Exclusive Screenshots at Zam!

[nhamlett]

Zam.com has five exclusive shots with special commentary from Craig Zinkievich. Go check them out! (http://www.zam.com/story.html?story=17120)

Then, tell us what you think.

[Cracked1701]

Have you guys seen these yet?

http://www.zam.com/story.html?story=17120

A nice look at some Klingons, the lovely Akira class U.S.S. Cryptic, an Orion Syndicate ship, and some cargo bay looking area.

Those Akira shots look really nice if you ask me. Gotta be my favorite of this bunch. I've always had a soft spot for that class of ship though, heh. I'm really liking the closer look at the Klingons too, nice to see how their uniforms have finally changed and evolved, and yet are still recognizably Klingon.

[phifur]

wow wow wow WOW!!!!!!! omg great screenshots ORION WARSHIP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[topekaguy1988]

Thanks, its pretty cool

[topekaguy1988]

I just hope the Klingon content is as good as the Fed episodic content.

[Sumoben]

Those are very high detailed screenshots, but we don't know for sure how much detail we are going to see in the game itself, we don't all have super graphics cards.. Its nice to hope for such great things though.

[SenshiBat]

Shiney Happy Star Ship People..

[KO_Gilligan]

I have to chuckle at the Klingons... they definitely have an "artistic" look. Also, they appear to be NPC

[Nerresand]

So the Orion Syndicate will be like the equivalent of the Defias Brotherhood in WoW - irritating thugs and pirates that catch the peasants unawares and cause all variety of mischief - except a lot less pathetic.

"Ah, a chance to use this freshly sharpened...disruptor array!"

Anyhoo, looks good. Personally, I'd like to see as much showing off of ship variety as possible :) That and action sequences, i.e. weapons fire and such. But beggars can't be choosers, eh? :) I liked the exploding planetoid pic.

[PicardoManeuver]

Woohoo! Akira class! Glad to see that it and its Fifteen Torpedo launchers (http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Akira_class) are confirmed for this game

[Azurian]

I love the picture of the Akira, escaping from an exploding planetoid. I would love to see the video of that! ;)

And that tidbit of what episodic content will be like. :D

[CinC-UFPForces-Cardassia]

I see exactly why Craig was so excited about the AKIRA Class. It's absolutely lovely, and a great example of a faithfully recreated design from televised Trek.

The only critique I'd make - the ship's name, Cryptic, appears to be a little outsized on the saucer. Is that designed so that the player, and other players, can see the name at a glance? Is it mean to be lacking both the moniker "USS" as well as a registry number, "NCC-12345"?

The Klingons looks very nice, with great textural detail for the different items making up a warriors' dress. These Klingons look a little bit more, I'd say, like the Klingons from The Undiscovered Country and the late 23rd Century, and notice the mid-24th Century Starfleet logo!

Here's a question: though the Orion Syndicate is clearly operated in whole or in part by the Orions, has Cryptic made a story decision whether the Orion government - such as it may exist, and which has aligned with the Klingons - is separate in any substantive way from the Orion Syndicate, and whether or not the Orion Syndicate's criminal operations have been absorbed into the alliance with the Klingons in some way? And how do the Klingons feel about all that?

[DanSeale]

Those are very high detailed screenshots, but we don't know for sure how much detail we are going to see in the game itself, we don't all have super graphics cards.. Its nice to hope for such great things though.

All the more reason for me to consult my finicial advisor when ordering my puter this summer ....

cha-ching !

(looks like I will be doing a few extra lawns or something ... got to earn a little extra scratch ... I can see that comming right now ! )

WOO HOO !

:D

[Nasedo]

Zam.com has five exclusive shots with special commentary from Craig Zinkievich. Go check them out! (http://www.zam.com/story.html?story=17120)

Then, tell us what you think.

holy crap, thats so awesome, i so cant wait to play STO

(hugs Awen)

[CinC-UFPForces-Cardassia]

[Deleted by the user, as multiple threads on this topic were merged.]

[Cracked1701]

The only critique I'd make - the ship's name, Cryptic, appears to be a little outsized on the saucer. Is that designed so that the player, and other players, can see the name at a glance? Is it mean to be lacking both the moniker "USS" as well as a registry number, "NCC-12345"?


That would be my only gripe about the Akira. It really is such a little thing so it shouldn't really bother me any. The way I figure it though, if you're any real distance away from another ship, you're not going to see the name painted on the hull anyways, no matter how big the letters are. So there would have to be something in the User Interface telling you what ship you're looking at and so on. So why not just make the name and registry number as they are normally seen, and let the UI tell you what the ship name is.

[_Pax_]

Have you guys seen these yet?
No, I hadn't. Thank you very much for that link. ^_^

[Manx]

The episodic content is sounding better and better. Nice pics too; good to see an Orion ship at last :)

[Davies82]

Thanks for the info on the new screen shots Awen, gotta admit looking really good indeed. Especially the shots of the Akira class getting away from a planet in the middle of exploding on high impulse, and the deep space shot with the Akira class in it (USS Cryptic), the detail is awesome.

