I can't fathom going to an alien world with NO creatures on it. CMMMMOOOONNNNN!!!!!! This is a great opportunity to xplore all kinds of weird creatures, creepy crawlers, flying objects and whacky stuff. You should be able to grind killing stuff of different levels. Things should jump out at you as you "scan for anomolies" or "scan probe wreckage." I'm all for exploring different worlds, LOVE IT, and the graphics are great, BUT, you gotta have some whacky creatures there. Not just for atmosphere but to help you level up and make it more realistic. ST episodes had STUFF on the planet. Poisonous plants, killer worms, flying Pteradactyls. Review the animated series. That is all.

While I agree with the rest of your post, to this part I can only say "What?". I mean honestly, the ground graphics are like from a game made 5 years ago.

As far as adding animals etc. I've heard some say that the reason there aren't any is in the game engine STO uses. That makes zero sense, since they could just add animals as friendly/hostile targets according to their nature, just like any other NPC in the game. Even very small ones. Not to mention it's a very unflexible engine if it can't accomodate something like "ambient" insects. It could simply even be just an effect, the way steam clouds are. Where there's will, there's a way. Therefore logic dictates that they just don't want to add these things

I don't know some of the environments are really creative and I enjoy looking at them. It could also be funding. Maybe no one has given the go ahead to pay for developers to add this to all the planets. Some of the explore missions have some REALLY creative architecture. Yes a few planets look sorta goofy but there is a lot of potential here.

Well, the architecture isn't all that amazing either, but in some cases I guess it can be nice. But the actual graphics quality of textures, terrain, trees etc, is just something that shouldn't be in a game released in 2010.

I would like to see some insects, birds, reptiles and animals as well. I would like to see a variety of climates and terrain as well. Forests, deserts, jungles, swamps, etc. Don't forget that some planets will have seasons as well, so you might be visiting a forested area in winter.

Some things, like lizards and snakes, you won't see as often as say birds. Poisonous / deadly plants would be interesting too. It would be interesting to be going through a forest or jungle, then hear phasor shots behind you. You turn around to see one of your away-team struggling in the grip of some giant plant.

With teeth.

Lots of teeth.

Big ones, too!

Yeah, hopefully any animals in the game will be like Pre-cambrian creatures, the anomulcaris or trilobite for example.

Oh boy, I would LOVE some ambient critters and creatures on planets (and probably even ships - rats, moths, bugs come to my mind).

That would likely be one of THE additions to add immersion and variety to the game.

Please do this, Cryptic!

Why do people keep Necro'ing threads....

It's not cannon !!!!!
When was the last time you saw an animal running by on an away mission planet??

Just kidding. I'd love to see some animals. I will say the enviornment (rain, fog, snow) is really cool.