MMO Roundup: Last week on Massively

Captain's Log: A non-trekkie guide to Star Trek Online
Perhaps you've been hearing a lot of buzz about Star Trek Online lately. Or, perhaps you're reading this article in the year 2018, after the robots have begun their bloody revolt. Either way, you've never been way into Star Trek, but find yourself curious about this new MMO based on the franchise. In that cast, this iteration of Captain's Log is just for you.

Court documents say Bethesda's MMO already under dev, rumor says it's Elder Scrolls
In this most recent round of court scuffles between Interplay and Bethesda over the Fallout MMO rights, it would seem that some details are coming to light about what's going on at Bethesda's MMO "branch", Zenimax Media. According to filings, the word is that there are close to 100 people working on an MMO that costs "tens and tens of millions of dollars" and has been under development since late 2006.

The sounds of Guild Wars 2: a Q&A with ArenaNet's Audio Director
A recent discussion has been going on regarding sound effects and ambient sounds, with everyone generally agreeing that those details are a wonderful addition to a game environment -- the more the better. Guild Wars is a game that already does this well, with details such as a change in the sound of footsteps depending on the surface one is walking on. Fans have the expectation and hope that things will be even better in Guild Wars 2.

Masthead Studios and Interplay finalize agreement for Fallout MMO
We have another step forward in the long-running saga of the Fallout MMO. Late last week, Interplay announced that they had signed "definitive agreements" with Masthead Studios regarding Project: V13, the highly contested post-apocalyptic MMO. We knew this development was a possibility, but things have been delayed by the legal battles with Bethesda.

The Virtual Whirl: Community guide to Virtual Worlds
Welcome to The Virtual Whirl, a new weekly Massively column covering virtual environments generally. The term 'virtual world' is slowly seeing less use, being supplanted by the more general 'virtual environment', but the world term still has a fair bit of life left in it.

The Mog Log: Community guide to Final Fantasy XI and XIV
The great thing about being a fan of Final Fantasy XI is that you're not lacking in any sort of resources online. After such a long lifespan, pages have been created to suit almost any need the community might have. And for a game whose mechanics can be obtuse at times, that's a good thing.

The Flameseeker Chronicles: Community guide to Guild Wars
Guild Wars has been around for a while now, and has the advantage of a strong, knowledgeable fan-based community. There are literally hundreds of fan sites and forums, Twitter pages and Facebook pages all devoted to Guild Wars and Guild Wars 2. It's very easy to get overwhelmed, so view this as a guide to where you can find the most comprehensive information for whatever you are looking for, be it gameplay information, news on game development, skill and build help, and much more.

Fan questions answered in DCUO Q&A video
SOE Austin recently put up a call for DC Universe Online fans to ask questions via Facebook for a video Q&A. Well, the team's answers are now live over at the social networking site and we think you'll be pleased with the results.

Star Trek Online 101: Currency
Welcome to the first edition of Star Trek Online 101. Over the next week and a half we'll be taking a look basic skills and information you need to be successful in STO. Each day we'll look at a different subject, and we'll kick it all off by talking about the different types of STO currency.

Global Agenda early start and preorder bonuses detailed
You've gotten all the news and updates, and you've even gotten a handy guide to conquest mode for Global Agenda. If you're ever going to be ready for Hi-Rez Studio's high-action game, it's now. So it's no coincidence that we've gotten news on the game's pre-purchase options, as well as the early start details for all players and the chance to reserve your character name prior to the February 1st launch date. After all, if you've gotten the game via Steam, don't you want to just download and start playing right away? That little grayed-out name is mocking you.

Star Trek Online character customization in pictures
Cryptic Studios, the developer behind Star Trek Online, is well known for their character customization options. I know that I spent more time making characters in City of Heroes than beating up bad guys. Cryptic has brought that same design aesthetic to STO. For those of you not currently in open Beta, I've captured a gallery of shots below spotlighting all the available races in open beta (Federation and Klingon factions.)

Massively's Guide to the Character Traits of Star Trek Online
Star Trek Online offers several levels of character customization beyond the visual aspects, and that first level the player is introduced to is character traits. You select these traits when creating your character, and the choices are numerous. In Massively's guide to the character traits of Star Trek Online, we'll look at the different classes of traits and suggest some builds to get you started.