Yes I went back and read it... and I stand corrected. Sounds uber. I still have no problem with it being a recruiter reward. Although, I think getting 5 people to BUY the game should be enough. I don't think they should have to also subscribe for another month minimum. Another idea... If a recruit goes LIFER, then BAM, Master Recruiter.
Wow, you are fast.. I could not even delete this post before it got quoted.... btw, how do you delete a post?
Perhaps you should recheck your Star Trek Lore. Fed cloak breaks the Treaty of Algernon. It was allowed in the anti-time reality, because the Romulans had been defeated by the Klingons and nullified the treaty. OK, if it has a unique cannon, then yes, that makes it more than a skin. As far as this "hint" show me.... It'll never fly.
Being at war with the Romulans nullifies the treaty too.
Also, read what dstahl said.
I say yes, because that is the incentive for players to refer their friends. It may eventually be available in the C-Store, but not anytime soon. Right now it is a good incentive and it should stay that way. Just like pre-orders had their own incentives.
I say yes, because that is the incentive for players to refer their friends. It may eventually be available in the C-Store, but not anytime soon. Right now it is a good incentive and it should stay that way. Just like pre-orders had their own incentives.
Do you seriously, honestly think having 5 people subscribe is fair? Really?
It shouldn't even be called referral. You are not referring if you do this! You are marketing the game for them.
Do you seriously, honestly think having 5 people subscribe is fair? Really?
It shouldn't even be called referral. You are not referring if you do this! You are marketing the game for them.
Of course its marketing, there are many forms of it. If you have friends that like Star Trek and/or MMOs I'm sure by now you've told them about STO, and that is definitely a form of marketing. At least through the referral program you are getting something in return.
Frankly I'll probably never get any of the referral rewards, but I'm fine with it. I have no problems with them offering incentives for it. Take away the incentives and very few people will do it. The less people that do it the less chance Cryptic has of making money. Lets face it, they are a company and their number 1 priority is making money, just like every other business. I don't have anything against them for that.
So to answer your question yes I do think its fair. Besides, who's to say that in a year from now they won't offer new incentives and put the current incentives into the C-Store?
Should be available through other means. In a game with so few unique high-end items, making one of the biggest ones a referral item demonstrates an attitude of profits before player experience, pure and simple.
The phrase "too soon" comes to mind.
WoW gets away with referral programs due to being well established, and even WoW doesn't require FIVE SUBSCRIBERS.
STO is barely off the ground, at this point it should be attracting players on it's own merits, not through this kind of heavy-handed referral.
The phrase "too soon" comes to mind.
WoW gets away with referral programs due to being well established, and even WoW doesn't require FIVE SUBSCRIBERS.
STO is barely off the ground, at this point it should be attracting players on it's own merits, not through this kind of heavy-handed referral.
Why shouldn't Cryptic get help from players who really enjoy the game and want to play it with their friends? I'm sure there have already been tons of people who have played it, told their friends about it, and got their friends to start playing. I have definitely told a few of my friends about it, granted they said they are too busy or too poor to play, but I've told them. This is just a way for Cryptic to say "thank you".
If it were a "thank you", why not make it a veteran's reward?
Well, because it's a thank you for driving more business to the game/teaching that recruit the game so they become a long term member (those who sub an extra month past the free month typically will stay around for MANY more.) not thank you for keeping your sub going.
If it were a "thank you", why not make it a veteran's reward, too?
The veteran rewards have their own "thank you". Besides its much easier to get it after playing for 400 days than to get 5 people to join. Besides for the veteran rewards you get a nice vanity ship anyway.
First let me start by saying something that applies to all threads of any nature. If you're indifferent to it or don't like the thread in question, don't read it. Don't reply, don't waste your time. If it is something that you don't like then I can only surmise that you're a TRIBBLE by continuing to go out of your way to reply to it. Everyone has issues that concern them and every issue does not concern everyone.
Next I'd like to say this is entirely my first post on the matter. I've not even said anything in #STO or in game on top of that. This means that the suggestion of it always being the same people is inherently flawed.
Finally, to the issue at hand, no it should not be exclusive to the referral program. If it were many other ships I wouldn't see an issue however this is a ship that people wanted from the very start. Many people wanted this, many people requested this, and demand for it never ceased. Before there were programs, before there was a C-Store, people simply wanted the ability to obtain such a memorable ship. So, to me, to place what is likely one of the most requested ships behind a wall of five subscriptions seems a bit, well, rude.
