Recently, I have embarked on Star Trek Online, a game that attracted me for a long time without however finding the time to launch out. It's finally done and I do not regret it! Before you begin, if you're not too familiar with the Star Trek universe, don't hesitate to re-read Chaotin's excellent article on it: The Star Trek Saga.
Character creation
When you create your character, you have the choice between 3 factions:
These factions will notably define the appearance of our character (the races available) but also the appearance of our ships (each faction having specific fleets of ships). As I always dreamed of being like Captain Picard in the Enterprise, I opt for a career in Starfleet and created a Vulcan named Onidra!
At the class level, there are 3 classes:
- Tactical : combat damage, stealth reconnaissance, and squad tactics. The tactical officer can inflict damage by a variety of methods, while supporting his field team by repelling the enemy threat or supporting his combat effectiveness with tactics and squad commands.
- Science Science Officers protect their ship and crew by weakening or immobilizing the enemy over time, creating energy fields that damage or slow down, and healing their field team for these same effects. The Science Officer has the greatest potential to react quickly to chaotic situations by restraining an enemy, weakening the combat strength or resistance of an enemy group, or responding to enemy attacks by rapidly healing damage. . The combat effectiveness of science officers depends on their versatility.
- Engineering : survivability, emergency generators and control of enemy progress with fieldwork. The Engineer Officer can withstand greater damage by improving the performance of his own personal shields, while supporting his field team with power generators or hampering enemy progress with defensive minefields. The engineer's own combat efficiency is enhanced by modifications to his firearms or by firing from crafted turrets and drones.
I opted for my part for the position of Tactics (again, guided by the series where the position of captain passes through the tactical rank to the red collar!).
The game is already a few years old, so don't expect some super-heavy avatar customization. However, we manage to do something nice. The choice of uniform adds to the personalization. Many other uniforms can be purchased later in the store for ZEN (currency to be purchased for real money).
A new cadet at Starfleet
The progression of the game is presented through the ranks:
- 0 : cadet
- 1-9 : lieutenant
- 10-19: lieutenant commander
- 20-29: commander
- 30-39: captain
- 40-49: rear admiral
- 50-59: vice-admiral
- 60: fleet admiral
Each rank will allow us to access larger and larger ships. Within each rank, the intermediate levels make it possible to unlock various activities and functions: bridge officer, missions, skills ...
Galaxy
The galaxy is vast, very vast, filled with different systems where you need the help of a skilled captain everywhere. It is possible to move in the galaxy between sectors ...
... then between systems within a zone (sector).
Once near a system, one can enter that system. Note that then, in some systems, there are space stations where you can land or descend to the ground (like at Starfleet Academy).
quests
Quests always present with flight phases and ground phases.
Any quest begins with a small cutscene like above where we arrive in the system. Then, afterwards, different tasks are asked of us: escorting a freighter, scanning a singularity, repairing a satellite, investigating a wreck, negotiating ... If you have watched the series, you have a good idea of what to expect. Mostly Starfleet members.
And then, very often, we will have to intervene on the ground to help the ship in distress, go down to look for the dignitary who suddenly refuses to leave his planet or to save settlers from the Borgs. The missions are still very varied and will take us to various environments: space station, cave, desert, forest, colony, singularity ...
Connoisseurs will have recognized uniforms from the past in the image on the right, first line. Indeed, we will be entitled to several leaps in the past, allowing to cross many known figures.
And even, the star of the series!
Different missions will also ask us to infiltrate. Here I am on the right in overalls at a station, as I find myself in a modified time frame where Starfleet no longer exists. On the left, I am in the guise of a Klingon in order to be able to move around this occupied planet.
There is also a whole set of ground missions where you have to gain the trust of the people of this lost paradise ... well lost!
Not to mention the obligatory passage through the jeffries tubes and other maintenance corridors!
When there are dialogues with NPCs, no need to read everything if you don't want to: the dialogue to advance the story is in green.
Crew
Our captain is nothing without his crew, whether on the ground or in space. On the ground, they will accompany us, making up a group that will follow us, treat us and participate with us in setting objectives. On a few occasions, our captain finds himself alone and the absence of the intervention team is strongly felt.
Like the character and the ship, each team member has equipment. Appearance isn't going to change, whether it's our captain, a crew member, or the ship. The appearances are then customizable via rather expensive services (especially for ships).
Captain and crew have skills.
That of the vessel will depend on the officers placed in the stations. The number of stations (and officers available) depends on our ship, therefore our rank.
Crew members may be upgraded, at most to the lower rank of the captain. So I just promoted Elisa, my second officer.
Finally, a mission system allows you to manage your crew. All these duty officers are listed in a special interface summarizing life aboard our ship. These crew members will be able to set up trades, called R&D.
They can also go on missions, divided into several categories (space shipyard, zone and department). These missions will bring in different resources, as well as money, experience, expertise points ... It is a very good solution if you do not play a lot to improve your character while being offline!
Mini-games and resource recovery
Rather than just having to click on the resource, a mini game asks us to match our signal to that of the resource. The faster we go, the more resources we will have! It works the same way we recover the resource on the ground or in space.
Another mini-game is the well-contained Dabo! Be careful not to lose your shirt with these Ferengi!
death
When we die in space, our ship can reappear nearby and directly continue the fight if in the meantime the objective is not failed (such as protecting a ship). On the ground, our team members can revive us if they get through. Otherwise we often reappear at the point of extraction. In all cases, there is a risk of being injured (or damaged in the case of the vessel), so you will have to think about taking care of yourself if it starts to become too serious.
Gateway
If you can't play during the day, you can play from your web browser through the Gateway, an app that lets you preview your character. Oddly, there are a lot less features than on the Neverwinter interface.
Some solutions
As I traveled, I encountered certain missions that were sometimes a little complicated. If you don't feel like searching, here are the solutions!
Relive the past
- dislike: salty, big heavy mug, too sweet, fruit, spicy, bowls, shot glass, umbrellas
- likes: hot, sour, whip, stemmed glass, honey drop
Spin the wheel
- Synthesizers
- Environmental controls
- Gravitational controls
- Defense grid
- Environmental controls
- Synthesizers
So much for this first glimpse of STO when I am currently level 36. In a second part in a few weeks, I will come back to the rest of my adventures and in particular the recent additions with the Voyager crew. After having had the opportunity to meet the original crew, I don't know if in the meantime I could meet my favorite crew, that of Jean-Luc Piquard!
Long life and prosperity!
