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.
Of course they want you to buy stuff. They are running a for-profit business. Do you want to buy stuff? No? Then don't. Problem solved.
From a marketing perspective, this move has three purposes:
1. To encourage new players to register
2. To encourage those new players to spend money in the game.
3. To encourage lapsed or jaded veteran players to give the game a fresh start
And pretty much in that order.
To incentivize the above, they're giving away a free character slot to create a Delta alt, which you don't have to create. They're providing a new piece of temporary alternate story content for those new characters to play through, which you don't have to play. And playing through that content unlocks stuff for your entire account, which you don't have to do.
Honestly, I don't get the butthurt over this. I was skeptical about this idea at first too (which you can see if you read through the beginning of this thread) but now seeing the details, I've got no problem with it.
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Get the new character, level them up, take the trait, delete the new character, carry on as before.
I would recommend KDF, has fewer missions so easier to grind. Or Rom, you get a L45 purple boff with SRO (hopefully) that you can put on exchange for some EC I would go KDF-Rom for Plas Leech, assuming you have it already unlocked.
Wasteland - 6 Missions - same across all factions
Borg Advance - 5 Missions - same across all factions
Breen Invasion - 5 Missions - same across all factions
Fed - 72 Total Missions
Tutorial - Fed 5 Missions -
Klingon War - 20 missions
Romulan Mystery - 11 Missions (only 6 missions for KDF)
Cardassian Struggle - 20 Missions (only 13 missions for KDF)
1. I have alt-itis, might as well indulge it with a free character slot. In fact, I will likely delete some of my mules and start one new character in each faction... even if I don't play more than one of them during the event. Those characters really weren't being used anyway.
2. New plotline to follow? They had me at "experienced captain traveling back in time".
3. Improved rewards? Yes. Extra dilithium? Heck, yes.
The question I have is will different factions offer different permanent bonuses, as in, if I want all the bonuses from the event I need to play each faction? Or are they all the same and I only need to do one?
This paragraph from the blog is key:
Delta Recruits will be playing a parallel story to that of their chosen faction. They have a list of goals that they can achieve at any time, and completing these goals will see them rewarded with equipment, Marks, and other rewards beneficial not just to the Delta Recruit, but to all characters on the same account. Completing the story arcs of your chosen faction will reward you with a unique Starship Trait for all characters on your account: Temporal Insight. This trait will proc a Damage Immunity when you use any Hull Heal on your starship.
So, reasonable to think that some of the rewards will only apply to Delta Recruit characters and some will apply to all characters on the account. Some will be more or less permanent and some, like the dilithium and XP bonuses, will end when the event ends. Clarification will no doubt be coming.
What MAY be different will be the parallel storyline for each faction. I expect them to be very similar if not identical, but the 'flavor' might be a bit different for each. That's why I'll start one each. Might even go for a theme... A Fed Engineer, a KDF Tac Officer, and a Rom Science Officer. Dunno, have to get more details and let the thought simmer awhile.
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So what is an "entire group" exactly? All the characters on a team, all the characters in my account, all the character's in Delta Recruitment, all the characters registered in STO?
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 am not dictating, I am expressive an opinion. I feel insulted, and can appreciate how others might feel. You don't? That's fine, I wasn't speaking for you, do not speak for me.
I am not dictating, I am expressive an opinion. I feel insulted, and can appreciate how others might feel. You don't? That's fine, I wasn't speaking for you, do not speak for me.
flash, There's parts of the blog that specifically says that there's rewards that are beneficial to our existing characters too, not just the delta recruit characters.
flash, There's parts of the blog that specifically says that there's rewards that are beneficial to our existing characters too, not just the delta recruit characters.
If I read correctly, we can only get those rewards AFTER leveling a new delta recruit character.
If I read correctly, we can only get those rewards AFTER leveling a new delta recruit character.
I suggest you wait until all of the details get revealed before jumping to conclusions.
I can see right now that the starship trait is what comes for completing the faction's story arcs with the delta recruit. However, the equipment, marks and misc rewards can come from completing the delta recruit goals. I take it you don't like incentives for playing with a new character?
