test content
Logo
What is the Arc Client?
Install Arc
Lifetime, multiple copies, and vast disappointment
System
Member, NoReporting Posts: 178,019 Arc User
Greetings and Salutations!
I come to you in a spirit of utter shock over what has transpired with this game. Not to jump right into things, but I feel like I have been robbed of much precious money that did not need to be spent. I preordered 3 different versions of the game: A Collector's Edition from Gamestop, A Digital Deluxe Edition on Steam, and a Standard edition from Amazon. I did this so that I could get the "exclusive" in-game items that came along with the different versions (The TOS Constitution, the Chromodynamic Armor, and the Borg BOFF, respectively... plus all of the additional goodies with the CE and DDE). I also got the lifetime subscription, because it included the playable Borg, and was at a REMARKABLE discount - down to 239.99!
A couple months later, MANY (if not all) of the items launched in the C-Store that had come as preorder bonuses and special edition bonuses. This, to me, seemed unwarranted so soon after the game launched. Personally, I would have preferred these items not be able to be purchased outside of their original packaging and such, but I could have lived with it had they waited at LEAST a year before offering said content up.
Time went on, my wounds healed for the most part, but I still had angst against Cryptic for making such a hurtful move against those of us who supported them in the initial phase. Over the past months, I've seen the game drastically discounted and even CE versions available new for under $20. Finally, I got another email, indicating there was a sale going on on "EVERYTHING" in the C-Store (with the exception of one item, as they tend to do, which really ISN'T everything, but I digress on semantics...). I decided, for poops and giggles to check out what's now coming with the lifetime subscription.
LO AND BEHOLD! The lifetime now comes with a FREE COPY of the game. Admittedly, there are some other cool bonuses to be had with the lifetime, and gameplay seems to have changed some over the past year. HOWEVER, I find it utterly and absolutely disgusting that Cryptic can do this kind of stuff to those of us who literally invested a few hundred bucks into the game before it even came out! I personally spent over $450 on things for this game, and now out of almost pure contempt, I refuse to play it.
I honestly wish I could be reimbursed the entire amount of money spent on this game with the amount of stuff cryptic has pulled. If there were some sort of in-game reimbursement (Cryptic points? anything?) for pulling such a low-down dirty-handed move, I MIGHT play now. I would also like some form of an apology, in particular to those of us who were absolutely gung-ho over the game and defended it against those who dropped it early, claiming "don't worry! It will get better! They'll add more content and are going to be good to their fans!!" Sadly, I now see the error of my ways. All can be forgiven, if some sort of restitution is made on their part. I sincerely doubt that this will ever happen. Until then, I will simply leave you all with this:
Well played, Cryptic. Well played indeed.
Long-time Trek fan,
MonkeyJamboree
PS: Feel free to add your complaints. Perhaps one day Cryptic will have compassion upon us for what they have done and rectify the situation.
I come to you in a spirit of utter shock over what has transpired with this game. Not to jump right into things, but I feel like I have been robbed of much precious money that did not need to be spent. I preordered 3 different versions of the game: A Collector's Edition from Gamestop, A Digital Deluxe Edition on Steam, and a Standard edition from Amazon. I did this so that I could get the "exclusive" in-game items that came along with the different versions (The TOS Constitution, the Chromodynamic Armor, and the Borg BOFF, respectively... plus all of the additional goodies with the CE and DDE). I also got the lifetime subscription, because it included the playable Borg, and was at a REMARKABLE discount - down to 239.99!
A couple months later, MANY (if not all) of the items launched in the C-Store that had come as preorder bonuses and special edition bonuses. This, to me, seemed unwarranted so soon after the game launched. Personally, I would have preferred these items not be able to be purchased outside of their original packaging and such, but I could have lived with it had they waited at LEAST a year before offering said content up.
Time went on, my wounds healed for the most part, but I still had angst against Cryptic for making such a hurtful move against those of us who supported them in the initial phase. Over the past months, I've seen the game drastically discounted and even CE versions available new for under $20. Finally, I got another email, indicating there was a sale going on on "EVERYTHING" in the C-Store (with the exception of one item, as they tend to do, which really ISN'T everything, but I digress on semantics...). I decided, for poops and giggles to check out what's now coming with the lifetime subscription.
