Nobody reasonable is going to drop STO over this. It's an empty threat.
The key here is, consumers do have a say and could school the vendor by holding out for a better deal. The unfortunate reality is that there are a lot of consumers in this game who won't. They're fine with things the way they are. They may moan and complain, but they'll still shell out the money for it.
Cryptic/PWE accurately pegged their target audience for this promotion. I can't fault them for that.
What I can do is acknowledge that I would buy that ship outright if I could and that it's not reasonable to spend a lot of money on a non-guaranteed chance to get one. So I could hold out, knowing that there is a fairly good chance the ship will come around again on a future promotion, and see if things change to be more in my favor or not. I might buy a 4 pack of R&D packs just to show Cryptic that there's a little interest in the promotion but not enough to bankrupt myself over it. I'll still use the crafting supplies eventually, so I don't lose anything.
Sounds to me like Cryptic got CBS to shift their position a little.
No it was BS to begin with and now they put the ship in a pack so they can maximize profits. They are going to make a killing from selling the promotion packs.
So Cryptic has this unique license - which probably is what kept this game afloat during most of its time - which is usually very strictly guarded (do you remember the discussion about rules for fan films?). And then they lie about the very company that made their game sustainable to begin with, risking that the contract gets cancelled? Makes sense...
I kind of feel this R&D pack is a jump the gun measure. With Junior Officer Weekend coming up. I would have re-arranged all this to where doff packs went on sale for that and the R&D sale would have happened during the R&D weekend next month. Or even the week before. But that's just me tossing common sense on to placing an pack on sale, right before or during it's corresponding event.
It's always an unknown quantity - is it better to have such events coincide with sales, to let more people participate, or is it better to keep them apart to get two more minor boosts? Both happen, which one is better is complicated, possibly different each time, and far removed from simply judgeable by common sense.
My mother was an epohh and my father smelled of tulaberries
It really sucks that it's a R&D Promotion, but in their defense, the game is free to play. Without these kinds of things, there might not be a Star Trek Online at all. It would be nice if things could be free.
Captain Jack. L Mueller
Commander, U.S.S. Novara NCC-200001-D
Fleet Admiral
This should have been rolled out just like the Kelvin Connie: In a lockbox with a chance to buy it off the exchange, period. NOT a limited time only get it now or suffer until we feel like dangling it in front of you again. I love the Connie and would happily purchase it, but I strongly disapprove of paying for only a slim chance of unlocking it. Certainly feels like a slap in the face after buying the game at launch and a lifetime sub shortly after.
Foundry missions: "Salvaged" and "Preemption (Federation)" brought to you by the former "Tom_Riker01".
"An artist's growth depends upon accurate feedback." ~Data
Look man, crypic bought this digital box manufacturing company but it has no customers. If they stop boxing everything then the digital box factory shuts down. If that happens then the sweatshop workers won't be able to earn their twenty cents per day salary. Have pity on the poor suffering digital box makers. Open your heart and open a box.
... Which would be fine except, that it breaks the informal promises they have made to the community on the RNG cash system.
What promises? Do you have a link to something official from PWE/Cryptic?
Based on his/her other posts, I think the promise that crypt is thinking of is that prime universe faction (non-alien) ships are not to be locked behind lockboxes and other paywall promotions, made by Geko years ago in some priority one podcast episode... I think that's what crypt is referring to. I've never seen a source that links to any kind of promises. Even if such promises were made, it was broken years ago with one of the first lockboxes ever released (fourth one), the temporal one. Wells is a prime universe Starfleet vessel. Maybe he's/she's remembering the wording wrong. It happens easily when years go by.
I'm starting to think we've been scammed. Been ingame 30 minutes, now, and not a single message about someone receiving a ship. Opened a TON of packs, no ship. Checked the exchange, no ship. I'm starting to question if they accidentally forgot to put it in the drop table for the R&D boxes and if they'd be honest and admit a mistake, or just act like the chance was always there and no one got lucky enough.