I take it you don't like incentives for playing with a new character?
I'm against being forced to play a new character to gain benefits. I have three characters that I'm running now; only two of them are level #60, neither of those have their specializations finished, nor are they running equipment that bests Mk XII. I don't have the time for yet another character.
If it was a new faction with a new story and content, I'd understand (somewhat) cause it would be something widely different, but what I fear they propose isn't ultimately going to be that different from an existing character choice. You're right, I shouldn't jump to conclusions, but every time lately that I try to be optimistic, Cryptic go and do something that makes me lose all faith in them.
As such, I fear that my conclusions where this is concerned will turn out to be true.
I basically quit playing STO about 4 months ago, so far this blog has made me raise an eyebrow of interest again, however...
I think Cryptic / PWE need to details exactly why these "new recruit" characters are going to be so important if they want existing and new players to begin an entire "new alt" investment in gear, currency, rep, crafting, upgrades and spec trees, otherwise...people are going to wonder what the whole point of it is.
Sure, every alt you have gets a trait, but, so what? that's such a minor thing for me it is nowhere near important enough to warrant an entire new alt.
If the "recruits" end up being completely marginal in upcoming content or worse, almost pointless, that would be a very very crappy thing to do to an already fractured playerbase.
I'm against being forced to play a new character to gain benefits.
But being "forced" to play an old/current character is ok to you?
Are you doing the current event for the torp?
It's a game, no one is forcing you to do anything... you can uninstalll the game completely if you want to.
if you want the trait, grind for it as you are currently grinding for the torp, assuming your doing that. if not then carry on and play as you like. this event is costing you nothing, you dont need to delete a current toon to make room or buy a new slot. totally up to you if you want to grind or not. and since these missions are all old stuff your familiar with... heck just burn thru em asap and get the new mission dil and kill dil during this event.
I dont like it one bit. Firstly, I dont care for alts in any game, I hate replaying the same missions or instances. Does not matter if its a different class, it is basically all the same storyline that has no dynamic changes. STFs or BZs I do not mind as they are just maps to me with rewards. Story missions are boring, long, and all I can think of is rush to the end and hope never have to do it again. These arent dungeons like in typical MMOs. They are much more boring and predictable.
Dangling traits, whatever fine, could care less, I barely play to take advantage of any this grind anyways. Just amused that Cryptic can always find new way to 'make the game better'. Last year has been the worst ever since year one.
Good idea to get players to start new toons. Cryptic destroyed the end game of STO by making it Pay To Win so perhaps people will be entertained by leveling new toons....
Nope. I'm doing the event for the marks and dilithium, if it wasn't for the event, I'd be earning said items other ways. The event merely serves as a shortcut until it's over.
Effectively, they want new players to join (thus they need to heavily advertise this event, and not just on their own home page), they want old players to return, and they want current players to start new characters and hopefully play them through to a high level (likely outfitting them with gear using the upgrade system (dilithium sink) and possibly purchasing character specific unlocks in the zen store). All in all, this event is a win for Cryptic.
It's not bad for players either, which is a new one for them. It's a little disappointing that current characters don't get to enjoy the event, but the possibility of getting us to purchase stuff for new characters makes them money.
My only problem is.. I've no reason to start another alt. I'm normally a serious altoholic (I had a 90 of every class in WoW, two 90 paladins, and a 60 paladin twinked out with all the best stuff she could get for each spec - pre Naxx, as that was taken out before I made her.. she was fun to jump into random groups with, lol). In this game though, it felt pointless even leveling a science and engineer.. I did it, but there was no reason to do so. When romulans came out I leveled up a romulan tactical too, mainly for the story.. but again, it felt totally pointless. I've tried several times to start a klingon.. but why? It's just the same stuff over again leading to the same stuff in the end.
Now that we've got spec points and upgraded gear that costs a ton and isn't all account bound.. I've no desire to use any character beyond my single main fed tactical. Even the benefits of playing romulans hasn't been enough to change my mind there.
