I think around $500 all told. I bought the game disc when the game first came out. Subscribed and played about 7 months. Quit when it was obvious I had no clue what I was doing. Came back when it went FTP and was taken under wing by a couple patient guys that explained what's what. Eventually bought a LTS on sale and a few rounds of keys, fleet ship modules, etc. Over the years of playing I've found that it's been well worth the hours and hours of enjoyment I've gotten out of the game.
In the overall scheme of life, $500 is nothing. I know guys that have spent more than that in a night at the bar!
I calculated the exact value from records, which happens to be shy of $300, not $200 as I expected. The last game card and cash I put into this game was in early 2016, after which time PWE took away their game cards in Canada meaning no more USD to CDN savings, and the online payment method seems insecure and even had trouble with it. I heard bad stories of account-binding when using Steam, so forget that, it's clear PWE doesn't like Steam.
I've had a lot of fun, and it was very entertaining and relaxing at a time when I needed the distraction, but I'm through supporting a perpetually half-broken game (console UI power activation failure/delay for example) with so little end-game content, with dwindling playerbase to the point almost nothing pug pops, constant nerfing of all things Science (directly and indirectly), and most importantly where 'nerf what you had to make room for more power creeped power selling' is the motto, that's run like a casino.
Off topic but related:
I can't say I'd feel better if I had put that cash towards DBG (Planetside2) since the developers seem to ignore blatant cheaters and even entire outfits of cheaters (not naming the two). This isn't speculation, it's undeniable fact. I've experienced it very often, such cheaters even admit to it when everyone reports them. It also suffers greatly from what's termed 'clientside2' with netcode problems/limitations and its exploiters. They also make certain unpopular gameplay changes that cost them huge amounts of the player base.
Blizzard is another I regret paying anything even if it's a small fraction of what I gave to PWE/Cryptic. They don't know the meaning of game balance if you had a physical scale to demonstrate the concept, and seem to thrive making wild changes, delaying needed changes for months and years, ignoring PTR and community feedback while neglecting to engage it on certain highly popular subjects, gameplay flawed in basic design adding to player toxicity, etc. etc. I still play it, have had a lot of fun in it despite the ongoing disappointments and frustrations, and the alternative game I was looking forward, Midair, to turned out disappointing graphics choice wise though I still have to try it when it's out and F2P.
Devs: Provide the option to Turn OFF full screen flashes from enemy ship explosions
· ♥ · ◦.¸¸. ◦'¯`·. (Ɏ) V A N U _ S O V E R E I G N T Y (Ɏ) .·´¯'◦.¸¸. ◦ · ♡ ·
«» \▼/ T E R R A N ¦ R E P U B L I C \▼/ «»
﴾﴿ ₪ṩ ||| N A N I T E S Y S T E M S : B L A C K | O P S ||| ₪ṩ ﴾﴿
I am sitting at $1910 since August of this year. All gambling and not a one T6 ship or special item from promotions except a single Epic token after buying dilithium for 2700 Phoenix boxes in 3 days.
A lot... but I haven't spent any in a long time. Closing my wallet is the only thing I can do to "voice" my displeasure with the direction of the game.
A lot... but I haven't spent any in a long time. Closing my wallet is the only thing I can do to "voice" my displeasure with the direction of the game.
I will say that of all the games I have played in my many years (decades sad to say)... STO is by far the most expensive. With so many currencies in a single game that eventually take real money to get enough of....or real time to earn...and we aren't talking about time in grinding because of refining limits per day...I would say that STO is still fun... but has been strategically put together to maximize your spending on items that are not available to buy or even pre-order outright. The entire game is based on chance and impulse...and is marketed that way. I fall for it often...but after deciding to look through my purchases to reply to this post like I did above...the reality of it hit me... For the near $2000 I have spent... I would say that 80% of it went into the gambling factor.... and what I have to show for it is an Epic token for an event ship I was not in the game for a year ago... A $1600 ship..
