Executive Producer of Star Trek Online, Craig Zinkievich explains the insane amount of options players will have in the ship customization process.

Our old friend Craig Zinkievich, Executive Producer of Star Trek Online has been kind enough to write an exclusive letter to the ZAM community about how ship customization will function within the game. This certainly isn't the first time we've he's given us exciting information and hopefully it won't be the last.  Read on to get the inside scoop on Star Trek Online ship customization.

At Cryptic, we believe in Total Customization. It's our buzz word, one of our bullet points, and a basic pillar of our greater design philosophy... Total Customization.

In Star Trek Online, players will be able to change the appearance and the functionality of their starships to create the vessels they want to explore the galaxy with.

So, how does this Total Customization work? Let's start with the appearance of your ship.

You will begin the game with a small starship, but as you progress through Star Trek Online you will gain access to many other starship configurations. There are more than a dozen basic types on the Federation side. Within each of these configurations you can customize your ship's appearance.

You can swap out the saucers, change the pylons, modify the hull structure, or alter the nacelles. You can choose different materials for your ship - you might want something sleek and modern, while your friend loves the look of the ships from the original series. Both are possible. You also can choose the color of your ship (within a range appropriate to your faction), the color of various ship highlights, and what you want your details and trim pattern to be.

That's a lot of flexibility, but there are some limits to what you can do. Our goal is to let players have the ship they want, but also to help other players know what kind of ship someone has at a glance. You will be able to look at a ship and say, "That's a Galaxy configuration, so I know about how powerful that ship is." Or, "My opponent has a Raptor, so I know he has powerful frontal attack."

It's not all about looks, though. STO allows you to customize the functionality of your starship as well. There are two main ways to customize the operation of your ship - equipment and crew.

You will be able to get equipment that enhances the performance of your ship. Do you want to upgrade your medical facilities, or add improved phasers? How about replacing your deflector array or enhancing your sensors? You choose what works for you.

But, all equipment is not one-size-fits-all. An escort like the Defiant will have the slots and power needed for advanced weapons, but it might not have the room to have top-of-the-line science labs. So, the configuration of ship you choose is important.

Also important is your crew. Your Bridge Crew will have the biggest impact on what you can do, because they have skills and abilities you can call on that will help define your role. If you select a tactical officer who can load spreads of photon torpedoes, you will have different options than a Captain who picked an engineer specialized in shield modulation and efficiency. The number of your Bridge Crew active at any given time depends on your ship configuration.

You'll be able to upgrade your equipment and train your crew throughout the game, so there's always room to improve or change your ship.

You're the Captain in Star Trek Online. It's your ship, your crew, and your choice.... Total Customization.

Craig Zinkievich
Executive Producer
Star Trek Online