LO AND BEHOLD! The lifetime now comes with a FREE COPY of the game. Admittedly, there are some other cool bonuses to be had with the lifetime, and gameplay seems to have changed some over the past year. HOWEVER, I find it utterly and absolutely disgusting that Cryptic can do this kind of stuff to those of us who literally invested a few hundred bucks into the game before it even came out! I personally spent over $450 on things for this game, and now out of almost pure contempt, I refuse to play it.
I honestly wish I could be reimbursed the entire amount of money spent on this game with the amount of stuff cryptic has pulled. If there were some sort of in-game reimbursement (Cryptic points? anything?) for pulling such a low-down dirty-handed move, I MIGHT play now. I would also like some form of an apology, in particular to those of us who were absolutely gung-ho over the game and defended it against those who dropped it early, claiming "don't worry! It will get better! They'll add more content and are going to be good to their fans!!" Sadly, I now see the error of my ways. All can be forgiven, if some sort of restitution is made on their part. I sincerely doubt that this will ever happen. Until then, I will simply leave you all with this:
Well played, Cryptic. Well played indeed.
Long-time Trek fan,
MonkeyJamboree
PS: Feel free to add your complaints. Perhaps one day Cryptic will have compassion upon us for what they have done and rectify the situation.
Post edited by Unknown User on
0
This discussion has been closed.
Comments
Look, it's simple. Cryptic never claimed that they wouldn't make these items available through the C-store. You didn't get ripped off, well, you ripped yourself off.
See, you got a free 30 days with each editon of STO you bought. IF you waited until that time expired before you bought the lifetime sub you'd be fine, but you jumped ahead and cost yourself those free days.
Now, if your "pre-order" items are available in store, no one owes you anything. You got those items for free. You didn't have to pay for points to purchase those items, you got them with your game purchase. You didn't pay MORE just to have those items.
July of last year you could buy a copy of STO with 30 days free for 9.99 most places. They started giving away a free copy of the game when you bought a lifetime account back then. I know, because I bought one for my friend.
If you spent $450, that is YOUR problem, no one promised you anything nor did they take anything from you. If you cared about your money that much, you wouldn't have spent that much in the first place for a couple pre-order items.
There are many things that I think Cryptic could do better, and maybe some they haven't done right...but this isn't one of them. You spent that money for bonus items, you got those items. They aren't free now, they still cost money. So where do you think you paid more, which you'd have to think in order to be OWED anything.
You deserve no apology because quite frankly, the game has gotten better since launch. There are many coming back that left early on. I think YOU should give some sort of apology and compensation for wasting forum space with another of these posts. Learn to search, there are plenty like this already.
So you are mad because after a few month, a year they changed how they are marketing the game and what they offer to player right????
Or in other word, you are telling them and other business who you bought stuff from that they must not offer any other promotion in the future since it's wrong...The price/offer for the item/offer you bought must stay the same until what you decide other wise????
No offense but lock yourself up in the deepest hole you can find because that is why is called marketing and promotion... Do you think i can go the the car dealer after a year and say you cheated me because now for the same price people are getting more option than me for the same car or that they are paying less? Oh and do not buy computer or computer parts.. Stay away from those evil company that lower the price very often...
For the part about getting better are you telling us they should apologies because they made the game better and added stuff in it or are you telling us that nothing changed since the start???
You're also right, that each copy of the game came with 30 days of play... however for those of us who got the lifetime early, those periods of play were essentially nullified just because we wanted to pay less for the lifetime (that's now the same price as what I paid for it over a year ago, AND includes more).
You're also right that I got those items for free, however had I had ANY idea that they wouldn't stay exclusive, and that they would have been available in the C-Store literally months later, I would have held off and only purchased one copy of the standard edition of the game with a lifetime sub.
Regardless of WHEN they started including a free copy of the game with the lifetime subscription, that's still yet more of us alienated from launch who have paid for one (or more) copies of the game and got shafted shortly after.
