Greetings! First off, I have to say that I loooooved STO and I think you guys have done a LOT for a small development team who esentially have only been able to make changes/.additions to the game for one of the games two years.
That being said, there is a HUGE PROBLEM with STO and it has nothing to do with the game itself.
P R O M O T I O N
Advertising, marketing and design is what I have done for well over 15 years here in NYC. So trust the following...
Right now, STO and many other mmorpgs are lacking in players. Not to say that you dont have a lot of players. Just that you could have 10x the amount of current players or even MORE! How you ask?
Promotion. Well, TWEAKING your current promotion plans , that is.
See, STO (and other mmos) currently and previously have focused on grabbing as many CURRENT MMO players as they can. Promoting on gamer and fan websites and blogsites. Maybe even some ads in magazines. But that willl only grab you a PIECE of the current mmo playerbase. I estimate around 50-100 million at most, all spread out over hundreds of mmo games.
So, with your current advertising, you will grab a few hundred from this game or from that game and so on. And what this does is lower another games player #s while increasing yours, and then increasing that # and lowering another and so on - as players flip flop from game to game. This is only part of it. The other part has players coming to STO to play, but STILL playing the other mmos they played beforehand. So you not only get players that play multiple games, you get players with less time to devote to your game. And this adds up to players that ARE NOT LOYAL and arent going to spend $$ as much as a player who ONLY played your game would.
Know this last IMPORTANT FACT....
There are (estimated) well over 500 MILLION computer owners between the teen to 60s. These ARE ALL potential players. Now let me rephrase. There are over 500 million computer owners that either :
A) Know only the names of 1-2 current mmos and DONT play any of them
and

DONT EVEN KNOW WHAT AN MMORPG IS!!!!
THis is truth, as sad as it is. Almost all mmo dev companies believe that all players that will EVER play an mmo and/or spend money on an mmo - ARE ALREADY PLAYING THEM! And this is just not true.
Now, the first company to realize THIS IS WRONG is going to grab MILLIONS OF PLAYERS. And not just the bitter, burnt out, super judgemental players who are all over our(and other mmos) forums. They will mostly bring in BRAND NEW MMO PLAYERS. Players that will not only be loyal and in awe of the first mmo they play, but will BE APPRECIATIVE of what a game DOES HAVE, rather than what it does not.
STO needs fresh blood. STO is an amazing game and it deserves to be in the top 3 of all mmorpgs. I truly believe this. I'm not a fan of Champions online AT ALL, and I was never a huge Trek fan until recently - but STO is my new favorite game and I am soooooo in love with it , I want the best for it! Like a child, I want it ot be nurtured and to grow.
Yes, STO can make $ with 50k-100k players and make a small profit and chug along as it currently is. BUT, it could be soooo much bigger! THIS IS STAR TREK we are talking about. Not some mmorpg with an IP noon e heard of or that was jus tcreated!
STAR TREK ONLINE can have 100+ devs working on it, maybe even 1000 one day! There should be a new season every 3months, new content and features galore. ANd we'll get there, but we could have easily a 10x biugger game and you guys could have a 10x bigger budget, 10x bigger proft too!!
So, what needs to happen....
PROMOTE to all the NON-GAMERS and current single player PC/console gamers - all that dont play mmos or might only know of one. So many mmo players stick with thier first mmo because they dont go online to mmo blogsites and websites. They dont go looking for another. They play what they think is the best because its all they know, We need to show them different.
ALso, STAR TREK has millions upon millions of HARDCORE FANS! Every single Trekkie over 13 with access to a computer SHOULD be playing STO. And at the very least. 1/2 of them. So , why arent they??
BECAUSE MOST OF THEM DONT EVEN KNOW STO EXISTS!!!
Things need to change if you want STO to be more than just game equivalent to 10yr old mmos and other dying games. STO is growing and has momentum - USE THAT! PLEASE!
What can be done???
Trek movies and television shows run every week at diff times on diff channels. There are Star Trek fan websites all over the place.
1) Have a 30sec sto trailer run twice during an episode of any Trek rerun or during any old Trek movie airing.
2) Have banner ads and interactive trailers created to be posted on youtube, facebook and myspace - as well as
www.startrek.com and simon and shuster.com
Do this for a week. JUST A WEEK! And you will gain over 100k new players, probably more - dpending on what you do.
What you can do IMMEDIATELY??? FX Channel will be airing the 2009 Trek movie some time over the next month or two I believe. If you can air a few STO commercials during the fri/sat/sun airing of that movie- thats 50k+ new players or WAY MORE depending.
