If you got in on the Star Trek Online beta you remember that you were able to explore the contents of your ship. However, with the official launch of the game this feature has been removed. But fret not as Cryptic has just let us know that they are working to perfect this feature and will reintroduce it at some point in the near future.

Below Cryptic exec Craig Zinkievich comments:

“Anything we can do to make the game feel even more like Star Trek is something we want to do … so, definitely, we want to give people more of their ship,. This is one of those things we want to get perfect before introducing it to players, though.”

via joystiq

Star Trek fans rejoice! Cryptic Studios has just released the above trailer for Star Trek Online and what does it include? Well, a bunch of fancy space ships shooting blowing each other up, what else?

Yes, featured in said trailer is a bunch of explosion laden intergalactic game play that you can except from Star Trek Online when it hits shelves for the PC on February 2, 2010.

Despite getting delayed, Cryptic Studios has announced that their MMO Champions Online, which has been in closed beta for some time now, will be getting an open beta on August 17th.

This means that all who missed out on the closed beta will now be given a chance to get a taste of Champions Online.

Kotaku reports that those who were already in the closed beta will be given extended play time with the beta open for all from Friday morning, through the weekend, until Monday morning.

Cryptic Studios announced in late April that their newest MMO Champions Online would be shipping on July 14th. However, Cryptic has made the concious decision to delay the game until September 1st, but why?

Well, executive producer for the game, Bill Roper, gave the following reason:

Through our constant dialogue with our vocal and supportive community of beta testers, we quickly realized that in order to implement certain features that we all considered important the development of Champions Online would require more time

And, according to Joystiq, these features will include things like “more instanced and scripted missions” along with “core powers, travel powers and upgrades”.

Well OK Mr. Roper, let’s just hope you and Cryptic Studios deliver a great game.

Developer Cryptic Studios has confirmed that Champions Online, its upcoming super-powered MMO, will be released on PC before the promised PS3 and Xbox 360 versions hit.

"All I know is it’s coming out first on the PC," design director and Flagship Studios veteran Bill Roper told Eurogamer. "We really, really want to bring it out on console, the consoles are just hungry and perfect for an MMO, and we’ve done a lot of work to ensure that there’s nothing to prevent us from doing that…It’s an area beyond my control."

Champions Online was once scheduled for release this June, but has been pushed back to a vague spring timeframe. While the game has only been confirmed for PC and Xbox 360, publisher Atari lists it as coming to “consoles”, hence the PS3 speculation.

Popular MMORPG developer Cryptic Studios has been acquired by Atari parent company Infogrames. Atari hopes that through this purchase they will be able to create unique, high quality MMO games on 18 to 24-month cycles.

The studio is the creator of several popular MMORPGs, including City of Heroes and City of Villains. They are currently working on Champions Online and Star Trek Online, and todays announcement reveals a third, untitled project. This game is scheduled for 2011, following Champions Online in 2009 and Star Trek Online in 2010.

Infogrames has paid $26.7 million as part of the deal, with an additional $20 million in stock or cash for Cryptic if revenues of their games hit certain targets.

Former Blizzard Entertainment director and Flagship Studios founder Bill Roper has joined Cryptic Studios, the developer announced today.

He will serve as design director on Champions Online, the studio’s new MMO superhero title based on the Champions role-playing game.

Roper had previously founded the ill-fated Flagship Studios, which produced only one notable game – Hellgate: London – which wasn’t well-received by critics and consumers alike.

Champions Online is in development for release next year.

Cryptic Studios sent out word that they have opened registration for the closed beta of Champions Online, its upcoming superpowered MMO. The developer is known for creating and maintaining City of Heroes/Villains; it is also working on Star Trek Online.

Those wanting to don underpants on top of their pants can apply on the game’s official website. The beta is due to start in mid-November.

"This closed beta is an exciting step in the evolution of Champions Online," said Cryptic creative officer Jack Emmert. "All of us here in the Cryptic offices have been playing the game for a while now, and we’re excited to invite others in to have as much fun with Champions Online as we’ve been having internally."