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What we're watching: 'Deep Space 9,' 'Kingdom' and 'Solar Opposites'
What are Engadget editors watching at home? Lately, 'Star Trek: Deep Space Nine,' the Netflix zombie series 'Kingdom' and Hulu's new animated show 'Solar Opposites.'
Fan uses AI to remaster 'Star Trek: Deep Space Nine' in HD
Unfortunately, you're highly unlikely to see an official remaster of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Its special effects were shot on video rather than added to film, making an already daunting remastering process that much more difficult -- and since it's not a tentpole show like The Next Generation, CBS might not consider it worth the effort. Machine learning might make it easier for fans to fill the gap, however. CaptRobau has experimented with using AI Gigapixel's neural networks to upscale Deep Space Nine to 1080p. The technology is optimized for (and trained on) photos, but apparently works a treat for video. While you wouldn't mistake it for an official remaster, it provides a considerably cleaner, sharper look than the 480p original without introducing visual artifacts.
Star Trek: Infinite Space canned
Sorry Trekkies, but if you were hoping for a second Star Trek MMO, you're going to be waiting for some time. Gameforge announced that it is cancelling Star Trek: Infinite Space effective immediately. This doesn't come as a complete surprise, as the publisher put the beta on hold last year in a desperate search for a co-publishing partnership. Gameforge explained the decision in a statement: "Since autumn 2011 we made many efforts to find a publishing and marketing partner for Star Trek: Infinite Space. Unfortunately, our efforts were not successful. So we have decided with a heavy heart to finally abandon the project Star Trek: Infinite Space." Infinite Space was to be a browser-based title set in the war-torn Deep Space Nine era of Star Trek. The publisher had obtained the assistance of Trek staples such as Nana Visitor, René Auberjonois, and Denise and Michael Okuda.
The 2800 invade Star Trek Online -- and we have on-the-scenes footage
"Forge alliances... or all will be lost." If those words don't give you chills of anticipation, then perhaps you need to take a gander at the video for the brand-new featured episodes coming soon to Star Trek Online. Titled "The 2800," the video begins by showing an invasion fleet popping out of a wormhole as the Federation and Klingons scramble to respond. During this story, the Jem Hadar will be staging a massive attack upon Deep Space Nine, and it's up to players to warp in and save the game. The 2800 will debut in the game on Saturday, February 11th, following this weekend's second anniversary celebration. You can watch the full video after the jump!
MMObility: Two new MMOs, one tiny screen
You know what I love about discovering new mobile games? It's that moment when I realize they are actually pretty good and might give me some real MMO action on my smartphone. The biggest issue I have these days is separating the true MMOs from the social, multiplayer and singleplayer games that bombard the market. While I enjoy games from those genres, many of them arrive on my phone disguised as something else. Many of them even call themselves "MMOs" without having any real multiplayer interaction or persistence. So you can imagine how happy I am when I find real, persistent MMOs that are available for my HTC Inspire Android phone and iOS. Yes, there are more of them out there than you might think. Let's take a look at a couple of new ones that I have found.
Captain's Log: Testing out the future
Captain's Log, Stardate 65264.3... Hello, computer (and players)! As you have must have seen by now, open beta testing of Star Trek Online's new F2P model is well underway; the developers have been posting dev diaries about the impending changes for the last couple of days. Because testers on the Tribble test server were required to start new characters, and because character transfers will not be an option for at least a few weeks, many players have begun a mad dash to level up their test characters in order to test out some of the retooled endgame content. Since testing, especially in this manner, can be confusing, I have decided to dedicate this week's Captain's Log to those who are willing to take on the challenge. Past the jump, you will find a checklist of sorts that you can use while testing (or, ultimately, playing) the new content and updates. I suggest reading each section and then checking it out in-game. While some recommendations may seem less interesting than others, I suggest you give each a fair shot so you can provide feedback on what can make the game better. Ensign, warp 10! Let's give our dedicated Tribbleites some structure to their testing time...
September's Ask Cryptic details STO's F2P transition, new content, and more
In the midst of the recent hullabaloo over Star Trek Online's free-to-play transition, September's Ask Cryptic focuses on what players can expect from the change. Executive Producer Dan Stahl touches on the subject of skilltree revamps, server availability, and much, much more. Space skills are getting a few sweeping changes in order to make them more applicable to players of all builds. As such, skills that "apply only to a specific ship class or energy type" are being replaced with more general skills, such as increased damage, increased turn rate, and so forth. Stahl also reveals that the team has ordered new hardware and made perfomance tweaks to the game in order to allow for a potential influx of new players once the game goes F2P. Players also ask about new content, noting that talked-about post-Season 4 content has not materialized as players expected. Stahl notes that Borg Red Alerts were just released, and work on the Deep Space Nine Feature Episode Series is progressing steadily. The Q&A also details the upcoming Borg Ground Invasion, which assigns players the difficult task of removing a Borg infestation before the Collective can successfully assimilate an entire planet. The Q&A goes on to touch on new social zones, a great deal of "nice to have but low-priority" additions, and oodles more. For the full Q&A, hop your way on over to the full Ask Cryptic post.