Also like the shot of the Klingon assualt team, trying to sabotage what looks like a federation outpost.

Again i am really impressed from what i've seen,each time you send screen shots out, they keep getting better and better all the time. Keep up the good work guys, doing a great job.

Really can't wait fir this to come out for console now!!
I hope you announce which conolse you are developing for soon.
(Hoping XBOX 360)
Thanks again.

[DanSeale]

That would be my only gripe about the Akira. It really is such a little thing so it shouldn't really bother me any. The way I figure it though, if you're any real distance away from another ship, you're not going to see the name painted on the hull anyways, no matter how big the letters are. So there would have to be something in the User Interface telling you what ship you're looking at and so on. So why not just make the name and registry number as they are normally seen, and let the UI tell you what the ship name is.

it could be for advertising purpose ... the name Cryptic is very easily seen.

good shots though.

[marscentral]

I liked those shots enough to make one into an avatar and I'm very picky about my avatars :D

[guido505]

Every screenshot Cryptic releases gets me more and more excited about this game. I love this idea of Episodic content. Seems like it will really try to capture the feel of the series'. Can't wait to see how it plays out.

[phifur]

I liked those shots enough to make one into an avatar and I'm very picky about my avatars :D

lol yeah right :rolleyes:

[PattonJ007]

The Akira Class looks beautiful, the Klingons look good too.

Perhaps you could leak a screenshot of an Intrepid Class or Vor'Cha Class Attack Cruiser next ... or maybe a little combat?

[Rekkert]

WOW love that Akira. When can I get one of those?:D

[whatinblueblazes]

The exploding planetoid and the escaping Akira-class are utterly stunning. I'm liking the variations in the Klingon armor/uniform. I am also glad we got a look at an Orion ship -- very much in line with what we saw on Enterprise.

[CinC-UFPForces-Cardassia]

That would be my only gripe about the Akira. It really is such a little thing so it shouldn't really bother me any. The way I figure it though, if you're any real distance away from another ship, you're not going to see the name painted on the hull anyways, no matter how big the letters are. So there would have to be something in the User Interface telling you what ship you're looking at and so on. So why not just make the name and registry number as they are normally seen, and let the UI tell you what the ship name is.

The idea if size, itself, is one that I could live with if it's particularly important to Cryptic that a starship's name be visually identifiable - if, in fact, that's the reasoning.

More important, I think, is the issue of color, font and content. I think the use of the color red and what appears to be a script-based font exaggerate the size issue and appear unduly jarring. As well, the absence of the moniker "USS" and the registry, "NCC-12345" is notable change and does materially change the character of Starfleet vessels.

I think, above all, the issue of content is the most important one.

[Moryan_Sorg]

I'm very pleased. With a game and show like star trek, you just need to have enough graphics not to take you away from feeling like you may actually be in space and talking to some alien race. The content should take care of the rest, as it does in the shows. These graphics go waaaay beyond that, good work.

[Ancere]

Is there a possibility for Players to get a planet blasted?
The screens look really good. I cant wait for that game anyway..:D

[Govannon_Lioncourt]

Very nice indeed!

[Loekii]

Looks good.

I think the Klingons look detailed and good, but I have qwams about their body proportions. Imo, they should look like 'Linebackers' (aka 240-270lbs. frames), instead of looking like a 180lbs actor in make-up. The should look more athletic and muscular than the average human -- just my opinion.

Ships look great.

[Hagon]

We Klingons look so sexy. C'mon admit it.

[Gizmo]

I'm liking the sound of the Episodic content more and more. Its going to be so refreshing to have a mission set like the one described instead of the same old, go here kill ten things, bring back their loot, etc.

Those screenshots look awesome as well. The first one with the Akira speeding away from the planetoid is great and gives a nice underbelly shot of the ship. I'm sure the name is purely advertising and when we name our ships we'll get the whole NCC registry number and the USS prefix if we so choose. The second shot of the Akira looka amazing as well and I like the name placement better on the saucer.

The ground avatars are looking good too. The Klingons look ready for a fight, those dishonourable saboteurs. :p
Lastly, that Orion ship looks like it might pack a punch!

Thanks Devs for the great screenies! :D

[Hagon]

I have to chuckle at the Klingons... they definitely have an "artistic" look. Also, they appear to be NPCI'm just guessing here, but they're probably "placemat" characters. All looking exactly the same and still pre-alpha.

[hustlecore]

The graphics look a bit cartoony and not realistic.... especially when compared to EVE and other space games but good job

[hustlecore]

on the other hand the episodic content sounds fantastic

[K-ShaQ]

Anyone notice not all the Klingons are actually "standing guard"?

[SIMONLEV]

I'm just guessing here, but they're probably "placemat" characters. All looking exactly the same and still pre-alpha.