I'm completely indifferent to the ship at hand. Sure, I like it. Sure, I'd like to have one but it is far from my list of favourite or desired ships. That said, I'm posting because a great many people do want it and I can easily sympathize with that; what if it had been the only way to obtain the original Constitution? Then I would be in their place. Just because it's not something I'm all stoked for doesn't mean it's any less important to the rest of the players.
Let's be honest, recruiting is never really easy for any game. It's probably going to be far more difficult for this game since it isn't very long after the launch (and all the follies that come with that). Getting five people is particularly difficult and will most likely be a long and arduous process that I can imagine most of the people bothering with it will be the ones who simply want the ship being that it is clearly so popular. In a way, the idea is clever and sounds good, but in practise it hurts and upsets the people who created the large demand for it to begin with. Like others, I'm of the opinion that it should be a cryptic original prestige ship and not such a classic ship that has been highly wanted for years.
i already gave out my buddy key, and convinced two other friends to try the game. they bought it.
i have noone i actually know left to refer. everyone else is addicted to wow/eve etc. none are even willing to try sto. so i guess no referral benefits for me, even though i succeeded at getting 3 suckers into the game before this was announced lol
wooo i dissapear for a few days and cryptic starts mucking about, why do i always miss the most insane decisions? cryptic sure does like exlusives though. buy here get this, buy there get that, buy now with these, eat this and play with that.
I wonder when we'll get a STO exclusive for braving a public restroom? we already got one for braving the food that would send us there...
I say make it available, it's waaaaay too late for me to sucke...errrr convince my friends to get STO. They've seen gameplay, they've read reviews, they've heard me ranting about STO's problems. About the only way i could get them to stay wuld be to pay for their subs, pay for their internet bills for the bandwidth and buy several bottles of scotch which i'd need to employ in convincing them to go ahead with it.
We're already sold on STO one way or the other, an exclusive item won't swing our decision. Those who don't want to sell it never will and those that do probably already have. Giving us some exclusive recruiter item is not going to get our friends to buy it no matter how good a friend we may be. You've got to convince people to BUY the game instead of convincing people to SELL it.
After reading the replies in this thread as well as the other, its great to know that regardless of who thinks their "winning" the debate as far as the posts go, a poll shows the hard numbers, and in the end thats all the Devs really care about
i already gave out my buddy key, and convinced two other friends to try the game. they bought it.
i have noone i actually know left to refer. everyone else is addicted to wow/eve etc. none are even willing to try sto. so i guess no referral benefits for me, even though i succeeded at getting 3 suckers into the game before this was announced lol
VERY excellent point. Hmm, I bet the use of your buddy keys could be tracked, and your recruits could be added retroactively. All is not lost.
After reading the replies in this thread as well as the other, its great to know that regardless of who thinks their "winning" the debate as far as the posts go, a poll shows the hard numbers, and in the end thats all the Devs really care about
winning? lol, Even if you win an argument on the internet.. you are still arguing on the internet..
Sorry its getting on your nerves, but at least with a poll you can see exact numbers with one click instead of reading every page of a thread. If it really does bother you though, I would recommend exercising your free will and not clicking on a thread related to a subject you dont want to read about.
I do wish more people would vote to give you a larger sample size though regardless of what the results are.
After reading the replies in this thread as well as the other, its great to know that regardless of who thinks their "winning" the debate as far as the posts go, a poll shows the hard numbers, and in the end thats all the Devs really care about
Unfortunately that data your collecting is going to be skewed, like just about all self made polls posted here on the forums since it doesn't go out to the entire STO community. Not saying which side of the debate I'm on, just pointing that out.
Unfortunately that data your collecting is going to be skewed, like just about all self made polls posted here on the forums since it doesn't go out to the entire STO community. Not saying which side of the debate I'm on, just pointing that out.
Oh, your right. However, the reality of the matter is that most of the changes that have been made to the game are a direct result of forum feedback, since the Devs have not held any in game polls. I wish they would, but until then all their going to get is the feedback from the people on the forums.
And they shouldn't even have a RAF program now given the current state of the game. They should wait till it is good enough to stop bleeding subs and can actually retain people more successfully. Makes no sense to invite them to a half finished game that they will likely cancel after the first month and never give it a second chance.
