Is the lifetime subscription worth it?

eva1988 · September 2017

I ask because the game is pretty old now, and i was was wondering if it is even worth getting a lifetime subscription at this point? Is the game still active?

Also, a sidenote.. Does anyone know when the next lifetime sale might be?

feiqa · September 2017

I think this thread needs a sticky since it is asked so often.

That said the answers are always personal. According to the Devs the game still has years of life in it and is not going away soon.

So answer these questions:
Do you enjoy the game?
Do you pay for a subscription for the benefits?
Do you want the Life Time Benefits? (Playable borg, destroyer class ships, playable talaxian, monthly stipend)
Is it easier than a monthly subscription for you?

And I believe they hold another sale before the winter event.

eva1988 · September 2017

feiqa wrote: »

I think this thread needs a sticky since it is asked so often.

That said the answers are always personal. According to the Devs the game still has years of life in it and is not going away soon.

So answer these questions:
Do you enjoy the game?
Do you pay for a subscription for the benefits?
Do you want the Life Time Benefits? (Playable borg, destroyer class ships, playable talaxian, monthly stipend)
Is it easier than a monthly subscription for you?

And I believe they hold another sale before the winter event.

How active would you say the game is aside from all those other elements?

I understand that developers would of course say the game has years of life left, it is good business afterall; which is why i'm hesitant to take their word on such a matter. I suppose how active the game is will truly determine how many years the game has left.

lordsteve1 · September 2017

I would say definitely NOT worth it.

The player numbers are clearly down it seems, either that or everyone just sits afk doing nothing. Either way the game doesn't feel terribly healthy right now I've gotta say.

Sure they have plans and are dropping fancy voiceovers in every few months but the release of new content is drying up and the grinding overload, lack of willing players and general direction the game is heading seems to be pushing players away.
I would not blow a few hundred on this game, not a chance.

saurializard · September 2017

lordsteve1 wrote: »

The player numbers are clearly down it seems, either that or everyone just sits afk doing nothing.

Which is quite normal before an announced expansion/season/whatever.

If you want new content and the game is said to get it on a certain date, would you continue to play until then? If you want new content, that means you're no longer satisfied with the current one, so you'll prefer to wait until the new stuff arrive instead of forcing yourself.

feiqa · September 2017

eva1988 wrote: »

feiqa wrote: »

I think this thread needs a sticky since it is asked so often.

That said the answers are always personal. According to the Devs the game still has years of life in it and is not going away soon.

So answer these questions:
Do you enjoy the game?
Do you pay for a subscription for the benefits?
Do you want the Life Time Benefits? (Playable borg, destroyer class ships, playable talaxian, monthly stipend)
Is it easier than a monthly subscription for you?

And I believe they hold another sale before the winter event.

How active would you say the game is aside from all those other elements?

I understand that developers would of course say the game has years of life left, it is good business afterall; which is why i'm hesitant to take their word on such a matter. I suppose how active the game is will truly determine how many years the game has left.

An easy to ask question with a hard answer. STO is not like most MMO's where everyone is on the field handling common encounters around you. It is a multi-instanced single player game in an online environment.

So I have this metric. As of this response there are fourteen instances of ESD. Six of which are not at max capacity of thirty.
The maxed instances thus are two-hundred forty souls. At an early hour in one social area. An extrapolated thousand online at this time is not absurd. In the evenings there are generally thirty plus instances with twenty plus full. That is the best measure of active I can give.
My next best is I do not have to wait long for my items to sell in the exchange. So it is being worked and traded.

Does this help?

eva1988 · September 2017

feiqa wrote: »

eva1988 wrote: »

feiqa wrote: »

I think this thread needs a sticky since it is asked so often.

That said the answers are always personal. According to the Devs the game still has years of life in it and is not going away soon.

So answer these questions:
Do you enjoy the game?
Do you pay for a subscription for the benefits?
Do you want the Life Time Benefits? (Playable borg, destroyer class ships, playable talaxian, monthly stipend)
Is it easier than a monthly subscription for you?

And I believe they hold another sale before the winter event.

How active would you say the game is aside from all those other elements?

I understand that developers would of course say the game has years of life left, it is good business afterall; which is why i'm hesitant to take their word on such a matter. I suppose how active the game is will truly determine how many years the game has left.

An easy to ask question with a hard answer. STO is not like most MMO's where everyone is on the field handling common encounters around you. It is a multi-instanced single player game in an online environment.