E3 2011: A look at Star Trek: Infinite Space
Engagieren! At this year's E3, German game developer Keen Games (under the production of Gameforge) brought us to warp speed and gave us a first look at the upcoming browser-based MMO Star Trek: Infinite Space. Powered by the Unity 3D engine, the latest game in the Trek franchise will be free-to-play by the end of 2011. The devs are calling it an "action-tactic" MMO, and it title will hopefully give players just what they have been asking for in a Trek MMO. Set in the Deep Space Nine timeline, the game allows players to create custom characters and immediately begin to pilot their own ships. Right from the beginning, a player can start as either a Starfleet or a Klingon officer. To our surprise, the game's development is being fully supervised by Mike and Denise Okuda, Star Trek experts who have been involved in the franchise's many movies and television shows. Star Trek: Infinite Space is currently in closed beta but has a cinematic trailer that is sure to give any Trekker or Trekkie goosebumps. Check it out after the break! Massively's on the ground in Los Angeles during the week of June 6-9, bringing you all the best news from E3 2011. Whether you're dying to know more about Star Wars: The Old Republic, RIFT, or any MMO in between, you can bet we'll have it covered! %Gallery-125755%
Captain's Log: Impressions of diplomacy in Star Trek Online
Peace be with you, readers. Today, we convene once again for a new edition of Captain's Log, in which we discuss, with mutual respect for all opinions, Star Trek Online. Begging your pardon if you disagree, but I thought it appropriate that we explore one of the game's brand-new features: diplomacy. With the advent of Season 2: Ancient Enemies, Treksters and STO fans the world over may breathe a sigh of relief. Cryptic Studios finally introduced a dedicated system for being all peaceable and stuff, like on the teevee. So how does this diplomacy business work, and is it any good? Read on to find out.
New Star Trek MMO in dry dock courtesy of Gameforge
"Boldly going where one MMO has gone before!" doesn't quite have a ring to it, but that's not deterring German developer Gameforge from grabbing a slice of the Star Trek IP for a new MMO. Gameforge hasn't exactly been a household name up to this point, with titles such as Gates of Andaron and Ikariam, but it seems like that might change now that they have a crack at one of the most recognizable science fiction franchises in the world. The unnamed Star Trek MMO will be -- yes -- a free-to-play browser title, so don't expect it to directly compete with Cryptic's own Star Trek Online. TrekWeb reports that Gameforge signed a worldwide licensing agreement with CBS Consumer Products to develop the game in the original Star Trek universe, from the classic era of Captain Kirk up through the days of Deep Space Nine. However, Atari will still hold the exclusive MMO rights to Star Trek.
Captain's Log: Difficulty settings and the injury system
Ahoy, fellow officers! I trust you all enjoyed your long weekend of shore leave and sightseeing. And I hope those of you not morally opposed to microtransactions took advantage of the C-Store sale -- I'm still waiting for Cryptic Studios to add playable Catullans, complete with space grooviness. So, with spirits and warp cores recharged, it's time again for Captain's Log, Massively's weekly voyage into the far reaches of Star Trek Online. Last week, we learned about selecting your first starship. This week, let's talk about what happens when you get that ship blown to smithereens. Brace yourself, because we're about to explore the exciting world of difficulty sliders and death penalties!
15 Minutes of Fame: Star Trek's Nog talks with WoW.com
15 Minutes of Fame is WoW.com's look at World of Warcraft personalities of all shapes and sizes -- from the renowned to the relatively anonymous, from the remarkable to the player next door. Tip us off to players you'd like to hear more about. We continue our conversation this week with battlegrounds fan Aron Eisenberg, who played the youthful Ferengi Nog on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. With five level 80s, two WoW-playing sons and an insatiable appetite for mixing it up in BGs, Aron's a WoW player to the core. "I noticed that people want to say hi or something in BGs," he emailed us after last week's interview, revealing the name of his main level 80, Vasuna. "Maybe we should tell Allies to /salute if they see me -- then let the fighting begin. Might be a fun way to give a nod and let the game begin, so to speak." So here we go: /salute, and let's talk more with Aron about what he's doing professionally these days, plus his thoughts on what lies ahead in Cataclysm. Read Part 1: Deep Space Nine's Nog gets his BG on 15 Minutes of Fame: So we understand you're spending more time behind the camera than in front of it these days, running your own videography company. Tell us about your new emphasis. Aron Eisenberg: Basically, I did that because I wanted to make movies some day. But I couldn't go to film school because I had two boys that I needed to raise. So I thought I would do this so I could learn more about editing and using a camera and going behind the scenes, so when they're older and out of the house, I can then push myself into making films and movies. It's a plan; I don't know how well it'll come to fruition.
15 Minutes of Fame: Deep Space Nine's Nog gets his BG on
15 Minutes of Fame is WoW.com's look at World of Warcraft personalities of all shapes and sizes -- from the renowned to the relatively anonymous, from the remarkable to the player next door. Tip us off to players you'd like to hear more about. WoW feels more like "Battlegrounds Galactica" when Aron Eisenberg, who played the youthful Ferengi Nog on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, logs in. The battlegrounds aficionado is a huge WoW player and Blizzard games fan, with five level 80 characters, two WoW-playing sons and an easy familiarity with WoW.com's features and content that could possibly rival that of some of our own staff members. The admiration is mutual; we've been known to bring the Ferengi perspective to our articles. Speaking of perspectives, Aron has plenty of his own to share in this two-part 15 Minutes of Fame, as well as an appearance on this week's WoW Insider Show. Beam past the break for part one of our exclusive interview.