One of the main points Cryptic has emphasized in various interviews is that they listen to their players. And TBH, they've done a pretty good job so far. For example, the game launched without PvE for Klingons, the community requested it, and they have started to deliver and have more in the works. The game launched with a pretty lame crafting system, but people expressed their desires and Cryptic is reworking it. The list goes on and on from the DP to the difficulty slider to end game content.
However, a new issue has arisen that people are voicing their concerns about; namely the Galaxy-X ship introduced through the referral program. Cryptic has made a pattern thus far of listening to the players, and thats a good thing. So lets have an unofficial poll to show how the community feels about this issue, so Cryptic can have another opportunity to prove they are listening:
But I'd also favor a third option where it becomes available through alternate means, all targeted at promoting the game.
Recruit 5 friends and get it.
Recruit 1 friend who stays for 6 months and get it.
Have a monthly fansite contest to award it.
Create a Youtube video promoting STO and the top 5 entries get it.
Have a contest to compose original music for the game and get it.
Have a fan art contest to get it.
Etc.
No problem with the idea of it being a viral marketing reward but I think they should have multiple ways to get it. I have no problem with saying you don't get it without promoting the game. I think the one way announced so far is awfully restrictive and difficult and may just come down to people with 5 e-mail accounts setting up 5 game accounts.
But I'd also favor a third option where it becomes available through alternate means, all targeted at promoting the game.
Recruit 5 friends and get it.
Recruit 1 friend who stays for 6 months and get it.
Have a monthly fansite contest to award it.
Create a Youtube video promoting STO and the top 5 entries get it.
Have a contest to compose original music for the game and get it.
Have a fan art contest to get it.
Etc.
No problem with the idea of it being a viral marketing reward but I think they should have multiple ways to get it. I have no problem with saying you don't get it without promoting the game. I think the one way announced so far is awfully restrictive and difficult and may just come down to people with 5 e-mail accounts setting up 5 game accounts.
I like this suggestion the best so far. Nice, calm and reasonable.
Grand nagus, I voted it should be available by some other means. I dont see this being a very good scale of the entire population, but I do hope something changes.
Comments
Yes I went back and read it... and I stand corrected. Sounds uber. I still have no problem with it being a recruiter reward. Although, I think getting 5 people to BUY the game should be enough. I don't think they should have to also subscribe for another month minimum. Another idea... If a recruit goes LIFER, then BAM, Master Recruiter.
Wow, you are fast.. I could not even delete this post before it got quoted.... btw, how do you delete a post?
Being at war with the Romulans nullifies the treaty too.
Also, read what dstahl said.
/10chars
Do you seriously, honestly think having 5 people subscribe is fair? Really?
It shouldn't even be called referral. You are not referring if you do this! You are marketing the game for them.
Of course its marketing, there are many forms of it. If you have friends that like Star Trek and/or MMOs I'm sure by now you've told them about STO, and that is definitely a form of marketing. At least through the referral program you are getting something in return.
Frankly I'll probably never get any of the referral rewards, but I'm fine with it. I have no problems with them offering incentives for it. Take away the incentives and very few people will do it. The less people that do it the less chance Cryptic has of making money. Lets face it, they are a company and their number 1 priority is making money, just like every other business. I don't have anything against them for that.
So to answer your question yes I do think its fair. Besides, who's to say that in a year from now they won't offer new incentives and put the current incentives into the C-Store?
WoW gets away with referral programs due to being well established, and even WoW doesn't require FIVE SUBSCRIBERS.
STO is barely off the ground, at this point it should be attracting players on it's own merits, not through this kind of heavy-handed referral.
I'm sure it'll get into the C-store eventually but for now I think having a REALLY shiny carrot to drive business to a game we love is a cool idea
Why shouldn't Cryptic get help from players who really enjoy the game and want to play it with their friends? I'm sure there have already been tons of people who have played it, told their friends about it, and got their friends to start playing. I have definitely told a few of my friends about it, granted they said they are too busy or too poor to play, but I've told them. This is just a way for Cryptic to say "thank you".
Well, because it's a thank you for driving more business to the game/teaching that recruit the game so they become a long term member (those who sub an extra month past the free month typically will stay around for MANY more.) not thank you for keeping your sub going.
Not meant as a harsh comment, just the reality.
