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Klingons bring the pain in the Star Trek Online Open Beta

by: Sean Colleli -
More On: Star Trek Online
There weren't any Klingons in JJ Abrams' Star Trek movie (I don't think he knows what they are) but there are plenty in this new Star Trek Online media dump and in the game's open beta. There's a new trailer and a bevy of screens showing off the be-ridged warriors in their antagonistic role against the Federation.

I'm still not happy that Starfleet is once again in tiff with the Klingons--kinda wished they'd come up with a new enemy--but this does leave some interesting possibilities for diplomacy, maybe involving Worf's son Alexander? I sure hope so. In the books he was a Federation ambassador to the Klingon Empire, so there are some cool quest possibilities there.

Check out the new trailer below, and then hit the jump for details on the now open beta and some interesting in-universe reports on what the Federation and Klingons think of each other.

 

STAR TREK™ ONLINE OPEN BETA BEGINS TODAY



Fans and Gamers Now Have the Opportunity to Explore the Vast Star Trek Universe Through Space and Ground Gameplay for Two Weeks Prior to Launch



New York, NY (January 12, 2010) – Atari, Inc., one of the world’s most recognized videogame publishers, and acclaimed MMO developer Cryptic Studios™, announced today that the highly anticipated Star Trek Online for PC has entered open beta, bringing fans one step closer to playing in the final frontier. The open beta runs through January 26, 2010. Fans with valid open beta keys can explore the Star Trek universe and play the first-of-a-kind massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG).



Information about where to obtain open beta keys and where to download the open beta client can be found on the official Star Trek Online website at: http://www.startrekonline.com/openbeta



“We are thrilled to give open beta access to fans as we draw nearer to the official release of Star Trek Online,” said Craig Zinkievich, Executive Producer on Star Trek Online. “We are looking forward to the launch of our first-of-a-kind MMORPG with anticipation and excitement and we expect Star Trek Online to explode onto the scene, giving fans and gamers a Star Trek experience like no other.”



Taking place in the year 2409, Star Trek Online boasts extraordinary features and lets fans both new and old experience unparalleled adventures. Players will have the opportunity to become a high ranking Starfleet officer and will participate in missions that will take them into the depths of space, across exotic planets and even inside other starships. Star Trek Online offers total customization, where every ship players command can be customized, from color to construction. Additionally, anyone can create their own species in Star Trek Online, as well as customize the look of their avatar’s uniform.



Star Trek Online allows players to become a warrior in the Klingon Empire or join the Federation’s esteemed Starfleet and explore a never-before-seen, completely interactive Star Trek universe.


Star Trek Online is a licensed product from CBS Consumer Products. For more information, please visit: www.startrekonline.com and www.atari.com

Klingon Empire

Cmdr. Bradden

Starfleet Intelligence



Physically, Klingons are quite imposing. They possess a ridged exoskeleton encasing their craniums, giving them the distinctive Klingon forehead. They also are in possession of systemic redundancy, referred to as “brak’lul.” Notably, Klingons possess duplicates of all major organs. No doubt this was evolutionarily advantageous considering their seemingly genetic predisposition toward violence.

The Klingons are a warrior race. Proud of their battle prowess, their willingness to fight, and their code of honor, they can frequently be found in conflict with members of other races. This occurs both on an individual and governmental level.

In the past the Federation has had a complicated relationship with the Klingon Empire. Initial contacts were primarily negative, ultimately culminating in the Federation-Klingon War of 2267. Over time, the Federation and the Klingon Empire were able to come to a truce in 2293 with the signing of the Khitomer Accords. During the Dominion War of the 2370s, the two became active allies.

Unfortunately, in 2399 the Klingons withdrew from the Khitomer Accords, possibly because of the negative response of the Federation to a Klingon invasion of the Gorn Hegemony. In spite of Federation censure, the Klingon Empire continued in their attacks against the Gorn, ultimately annexing the Gorn Hegemony in 2403. Since then, the Klingon Empire has also allied with the Nausicaans. This is in addition to their alliance with the Orions, dating back to 2394.

The Klingons and the Romulans, both with expansionist military empires, have a very intense history of conflict with each other. In the aftermath of the Hobus supernova, which significantly damaged the Romulan Empire, the Klingons have opportunistically begun making forays into Romulan territory. Ironically, the two species share considerable genetic similarities.

