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Newest Ask Cryptic for Star Trek Online available
The upcoming launch of Season 4 brings with it a host of changes for Star Trek Online, but as always seems to be the case, players have more features still that they'd like to see in place. The newest Ask Cryptic has just recently been posted, and it answers the many requests for new features that players have clamored for. Better yet, many of those changes are incoming, albeit not quite as soon as players would hope. Improvements to melee combat, for example, are not in Season 4 right out of the gate. However, the revisions to ground combat make for a perfect time to start implementing more and better melee weapons, with the development team starting in on the process of addressing the core melee issues. Similarly, new hairstyles are being tested with costumes, with the team still working on new arrangements that are visually pleasing for players -- but the new styles are in the works. Star Trek Online players are encouraged to look at the full post and start looking forward to both Season 4 and what's coming after. (And checking out this week's Captain's Log on the topic might not be remiss, either.)
June's engineering report available for Star Trek Online
Season 4 is approaching fast for Star Trek Online, with the newest patch's content available on the public test server for everyone to experiment with. But it's coming after a bit of a long dry spell for new content updates, something that the game's latest engineering report is seeking to assuage. While the patch isn't quite live, the report details just how massive the entire undertaking of Season 4 became and why the patch has been so long in coming. Duty Officer Rosters are one of the features that's been in development for quite some time, with most of the code in place but the system itself not currently active on the test server. The newest report also goes into details about future improvements, including expansions to the KDF areas of the game and more detailed plans for the Duty Officer system down the road. Star Trek Online players should take a look at the full report to get a sense of what's on the plate for the game in the immediate and more distant future.
Newest Engineering Report previews Season 4 of Star Trek Online
It's always exciting to be on the cusp of a new season, especially if you're a Star Trek Online fan. The latest Engineering Report has just gone live, bringing with it a promise that Season 4 will be up on the test server very soon, with a projected release in early July. That means a full revamp to ground combat, changing the game from the previous rather dull experience into a much more action-oriented affair. But the mechanics of fighting aren't the only thing that's changing -- enemies on the ground are also being overhauled, with HP scaling in a more tuned fashion. There are also changes to Qo'nos for Klingon players, making the world feel more vibrant for starting characters. The update also sports the Duty Officer Roster for all captains to experience and a variety of other quality of life improvements. And as always, the report looks beyond the immediate future and into the distant future, taking aim at everything from changes to the outfit system to improved system maps for important regions of space. Star Trek Online players should take a look at the full report and check back in later this week as Captain's Log examines the changes in depth.
Another month, another round of answers for Star Trek Online
About once a month, Star Trek Online has producer Dan Stahl sit down and answer the newest round of player questions regarding the game's future additions. It's May, of course, which means that it's time for the newest Ask Cryptic, covering the recent additions to the game's microtransaction store as well as plans for Season 4 and beyond. And as always, while there are more features being asked about than are planned for the next major update, there are very few elements not planned for eventual inclusion. Further ship customization is discussed, with the implementation of Duty Officers in Season 4 promised to help add more differentiation between individual ships. There's also mention of the debate about bringing lower-tier ships up to par for use in endgame activities, which is currently not on the table but is still under heavy debate in both development and on the forums. Players of Star Trek Online are encouraged to check out the latest round of answers for more info.
Star Trek Online posts the latest Engineering Report
Season 4 for Star Trek Online is still without an ETA, but it's getting closer with each passing day. As the latest Engineering Report states, it's being worked on by the development team with vigor along with several other projects for the game. And while the next major patch obviously contains the lion's share of big content additions, the recent launch of the Foundry has certainly helped matters. But there's more to be done, not just for player-generated content but for the game as a whole, and as in months past the report seeks to outline what's near release, being worked on, or being discussed. Playable fighter craft are on the table for testing, along with more Gorn customization options and visitable planets within the Sol system. Further on down the line, the report lists plans for another ground combat revision including an over-the-shoulder mode as well as persistent zones for player tutorials. Star Trek Online players should take a gander at the full rundown of features in development, enough content and system adjustments to make anyone look forward to the future.
