How you feel about ST:O is spot on for how I feel. I haven't even loaded up the game since the official launch. During the beta I was enjoying the game, and decided to give the game a rest so I don't get burned out on it before the release. Now, I find myself feeling like I have to log on because I paid money for the game. I want to like it, but I'm having a hard time getting past what appears to be non-unique MMO grind #23.

I think I'm in the exact opposite boat. I understand and agree with all of the problems people have with the Diku MUD/WoW kill-loot-level formula being applied to the Star Trek franchise. But I'm having so much fun blowing up space ships that I don't care. I wasn't particularly interested in STO until I tried it, but ever since I first logged into the open beta I've been having a lot of fun. Maybe it's just because I'm starved for a good space game.

The game does pick up a lot once you get out of the light cruiser and into the Cruiser, Escort, or Science ship. Based on what I've heard I think they need to get you out of the light cruiser a bit earlier, or give you a rotation of different bridge officers so you can get some more gameplay variety as you learn about their abilities.

I think there's a lot of people that really would like this in a game, but then the problem becomes what do you do when you aren't "raiding".

I think that's simple: the computer takes over the roles of all the other crew, performing at minimum possible spec with a clumsy interface, and possibly other problems. ("They've hit the automation center!") This would allow for solo play much like other games, but emphasizes the need for team play. Away missions would be similar - specific support roles.

I'd love to play a cooperative 'bridge' with goodjers. Providing I can be the irascible, half-drunken Canadian science officer, eh?

--Nathaniel, still disappointed that a PhD in particle physics doesn't let him set phasers to kill

I guess I disagree on all fronts - this is the most enjoyable "hybrid" MMO in a long time. Not since my SWG days have I been excited to race home and login. Maybe it is the fact that I am not required to group/tream with anyone to get things done. STO is a solo/sp game with some social traits...

On second thought I do agree with this some. The one thing that STO does a little like AION is you have to get 10 "levels" before the good stuff. Now it is not as bad as AION and I did those first 10 many times and I hate to repeat things...

However I disagree on skills/powers - they do make a huge difference once you start getting into them. With my escort once I took Escort Captain to max I could tell the difference in the damage my hull could take.

Disagree, Enterprise was the best and DS9 second...

Sounds like my life (if you sustitute software for holodecks and the wife for Troi).

I think the problem for me is that the carrot on the end of the stick is losing longevity quicker as you progress. Those tier 5 ships are dam sexy but they are a long way off. Those tier 3 ships are within my grasp but my excitement over getting my tier 2 ships wore off after 3 ranks of lt. commander. So if it takes even longer to get from commander to captain and the new ship novelty is going to wear off faster than tier 2, burnout is going to set in hard and fast.

And I am already dividing my time with Global Agenda. But saying dividing implies a near 50/50 splt which isn't the case at all. I play GA 3 times as much as ST:O. ST:O has a lot of things going for it, but it takes a time investment to make progress. I feel like I progress 3 times as far if I commit 2 hours of play versus committing 1 hour.

Its interesting because that is par for the course with any mmo, and ST:O breaks the mold in many ways except this one.

I think GA should be studied more. It hits a lot of gamer desire bullet points successfully without making compromises. It succeeds at what a lot of other bigger budget MMO's tried to do and failed:

1. Accessibility - you can get into something in less than a minute and you can make progress in 10-15 minutes.

2. Random maps - I don't know if they are randomly generated or they mix and match preset pieces. But the levels don't get old.

3. Longevity - there is pretty much only one theme of map, the manufacturing warehouse. CoH's warehouse missions bored me to tears, I can't get enough of just one more manufacturing plant mission.

4. Leveling - I get something every level. Odd levels, you get new equipment/skills. Even levels you get a talent point for small boosts to you existing skills.

5. Level differential - skill and situation make more of a difference than +20 levels in combat

6. PvE and PvP - one does not preclude the other. One is not gimped compared to the other. One is not preferred to the other. One is not more accessible to the other. One is not more rewarding than the other...

I just made Commander yesterday, and here's my general thoughts on the game so far:

Rank                   Awesomeness

Lieutenant                     60%
Lieutenant Commander          250%
Commander                    1875%

By level L8 I was starting to get bored with the missions, they're pretty repetitive, and your starter ship is pretty boring. I kept slogging through because I wanted to see the next class of ships though, and the feeling I got when I equipped and set out in my fancy LC science vessel was amazing. The LC mission arcs were also far beyond anything that the game threw at me as a Lieutenant, and had me revisiting memorable encounters and locations from the TV series. LC actually went much faster for me because it was so much more fun.

The one issue I had with LC though was that the ground missions were still a slogfest. Then I hit Commander and all of a sudden I have so many more powers to use and somehow the ground combat changed and became interesting! I had intended to play just enough yesterday to get my new ship and then log off, but I ended up doing another 3 hours of missions after I hit Commander. As much as I was blown away with the LC missions, the Commander missions are just as good, maybe better.

It's really amazing how much the game changes with each promotion. My advice is to stick with it, realizing that levels 1-11 are training for the real game.

I'm enjoying the game a lot, even though real life has kept me so busy that I haven't caught up to where I was in open beta yet. While the quest stories aren't exactly cinema-quality, my background in Trek lore (all of the series, none of the books) brings them closer to home, a feeling I never got from the quests in WoW or other MMOs. I got a big kick out of it during open beta when

I'll agree that there could be more info on how skills affect your abilities. The best you can do right now is hit 'p' and look at your ability list. Selecting abilities there will tell you what skills improve them. With almost every patch, I've noticed some small improvement in the interface.

Like others, I've turned off open grouping and do most missions solo. You avoid Captain Shaft Johnson of the USS Fellatio, and it feels more like Trek, as most Trek episodes had just a single protagonist ship.

Because of the aforementioned time constraints, I also have some newfound appreciation for the way missions are broken up. I can pop in, clear a couple of systems, spend some skill points, and find a stopping point in well under an hour. I don't feel like I have to make a major time investment in order to get some small rewards. I don't have to look for quest NPCs, and if I don't want to fly to a starbase, I can just use the replicator to sell any drops.

Breaking News - Blizzard fanboy dislikes MMO that's not WOW.

I suppose I should mention my own biases here:
The Next Generation was the best series.
The thought of playing most MMOs is about as appealing to me as amputating my own scrotum with a butter knife.

I pretty much disagree with most of the article. I've had a blast playing the game so far. Its seems pretty low commitment which I appreciate, and I really dig the ship combat. I've been really happy to see all of the Trek references. It's brought back memories of watching specific episodes with my family growing up.

As far as picking things up off of enemies instead of just replicating them goes, its a video game, that's how they work, get over it.

STO isn't the best Star Trek game ever made, Star Trek: Judgment Rites holds that title, but its quite good and I see my self playing for some time.

Also, DS9 is a respectable choice for "best Trek" and I understand it. Its wrong, but I understand it.

Enterprise was terrible, even disregarding the rest of the Star Trek franchise, it was a horribly written, produced, and acted show. Anyone can watch it and tell that, but you have to be a long time Star Trek fan to understand just how offensive that show truly was.

I noticed that Best Buy has ST:O on sale for 39.99. At that price I am contemplating getting it though I am still reluctant to bother until I see what Cryptic does in terms of late game content.

Slow starts did not get much play during my angsty, angsty youth.

Complete agreement here. This is why I hated many an author for their droll, boring intros and buildups. DS9 reminded me of anything written by Charles Dickens. Enterprise would have been Faulkner.