- A compelling and immersive storyline

- Starfleet Academy: the tutorial for the game, comprises of both ground and space based simulations within the canon environment of the academy and once you achieve a certain predetermined set of skills or tasks you can then progress into the larger game.  The Academy would still exist in the larger game, however this initial version would be an instance only available to new players/characters

- The ability to shape the overall storyline through your own, fleet or faction actions as well as being recognised by NPCs for your actions or rank

- Diplomacy.. can't stress this one enough.  There should be a system that allows for diplomacy in a way that can have major impacts on yourself and even your fleet.  It could open the doors to new missions, technologies and allies, or on the flipside the end of communication or even war

- A true representation of factions

- The ability to establish and build colonies

- The ability to research new technologies, cultures, species, races etc

- The ability to learn languages, but have the option of using the "universal translator" where appropriate

- Crafting - the design and engineering of not only the starships we fly, but the equipment we use: phasers, tricorders etc

- A meaningful rank system which applies to which ships and technology you may access, not something that you can merely grind out as fast as possible

- The ability to live and work on not just your starship, but starbases, space stations, mining stations, planets

- The eventual ability to have a player bridge crew (yep I still think that perhaps up to six months to a year after the game launches this will happen as either an upgrade or an expansion) but in the mean time allow for players to tag along and explore the ship while you are trekking (get it? :P) across the universe so that they can beam down with you when you take on away missions.

- A holodeck that not only allows for a series of preset simulations, CTF arenas and what not, but also the ability to create random encounters, historical battles, or even create your own through a series of options

- Trek inspired mini-games such as multidimensional chess against another player, dabo etc
Immersive travel without making it tedious

- Away missions with a "personal feel."  You shouldn't have to have a situation where you're left "camping" a mob, target or resource in a mission that anyone can have.  This can be achieved with a clever use of instances, however the overall game itself, should not be instanced and instead as open as absolutely possible.

- Free expansions (just look what it has done for EVE)

The things I'd like to see in STO, even if they come in the form of updates or expansions:

- A compelling and immersive storyline

- Starfleet Academy: the tutorial for the game, comprises of both ground and space based simulations within the canon environment of the academy and once you achieve a certain predetermined set of skills or tasks you can then progress into the larger game.  The Academy would still exist in the larger game, however this initial version would be an instance only available to new players/characters

- The ability to shape the overall storyline through your own, fleet or faction actions as well as being recognised by NPCs for your actions or rank

- Diplomacy.. can't stress this one enough.  There should be a system that allows for diplomacy in a way that can have major impacts on yourself and even your fleet.  It could open the doors to new missions, technologies and allies, or on the flipside the end of communication or even war

- A true representation of factions

- The ability to establish and build colonies

- The ability to research new technologies, cultures, species, races etc

- The ability to learn languages, but have the option of using the "universal translator" where appropriate

- Crafting - the design and engineering of not only the starships we fly, but the equipment we use: phasers, tricorders etc

- A meaningful rank system which applies to which ships and technology you may access, not something that you can merely grind out as fast as possible

- The ability to live and work on not just your starship, but starbases, space stations, mining stations, planets

- The eventual ability to have a player bridge crew (yep I still think that perhaps up to six months to a year after the game launches this will happen as either an upgrade or an expansion) but in the mean time allow for players to tag along and explore the ship while you are trekking (get it? :P) across the universe so that they can beam down with you when you take on away missions.

- A holodeck that not only allows for a series of preset simulations, CTF arenas and what not, but also the ability to create random encounters, historical battles, or even create your own through a series of options

- Trek inspired mini-games such as multidimensional chess against another player, dabo etc
Immersive travel without making it tedious

- Away missions with a "personal feel."  You shouldn't have to have a situation where you're left "camping" a mob, target or resource in a mission that anyone can have.  This can be achieved with a clever use of instances, however the overall game itself, should not be instanced and instead as open as absolutely possible.

- Free expansions (just look what it has done for EVE)