Yes they do look like placement npc's but its cool that they are all doing different things. Other pics are awesome but iv never been a fan of akira class. Klingon ftw? Its looking that way:eek:

[SIMONLEV]

Thanks for the pics!:)

[iPond317]

Yep, I think I just drooled a little. These look fantastic and I'm so glad to see my favorite class ship finally in game; I love the Akira!

[KO_Gilligan]

Anyone notice not all the Klingons are actually "standing guard"?

Ye, I like them... The uniforms very cool. They seem to be a group of NPC you might not want to mess with. ;)

They could be doing some "sabotage" upon a second look.

[SIMONLEV]

Anyone notice not all the Klingons are actually "standing guard"?

Yeah 1 seems to be working on the bomb and the other is doing a manly pose for the camera. Good stuff

[BanzaiZAP]

Yahoo! I'm a big-time Akira fan, so these shots had me dancing with joy! I plan on taking out the USS Nosferatu as soon as they let me fly one. It is looking great! I expect that the planetoid blowing up is part of an episode, not something we can just do. In any case, the hype-meter at the office just went up another notch!

[IanD967]

WOW! simply awesome :D

[Welsh_Knight]

Woot! Awesome screenshots!

[knightofhyrule730]

Awen.

You rock more than all the pie in the world.

Can we haz a new video soon? pweeeessseeeee?

[Rimshot]

Looking very good. I might need a serious system upgrade to get graphics like that, though.

[Nelson]

Looks great all thank you for the great work. Can't wait to play the game.......

[Wardog00]

Looks awesome! I can't wait to play now. The Akira Class looks great and will look great as a burnt shell on my lands as a testament to Klingon Power.

[Acidrain]

Hmmm, interesting. I wasn't sure if that was an klingon ship or an Orion and everyone is claiming it to be an Orion ship. It looks as if it is an freighter?

[bigsalgo911]

Sweet. I love all the screenshots that have been coming out lately. I've been checking the main website pretty much daily for new stuff. I can't WAIT for the game. I'm upgrading my graphics card in preparation.

[Gnacko]

fantastic screenies ...you really seem to make good progress

but i think the klingons could use a few hours in the gym ^^

[mendal]

Klingons reminded me of graphics of latest Splinter Cell games.
I believe 9600 GSO should handle these graphics nicely on high resolutions of 22" monitors and I believe it would be sold for $60 by the time the game is released (you can find one for $80 today).

[bigsalgo911]

Klingons reminded me of graphics of latest Splinter Cell games.
I believe 9600 GSO should handle these graphics nicely on high resolutions of 22" monitors and I believe it would be sold for $60 by the time the game is released (you can find one for $80 today).

I already have a 8600 GT(or GS, I can't remember) 512 MB, so I'm picking up another one and doing SLI mode. Hopefully this will allow me to get at least 30fps everywhere in STO

[Chimo927]

Great screenshots, I love all 5 of them. But I most say my favorite one is the Klingons :p

[IanD967]

Hmmm, interesting. I wasn't sure if that was an klingon ship or an Orion and everyone is claiming it to be an Orion ship. It looks as if it is an freighter?

the caption says it is an Orion warship :p

[Dext]

WOW is all I can say

[Arachnidus]

-snip-

Loving the Akira.

[Dahakra]

Some nice pic's I must say :) That Orion Battleship looks like a brute. I wonder if its a carrier?
The Klingon's look great, if a little anorexic :P and the Akira is breathtaking. A great update all told.

Hmmm, interesting. I wasn't sure if that was an klingon ship or an Orion and everyone is claiming it to be an Orion ship. It looks as if it is an freighter?

Both the caption and the accompanying story say its a Orion Battleship.

- Dahakra

[Acidrain]

the caption says it is an Orion warship :p

Ah, i didn't read that part! LOLOL, thank you. I would really enjoy if we could get some really HI RES high DETAILED image.

[Voyager24]

Those are very nice, the Klingon character models look great too. I also enjoyed seeing the USS Cryptic glad to see an Akira class in the game. :)

[Angelphoenix12]

all grat screen shots :). i love the akira class the most. :D

[Acidrain]

That Orion, i would like to see more angles of it. My little girl said it looks like a pile of dog po! LOLOL

[SirReginaldo]

Hehehe, yah. I would wish though at one point, people would be able to play as these dog poos, and other races out there / organizations:D

[fk_16]

oh.. I'm so happy to see quadruplet Klingon NPC's....

*sigh*

[TheMasterpiece]

I couldnt get large images but from the thumbs i saw they looked good. Cant tell that much though until I can find out how to load the bigger ones.

[TheMasterpiece]

Ah, there it is I got em all opened now. And WOW!!!!!! The details on that akira are outstanding. Even down to the lights. The graphics have come SO FAR from a few months back.

The characters also look great, klingons are very detailed.

And I want to know exactly what made that planet explode

[Gavon]

Wow soo excited about this game now!

