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clcopeland
Member Posts: 50 Arc User
First let me note that I often do not post on the forums. I read them often but rarely find either the time or inclination to post. I have deleted this post several times now, but I feel the need to write my thoughts and feelings on the current state of the game. I am a closed beta captain that left at season 2 and came back at season 7. I will admit that I did not sit in on the issues during that time. When I returned I felt enough had improved to warrant getting a life-sub.
I love this game. I love my toons, my boffs, my ships, and my doffs. I think most people do in some way love this game, or at least some aspect. If we did not care, we simply would not play. Yes the bugs are annoying and frustrating, but I can forgive bugs. It is much more difficult to forgive perceptions.
I perceive that I am no longer being treated as a customer. In many ways I can understand the need for the companies involved to make money or to improve and expand their business model. I feel that this process has not included the player base. In exchange I feel that the opinion of the player base no longer matters or is disregarded. This may not be true at all though. I have to admit that I am not privy to any form of communication involving STO customers. I am not aware of any system Cryptic uses to determine the needs and wants of the player base. There may be a process in place and it may be utilized; I am simply unaware of such a process or system. This brings me to my second perception. The second perception is that the player base is not included in the conversation beyond bug reports and sparse automated emails. Occasionally I get a response from the twitter account, but only in rare instances.
I could leave the game and come back later. I have good track record with that. I am not playing any other games at the moment and no others really interest me. The fact for me is that STO is the one virtual escape I have while completing this phd. I do not want to leave. I need the escape as do may of the other players. I play to relax and partake in trek related entertainment.
I really do appreciate how hard the devs and production teams work to provide me my favored form of entertainment. I know many people in the game do as well. I have enjoyed a majority of the content. This enjoyment has dwindled though in the last few months and I would like to have different perceptions than the ones I am experiencing. I suppose that if something is no longer fun, that I should re-evaluate my continued participation. I do not feel anger but there is a deep sense of disappointment in the current trends. I know I cannot be the only one feeling this way.
This may have been a long post and in many ways it was personal. These are my perceptions and feelings. You may not share them at all or you may share them in part. Either way, thank you for reading this. If you see me in game, I am more than willing to fly with anyone.
@roninuta
I love this game. I love my toons, my boffs, my ships, and my doffs. I think most people do in some way love this game, or at least some aspect. If we did not care, we simply would not play. Yes the bugs are annoying and frustrating, but I can forgive bugs. It is much more difficult to forgive perceptions.
I perceive that I am no longer being treated as a customer. In many ways I can understand the need for the companies involved to make money or to improve and expand their business model. I feel that this process has not included the player base. In exchange I feel that the opinion of the player base no longer matters or is disregarded. This may not be true at all though. I have to admit that I am not privy to any form of communication involving STO customers. I am not aware of any system Cryptic uses to determine the needs and wants of the player base. There may be a process in place and it may be utilized; I am simply unaware of such a process or system. This brings me to my second perception. The second perception is that the player base is not included in the conversation beyond bug reports and sparse automated emails. Occasionally I get a response from the twitter account, but only in rare instances.
I could leave the game and come back later. I have good track record with that. I am not playing any other games at the moment and no others really interest me. The fact for me is that STO is the one virtual escape I have while completing this phd. I do not want to leave. I need the escape as do may of the other players. I play to relax and partake in trek related entertainment.
I really do appreciate how hard the devs and production teams work to provide me my favored form of entertainment. I know many people in the game do as well. I have enjoyed a majority of the content. This enjoyment has dwindled though in the last few months and I would like to have different perceptions than the ones I am experiencing. I suppose that if something is no longer fun, that I should re-evaluate my continued participation. I do not feel anger but there is a deep sense of disappointment in the current trends. I know I cannot be the only one feeling this way.
This may have been a long post and in many ways it was personal. These are my perceptions and feelings. You may not share them at all or you may share them in part. Either way, thank you for reading this. If you see me in game, I am more than willing to fly with anyone.
@roninuta
Post edited by clcopeland on
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Comments
This is somewhat correct.
STO however switched from a "service" business (where the game was the service provided, and keeping the customers happy and subbing was the goal) to a digital sales business (where the game is free, and exists as a vehicle to sell digital products...c-store shinies).
Based on that change, I do not find it at all shocking that the game itself isn't managed as it once was, and instead all *new* content is perceived as a money grab.
They're no longer selling the "game", they're selling the shinies. This fundamental shift has a less than optimal effect on player satisfaction, but apparently has a beneficial effect on profits.
Just dig outside the STO forums and you'll find other networking sites and blogs where this game has it's issues and how a lot of people feel about it. And it's not good.
No the Devs either don't care or are happy to have jobs in this economy and will do whatever shareholders/directors want and squeeze you for every drop of money your poor parents will pump into STO....
Yes it has been done to death. Countless forum posts, Twitter and Facebook comments all relaying a single idea: unhappiness in one form or another.
What I truly do not understand though is how STO is seen as healthy and growing when so many players see it as sick and shrinking. I guess the only metric is profit and it does appear that people are still paying to play.
I myself am beyond caring anymore about a game that has become one dilithium-sink grind after another with no end in sight. All Im doing in-game at this point is using up all my reserves to try and find some sort of fun left in the game but its becoming harder with each patch or newly introduced (monetized) systems.
Agree with it all.
Btw mattjohnsonva - nice sig...but you were looking at it wrong - I fixed it for you
http://postimg.org/image/5z14fq3yn/
...#LLAP...
the people making decisions about this game, if anything, seem to be dead set on this course of action
it will probably be longer than that, and "sorting out" could mean the game is shuttered
if you really need a stable escape, I'd look up eve or earth & beyond, if they ever got it up and running again
Hear, hear!
The latest change to boff skills is just one more example. The way boff skills work needed fixing, it has done since launch. But they couldn't help themselves and added another dilithium cost in the process. Can we expect this of every QoL fix in the future?
K'ymara, Orion Engineer. Caedera of Borg, Liberated Borg Tactical, Elyza Vix, Joined Trill Scientist. Christina Bellona, Augmented Human Tactical.
T'Lana, Vulcan Scientist. Arbol, Martian Tactical. Ayzer Bryn, Joined Trill Engineer. Hawke, Betazoid Scientist. Karna Valkras, Klingon Engineer. Beth Parker, Human Tactical
Sarel, Romulan Engineer (Federation). Yazuri, Reman Scientist (KDF)
Simple solution don't let them, I have spent more money than you even want to know on this game, I have every C-store ship, almost every box ship, millions and millions of creds, and enough dil to never EVER have to spend a dime on it.
With all that the game is a bore, its still grindy, I can only imagine what its like for new players or players that have been here a year.
I have been here since the beginning, when you had to push your ship out of dry dock, and I will say I have never EVER been more disappointed in this game. Even when we had no new content and that's all anyone ever complained about it was never this bad.
Your not alone OP
you don't want to read my general pressure issues long list that is starting in the morning and so on and on