Because I love STO sooo much , I'm currently working on an interactive sto promotion website, an sto machinima movie, sto trailers and sto commercials - of all size and sorts. I will be posting these on EVER video sharing website it existence and all star trek fan sites andgame sites I can - just so the games population will double over the next few months. Though I'm sure you all could do it even faster than me since there are more of you.
There is sooooo much that can be done to promote STO that is can be done for FREE, I wish we could have a meeting so I could help give your the ideas to make this happen.
Anyways, if you read this, thanks. I hope this showed you , if even just a little bit, that STO can take the first step into breaking the mold and getting the same massive influx of players that WOW once did years ago. If STO doesnt do it, other mmos eventually will wake up and do it.
SO please, if my words can help = let ME help. I'm not asking to "volunteer" like some college/hs kid with an art bug. Im telling you WHAT I WILL BE DOING because I believe in this game and know that it can be 10x bigger than it is currently.
PLEASE contact me if you want to discuss matters further., If not, I hope you pass this along to someone who could use the motivation and options this post brings forth. Regardless, I will always do all I can to make STO greater than it is.
Thank you for your time and keep up the amazing work! I have liked Trek over my years, but only after playing STO two years ago did the Trel bug bite me and now I'm 100percent devoted to Trek and the success of STO- as I believe the future of Star Trek can be found in this amazing game and epic new timeline. Salute!
-X
Comments
I mean your main suggestions are that they should advertise the game. On TV. You do know that a single 30 second ad on TV during a prime time movie would pretty much cost more money than the game generates on a monthly basis?
Now that's effective advertising
as for the others, its that that - i know they have thought of it - but if you read all i wrote, I stated that they all believe that all potential mmos players are ALREADY playing mmos or already KNOW about them/titles out
also, not talking about a commercial on syfy - though they DO have the money (PWE /ATARI did lol)
there are tons of ways to advertise with commercials on websites. online television, online movie sites and smaller local advertising, as well as advertising inside gaming chain stores and on newer channels like G4tv. Also, steam, onlive, etc... can all have this advertising as they gain money.
But watch and see. I'm going to promote and DOUBLE the games playerbase over 6months with just commercials and trailers on websites - that ALONE they can continue if they chose.
The main idea is that devs are WRONG in thinking all mmo players already play mmos or know about them, Hundreds of millions of potential players dont even know what an mmo is or ANY title other than wow/eq! Thats my MAIN point.
Take care all and good luck! Even with 10 players id play STO forever - i just want STO to do as well as another space-themed game
-X
Your post is so similar to a proposal we got at my office a few years ago that I'd almost think you're the same person. His 150,000 potential customers turned into 3 sales, two of which were one time customers who bought computers and never returned (and one of their checks bounced), and the third we did see the computer again for repairs a few months later, in the hands of her grandson who she'd given it to after a few days. Guy gave me my payment back and I still lost money on the deal.
You're going to double the game's player base single handedly in six months for free, and that's on top of Cryptic/PWI's own marketing? You know, there's a reason why they teach you in business school not to say things like that. I'm bookmarking this thread and marking my calendar on July 30th. I think it'll be worth zombie thread the infraction to compare notes.
And yes, 500million is the amount of comupter owners, probably more- all are potential mmo players of any given game - provide they actually get to find out what an mmo is and know more than the name of 1-2 titles.
Its sooooooo easy because noone does it. They ONLY continue to promote to current gamers and thats why every games "new players" are players coming from another game - instead of new players to the genre. THATS THE KEY! Getting people to play mmos who dont even know what an mmo is.
Why do you think WOW still has soo many players? Because most of their players were first time mmo players and never saw a need to leave. And thats because they dont spend time on blogsites or browsing the internets mmo listings and fansites. They have real lived and when they do have free time, they play their mmo and thats it!
I played WOW for 2 years before I knew the name of any other mmo. First one I hever heard of was Disney's Pirates! And before that (28 years) I never even knew what an mmo is - I was too busy playing xbox, ps2 and single player PC games. And there are MILLIONS that are STILL like that. Ignorant? YES. Is it their fault? NOT AT ALL.
And that, my friend, is what needs to change. I didnt write this to boast or brag. Its just one big statement to attest to the SIMPLE FACTS of what IS NOT DONE in current mmorpg promotion - thats all.
With that being said, leave teh negativity for the channel trolling. This is for the devs and those players that can see past their own "leet" selves.
Have a good day .Reagrdless if you agree with me or not - I'm just damn happy that you play STO -i'm happy all of us do. STO deserves 10+ million players and massive content and features. STO does not need to be put on the same pedestal as asian f2p TRIBBLE and games like WAR and LOL. STO should be equal to or greater than WOW, GW2, RIFT and the new SWTOR.
