So far we have taken you through the careers, species and traits in Star Trek Online, which, apart from the visual customisation, is enough to get you right into the action.
In part three of our beginners guide to Star Trek Online we take a walk through your first mission, and some basic ground combat.
Those familiar with Cryptic’s other MMOs will know that they like to throw you into a big situation at the start of the game, with plenty going on – the prison break out in City of Villains, or the invasion in Champions – to some this could be a little overwhelming, but despite the panicked situation you start in, the opening section is actually quite simple.
What a view!
Starting off in the Mess Hall, you are called up to the Bridge when a distress call comes in from the Vega Colony following a Borg attack.
The U.S.S. Khitomer is in a bad way following the attack, and the ship’s medical hologram has requested your assistance, which leads to the start of your mission.
Beaming over to the U.S.S. Khitomer you meet up with the hologram in the sick bay, surrounded with beds filled with injured crew members.
You are now introduced to the use of your Tricorder, and asked to scan one of the nearby crew members. A simple press of the ‘F’ key, or a double click will achieve this goal.
After your rendezvous with the medical hologram you will be sent to assist Lieutenant Thelis in Auxiliary Control.
Throughout this next section the ships medical hologram will pop up to offer advice and assistance with the task at hand, and the various control methods, but thankfully he is not too intrusive on your gameplay.
The ship around you is falling apart, panels are hanging from the walls exposing electrical cables, and several sections are on fire. Although there is no time limit on your mission, speed and urgency is emphasised at every opportunity.
Borg have infiltrated the ship, and must be stopped. As you make your way to each waypoint you can see various battles breaking out between the race determined to assimilate their foe, and the ships crew desperately trying to defend themselves.
On the Bridge
There seems to be something wrong with the Borg who are attacking, however. Some are vicious and violent, while others just stand around.
Thelis asks you to transport a group of Borg from the ship while he works on fixing the computers.
The nearby group are behind a protective barrier, standing and twitching – there appears to be an issue with their programming causing this unusual behaviour.
Using the nearby computer you capture the Borg signatures, and use another console to teleport them into a hull breach, thus sending them out into space. Again, the controls are simple here and require only the use of the ‘F’ key, or the mouse.
No sooner have you dealt with the task at hand are you presented with another.
Commander Davis in Main Engineering is in need of assistance, and is patched through to your comms badge.
The ships weapons and shields are down, and life support is on emergency power. Despite the large number of failing systems on board, the Commander is able to detect a high amount of Borg activity readings from the deck below you.
Beam 'em up!
The conveniently placed Turbolift takes you down a floor, where you soon discover that there are a number of Borg devices blocking the communicators and internal sensors.
It’s now time to bring your phaser into action, and sort out this situation.
Fires are breaking out all over the ship, and large Borg devices have been set up along the corridor and surrounding rooms. Thankfully, they are quite weak and a single shot from your phaser will destroy them.
Your phaser comes with two settings – kill, and stun, keys 1 and 2 respectively – and both will come into use over this next section.
Work your way around until you have destroyed six of the Borg devices, and restored communications to the ship. Be careful, though, as there are a number of Borg around here working on these devices.
Rather than attacking them directly, it is a better tactic to destroy the device in front of them, using the kill setting of your phaser, causing a damaging explosion, which will make them much easier to deal with.
Although the Borg are unlikely to cause you much damage at this point, you may find yourself with one or two on your case at a time. Using the phasers stun setting will hold them in their tracks for a moment.
While using the basic combat attacks of your phaser you are still free to move around, so stepping back or strafing the target are effective methods of avoidance, without interrupting your attacks.
Some later weapons do require you to remain still while attacking, however.
If you’re not quite quick enough, and they get much closer, you can give up on technology and rely on a good old swing to the jaw with a palm strike (key 3), knocking them back.
Destroying the Borg devices
All players carry their own personal shield to help reduce the amount of damage they take in combat, but if you come under too much firepower your shields power will diminish, leaving you undefended and taking damage.
Once out of combat you can regenerate your shields power by taking cover, or remaining out of combat for a short time.
Further into the game you can acquire items that allow you to increase the effectiveness, or amount of power, or your shield.
If you are able to position yourself to the side of, or even behind, your target, you will cause additional damage to your foe due to the flanking bonus. This can make a difference in any combat situation, and is worth keeping in mind for later in the game.
Being able to gain an edge in combat from the first shot is always beneficial, whether that be on the ground, or in space.
Once the devices have been destroyed Commander Davis contacts you with the latest crisis – the Borg are making a final push to take Main Engineering and destroy the warp core.
Taking another turbolift, you make your way to the warp core on deck three.
On the way you will encounter a number of Borg drones.
Although they are slow enough to run right past them, and head straight for your mission, there’s no fun in that, and it gives you the ideal opportunity to perfect your phaser skills.
Upon arriving at the warp core you see a number of the ships crew trying to fend off groups of drones, and you are instructed by the Commander to head down the ramp and lend a hand while he tries to stabilise the core.
It is here we are introduced to another combat mechanic – the aim mode.
Again, as with everything else so far, it is a far from complex move requiring just a press of the ‘C’ key, or clicking the mouse wheel for those that have one, but the increased damage you deal while aiming could make a difference in battle.
Fighting off the Borg
Take cover behind some of the nearby crates and consoles, and take on the attacking wave of Borg drones.
After only a few kills the attack should stop, or at least you will receive a message from the Commander to say that the internal sensors are back online, allowing them to locate all the Borg on board and isolate them – and they couldn’t have done it without you!
As is typical in these kinds of situations, the Borg have attacked your ship while you were helping the U.S.S. Khitomer, so it’s time to beam back on board now that the transporters are back online.
As a gesture of thanks, and reciprocated assistance, Commander Davis offers to send on of his officers with you, and this is where we are introduced to Bridge Officers.
Bridge Officers are NPC characters selected to offer assistance on your ship, and of the three types of Officer they all have their own individual skills and your choice of Officer is very important to the success of your future missions.
For more information on Bridge Officers, check out Part Four of our STO guide, coming soon…
Tags: MMO, Star Trek Online
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