I can finally experience my dream: to be an aging James T. Kirk in an overpriced online multiplayer game. I'm just now getting into these types of games after playing the World of Warcraft stress test beta, and I really like that one. I tried Everquest for five minutes before uninstalling it because it looked like shit and I didn't know anything about it. I think I like the Warcraft one so much 'cause it's a familiar universe, so maybe the same will be true for the Star Trek one in...over two years from now. These games all seem to be money machines, so when Enterprise gets cancelled at least there will be something besides TNG action figures to keep Star Trek afloat. It'd be nice to have my own starship.
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
OK, because I get interested in strange things I've read a lot of nerdy criticism of such games despite never having played one. (Well, I played about ten or fifteen hours of Galaxies on a friend's account.) And, anyway, on first glance this doesn't sound like a good fit at all. How do you do open-ending role-playing in a rigid hierarchical command structure? There's a reason RPGs tend to focus on bands of self-employed adventurers.
And the fact that this is the company's first game of apparently any kind makes me skeptical about its ultimate quality.
(I'd apply for a job, but apparently I'm grossly unqualified.)
Posted by Lee (Member # 393) on :
As I understand it, a lot of these games only require you to advance yourself by acquisition of goods and skills. So as Simon says, how does that fit in with Starfleet? It might be interesting to have loads of people start as Ensigns and work their way up, but would they be patient enough, or would everyone want to be a Captain immediately? And how many would want to command a Miranda or an Oberth? The staple ship of the fleet would become TEH DEFINAT!!! Plus of course everyone would have to behave like good Starfleet officers, as if that were possible. Maybe they should consider a Mirror Universe-based game. . .
Posted by Harry (Member # 265) on :
Usually, these games either end up being a mindless fragfest, or nothing more than a chatroom with an overly complicated 3D engine.
Posted by MarianLH (Member # 1102) on :
That was certainly my impression of Galaxies. Having just finishing the free two-week demo, I think I now know what it's like to be in an abusive relationship. I love Star Wars, even when it knocks me down the stairs and breaks my collarbone.
I too am scratching my head as to how they would do Star Trek in a MMORPG. My roommate says that gameplay will consist of using the holodeck to play Everquest.
The article also said it will "launch in a 24th century timeline and gradually expanded to include previous eras." Wonder how they'll do that?
Oh, duh! *smacks forehead* Time travel!
Marian
This random sig quote is brought to you by the Star Wars Galaxies forums: "The Jedi are extinct, their fire has gone out of the universe. You my friend are all that's left of their religon. Except for the other 5000 over there..." --ShadowJedi111, 09-07-2004 11:39 AM
Posted by MarianLH (Member # 1102) on :
Oh yes, and also:
"include elements from all five live-action television shows and all ten movies." (Emphasis mine)
Translation: Screw the animated series!
Marian
Posted by Harry (Member # 265) on :
Well, the animated series is usually quite simply forgotten. I know this is going way OT, but is TAS actually owned by Paramount/Viacom, or by Filmation or whoever took Filmation over? Might the reason for TAS' non-canon status simply be that they can't be bothered to acquire the films?
Posted by deadcujo (Member # 13) on :
Jesus. That had absolutely no informational content whatsoever. Reminds me of Microsoft promotional videos. Only worse. At least watching the videos we could count how many times they used the word 'domain' before we fell asleep.
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
To be fair, they just acquired the license. I mean, what are they supposed to say?
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :