by Garrett Fuller



There are only a few popular fantasy and science fiction properties out
in the world that have not yet made it to the MMOG table or at least
been kicked around the negotiation table. One of the in-development
licenses, Star Trek Online, has been shown to a select group of
industry press and professionals but very little has been seen by the
general public.



With small news stories popping up here and there and chats at
conventions which would end with the sentence
“…when we’re ready to talk, we
will,” the developers were holding off on giving the final
word about this upcoming game. Now we know why.

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title="AGDC Pictures 055"> src="/image/view/11762/preview"
width="200">

style="font-style: italic;">Perpetual was
poised to take the MMOG market by storm with style="font-style: italic;">Gods and Heroes and
Star Trek Online.

As Perpetual slowly falls to the liquidation wayside, a huge license
hangs in the balance. Star Trek has been one of the most popular
science fiction properties for generations. All those Trekkies might
have had the chance to play an online game with the depth of the Star
Trek universe on their side. A place where they could interact, go to
war, explore new worlds and team up with other players to command a
starship.



At least that was my original impression of the game when it was first
discussed back at GDC two years ago. Now with the stories and rumors
surfacing on the game, that future looks to be in doubt. Word on the
street says that the game may go casual and take the now popular MMOG
approach of charging customers for in game items. Are you disappointed?




I am, and I’m not even a huge Star Trek fan.



You can read the article at http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/50065="">Shacknews
or  href="http://www.gamespot.com/news/6183409.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=newstop&tag=newstop;title;11">Gamespot.
My point is that Star Trek fans may now be sold short on an in-depth
universe that they have come to respect and admire. I know one thing
about Star Trek fans: They value depth. The depth of technology and
science that is in the Star Trek universe is something that appeals to
Trekkies. So why would the company who now owns Star Trek Online come
out and say that they are taking a more casual approach? To bring in
new fans? Are you kidding? There is a HUGE Star Trek fan base which is
already established. Just because several crummy spin off series fail
does not mean that the property is in trouble and we now have to dumb
down an online game to bring in new fans.



From what I gleaned in the articles, it now looks like a random media
company is stepping in and taking over the Star Trek MMOG. The source
at Shacknews says it will be their entrance into video games. You have
chosen quite a game to make an entrance with, my random media friends.
Not only are you taking on a very well established science fiction
property with a hardcore fan base, but you are also starting your video
game crusade with an MMOG. Anyone in this business will tell you that
MMOGs are not easy to make. Do you know how to build a development team
that could bring this game to market? With the level of sophistication
required in MMOGs, you have the almost no room for error. And if
there’s anything Star Trek fans won’t tolerate, it
is error. 



One of the scariest trends in video games recently is the entrance of
big business. It’s great to see companies get funding and
grow faster than the U.S. economy, but games are a tricky business. You
have to get it right the first time. Players are growing more
sophisticated and are looking for a more in-depth experience. The game
industry has to keep looking for ways to provide that, and this level
of entertainment is not simply two hours of your life that you use to
sit down and relax. Games are not movies.

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width="200">

style="font-style: italic;">They're making STO
a casual game?! KHAAAANNNN!!!

Today’s games are more in depth, cost more, and are supposed
to offer the consumer an interactive experience. If that experience is
bad, then you likely have fans who will never buy a game from you
again. So now before the game is even launched you have reports that
Star Trek Online will go casual. I can just imagine the executives who
now own this game sitting there saying:



“We have Star Trek Online, what do we know about video
games?”



“Who cares let’s just make some money.”



“Look at how much World of Warcraft makes and Star Trek is
bigger than Warcraft.”



If any of these reports are true about the future of STO, then I would
bet that a conversation like that has occurred. Maybe it
wasn’t as cut throat, but we’re all intelligent
gamers here. 



I am a casual Star Trek fan. I am not hardcore. I watch the movies and
sometimes the shows. I really dig Picard, Spock and Data.  I
was looking forward to this game because I knew hardcore Star Trek fans
would get a great experience. They would play in an in-depth world.



I would play the game as a casual fan to see how the universe looked
and felt. The future of the property was exciting. It looked like an
MMOG should: in-depth, player driven, and most of all fun. Now it seems
like players will be forced into a casual environment with no depth of
story, science, or technology. If Star Trek Online remains a serious
style game with in-depth content that continues to grow and was able to
maintain a player base among its millions of fans, then it would have
made very good money and fans would be happy. At this point, that does
not seem to be the case.