My favourite part of this thread so far is when someone jumped in to defend the new system, filling in the blanks caused by the vagueness of the Blog using information plucked out of the air.
This is a ploy to get people into the game, short-term. I read no long-term benefits of being a "Delta Recruit" that won't expire once this event ends... other than a Delta symbol by your character's name.
The dilithium you earn does not expire at the end of the event, you get an account-wide trait that also does not go away, and it appears as though the new story content persists past the end of the event. So there are a few things that stick around after the event is over.
But yes, it does seem as though they're doing a recruitment push to bring in some new players. And there is nothing wrong with that.
I read the same things, when they released T5.5 ships in the C-Store...
It's JUST the c-store... No ship will become obsolete... No need to change to stay competitive.
We're up to T6 ships and T5U Fleet...
Ships are one thing. They're always going to release new ships.
Nothing in that blog post hints towards some special new (long-term or permanent) game mechanic available only to Delta Recruits. T6 ships offer extra powers and hybrid seats (even mechanics like Intel or Command powers). Nothing like that is coming on the character level, based on this blog post.
Unless there's more to come out... it just sounds like another grind to me. Something that will end on May 21st. Anything more than that, at this point, is hyperbole and speculation (educated or not, warranted or not).
Cryptic released T6, I play with T5U
Cryptic released Intel/Command Officers, I play with TAC/ENG/SCI Officers
Cryptic release Delta Recruits, I play with my existing recruits
This Delta Recruit thing, I honestly find it insulting to anyone that has a character already, so like... everyone should feel insulted here. Wave goodbye to your existing characters; you can only get the new goodies on a brand new one.
As far as I can tell the only exclusive "goodie" is the new story content. But this is no different than having different story arcs for different factions. Oh, you want to play the KDF-only story arcs, then you have to roll a KDF. If you want to play the Delta Recruit story arcs then you have to play a Delta Recruit.
So many people are making this out to be some kind of sinister plan, but honestly I just don't see it. And trust me, I am NOT a PWE fanboi and I am well known to call BS when I see it. But I'm just not seeing it here.
Ships are one thing. They're always going to release new ships.
Nothing in that blog post hints towards some special new (long-term or permanent) game mechanic available only to Delta Recruits. T6 ships offer extra powers and hybrid seats (even mechanics like Intel or Command powers). Nothing like that is coming on the character level, based on this blog post.
Unless there's more to come out... it just sounds like another grind to me. Something that will end on May 21st. Anything more than that, at this point, is hyperbole and speculation (educated or not, warranted or not).
I've been around long enough to know that everything Cryptic releases is just the testing platform for a more elaborate successor that will open the door for further, enhanced variants of it.
Thats why, to me, STO is down to being what I saw W/O/W as a few years ago: A glorified Chatroom.
Don't look silly... Don't call it the "Z-Store/Zen Store"...
The dilithium you earn does not expire at the end of the event, you get an account-wide trait that also does not go away, and it appears as though the new story content persists past the end of the event. So there are a few things that stick around after the event is over.
But yes, it does seem as though they're doing a recruitment push to bring in some new players. And there is nothing wrong with that.
It does mean that I care even less about spec points as I'll have less time to play through previous content in the vain attempt to earn them without grinding DR content.
For someone that doesn't play eight hours a day, you can pick having more than one captain exclusive or having full spec trees before the heat death of the universe.
I do not follow the way of the one true main so nine spec points is all most of my surviving captains will ever likely see.
This is my Risian Corvette. There are many like it, but this one is mine.
It does mean that I care even less about spec points as I'll have less time to play through previous content in the vain attempt to earn them without grinding DR content.
For someone that doesn't play eight hours a day, you can pick having more than one captain exclusive or having full spec trees before the heat death of the universe.
I do not follow the way of the one true main so nine spec points is all most of my surviving captains will ever likely see.
Dude, it's only a 6 week event. It's not going to prevent you from earning spec points before you die.