Video shows DS9 Under Siege in Star Trek Online
While DS9 may well be one of many people's favorite spots in Star Trek Online, things have heated up since the release of Season One, the recent free addition to the game. Part of this new batch of things to do, DS9 Under Siege, lands players in the middle of an attack on DS9 from an interesting quadrant, and is relatively certain to hook you up if you're in the mood for one hell of a battle. For those of you who may not have checked out this new content as yet, we've snagged a shiny HD video of this new fleet action for you from our sister site, Joystiq. With more Cardassians and what appear to be Jem'Hadar ships than you can shake a tricorder at, this seems like an addition to Star Trek Online that players are enjoying. So set your phasers on "cool" and check beyond the break for the shiny DS9 Under Siege trailer -- or let us know how you're liking this particular bit of Season One content in the comments below.
Invasion of Deep Space Nine invades Star Trek Online
The next mission from "Season One" of Star Trek Online's free content updates will soon be added to the game. Titled "DS9 Under Siege," the new episode will bring about a massive invasion upon the typically peaceful space station Deep Space Nine. You might know it from the show Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Remember? It was right there in the title. Check out the trailer above to see what players will be up against when the new episode launches. (Spoiler alert: It's lasers. You're going up against lasers. So many lasers.)
Captain's Log: The advisory council and fan service in Star Trek Online
Hard to port! Disruptors on full! Fire the tachyon beam! Oh, hello again. Welcome back to Captain's Log, Massively's weekly -- y'know what, hang on. These Cardassians are being a real pain in the toukas. Yes, Ensign, some torpedoes would be fabulous right about now. And you wonder why I haven't promoted you. Sorry about that. This is Captain's Log, where I administer your weekly dose of Star Trek Online news, analysis and meaningless conjecture every Thursday. At least until the Massively overlords relegate me to the spice mines of Kessel. Oh, wait... After discussing Season One and the joy of Fleet Actions, I have two items on this week's agenda. First, I thought I'd introduce myself! It's silly to read the Captain's Log without knowing who the captain is, right? After that I'll discuss STO's hot topic du jour, the Advisory Council, and whether fan service will kill or save Cryptic's spacefaring MMO.
Captain's Log: Fleet actions, the Crystalline Entity and you
Ahoy, ensigns and admirals! Welcome back to Captain's Log, our weekly dose of Star Trek Online news, tips and unfounded personal opinions straight from the final frontier. After Friday's look at the ups and downs of Season One, today's Captain's Log assumes its regular Thursday stardate. At least until his masters at Massively make good on their threat to reassign your humble captain to Q-tip quality control. On Ferenginar. This week, let's take a look at Fleet Actions. Some are a rewarding change of pace from the often solitary grind of patrol and exploration. And some -- well, okay, just one -- is the bane of Starfleet's existence. We'll get to that in a minute.
Captain's Log: Pros and cons of Season One
Hailing frequencies open. Testing. Is this thing on? Yes, Lieutenant, I'm pushing the-- ah! Greetings and salutations, fellow Starfleet officers! And a hearty nuqneH to all you Klingons out there. Welcome back to Captain's Log, the weekly Star Trek Online column here at Massively. After a few weeks of tuning down in Engineering, Captain's Log is back, shinier than ever, with a new captain at the helm. Now let's set sail before the admirals at Massively reassign me to replicator cleanup duty. You've never seen a mess until you've seen someone order haggis and Ferengi snail juice. Federation and Klingon captains all over the galaxy have reason to rejoice. Thursday saw the release of Season One: Common Ground, one of the first really huge content patches for Star Trek Online. The patch introduces a bevy of features, including new fleet actions, a new task-force mission and more stuff for Klingons to do.
Star Trek Online launches massive Season One patch
Cryptic has announced via press release that the major Season One content patch is launching for Star Trek Online today. This patch brings all kinds of new free content to the game, causing much of the community to count the days until it finally landed in the game proper. The list of updates is impressively long and several of them address player griefs with areas like Klingon ship customization and mission variety. This is also the first patch bringing some PvE missions for Klingon players, which was a sticking point with many at launch. But Season One also brings captain respecs as well for players unhappy with their skill load-out -- an essential feature that's been sorely missed by many. Find the whole lowdown on this laundry list of new content after the break.%Gallery-86596%
Borg, DS9 and more in this STO dev diary plus trailer double punch
Today we've got a double treat for Star Trek Online fans, as Cryptic has released both a new trailer (with a quick but awesome shot of Deep Space Nine!) and a developer diary that discusses some very cool stuff about the newly evolved Borg featured in the game. Yes, we said "new" Borg -- as in species and assimilation methods never before seen in the Trek universe. You can find the diary as well as the video after the break. Enjoy!