[Posideon]

This is the number one game for me I have been looking forward to this for a long time.

Going to buy a new PC and everything... manybe large speakers... hmmm.

Anyway great news so far, hope it does come out soon. Keep the great updates coming. :D

[Fvillha]

Hmmm, interesting. I wasn't sure if that was an klingon ship or an Orion and everyone is claiming it to be an Orion ship. It looks as if it is an freighter?

Its an Orion vessel according to the site their posted on.

[oleum]

Its an Orion vessel according to the site their posted on.

Which begs the question.. is it a purely NPC vessel or if we roll an Orion character will we be able to usethe Orion ship?

[General]

Hot Damn!

Thanks Awen!

[Vicelance]

Nice pics, Can't wait to get my hands on an Akira class.

But I have to agree the size, color and font of the name on the Akira ship looks off. Though I can understand if this is to help us read it better in game.

I have to ask are we going to be able to choose whether we want to see the ships name or just the registry number like on the NX 91001 and the Miranda pic which also has the NX number?

[Rivaris]

the mission content sound like your 100% on the right track i always hated the damm kill 20 of these find me 10 of these and then grind grind grind. now when you do missions you get that trek feeling.

the screenshot are awsome 2 ( would love to see a klingon ship screen tho ;);))
the ships look great in detail and the char look nice 2 i cant wait.

afther seeing this i dont care how much the sub will be a month i want to play this game and i hope its sooner then we think.

btw will next teaser be a nice ingame movie ;);))

btw the planet blowing up is my new desktop aswell it looks fantastic

[MESSY]

Im luving it thanx awen give us more lol :D

[Flatfingers]

Now I'm starting to be impressed.

The lighting on ships looks much better -- the contrast is up, and shadows appear more dynamic. I don't know whether this is because shaders really have been updated, or if it's just that these pictures do a better job of showcasing the graphics engine than previous screencaps, or if it's all just perception on my part. Regardless, I like the look of these ships better than that of previous ships.

In particular the two screencaps of the Akira-class ship are excellent. This is the first time I've been more interested in looking at the ship than the background... and some of these backgrounds have been spectacular. For example, I notice that the Akira escaping from the exploding planetoid is is partially lit by reflected (colored) light from the explosion -- very nice! The reflected light on the Akira amid debris is also very good. (One other note: the "Cryptic" also seems to sport quite a lot of polygons, which looks wonderful -- will that level of detail be standard for all ships? or just player ships? or just this one ship being used for marketing purposes?)

I have to say I'm not as impressed with the Orion Raider ship. I love the design, and I'm amazed at the level of detail -- that looks fantastic. But the lighting on this ship is still a bit blah. I say "a bit" blah; there's actually a lot to like here. I can see the shadowing effects and they look fine. What I think is still missing on this ship -- and the two shots of the Akira as well, actually -- is gloss. Is any kind of specular reflection (which I understand is a dynamic effect that can't be precomputed) considered to be too expensive to include for any PC? (I know it can be hard to hear "tone" in a text message, so let me add that I'm not asking this in a critical way -- it's a sincere request for some knowledge.)

Just a bit of glossiness on ships in the appropriate curved locations. It's all I ask.

Well... it's all I'm asking for now. ;)

While I'm on the subject of the Orion Raider image, kudos to the environmental artist. The planet looks great! I'm blown away by the level of detail, and the color and apparent refraction of the narrow band of atmosphere is wonderful. Now, any chance of throwing some good-looking dynamic clouds on planets? I'm not talking full-up meteorological simulation; just appropriately-colored and -shaped clouds that move at a different rate than the land below. That, I think, in conjunction with the high-detail planetary surfaces and atmospheric effects shown in this image, could be the finishing touch.

The cargo bay image is mildly interesting. Actually, looking at the cluster of three people down in the bottom right makes me suspect that the NPC pathfinding may need a little attention... or are they actually looking at something?

(In fact, I want to put this delicately, but... that's a rather intriguing pose all three male figures seem to be holding in the cargo bay screencap. Are there flys on the fronts of the trousers for male Starfleet duty uniforms, by any chance? :p)

The image I'm least happy with is the one of the four Klingons sabotaging some Starfleet installation. I like the complexity of the landscape, and the shadowing/reflections on the clothing are excellent. (Actually, these guys' pants are shinier than starships made out of metallic composites!) And yet, this image looks -- dare I say it? -- cartoonish. (Perhaps I should go with KO_Gilligan's word "artistic" instead.)

Maybe it's the highly-saturated, almost pastel colors on the foreground objects. Maybe it's the generally flat lighting. Maybe it's that this is a still image of what's actually an energy-filled, dynamic environment. Maybe it's all of these.

It's just so... intense. Still, this is just one image of one location; I'm keeping an open mind that other places will have a less "clean and colorful" quality.

Considering this batch of images overall, though, this is definitely the most exciting collection released so far. In particular, the two Akira images are outstanding.