In all honesty...after this last $100 dropped it really got me looking back to EVE full time.. 10 years on that game and haven't spent a single dime other than the sub..and rarely that because I make enough in game currency to buy my monthly sub...
Oh and I might add that I was also banned for 3 days for buying a ship I had already gambled $200 in-game to get from a 3rd party who ONLY had the ship for sale outside of the game...not in the exchange. In my defense... I spent that money in this game to obtain an item...and the only way to get it "legally" was to gamble for it with real money...After losing the equivalent of a month of groceries to the system in place... I went and made it somewhat worth it for myself..and instead was punished even after arguing the insane amounts of money I have put into this game for nothing with the "judges". Although I won't be doing 3rd party again.... I also have lost a lot of "drive" for the game's system of "earning". There is no hard work rewarded in STO..and apparently no reward for money spent either.
STO is the least expensive mmo I've ever played and one of the very few where the cash store currency can be earned with in game resources.
^This
It's incredibility easy to get through STO without paying a dime, simply by using the easily farmable in-game currencies.
Incredibly time consuming to refine dilithium, however. This makes buying C-Store only items without real money an arduous process.
Not that hard at all.
Dilithium is easy to get, you can hit your 8k cap just doing admiralty missions if you're really lazy. Refine everyday on multiple characters, save it all up for Phoenix Box promotions, convert to Zen when the rate is favorable and then buy C-Store items during sales.
I'm not 100% sure but I've be comfortable with guessing around $450.00. The majority of that was a LTS and a TRIBBLE ton of T5 ships when they were the top tier ships.
I will say that of all the games I have played in my many years (decades sad to say)... STO is by far the most expensive. With so many currencies in a single game that eventually take real money to get enough of....or real time to earn...and we aren't talking about time in grinding because of refining limits per day...I would say that STO is still fun... but has been strategically put together to maximize your spending on items that are not available to buy or even pre-order outright. The entire game is based on chance and impulse...and is marketed that way. I fall for it often...but after deciding to look through my purchases to reply to this post like I did above...the reality of it hit me... For the near $2000 I have spent... I would say that 80% of it went into the gambling factor.... and what I have to show for it is an Epic token for an event ship I was not in the game for a year ago... A $1600 ship..
In all honesty...after this last $100 dropped it really got me looking back to EVE full time.. 10 years on that game and haven't spent a single dime other than the sub..and rarely that because I make enough in game currency to buy my monthly sub...
Oh and I might add that I was also banned for 3 days for buying a ship I had already gambled $200 in-game to get from a 3rd party who ONLY had the ship for sale outside of the game...not in the exchange. In my defense... I spent that money in this game to obtain an item...and the only way to get it "legally" was to gamble for it with real money...After losing the equivalent of a month of groceries to the system in place... I went and made it somewhat worth it for myself..and instead was punished even after arguing the insane amounts of money I have put into this game for nothing with the "judges". Although I won't be doing 3rd party again.... I also have lost a lot of "drive" for the game's system of "earning". There is no hard work rewarded in STO..and apparently no reward for money spent either.
You are basically doing EVERYTHING wrong.
Yep, totally clueless. The only thing more funny then thinking about how much money this guy has wasted is reading all his threads pointing it out.
What’s really going to make him happy is when he goes Christmas shopping and his card gets declined because that gold seller sold his card number.
If you look at it in one lump total; alot. If you divide it over 6+yrs, it doesn't seem so bad.
And after T6 came out, I've curtailed my spending. I didn't appreciate all my 'max level' ships being not anymore.
I will say that of all the games I have played in my many years (decades sad to say)... STO is by far the most expensive. With so many currencies in a single game that eventually take real money to get enough of....or real time to earn...and we aren't talking about time in grinding because of refining limits per day...I would say that STO is still fun... but has been strategically put together to maximize your spending on items that are not available to buy or even pre-order outright. The entire game is based on chance and impulse...and is marketed that way. I fall for it often...but after deciding to look through my purchases to reply to this post like I did above...the reality of it hit me... For the near $2000 I have spent... I would say that 80% of it went into the gambling factor.... and what I have to show for it is an Epic token for an event ship I was not in the game for a year ago... A $1600 ship..