This is good for new players, and any existing ones willing to go through the trouble of grinding a new character.
Till DR, I never had a main. I have 13 characters, and played on all of them the same. However, with the release of DR, which is excessively grind focused, and NOT alt friendly.
If you are not going to waste the time grinding another character, just to play through the same missions again, then it is pointless.
Personally, till they fix the major game pley problems with DR, I am not going to waste time with another alt. They even said that most of the things you will be doing is what you do anyway playing the missions. All that means is that you will be grinding another character through the exact same content as before.
If they are not willing to fix the game play problems, then at least make new content, instead of trying to find ways to bribe players to replay the same content they have already done.
Besides, if you want to start a new character, even without the bonus xp event, it only takes less than 48 hours to reach level 50. The real problem is getting to 60, and getting the spec points. Everything else is just putting glitter on the same old stuff to get people to play it so they don't have to fix stuff, or put out new content.
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Meh, I have what I need to create a lvl 50 something fed tac toon to fly a T5-U PER, I can't be bothered fleeting it, I don't think I'll bother getting any high level character bound gear for it... But I'm a completionist so I'll see what 'new' things they've made for these toons. I just likely wont enjoy doing it.
Just say NO! Of course, Cryptic/PWE are counting on all the OCD/min-maxers not wanting to be outclassed by those players who just can't bring themselves to say NO, so here is the next layer of power creep & monetization...
How is this monitization at all? Nothing in this event REQUIRES money.
How is this monitization at all? Nothing in this event REQUIRES money.
Its to nudge you to spend. If you want the shinies for your vets, gotta roll a new character. And ya know, its a new character and all, probably ought to gear him out appropriately. And some fancy doffs. And maybe a new ship. And.....
Its to nudge you to spend. If you want the shinies for your vets, gotta roll a new character. And ya know, its a new character and all, probably ought to gear him out appropriately. And some fancy doffs. And maybe a new ship. And.....
the character slot is free, ships you have previously paid for will still be available, and nobody is forcing you to make this new character your main character - there's no reason to spend money whatsoever.
Its to nudge you to spend. If you want the shinies for your vets, gotta roll a new character. And ya know, its a new character and all, probably ought to gear him out appropriately. And some fancy doffs. And maybe a new ship. And.....
And some extra inventory slots. Maybe a couple extra boff slots if you decide on a special crew theme? What other purchases are character specific?
That said I'm almost certain I'll be making a Vorta and buying enough keys to trade in for ec to get a jem ship (not bug, that's WAY too expensive) ... so i guess they're gonna get what they wanted afterall
Grinding: the final frontier. These are the grindings of Star Trek Online. Its five-year mission: to explore strange new grinds, to seek out new grinders and new grind-ations, to boldly grind where Ive ground 12 times before.
And some extra inventory slots. Maybe a couple extra boff slots if you decide on a special crew theme? What other purchases are character specific?
Right, but none of that stuff is necessary to get any of the stated rewards for this event. I kind of doubt most existing players will bother with the DR character they create once they've earned the account-wide awards.
While it's true that new players might want to buy some of this stuff, that would be true regardless of this event.
Right, but none of that stuff is necessary to get any of the stated rewards for this event. I kind of doubt most existing players will bother with the DR character they create once they've earned the account-wide awards.
While it's true that new players might want to buy some of this stuff, that would be true regardless of this event.
Please tell me where these stated rewards are stated, because Cryptic hasn't stated what the stated rewards will be.
Comments
there is only 1 trait... so doesnt matter if you play fed or kdf... it's unlocked account wide.
Free Tibet!
I hope there's no catch. My gut tells me it won't be that easy.
From a marketing perspective, this move has three purposes:
1. To encourage new players to register
2. To encourage those new players to spend money in the game.
3. To encourage lapsed or jaded veteran players to give the game a fresh start
And pretty much in that order.
To incentivize the above, they're giving away a free character slot to create a Delta alt, which you don't have to create. They're providing a new piece of temporary alternate story content for those new characters to play through, which you don't have to play. And playing through that content unlocks stuff for your entire account, which you don't have to do.
