Why are Cryptic not intrested in adressing the problems these people put forward as there main reason for hating and leaving the game !? Why is this company allowing loyal Trekkies to slip through they're fingers and quit altogether saying o well we tryed so long will always be here if you wish to come back. Why do they not put some effort in confronting the needs of the player instead of waving goodbye to them.

I myself remain undecided whether to stick around and i know no one gives a dam either way as too what i do Cryptic included, but i see the problems and i see the haters and i also see the damage this ignorance could do to the whole Star Trek franchise if no action is taken to address those who are now turning agasint the game. You may think this is simply me overreacting to the leavers comments but atleast i see there are problems that need addressing and the company is doing the franchise no favours in the long run by aggravating the issues threw ignorance but as they say Cryptic's ignorance maybe bliss ... what do you players make of it all ...
Comments
First of all - 2 weeks ago, Cryptic had a survey posted on the STO main site, asking players for their opinion on what should be done with STO in terms of content and game play.
Since they began developing the game, Cryptic has had these forums up so that people could post their opinions. Since Closed Beta, Players have been able to give their feedback directly to the devs through the testing and bug forums, as well as ingame bug reports, etc.
Since launch, Cryptic has been posting montly/bi-monthly reports called State of the Game, telling players what's coming in future updates. They've also established the engineering report section to show players what bugs and issues are being focused on (although not mentioning all of them because it would be too exhaustive to list), and telling us what is fixed and when the fixes will be released.
Suffice it to say, they ARE listening to loyal trekkers. You just need to pay more attention to where and how they are.
http://forums.startrekonline.com/showthread.php?t=137766&highlight=why+quit
It was answered with this.
http://forums.startrekonline.com/showthread.php?t=132190
Look, Cryptic cannot go to the magical Design Tree and pluck a program change and institute it in the same day. They have actively sought out input from the community. I take it you missed that oppourtunity. They are communicating much more effectively with the Engineering Reports. Not 2 months out and already they are rolling out more game content (Strike Forces, Respecs, Fleet Actions, more Costumes, etc etc). I truely do not understand how you can sit there and claim they arent listening to players.
The reason players are leaving has nothing to do with Cryptic not listening. It seems, at least from reading posts, it is because the state of the game when it launched and they feel it is not worth waiting for things to change. Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither was any MMO.
I personally hope you stick it out and see how much things improve, but that is your personal decision. No one can make that for you and you shouldnt let anyone influence your decision. I think trying to champion other people's causes is a losing fight anyway so you may want to quit with this post now. Just a suggestion.,
I respectfully disagree on one subject. The customer is *not* always right. To a degree, yes. But not always. We had this type of discussion in my graphic design class a few years ago.
How far can you allow a customer dictate how you do your job, should there be a line where a customer/developer/designer has to stop (or met), where should a form of trust lies, and those kind of questions ...
So I really don't agree with this "golden rule" because it can be abused and pushed too far astray, especially by a customer who may don't understand the process of developing or designing something. The process usually involves time and cost. And deadlines that need to be met and other projects that need to be done.
Those kind of things should be realized on both sides of any discussion or dispute.
Awesome mental image, thanks :P
On a side note it reminded me of this CAD
You start off on a false premise, that the Devs aren't listening. You then ask people to explain why. The problem with your thesis is that the devs ARE listening. They have proven this time and time again in dev comments, State of the Game addresses, magazine articles, even to changing things they were going to do because enough people complained about it. However, if you refuse to look at the facts as they stand, and instead demand that people argue a point that is based on a false premise...well, sorry. I'm not going to play that game anymore.
The bottom line is thus. Different people like different things. Not everyone is going to like every thing. For every game that comes out, some people will like it, some won't. You can NOT please everyone. If you try, you only alienate most everyone.
There are always the outspoken for change and addition but to be accurate and fair.....The bottom line is thus.....