We are receiving intelligence that indicates further military preparations on the part of the Klingon Empire and their allies. The likelihood that the Federation will be able to avoid another war with the Klingons is becoming a dim hope.





The Klingon Empire

Cmdr. Korak

Klingon Intelligence



The Klingon Empire is perhaps one of the greatest empires ever to have existed, and I say this with all due modesty. Our warriors are fierce beyond measure, our musician and poets beyond compare. We are the stuff of legends, even if many of them are our own!

We have seen harsh times, though. Never doubt that the Klingon spirit has been tempered in the flames of adversity. We have fought against impossible odds time and again, and won through. We took tremendous losses in the Dominion War of the 2370s. But we survived and triumphed and drank blood wine in the wreckage of the Dominion headquarters. And though they will not admit it now, the Federation and the Romulans could not have survived without us. Bah! Cowards, both!

The Orions, ah, the Orions make properly grateful allies. We gave them a planet and our protection, and they gave us beautiful women to serve our great houses. The Gorn, as well, make decent allies, once we defeated them and took over their Hegemony. They swore allegiance to us, so we allowed them their own government. Never say the Klingon Empire is not generous.

The Nausicaans ally with us as well. They sense the coming the battle. They know that the Klingon Empire cannot fail.
Chancellor J’mpok leads us into a new golden age for the Klingon Empire. While the Federation rambles ever on about peace and equality and diplomacy, and the Romulans plot and murder each other, and the Cardassians desperately try to salvage what little is left of their civilization, we shall take over the Quadrant.

The Federation

Cmdr. Bradden

Starfleet Intelligence



The United Federation of Planets is an alliance of hundreds of different species, all working together towards a common goal. As one of the greatest servants of the Federation once said, it is “a dream that became a reality and spread throughout the stars.”



We uphold the rights of all species to justice, equality, and liberty. We also believe in the pursuit of knowledge and exploration. To that end, we created Starfleet. It serves as our peace-keeping and exploratory arm. In times of need, it also serves as our defense.



In 2161 Vulcans, Humans, Andorians, and Tellarites joined together into an alliance that later became the Federation. What began as a pact for mutual protection against the Romulans became something far greater. Since that day, we have encountered and initiated diplomatic relations with countless new species. We have advanced scientific knowledge within the Alpha Quadrant. We have also reached out the olive branch of peace across several quadrants.



We have faced dark times, however. We have warred with the Klingons upon several different occasions, although there have been times when we reached an alliance of mutual respect. We have faced threats from the Romulans, although today we aid them in rebuilding after the loss of their planet. We battled against the implacable forces of the Borg, although we have also given succor to those who were once Borg. We have proven our ability to put aside grievances and work for the good of all: we united with both Romulans and Klingons to protect our quadrant from the ravages of the Dominion.



The Federation will always, must always, fight to protect the rights of all species.











The Federation

Cmdr. Korak

Klingon Intelligence





They call themselves the United Federation of Planets. In reality, they’re the United Federation of nosy, gossipy, meddlesome do-gooders! They claim everything they do is for the greater good, to promote “peaceful exploration.” Never trust a species that claims to put the interests of others first. It means they’re either selling something or trying to steal your bat’leth.



The Federation will boast about the vast number of planets and species they represent, but make no mistake, it is the Humans who control the Federation. The center of the Federation government is on the Human homeworld. For a wonder, the current President of the Federation is a Suarian and not a Human, but I doubt he does anything the Humans don’t approve.



The Vulcans are the other great power within the Federation, and the Humans are absolutely in awe of the passionless bastards. The Andorians and Tellarites co-founded the Federation with the Vulcans and Humans, but their influence is not so great in comparison.



Starfleet – the military arm of the Federation – claims to observe a “Prime Directive” not to interfere with other species. But all they do is interfere. They involve themselves in conflicts that don’t affect them, like our war with the Gorn or our battles with the Romulans. And what a mess they made between the Bajorans and the Cardassians! The Bajorans are calling for vengeance on all of Cardassia, and the Federation can’t provide it. Somehow, even under Federation surveillance, the Cardassians managed to misplace every last “war criminal.” And let us not forget it was the Federation that brought us the Borg!


The Federation has been a thorn in the side of the Klingon Empire for longer than I care to admit. But not for much longer, I suspect. Not for very much longer.