Guest Blog: Role-playing
By PWE_BranFlakes @ January 21, 2013 at 12:00pm
By The Trust
“To boldly go where no one has gone before.”
That short phrase sums up the dream of most Star Trek fans. Anyone who has seen the various movies or television series has asked the question: What would it be like to live in that time? What kind of life would I lead if I lived in the universe created by Gene Roddenberry? Role-play (RP) in Star Trek Online allows you to explore just a small part of that dream.
RP enables you to create a persona who lives in the Star Trek universe. Use your imagination to make an alternate “you” in the 25th Century. Live as that Starfleet officer or Klingon warrior. Not satisfied with the Federation bureaucracy or the constant bickering of the Great Houses? Create a brand-new race, and define its history, culture and society. Make your “toon,” your in-game character, more than just an avatar. React to in-game events as the character you created to add a layer of enjoyment to the game that you might not have known you were missing.
There are many forms of role-play available in Star Trek Online. RP situations can range from small talk in Club 47 to a full operational situation – complete with villains to defeat and obstacles to overcome with your crew. If you want to find STO players who are passionate about the Trek universe, why not talk to the Trill drowning his sorrows in Quark’s Bar on Deep Space Nine? Some role-players organize themselves as starship or starbase crews, allowing them to live out moments similar to what we’ve seen on TNG and DS9. Ask for an invitation to visit their Starbase or Bridge to see how they run their command.
Players that role-play create a stronger, more permanent connection with the larger Star Trek Online community. Creating a new Star Trek hero is the foundation of new ideas and stories to explore in-between Cryptic-created missions. Players who go to great lengths to define these characters want to share their creations with other players – role-players or otherwise. Some even devote hours to live interaction with other players while in-game via the Local chat channel. For others, the Foundry is the perfect stage to share their character’s adventures with a much wider audience. Every improv scenario in a social zone gives a glimpse into the trials of a budding Star Trek hero, and each new mission published in the Foundry adds to the “story” content we are all clamoring for.
RP has kept many players engaged after they reach end-game. And, like the main STO campaign, it is possible to role-play strictly as a solo player. Being part of a fleet that is based around role-play –or has a division of role-players – can also add to your game-play experience. If your fleet does not have a RP division yet, consider speaking with your Fleet Officers about starting one up. When you're role-playing with fellow fleet members and players, and you let your created persona interact with others regularly, you’re no longer limited by just your imagination – your creativity is multiplied by the minds of your friends. This can really keep the spirit of the Gene Roddenberry’s Star Trek universe alive. You never know what is going to happen out there, but you’re going to face it with the finest crew – your friends.
If we’ve done our job, you’re now looking for a role-play group to try out. We can help with that, too! Hop on over to STO’s Fleet Recruitment forums and have a look around. Or, while in-game, open your ‘Social’ window (default key “O”), click ‘Find Fleet’, open up the filters and set your ‘Social Group’ to “RP”.
Also, we are excited to announce that we will be hosting an in-game role-play roundtable discussion with Community Manager BranFlakes for the community on Saturday, February 2nd – all are encouraged to attend. There will be 2 roundtable timeslots: one at 11am PST (8pm CET), and another at 5pm PST (8pm EST). We will be meeting and enjoying the sun on Risa, as well as using the local chat around the beam-down point. Hope to see you there!
-The Trust
drkfrontiers @ Jan 22nd, 2013 9:51AM
From one video enthusiast to another - I see you. I like :)
milestfox @ Jan 22nd, 2013 6:15AM
Also, please do not propagate the self-denigrating term 'toon' for one's character. Character, avatar.. simply have so much more class.
milestfox
(After all, this is not Disney Toontown, or WoW after they got an infusion of people from there.)
apocalypse2001
omg... thank you. I was about to say the same thing. I really don't understand why they use the word 'toon'. Seems ioiotic.
imadoctornota
Yes!! Saying "toon" is so trashy! Every time I hear it in reference to a MMO character I have a rage shiver!
imadoctornota
Yes!! My thinking exactly!! Saying "toon" is so trashy! Every time I hear it in reference to a MMO character I have a rage shiver!
diggingcrumpet @ Jan 22nd, 2013 3:30AM
congrats on the article and visibility of this important part of the STO community, the video was cool and a really nice touch.