....Cryptic released an extremely poor product in every facet. STO would have made a better console game with the lack of depth and complexity and would probably be more enjoyable for the graphics would be much better than what they are currently. PC online MMO? Rates poor just about everywhere you look. Cryptic should have made it a console game for five bucks a month, at least you would get quality graphics.
Graphics...are...not what any game should eb based on when it comes to missions, depth, systems, mechanics, gameplay, story etc are things that should be perfected long before the sugar coating.
I don't think I, or anyone I know has, or will ever, buy a game just for its skinning and modeling. Waste of money such would be.
Infact a lot of our favourite games have pretty bad graphics, but no good graphic game can match their indepth story and game mechanics/options.
Anyone who judges a product by its graphics: Not worth reading the rest of their review in my opinion. Having them end with a demand for better graphics.....makes me regret reading the start of their review. Most gamers, and admittedly most trekkers do not have really good computers, to make graphics require more than is current...will kill the market in half, cut the population in half and thus, cut the resources and time given to the game, in half.
PC Online MMO rates poor everywhere you look? Comaprison please? I can list three which blow a lot of console prime titles out of water. As for graphics....my computer has an over 2 year old graphics card, and in all measurable sense my graphics are better than any Xbox 360 or PS console game versions, HMDI corded or not. (and yes that includes when hooked up to a big screen tv)
Note: most console games sales listing also includes their PC versions, and they just so happen to be the games on the top of the list. Perhaps they're top on the list because of the fact they include the PC version sales with the console version perhaps? *ponders melodramatically*
Please, an argument that cannot be poked through so easily next time?
You missed the point the op made though. You claim that survey helped them target what people wanted.
They missed the boat on that survey as most had QUIT already by then. All thats left are idiots claiming they want more clothes for their toon. GOOD GRIEF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What people want is something to damn do already.
Doesnt take a rocket scientist to understand they screwed up a great game that ANYONE that EVER played an mmo could of told them was wrong here.
Content.
The formula is simple. You either have mega content and fast leveling or you have middle to low content and a slow grind for leveling. How damn hard is it to understand this?
My wife doesnt even game and she asked "How can anyone be that clueless?".
This isnt advertised as a pvp flying game its advertise as star trek online aka exploring and doing stuff.
The problem is it takes NO EFFORT to get to ra5 and then theres nothing to do. Max out a character in a week what is there to do after that? Offline games are finished in the same time and get expansion packs. That is all we have here.
Where are the groups that are too hard to fight by yourself so you HAVE to get people to team up to help you? The crystal entity thing is the only one like that and its so hard that people dont like it but they put it in newbie land. It should be around ds9 or some place like that. Most ra5's forget its even there since no one talks about it in the later areas.
MMO's require teamwork to do some areas. Other areas are doable by yourself. Just just how its done if its done correctly.
What people want to see are post by devs saying new content is added. Not some end game mario jumping match. That thing doesnt even fit in with the rest of the game to be honest. I kind of enjoyed it till the end room and then it got just stupid in my opinion.
But lets be honest here and look at what we really got out of that mega advertise raidisode or whatever they are calling it this week. They took a stardock map, added a few spawners and 1 joke mini boss fight (nothing but another spawner) and added an end room to the already existing map that has some boxes, ramps and buttons to push. Then a hard monster to fight. What did that take 2 hours tops?
The game needs content. Also dont tell people where you added it either. Spread it out. Put new stuff to run into and do ALL OVER THE PLACE. Besides saying we added x amount of content or something dont tell us squat about where it is. Presto you just added exploration and didnt even need a button for it, cool huh?
I may sound all ****ed off but its not about whats being done, its about what isnt being done and knowing how EASY it would be to fix it........
But the main problem with your approach is they are listening to people, they are just listening to the WRONG people.
What they need to do is find new people to listen to or hire someone that knows how mmo's work and let them fix it all.