As far as I can tell the only exclusive "goodie" is the new story content.
It's still early days, so there's not going to be a whole lot of information released, but I bet you anything right now that the exclusive goodies will be more significant than you currently think; they're going to need to entice people into this, and story content isn't going to cut it alone.
But this is no different than having different story arcs for different factions. Oh, you want to play the KDF-only story arcs, then you have to roll a KDF.
Surely, if they've done this then they've created new missions for all three factions? Wouldn't those missions have served better within the existing factions?
don't be naive they did it to our ships they will do it to our toons as well and people will still come back. for one reason only. its trek and we have NO OTHER OUTLET.
Not naive, been here since before day one.
Still sore after having the majority of my in game currency stolen in the great Dilithium conversion, so was just a gentle shot across their bow....
That's assuming that future similar events that follow won't have goodies that are exclusive to new characters. This is Cryptic's typical MO-release a seemingly innocuous feature or expansion and then piggyback non-veteran friendly features onto it at some later date. First they test the waters and then depending on how well that goes, release the next "popular" feature.
This may play out a little differently though. Since our feedback with respect to design decisions carries 0 weight (paraphrasing taco here), we won't be able to influence the design of delta recruit. That being said, this expansion will have bad press since players aren't dumb anymore and know something odd is brewing at Cryptic headquarters, and consequently, they will not just let it slide this time.
Cryptic released T6, I play with T5U
Cryptic released Intel/Command Officers, I play with TAC/ENG/SCI Officers
Cryptic release Delta Recruits, I play with my existing recruits
This Delta Recruit thing, I honestly find it insulting to anyone that has a character already, so like... everyone should feel insulted here. Wave goodbye to your existing characters; you can only get the new goodies on a brand new one.
Right... as if you can dictate to other players what they "should" do. I don't feel insulted in any way, and I have a lot of characters.
I dont know what the big deal is... they are giving away a new char slot.
you play the same old missions but now you get additional objectives to do... a "parallel story".
you earn dil for kills while doing these missions on this new alt on top of the dil awards for 1st time play... you get "goodies" that are probably junk and MK lvl'd to when you get it to help with leveling or doing these stories.
The only reason to do this alt is for the new trait that will unlock on the account... wish all traits one can get would be account wide... especially the universal lock box traits.
unless they come out with more details about character bound items from this event that arfe heads and shoulders better than what's currently available... i dont see any issues.
oh also the bonus dil for kills seem to be only for these delta recruits, imo based on what is on the blog... and not account wide bonus... it does extend to the group if they group with characters made before this event.
just grind this out asap for the trait and decide if the bonus dil for kills and if the goodies are worth the time or not, if not go back to grinding spec points or dil at the voth battle zone.
Not exactly monetization when they give you the free Character slot.
Not for the slot, but for all the gear that the new 'toon will require leveling up. Fortunately, I have access to some account-wide unlocks for ships & gear, so some of that will be reduced, and I can always swing some extra EC's to the Delta noob. My biggest reservation on the entire enterprise is the unrelenting grind being intensified. After all, 5-6 weeks of episodes will require a real commitment in time, when I have yet to get even 1 Winter Event ship fully mastered, let alone the Kobali cruiser.
Perhaps what we should really be concerned about is how hard the Iconians will be to beat, if our lvl 60+ char's need the boost from the new Delta toon...:eek:
/4 char's
Expendables Fleet: Andrew - Bajoran Fed Engineer Ken'taura - Rom/Fed Scientist Gwyllim - Human Fed Delta Tac Savik - Vulcan Fed Temporal Sci Dahar Masters Fleet: Alphal'Fa - Alien KDF Engineer Qun'pau - Rom/KDF Engineer D'nesh - Orion KDF Scientist Ghen'khan - Liberated KDF Tac Welcome to StarBug Online - to boldly Bug where no bug has been before!
