Gameplay

Players? characters will begin as Starfleet cadets and have the opportunity to advance in rank up to Captain and possibly even Admiral. The game will include elements of both third and first-person shooters. Players will be able to travel, explore space and the surface of planets, and engage in Player versus player (PvP) combat via holodecks and Player versus environment (PvE) combat in missions. Players will also be able to form crews, ranging from just a few to several hundred officers. The current expected average player-to-ship ratio is 20:1.

Players will be given the option to specialize their skills in a particular area such as Engineering, Tactical/Security, and Science. Other familiar departments, such as medical, flight control, communications, and operations are integrated in these three main professions. Players may also have the option to take on the role of a Commanding Officer. However not all players may choose to persue this path.

It is not currently believed that this game will feature permadeath. Instead, when a player?s health falls below a critical threshold, they will automatically be beamed to Sickbay and be cared for by a medic. This will slow a player?s advancement, but not subtract experience points already received. Likewise, starships will not be fully destroyable; a starship which falls in combat will be smashed, broken, and adrift in space, but will still be repairable if it can obtain a tow to spacedock.

 

Setting

Galaxy-class Observation Lounge.
Galaxy-class Corridor.The game is to be set in the final years of the 24th century (just beyond the eras of The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, and Voyager) approximately twenty years after Star Trek: Nemesis, the latest movie. Missions will include storylines that involve established characters from the Star Trek franchise. Players will begin at Starfleet Academy, where they will learn basic game skills. Players will be able to live in crew quarters on ships, on planets, or on starbases.

Character development

After a player has chosen a career, the selection becomes permanent for the character?s entire existence. Characters will physically age as they progress through the game and gain more experience, thus the experience of higher-ranking officers will be accurately portrayed in game. The expected playable races are Human, Vulcan, Klingon, Bajoran, Bolian, Trill, Tellarite, and Andorian.

Combat

Star Trek Online will include both personal and ship-to-ship combat. However, the developers have released very little information thus far as to how combat will work. At launch, PvP combat will take place exclusively via the holodeck.

Personal combat
It is believed at this point that the game will operate using both first-person and third-person cameras; personal combat is expected to be primarily first-person. It will take place on the ground and aboard ships.

Ship-to-ship combat
Perpetual Entertainment has stated that they want every player to be able to command their own ship, even if it?s only a runabout. Large-scale ship-to-ship combat, however, will require teamwork. Full-size starships will require a bridge crew to operate and probably at least one person in Engineering.

Space combat in Star Trek Online will be based on a 2D plane; however, pilots of sufficient skill will be able to execute maneuvers above and below that plane. Player-Controlled starships will be piloted by their captains via a system of coordinated instructions and not by a player in a separate flight control position, though an NPC pilot will be present at the helm.

Travel

Players will travel through the gameworld by foot, at impulse power, at warp, and using transwarp conduits constructed by the Federation in the period between this game and Star Trek: Nemesis.

Economy

As in Star Trek, money will not be emphasized, but it will be present in the form of Federation Credits. All of the player?s basic needs (i.e. "food, lodging, uniforms, simple entertainments, and standard equipment"[3] will be provided for free, but players can choose to spend credits on things the Federation does not normally provide--for instance, special items of value, special entertainment, or special treatment. Players will also amass "prestige", an intangible currency that reflects their favor with Starfleet. Obtaining command of a starship will not cost any credits but will require a great deal of prestige, with different ships costing different amounts. Prestige will be earned by impressing Starfleet and making special achievements.

Story

The game will begin during a time of relative peace for the Federation. All of the Federation?s traditional enemies (such as the Borg, the Romulans, and the Klingon Empire) have either tentatively made peace or ceased to be a threat. The developers have hinted that a new enemy may be on the horizon.