Captain's Log: One year of Star Trek Online
Happy birthday, Star Trek Online! It's your party, and you can cry if you want to! And if you don't, then I will, because the Northeast and I are recovering from another flapping snowstorm! I swear to Pete, I need a mysterious British doctor to show up in a time-traveling phone booth and whisk me ahead to June. So Cryptic Studios' spacefaring MMO is one year old! That means STO is walking more, pooping less often, and not keeping you up all night with its bawling. That also means a lot has happened since STO went live 366 or so days ago. (Yeah, the actual anniversary was yesterday.) It's time to celebrate and lament the first full year of STO's lifespan.
Captain's Log: Newstime grab bag
Hey, everybody. I did four things this weekend: I saw True Grit, I saw The Green Hornet, I tried kumquats for the first time and I went on a blind date with a dyspeptic wendigo. I recommend doing only one of those things. In other news, it's time for another edition of Captain's Log. We covered some helpful resources for creating missions with Star Trek Online's Foundry last week, even as the folks at Cryptic Studios tossed out a whole slew of new information. Dan Stahl and company meted out an update to the feature-episode calendar, a new Engineering Report and the latest Ask Cryptic. So, what'd we learn?
Captain's Log: Star Trek Online's year in review
Welcome back, Capsloggers! (Note: professional nicknamer here, available for all your mascot-imagining, brand-revamping needs.) I hope you've all had a merry merry and a happy happy so far. And if you haven't, then keep it to yourself, because Massively is no place to be sad. Now the calendar's just one page, and of course I am excited. Tomorrow is New Year's Eve, and the end of the year means end-of-the-year lists! As we all know, 2010 has been a big year for Star Trek Online, from its release in February to the introduction of Season 3 just this month. Skip away with me down the Memory Brick Road as we recall the biggest STO stories of the year!
Captain's Log: Will STO become a sandbox or remain a themepark?
Welcome back from the holiday, readers! I trust everyone has recovered from the excitement of a long weekend, a tasty Thanksgiving and a rabid Black Friday. By now you should have settled back into the slow, miserable slog toward more holidays. I know I have. For this week's Captain's Log, I'm going to discuss themepark and sandbox MMOs. What do those terms mean? And how does Star Trek Online fit into that dichotomy, both in its present form and in its Foundry-expanded future?
Captain's Log: Nine months of Star Trek Online
Guess who's nine months old? Think red shirts, warp coils and forehead ridges. Think of your favorite Cryptic Studios-published space MMO. That's right! Star Trek Online is celebrating a birthday this week. (OK, it actually happened last week, but who's counting? You there -- stop counting!) We here at Massively like to check in on our games every few months to reminisce about the past, recap the present and ruminate on the future. Let us away!
Captain's Log: Anticipating STO's future in user-generated content
Hey there, folks! Welcome back to another edition of Captain's Log, Massively's rarely-coherent-but-always-fun look at Star Trek Online. I have had just the busiest darn week, you betcha. I spent all weekend at New York Comic Con, where I saw more than a few folks dressed to the nines in Star Trek gear, and then I started a shiny new day job on Monday. Phew! I've been thinking a lot about user-generated content lately. In a recent interview, STO Executive Producer Daniel Stahl offers a few details on the subject, in which we learn a bit about the forthcoming system's abilities and limitations. What do we know about STO's UGC tools? What do we still not know -- mainly, when can we get in there and start crafting our own missions? Why, follow me past the jump to find out.
Captain's Log: Ask Cryptic raises questions about STO's future
The future of Star Trek Online comes up a lot in Captain's Log. Whether imagining cool new features or picking apart comments by Executive Producer Daniel Stahl, I ponder STO's tomorrows fairly frequently. But, hey, it's not my fault the folks at Cryptic Studios talk about the game's near and far future so much, right? Especially with their monthly Ask Cryptic feature, the developers address the game's, er, development all the time. This month's extra-hefty Ask Cryptic offers players a lot of tasty food for thought -- but a forum post I missed last week has given me indigestion.