STO player since November 2013
Any business needs a constant supply of new customers (I run a martial arts school, the same is true for me). No matter how good or perfect their game is, customer attrition is a constant. While Cryptic can probably do more to increase retention, it will never be 100%, so events like this to push new players are necessary if veterans want the game to still be there for them.
let me be the 1st to exploit the dil bonus so they can just remove it now instead of after the fact and then call us all cheaters.
group bonus dil for kils LOL
ok multiple accounts with delta recruits one beefed up main toon. go to defera invasion zone park up on the hill to the left side of the city with the noob alts in safe distance and jsut snipe borg all day long ever day of the event. cash in dil buy zen. buy keys. trade keys to main and get richer.
and that is jsut off the top of my head.
Trophies for killing FEDS ahh those were the days.
I dont know what the big deal is... they are giving away a new char slot.
you play the same old missions but now you get additional objectives to do... a "parallel story".
you earn dil for kills while doing these missions on this new alt on top of the dil awards for 1st time play... you get "goodies" that are probably junk and MK lvl'd to when you get it to help with leveling or doing these stories.
The only reason to do this alt is for the new trait that will unlock on the account... wish all traits one can get would be account wide... especially the universal lock box traits.
unless they come out with more details about character bound items from this event that arfe heads and shoulders better than what's currently available... i dont see any issues.
oh also the bonus dil for kills seem to be only for these delta recruits, imo based on what is on the blog... and not account wide bonus... it does extend to the group if they group with characters made before this event.
just grind this out asap for the trait and decide if the bonus dil for kills and if the goodies are worth the time or not, if not go back to grinding spec points or dil at the voth battle zone.
If you have any sort of life experience, you know that the devil is in the details and often comes back to bite you in the rear end. Whenever Cryptic releases blogs about new upcoming content with ambiguous or obtuse language that spells trouble ( jem hadar strike ship controversy is one example and so is T5u debacle). Later on, Cryptic will just say they never actually meant that or we misinterpreted it or that it was a mistake.
To those saying is not monetization cause its free, thats just an illusion. They're giving you the slot cause they want you to buy inventory upgrades, ship slots, etc, all the stuff that is character specific.
the thing is this: i am not so sure this is intended to bring in a heap of new users. this isnt an expansion like LoR, this is an event. and this event seems to designed for the purpose of getting existing players roll a new toon and grind it for 7 weeks.
beyond that there is the possibility that this is in fact an orchestrated exercise in acclimation... like a frog slowly brought to boil.
To those saying is not monetization cause its free, thats just an illusion. They're giving you the slot cause they want you to buy inventory upgrades, ship slots, etc, all the stuff that is character specific.
The first hit is always free.
Some clarification on if I'll have to make a new/delete and reroll other faction captain to get the trait on both sides would be nice.
I've already got enough reasons not to play KDF. Being down a trait would just add to that list.
This is my Risian Corvette. There are many like it, but this one is mine.
Any business needs a constant supply of new customers (I run a martial arts school, the same is true for me). No matter how good or perfect their game is, customer attrition is a constant. While Cryptic can probably do more to increase retention, it will never be 100%, so events like this to push new players are necessary if veterans want the game to still be there for them.
This is almost true.
Yes... A constant influx of new users of any business is always needed.
However, as companies such as apple will attest to: You can't expand without renewal.
Short term campaigns will get you new customers for a short while, but if whatever you are offering remains boring and dull, eventually, those new customers will leave, and spread a bad mood about you.
Don't look silly... Don't call it the "Z-Store/Zen Store"...
one thing alot of people are missing is the part about faction bonuses. now we kdf players have less people no doubt about that. so these faction bonuses will be less for kdf just because of the sheer numbers involved. they try so hard to make people NOT want to play kdf side.
and this sector space revamp and the new recruitment poster with no KDF or rommy badges only 3 fed badges just looks like the 1st step to a single faction, with new content. with the option to leave all of our old toons out to waste away. its all been seen before by people who have been here for awhile. like flanking.
kdf bops get promised flanking. what ship get its 1st? the multi faction breen ship 6 months later kdf get its. then 6 months after that everybody gets it on all ships as spec point unlock that must be ground for.