If Star Wars can have millions- STO should have double that since STO is a better game, with more variety. Both are great , but both still compete for the same pool of players.
ALL MMOS compete for players from THE SAME POOL. Thats the problem right there. They need to expand and promote to the MASSIVE pool of potential gamers found with computer owners. console gamers and the like!
Have a good one! I am going to add a "referred" TAG to all my videos and promotional materials, so STO can keep track of those that register because of my promotion. Then. we will see who is exaggerating.
Hell, truth is ALL of us should be promoting this game so STO can grow. They need HUNDREDS of devs for a game with such a heavyweight IP - not 20! lol
Salute!
-X
One thing impresses me about STO and its players, and in comparison to Asian MMOs I noticed the following quite intuitively: -
1. Much more interactive mission content in STO. Less of the run around in circles to extend gameplay time TRIBBLE.
2. Character progression is structured and very intuitive. If you watch Trek you can easily roleplay character progression, because the game is obviously made for its players
3. In-depth background, strategy and mini-games. The doff system is epic! The bridge officers too, become very memorable when someone's special ability saves the ship.
4. Customisation - Granado Espada and other Korean MMOs may have much prettier costumes but STO allows you to customise... everything. Someone put a lot of love into the character customisation interfaces (note plural). Again, player-centric thought.
5. Community is far superior here. I actually feel like being in a cadre of Starfleet cadets when in lower levels, thanks to the amount of help available on zone chats, and later on a bunch of Starfleet captains. I always see myself leading fleet engagements having no fear about charging into the enemy ranks firing everything I got and bombing the enemy flagship.... while team members who are total strangers automatically support each other. Some are afraid to charge in... so I absorb the damage with my cruiser, send out boarding parties and spam deflector abilities while the rest pound the target into submission with their escort ships.
I don't see point 5 for the years I spent playing Asian MMOs, clan or no clan. You actually do need intuitive and well structured game design for players to play their roles as starship captains using well known Star Trek combat tactics from whichever era they prefer.
The fact that I can create a JJ-universe style massive plasma bolt storm type loadout has just renewed my enthusiasm for STO... and I'm just getting started!
6. Character designs look awesome, be it the R.Adm in her white dress uniform, or the male engineering officer in TRON type electronic armour. They look awesome in an 'everyday life' sort of way, somehow, which is why I'm comfortable with STO characters, alien or human.
No offense, but I have an extremely hard time believing that.
As you can see in my sig, I'm a member of a Star Trek fan organization, namely STARFLEET International. As can be expected, we're all a bunch of giant fans; we regularly put together our own regional and even international conferences, we attend and set up tables/booths at sci-fi conventions, lots of us have uniforms, we regularly have debates about how things would work in the Star Trek universe...
But, and I don't mean this in a bad way, and like all generalizations there will be some exceptions, but by and large, to my experience, Star Trek fans are getting older. And older. For my chapter, the U.S.S. Sinclair, I am the youngest member, at the age of 27. The next oldest is in his mid-to-late 30s, and the others are all well into - and in a couple of cases, beyond their forties.
And while I'm certian many MMO players are Star Trek fans themselves, these other ones, that OP intends to attract, are more than likely not. They are uninterested in playing MMOs, for whatever reason. My dad is a perfect example. He's watched every single episode of Star Trek, at least a half-dozen times. He can regularly kick my *** at Star Trek trivia games. He will, quite happily, engage in a highly geeky conversation about how things might work, in-universe.
But the games he tends to play are on his smartphone or tablet computer. Computer - and console gaming, really - holds no appeal for him besides the games that come bundled in every copy of Windows. He'll at least pay vague attention if my brother or I are talking about a game in front of him, and sometimes even be genuinely interested in the story - he was as shocked as anyone when my brother and I were talking about the ending to Batman: Arkham City's main story.
But I can't see him ever playing STO, no matter how hard it's marketed.
And as time goes on, I predict that, more and more, you'll see more and more new players sitting outside Sol, wondering how they can go to Vulcan when - in the one Star Trek movie they ever saw - Vulcan was destroyed. We can educate the newbies all we want, and I thank God that I can just point them at Netflix now, but the fact is is that most new players who are of an age to be really interested in playing an MMO will probably be brought in after seeing the J.J. Abrams movie(s).
Could I be wrong? Sure. My formal training was all in intelligence analysis, and my experience focused me on the ballistic missile programs of only a few countries who I really shouldn't name but anyone with even a hint of current geopolitical knowledge should be able to take a reasonable guess at. So I'm pretty much taking my own experience, assuming it applies universally, and running from there.
