They've already worked that out: Give you the incomplete or crappy version of something, then squeeze you in the Rep System, C-Store or the Lobi Store for the missing parts or real version of it. See Dyson ships: Get the incomplete set from the Grindiversery, then be squeezed in the C-Store for the 9pack, and then squeezed again in the Lobi store for the missing Warp Core if you missed the Grindiversary.
See also the Obisek Carrier, where you can got the TRIBBLE version from the mission during its featured run, then squeezed at the Lobi store for the real one and missing parts, and now you can also be ripped off in the Fleet Store by paying modules for the garbage version.
So I'm pretty sure they have this worked out.
Sounds great, I think. I can do the content, and only if I really, really, really absolutely must have some fancy item in the mix, I have to pay. Enough people do, but not necessarily me.
Star Trek Online Advancement: You start with lowbie gear, you end with Lobi gear.
Don't get me wrong , it's not that I don't appreciate quality , but think about it -- does every mission need to feature a new mechanic ?
The Last FE had a kamikaze "rail" run for the last battle -- was that really needed ?
(I won't even debate if it was fun or not , but was it needed ?)
The current "standard" for FE's are made out from 5 elements :
1- Cut scenes
2- Voice Acting
3- New maps
4- New game mechanics
5- At times new races
What can stay and what can go in your opinion ?
To me , (2- Voice Acting) and (4- New game mechanics) go under "nice to have but not a must" .
I also think about it this way : the more expensive & slower to produce , the less story ... and more importantly less story momentum we have .
If what Geko let slip is true , and the next expansion will partially deal with the Undine , then we have to wait until the end of the year for more Undine story content .
Waiting for 6 months for something story related to happen in this game is what is killing the game for me more then anything else (apart from no new STF's :P) .
In the last stoked around two hours into the broadcast gecko mentioned that he is trying to create a plan to make new featured episodes every 2 months.
Man, if you can do that and find a way to monetize if just take my $ man. Just take it.
That would be awesome... well everything apart from asking them to monetize it.... that's just silly.... Its like saying hey your giving me this for free.... nooo please charge me for it! PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!
That would be awesome... well everything apart from asking them to monetize it.... that's just silly.... Its like saying hey your giving me this for free.... nooo please charge me for it! PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!
I could get something for free but yes if I want it I would easily pay for it.
I could download a movie, album, game for free but if I want it I would easily pay for it.
I'm all for new episodes, but not sure if having to fork out Dilithium for them is a good thing, as some one mentioned, since not everyone has tons of that...
No, they should go with the current model of not having to pay anything.
Every two months... not so sure about that, would be much better with one FE a month, since that would keep things moving at a steady pace.
But we'll see if this pans out or not, since I will not believe it before it hits holodeck...
I think it's a great idea if the rewards are up to par, and if this isn't a temporary content but a permanent addition kind of thing. Temporary content does not help the playerbase and does not keep the players coming back despite some niche player's argument to the contrary. Trust me I'm playing another game that is actually hemorrhaging players because of the temporary content thing.
Honestly, instead of a "show stopper" mission every two months, I'd rather see a return to the 5 episode (1 per week for 5 weeks) format for featured episodes. Then just do one of those arcs about every three months. I really, really miss those. (And make them playable with a group, like the old ones.)
This. Absolutely this. The latest ones have been absolutely wonderfully done, and the Worf and Tuvok voiceovers were dead-on, but we need more than one at a time.
And the group thing just makes them more fun (not to mention the older group-enabled ones let you go for all three career achievements at once, extending the fun, if you had a diverse group).
Personally I'd love it and want something where I can use my BOFF's in as well. I think one a month is asking a bit much. But one every two months - even if they aren't big epic ones like the recent instalments - would be fantastic and slowly build up into their own FE series.
This. Absolutely this. The latest ones have been absolutely wonderfully done, and the Worf and Tuvok voiceovers were dead-on, but we need more than one at a time.
And the group thing just makes them more fun (not to mention the older group-enabled ones let you go for all three career achievements at once, extending the fun, if you had a diverse group).
Many of those weekly episodes were not that entertaining. Healing sick people is not that exciting. Scanning asteroids is not that exciting, etc. They also put a tremendous strain on Cryptic trying to meet that weekly schedule. I would rather have one quality episode every couple of months giving us 30 minutes of play - and it is certainly better then nothing.
STO is about my Liberated Borg Federation Captain with his Breen 1st Officer, Jem'Hadar Tactical Officer, Liberated Borg Engineering Officer, Android Ops Officer, Photonic Science Officer, Gorn Science Officer, and Reman Medical Officer jumping into their Jem'Hadar Carrier and flying off to do missions for the new Romulan Empire. But for some players allowing a T5 Connie to be used breaks the canon in the game.
I'm sorry... But this "it's better than nothing" thing is just saying "I'll settle for the bare minimum."
PWE is not settling for the bare minimum. They go after our money in as many ways as they can, and none of them have anything to do with adding episodic content to the game. Again, that's why we hardly ever get it.