In all honesty...after this last $100 dropped it really got me looking back to EVE full time.. 10 years on that game and haven't spent a single dime other than the sub..and rarely that because I make enough in game currency to buy my monthly sub...
Oh and I might add that I was also banned for 3 days for buying a ship I had already gambled $200 in-game to get from a 3rd party who ONLY had the ship for sale outside of the game...not in the exchange. In my defense... I spent that money in this game to obtain an item...and the only way to get it "legally" was to gamble for it with real money...After losing the equivalent of a month of groceries to the system in place... I went and made it somewhat worth it for myself..and instead was punished even after arguing the insane amounts of money I have put into this game for nothing with the "judges". Although I won't be doing 3rd party again.... I also have lost a lot of "drive" for the game's system of "earning". There is no hard work rewarded in STO..and apparently no reward for money spent either.
You are basically doing EVERYTHING wrong.
Yep, totally clueless. The only thing more funny then thinking about how much money this guy has wasted is reading all his threads pointing it out.
What’s really going to make him happy is when he goes Christmas shopping and his card gets declined because that gold seller sold his card number.
Can't wait for those posts to hit the forum in a couple of days....
Oi.
Star Trek Online Volunteer Community Moderator and Resident She-Wolf
Community Moderators are Unpaid Volunteers and NOT Employees of Gearbox/Cryptic
Views and Opinions May Not Reflect the Views and Opinions of Gearbox/Cryptic
I will say that of all the games I have played in my many years (decades sad to say)... STO is by far the most expensive. With so many currencies in a single game that eventually take real money to get enough of....or real time to earn...and we aren't talking about time in grinding because of refining limits per day...I would say that STO is still fun... but has been strategically put together to maximize your spending on items that are not available to buy or even pre-order outright. The entire game is based on chance and impulse...and is marketed that way. I fall for it often...but after deciding to look through my purchases to reply to this post like I did above...the reality of it hit me... For the near $2000 I have spent... I would say that 80% of it went into the gambling factor.... and what I have to show for it is an Epic token for an event ship I was not in the game for a year ago... A $1600 ship..
In all honesty...after this last $100 dropped it really got me looking back to EVE full time.. 10 years on that game and haven't spent a single dime other than the sub..and rarely that because I make enough in game currency to buy my monthly sub...
Oh and I might add that I was also banned for 3 days for buying a ship I had already gambled $200 in-game to get from a 3rd party who ONLY had the ship for sale outside of the game...not in the exchange. In my defense... I spent that money in this game to obtain an item...and the only way to get it "legally" was to gamble for it with real money...After losing the equivalent of a month of groceries to the system in place... I went and made it somewhat worth it for myself..and instead was punished even after arguing the insane amounts of money I have put into this game for nothing with the "judges". Although I won't be doing 3rd party again.... I also have lost a lot of "drive" for the game's system of "earning". There is no hard work rewarded in STO..and apparently no reward for money spent either.
You are basically doing EVERYTHING wrong.
Yep, totally clueless. The only thing more funny then thinking about how much money this guy has wasted is reading all his threads pointing it out.
What’s really going to make him happy is when he goes Christmas shopping and his card gets declined because that gold seller sold his card number.
Can't wait for those posts to hit the forum in a couple of days....
Oi.
I'm sorry....
For if/when this happens.
But you have to admit that this is a case where he really does deserve me unloading on his stupidity.
I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that those threads don't start.
Star Trek Online Volunteer Community Moderator and Resident She-Wolf
Community Moderators are Unpaid Volunteers and NOT Employees of Gearbox/Cryptic
Views and Opinions May Not Reflect the Views and Opinions of Gearbox/Cryptic
I subbed one quarter just after it went FTP, my stipends never showed up so I cancelled and haven't spent a dime since.
My tickets we're never addressed so I figured I wasn't wanted.