hasukurobi @ Jan 22nd, 2013 3:26AM
I certainly have nothing against good RP and find it to be very important to a great MMO. In STO however, I have found it mainly lacking in terms of other players. Partially due to the constant grind required to perfect a build, partially due to the fact that so few players speak more than three words to anyone. STO, far and away, is what I would qualifiy as the single most silent MMO I have ever played and I have all the standard channels open.
zerofate74
While I loath RP, I have a live and let live policy with rp'ers. I have to agree though that this is the most silent MMO ive seen yet. Few talk to each other even in large fleets and i dont mean zone chat on ESD thats not chat, thats trolling.. The grind for end game gear from starbase 5 has become the focus for this game and burns most people out quickly and i think contributes to not many being social.
slavafox
I dunno, The Fleet that I am in is by far the most social guild-type organization that I have ever belonged to/administrated. I do admit that we are not the norm, however, which is too bad.
mccarronxld @ Jan 22nd, 2013 1:23AM
This was a very nice article and I'm glad to see RP being recognized as a major part of any MMO, especially a Star Trek one!
lechouy1 @ Jan 22nd, 2013 12:02AM
roleplayinb gin Star trek, all right : but what about making all seats in space ship working, and force fiefd in prisons with an on/off option ? that would be really usefull...
dollac @ Jan 21st, 2013 10:45PM
Love the idea of Role-playing and have done it with other MMO, mainly LOTRO which I stop playing to play this game. One thing they had and I have not seen, read about or found any information on is marking your character as role-playing so everyone knows that you are RPing just by looking at you. Someting like having (RP) after your name when you mouse over someone or having a different colour for the text would be great.
babeans06 @ Jan 21st, 2013 9:45PM
Look the fact of the matter is this...It goes unchecked and now that Rp has gotten a spot light it should be adressed GM's should crack down
ducklesworth
One of the most rational things I've heard today.
silverfaustx @ Jan 21st, 2013 9:33PM
there should b more active GM ingame, on esd, ds9 and drozana
shpoks
I know it is not easy to do, but this is actually one of the best ideas I read on this tread.
lowieke @ Jan 21st, 2013 9:00PM
Also, why make an issue out of RP'ing. The whole game is a mmo RPG!!!!!! And about misconducting RP: the game is about killing eachother off, PvP, PvE, and so on. Rarely an opponent stays alive if you want to make progress in the game. All's 'real world'. Also no.4: REAL Roddenberry RP isn't possible in a game were killing is the main thing. This was the reason I closed an account with lvl 50 char twice!!
skaldra @ Jan 21st, 2013 5:47PM
There are lots of Fleets that revolve around role-playing too! Some examples include the Praxian Alliance and the STO RP Guild... check out the posts in Starbase One for information on how to get involved in a roleplaying fleet if its something you are passionate about!
captainfry420x @ Jan 21st, 2013 4:38PM
I love my solo RP, but it would help a lot to be able to assign where on my ship(s) each officer stands/works and to set my ship's uniform to the stray NPC crew.
gradstudent1 @ Jan 21st, 2013 3:33PM
Thanks for this article. I also heard your interview on Priority One. Great work!~Sargon
ducklesworth @ Jan 21st, 2013 2:40PM
Fairly sure this has turned into an RP fleet recruitment page.
amill72 @ Jan 21st, 2013 2:37PM
I have found the 26th Fleet is a great Role Play group. Not super critical and willing to work with people to help them develop their RP. http://26thfleet.enjin.com/
dimon102 @ Jan 21st, 2013 1:33PM
I found in most older games that ive tried to rp in, they were super-critical about mistakes. I gotten kicked out of em before on older games. Excuse me, but im human...i may mistakes. I hope the rpers on this game are not as hyper concerned about people making mistakes while rpging..it is just a game after all..
kalregar @ Jan 21st, 2013 1:15PM
First Expeditionary Fleet is looking for roleplayers and other like-minded people. We don't normally advertise; if you know what you want, you must come to us and ask.
timeras @ Jan 21st, 2013 1:11PM
I'm excited to read about a RP-Fleet in STO. As a roleplayer it would be me fleet of choice, if i weren't from germany and in a fleet already. Hope we'll meet somewhere to play together.
kyuui13 @ Jan 21st, 2013 1:00PM
there are many RP fleets out there, The 1st Combat rescue wing, is amoung them. If you're interested in us, let us know.
bron @ Jan 21st, 2013 12:27PM
ARMS Executive Fleet (AEF) is a RP fleet and we are recruiting. On good terms with Trust.
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