Yes bugs need fixing and tweaks need to be made from time to time. But that seems to be all they concentrate on. Leave the freaking thing alone play wise (mechanics) and churn out some content. People want stuff to do. You are losing MONEY $$$$$ (The stuff that you think your doing stuff now to salvage) because people are QUITTING (Anyone that argues with this I feel sorry for) because they cant justify paying MONEY when theres nothing to do.
Either reset the game and make it harder to level up or add content. Thats it. Want this to survive you WILL do one of those things. No one can make cryptic do this but that is what will happen or its going to fail.
I love this game. I paid a lifetime subscription because I have/had faith in it. I pray something will happen to make it last. But the writting on the wall doesnt look good at this time.
You cant use the its new and most mmo's had no content to argue all of this with me because Im not complaining about the lack of content. Im complaining about the lack of content creation efforts.
We should see a new something to do added every few days. Its not that hard to add content to this so theres no reason for the lack of new content being made. One raidisode isnt even in the same zip code to what Im talking about either.
You mean, they're not listening to you? :rolleyes:
If they decide not to fix bugs, they're asking for even more trouble.
You are actually reading what's in the engineering reports and so on, right? And I hope you are aware that content cannot be just slapped to together if the plan is to create content that also has some quality to it.
While there are people quitting, so far it seems that number is pretty small relatively speaking.
Once again, please go read the various posts/threads about what the devs are doing. Otherwise you'll continue to look like you're ranting simply because you haven't.
You want content every few days? I'm guessing you've never actually looked at what goes into putting the content together. Have you actually played with the MOD creations packages for FO3, TES:IV, NWN?
I`m still here.....while they nerf my carrier, nerf my eps, nerf my turrets, nerf cloak, fail to give my faction new races, costumes etc.
My enthusiasm is really wearing thin.
But the thing is I dont want a difficulty slider. I dont want the game to be harder. But it needs to be. Not some slider to add difficulty to those wanting it. It needed to be hard to slow people down. Im not talking about anything I want. Im talking strictly from a save the game standpoint. Ive got a lifetime sub. I can wait forever for stuff. No complaints actually from me. Im pointing out what the game needs to survive.
As for my experience, yes Ive done the "mod" packages and we turned out quality content very fast.
This is EASIER than the mod stuff you have in mind. Im not coming from a background of playing with gaming companies releases of editors to add stuff. Im coming from a background in having written games similar to this one. I know exactly whats involved with making the content for a game like this thus I know it requires almost no effort for basic content. Story line arcs require effort. Simple missions dont.
Again I hope they dont do anything to please me from this. I want the game to survive is the only reason Im putting the effort forth to point this stuff out.
I have read the release notes and .plan stuff they post. Havent seen anything that directly addresses what Im talking about other than vague mentions of something being done one day. One day may be a few days to late at this rate.
The game honestly didnt have enough content to be released when it was released and I perfectly understand why they blindly met the release date and considering what might of happened if they hadnt of launched when they did they did the right thing.
But its released now. Now they need to come up with content to keep players or its going to go down the tubes.
Cryptic picked the survey topics. All we got to do was pick from a list. That isn't listening to the players that is telling them 'This is what we want to work on, you get to pick the order'.
Sure Cryptic 'listens to the players'. They pick the ones that match their goals and, dare I say, agenda. New races, new clothing, new shiny sparkles. Where is the game play? Where is the MMO? Raids don't make end game content. They make for one more day of content unless you really enjoy doing the same thing over and over for minimum reward.
This has nothing to do with the subject the OP is speaking about. They can tell me everything they are doing every second of the day but if it isn't addressing the glaring issues with the game it doesn't mean jack.
Take the last couple significant patch notes and split into three sections. Fluff, bugs/balance and content. Your going to find the content section painfully empty compared to the fluff.
Yes it seems they are listening to loyal Cryptic fans and we ARE paying attention to where and how.
