One of the best parts of an MMORG is creating a digital avatar to play, and with the expansive Star Trek Universe there are a lot of races to choose from. Thankfully, Cryptic has really done well with this, allowing a huge range of custom options, not only for single character creation but for races over-all.
As of currently released information, there are two playable factions in Star Trek Online. They are the Federation and the Klingon Empire. Which faction you choose does seem to alter the races available to you, but just how much this changes a player’s options isn’t clear because of the way character creation works in Star Trek Online. All the typical races are available for play – Vulcan, Trill, Human, Bajoran, etc. If a player chooses to play as the Klingon Empire the Orion, the Gorn, and the Nausicans are available for play. Players can also create their own alien race to play, or use a race that they have discovered in game in a first contact encounter. There are also at least two other non-playable factions rumored to be a part of the game as well, and they are species 8472, various factions of the Romulan Empire, and the Borg. The Hur’q or Iconian civilizations might also make an appearance.
Officers are also allowed to choose the races of their “pet” crew members. They can be made out of any standard race (Bajoran, Vulcan, etc.), custom player created races, or first contact races that have been encountered in game. This lets players build whatever kind of bridge crew they’re interested in, for either aesthetic or role-playing reasons.
Fleets are Star Trek Online’s version of guilds. Fleets have the ability to construct in-game facilities such as space stations, shipyards, and mining areas. There will also be fleet specific ships that can only be built by multiple players. Task forces can be formed within the Fleet to complete certain missions.
In short, players can choose from an endless variety of races to make their characters and their ship crew, interact with a number of different factions, and join a Fleet to further their own ships and crews while getting to spend time with other players in game.