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About Event Ships...

This topic has been raised and re-raised multiple times this year, initially starting with the Summer Event. I can already hear the cries of my fellow gamers that are going to rip this forum post to shreds, but that won't stop me from saying what I need to say. Making these event ships year-exclusive is not a good idea, whatsoever. I've never played an MMO that removes and time-gates content as much as STO does, and honestly making these ships so limited in availability is only serving to hurt newer players by discouraging them from participating in these events.

Looking at the Winter Event item store, you can see that every past item available from that vendor is still available this year, whether it be the kit modules, outfits, or weapons. Even the Breen Warp Core/Singularity Cores are available again. Since those items are available yearly without fail, why can't the event ships, for Summer, Winter, and Anniversary be that way as well? Most MMOs that I've played or heard of make the rewards for these special events available each year, they just add new stuff on top of the old rewards. Why can't it be that way for STO?

These changes to event ships were made many months after the events were run the past year; that's not much notice given to players for such a drastic change. The playerbase wasn't given a last-chance event or anything, we were just told that this was how it will be and there's nothing we can do about it. The justification given to the community for these changes was that of "exclusivity and collectability". Unfortunately, those two words are in conflict with each other. Collectability is defined as "being capable/worthy of being collected", while exclusivity is defined as "the state of being limited or hard to access", with its root word exclusive being defined as "excluding or not admitting other things/restricted or limited to the person, group, or area concerned".

Even the rarest items in the world can still be collected by the Average Joe if they put enough time, effort, and resources into acquiring those items. However, when an item or items are only available for a limited time and then completely removed from any market or trading network in existence, they no longer become collectible, just exclusive. For example, a rare, limited-edition comic book can be sold at one point and then removed from the general market. That comic book, however, can still be obtained in places like Craigslist, Ebay, Amazon, and a variety of 3rd party sellers after the comic book's initial printing/sales period. The supply can run out, sure, but it can still be obtainable if someone wants it enough. On the flip side, if that comic book never makes it to those off-market sellers, then it can't be collected by any means.

That's what's happening with these event ships. With the recent changes they are now just exclusive, time-gated rewards for which one had to be in the right place at the right time to get. It's not as if there are spare Chel Gretts, Risian Corvettes, and Samsars just floating around on the Exchange or available on the Lobi Store/C-Store that one can pick up if they so desire. They are gone completely, with no way to get them other than going back in time and playing the event when it last occurred. One can't collect something if its not available to collect.

Another issue with restricting these event ships to the year they were released is that they complete sets with other ships. The Samsar comes with a console that completes the 4-piece set with the Command Battlecruisers/Warbirds from the C-Store. Now that that Anniversary Event is over, that set bonus is rendered incompletable to those that missed it. The Breen ships are another example. With four ships now contributing to the console set, that leaves a lot of times that someone could've missed an event and are no longer able to complete the set. The Nandi as well contributes to a set bonus with a Lock Box reward ship, the D'Kora Marauder. Now those people fortunate enough to get the D'Kora will be unable to complete the set with the Nandi if they happened to miss out on the most recent Summer Event.

I understand that part of the reason why these changes were made was because people were pooling the tokens needed to earn these ships and holding them over 'til the event next year. With the new tokens being restricted to the year of the event, this issue has disappeared, yet the event ships are time-gated as well. Why not make every past event ship available when their respective events roll around? People will still have a limited time to earn those event ships because the tokens no longer work after that year's event is over, but the rewards will be available if people put enough effort and time into acquiring them. People will participate in the event each year regardless, because if they don't they'll have to wait a whole year for the event to come around again, and they will have even more grinding to do with the introduction of another event ship.

