As is customary for MMOs, Star Trek Online is currently near to releasing its next major free content expansion.  However prior to its release on the live server (Holodeck), much of the content is currently on the test server (Tribble) so that the userbase can beta test the new content and find any critical bugs.

So I’ve installed the test server and had a sneaky peak at what to expect from season 2, and I’m really excited.

I’ve avoided playing the new storyline missions so as not to spoil everything, and I don’t actually have a Klingon character, so I can’t try that side of things (I really should start a new Klingon and slowly level them up although I’m already juggling my Tactical and Science alts).

However I have checked out the much-anticipated ship interiors and diplomacy missions.

The ship interiors are something players (especially the role players) have been after for a while.  Since the game launched, ships have always had bridges that you could visit, acting as a social area for you to interact with your friends in a private space.   Several variant bridges were available for you to choose from, and this customisation was later added to by adding more bridge packs into the C-Store.

However, now they’ve been revamped.  The bridges themselves remain largely unchanged, however now, where doors would be static, you have the option to visit the Captain’s ready room off to the side of the bridge.  A nice office area where you can display some of your gained accolades on the wall.  Head out and to the turbolift, and the doors again open, and you’re presented with the option to head to either Engineering or the crew deck.

These decks were great fun to explore.  The corridors looked spot on for a Federation starship, and from them you can visit various key areas of the ship including the engine room, sick bay, the lounge (a la Ten Forward) or even the Captain’s quarters.  At the moment they seem to be purely social areas to be explored for fun, but like a lot of the stuff early in the game, its easy to see where they’ll provide the basis for further functionality.   I know that various mini-games are being discussed, so you’ll be able to help research something in the science lab, or fix an issue in engineering.   I really hope these minigames do make it in, as they sound like a great idea.  And obviously once the interiors are in place, they can easily be used in missions, should you get boarded by Hirogen or someone.

Also expanded the game’s non-combat aspects are the new diplomacy missions.  These take two forms.  The first is First Contact missions, assigned by an Ambassador that appears in your contacts, they involve you meeting up with representatives who then beam to your ship’s conference lounge.  Once there, your job is to talk to the various representatives to gain an insight to their culture, before talking to their ambassador and trying to cement a good relationship with them based on that knowledge.

The second type of diplomacy mission can be found on the various social planets.  So far I’ve only tried the mission on Vulcan, but it involves a Romulan delegation arriving on the planet only to have the Romulan Ambassador’s life threatened and you must investigate and find the guilty party.

Both these types of missions involve quite a bit of reading, but they do break up the constant combat missions quite a bit.  They’re also a nice use of the social areas which until now have generally sat empty, and will give people a reason to visit planets like Vulcan and Risa that they might’ve ignored up until now.  Completing these missions gives diplomacy XP and will allow you to rise through the ranks of the Diplomacy Corps separate to the main ranks, with special perks unlocked as you go, so it provides nice alternative content.

There’s also a nice atmosphere to the new missions.  Seeing the ship’s observation lounge being used for the first contact missions worked well, and a nice touch was seeing your own bridge officers interacting with the visiting diplomats.

Both the interiors and diplomacy missions seem really well done to me.  I’ve had a quick play around with them, and I can’t wait until season 2 goes live and I explore them properly.  Obviously, with the test server I’m wary of trying out too much, as I still want some surprises for the proper release :)