A few questions about the current status of this game

Jimmac

I have a few questions about the current status of this game:

1. Is there any active development currently? 

2. If yes, is this active development likely to continue into the foreseeable future? If no, is the lack of development likely here to stay? 

3. Does the game have enough of a playerbase at the moment to enable the players to enjoy the game properly? 

4. What is the biggest reason to play the game? What's the biggest reason to not play it?

Thanks in advance. 

yevoc42

1.  No.  The developers are gone.  The publisher remains committed to keeping the servers up as long as enough subscribers remain to pay the cost of running the game.

2.  Unless a miracle occurs,  the lack of future development is here to stay.

3.  Ironically, the developers tooks a super-active totalitarian approach to their game, so the game has picked up a little bit in activity once it was clear they were gone.  The playerbase remains healthy, and the number of battles/wars has actually been higher now than it was many times in the past.

4.  The biggest reason to play the game is that there's nothing else out in the market that anything like it.  If you want to immerse yourself in a true Star Trek-like environment with all of the complex gameplay you might imagine stemming from it, this is it.

The biggest reason not to play it is that the community is small, and everyone knows/hates/loves everyone else.  There is significant drama at almost all times.  The game costs $10 per month, and there are a very large number of bugs you must contend with.  The initial learning curve for the game is immensely steep, and it will scare off 95% of all new players who don't read the manuals or ask for help on global channels.  Space is big, so you need to be used to playing by yourself at least 50% of the time.