Your idea is that they need content fast, and should implement quantity over quality (I quite frankly don't believe they can simply churn out loads of quality content fast)? That will drive away players anyway. While I agree the game needed to be more challenging, I don't see that as an excuse to churn out poorly done content every few days.
I much prefer what they appear to be doing - working on content to try and make it quality. Even side missions need something to provide immersion.
If you make the game to hard people will quit too. If people level to slow they will quit. There will never be a perfect game. A difficulity slider will please alot more than just one difficultiy setting in a game. Easy if you like or hard when you want more of a challenge.
Where do you think they got the survey topics? I'll give you a hint we are using it.
Sure Cryptic picks the people who will match their agenda. They want to be successful and make large profits. All I have been hearing about is content everytime they post.
Next week more content is coming out thats the glaring issue that's being addressed.
That's your opinion, and frankly I couldn't care less. My quote that you seem to be trying to twist into something it isn't is about the gaming industry AS A WHOLE. Not to mention, every OTHER industry in the world. It is a FACT. What you wrote? Nothing more then your opinion.
Don't like the game? So what. Welcome to the REAL world where you will find MANY things you don't like. Unless you can explain to me HOW the concept that you can't please everyone is wrong, kindly use someone elses quotes to springboard your nerdrage off of.
So, let me get this straight. you're telling me that I can't use an excuse I never used to tell you something I never told you? Cool. Done.
Why you quoted and responded to me when you didn't respond to what I said besides the Cryptic listening part I dunno. But, you say they're listening to the wrong people. I say they're listening to the community. I'm not about to enter a discussion on who the 'right' people are...I guess people who agree with you. Whatever. The OP was complaining that Cryptic doesn't listen to ANY one. I pointed out they did. YOU agree that they are listening, albeit in your opinion to the wrong people. So. We stand in agreement on this.
You complain that they need to add content. Which they are. So, they've answered your complaint. Yet, you still complain that they're not doing what they have said they are doing. You claim to have written games like this one and thus know exactly what it takes and they are failing miserably. Well. Why don't you apply for a job since you obviously know far better then they do what is needed to make this game a rousing success like those other games you wrote which obviously are highly successfull even if we don't know what they are because you didn't say.
Actually the games Im reffering to have been online for 15 years as of now. Im not getting into "I know how to write the game better than them". Im not saying Im the one they need to listen to. Im saying there are certain ways of doing this that you will follow or your product will fail.
Lets use wow for instance. This isnt wow but its still an mmo. Well its suposed to be an mmo so lets just go with that for now.
Wether its a space game, a fantasy game, or whatever kind of game it has to follow the mmo ruleset if it has levels and a quest based reward system to it.
The rules are pretty simple. Either its grinding stuff to get levels aka hard to level up or you have a ton of content to do after leveling.
Everyone will get tired of every game. Thats life and a problem with the mmo formula. But you can either create a content rich enviroment that people ignore the fact they cant level up anymore because theres new stuff to go do or you make leveling up take longer.
You can make the leveling take a long time because its brutal killing stuff or you can make it take a ton of fights to get there aka more exp needed per level.
This isnt some deal where Im saying I know better than them at how to write the game. Its pointing out how this is going to play out and some ways to fix things.
Tweaking bugs itsnt going to solve people quittting. But using one of the this listed above will fix where the problems really are.
If they can come up with something that keeps things going without using what I said, bravo. But I cant think of a single mmo that managed to avoid what Ive listed.
Still evading saying which ones. :rolleyes:
That's almost a contradiction. "You don't need to listen to me, but I know how to stop you failing".
Neither is pushing out half-baked content just to add content.
I like the idea of making it slower to level, but if they do that, they'll need to think about adding more weapon/equipment tiers (restricted to more than just rank - think about grades) to keep the 'flow' of leveling.
The information about just how much has been/is being and will be fixed is available on this very forum. And there is a lot going on.
Things like difficulty slider, death penalty, endgame, PVP, respec, content are all comming or are here already along with a thousand other things.