5 for weapon ship feds get it 1st with the andorian then the avenger. 6 months later we get the mogh in all its gimpedness ill never see why people even liked that thing well unless you play like a fed then its a fine little cut and paste ship then.
Trophies for killing FEDS ahh those were the days.
kdf bops get promised flanking. what ship get its 1st? the multi faction breen ship 6 months later kdf get its. then 6 months after that everybody gets it on all ships as spec point unlock that must be ground for.
dont forget that the bop flanking was nerfed to not flank as hard as the breen ship and to be a trivial threat in pvp. and when the flanking bop finally arrived feds got a new ship with an aft-facing cannon; literally a ship that specialised in running away while crfing flanking bops
Comments
It made me laugh.
Free Tibet!
The dilithium you earn does not expire at the end of the event, you get an account-wide trait that also does not go away, and it appears as though the new story content persists past the end of the event. So there are a few things that stick around after the event is over.
But yes, it does seem as though they're doing a recruitment push to bring in some new players. And there is nothing wrong with that.
Ships are one thing. They're always going to release new ships.
Nothing in that blog post hints towards some special new (long-term or permanent) game mechanic available only to Delta Recruits. T6 ships offer extra powers and hybrid seats (even mechanics like Intel or Command powers). Nothing like that is coming on the character level, based on this blog post.
Unless there's more to come out... it just sounds like another grind to me. Something that will end on May 21st. Anything more than that, at this point, is hyperbole and speculation (educated or not, warranted or not).
As far as I can tell the only exclusive "goodie" is the new story content. But this is no different than having different story arcs for different factions. Oh, you want to play the KDF-only story arcs, then you have to roll a KDF. If you want to play the Delta Recruit story arcs then you have to play a Delta Recruit.
So many people are making this out to be some kind of sinister plan, but honestly I just don't see it. And trust me, I am NOT a PWE fanboi and I am well known to call BS when I see it. But I'm just not seeing it here.
I've been around long enough to know that everything Cryptic releases is just the testing platform for a more elaborate successor that will open the door for further, enhanced variants of it.
Thats why, to me, STO is down to being what I saw W/O/W as a few years ago: A glorified Chatroom.
It does mean that I care even less about spec points as I'll have less time to play through previous content in the vain attempt to earn them without grinding DR content.
For someone that doesn't play eight hours a day, you can pick having more than one captain exclusive or having full spec trees before the heat death of the universe.
I do not follow the way of the one true main so nine spec points is all most of my surviving captains will ever likely see.
They are so bad federation and kdf only queues now have balanced populations lol. All zero's lol
Dude, it's only a 6 week event. It's not going to prevent you from earning spec points before you die.
Surely, if they've done this then they've created new missions for all three factions? Wouldn't those missions have served better within the existing factions?
We don't even know what they all are yet.
Not naive, been here since before day one.
Still sore after having the majority of my in game currency stolen in the great Dilithium conversion, so was just a gentle shot across their bow....
That's assuming that future similar events that follow won't have goodies that are exclusive to new characters. This is Cryptic's typical MO-release a seemingly innocuous feature or expansion and then piggyback non-veteran friendly features onto it at some later date. First they test the waters and then depending on how well that goes, release the next "popular" feature.
This may play out a little differently though. Since our feedback with respect to design decisions carries 0 weight (paraphrasing taco here), we won't be able to influence the design of delta recruit. That being said, this expansion will have bad press since players aren't dumb anymore and know something odd is brewing at Cryptic headquarters, and consequently, they will not just let it slide this time.
ferengis for kdf and roms
talaxians for roms
if you say "hell no"
then i will demand voth roboter and cars ... :eek:
This is true...
you play the same old missions but now you get additional objectives to do... a "parallel story".
you earn dil for kills while doing these missions on this new alt on top of the dil awards for 1st time play... you get "goodies" that are probably junk and MK lvl'd to when you get it to help with leveling or doing these stories.