I still have some serious doubts regarding what matters most for this game, which is the set of high-level design choices that are apparently now set in stone. But in terms of the visuals we're being shown, these images look like solid progress to me, and that positive effort is to be commended.

Great work!

--Flatfingers

[DanSeale]

BTW.. I failed to say thank you to those who supplied the screenies ... you included some requested Klingon stuff this time !

KUDOS !

[Manx]

Just noticed that the Klingons don't seem to be armed. It's a minor quibble but I had hoped we might see equipped gear on the characters, rather than having them pulling weapons out of nowhere.

Still great shots though :D

[Qnaz]

Finally a good Klingon screenie! Look good. I'm glad to see some progress in the future Klingon Uniforms. I do miss the always traditional belt clip and the horned boots however. Those were iconic. Any chance we can get the gloves with House Symbols on them?

P.S Can't wait to see how the female Klingon uniform turns out. Wink-wink ;)

[Stu1701]

Every time I hear more news about STO I just get more excited for it. Can't wait to see more!

[Drunk1n]

Another great addition of information and images -- thanks allot Cryptic, and Awen!

[Reinkaos]

The Akira looks gorgeous! I love the space graphics, I can't wait to sail through space! The Klingons look cool too, but for me the ground graphics seem a bit.. "shiny"? I'm not sure how to describe it :D they look good, but .. shiny. Great update and pictures!

Edit: Just noticed all the Klingons have apparently the same hairstyle/face/uniform. I want my Worf pony-tail :mad: :D

And in the station (green) interior shot, do I see a Klingon (or at least the same hairstyle) surrounded by what look like Feds? :eek:

[Terrani]

These new screenshots look so cool, especially the exploding planet one. I am loving it so far. Also the episodic content is really a truly amazing idea. Definitely one of the driving forces behind me getting this game.

[J.S.Caine]

those shots look great.

[Trekkie]

I thought all of these new screenshots looked great, and it is always nice to see new information posted on other websites apart from just the main Star Trek Online website since that helps to spread the word about the game and to build hype for it. Thank you very much for making these screenshots available!

[Mattastic]

To be honest, when I first saw them, I thought the graphic settings must have been a bit rubbish. Then I realised they'd all been resized on the webpage! Now I've had a chance to open them all in a seperate window, I can appreciate the excellent quality much better.

The Akira, naturally, looks beautiful. The texturing is gorgeous, and I like how it works so nicely with the light around it. And not to mention the awesomeness of the exploding planetoid. In fact, all the space graphics we've seen thus far have been gorgeous. I do have some concerns, regarding the ship, that's it's apparently called "Cryptic" and not "USS Cryptic". I'm not usually one to put canon over user choice, but the "USS" bit is pretty much necessary. I'd rather see that as a compulsary prefix.

The Klingons? Well, I love the uniforms, and I like that they now have a splash of colour -- presumably to compete with the customisability of the Starfleet uniforms? I also can't help but notice how the poses are very different from those we've seen Starfleet personel taking. Much more aggressive and confident. I like it. But I can't say much more because this is apparently an infiltration team of quadruplets. I would love to see more options with Klingon customisation, which is certainly going to be a massive challenge for Cryptic.

The interior scene is ... nicely done. I have no idea what it is, but it's nicely done. The atmosphere is excellently done. And are those Vulcan robes I see?

And finally, the Orion craft. I have to say the texture detail on this thing is astounding -- far beyond what we would usually see in the series. This is true of most of what we've seen so far, but in this case a lot of the texture seems purely decorative, which really highlights this, I think. It rather makes me want to see what you're doing with the Romulan ships, actually! Also, I can't help but feel the planet below looks much more detailed and, well, "planet like" than previous screens of planets.

All in all, fabulous job, Cryptic!

[Lepton]

I don't what you guys are looking at, but that Akira looks awful. While the lighting is a lot better, the saucer is supposed to be round and smooth along its edge. You can physically see the polygon facings on the saucer edge. Of course, this is always a problem when model a round edge with flat planes, but this looks particularly awful in this case. I think I have seen a better Akira in Legacy and Bridge Commander. Textures are good. Lighting is good. Model is not so good.

[KirksOtherSon]

The only critique I'd make - the ship's name, Cryptic, appears to be a little outsized on the saucer. Is that designed so that the player, and other players, can see the name at a glance? Is it mean to be lacking both the moniker "USS" as well as a registry number, "NCC-12345"?

I'd bet money it's a placeholder effect, CINC, intended only for preview screenshots from the in-house testing. The outsize CRYPTIC lets viewers know which dev house released the pic, and that's all it's for ...

Actual in-game starships will look the way they're supposed to look. Again, I'd bet money on this.

KOS

[KirksOtherSon]

I love the new screenshots.

I'm particularly fond of the updated Klingon dress, in that, it suggests that they _can_ have variance in their official uniforms, if the players desire it.