I urge you, Cryptic Studios, to reconsider your decisions regarding time-gating event ships. As a retroactive change made five-going-on-six years into STO's life cycle, it's honestly just causing more harm than good. This is especially considering that this change was unnecessary to make aside from wanting to enforce a policy of exclusion and division between veteran players and newer players, using these what-should-be festive and fun events as the testing ground for these changes. I fear that there may come a point where players that find this game in the future wouldn't want to participate in these events because they serve to remind them of the things they've missed and will never have the chance to earn. These events were never exclusive to those of us who have been playing longer than others, so why make the awesome rewards these events offer like this?
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Comments

  • vehementinaconvehementinacon Member Posts: 4 Arc User
    I was 40 autographs away from last years ship.. Thought we could at least start over and redo those ships with the new event nope...
  • yakodymyakodym Member Posts: 363 Arc User
    A shop in my town used to make great baguettes. Slices of meatloaf, onion, melted cheese, tomato sauce... Then they stopped making them. Strangely enough, they are still in business, despite the fact that I haven't bought anything from that store ever since...
  • imperatorpaveliimperatorpaveli Member Posts: 346 Arc User
    Despite the text the OP typed out, I don't see Cryptic changing their mind at all. We had these same threads during the summer event, and nothing happened then so I don't understand why people think that's gonna change now.
  • alphahydrialphahydri Member Posts: 391 Arc User
    Despite the text the OP typed out, I don't see Cryptic changing their mind at all. We had these same threads during the summer event, and nothing happened then so I don't understand why people think that's gonna change now.
    The more people voice their thoughts on the issue, the more likely something will change. Resistance is never futile!

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  • bernatkbernatk Member Posts: 1,089 Bug Hunter
    alphahydri wrote: »
    Making these event ships year-exclusive is not a good idea, whatsoever.

    Don't worry. Every event ship is better than the previous year's.

    Only Mirror Invasion and CC event had better rewards than today's.

    Tck7dQ2.jpg
    Dahar Master Mary Sue                                               Fleet Admiral Bloody Mary
  • davefenestratordavefenestrator Member Posts: 10,865 Arc User
    TL;DR. We have had eleventy of these threads already this week, let alone since Summer. Your opinion is not important enough to me to justify starting YAEST.
  • alphahydrialphahydri Member Posts: 391 Arc User
    edited December 2015
    bernatk wrote: »
    alphahydri wrote: »
    Making these event ships year-exclusive is not a good idea, whatsoever.

    Don't worry. Every event ship is better than the previous year's.

    Only Mirror Invasion and CC event had better rewards than today's.
    The rewards being better each year doesn't make the issues of these changes disappear, though. The fact that these event ships all complete sets that are incomplete without them is still a problem. Restricting content and creating a divide between the newer and older players is still a problem.

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  • akymacaliakymacali Member Posts: 4 Arc User
    edited December 2015
    I was 40 autographs away from last years ship.. Thought we could at least start over and redo those ships with the new event nope...


    Yea I'm in this situation too. I would like to have the 4 piece console set but unable to now. I was looking forward to the winter event, but now It kind of takes the fun and pride out of it.
  • samt1996samt1996 Member Posts: 2,856 Arc User
    I'm ok with only earning one per year but I'd like a choice. They could make it one per account per year. That would be a healthy compromise I think.
  • alphahydrialphahydri Member Posts: 391 Arc User
    samt1996 wrote: »
    I'm ok with only earning one per year but I'd like a choice. They could make it one per account per year. That would be a healthy compromise I think.
    I actually like this idea. Something is better than nothing, the only issue I see is that people that follow this path will be in a perpetual game of catch-up, with them always being one step, or ship, behind.