I don't believe in the concept of "sacred", does not mean I don't value my life.
Edit: And most certainly no fictional object from a work of fiction will ever be "sacred" even if there is anything that could be sacred.
Sacred was probably too strong a word for the Connie lol, but iconic fits. I still think your life is sacred though I really do. God, the Creator, Random TRIBBLE in space, whatever, allowed you to be born. You're linked in some way or form to whatever the hell allows the universe to exist. IE; the def of sacred.
Really though, the Connie promo has got to be the best troll I've seen in a while. They really killed it with this one, its gonna be hard to top.
Unless T7's are coming out next month, then it's double God Troll for PWE. LOL
The scary part, is that we all know its a possibility... hehe
But this is not targeted at you necessarily Az, but does anyone actually know if Promos are more profitable then C-Store sales ?
I mean I've never seen numbers on this so saying one or the other is the better option for Cryptic is just conjecture, on everyone's part.
Like for example, compare lifetime sales of the Oddy or Vesta (very popular Cstore ships) to say the Annorax Promo ?
Was the annorax promo really that much more profitable ?
Or for argument sake. Are people more prone to buying a ship in the Cstore or in a Promo pack ? Just guessing myself here, but I think a lot more people would consider playing ball if this was in the C-store, BUT, would a promo cause the whales to spend so much, they would eclipse whatever money the company could earn from direct CStore sale ?
I have a feeling no one knows this but PWE. But its interesting to think about. I'd love to see some hard numbers.
I really think the devs missed the golden opportunity on this one. They should have made it a 3 pack in the c-store and charge 7k zen. Without a doubt, the promo pack idea was not a good one.
Without a doubt, you are wrong. People seem to think good for me = good for everyone else. Sorry, but it is quite clear that these promos and lockboxes produce WAY more revenue then c-store items. So I will take it is not a good idea for YOU...that does not mean it was not a good idea for cryptic.
I don't disagree necessarily, but do you have any actual proof that they produce WAY more revenue then Cstore items ? You seem pretty sure about it.
I asked earlier whether popular cstore ships like Vesta or Oddy have been surpassed by certain promos...honestly I have a hard time believing it.
Those Cstore ships have been on sale for years. Whereas a promo is here and gone. Perhaps good for a quick influx of cash, but over time, I actually believe a popular cstore ship would bring them more money. But I also have no proof.. lol
I'm starting to think we've been scammed. Been ingame 30 minutes, now, and not a single message about someone receiving a ship. Opened a TON of packs, no ship. Checked the exchange, no ship. I'm starting to question if they accidentally forgot to put it in the drop table for the R&D boxes and if they'd be honest and admit a mistake, or just act like the chance was always there and no one got lucky enough.
I've seen at least 10 messages pop up and I was in the game for about 20 minutes before leaving. If there aren't any on exchange, it means winners want to keep it or sell it above exchange cap.
Limited time promotions influence customers into pressure buys. "Get it now or you can't have it at all." It's a valid psychological tactic, but IMO it's at best manipulative and at worst a bit sleazy. They're counting on customers lacking emotional control.
When you've got as many C-Store and freebie ships as I've got, it takes some of that pressure off. Sure, I want it. But do I need it? Nope. No matter how many ships you've got, you can only fly one at a time and you've only got so many Admiralty slots you can fill up.
It just takes the right amount of perspective. I can see a brand new player who's a TOS fan thinking that they've gotta have it, so they roll the dice and spend the money. I can see even some of the less new players who are diehard TOS fans thinking they've gotta have it. But they don't, really.
I see C-Store ships as being smart purchases. You can use them on every eligible character you create, ever. You have permanent access to a wide array of gimmick consoles, gear sets, Admiralty cards, etc. I'll buy C-Store ships far more readily than I'll blow money on lockbox keys and promos. I don't care about anybody else's cost-benefit ratio... I do my own unofficial casual analysis which says that I never open a promo box for a ship. I'm always going for something more realistically attainable.