But I don't think I'm too far off the mark.
I appreciate your enthusiasm xaosmg, but every time I read a posting of your's it sounds that you have never seen more of the game than it's advertising text bit on the back of the box. STO just cannot keep up with the expectation people have of an Star Trek game nor can it keep up with the promises. I was pumped for this game and had incredible fun the first few weeks, true. But after that time you realize that this game has almost nothing to do with Star Trek, except for the license to use visuals and names of said franchise. The mission design is very limited and repetative, especially if you compare it to some great Star Trek games of the past, there is no real feeling of progression or interaction and, frankly, it's more of an asia grinder than a immersive RPG game. I still like it, but to me STO is an fun arcade space shooting game with Star Trek-themed music and visuals. If I'd go for an real Star Trek experience I'd play "A final Unity", "25th Anniversary" or even "Birth of the Federation".
Granted, you can still like what the game is, but the way MMOs are advertised (ALWAYS) are so far off the reality to tease people to come into those "virtual realities" whn it is - in the end - just a very repetative gameplay frame with integrated social networking structures. And people who are not really into gaming per se get those functions on facebook or mobile phone apps.
No offense, really
Your theory can be validated with my experience with Trek.
I have never watched the TV shows or the movies. Until Nemesis came out, and omg, it was fantastic. It may be a flawed movie to most Trekkers, but to me it was an introduction, an invitation to find out more about Star Trek. And i soon became hooked on Voyager and watched all 7 seasons of it.
When I saw online advertisements for STO being F2P, I immediately dumped whatever I was playing and here I am.
I would say that yes, the new JJ Universe will likewise attract a lot of young Kirks and Spocks into our ranks... and indeed one can see that there is some lore from the JJverse that made its way here; destruction of Romulus, the devastating supernova, and mentions of the Narada and its history.
So, I am not at all worried if I see more JJverse weapons loadouts with plasma turrets and cannons instead of phaser arrays
It's one of the most epic franchises of our time... and unlike say, Star Wars, I find Star Trek rather educational and inspiring.
i would go for trekkies of all ages and all fandom grades.
- so if we do have the license, why not put an short advertisement into EVERY startrek film/series aired in the country of interest.. it doesnt have to be 30s, i would go even with 10. even 5 would work, as the only message you need to get over is:
== STARTREKONLINE == high quality 3D online game (mmorpg) now free to play - CHECK IT OUT! (or ENGAGE)
www.startrekonline.com
- the text in capitals would be voiced, rest written (human eye needs only 3s to read such short text
- a banner on startrek.com
- i wouldnt do prints AT ALL!!
- i would go big on facebook, making minigames or some kind of character presentation with accolades
- the same goes for an itunes app
which websites would i advertise on?
- DAILY NEWS websites! cause that is the stuff people read most (and facebook
thats all
And yes, someone needs to change the static banner on the facebook page to something more engrossing, like put up a poster of something you may see on the back of a game box - screenshots, text touting the game's special features, etc.
Man with a phaser image is getting old!
Go and talk to the millions of people that dont play mmos. There are MILLIONS of people with computers that dont even know what an mmo is! or that STO even exists!
Someone cant choose to NOT play an mmo if they never had the OPTION to choose so.
Thats my #1 point and goal - get STO known. And then if the #s stay the same, we know its because every1 with a computer on the planet earth already knows that STO exists and chose NOT to play.
But thats not the case. Hell, #1 goal should be getting all Trek fans to know that STO exists and soooooo many dont even know that!
Also, we have new players visiting our forums daily to see what is said about STO and seems like majority of posts Ive seen lately are all whining, knowitall babies that expect everything to be as perfect as they imaghined it. I love the complaints about BUGs the most! Its like they ahve never played an mmo and dont understand that mmos will always have bugs as they are constantly changing and in a state of flux.
People, you dont have to believe what I wrote in my originak post. You dont even have to agree with it, disagree or you can hate me for all I care.
I just want STO to have the players IT DESERVES and the Budget it needs so that it can have a REAL development team of more than 20 people (as amazing as they are, they KNOW they need a lot more to compete) STO might do fine chugging alone, but this is Star Trek! One of the mostr massive IPs ever created and a game like this needs to have more players that games that have been dying for years.
So whatrever you may think,. lets ALL try and so everything we can to promote STO, police our community to keep out the trolls and scumbags and give all the POSITIVE FEEDBACK we can to show Cryptic we will be there for them, along with our support for CBS and now PWE, so that they know we want to be there and see STO grow 1000x larger in game and in players. Thanks and this is my last poast/response. Good luck all!..
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