characterized as being deceitful, cunning, and treacherous. ... This article is about the fictional race. ... In the fictional Star Trek series, the Milky Way Galaxy is divided into four quadrants, which are further subdivided into sectors. ...

Recent news

This article or section may contain an inappropriate mixture of prose and timeline. Please help convert this timeline into prose or, if necessary, a list.

In late 2007, it was announced that Perpetual Entertainment was under new management: a non-gaming company seeking to enter gaming. It was announced that Star Trek Online would have a more "casual" approach, and was considering alternative payment strategies, such as allowing players to spend money on in-game items, instead of paying subscription fees. According to an anonymous source, "a number" of employees may have left due to dissatisfaction over the game's new direction. ^[15] Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... Prose is writing distinguished from poetry by its greater variety of rhythm and its closer resemblance to everyday speech. ...

On December 4, 2007, Perpetual released Star Trek Online's first screenshot since the "stylized" look announcement the year previous. It shows a ship, the Excalibur, orbiting the planet Beta Draconus IV, and a viewscreen with a Bimphalian, Overseer D'Gem, talking to the ship's captain, Commander Locarno, with a quest/chat tree. There are planets, stars and an asteroid belt in the background. ^[16]

On December 13, 2007, website WarCry released an interview with Daron Stinnett, Executive Producer of Star Trek Online, coupled with the first ever in-game avatar screenshot. The image shows a human federation character in battle with a Gorn soldier on an alien world. ^[17] According to Stinnett, Perpetual decided to 'keep the stylized avatars in a stylized world'. Their aim is to 'take the look of Star Trek in a new direction whilst staying true to it's core values'. Their artwork also got the approval of CBS studios who commented it was 'a look they intended to use, assuming they had the budget when producing the TV series and films'. Mr. Stinnett, responding to previous allegations about the team and project shakeup, confirmed that while they are indeed exploring alternate payment methods, no decision has been made in that regard, and nobody has left the team as indicated. ^[18]

On January 15, 2008, Warcry Network reported that P2 entertainment had ceased work on the title. The license has reportedly been transferred to another Bay Area development studio which will likely add significant delays to the expected release date.^[19]

On March 15, 2008, with the thought of STO development coming to an end it seems hope is in sight. The STO website [2] recently added a slogan stating "Coming Soon."

Fansite reaction

On February 22, 2008 it was announced that the long running fan based forum StarTrek-Online.net, an independent site formerly in close contact with Perpetual, and dedicated to monitoring the development of the game, would close its forum doors on February 29, 2008 citing lack of continued interest on the part of the staff.^[20] is the 53rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... February 29 is a day added into a leap year of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ...

Trivia

Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines. The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones.

• Several veteran production staff were known to have been involved in STO, including Mike Okuda, Andrew Probert^[21] and John Eaves,^[22] all of whom contributed primarily in the art departments relating to their specific expertise in the franchise.
• Details of the game were leaked onto the internet days before the official announcement was made by Paramount. It was published by a website called Sci-Fi Universe. The staff of the website discovered leaks at the official Star Trek website and published them on the first day the website was launched.^[23]
• An exclusive sneak preview of Perpetual Entertainment's Star Trek Online was included on the Star Trek: The Original Series HD DVD released on November 20, 2007. This DVD set includes Star Trek Online developer interviews, comments from the art team, brand new star ship designs and other info.^[24]
• On December 12, 2007, Perpetual's former public relations firm Kohnke Communications launched a lawsuit against the company, including allegations of fraud. Allegedly, 'Perpetual canceled Gods & Heroes: Rome Rising mostly because of over $280,000 in incentives that would be owed to Kohnke upon the launch of the game and the subsequent financial impact on the development of Star Trek Online'. ^[25]

Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... Michael Okuda is an graphic designer who is best known for his work on Star Trek. ... Andrew Probert is an artist who is best known for his work on Star Trek. ... For the Mississippi political candidate, see John Arthur Eaves. ... Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American motion picture production and distribution company, based in Hollywood, California. ... This article is about the entire Star Trek franchise. ...

References

Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 347th day of the year (348th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 199th day of the year (200th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

See also

• Star Trek games

// Video games Throughout the years, the influence of Star Trek has expanded sufficiently to warrant the creation of a long series of PC games. ...

External links

Official

• StarTrekOnline.com The official teaser site for Star Trek Online that is now back online with a newly added "Coming soon" message.

Community

• StarTrek-Online.net - Formerly officially endorsed fansite with active forums and news from PE development team, now closed.
• STOSource.com - STO Fansite
• sto-zone.com A Fansite dedicated to Star Trek Online news with a bi-weekly Star Trek Gaming Pod Cast.

Articles

• STO-Zone.com - Dedicated STO News/Information WebsiteA Website dedicated to all aspects of Star Trek Online with over 30 pages on the project's history, and regular news updates on the news and rumours surrounding the latest incarnation of STO]
• STOWiki's Introduction guide to Star Trek Online, providing an overview of the game and latest revelations.
• Star Trek Online article at Memory Alpha, a Star Trek wiki