That, and my eyes were opened wide open when my son managed to grind enough EC's through crafting to buy that D'Kora I've been jonesing for forever. I traded him the one and only lockbox ship I ever won and didn't have a desire to fly. I could have had that for my Ferengi a long time ago.
THERE'S your reason to buy an R&D box... for the crafting mats you'll need to buy the stuff you really want.
Never know? We ALREADY know. It makes money. Lots of it. It allows them to make it available any time they want while still maintaining the high pressure sales pitch of "buy now or miss out".
I'm sure you do think "I could get it just by playing" is better. That's why they don't let players decide this things. And closing it off permanently is the height of bad idea. Serve the current players they already have and forever damn the new ones? Could you be ANY more self-centered?
If this is really your dream ship, start saving now. Maybe you'll have enough Ec to buy it the next time it comes around and you'll see the advantages in the current arrangement...
I don't disagree necessarily, but do you have any actual proof that they produce WAY more revenue then Cstore items ? You seem pretty sure about it.
Postulate: People who've managed to keep an MMO going for 6.5 years aren't exactly stupid.
Fact: Cryptic have complete knowledge of sales numbers for every ship they've ever sold.
Fact: They keep releasing highly desirable ships via promotions that allow them offer the ship again later.
Conclusion: For highly desirable ships, they put them out in the way that serves themselves best.
If you want more proof than that, you'd have to work there... and be bound by non-disclosure.
THERE'S your reason to buy an R&D box... for the crafting mats you'll need to buy the stuff you really want.
Yes. Also 10 lobi every time you don't win the grand prize. Useful for those that are building up for a t6 lobi ship. This is the real reason why someone should consider opening boxes. If someone doesn't want the mats or lobi, then it's highly likely they will walk away disappointed.
Being someone who actually engages in R&D, I'll definitely have both the mats I need as well as Lobi and a chance at the new ship- but either way I'm not going to be disappointed.
For those who are looking to buy packs just for a shot at the ship, well...
It's not you- it's me. I just need my space.
Being critical doesn't take skill. Being constructively critical- which is providing alternative solutions or suggestions to a demonstrated problem, however, does.
They should have made these exclusive highly desirable ships as a charitable donation giveaway like the chase masterson event awhile back. That would have been fair and exclusive.
Oh but you say they wouldnt have made ridiculous sums of cash doing it that way? They could have split the income with a charity. The record "donations" would have still be a cash haul and (heaven forbid) a charitable cause would benefit.
They should have made these exclusive highly desirable ships as a charitable donation giveaway like the chase masterson event awhile back.
That would have been fair and exclusive.
Oh but you say they wouldnt have made ridiculous sums of cash doing it that way?
They could have split the income with a charity. The record "donations" would have still be a cash haul and (heaven forbid) a charitable cause would benefit.
Was not exactly fair, either...by the time I got home with some scratch to get the mirror Guardian, they were ALL GONE. All I could get were some shuttles and fighters.
Kind of missing the point. They don't want this particular set of ships to be a "one-time exclusive". They want to be able to release it at need for quick infusion of cash from time to time. And can you imagine the result of telling new players "oh sure, there's a T6 Constitution. Its pretty kick butt actually. Oh, and YOU'LL NEVER HAVE EVEN A CHANCE OF HAVING ONE."
You might not hear it as one giant outpouring of nerdrage, but that would be putting a noose around the game's neck and watching it strangle for years to come.
A charity offering is a great idea - as long as you have to give at least $250 to that charity to qualify for the ship . Just so it's clear that you aren't trying to weasel a deal for yourself.
THERE'S your reason to buy an R&D box... for the crafting mats you'll need to buy the stuff you really want.
