miranda
Latest
Captain's Log: Shop till you drop (out of warp)
Captain's Log, Stardate 64997.8... Hello, computer (and players)! Over the past couple of weeks, there has been much heated debate about microtransactions within MMOs. Whether those microtransactions involve an accessory for your character, additional character slots, or a new mount, players have mixed emotions on spending real money to obtain such items. No matter what your position is on the topic, one thing for certain is that microtransactions are not going to disappear. In fact, they seem to be the future when it comes to how most studios will be delivering exclusive content and items. Star Trek Online is no stranger to such transactions -- the infamous Cryptic Store (C-Store) is full of items priced from just a dollar all the way up to $25. If you are new to the game or have never made a purchase before, at first glance, you may be wondering what you should buy. While some items are simply there as cosmetic enhancements, some will actually help in your battle against your favorite enemy. To help shed some light on your choices, this week's Captain Log is going to explore the top 10 must-have C-Store items that every STO player should not leave spacedock without. Ensign, warp 10! It's time to go on a virtual spending spree...
Slim Amazon Kindle 'Shasta' to be first with WiFi?
You know what Amazon's Kindle doesn't have? No, we're not talking about color, the other thing. Right, WiFi. That looks set to change when the rumored slimster -- codenamed "Shasta" -- launches in August. The screencap above displaying the results of an internal Amazon device query shows entries for "Shasta" and "Shasta WiFi." That would seem to indicate that Amazon's next reader will launch in two flavors: WiFi + 3G and 3G-only (our source isn't sure). There's even an outside chance that one could be a WiFi-only device. Another grab after the break. Oh, and here's an interesting footnote: the original Kindle was apparently codenamed "Fiona" after Fiona Hackworth in Neal Stephenson's novel The Diamond Age. Many of the names in the device list above -- Nell (the protagonist), Miranda (mother figure to Nell), and Turing (i.e., Turing Machines) -- are all related to that very same story. What we can't figure out is how the word "Shasta" fits into all this so lay it on us Cyberpunks if you know. Update: Freddo411 seems to have nailed it in the comments: Shasta, Lassen, and Mazama are all volcanoes in the Cascades.
Captain's Log: A guide to Lieutenant progression
Star Trek Online goes out of its way to make sure the player always has a bevy of mission choices at their fingertips. That makes a step-by-step guide on progressing through Lieutenant (i.e. the first ten "levels") somewhat worthless to write. So, I'm taking a different approach this week. This guide is aimed at helping to quicken the pace of leveling towards your first new ship. The Miranda class ship is nice and all -- but everyone just really wants their first real ship. Plus, as an added bonus, you can use these tips throughout your entire Star Trek Online experience!
Hands-on with Star Trek Online's early levels
There's been a lot of Star Trek Online coverage lately here at Massively, which is only normal given the looming early February release date. This particular feature is a look at the game over the course of around seven or eight "levels" of play. Sadly, that means I haven't acquired my first non-starter ship, although that goal will soon be reached even if it costs me more sleep. Still, you should check out the brand new beta gallery, because I was still able to catch plenty of cool stuff -- plus a classic Enterprise. Now, onto the preview!%Gallery-81223%