  • leemwatsonleemwatson Member Posts: 5,602 Arc User
    *SIGH* yet another 'Generation Entitlement' whinge. Sorry but exclusivity is a reward for being there at a particular time. If I miss an event that's down to me NOT Cryptic. You'll never see me pitching a fit because everyone else earned something whilst I wasn't there. I still have the old Omega anti-borg weaponary, and I don't see people complaining about not having access to them as they are the best weapons against the Borg. So if you weren't playing at the time something was available for a limiteed time, it's tough IMO.
    "You don't want to patrol!? You don't want to escort!? You don't want to defend the Federation's Starbases!? Then why are you flying my Starships!? If you were a Klingon you'd be killed on the spot, but lucky for you.....you WERE in Starfleet. Let's see how New Zealand Penal Colony suits you." Adm A. Necheyev.
  • cidjackcidjack Member Posts: 2,017 Arc User
    I have to hand it to the op, he use periods, no run on sentences and did not use any swear words.

    He also did not personally attack the devs over their decision. There maybe hundreds of these threads spread out over over various sites, but atleast this one is in the proper format to defend this point of view.
    Armada: Multiplying fleet projects in need of dilithium by 13."
    95bced8038c91ec6f880d510e6fd302f366a776c4c5761e5f7931d491667a45e.jpgvia Imgflip Meme Generator
  • nightkennightken Member Posts: 2,824 Arc User
    leemwatson wrote: »
    *SIGH* yet another 'Generation Entitlement' whinge. Sorry but exclusivity is a reward for being there at a particular time. If I miss an event that's down to me NOT Cryptic. You'll never see me pitching a fit because everyone else earned something whilst I wasn't there. I still have the old Omega anti-borg weaponary, and I don't see people complaining about not having access to them as they are the best weapons against the Borg. So if you weren't playing at the time something was available for a limiteed time, it's tough IMO.

    pot meet kettle.

    what does this exclusivity add to the game? and no whiny little brats feeling special cause they happened to playing the game at the right time does't count.

    and it wasn''t limited tell this year. why? reasons.

    if I stop posting it doesn't make you right it. just means I don't have enough rum to continue interacting with you.
  • samt1996samt1996 Member Posts: 2,856 Arc User
    I've been here five years and I've only earned two of the summer/winter ships.

    The Nandi and Chell Gret.

    I just couldn't be bothered to do it which is my own fault. Now I wouldn't mind having a choice of ships as I posted above but I'm not going to blame Cryptic for my own choices.
  • ddesjardinsddesjardins Member Posts: 3,056 Media Corps
    We've known this was happening since the summer. Old rewards can be turned in for neat items. Old queued ships can still be completed, and you can queue this years ship to finish later.

    Right now though - only 1 alt can claim the new ship. Unsure if it's a bug.
  • ltminnsltminns Member Posts: 12,573 Arc User
    edited December 2015
    And once a character slots the Ship Project ALL other non slotted primary and secondary slots are marked to the effect that you cannot slot anything in them.

    In fact the number of rows of slots also seemed to have been reduced by about three also right after you Slot the Ship.
    Post edited by ltminns on
    'But to be logical is not to be right', and 'nothing' on God's earth could ever 'make it' right!'
    Judge Dan Haywood
    'As l speak now, the words are forming in my head.
    l don't know.
    l really don't know what l'm about to say, except l have a feeling about it.
    That l must repeat the words that come without my knowledge.'
    Lt. Philip J. Minns
  • tacticalrooktacticalrook Member Posts: 810 Arc User
    During 2013's Winter Wonderland (http://www.arcgames.com/en/games/PAB_sto/news/detail/3028583-winter-event-ending-soon):
    NOTE: If you want to claim the Raider or the Cruiser, and have not already done so, make sure slot the appropriate project by Thursday, January 16, 2014 around 10AM PST as the ship projects will no longer be available to slot, and ship projects offered may change during the next Winter Event – this many include the Raider and/or Cruiser not being available as a project option next year. Any winter ship project in progress by the aforementioned date will remain in progress until it is canceled or completed by you.

