It is often stated that the STO crew is small and so, there are limitation to what could be done, and what not could be done. These limitations generally affect minorities in STO like: PvP-players, klingons, explorers and the language minorities. So there still no new PvP maps, still not equal klingon-gameplay, still no real exploration and the game translations gets worse day by day. The german and french subforums had been closed.
I wonder, how these minorities get a small piece of the 8.4 million cake? Is there going to be new personal, so translation could go forward? Is there are new developer team which give pvp some love? What about klingon content?
I know Atari 'continues its strategic shift towards higher margin revenue streams', but they are going to let us some air to breath, right? I think the Cryptic-is-a-small-company should no longer work, because Atari is a high-profit company.
Less money spent on the game means more money for Atari. It´s quite simple. They would only invest more money if they could be reasonably sure that would increase their income. Sounds bad but that´s business. No company developes products out of the goodness of their heart, it´s about making profit.
ow let us just hope they decide that more money for the game means an increase in income.
It is not that Atari is making so much money and should dump all that profit into STO. The issue is, is STO making enough profit ON ITS OWN to support the $100,000+ a year it would take to hire even ONE junior programmer? Its bad business to spend money like that on a project that might not have a positive return on that money.
Yes, but I would suggest they just keep doing (and not doing) what they've been doing, except maybe more of the same. Obvious conclusion is that the things mentioned by OP haven't hurt much and may have even helped.
It is not that Atari is making so much money and should dump all that profit into STO. The issue is, is STO making enough profit ON ITS OWN to support the $100,000+ a year it would take to hire even ONE junior programmer? Its bad business to spend money like that on a project that might not have a positive return on that money.
I make less than 1/4th of that and I'm not a junior dev. I know I was born in the wrong country.
Anyway Cryptic is not a small company. Cryptic is Atari. Cryptic employees are Atari employess (according to Stormshade). Cryptic is just a section of Atari with some degree of independece.
Now Atari is a big company in an even bigger financial mess. It's been on the verge of bankrupcy for quite some time now. That means they are determined min-max to the extreme, squeeze out every cent humanly possible with the least amount of investment.
It is not that Atari is making so much money and should dump all that profit into STO. The issue is, is STO making enough profit ON ITS OWN to support the $100,000+ a year it would take to hire even ONE junior programmer? Its bad business to spend money like that on a project that might not have a positive return on that money.
Translations could be outsourced and would cost less then 100000. And even then, they are making 8.4 million/quarter! Making some PvP maps is also a one time thing and would`nt cost more than 10000, so what? I think Cryptic is making the typicall finance-sector-error: they are think short-term. Maybe Cryptic is only a short term investment for Atari and they will close it when STO and CO is making less profit...but there reputation will be gone forever. There is another company which is getting victim for that way of doing business: Jowood. They released Gothic and The Guild, which were good games, but they couldn`t get the spinn to generate a new hype for new games...
I want to see the inside workings of this company, what thing runs it and what mindset drives them, otherwise i dont trust them a word, as atari already got removed once from the stock market
PS: I am trying to find the right words in english, but at this point i dont care anymore.
This whole establishment, the design decision ingame, all setup.
Translations could be outsourced and would cost less then 100000. And even then, they are making 8.4 million/quarter! Making some PvP maps is also a one time thing and would`nt cost more than 10000, so what? I think Cryptic is making the typicall finance-sector-error: they are think short-term. Maybe Cryptic is only a short term investment for Atari and they will close it when STO and CO is making less profit...but there reputation will be gone forever. There is another company which is getting victim for that way of doing business: Jowood. They released Gothic and The Guild, which were good games, but they couldn`t get the spinn to generate a new hype for new games...
Reputation is a nice thing but worths squat if your inverstors pull the plug because you miss the next payment.
dstahl already mentioned they're hiring more developers, specifically on the content-end to make mission content.
Cryptic's company-wide staff will increase: cool people like coderanger and Stormshade. These support positions means more improvements to the engine, more customer service reps, etc.
Cryptic's the prettiest girl at Atari's Ball: this means they can attract new capital for future projects or expansions to this game, as well as continue holding the license for Star Trek.
In short, STO and Champions Online will benefit from these experiences greatly.
I am not rich by any means but they do provide a stable second income.