One of my great complaints about the handling of Klingons in certain parts of modern Trek is the suggestion that Klingon culture is so absolutely homogeneous. It got so bad at certain points, it threatened to make the fictional Klingon culture look completely improbable.

Plausible options = good, but then, options are what Cryptic is all about!

Thanks again for the new pics!

KOS

[ivan50265]

Looks good seems like this game is staring to shape up nicely.

[osena]

i like the Akira class U.S.S. Cryptic

[John]

wow those screenshots made me cry this is going to be a great game when it comes out

[CraigSutton]

All these screen shots makes it so hard to wait for the game

[denster]

Why is it other sites get exclusive screenshots before this one does?

[LordDave]

I don't what you guys are looking at, but that Akira looks awful. While the lighting is a lot better, the saucer is supposed to be round and smooth along its edge. You can physically see the polygon facings on the saucer edge. Of course, this is always a problem when model a round edge with flat planes, but this looks particularly awful in this case. I think I have seen a better Akira in Legacy and Bridge Commander. Textures are good. Lighting is good. Model is not so good.

You're right about the Akira having a lower curve poly count then an akira in Legacy. The rest of it looks fine I think. Now it's either not 100% finished OR the model curves aren't going to be super high poly to save processing.
Legacy, after all, was a single player with minor multi-player support. Very different type of game for an MMO and as such model poly limits are going to be very different.

-edit-
I do wanna add that the episodic content sounds a lot like a quest chain, something I loved in WoW.

[Avatar_of_Champions]

All these screen shots makes it so hard to wait for the game

But wait we must.

I really am chopping at the bit to know how will will be able to get better ships and what are starter ship will be.... plus I want a few more shots of kinglon ships...

The suspense is terrible... I hope it'll last.

[KirksOtherSon]

I do wanna add that the episodic content sounds a lot like a quest chain, something I loved in WoW.

Yes. Quest chains, as you call them on your planet, also go a long way toward diminishing one's sense of mindless grinding, because you're actually following a plot thread, instead of just "Harvest 20 tribble pelts and return to me for a reward" Rinse. Repeat. Ad nauseam.

KOS

[thisisentchris87]

Looks great, although I worry about the system requirements....

[EremiticWolf]

Nice screenshots and information. Can't wait for the release.
Hopeing that us Federation Officers can use Klingon weapons, would love to have a big fight with those klingons with a Bat'leth. :-)

also hopeing, someday to get a 'beauty shot" of a Galaxy Class ship. :-)

[CptCody]

Looks better than I imagined. Great JOB!

[KirksOtherSon]

Why is it other sites get exclusive screenshots before this one does?

It's public relations. By releasing "exclusive" screenshots to general gaming-news sites, this can stir up excitement in gamers who might not already know a lot about the game.

Us here, we're already as excited about Star Trek Online as we can get. It would be "preaching to the choir", as the saying goes.

The screens will show up on this site eventually (they almost always do), but for now, the screens are intended to promote the game to those poor, unfortunate souls who don't already know about STO :D

Cheers,

KOS

[mirkrim]

Nice. The graphic quality in the screenshots continues to improve. As someone already mentioned, the ship name looks completely wrong; hopefully that was just something they added as a fun afterthought, and not how it will actually appear in the game.

I still have a big problem with the buildings. In the screenshot with the klingons, the building has big flat blue panels on it, and the tower in the background has blue stripes. It doesn't look realistic or even stylized - it looks like something out of Tron.

[Wardog00]

My only concern after looking at all of the shots closely is the Klingon NPC's. I am hoping Cryptic does not do what it did with CoH in regard to NPC Mobs all looking exactly the same.

It was one of the major reason I quit playing CoH and went full time to WoW.

[Loekii]

Which begs the question.. is it a purely NPC vessel or if we roll an Orion character will we be able to usethe Orion ship?

Originally, I was thinking players would only get to command Klingon Ships. However, given the larger variety of Starfleet Ships compared to Klingon ships, I can see Orion, Gorn, and Naussican ships being added to the Klingon Fleet roster to even out the numbers (or they simply wont allow all the Fed ships to be available).

[bradley1701]

Freaking amazing!!! Looks great!!

[minago]

Akira diffidently good job thumbs up

[Thalasi]

I really liked these screenshots, especially the ones having to do with the ships. Im in aggreance with Wardog00 that those Kilngons looked a little too similar but this being in so very early in development I still have faith that the NPCs will be randomly generated(within set races) by time the game is ready for release.

[Delta4Elite2]

Thanks for taking the time to tell us about the game even further. Also I realy love the screne shots.
OH boy I can barely wait for the game to come out.
Thanks again!:D

[phelun]

That sounds like a very fun episode to play through, though I'd like to see fed players sometimes getting a mission that can be completed without firing a single shot.

I do have a bit of an issue with the "at the ready" Klingons. They need to have weapons in their hands as all Kilngon warriors would when on guard (and often when not).