So I have this metric. As of this response there are fourteen instances of ESD. Six of which are not at max capacity of thirty.
The maxed instances thus are two-hundred forty souls. At an early hour in one social area. An extrapolated thousand online at this time is not absurd. In the evenings there are generally thirty plus instances with twenty plus full. That is the best measure of active I can give.
My next best is I do not have to wait long for my items to sell in the exchange. So it is being worked and traded.

Does this help?

It does, thank you

mirrorchaos · September 2017

Back before LoR launched i plunged for LTS during a sale for £150 and a £20 starter pack. It contains a lot of QoL features which is very nice to have plus ships and certain clothing options and a few titles. Anyway, it paid back to me at the end of 2015 and since then it's been pure profit ever since in stipend.

Is it worth it? I'm not sure these days. It used to be very much worth it before.

nikephorus · September 2017

On consoles it's not worth it at all without the monthly 500 Zen stipend. On pc... well had you asked me a couple years ago I'd say it is if you plan on playing this game for a while, but as others have said - the game doesn't feel very healthy atm so I personally don't think it's really worth it on pc now either.

arionisa · September 2017

I got my LTS about a year ago, and if I had to do it all over again, I'd buy it at the very next sale. The gloom and doomers have been saying this game is dying since the time I first started playing, just before DR, and yet the social zones are just as full as ever, Nimbus still has people everywhere every time I go there, on the rare occasions I do visit a battlezone, there are just many people there as ever.

Only you can say if LTS is worth it or not. Look at all the LTS benefits and make up your own mind.

strathkin · September 2017

Yes - I'd say it's worth it at regular price. But if you don't mind waiting or really patient for those once a year sales on lifetime subscriber I'd say wait. But if you have to wait 6 months or more that's 500 zen a month you'll miss out on until that time which could get you another T6 ship or a few other nice items.

It also doesn't include all the other benefits they clearly identify here:
http://www.arcgames.com/en/games/star-trek-online/news/detail/7009153
http://www.arcgames.com/en/games/star-trek-online/news/detail/3026853

vetteguy904 · September 2017

i felt it was worth it about a year ago. i was a monthly sub before then. I didn't know the playable hedghogs were part of LTS i'll have to look at that. what would be nice is if they either had a flah sale perodically for LTS or even just a discount on some things. like a permanent 5% on C store or aflash sale, an extra 500 Zen if you buy 5000, that sort of thing.

dracounguis · September 2017

feiqa wrote: »

I think this thread needs a sticky since it is asked so often.

lol, just what I was thinking.

Find the many other threads about it. Lots of good advice and etc on them.

I bought my LTS when they were still charging $15 a month before Free-to-Play so it was kind of a no-brainer. Now there are better/cheaper ways to get roughly the same benefits, it just takes timing subscribing to STO during character leveling, and getting that toon(s) to max in a month. (Which is easy.) After you get a toon to max, being a Gold Member doesn't get you anything other than the 500 stipend and the Vet Ship. All the other perks happen when you are leveling up.

Only other advice is if you have $300 (or $200 if you buy when on sale) that you don't NEED, then sure, go for it.
But on the other hand, that $200 could get you 28,000 Zen (if you buy Zen when it's on sale). And that will get you a lot of toys to play with!

drazursouthclaw · September 2017

eva1988 wrote: »

I ask because the game is pretty old now, and i was was wondering if it is even worth getting a lifetime subscription at this point? Is the game still active?

Also, a sidenote.. Does anyone know when the next lifetime sale might be?

All you need to understand is that you're actually asking this question: "Will I still be playing in 1.5 years?"

Because if so, the LTS is a better deal than subscribing for that long, if you include the 500 Zen stipend you get every month.

My maths might be out, but this is how I remember it when I decided to LTS.

smokebailey · September 2017

I got mine 2 months ago, and it was worth it. I wish I did it earlier.

taylor1701d · September 2017

Got my LTS pre LoR.
I've gotten my money's worth. No complaints.

I think STO will be around for at least a couple more years... So provided you get it on sale, and you play STO at least 5-6 hours a week, I'd say its an acceptable investment.

But if you're on console... I wouldn't do it.

silverlobes · September 2017

coldnapalm wrote: »

I got the LTS after LoR came out and I started to play this game in earnest. I consider it worthwhile and I more than got my money's worth for it. However, do I think it would be worth it now? No. Why? Because I don't think this game will last another 3 years. And that 200 bucks converted to zen during a bonus charge sale to get you WAY more zen and than using that to buy stuff will get you more benefit that the LTS will provide...and it will provide it all NOW for your enjoyment NOW.

