First Star Trek Online Shot Depicts Space, Ship

Perpetual Entertainment has released the first in-game screenshot of its upcoming PC MMO Star Trek Online, highlighting the game's context-sensitive interaction system.

"In a nutshell, the Interaction System controls every non-combat, player-to-NPC interaction in the game," wrote Perpetual's Mike Stemmle. Formerly of LucasArts, Stemmle is credited as a co-designer on LucasArts' cult-classic PC adventure Sam & Max: Hit The Road and was the project lead on the company's heaven-hell management sim Afterlife (PC).

"If you want to talk to a Ferengi shopkeeper, it goes through the Interaction System," he elaborated. "Need to get some additional phaser training at the local Starfleet Academy? That's the Interaction System. Want to beam down to a planet? Interaction System. Responding to a distress call from a crippled starship? That's the Interaction System, too."

In the update, Stemmle did not comment on recent reports that Perpetual is pursuing a "more casual" direction with Star Trek Online due to new management, which has allegedly resulted in a few voluntary resignations within the company.