So here is my two cents on the situation:
The C-store is a revenue stream. So are memberships.
People cop the attitude "well if they don't develop X I am not spending money on the game." Others have the attitude that "I'm not paying for content beyond my membership."
Both complaints come down to the same answer... you get the game you pay for.
Enough persons want something the developers will make it happen... if they can afford it. If you do NOT spend money on the game things will not be developed.
It takes money to write stories. It takes money to develop sets and backgrounds. It takes money to animate characters. MONEY THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE IF YOU DO NOT PAY FOR CONTENT.
I gladly payed for the tokens to get my Galaxy-X and I will pay for my Galaxy Retrofit... and again for my Nebula upgrades. I spend the money because I know this money is used to generate another season of missions and episodes.
I also know a certain amount of money goes back to Atari in the form of profits. No one runs a business because they want to give it away for free... they run it because that is their paycheck. The owners of Atari rely on product lines turning a profit so THEY can go drive home in a car to a house that has food on the table and is warm in winter.
You have to understand: If there is no income from premium content the game will fail. They can't rely totally on membership sales and box-sales. This income will get them only so far... to develop and grow the game they need MORE money in the form of premium sales.
I've said my part... from my point of view. I will continue to buy premium content as I can afford it because frankly... I love this game. And I want to see it grow and succeed.
Comments
ow let us just hope they decide that more money for the game means an increase in income.
Yes, but I would suggest they just keep doing (and not doing) what they've been doing, except maybe more of the same. Obvious conclusion is that the things mentioned by OP haven't hurt much and may have even helped.
I make less than 1/4th of that and I'm not a junior dev. I know I was born in the wrong country.
Anyway Cryptic is not a small company. Cryptic is Atari. Cryptic employees are Atari employess (according to Stormshade). Cryptic is just a section of Atari with some degree of independece.
Now Atari is a big company in an even bigger financial mess. It's been on the verge of bankrupcy for quite some time now. That means they are determined min-max to the extreme, squeeze out every cent humanly possible with the least amount of investment.
http://www.gamespot.com/news/6299778.html
Translations could be outsourced and would cost less then 100000. And even then, they are making 8.4 million/quarter! Making some PvP maps is also a one time thing and would`nt cost more than 10000, so what? I think Cryptic is making the typicall finance-sector-error: they are think short-term. Maybe Cryptic is only a short term investment for Atari and they will close it when STO and CO is making less profit...but there reputation will be gone forever. There is another company which is getting victim for that way of doing business: Jowood. They released Gothic and The Guild, which were good games, but they couldn`t get the spinn to generate a new hype for new games...
PS: I am trying to find the right words in english, but at this point i dont care anymore.
This whole establishment, the design decision ingame, all setup.
Reputation is a nice thing but worths squat if your inverstors pull the plug because you miss the next payment.
In short, STO and Champions Online will benefit from these experiences greatly.
Several in fact.
I am not rich by any means but they do provide a stable second income.
So here is my two cents on the situation:
The C-store is a revenue stream. So are memberships.
People cop the attitude "well if they don't develop X I am not spending money on the game." Others have the attitude that "I'm not paying for content beyond my membership."
Both complaints come down to the same answer... you get the game you pay for.
Enough persons want something the developers will make it happen... if they can afford it. If you do NOT spend money on the game things will not be developed.
It takes money to write stories. It takes money to develop sets and backgrounds. It takes money to animate characters. MONEY THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE IF YOU DO NOT PAY FOR CONTENT.
I gladly payed for the tokens to get my Galaxy-X and I will pay for my Galaxy Retrofit... and again for my Nebula upgrades. I spend the money because I know this money is used to generate another season of missions and episodes.
I also know a certain amount of money goes back to Atari in the form of profits. No one runs a business because they want to give it away for free... they run it because that is their paycheck. The owners of Atari rely on product lines turning a profit so THEY can go drive home in a car to a house that has food on the table and is warm in winter.
You have to understand: If there is no income from premium content the game will fail. They can't rely totally on membership sales and box-sales. This income will get them only so far... to develop and grow the game they need MORE money in the form of premium sales.
I've said my part... from my point of view. I will continue to buy premium content as I can afford it because frankly... I love this game. And I want to see it grow and succeed.