^^^^^This...

I'd quite like a Chimera/Manticore. But even if I was to buy an LTS now, by the time I've racked up the required subscribed days, there'd no doubt be even better ships available

I'd rather just keep spending money on what I want when I want it, and support the game that way

tigeraries · September 2017

eva1988 wrote: »

I ask because the game is pretty old now, and i was was wondering if it is even worth getting a lifetime subscription at this point? Is the game still active?

Also, a sidenote.. Does anyone know when the next lifetime sale might be?

PC only... if you plan to play for 2 to 3 years (3 years, 4 months to break even) that's cause of the stipend. Otherwise save your money. If you feel the game will last that long. The T5 and T6 Vet ships are meh... better in store/event.

legendarylycan · September 2017

silverlobes#2676 wrote: »

coldnapalm wrote: »

I got the LTS after LoR came out and I started to play this game in earnest. I consider it worthwhile and I more than got my money's worth for it. However, do I think it would be worth it now? No. Why? Because I don't think this game will last another 3 years. And that 200 bucks converted to zen during a bonus charge sale to get you WAY more zen and than using that to buy stuff will get you more benefit that the LTS will provide...and it will provide it all NOW for your enjoyment NOW.

^^^^^This...

I'd quite like a Chimera/Manticore. But even if I was to buy an LTS now, by the time I've racked up the required subscribed days, there'd no doubt be even better ships available I'd rather just keep spending money on what I want when I want it, and support the game that way

all veteran rewards are unlocked instantly when you buy an LTS

silverlobes · September 2017

shadowfang240 wrote: »

silverlobes#2676 wrote: »

coldnapalm wrote: »

I got the LTS after LoR came out and I started to play this game in earnest. I consider it worthwhile and I more than got my money's worth for it. However, do I think it would be worth it now? No. Why? Because I don't think this game will last another 3 years. And that 200 bucks converted to zen during a bonus charge sale to get you WAY more zen and than using that to buy stuff will get you more benefit that the LTS will provide...and it will provide it all NOW for your enjoyment NOW.

^^^^^This...

I'd quite like a Chimera/Manticore. But even if I was to buy an LTS now, by the time I've racked up the required subscribed days, there'd no doubt be even better ships available I'd rather just keep spending money on what I want when I want it, and support the game that way

all veteran rewards are unlocked instantly when you buy an LTS

Hmmm, tempting. Now I have to decide if I consider the ship worth the cost of the LTS

sunfrancks · September 2017

I got my LTS way back in the original beta, so it has been paying me back for a few years now.

Whether it is worth it is a very personal choice. Just based on the current state of the game, my opinion is no, it isn't worth it.

I would do what has already been suggested and use the same money to buy Zen, but wait for both a Zen and cstore sale before either buying or spending any of it. You will get much better spending power doing it that way.

In either case, I would never buy the LTS at full price!

postinggum · September 2017

Not worth it unless you have no other use for the money. The game has become a handful of scripted missions per year, grinding usually not very popular stf for a rep you don't want and the old queues that rarely pop. PVP, DPS and elite queues, in other words the more hardcore intensive play has declined. Having the zen to enjoy that content a bit more doesn't seem worthwhile.

When I look at the up coming fleet project I see warp cores that grant more power, in other words give back some of what was taken away with the leech nerf, I really feel disinclined to grind for that and then upgrade it to gold, which can only happen after a month(s) of grinding the Fleet colony to teir 1.

silverlobes · September 2017

reyan01 wrote: »

silverlobes#2676 wrote: »

shadowfang240 wrote: »

silverlobes#2676 wrote: »

coldnapalm wrote: »

I got the LTS after LoR came out and I started to play this game in earnest. I consider it worthwhile and I more than got my money's worth for it. However, do I think it would be worth it now? No. Why? Because I don't think this game will last another 3 years. And that 200 bucks converted to zen during a bonus charge sale to get you WAY more zen and than using that to buy stuff will get you more benefit that the LTS will provide...and it will provide it all NOW for your enjoyment NOW.

^^^^^This...