Yes. Also 10 lobi every time you don't win the grand prize. Useful for those that are building up for a t6 lobi ship. This is the real reason why someone should consider opening boxes. If someone doesn't want the mats or lobi, then it's highly likely they will walk away disappointed.
One of the nice things of the R&D Promos is that the base item contains stuff that at least some players want, and that you normally don't get Lobi for opening them. So if you're an R&D pack buyer at all, the Promo is a quite notable increase in value for Zen.
Of course ,one could argue that the packs are too expensive for what they normally give. I certainly only buy them during the promo events.
Star Trek Online Advancement: You start with lowbie gear, you end with Lobi gear.
Comments
The key here is, consumers do have a say and could school the vendor by holding out for a better deal. The unfortunate reality is that there are a lot of consumers in this game who won't. They're fine with things the way they are. They may moan and complain, but they'll still shell out the money for it.
Cryptic/PWE accurately pegged their target audience for this promotion. I can't fault them for that.
What I can do is acknowledge that I would buy that ship outright if I could and that it's not reasonable to spend a lot of money on a non-guaranteed chance to get one. So I could hold out, knowing that there is a fairly good chance the ship will come around again on a future promotion, and see if things change to be more in my favor or not. I might buy a 4 pack of R&D packs just to show Cryptic that there's a little interest in the promotion but not enough to bankrupt myself over it. I'll still use the crafting supplies eventually, so I don't lose anything.
So Cryptic has this unique license - which probably is what kept this game afloat during most of its time - which is usually very strictly guarded (do you remember the discussion about rules for fan films?). And then they lie about the very company that made their game sustainable to begin with, risking that the contract gets cancelled? Makes sense...
It's always an unknown quantity - is it better to have such events coincide with sales, to let more people participate, or is it better to keep them apart to get two more minor boosts? Both happen, which one is better is complicated, possibly different each time, and far removed from simply judgeable by common sense.
Commander, U.S.S. Novara NCC-200001-D
Fleet Admiral
They finally release the typhoon class? yup inside an R&D pack
They make a new ship that they advertise is coming soon? inside a lock box
hell why they are at it they may even put the existing ships inside a box so to save any confusion lol
"An artist's growth depends upon accurate feedback." ~Data
Based on his/her other posts, I think the promise that crypt is thinking of is that prime universe faction (non-alien) ships are not to be locked behind lockboxes and other paywall promotions, made by Geko years ago in some priority one podcast episode... I think that's what crypt is referring to. I've never seen a source that links to any kind of promises. Even if such promises were made, it was broken years ago with one of the first lockboxes ever released (fourth one), the temporal one. Wells is a prime universe Starfleet vessel. Maybe he's/she's remembering the wording wrong. It happens easily when years go by.
Sacred was probably too strong a word for the Connie lol, but iconic fits. I still think your life is sacred though
Really though, the Connie promo has got to be the best troll I've seen in a while. They really killed it with this one, its gonna be hard to top.
Unless T7's are coming out next month, then it's double God Troll for PWE. LOL
The scary part, is that we all know its a possibility... hehe
But this is not targeted at you necessarily Az, but does anyone actually know if Promos are more profitable then C-Store sales ?
I mean I've never seen numbers on this so saying one or the other is the better option for Cryptic is just conjecture, on everyone's part.
Like for example, compare lifetime sales of the Oddy or Vesta (very popular Cstore ships) to say the Annorax Promo ?
Was the annorax promo really that much more profitable ?
Or for argument sake. Are people more prone to buying a ship in the Cstore or in a Promo pack ? Just guessing myself here, but I think a lot more people would consider playing ball if this was in the C-store, BUT, would a promo cause the whales to spend so much, they would eclipse whatever money the company could earn from direct CStore sale ?
I have a feeling no one knows this but PWE. But its interesting to think about. I'd love to see some hard numbers.
I don't disagree necessarily, but do you have any actual proof that they produce WAY more revenue then Cstore items ? You seem pretty sure about it.
