Whatever happened to Star Trek Online?

For some strange reason, wondering what happened to this game has been on my mind.

While I was excited with the original announcement of the game going into development back in September of 2004. I always wondered how they could pull it off. Finding details on the game was extremely difficult back then. I believe even a couple of fan sites launched and eventually closed as it became obvious that the game would not see the light of day.

I cant say that im surprised. Ever since the game announcement, I always felt MMo's lacked the innovation to develop a game from the Star Trek IP. The game details that eventually surfaced were miniscule, simple screenshots of a ship interior, or the concept design of the avatar's in the game. However, Eventually some core game design info came out. None of which I thought were positive.

The core reason, or rather the fatal design flaw which doomed the game in my view, is making it a 1st/3rd person game.

The game would revolve around players Players who would start at Starfleet Academy, where they would have learn basic game skills. After graduating they would get assignments on ships, planets and star bases.


But how much can you really do on a federation starship? Run quests? Simulations on the holodeck perhaps? The fact of the matter is, life on a federation starship is quite boring most of the time. Especially for a lowly ensign. At least thats how it seems to me. Besides, the Star Trek Universe is based more on political and moral dilemmas, with combat as a last resort.

Large Ship to ship combat was going to use a teamwork system. Where players assigned to your ship would help you in combat situations. I didnt like this design decision as well. How do you make the science officer's role fun and endgaging. How do you stop mr chekov from firing at will? It is a game after all, kids will do what they do. Forced grouping is always bad in my eyes, and this appeared to be another game killing design flaw.

As of right now, I dont think the technology exists to make a MMo game that is true to the Star Trek universe.

If I were to play a star trek mmo, I would prefer a game designed around running a starship crew, not an indivual person. The core gameplay would evolve around leveling up and assembling a crew. I would start the game in starfleet acadamey, you have control over a small group of cadets, whom you train to fill the core ship needs. Captain, engineer, helm, science officer etc...

Your level in the game is represented by two factors, your crew size, and your ship class. Since there is no cash in star trek, as you complete missions you gain prestige or rep. You would use this to increase the stats of your crew, or to garner more favor with starfleet to gain a promotion or new ship.

Every player has a ship and crew and players can work together for combat missions, space exploration, saving the universe type stuff. Of course players can join non federation factions as well, klingons, romulans, and engage in pvp combat. In fact a star trek mmo based on the klingon empire would probrably way more engaging than a federation effort.


Graphics would need to by simple and stylized, when a pary beams down to a planet you would need to be able to see multiple crews at the same time. Similar to an rts. I would have slightly better ship graphics for ship to ship combat and damage modeling.

Instead of crafting in the game I would have planet building. Once players reach a certain level of prestige they would be allowed to create an explorable planet, generate quests, policitical intrigue and problems. Based on a certain rules the developers have designed within the planet generator tool. Once you create your planet it would enter the game world in unexplored space. Similar to the concepts behind the unreleased "spore" game.

Players can visit your planet, solve quests and explore. There should be some way to reward players for good planet design as well.

just my ramblings on STO. While I still dont think its possible to make star trek online in the current environment. Who knows, maybe the new developers can pull it off.