IF we want it regularly, then we need to accept the fact that it won't happen unless there is some form of revenue generation attached to it.
As long as we maintain this "I ain't payin' a dime for mission content" mentality, mission content will always take a back seat to the macrotransaction content that is lockbox and lobi store garbage, which has more or less replaced the C-store as the primary point of sale...
PWE does not need to give you any missions at all. If they are offering to give me 6 a year I will gladly take them - and yes, I will even be willing to give them Zen for them if that is how they want to handle it.
I play a lot of different MMOs. I have no problem buying Expansion Packs and Quest Packs in those other games and I have no problem with it in STO either. YMMV
STO is about my Liberated Borg Federation Captain with his Breen 1st Officer, Jem'Hadar Tactical Officer, Liberated Borg Engineering Officer, Android Ops Officer, Photonic Science Officer, Gorn Science Officer, and Reman Medical Officer jumping into their Jem'Hadar Carrier and flying off to do missions for the new Romulan Empire. But for some players allowing a T5 Connie to be used breaks the canon in the game.
I don't want them to give me missions. They can sell them to me. I'll buy them. I'd rather pay for new stuff to do, than pay for a new ship or a new outfit to do the same old stuff over and over again. Because for the most part, that's what they have us doing.
But you are not everyone. Just as there are people who refuse to buy Quest Packs in LotRO there will be people who refuse to buy an FE in STO.
There will be LTSers who demand it be free because they spent $200.00 4 years ago and think they deserve everything free now. There will be Gold players who demand it be free because they spend $15.00 a month and will tell you they have spent more on the game then LTSers. Then there will be Silver players who will say it should be free as that is what keeps players here buying other things, etc.
Everyone has a personal preference. My preference has been the same for 4 years now: new Mission Content, either free or pay. I do not care. I just want it in the game.
STO is about my Liberated Borg Federation Captain with his Breen 1st Officer, Jem'Hadar Tactical Officer, Liberated Borg Engineering Officer, Android Ops Officer, Photonic Science Officer, Gorn Science Officer, and Reman Medical Officer jumping into their Jem'Hadar Carrier and flying off to do missions for the new Romulan Empire. But for some players allowing a T5 Connie to be used breaks the canon in the game.
I believe it was an original promise never to sell story content. And it's also a good ad for the game - you can get new content all the time. Just when you want special ships or special services, you have to pay them.
As long as it's financially viable this way, they are probably happy with it.
But they need to give us new story content, too. If the Romulan Republic story arc hadn't been added to the game, I might not even bothered to come back to STO and spend any more money on Zen.
But they will always look for the right balance between content you pay for and stories that make you want to play and pay - whatever gives them the best return on investment.
Star Trek Online Advancement: You start with lowbie gear, you end with Lobi gear.
Is it really a question of monetizing them directly, or is it just that a featured episode drives people back into the game?
If they can deliver something like the last episode every 2 months, I think I can be happy with just single episodes. It don't always have to b big stories, but they should stay good stories. The stories need to have twists (Both Egg and Q'onos as actual target were decent twists in the last episode) and turns, some nice scenery, and voice overs.
I agree, I don't understand why they would have to monetize episodes. That's what the Lockboxes, and Zen Store are for. And they are raking in a killing on the Lockboxes still, because I have been in several STF's recently where 3/5 ships were Undine/Tholian, and then us 2 little starfleet ships tore it up.
Many of those weekly episodes were not that entertaining. Healing sick people is not that exciting. Scanning asteroids is not that exciting, etc. They also put a tremendous strain on Cryptic trying to meet that weekly schedule. I would rather have one quality episode every couple of months giving us 30 minutes of play - and it is certainly better then nothing.
Yes. Because the 2800 and the Breen episodes were such "entertaining" and "well written" series.
First good news in a while in this game.
Although I would have hoped something more in line with once a month (even if it are smaller episodes or episodes without vo and stuff like that) but regualar story progression (instead of a bone thrown at us every half year) is something needed.
I hope they rediscover that we hav ground Bos though, outside the romulan leveling missions we didn't have an episode involving bos for years.
Also a sidestep from the main story now and then might be nice
Lock box stuff IS CHEAP, it requires minimal amount of time and assets, you think its a coincidence we had the Elachi Lock Box with the Elachi ship when LoR come out with the new Elachi enemies? You think the Elachi bridge was made exclusively of assents created for it alone?
Lock box stuff IS CHEAP, it requires minimal amount of time and assets, you think its a coincidence we had the Elachi Lock Box with the Elachi ship when LoR come out with the new Elachi enemies? You think the Elachi bridge was made exclusively of assents created for it alone?
We were told a Bridge takes a week as a Interior would take a month because a Interior would be more complicated and this would take longer, this is why they can throw a bridge on Lock Box ships because as cost goes, its not every high.
if they monetized content what would happen? it would sell ... LITTLE, it would give no incentive to former players to return, it would be a WASTE of resources because with the cost invested they could crank 2-3 Lock Box content,
I am amazed at the desperation were because you want more story missions you want to destroy the game so you can get it, I am reminded of those desperate "I want to play as a Romulan" that were more that willing to sell out having the entire fraction in exchange for a D'deridex in a Lock Box so their FAKE Romulans could fly it.
