Star Trek Online

I've been looking at Star Trek Online recently with some friends of mine. Some time ago I promised a friend that when it came out I would play it with him. I have been playing the beta and found it to be interesting and enjoyable. It has its problems not unlike any other MMO, but many of them are being resolved or haven't seriously impacted game play.

I think my biggest gripe would be not having enough information about what things are or how things work. Some of this of course I attribute to beta, but with the game so close to the release date I assume the details of core principals of the game have been pretty firmly established. You have 3 classes, Science, Engineer, and Tactical. There are also three different types of ships, cruisers, escorts, and science vessels. Any class can pilot any type of ship but nothing really outlines what the advantages or disadvantages of the combinations are. I also don't feel like there is enough information on the skill trees and how they impact your character.

My initial issues centered around the handling of the ship. When start you are given a Cruiser class vessel. The ship is a decent starting ship but as a cruiser it doesn't give you quite the control I was hoping for. It wasn't until I tried piloting an Escort class ship that I felt pretty comfortable. I also tried out the Klingon ships. The handling of Klingon vessels far exceeds that of the Federation ships and you can really feel the difference in the game play. As I have come to understand this factor and its affect on the game I have come to appreciate it more.

I was disappointed that they did not implement cloaking on the Federation ships. With the changes in the storyline there is no good reason the cannon shouldn't support it. In the end I believe a lot of the anxiety around cloaking will depend on the interaction during game play. In general I had been leaning more toward the Federation but the superior handling of the Klingon ships and ability to cloak has caused me to seriously consider aligning myself with the Klingon's. I have always enjoyed speed and stealth over brute force.

It seems STO will also offer a Lifetime Subscription option a limited time. This option will cost $239.00 but it is a one time fee and you can play for as long as the game is around. At $14.99 a month it would take just over 2 years of play before you would come out ahead on your investment. The cost is a little steep but is it smarter in the long run. Not to mention the more serious question: How do I get a thumbs up from my wife?