I'd quite like a Chimera/Manticore. But even if I was to buy an LTS now, by the time I've racked up the required subscribed days, there'd no doubt be even better ships available I'd rather just keep spending money on what I want when I want it, and support the game that way

all veteran rewards are unlocked instantly when you buy an LTS

Hmmm, tempting. Now I have to decide if I consider the ship worth the cost of the LTS

It's not. It's a good ship for sure, but if it were in the C-store as a stand-alone purchase, with a price tag that meant having purchase over £100 of Zen, I doubt that it would have sold very well at all.

The primary motivation should really be the monthly Zen stipend.

This is what I figured... For the cost of an LTS, I can get a bucketload of zen>keys>ec which could then buy several T6 ships off the exchange

And what's more, that would actually be a better situation: Cryptic gets the dollar in their pocket, I get more ships to choose from

There's nothing else which the LTS offers which I actually want. Even the Zen stipend only adds up to one ship (from their list) every six months. Heck, in that time, I could buy said ship six times, and all the really nice stuff is on the exchange anyway

No LTS for me

feiqa · September 2017

silverlobes#2676 wrote: »

Hmmm, tempting. Now I have to decide if I consider the ship worth the cost of the LTS

It is a destroyer so it sits between the escort and cruiser in play style. It is likely a good pilot will do incredibly well in it. And both the KDF and RR look awesome. The Fed version. Well check out the Chimera that Rom captains. It is okay. But then I am biased to the tos Connie look.
Is it worth the LTS? No.
Is playing as a borg worth the LTS? Not really.
Is the stipend worth it? After a few years it pays for the subscription and begins paying back slowly. If you are like me and once or twice a year you have a wad of cash but may struggle month to month. The LTS is worth not having the monthly sub.
Is a playable talaxian worth the price? Oh heck no.
Putting it all together however in a bundle. And you go back to my original statements. Asked often and answer is personal to the individual.
LTS and pleased with it.

Any LTS that are unhappy having bought it?

silverlobes · September 2017

feiqa wrote: »

silverlobes#2676 wrote: »

Hmmm, tempting. Now I have to decide if I consider the ship worth the cost of the LTS

It is a destroyer so it sits between the escort and cruiser in play style. It is likely a good pilot will do incredibly well in it. And both the KDF and RR look awesome. The Fed version. Well check out the Chimera that Rom captains. It is okay. But then I am biased to the tos Connie look.
Is it worth the LTS? No.
Is playing as a borg worth the LTS? Not really.
Is the stipend worth it? After a few years it pays for the subscription and begins paying back slowly. If you are like me and once or twice a year you have a wad of cash but may struggle month to month. The LTS is worth not having the monthly sub.
Is a playable talaxian worth the price? Oh heck no.
Putting it all together however in a bundle. And you go back to my original statements. Asked often and answer is personal to the individual.
LTS and pleased with it.

Any LTS that are unhappy having bought it?

But that's not the same thing, as if it's worth getting

Even as a bundle, it's not worth it for me. I don't want a playable Borg or Talaxian. The Zen stipend isn't enough to make a difference in in-game spending. It's a little extra walking-around money, but it's nothing compared to what can be picked up just by playing the exchange (and by 'playing', I mean 'listing stuff and then going away to run missions', not 'sitting in front of the exchange for hours every day refreshing the page to pick up all the low price sales'

)

If you're happy with it, and others are happy with it, I'm happy you're happy

But I also know it wouldn't make me happy, so I'll keep spending and supporting in a way which will

evilmark444 · September 2017

It was worth it when I got mine (many years ago during beta), but nowadays? I don't even know if I'd do a normal sub. I love the combat and mission gameplay, but so many other design decisions (reputations, fleet holdings, admiralty, etc) just push me away, and the absolutely abysmal amount of mission content leaves me playing once every six months or so to complete the two or three new missions I missed.

tigeraries · September 2017

have the LTS for over 2 years (maybe 3) so no issues with it... but would I buy it now? No. Only if you feel, you would play this game for over the next 2 years, and that is for the monthly stipend. This is due to there being no gameplay value after you finish the storyline missions. this is a purely single player game with a tacked on team/que missions that hardly ever pop in general population. pvp has never been my thing so no interest, but from what folks who do pvp say... dont bother.
I log in to do the even grinds if they catch my fancy... the last arena grind I skipped, no way in hell would I grind that out on any of my toons. I'd have more fun being strapped to a chair force feed metal, hip hop or elevator music.
I like ST, so I play this game. But if there was a proper ST rpg, I wouldnt touch this game at all. Lets be honest here, this is a purely dps blow em up game with zero diplomacy & with token interaction.

Is the lifetime subscription worth it?

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