Star Trek Online was the first MMO I played. I bought the disc at Target, and then had to wait for months before I could do anything, because I didn't have internet at the time--I thought I could do *something* with the disc without internet, design a character or something, but no.
I finally got in game early in Season 2, but even then, I searched the STO boards for a LGBTQ-friendly fleet before I got in game. I had heard that LGBTQ players get harassed in MMO's, and I wanted to get into an LGBTQ fleet to avert that possibility. Nearly five years later--has it really been that long?--I've been most fortunate to have good comrades to play with and chat with.