What I cared about then wasn't the money. It was funding a company that I believed would support their customers, not treat them wrong, and do the franchise right with the game. What I got was a lot of wasted packaging and not a lot to show for it, either in terms of gameplay or support from those I'd given my money to. But you're right, it was my money, nobody forced me to do it, nor promised anything to me.
The "couple of preorder items" as you see it ended up being a huge waste of money. No, they are still not free, but the vast price difference per item (if you include the copies of the game and/or game time) are drastic and ridiculous.
I know how to search, I know that people are supposedly coming back, but why do you think they left in the first place? There are a lot who are in the same situation as I am, who would come back to play but feel cheated out of their money. How about instead of complaining how I am "wasting forum space," you try being more positive and helpful toward those of us who've felt this way for a long time? There may be many forum posts like this out there, and that only goes to further my point about the topic: What they did was not right!
I was actually one of the people in the IRC channels helping out with beta testing and giving helpful ideas back before the game launched. If it weren't for people like us who were there from the beginning, this game probably would have been canned already. I hope you enjoy what I helped support the creation of, because I won't be returning until something is done to rectify this matter.
What? Cryptic is responsible because YOU decided to impulse buy? Funny, I don't recall them stating you HAD to buy an LTS and multiple copies to play the game; that was your choice and your choice alone.
But they long ago gave up.
As one of these people that have been here since beta, have a lifetime account, but yet only purchased one copy of the game. I can specifically say, this has been BEATEN TO BLOODY DEATH.
There has been literally hundreds of threads on the subject. You bought the game not once but multiple times on your own accord. No where did they ever state "Pre order items would never be sold in game." The term exclusive is used in marketing a lot (I know I use it a lot hehe) to grab your attention. The item was exclusive to that store for pre-orders. Not saying "oh nah we won't ever sell it again." So how is it cryptic's fault for you buying multiple copies of the game?
So they decided to do a lifetime account sale. Which they never EVER said they wouldn't do again, and it includes a copy of the game. And your problem with this is...what? They get a game that's now (no offense to cryptic at all) 20 bucks? (Btw - Last time I checked this has been this way for awhile).
While your frustration is your own, this has been really beaten to death and really out of the blue. they've had a few lifetime sales (well 2 now that i think about it) since day one, and multiple c-store sales. Why all the anger now?
They were beta players who had already done everything in the game. They wanted to give it time to add new content. This is a typical problem with any MMO beta. You sign up, play for free, and realize when the game goes live that you have done all this already. So you come back a year later to new stuff.
Want me to be more helpful to returning players who feel they are owed something? Okay. First, you be more helpful to me for actually sticking around, toughing it out, and being vocal about what would make the game better...you know, better enough to bring those people back. While they ran away, many of us stayed here and gave feedback and worked to help make changes to improve the game. Then these players come back and demand something for the nothing they did? Yeah...I really want to help THOSE people out.
So let me ask you this:
If you bought a new car, the day it was released from the manufacturer, then 6 months later find they lowered the price, added a free cd player with MP3 hookup, and made the chrome wheels standard...would you go to them and ask for the difference back?
Point is. You thought it was worth the price when you bought it. Hopefully, otherwise you wouldn't have bought it. So now...it's not worth the price? Things are worth exactly what people will pay for them, and you paid what you did...so it was worth what you paid.
Maybe it isn't worth that any more, but that doesn't mean YOU got ripped off. I have lots of stuff that isn't worth now what I paid for it. I guess I should demand compensation from every one of those manufacturers.
And get over youself. You got to play the game for free, and you think they owe YOU something for testing? You didn't beta test alone, and they come to you and ask you to test. You wen to them and asked to test, and they let you. In return you played for free.
Had you not tested, you'd have more fun in the game. See, by the time the game launched you had already done all and seen all. That is your fault for testing in the first place. I have beta tested over 10 different MMO's in the last ten years., and I can tell you now that if you want something new to do on launch day...then you'd better not test the game.
