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Set in the year 2409, Star Trek Online will allow players to immerse themselves in the future of the Star Trek universe, exploring strange new worlds, seeking out new life and new civilizations in an ever expanding vast universe. Command a starship as a Federation or a Klingon Captain, outfit it with custom systems and recruit, train and mold a crew into an elite force for exploration and combat. Missions take players into thrilling space battle, planetside for face-to-face combat and even inside starships!

Powered by the Cryptic Engine, Star Trek Online will be developed for both console and PC formats. With customizable ships and characters from the Klingon Empire and United Federation of Planets, ground, space and shipboard gameplay and unique options for player-generated content set in the Star Trek universe, Star Trek Online is the MMOG that allows you to boldly go where no one has gone before!

The Cardassians

The Cardassian civilization is a major player in Star Trek Online. You’ll find yourself interacting with members of various sub-factions, including the Detapa Council and militaristic True Way.

A major plotline in Star Trek Online features Cardassia and its politics, and will send you into Cardassia’s orbit and eventually onto terra firma. You’ll also be exploring Deep Space 9 and spending time on the previously deserted Empok Nor and Trivas.

The Cardassians are a warlike and xenophobic people. Once they ruled a far reaching star empire with an iron fist, dominating the various native populations they conquered. They were a fierce military force. However, they are now a people barely surviving. Their ill-fated alliance with Dominion forces during the Dominion War resulted in near total destruction to the Cardassian homeworld and decimated their population. The Detapa Council, a civilian, democratic organization, came into power following the Dominion War, and has attempted to rebuild both the agriculture of the planet and the economy. Unfortunately, the council has faced considerable opposition from a group known as the True Way.

The True Way aims to return to the military order. While the Detapa Council leads Cardassia, and, indeed, the Cardassian Union, the True Way has a large and impassioned following. Quite regrettably, Cardassians have a history of turning to a strictly regimented military in times of trouble. Their homeworld has never been plentiful, resulting in a period of famine in their early history. To resolve the lack of natural resources on Cardassia Prime, the military decided to expand outward and appropriate the resources of other planets and peoples. They treated subjugated peoples as slave labor, regularly committing atrocities against the native populations. For that matter, the military government spied upon and, by many accounts, tortured their own citizens using an intelligence organization known as the Obsidian Order*.

Most unfortunately, this has limited the amount of aid that the Federation has been able to offer the Cardassians. The Federation has, naturally, made an attempt to assist in reconstruction efforts. The Andak Project, lead by Federation botanist Keiko O’Brien, is one of the few such attempts the Cardassians have allowed. The Andak project has provided agricultural assistance in rehabilitating Cardassia Prime’s depleted food resources. However, there is far more work to do to rebuild the planet.

It is worth noting that while the Cardassians have engendered animosity in numerous other species, the conflict between Bajorans and Cardassians is particularly bitter due to the brutal Cardassian Occupation of Bajor from 2328 to 2369.

*It is worth noting that the Obsidian Order seemed to be an equivalent institution to the Romulan Tal Shiar. However, the Obsidian Order was supposedly destroyed by the military government in 2371. My sources indicate that one of the current leaders of the Detapa Council is actually a former Obsidian Order operative.

The Cardassians are worthy opponents in battle. They are fierce warriors and fight with honor.

We fought, and defeated, them in the Dominion War. The Dominion suckered them, the poor bastards. They had no chance once they allied with those honorless targs.

Now, the Cardassians are trying to rebuild their empire on a lifeless ball of rock. It would be a miracle if they succeeded, after the Dominion bombarded their planet at the end of the war. They rebelled against the Dominion at the end, which helped us. Distract the enemy, leave them open to attack! Yes, the Cardassians were useful. Misguided at times, but useful.

We shall see if they regain their military might, though I doubt it. I doubt it greatly. Their leading council now is far more concerned with agriculture and kowtowing to the Federation. Pah! Although rumor does say that Gul Madred is leading a potential military force known as the True Way. These next few years should be interesting for the Cardassians, if they don’t die out first.

Vigilant

After the success of the Defiant class in the Dominion War, it was clear that small, heavily-armed starships had a role to play in Starfleet.

Production on these warships diminished in the 2380s in favor of exploration and multi-purpose vessels, and several prototypes were abandoned in the planning stages. In the early 2390s, however, tensions with the Klingon Empire and the Romulans were on the rise and Starfleet Command looked once again for ships capable of holding their own in battle that didn't require the commitment of crew and resources of a larger vessel. The first of the new class of ships was the Vigilant.

With a design inspired by the Defiant class, the Vigilant is designed for one thing: combat. It has limited space for crew and no quarters designed for families or guests, a feature that is standard on Starfleet vessels assigned to long explorations. Also missing are many of the comforts common to Federation vessels, including recreational facilities and lounge areas. A multi-purpose space provides room for both relaxation and physical training.

CAPABILITIES TAB

Weaponry

• Designed as a front-line attack ship.
• Configurable for massive, single-target strikes or multi-target volleys.
• Improved phaser coils that generate more energy than previous models.
• Advanced torpedo guidance system.

Other Notable Equipment

• Two layers of ablative armor.
• Reinforced shield generators to protect against different types of energy weapons.
• Can be outfitted with tetryon, plasma or polaron weapons.

SPECIFICATIONS TAB

Dimensions:

• Overall Length: 180 meters
• Overall Draft: 32 meters
• Overall Beam: 136 meters
• Displacement: 115,600 metric tons

Defensive Systems:

• Reinforced Deflector Shield Generators
• Dual Ablative Armor

 Velocity:

• Cruising: Warp Factor 7
• Maximum: Warp Factor 9.5

Offensive Systems:

• Fore and Aft Type XII Phaser Arrays
• Fore and Aft Torpedo Launchers
• Phaser Cannons

Key Features :

• The Star Trek universe will appear for the first time in a massively multiplayer online game. Everything from the elegant domes of Starfleet Academy to the ancient temples of Vulcan, from the towers of Qo’noS to the Fire Caves of Bajor, from the mysterious Mutara Nebula to the unexplored voids of deep space, all will be represented in stunning 3-D graphics. Immerse yourself in the future of the Trek universe as it moves into the 25th century: a time of shifting alliances and new discoveries.
• Explore strange new worlds, seek out new life and new civilizations in an expanding vast universe. Make contact with alien races, discover resources and uncover mysteries that will change the future of the Star Trek universe.
• Command your own starship as a Federation Captain or a Klingon Warrior. Outfit it with the systems that you need to make your mark in the galaxy. Customize your ship as you see fit. Recruit, train and mold your crew into an elite force for exploration and combat.
• Command your vessel in thrilling space battles, or beam down to planets with your away team for face-to-face confrontations. Missions will take you and your friends into space, planetside and even inside starships!

Starting Jan. 12, 2010 thru Jan. 26, 2010 fans will be able to explore the Star Trek Universe and play the first-of-a-kind massively multiplayer online role-playing game.

Open beta keys will be given out on a first come first serve basis, sign up now!