    Seems like they gave plenty of warning this sort of thing was on the table.
    /channel_join grind
  • tarastheslayertarastheslayer Member Posts: 1,541 Bug Hunter
    During 2013's Winter Wonderland (http://www.arcgames.com/en/games/PAB_sto/news/detail/3028583-winter-event-ending-soon):
    NOTE: If you want to claim the Raider or the Cruiser, and have not already done so, make sure slot the appropriate project by Thursday, January 16, 2014 around 10AM PST as the ship projects will no longer be available to slot, and ship projects offered may change during the next Winter Event – this many include the Raider and/or Cruiser not being available as a project option next year. Any winter ship project in progress by the aforementioned date will remain in progress until it is canceled or completed by you.

    Seems like they gave plenty of warning this sort of thing was on the table.

    This would only be valid if it referred to this years event but it doesn't. People also need to remember that the item required to fill said projects isn't available any more, so even if players did slot the projects out of foresight they wouldn't have been able to complete them anyway, which voids their statement.
    Ten soldiers wisely led will beat a hundred without a head. - Euripides
    I no longer do any Bug Hunting work for Cryptic. I may resume if a serious attempt to fix the game is made.
  • tarran61tarran61 Member Posts: 827 Arc User
    I was 40 autographs away from last years ship.. Thought we could at least start over and redo those ships with the new event nope...
    Day two in the event and someone already has this ship? I was able to get a screen shot but its dark. I didnt want the ships name/Captain listed in the image.
    Positive thoughts.
    NeAC.gif
  • ltminnsltminns Member Posts: 12,573 Arc User
    You can complete last year's ship if you still have that Project slotted. You can add this year's 40 Whatevers to complete that Project. Then you can slot this year's ship Project.
    'But to be logical is not to be right', and 'nothing' on God's earth could ever 'make it' right!'
    Judge Dan Haywood
    'As l speak now, the words are forming in my head.
    l don't know.
    l really don't know what l'm about to say, except l have a feeling about it.
    That l must repeat the words that come without my knowledge.'
    Lt. Philip J. Minns
  • kiralynkiralyn Member Posts: 1,576 Arc User
    tarran61 wrote: »
    Day two in the event and someone already has this ship? I was able to get a screen shot but its dark. I didnt want the ships name/Captain listed in the image.

    There are always Big Spender types who have buckets of Lobi lying around, and get the Summer/Winter ships the first day by just throwing Lobi at the event vendor. It's not a cheat, it's just being super wasteful. /shrug
  • seaofsorrowsseaofsorrows Member Posts: 10,919 Arc User
    edited December 2015

    This would only be valid if it referred to this years event but it doesn't. People also need to remember that the item required to fill said projects isn't available any more, so even if players did slot the projects out of foresight they wouldn't have been able to complete them anyway, which voids their statement.

    The warning was given during last years event, which was the last time those ships were going to be made available. If you slotted the project then, you can complete it now using the new currency, so they actually gave a 1 year 'grace period.'

    If it wasn't taken advantage of then, then the time has passed.

    I don't get what everyone is all in an uproar over anyway, they're just T5 ships. The ships they give away now are T6 ships, and actually pretty nice ones. It's not like they missed out on some great thing that everyone MUST have.

    The only reason most people want these older ships is because they don't currently have them and they don't like that anyone else does. I hardly even see anyone flying the older Breen Ships anymore because they have been replaced by superior T6 versions.

    People complain just for the sake of complaining.
    Insert witty signature line here.
  • storulesstorules Member Posts: 3,340 Arc User
    azrael605 wrote: »
    My god that was hilarious, OP you should really look into getting into comedy, you have a gift.

    ROFL

    no-whining.jpg​​
    tumblr_ncbngkt24X1ry46hlo1_400.gif
  • tigerariestigeraries Member Posts: 3,492 Arc User
    edited December 2015

    I don't get what everyone is all in an uproar over anyway, they're just T5 ships.