Finally, I enjoy the game that I helped support. It has nothing to do with you, sir, and your ego is might high for someone who made a stupid purchase or six. I paid for two lifetime subs, I bought two copies of the game, I even spent some cash in the C-Store. Last I checked, that means I support this game too. From the looks of it, I support it more than you do.
So, good riddance I say. Who needs another gold-digger wanting something for free. You didn't mind paying that cash back when...but now you regret it. So is life, sir. My husband couldn't believe I spent money for a lifetime sub, but once he played he understood why I did. He loved the game too. Sure, I wish I had gotten that $50 discount on the Lifetime subs I purchased, but that deosnt' mean they weren't worth what I paid for them. Cryptic's got your money...so yeah, quitting is gonna hurt them so bad. Brilliant idea. Give them money then quit. Almost as clever as buying 5 copies of the game and then getting a lifetime sub before your time ran out.
As for the lifetime, the only thing that they added since the Captain's Table was a free copy of the game? I bought two copies of the game (CE and DDE) and I don't feel like I got ripped off. Hell, with the fact that the LTS has been increased to $300.00 USD I think that it's a good deal.
Nobody forced you to buy three copies of the game and a lifetime sub. That was your own choice.
Did you know that games depreciate in value as time passes?
New games that go for $50-80 will one day go for $10-20
All games do that.
This game can now be bought for $15, prolly cheaper elsewhere., so giving away a free copy of the game with a lifetime sub is hardly worth something to ***** about.
Actually any of your complaints regarding actual game pricing is null at this point because this
So lets just focus on the preorder and extra stuff ect. that you got.
Exactly how much money did you lose?
Its great that you were gung ho with the game at the beginning and all, I certainly was when it was in development by Perpetual ... and yeah,,, it sucked when they tanked, but to come on here and complain about, what seems to me, to be nothing more than a petty need to be identified as some "special" person that wants to be recognized as such kinda flys in the face of what the essence of star trek is about. Maybe its just me though ...
And to be honest this isnt the first time Cryptic has offered up "special ingame items" for sale.
They did the same over at City of Heroes.
A goodbye thread from a horribly wronged man....
A bittersweet farewell
I do, thanks. Can I have your stuff?
I also understand that they had no contractual promises or guarantees to provide the same item at the same price or to keep certain in-game items exclusive to preorders or editions of the games.
Furthermore, I understand, and accept that beta players leave and come back when there's more content.
And yes, I do understand that the topic has resurfaced often, time and again.
What I do not understand is why you must blatantly try and disregard my opinion (and, as is evidenced by your own claims, others' opinions) as something unworthy of any attention, especially in a forum specifically dedicated to feedback. I have not so much as even read an email from Cryptic about what's going on in STO since the decision to sell "exclusive" items on the C-Store until now. When I decided to check and see what was new, I found out about all the changes (both good and bad), and got aggravated at the negative points. How is posting my own feedback, in the proper location, a bad thing?
I am not demanding equal compensation for what I purchased, nor do I expect that any of it should be worth any value now. Many people I know (even those who only purchased one copy and a lifetime) feel similarly. To say that I am looking for attention or to be "special" and that it flys in the face of the essence of Trek is ridiculous. I was completely disappointed with what they did AFTER certain marketing events in relation to the C-Store. I enjoyed the game immensely while I played in beta, and for a couple months afterward, even when there was not a lot of "new" content. That is not what is in question here, and your attempts at saying that it is are foolhardy, at best.
I am not saying that they haven't done a good job at adding content, nor am I insulting anyone who likes to play and has helped to improve the game. I'm voicing yet another opinion on the topic of the extra content.
I am merely saying that the decision to do what they did so shortly after launch (not even a year with the items and the free game with lifetime) is a poor one, and they should show some sort of recognition for those who started so early. If you do not like the message, don't read it. If you don't want to see people like me stand up for what we believe to be right, look away. I will certainly not miss those of you who troll others' legitimate (if ill-timed) complaints in the games I play. I wish you well, regardless.
For those who DO care to listen, I do apologize for having such a bitter attitude toward the situation, and apologize for my own bad timing in venting my opinion. I suppose I am just still shocked that a company seemingly so intent on pleasing Trek fans and their customers would do what they did. All in the name of the almighty dollar, I suppose...