The veteran rewards have their own "thank you". Besides its much easier to get it after playing for 400 days than to get 5 people to join. Besides for the veteran rewards you get a nice vanity ship anyway.
Next I'd like to say this is entirely my first post on the matter. I've not even said anything in #STO or in game on top of that. This means that the suggestion of it always being the same people is inherently flawed.
Finally, to the issue at hand, no it should not be exclusive to the referral program. If it were many other ships I wouldn't see an issue however this is a ship that people wanted from the very start. Many people wanted this, many people requested this, and demand for it never ceased. Before there were programs, before there was a C-Store, people simply wanted the ability to obtain such a memorable ship. So, to me, to place what is likely one of the most requested ships behind a wall of five subscriptions seems a bit, well, rude.
I'm completely indifferent to the ship at hand. Sure, I like it. Sure, I'd like to have one but it is far from my list of favourite or desired ships. That said, I'm posting because a great many people do want it and I can easily sympathize with that; what if it had been the only way to obtain the original Constitution? Then I would be in their place. Just because it's not something I'm all stoked for doesn't mean it's any less important to the rest of the players.
Let's be honest, recruiting is never really easy for any game. It's probably going to be far more difficult for this game since it isn't very long after the launch (and all the follies that come with that). Getting five people is particularly difficult and will most likely be a long and arduous process that I can imagine most of the people bothering with it will be the ones who simply want the ship being that it is clearly so popular. In a way, the idea is clever and sounds good, but in practise it hurts and upsets the people who created the large demand for it to begin with. Like others, I'm of the opinion that it should be a cryptic original prestige ship and not such a classic ship that has been highly wanted for years.
i have noone i actually know left to refer. everyone else is addicted to wow/eve etc. none are even willing to try sto. so i guess no referral benefits for me, even though i succeeded at getting 3 suckers into the game before this was announced lol
I wonder when we'll get a STO exclusive for braving a public restroom? we already got one for braving the food that would send us there...
I say make it available, it's waaaaay too late for me to sucke...errrr convince my friends to get STO. They've seen gameplay, they've read reviews, they've heard me ranting about STO's problems. About the only way i could get them to stay wuld be to pay for their subs, pay for their internet bills for the bandwidth and buy several bottles of scotch which i'd need to employ in convincing them to go ahead with it.
We're already sold on STO one way or the other, an exclusive item won't swing our decision. Those who don't want to sell it never will and those that do probably already have. Giving us some exclusive recruiter item is not going to get our friends to buy it no matter how good a friend we may be. You've got to convince people to BUY the game instead of convincing people to SELL it.
VERY excellent point. Hmm, I bet the use of your buddy keys could be tracked, and your recruits could be added retroactively. All is not lost.
winning? lol, Even if you win an argument on the internet.. you are still arguing on the internet..
I do wish more people would vote to give you a larger sample size though regardless of what the results are.
Unfortunately that data your collecting is going to be skewed, like just about all self made polls posted here on the forums since it doesn't go out to the entire STO community. Not saying which side of the debate I'm on, just pointing that out.
Oh, your right. However, the reality of the matter is that most of the changes that have been made to the game are a direct result of forum feedback, since the Devs have not held any in game polls. I wish they would, but until then all their going to get is the feedback from the people on the forums.
And they shouldn't even have a RAF program now given the current state of the game. They should wait till it is good enough to stop bleeding subs and can actually retain people more successfully. Makes no sense to invite them to a half finished game that they will likely cancel after the first month and never give it a second chance.
Given the two options, I'd say "no".
But I'd also favor a third option where it becomes available through alternate means, all targeted at promoting the game.
Recruit 5 friends and get it.
Recruit 1 friend who stays for 6 months and get it.
Have a monthly fansite contest to award it.
Create a Youtube video promoting STO and the top 5 entries get it.
Have a contest to compose original music for the game and get it.
Have a fan art contest to get it.
Etc.
No problem with the idea of it being a viral marketing reward but I think they should have multiple ways to get it. I have no problem with saying you don't get it without promoting the game. I think the one way announced so far is awfully restrictive and difficult and may just come down to people with 5 e-mail accounts setting up 5 game accounts.
me buying c points is much more likely than me finding 5(!) people that want to play this game.
I like this suggestion the best so far. Nice, calm and reasonable.
and equally undoable for most people.
Although that means that I too shall never command one.