The only reason to do this alt is for the new trait that will unlock on the account... wish all traits one can get would be account wide... especially the universal lock box traits.
unless they come out with more details about character bound items from this event that arfe heads and shoulders better than what's currently available... i dont see any issues.
oh also the bonus dil for kills seem to be only for these delta recruits, imo based on what is on the blog... and not account wide bonus... it does extend to the group if they group with characters made before this event.
just grind this out asap for the trait and decide if the bonus dil for kills and if the goodies are worth the time or not, if not go back to grinding spec points or dil at the voth battle zone.
PREMATURE PUBLICATION!
see what i did there
Not for the slot, but for all the gear that the new 'toon will require leveling up. Fortunately, I have access to some account-wide unlocks for ships & gear, so some of that will be reduced, and I can always swing some extra EC's to the Delta noob. My biggest reservation on the entire enterprise is the unrelenting grind being intensified. After all, 5-6 weeks of episodes will require a real commitment in time, when I have yet to get even 1 Winter Event ship fully mastered, let alone the Kobali cruiser.
Perhaps what we should really be concerned about is how hard the Iconians will be to beat, if our lvl 60+ char's need the boost from the new Delta toon...:eek:
/4 char's
Savik - Vulcan Fed Temporal Sci
Dahar Masters Fleet: Alphal'Fa - Alien KDF Engineer Qun'pau - Rom/KDF Engineer D'nesh - Orion KDF Scientist Ghen'khan - Liberated KDF Tac
Welcome to StarBug Online - to boldly Bug where no bug has been before!
STO player since November 2013
group bonus dil for kils LOL
ok multiple accounts with delta recruits one beefed up main toon. go to defera invasion zone park up on the hill to the left side of the city with the noob alts in safe distance and jsut snipe borg all day long ever day of the event. cash in dil buy zen. buy keys. trade keys to main and get richer.
and that is jsut off the top of my head.
If you have any sort of life experience, you know that the devil is in the details and often comes back to bite you in the rear end. Whenever Cryptic releases blogs about new upcoming content with ambiguous or obtuse language that spells trouble ( jem hadar strike ship controversy is one example and so is T5u debacle). Later on, Cryptic will just say they never actually meant that or we misinterpreted it or that it was a mistake.
beyond that there is the possibility that this is in fact an orchestrated exercise in acclimation... like a frog slowly brought to boil.
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The first hit is always free.
Some clarification on if I'll have to make a new/delete and reroll other faction captain to get the trait on both sides would be nice.
I've already got enough reasons not to play KDF. Being down a trait would just add to that list.
This is almost true.
Yes... A constant influx of new users of any business is always needed.
However, as companies such as apple will attest to: You can't expand without renewal.
Short term campaigns will get you new customers for a short while, but if whatever you are offering remains boring and dull, eventually, those new customers will leave, and spread a bad mood about you.
and this sector space revamp and the new recruitment poster with no KDF or rommy badges only 3 fed badges just looks like the 1st step to a single faction, with new content. with the option to leave all of our old toons out to waste away. its all been seen before by people who have been here for awhile. like flanking.
kdf bops get promised flanking. what ship get its 1st? the multi faction breen ship 6 months later kdf get its. then 6 months after that everybody gets it on all ships as spec point unlock that must be ground for.
5 for weapon ship feds get it 1st with the andorian then the avenger. 6 months later we get the mogh in all its gimpedness ill never see why people even liked that thing well unless you play like a fed then its a fine little cut and paste ship then.
dont forget that the bop flanking was nerfed to not flank as hard as the breen ship and to be a trivial threat in pvp. and when the flanking bop finally arrived feds got a new ship with an aft-facing cannon; literally a ship that specialised in running away while crfing flanking bops
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