Star Trek Online is a new massively multiplayer online game, recently released by Atari and developed by Cryptic Studios. Game developer Cryptic Studios is seasoned in MMO game development and inherits a massive fan base with Star Trek Online. How is it working with such an established franchise in the MMO game space? Craig Zinkievich, Executive Producer on Star Trek Online, shares his experience on developing the game as well as what some of his favorite games and influences are in this featured "GTKYD"!
Who are you and what do you do in the gaming industry?
My name is Craig Zinkievich and I am the Executive Producer for Star Trek Online.
What are you currently working on or have recently released?
We just released Star Trek Online and we will continue to add content and work on that game. In the near future, we’ve got a bunch of new Borg-themed Episode Missions to add to Star Trek Online. We’re also developing the Klingon faction a bit more, and giving players more avenues to pursue exploratory missions.
How was it working with such an established franchise with legions of fans? Was there an approval process?
We knew coming in that we were going to inherit the Star Trek fan base and it’s been great so far. They’re a passionate, well informed fan base that really cares about the universe.
We had to get approval on many of the things we did from CBS, since they hold the license to the Star Trek franchise. They’ve been great to work with, as well. They gave us a lot of freedom to explore what Star Trek could be, and we’re very grateful to have had the opportunity.
What were the major differences working with the Star Trek franchise?
Different from other games we’ve worked on? Well, there’s definitely more pressure to conform to someone else’s vision. So many people have come before us and left impressions on the Star Trek universe. It’s very humbling. However, there’s also a great opportunity there. We’ve had so much great back story and world building done for us that we can focus on making the game a blast to play.
Who came up with or decided to use the “Engage” button on the launcher, because I think it is pure genius.
We try to throw little goodies out there to the fans that can appreciate things like that. It just shows that we care about this franchise and we’re all fans of Star Trek too.
How do you plan on continuing to grow the amount of content for players in Star Trek Online?
Well since the Star Trek franchise has so much history and so much lore out there, we can expand on that and add new episodes to our game. We want to have more playable factions and really we just want to keep adding new content such as episodes, exploration, diplomacy, ship interaction, and PvP.
Did anyone from the Star Trek series work with you in the office or stop by?
We had voice over work from Leonard Nimoy from the original series and Zachery Quinto from the newest movie, but no one stopped by the office to lend us a hand. We worked closely with CBS and they were great about giving us information we needed.
Now, back to you, what are your favorite games of all time?
My favorite games would be Legend of Zelda: Majora’s mask, Uncharted 2, and Star Control 2. And obviously Star Trek Online.
What was the biggest thing that you learned in creating Star Trek Online?
It’s definitely reiterated that MMO development is a communal process. Everyone, including our players, has great ideas, and keeping an ear open really goes a long way to make games better. We’re really committed to listening to our fans to find out what it is they want in the game. We take a lot of pride in that.
What is next for you and Cryptic Studios?
I will continue to work on Star Trek Online to get more content and newer game play out for the users. Cryptic will continue to work on Star Trek Online and Champions Online. We’re always looking at new opportunities but are still focusing on what is available to the public right now.
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Thanks to Craig Zinkievich, Tricia Gray and Cryptic Studios for making this interview possible! For more information on Star Trek Online, visit the official website at www.startrekonline.com. Star Trek Online is now available for the PC.
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