    2014's winter ship was T6. The carrier. Thou you also need the raider ship (T5) too if you wanted the frigate pet.
  • tacticalrooktacticalrook Member Posts: 810 Arc User
    During 2013's Winter Wonderland (http://www.arcgames.com/en/games/PAB_sto/news/detail/3028583-winter-event-ending-soon):
    NOTE: If you want to claim the Raider or the Cruiser, and have not already done so, make sure slot the appropriate project by Thursday, January 16, 2014 around 10AM PST as the ship projects will no longer be available to slot, and ship projects offered may change during the next Winter Event – this many include the Raider and/or Cruiser not being available as a project option next year. Any winter ship project in progress by the aforementioned date will remain in progress until it is canceled or completed by you.

    Seems like they gave plenty of warning this sort of thing was on the table.

    This would only be valid if it referred to this years event but it doesn't. People also need to remember that the item required to fill said projects isn't available any more, so even if players did slot the projects out of foresight they wouldn't have been able to complete them anyway, which voids their statement.
    Don't be silly. Old winter ship projects can be filled with 2015 vouchers.
    /channel_join grind
  • tribbulatertribbulater Member Posts: 307 Arc User
    I actually have all the event ships, so this isn't a problem for me personally. However if I was to be starting a new account as a new player, I would in fact be pretty disappointed to find out that special ships such as the Nandi, the Plesh Brek, the Sarr Theln and others would never be available to my captains.

    Exclusivity isn't an issue for me, what does it matter to me what ships other people have? Or that I should feel 'special' because I was here earlier and got a ship that they can't own. Collectibility isn't an issue either, since it's not about 'collecting' (you can't aquire or trade them later), it is simply an issue of 'were you here at that time and had 25 days to spend on it'?

    Personally, I can't see any 'good' for the game coming out of locking these ships away. I *could* see putting them on a rotation, or offering a special ship-acquiring event, or making some other, game-oriented way of obtaining them. But simply saying 'look at these lovely ships! Too bad they're not for you!'; that's not adding anything for anyone.
  • tarastheslayertarastheslayer Member Posts: 1,541 Bug Hunter
    edited December 2015
    During 2013's Winter Wonderland (http://www.arcgames.com/en/games/PAB_sto/news/detail/3028583-winter-event-ending-soon):
    NOTE: If you want to claim the Raider or the Cruiser, and have not already done so, make sure slot the appropriate project by Thursday, January 16, 2014 around 10AM PST as the ship projects will no longer be available to slot, and ship projects offered may change during the next Winter Event – this many include the Raider and/or Cruiser not being available as a project option next year. Any winter ship project in progress by the aforementioned date will remain in progress until it is canceled or completed by you.

    Seems like they gave plenty of warning this sort of thing was on the table.

    This would only be valid if it referred to this years event but it doesn't. People also need to remember that the item required to fill said projects isn't available any more, so even if players did slot the projects out of foresight they wouldn't have been able to complete them anyway, which voids their statement.
    Don't be silly. Old winter ship projects can be filled with 2015 vouchers.

    I'm hearing rumours some people can't, if it works for you then be happy.
    I don't get what everyone is all in an uproar over anyway, they're just T5 ships. The ships they give away now are T6 ships, and actually pretty nice ones. It's not like they missed out on some great thing that everyone MUST have.

    A lot of T6's aren't that great anyway, a good number of T5's are actually still better than their T6 equivalents. Also like @tigeraries said:
    tigeraries wrote: »

    I don't get what everyone is all in an uproar over anyway, they're just T5 ships.

    2014's winter ship was T6. The carrier. Thou you also need the raider ship (T5) too if you wanted the frigate pet.

    So there's good reasons for it. Also there's the set bonuses for the consoles.
    Ten soldiers wisely led will beat a hundred without a head. - Euripides
    I no longer do any Bug Hunting work for Cryptic. I may resume if a serious attempt to fix the game is made.
  • kayajaykayajay Member Posts: 1,990 Arc User
    What they're trying to do is TRIBBLE anyone who stockpiles for next Winter/Summer, etc.
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