The course is set, and it’s time to engage with Star Trek Online. Cryptic is turning up the volume as the closed beta phase of the game approaches, set to begin at the end of this year. So how is the game coming along, and how can you get into beta? And what are some of the challenges the development team has faced? Craig Zinkievich, Star Trek Online’s Executive Producer was gracious enough to tell us about how to get into beta, ground combat, and some of the challenges Cryptic has dealt with.

To be totally honest, we were scared too when we got the license; looking at the community, looking at the fans, and thinking of the fan base as people who are really, really rabid, and not accepting of certain things. But I’ll be honest, having been really steeped in that community, and having gone to the cons, and talked with the fans a lot, they are really an accepting fan base. Now, they love to argue, and they love to talk, and they love to really experience the universe, but in terms of sharing their knowledge, they’re there. So they’re not really as rabid and as scary as I thought they would be. They’re really accepting, willing to hear arguments, willing to discuss things. They’re really just a cool bunch.

Read the full Q&A only at Ten Ton Hammer.