I asked earlier whether popular cstore ships like Vesta or Oddy have been surpassed by certain promos...honestly I have a hard time believing it.
Those Cstore ships have been on sale for years. Whereas a promo is here and gone. Perhaps good for a quick influx of cash, but over time, I actually believe a popular cstore ship would bring them more money. But I also have no proof.. lol
I've seen at least 10 messages pop up and I was in the game for about 20 minutes before leaving. If there aren't any on exchange, it means winners want to keep it or sell it above exchange cap.
When you've got as many C-Store and freebie ships as I've got, it takes some of that pressure off. Sure, I want it. But do I need it? Nope. No matter how many ships you've got, you can only fly one at a time and you've only got so many Admiralty slots you can fill up.
It just takes the right amount of perspective. I can see a brand new player who's a TOS fan thinking that they've gotta have it, so they roll the dice and spend the money. I can see even some of the less new players who are diehard TOS fans thinking they've gotta have it. But they don't, really.
I see C-Store ships as being smart purchases. You can use them on every eligible character you create, ever. You have permanent access to a wide array of gimmick consoles, gear sets, Admiralty cards, etc. I'll buy C-Store ships far more readily than I'll blow money on lockbox keys and promos. I don't care about anybody else's cost-benefit ratio... I do my own unofficial casual analysis which says that I never open a promo box for a ship. I'm always going for something more realistically attainable.
That, and my eyes were opened wide open when my son managed to grind enough EC's through crafting to buy that D'Kora I've been jonesing for forever. I traded him the one and only lockbox ship I ever won and didn't have a desire to fly. I could have had that for my Ferengi a long time ago.
THERE'S your reason to buy an R&D box... for the crafting mats you'll need to buy the stuff you really want.
u mad bro
I Support Disco | Disco is Love | Disco is Life
Postulate: People who've managed to keep an MMO going for 6.5 years aren't exactly stupid.
Fact: Cryptic have complete knowledge of sales numbers for every ship they've ever sold.
Fact: They keep releasing highly desirable ships via promotions that allow them offer the ship again later.
Conclusion: For highly desirable ships, they put them out in the way that serves themselves best.
If you want more proof than that, you'd have to work there... and be bound by non-disclosure.
Casinos aren't highly regulated because they tend to run at a loss, just throwing that out there.
I need plekton. MORE PLEKTON!!
"Last Engage! Magical Girl Origami-san" is in print! Now with three times more rainbows.
Support the "Armored Unicorn" vehicle initiative today!
Thanks for Harajuku. Now let's get a real "Magical Girl" costume!
Yes. Also 10 lobi every time you don't win the grand prize. Useful for those that are building up for a t6 lobi ship. This is the real reason why someone should consider opening boxes. If someone doesn't want the mats or lobi, then it's highly likely they will walk away disappointed.
For those who are looking to buy packs just for a shot at the ship, well...
Being critical doesn't take skill. Being constructively critical- which is providing alternative solutions or suggestions to a demonstrated problem, however, does.
They should have made these exclusive highly desirable ships as a charitable donation giveaway like the chase masterson event awhile back.
That would have been fair and exclusive.
Oh but you say they wouldnt have made ridiculous sums of cash doing it that way?
They could have split the income with a charity. The record "donations" would have still be a cash haul and (heaven forbid) a charitable cause would benefit.
Was not exactly fair, either...by the time I got home with some scratch to get the mirror Guardian, they were ALL GONE. All I could get were some shuttles and fighters.
You might not hear it as one giant outpouring of nerdrage, but that would be putting a noose around the game's neck and watching it strangle for years to come.
I didnt say they were.
Of course ,one could argue that the packs are too expensive for what they normally give. I certainly only buy them during the promo events.
"Last Engage! Magical Girl Origami-san" is in print! Now with three times more rainbows.
Support the "Armored Unicorn" vehicle initiative today!
Thanks for Harajuku. Now let's get a real "Magical Girl" costume!