Comments
In the overall scheme of life, $500 is nothing. I know guys that have spent more than that in a night at the bar!
I've had a lot of fun, and it was very entertaining and relaxing at a time when I needed the distraction, but I'm through supporting a perpetually half-broken game (console UI power activation failure/delay for example) with so little end-game content, with dwindling playerbase to the point almost nothing pug pops, constant nerfing of all things Science (directly and indirectly), and most importantly where 'nerf what you had to make room for more power creeped power selling' is the motto, that's run like a casino.
Off topic but related:
I can't say I'd feel better if I had put that cash towards DBG (Planetside2) since the developers seem to ignore blatant cheaters and even entire outfits of cheaters (not naming the two). This isn't speculation, it's undeniable fact. I've experienced it very often, such cheaters even admit to it when everyone reports them. It also suffers greatly from what's termed 'clientside2' with netcode problems/limitations and its exploiters. They also make certain unpopular gameplay changes that cost them huge amounts of the player base.
Blizzard is another I regret paying anything even if it's a small fraction of what I gave to PWE/Cryptic. They don't know the meaning of game balance if you had a physical scale to demonstrate the concept, and seem to thrive making wild changes, delaying needed changes for months and years, ignoring PTR and community feedback while neglecting to engage it on certain highly popular subjects, gameplay flawed in basic design adding to player toxicity, etc. etc. I still play it, have had a lot of fun in it despite the ongoing disappointments and frustrations, and the alternative game I was looking forward, Midair, to turned out disappointing graphics choice wise though I still have to try it when it's out and F2P.
original join date 2010
Member: Team Trekyards. Visit Trekyards today!
9 pages so far of nothing but Zen orders...
What's your beef with the game?
In all honesty...after this last $100 dropped it really got me looking back to EVE full time.. 10 years on that game and haven't spent a single dime other than the sub..and rarely that because I make enough in game currency to buy my monthly sub...
Oh and I might add that I was also banned for 3 days for buying a ship I had already gambled $200 in-game to get from a 3rd party who ONLY had the ship for sale outside of the game...not in the exchange. In my defense... I spent that money in this game to obtain an item...and the only way to get it "legally" was to gamble for it with real money...After losing the equivalent of a month of groceries to the system in place... I went and made it somewhat worth it for myself..and instead was punished even after arguing the insane amounts of money I have put into this game for nothing with the "judges". Although I won't be doing 3rd party again.... I also have lost a lot of "drive" for the game's system of "earning". There is no hard work rewarded in STO..and apparently no reward for money spent either.
Incredibly time consuming to refine dilithium, however. This makes buying C-Store only items without real money an arduous process.
Not that hard at all.
Dilithium is easy to get, you can hit your 8k cap just doing admiralty missions if you're really lazy. Refine everyday on multiple characters, save it all up for Phoenix Box promotions, convert to Zen when the rate is favorable and then buy C-Store items during sales.
Easy.
Message me in-game (@tm706) for help
1st Alpha Quadrant Fleet
Yep, totally clueless. The only thing more funny then thinking about how much money this guy has wasted is reading all his threads pointing it out.
What’s really going to make him happy is when he goes Christmas shopping and his card gets declined because that gold seller sold his card number.
And after T6 came out, I've curtailed my spending. I didn't appreciate all my 'max level' ships being not anymore.
Oi.
Views and Opinions May Not Reflect the Views and Opinions of Gearbox/Cryptic
Moderation Problems/Issues? Please contact the Community Manager
Terms of Service / Community Rules and Policies / FCT
Facebook / Twitter / Twitch
I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that those threads don't start.
Views and Opinions May Not Reflect the Views and Opinions of Gearbox/Cryptic
Moderation Problems/Issues? Please contact the Community Manager
Terms of Service / Community Rules and Policies / FCT
Facebook / Twitter / Twitch
My tickets we're never addressed so I figured I wasn't wanted.
Awoken Dead
Now shaddup about the queues, it's a BUG