Honestly, I don't get the butthurt over this. I was skeptical about this idea at first too (which you can see if you read through the beginning of this thread) but now seeing the details, I've got no problem with it.
Eclipse Class Intel Cruiser U.S.S. Dioscuria NX-91121-A - Interactive Crew Roster
I would recommend KDF, has fewer missions so easier to grind. Or Rom, you get a L45 purple boff with SRO (hopefully) that you can put on exchange for some EC
Wasteland - 6 Missions - same across all factions
Borg Advance - 5 Missions - same across all factions
Breen Invasion - 5 Missions - same across all factions
Fed - 72 Total Missions
Tutorial - Fed 5 Missions -
Klingon War - 20 missions
Romulan Mystery - 11 Missions (only 6 missions for KDF)
Cardassian Struggle - 20 Missions (only 13 missions for KDF)
KDF - 65 Total Missions
Tutorial - 7 Missions
Empire - 5 Missions
Warzone - 5 Missions
Fek'Ihri Return - 4 Missions
Vigilance - 4 Missions
Romulan Mystery - 6 Missions
Spectres - 5 Missions
Dominion Domination - 13 Missions
Rom - 72 Total Missions
Tutorial - 4 Missions
From the Ashes - 7 Missions
Allies - 5 Missions
In Shadows - 7 Missions
Vengeance - 7 Missions
Freedom - 7 Missions
Spectres - 6 Missions
Cardassian Struggle - 13 Missions
Exactly how I read it. Except I may keep the toon after all is said and done.
Everyone can roll up their Jump To Conclusions Mat... at least for now.
Right after the Crystalline Entity event?
Grind out for a new shiny and then have to make an alt?
1. I have alt-itis, might as well indulge it with a free character slot. In fact, I will likely delete some of my mules and start one new character in each faction... even if I don't play more than one of them during the event. Those characters really weren't being used anyway.
2. New plotline to follow? They had me at "experienced captain traveling back in time".
3. Improved rewards? Yes. Extra dilithium? Heck, yes.
This paragraph from the blog is key:
So, reasonable to think that some of the rewards will only apply to Delta Recruit characters and some will apply to all characters on the account. Some will be more or less permanent and some, like the dilithium and XP bonuses, will end when the event ends. Clarification will no doubt be coming.
What MAY be different will be the parallel storyline for each faction. I expect them to be very similar if not identical, but the 'flavor' might be a bit different for each. That's why I'll start one each. Might even go for a theme... A Fed Engineer, a KDF Tac Officer, and a Rom Science Officer. Dunno, have to get more details and let the thought simmer awhile.
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flash, There's parts of the blog that specifically says that there's rewards that are beneficial to our existing characters too, not just the delta recruit characters.
I suggest you wait until all of the details get revealed before jumping to conclusions.
I can see right now that the starship trait is what comes for completing the faction's story arcs with the delta recruit. However, the equipment, marks and misc rewards can come from completing the delta recruit goals. I take it you don't like incentives for playing with a new character?
and the problem is? no different than the current event going on... but this is an account wide trait unlock.
play the alt get the dil from the missions and kills... get trait. move dill to exchange and delete char.
trait available across account.
way better than the current event where you need to grind it for each toon to get the torp.
if you dont want the trait, dont do the event.
If it was a new faction with a new story and content, I'd understand (somewhat) cause it would be something widely different, but what I fear they propose isn't ultimately going to be that different from an existing character choice. You're right, I shouldn't jump to conclusions, but every time lately that I try to be optimistic, Cryptic go and do something that makes me lose all faith in them.
As such, I fear that my conclusions where this is concerned will turn out to be true.
I think Cryptic / PWE need to details exactly why these "new recruit" characters are going to be so important if they want existing and new players to begin an entire "new alt" investment in gear, currency, rep, crafting, upgrades and spec trees, otherwise...people are going to wonder what the whole point of it is.