If you monetize story missions BELIEVE ME we will not see then anymore because what happened to uniforms? what happened to brdiges? what happened to costumes? And no, they would not go to the Lobi Store because they would be PROBATIVE EXPENSIVE.
God, you people ...
Oh I know. I understand. No cryptic isn't going to monetize the content.
I didn't mean to make it seem they would. But their has to be some way for them to make money, right?
They have stockholders.
I won't buy lock boxes. Most people won't. Ships aren't selling anymore.
They have to find a non-gambling way to make money.
But no, they won't sell content.
An idea I had was charging people to get the content a week early or something
Free mission content is one of my lines in the sand with STO. The other is lockboxes being limited to non-faction ships. These lines in the sand and the F2P system are why I have respect for STO. If STO starts selling mission content or faction ships in lockboxes, then my respect for STO will drop to my level of respect for SWTOR. My respect for SWTOR is very low with how they treat non-subscribers.
Comments
My wallet is ready for any cstore items.
Sounds great, I think. I can do the content, and only if I really, really, really absolutely must have some fancy item in the mix, I have to pay. Enough people do, but not necessarily me.
Don't get me wrong , it's not that I don't appreciate quality , but think about it -- does every mission need to feature a new mechanic ?
The Last FE had a kamikaze "rail" run for the last battle -- was that really needed ?
(I won't even debate if it was fun or not , but was it needed ?)
The current "standard" for FE's are made out from 5 elements :
1- Cut scenes
2- Voice Acting
3- New maps
4- New game mechanics
5- At times new races
What can stay and what can go in your opinion ?
To me , (2- Voice Acting) and (4- New game mechanics) go under "nice to have but not a must" .
I also think about it this way : the more expensive & slower to produce , the less story ... and more importantly less story momentum we have .
If what Geko let slip is true , and the next expansion will partially deal with the Undine , then we have to wait until the end of the year for more Undine story content .
Waiting for 6 months for something story related to happen in this game is what is killing the game for me more then anything else (apart from no new STF's :P) .
That would be awesome... well everything apart from asking them to monetize it.... that's just silly.... Its like saying hey your giving me this for free.... nooo please charge me for it! PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!
I could get something for free but yes if I want it I would easily pay for it.
I could download a movie, album, game for free but if I want it I would easily pay for it.
No, they should go with the current model of not having to pay anything.
Every two months... not so sure about that, would be much better with one FE a month, since that would keep things moving at a steady pace.
But we'll see if this pans out or not, since I will not believe it before it hits holodeck...
And the group thing just makes them more fun (not to mention the older group-enabled ones let you go for all three career achievements at once, extending the fun, if you had a diverse group).
I play a lot of different MMOs. I have no problem buying Expansion Packs and Quest Packs in those other games and I have no problem with it in STO either. YMMV
There will be LTSers who demand it be free because they spent $200.00 4 years ago and think they deserve everything free now. There will be Gold players who demand it be free because they spend $15.00 a month and will tell you they have spent more on the game then LTSers. Then there will be Silver players who will say it should be free as that is what keeps players here buying other things, etc.
Everyone has a personal preference. My preference has been the same for 4 years now: new Mission Content, either free or pay. I do not care. I just want it in the game.
As long as it's financially viable this way, they are probably happy with it.
But they need to give us new story content, too. If the Romulan Republic story arc hadn't been added to the game, I might not even bothered to come back to STO and spend any more money on Zen.
But they will always look for the right balance between content you pay for and stories that make you want to play and pay - whatever gives them the best return on investment.
I agree, I don't understand why they would have to monetize episodes. That's what the Lockboxes, and Zen Store are for. And they are raking in a killing on the Lockboxes still, because I have been in several STF's recently where 3/5 ships were Undine/Tholian, and then us 2 little starfleet ships tore it up.
I thought WoW's forums had angry elitist snobs, but I never could have imagined the level STO forums has.
Yes. Because the 2800 and the Breen episodes were such "entertaining" and "well written" series.
Heh, the Breen one was okay, the 2800 did have some stand out bits.
Btw, love the new sig, can't help wondering if that much midriff has caused any feline anxiety...
Although I would have hoped something more in line with once a month (even if it are smaller episodes or episodes without vo and stuff like that) but regualar story progression (instead of a bone thrown at us every half year) is something needed.
I hope they rediscover that we hav ground Bos though, outside the romulan leveling missions we didn't have an episode involving bos for years.
Also a sidestep from the main story now and then might be nice
RIP C-Store costumes.
I'll be honest, I hated the Breen arc. :rolleyes:
One can only hope.
I didn't mean to make it seem they would. But their has to be some way for them to make money, right?
They have stockholders.
I won't buy lock boxes. Most people won't. Ships aren't selling anymore.
They have to find a non-gambling way to make money.
But no, they won't sell content.
An idea I had was charging people to get the content a week early or something