This is from Startrek.com
07.12.2005
FAQ for Star Trek Online
July 2005
Star Trek fans have been eagerly waiting for the chance to experience adventure in the time of the United Federation of Planets in a massively multiplayer setting. Perpetual Entertainment is developing just such a game.
About the FAQ
This document serves as the official collection of answers to common questions about Star Trek Online and is maintained by the development team. As it is still early in the development process, many answers seek to communicate our intentions or general philosophy rather than specific details. As we confirm our design choices, the FAQ will be updated accordingly.
General
What is Star Trek Online?
STO is a persistent world where hundreds of thousands of players immerse themselves in the world of Star Trek. You will explore the galaxy, defend against incursions, and pursue the needs of the Federation in space and on planets' surfaces.
Who is making this Game?
Perpetual Entertainment is a San Francisco based company created by MMO and networked game veterans with the express purpose of developing ground breaking persistent world games.
When is the Beta date?
2006
What is the intended audience for Star Trek Online?
The world of Star Trek Online will be designed with respect to canon and to support an immersive experience for Star Trek, sci-fi and MMOG fans of all types.
What is the current status of development?
As of July 2005, the development team is in pre-production.
When are the beta and release dates?
We are not yet ready to announce beta or release timing information. Development of STO is expected to take at least 2 years.
Will there be a monthly fee?
Yes. The fee will be competitive with other products of our genre.
Will the content grow during the lifetime of the game?
Yes, through updates and expansions
On which platform will this game be available?
PC
Will STO be localized and made available internationally?
Absolutely. We view a world-wide release in a variety of languages as vital to the success of STO and key to recognizing of one of Star Trek's most celebrated core values.
What has changed in this latest version of the FAQ?
The FAQ has been revised to focus on the big picture questions and provide insight to our intentions where we are not yet ready to share details. We've added some new answers and eliminated or modified others to reflect these goals.
Where can I find out more about Star Trek Online?
A robust community site is planned for early 2006, in the meantime, we've created a temporary site containing announcements and links to game resources at
www.startrek.perpetual.com Setting
Which time period or series does this game occur in?
The game's starting point is set some time following the latest movie (i.e. "Star Trek Nemesis"). However, there will be missions with storylines and characters from other parts of the Star Trek franchise.
What are the playable factions?
At launch all players will be part of Starfleet. Additional factions will be made available via expansions.
What are the playable races? What professions can I choose?
The following playable races & professions are being considered:
Races: Vulcan, Bolian, Human, Trill, Bajoran, Andorian, Tellarite
Departments: flight control, medical, science, tactical/security, engineering
Will you be able to travel and explore space?
We expect to give players considerable freedom to explore space and discover the unknown. However the primary motivator of player experience will be Starfleet directed missions.
What area(s) of space will I be able to explore?
The galaxy is a big place and realizing even a small section is an enormous undertaking. We are still in the process of determining how big an area we can build and where it will be located.
Will you be able to explore the surface of planets?
Yes. Star Trek Online will enable Starfleet members to visit, explore, and engage in problem solving and combat on planets throughout the galaxy
Will there be an economy?
We expect there to be some form of economy though we have not yet decided on its exact form. As in the series, an economy will be present, but not emphasized.
Where will players live?
We believe the concept of crew quarters is core to the Star Trek experience, though we are not yet ready to disclose how the system will work.
How will players get around?
Players will have access to all major modes of travel seen in the series including transporters, shuttles, and starships.
Gameplay
What types of gameplay experiences does STO offer?
STO will deliver the essential experiences associated with Star Trek: shipboard & starbase life, away missions, holodeck, and starship encounters. Players will have the opportunity to engage in exploration, combat, problem solving, and diplomacy in addition to character development and social activities. The player point of view in all modes of play will be predominantly 3rd person.
What will ground combat be like?
Our real-time combat system is going to take advantage of many of the skills and abilities seen in Star Trek: using heavy weapons, energy shields, pattern enhancers, and more. Players can form away-teams with any mix of defensive, offensive, and support characters.
What will starship combat be like?
Players will have the opportunity to join with other players on the bridge of a starship to engage in large-scale space combat with NPC enemy controlled vessels.
Will there be player vs. player combat?
PvP will not be a primary means of advancement at game launch, but the holodeck will provide many opportunities for players to fight each other in ships and on the ground in a competitive holographic environment.
What role does the Holodeck play?
As in the show, STO will use the Holodeck to offer imaginative and historical experiences for players, including player vs. player competitions.
Will there be options for solo play?
Yes. While there will be some content that requires player grouping, the majority is accessible by solo and grouped players.
Ships
Will I be able to captain/crew a ship?
We view the opportunity to lead or serve as part of a ship's crew as core experience in Star Trek Online. The game systems are designed to encourage players to work together to command ships while also accommodating players who wish to solo. All players will have the opportunity to attain the rank and privilege of Captain if they so choose.
Can I obtain a ship of my own?
We plan to give players access to permanently commissioned vessels, though we have not yet determined the details of how this system will work.
How many people will be on a starship?
We expect maximum ship capacity to be consistent with show norms for any given starship class.
Community
What is the plan for community support?
Our level of interaction with the community will grow in stages as our development progresses. We're currently in the pre-production stage of development which involves detailed planning. Upon completion of pre-production, we will be in a position to begin sharing detailed feature information. In the meantime we plan to engage the Star Trek enthusiast community with preliminary design considerations so that community feedback can inform our planning process.
Will STO support guilds?
Absolutely, though we will not call them guilds. Teamwork is a core value and we aim to deliver industry leading support for formal and informal grouping and affiliations (i.e. fleets, clans, etc.)
How can I sign up for the beta program?
It will be at least a year before we get a beta signup program going. Once we have a beta plan in place and are ready to gather a list of beta participants, we will make the appropriate announcements.
How can I get involved?
We plan on setting up official discussion forums once we have adequate staff to support the discussions and information to share. In the meantime, we are relying on community supported websites for feedback and game related discussions. And if you have strong development skills and experience developing games, please visit our jobs section at
www.perpetual.com to see a list of open positions on the STO team. We'd love to hear from you.
its becuase that they know that us trekkies will get addected to it. so they will probly have a free trial then after your hooked, bam, they cut you off.