Also that room with the greeen smoke. Where is it supposed to be? It looks a lot like a Malon ship to me.

[PaperBackHero]

The pictures are improving in the depth of field, lighting effects on the vessels. The Klingon warriors look a bit flat and not quite filled out enough for a more 3D look. This Episodic adventure will prove to be interesting.

[Gilgameesh]

Time for me to write my first post :)

The screenies looks awesome and that's really promising...

Having played CoX since release, I trust Cryptic as one of the best software houses in the MMO market.
I'm sure they will do a very good job with Star Trek ;)

[Ensign.Ricky]

Zam.com has five exclusive shots with special commentary from Craig Zinkievich. Go check them out! (http://www.zam.com/story.html?story=17120)

Then, tell us what you think.

Zomg, I am loving the detail and creativity on some of these interiors. I have no idea where it is but its looking good. Ship shots are also looking sharper good amount of lighting and shadowing. The textures on these uniforms are spectacular too.

[Ochosi-]

OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG AKIRA!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OOOOOMMMMMGGGGG!!!!!!!!!! :eek::eek::eek::eek:

[Interdictor]

Nice shots! If the second Akira shot (the one with the exploding planetoid) was bigger I'd have it as my desktop! Loving the detail on the ships and the environment is looking good as ever.

ALso - I'm more than pleased to hear about the episodic content. In CoH/V I quickly got tired of the "defeat X enemies" missions, but the Story Arcs and Task/Strike Forces were great - and its basically all I do (except for the occasional "badge mish".

[vtack]

It's nice to see the Akira proving once again that it's one of the most beautiful designs in the trek universe. Now that it's confirmed I'm already worried about how long its gonna take till I can acquire one in the game. I hope ships aren't limited based on career path... oh and the all the other pics looked good too.

[robgomm]

Absolutely loving the new screenshots and info. Have to say already the graphics are looking fantastic. You should be able to stretch the pics if you want them for your desktop.

But what I really want to know from those new screens is will I be able to capture an Orion slave girl for my erm... own reasons.

[Kico]

nice:cool:

[Duckdee]

Liking the Klingon uniforms.

[eNDIE]

Why is it other sites get exclusive screenshots before this one does?

It wouldnt be exclusive if they didnt get them first:)

[Sarile]

Great looking shots! The artwork captures what the star Trex universe looks like in my mind

Live Long and Prosper

[Davok]

Looking good, when will we actually get to play it?

[Braunbaer]

I'm surprised nobody told jokes about the picture with those 4 guys standing in the right corner.
They act like 13-year-old buys who just bought a Playboy magazine. xD

[IanD967]

I'm surprised nobody told jokes about the picture with those 4 guys standing in the right corner.
They act like 13-year-old buys who just bought a Playboy magazine. xD

i have :) its on a thread about the klingons in the main discussion boards.

it was about imagining the klingon on the far left isnt there and the other 3 are dancing while singing "in the navy" by the Village People :D

[Fernos]

Incredible, simply incredible. I am so excited about this game...my pc is built and ready and I simply can not wait .

[TwAgIssmuDe]

The klingons look great, and so does the akira. I better start saving up some money to upgrade my machine. I want to run the game on ultra high specs when it arrives, so I can enjoy the full beauty that it has to offer.

[Powerhelm]

Is that screenshot in the room with the two large cylindrical containers where naughty starfleet officers go for time-out? *looks at the group of ~4 officers seemingly standing in the corner*

The klingons look great, and so does the akira. I better start saving up some money to upgrade my machine. I want to run the game on ultra high specs when it arrives, so I can enjoy the full beauty that it has to offer.

Don't worry you've got about another year.

[bugs]

just awesome i love all of them can't wait for the game

[Hseeker]

Real nice except 2 things.

1. Upping the graphics always lead to plastified (or plastic) looks on the models, so try to steer away from that even how many nerd rage geeks scream abouth having more realistic graphics.

2. The name on the ship is to big, and i feel the name shouldnt be in any colors.

Thats abouth it.

[Doug3575]

Very cool. Can't wait to play.

[Rillanor]

Time for me to write my first post :)

The screenies looks awesome and that's really promising...

Having played CoX since release, I trust Cryptic as one of the best software houses in the MMO market.
I'm sure they will do a very good job with Star Trek ;)

Totally Agree :D These screens just make the waiting harder :p

[chaintm]

I like what I see as well, thou the one thing that just stuck out to me was the writting on the ship. I don't know if this was on purpose for the screen shot, but the lettering being colored deftinitly does not feel like star trek at all sadly. I would think you want customization on ships, but colored letters to me just take away from the coheision that starfleet is all about. Sure allow people to name what they like, I would still think standard letter black color scheem should be manditory. Other then that, everything looks great, but yuk on the lettering sadly.

