The Admiral’s Log: My Journey Through ‘Star Trek Online’ – Part XVI

Written by John Edward Betancourt 

Task Force Operations

​I suppose the time has come for a gamer-esque confession in that…I’m really not that big of a fan of the multiplayer format. I know, I know, it’s the future of gaming, it can be an enthralling experience and all that and I should try it with the right game, but the fact of the matter is…I have tried it, and it’s just not for me. I’m a story guy, plain and simple, and I tend to gravitate toward games that allow for me to enjoy an enriching tale at my own pace and that’s one reason why I’ve able to enjoy Star Trek Online for as long as I have, because while it does feature some important multiplayer elements, it’s not a requirement to enjoy the game. 
 
Yet, whether I like it or not, there are times when it is better that I join a temporary fleet filled with people unfamiliar to me in order to finish an Endeavor Mission in this game, since PVE events are part of that mission lineup and hey, if I want my energy credits and dilithium, it’s either suck it up or go on patrols, my choice. And in all honesty, some of these events are pretty entertaining, like taking on the Crystalline Entity in combat because that particular mission is actually pretty epic in nature since you’re duking it out with one of Star Trek’s most powerful alien villains, and the challenge posed here is a tough once since this creature doesn’t go down easy, and it often brings friends to the party.
 
However, as time rolls on, these kinds of missions are beginning to appear more in the game, and well, I won’t lie, I was a touch reticent to begin the new Task Force Operations missions that came with the ‘Age of Discovery’ upgrade simply due to the fact that I hadn’t a clue what to expect from these particular operations. Because Task Force meant fleet work, and I was uncertain as to whether or not I’d be flying alongside A.I. or people and if it was the latter, would I need to go pure multiplayer here and bust out my microphone and coordinate with others, or would it be closer to a PVE event where there tends to be a little more freedom?
 
Bottom line is, I was curious, in part because this was something different being introduced into the game, especially when one considers that these missions are actually part of the story flow now and well, it meant there was only one way to find out what they were all about; suck it up and play one and as it turns out, it’s a lot like PVE and they’re epic missions in their own right. Because things can get pretty intense here, to the point where the combat present can humble a player. Because if you decide to just go off on your own and do whatever, there’s a fair chance you’ll run into a massive flotilla of capital ships, and endure quite the butt-whippin’, a lesson I learned the hard way in the Azure Nebula Rescue TFO, pictured above. 
 
Which means that some semblance of teamwork is paramount to these assignments and when you hang with your impromptu fleet, wonders occur and the bad guys get their just desserts and really the biggest lesson I learned when taking part in these missions, is that they do in fact provide a perfect blend for a player like me. For while I am in a multiplayer match, there’s just enough individuality to keep me happy since Task Force Operations doesn’t feature grand and sweeping missions that last for hours on end, a big reason as to why I don’t take part in multiplayer to begin with since I simply don’t have the time in my day to go on those kind of missions, but I digress, back to the matter at hand, why I’m good with TFO.
 
Because it also gives me combat freedom as well, allowing for me to choose my targets and fight them the way I like to and really when all is said and done, I have to admit that these combat missions are quite addicting in their own right. They’re new, they’re fun and I’m enjoying them to say the least. Will they ever turn me on to multiplayer? Time will tell, but if I had to guess, likely not. I really do enjoy the solitude of flying my own ship and doing my own thing, but it is nice to know that every once in a while, I can escape the void of space and hang out with some fine people and slap some bad guys around with a quantum torpedo or six… 

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