Star Trek Online at Ten Ton Hammer

Virtual world economies are a finicky thing, and a whole host of super-intelligent game developers and economists have pushed their brain power to the max trying to figure out the best way to manage the constant inflation/deflation of many in-game items. But what happens if your game is based around a Utopian society? A culture where money doesn't matter? That's what the developers at Cryptic Studios are facing with Star Trek Online and the perilous obstacle of trying to merge different economies into one another. Guest columnist Chris "Spare" Higgins poses a number of questions to our readers regarding Utopian societies and how members of Starfleet will interact with the outside universe. The dilemmas he poses are quite substantial, so make sure you check out the article!

• To read the rest of the Star Trek Online editorial, click here!