[loyaltrekie]

I like what I see as well, thou the one thing that just stuck out to me was the writting on the ship. I don't know if this was on purpose for the screen shot, but the lettering being colored deftinitly does not feel like star trek at all sadly. I would think you want customization on ships, but colored letters to me just take away from the coheision that starfleet is all about. Sure allow people to name what they like, I would still think standard letter black color scheem should be manditory. Other then that, everything looks great, but yuk on the lettering sadly.

I have to agree, while I'm all for customization, there is a point where its too "universe breaking" and they are slowly reaching that point. They keep drawing from the "customization-ability" of their superhero mmo, which I think is a little wrong. There is a big difference between the two universes, and while allowing someone to create a superhero with whatever they want is within the bounds of that universe, creating a pink defiant, with purple lettering and green warp nacelles, is not within the trek universe.

[Wardog00]

I have to agree, while I'm all for customization, there is a point where its too "universe breaking" and they are slowly reaching that point. They keep drawing from the "customization-ability" of their superhero mmo, which I think is a little wrong. There is a big difference between the two universes, and while allowing someone to create a superhero with whatever they want is within the bounds of that universe, creating a pink defiant, with purple lettering and green warp nacelles, is not within the trek universe.

I agree with you. I like the customization but, somethings do cross the line of the Star Trek universe. These ships represent a military organization with a uniform way of doing things. To paint a Warship Pink or even a federation ship for that matter makes this less Trek and more Comical (a Joke.) Please Cryptic don't ruin something with such a great potential before it starts.

[Powerhelm]

I have to agree with someone from a previous posting...the name on the ship looks very very strange. Like they just made a giant decal in MS Paint and stuck it on the ship. Hoping they have a more star trek looking naming scheme and placement fot the final thing...

[R4mp4ge]

very cool, love the orien battleship, maybe this means that the oriens and gorn will get their own ships lumped in with the klingons, that could be kinda cool.

PS the Akira Kicks ass and takes names, love that it's showing up

[CapitalshipX]

Very nice screen shots but hurry up and make the game already I can't wait anymore :)

[thefreshjedi]

Very nice Awen, although I'm a little pist that Zam's only giving them a 6.8 out 10.0 when I looked. What do people expect these days?

Geez.

-avery

[angusnubangus]

Love the new screen shots, especially the Akira Ship. I wish it was bigger for a desktop wallpaper :)

[simiteen]

That Orion warship looks like it'll need a heavy beating before succumbing to destruction.

[DerManiac]

The planetoid is exploding.. next to the ship... honestly, I'm genuinely impressed!

[Dr._Sskarno]

The description of Episodic missions sounds intriguing: if a player has the option of bypassing some of the combat through diplomacy if they choose Cryptic will have a winner.

[Loekii]

I agree with you. I like the customization but, somethings do cross the line of the Star Trek universe. These ships represent a military organization with a uniform way of doing things. To paint a Warship Pink or even a federation ship for that matter makes this less Trek and more Comical (a Joke.) Please Cryptic don't ruin something with such a great potential before it starts.

Add me to the list of keeping such ship customizations down. I like the idea of customization as well, but not at the expense of turning Starships into some sort of Joke.

It is really that beneficial to allow someone to change the color of their Ship ID so it reads:

ISS POWNZER

IMO, I think STO Customization should be:

Wide Race Customization - Like what they have showed Us
Some Uniform customization, and Accesoriy Customization
Standard Iconic Star Trek Ships, with very minor Customization - Ie slight color differences in lights, but nothing that stands out (no 'Pimp My Ride' Style options/Bling)
Greater Customization for Ship, via changing internal stuff -- switching Weapons mounts, labs, retrofitting a Weapons bank for a Tachkyon grid or 'Special Research Item', etc.
Allow for 'Fleet Designation' Graphic, Like in the Star Trek, B5 Fan Film.


Basically, Ships should remain as Iconic, and 'serious'. I agree that STO needs to be treated differently than Champions. SuperHero Games expect gawdy flare and costumes. Star Trek games should avoid such open customization, imo.

[GypsyHunter]

Yeah this might sound like everyone else but WOW! There are lookin great! Keep up the great work guys! :cool:

[Ptahk]

The first picture is funny, urinals in the 24th century have sure changed a lot! :D

[EbonyBlade]

I only wish there were few more of familiar places like Ds9, StarFllet Acadmey or Qonos

[Sp1d3r]

In picture five (5). Doesn't the deflector dish look like its a little off?

[Vegeta]

"This Akira ship pepares to warp away after heavy battle" has a missing r

[dantivirus]

What does the ship's Captain say during this event? Are they pondering the next maneuver? Plotting their next course? Mentally filing reports with Starfleet?

Nope, not even close!

Thanks to our Medusan friends, let's listen in to the Captains thoughts during this moment:



Oh please don't let the Helmsman be a noob!


Well that was interesting but wait there's more:

Note to self, must change pants and soon!

[AussieTrekkie91]

Very Nice!!! I seriously cannot wait for this to be completed!!!