This post has been edited to remove content which violates the Atari Community Rules and Policies ~<GM Jahia>
And Boglejam, no! You still cannot have my bud lite! (Or the rest of my stuff, for that matter)
As you say many of those launch day players left the game, yes? So, why not sell the pre-order items in the C-Store? The people who have them aren't here to care anyway. You got an exclusive item, but exclusive in this case meant "only available at this vendor". Not, that you would be the only person with one.
It's an easy mistake, but the reason most people haven't seen another MMO do this is because those other MMO's don't have store's like the C-Store. Those that do are Free-2-play, and honestly many of those do actually sell the pre-order stuff in the store. I play Lord of the Rings Online, and I can tell you first hand they ALSO sell these pre-order items in the store.
I can understand that you thought this was something you had to buy from a pre-order to get, and had you known it would be available in the store you'd have not done that. What I don't understand is why you needed to make your own thread on this? Why not just add your "legitmate complaint" to any of the already existing threads? I am all for someone standing up for what they think is right. However, I am also for telling someone when i don't think they are right. You seem to have taken anyone disagreeing with you as a personal attack.
Lastly, I wasn't trying to insult you either. I just don't call it a legitimate complaint. The only thing that has happened here is YOU believed something that wasn't true. YOU thought it was an item that wouldn't be avialable outside the pre-order. No one told you that, you just believed it on your own. But you come and complain that it's wrong. YOU made the mistake here. The only thing wrong here, honestly, is blaming Cryptic for YOUR mistake. I have never had the nerve to ask someone to apologize to me for my own mistake.
Why didn't you ask what exclusive means? Why not ask if you could get any of those pre-order items later on without having to pre-order from each vendor? Knowing how much this bothers you now, I have to wonder why you didn't think ahead like this. I, for one, did ask back when they announced pre-order items. I asked if we pre-ordered from one vendor would we be able to get any of the other items too. They answered: They won't be available immediately, but we look to make them available at some time in the future.
Simple. Would have saved you a lot of trouble I think. You are free to disagree. You are free to have your own opinion. You are free to leave the game or demand what you wish. Just don't assume everyone will agree with you, and those that don't are automatically out to get you.
Good luck to you. I hope you find whatever it is you're looking for.
Don't make that mistake again. When you buy something for a special item, you buy it to get it RIGHT NOW. You got those items before anyone else could. If that's worth it to you, then buy it. If it's not, then don't.
The same thing goes with the C-Store offers. Right now the TOS pack comes with some special offers and is in a bundle. Do I think that later it might be cheaper to buy the individual parts I want seperately, once they are released that way? Of course I do, I know how this works. But if I want those items RIGHT NOW, then I buy them. If I don't, then I wait until they come out as separate purchases.
I honestly think that people don't understand the concept of shopping around any more.
My only complaint is that C-Store items are a LITTLE overpriced. 2000 Atari for the Galaxy class from All Good Things and 2000= $25?! I just spent $50 to fill my car up with case, so $25 is half a tank of gas for me right now! I could buy a good game for that much...maybe its not the point cost of the items themselves that's overpriced but the cost of buying points. That's a little insane, I mean, its a nice ship and all...but $25 for ONE SHIP? That's more than a monthly subscription!
FYI - Every other C-Store ship can be gotten in game either by Marks of Exploration or Emblems (the majority being 500 per ship or 800 for the KDF Grumba.) The Galaxy-X is the only one that can't be earned in that fashion because it's part of the rewards that you get by using the referal program and recruiting 5 friends (who subscribe for at least one month.) That's it's 'in game' aquisition path.
If I went to the store and bought two extra cartons of milk because they came with cookies, I can't come back the next day and complain to the bakery because they are selling the same cookies separately for less then the cost of the milk.
Also, I'm willing to bet 90% of the people who buy the STO LTS, already have the game anyway, the free copy is a moot point.
If you ever wonder why the company is so small, business is why they are so small.
This thread is being closed due to violations of the Atari Community Rules and Policies ~<GM Jahia>