Personal Review from a 3 month player

Hi, my name is Meesh, and I have been playing StarQuest Online for well over three month's now. Marginal when compared to most reviews of current players, but sometimes a personal reflection of someone new and still learning can reveal more information than a veteran could.

As most of you should or will know, SQO is a space Science Fiction sandbox game played in the 23rd Century where currently three major Faction's are struggling for power, where smaller ones fight for recognition. With that said, I'll give my own personal rendition of what I believe each Faction are from my personal experiences and what I have read.

We'll start with the United Systems Alliance, which are the political copy of current day United States. The USA is a conjunction of three major races whom are the Terrans, Celay, and Ryl Atti. Forming together after the threat of genocide and enslavement from the Imperial Klinshayans, they have together formed a strong, and centralized government. Proposing equal rights and freedom for all sentient of the Galaxy and promoting science and exploration, this is the first Faction any new comer will really get in touch with.

From a game play standpoint, the USA is currently the only officially completed Faction within SQO, where as the Klinshayan and Therataan Protectorate Factions are under construction and private testing of select individuals within our small community. I could be as pretty and peachy and tell how everything is great within the USA right now, but that's not what most of you want to hear. USA currently at this point is not in tip top shape, with the Government slow to act on anything (Sometimes not acting at all). It took two weeks to a month for the USA President to sign a bill in to motion which could of been done much easier and would not require much energy except typing in a six letter word and posting.

The military force of the USA is also in active, but I can say right now things are slightly shaping up. With the two new Factions under testing and inviting members from the community, it has stripped many of the USA members of Parliament and Military of good players, leaving positions open that need filling. Currently I being a Starfleet Officer as Chief of Security aboard the U.A.S. Yorktown, I train and orient new players in to the game and hopefully one day see them pay for the game and continue onwards to be successful and make huge differences in the community. I have participated in many space battles, one being a recent large Joint Operation between the USA, Protectorates, and ICS against the core world of Klinshay wiping out a 30 + Warfleet which took several hours to complete.

The civilian aspect of the USA is very cumbersome and can be extremely difficult for anyone to even get started as one due to the lack of a beginners tutorial for new civilians. When I first played, I began as a civilian and was lucky enough to acquire help from a fellow community member that got me on my feet, where I left and joined with Steve Thorn, a major civilian corporation manager holding governor status of several colonies. There, I got my own ship until now I am on my own with the S.S. Pax Republica, an Atlas class ship where I also try to train new players in the way of the civilian.

As far as the Klinshayans go, they are the dictatorship of the Game. Holding some of the fiercest warriors the Galaxy has ever seen. To them, honor and combat is the only way of life for any Klinshayan. They also have an enslaved race called the Rodomok, whom were a former empire that rivaled that of the size of the USA. The Rodomok were also the former enslavers of the Klinshayans. The story of the Klinshayan is strange, so I'll do my best to describe it. Originally they were peaceful in fact, but were enslaved quickly by the Rodomok Empire millenia ago. Certain key figure heads rebelled against their Rodomok enslaver's, but after it was all said and done, it turned the Klinshayans in to a ferocious empire itself, and in turn, enslaving the Rodomok.

Game play wise they are also still under development. While I have never played against them or know them all too much, I have had my encounters and chats with the Klinshayans in game and over ventrilo. Many would consider the Klinshayans evil and terrible, RP wise and OOC. While I have my own views of them, I'll refrain from slandering them.

The Therataan Protectorates are the oldest and most stuck up race of the SQO Universe, but are also very mystifying. Holding perfected technology for a millenia, they have fought and beaten back the Rodomok Empire when the Rodomok were at it's peak. Winning each war over a course of three times. They worship the Alshayan Gods, so called precursors of the Galaxy which were the creators of all living things, as well as the cause for scattering races across the galaxy such as the Terrans and Klinshayans.

The Therataans are very philosphical, holding true to their ideals as well as a strict doctrine to protect all sentient of the known galaxy. They considers themselves the epitome of perfection, which also makes them the most arrogant race.

Game play wise, the members there have been helpful, cocky and arrogant, but helpful to me.

Now, as far as my perception of the Developers Staff for SQO goes, they do they're best to accommodate the needs of the players. Though, responsive and involved with the community, sometimes they aren't responsive enough. There have been actions of the Staff that make me question their motives and whether or not this game is actually worth paying for.

One begin the PvP rule involving the endless war between USA and Klinshayans. This war has been going on for two real years as far as I have been told, and was great at first. Now, a lot of players want it to quit, and I quite frankly don't see any point in even battling it with the Klinshayans as there is no point. It's the same routine of shoot, repair, kill, or be killed, but there are no military goals or point to even fighting unless your the rare type who enjoys 24/7 repetitive dueling which usually end sin crying and blaming of exploit or bug.

Another such issue is the lack of attention to the USA leadership and government. As tradition of course that an election be held, the most recent re election of President Gawo was a land slide because no votes were even taken. One day there was a post that Eve had won, and no one even knew about it. So far, I have not seen much action or involvement from Eve Gawo as it is myself, cause for that I am not sure, but what happens up top effects the ones down below.

Community wise there is drama, which appears to be center piece for the majority of the members. Though, if you can stick it out and ignore it, you can actually begin to enjoy the game and take in the pleasures of reward for doing something in game, and out of it. Which also brings me to another topic which concerns me and some.

Most of the RP and so called "meetings" are dealt with on the Forums. Leaving not much action within the game itself, many complain that it is too difficult to arrange times and do these sorts in game, but I call it plain laziness and lack of attention from the developers.

Overall, this game is not a cookie cutter, nor is it for the easy go easy come type player. It requires your immediate focus, as well as the brains to avoid pits of drama in the game. Though, there is a majestic beauty of this game that like me and others, are the only reason why we play. The idea of being a player and not a star ship makes it phenomenal to be sitting at a console working  with other officer's on the bridge, then walking away to eat or whichever down halls of a gigantic spaceship. Everything is real time, from the point of teleportation to a planet, to the point of traveling through hyperspace which could be minutes or hours depending on the destination.

The Community is a great source of information and help for anybody, it just takes the right person to acquire that and get involved. As right now, I am lending my hand to new players as older ones did for me in the game, because without the community, I would not even be posting this review of my own personal perception's.

That's about all I have to put on this topic, so I hope many of you find this review insightful.

Thanks,

Meesh