<s>
Star	B-Protocol
Sonata	I-Protocol
is	O
a	O
space-themed	O
massively	B-Protocol
multiplayer	I-Protocol
online	I-Protocol
role-playing	I-Protocol
game	I-Protocol
(	O
MMO	O
)	O
by	O
American	O
studio	O
Star	B-Protocol
Sonata	I-Protocol
LLC	O
released	O
in	O
2004	O
that	O
combines	O
elements	O
of	O
action	B-Application
games	I-Application
and	O
real-time	O
strategy	O
games	O
such	O
as	O
real-time	O
ship-to-ship	O
combat	O
and	O
galactic	O
conquest	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
goal	O
for	O
players	O
in	O
Star	B-Protocol
Sonata	I-Protocol
is	O
to	O
bring	O
their	O
team	O
to	O
domination	O
and	O
claim	O
the	O
seat	O
of	O
Emperor	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Star	B-Protocol
Sonata	I-Protocol
belongs	O
to	O
the	O
space	O
opera	O
genre	O
established	O
in	O
computer	O
gaming	O
by	O
Galactic	B-Application
Empire	I-Application
and	O
Elite	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Star	B-Protocol
Sonata	I-Protocol
is	O
a	O
space	O
trading	O
game	O
,	O
where	O
players	O
explore	O
space	O
and	O
trade	O
goods	O
from	O
one	O
space	O
station	O
to	O
another	O
for	O
economic	O
gain	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Unlike	O
many	O
MMORPGs	B-Protocol
,	O
combat	O
in	O
Star	B-Protocol
Sonata	I-Protocol
is	O
in	O
real-time	O
and	O
requires	O
manual	O
aiming	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Star	B-Protocol
Sonata	I-Protocol
also	O
has	O
an	O
open	O
PvP	O
system	O
in	O
which	O
players	O
can	O
attack	O
other	O
players	O
near	O
their	O
skill	O
level	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
unique	O
feature	O
of	O
Star	B-Protocol
Sonata	I-Protocol
is	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
universe	O
is	O
randomized	O
every	O
few	O
months	O
in	O
a	O
Universe	O
reset	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Developer	O
Adam	O
Miller	O
said	O
he	O
designed	O
Star	B-Protocol
Sonata	I-Protocol
"	O
out	O
of	O
a	O
nostalgic	O
childhood	O
dream	O
of	O
space	O
adventure.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
three	O
years	O
in	O
development	O
and	O
a	O
public	O
beta	O
,	O
Star	B-Protocol
Sonata	I-Protocol
was	O
released	O
in	O
October	O
2004	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
beta	O
sign-ups	O
in	O
August	O
2011	O
,	O
Star	B-Protocol
Sonata	I-Protocol
2	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
November	O
12	O
,	O
2011	O
with	O
an	O
upgraded	O
client	O
supporting	O
3D	O
graphics	O
and	O
user	O
interface	O
improvements	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
July	O
2012	O
,	O
Landauer	O
Games	O
announced	O
a	O
major	O
increase	O
in	O
paid	O
staff	O
for	O
continued	O
development	O
and	O
additions	O
to	O
Star	B-Protocol
Sonata	I-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2004	O
,	O
Star	B-Protocol
Sonata	I-Protocol
was	O
reviewed	O
by	O
GameZone	O
which	O
gave	O
the	O
game	O
an	O
overall	O
rating	O
of	O
7.7/10	O
,	O
noting	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
offered	O
"	O
interesting	O
options	O
for	O
controlling	O
your	O
own	O
AI	O
fleets	O
and	O
space	O
stations.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
updated	O
Star	B-Protocol
Sonata	I-Protocol
2	O
,	O
released	O
in	O
2011	O
,	O
was	O
one	O
of	O
3	O
role-playing	O
games	O
listed	O
on	O
GameSpy	O
’s	O
101	O
Free	O
PC	O
Games	O
of	O
2012	O
.	O
</s>