Sure, every alt you have gets a trait, but, so what? that's such a minor thing for me it is nowhere near important enough to warrant an entire new alt.
If the "recruits" end up being completely marginal in upcoming content or worse, almost pointless, that would be a very very crappy thing to do to an already fractured playerbase.
But being "forced" to play an old/current character is ok to you?
Are you doing the current event for the torp?
It's a game, no one is forcing you to do anything... you can uninstalll the game completely if you want to.
if you want the trait, grind for it as you are currently grinding for the torp, assuming your doing that. if not then carry on and play as you like. this event is costing you nothing, you dont need to delete a current toon to make room or buy a new slot. totally up to you if you want to grind or not. and since these missions are all old stuff your familiar with... heck just burn thru em asap and get the new mission dil and kill dil during this event.
Dangling traits, whatever fine, could care less, I barely play to take advantage of any this grind anyways. Just amused that Cryptic can always find new way to 'make the game better'. Last year has been the worst ever since year one.
Nope. I'm doing the event for the marks and dilithium, if it wasn't for the event, I'd be earning said items other ways. The event merely serves as a shortcut until it's over.
Oh I very much intend too.
It's not bad for players either, which is a new one for them. It's a little disappointing that current characters don't get to enjoy the event, but the possibility of getting us to purchase stuff for new characters makes them money.
My only problem is.. I've no reason to start another alt. I'm normally a serious altoholic (I had a 90 of every class in WoW, two 90 paladins, and a 60 paladin twinked out with all the best stuff she could get for each spec - pre Naxx, as that was taken out before I made her.. she was fun to jump into random groups with, lol). In this game though, it felt pointless even leveling a science and engineer.. I did it, but there was no reason to do so. When romulans came out I leveled up a romulan tactical too, mainly for the story.. but again, it felt totally pointless. I've tried several times to start a klingon.. but why? It's just the same stuff over again leading to the same stuff in the end.
Now that we've got spec points and upgraded gear that costs a ton and isn't all account bound.. I've no desire to use any character beyond my single main fed tactical. Even the benefits of playing romulans hasn't been enough to change my mind there.
Till DR, I never had a main. I have 13 characters, and played on all of them the same. However, with the release of DR, which is excessively grind focused, and NOT alt friendly.
If you are not going to waste the time grinding another character, just to play through the same missions again, then it is pointless.
Personally, till they fix the major game pley problems with DR, I am not going to waste time with another alt. They even said that most of the things you will be doing is what you do anyway playing the missions. All that means is that you will be grinding another character through the exact same content as before.
If they are not willing to fix the game play problems, then at least make new content, instead of trying to find ways to bribe players to replay the same content they have already done.
Besides, if you want to start a new character, even without the bonus xp event, it only takes less than 48 hours to reach level 50. The real problem is getting to 60, and getting the spec points. Everything else is just putting glitter on the same old stuff to get people to play it so they don't have to fix stuff, or put out new content.
How is this monitization at all? Nothing in this event REQUIRES money.
Its to nudge you to spend. If you want the shinies for your vets, gotta roll a new character. And ya know, its a new character and all, probably ought to gear him out appropriately. And some fancy doffs. And maybe a new ship. And.....
the character slot is free, ships you have previously paid for will still be available, and nobody is forcing you to make this new character your main character - there's no reason to spend money whatsoever.
personally, I can't see what the problem is here.
And some extra inventory slots. Maybe a couple extra boff slots if you decide on a special crew theme? What other purchases are character specific?
That said I'm almost certain I'll be making a Vorta and buying enough keys to trade in for ec to get a jem ship (not bug, that's WAY too expensive) ... so i guess they're gonna get what they wanted afterall
Right, but none of that stuff is necessary to get any of the stated rewards for this event. I kind of doubt most existing players will bother with the DR character they create once they've earned the account-wide awards.
While it's true that new players might want to buy some of this stuff, that would be true regardless of this event.
Please tell me where these stated rewards are stated, because Cryptic hasn't stated what the stated rewards will be.
Free Tibet!