Hey all... I read this article today and found it very interesting. I will quote a bit of it and then put the link. I know it is frowned upon sometimes to link other articles from other websites, but since it's a Cryptic person doing the interview, I hope it's fine.
Here is the link
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2010-11-02-wow-sucked-oxygen-from-mmo-subs
Interesting Quotes:
"You're skating up hill if you don't offer a free-to-play option," Cryptic Studios head Jack Emmert told Eurogamer. "You're skating up against World of Warcraft and theoretically SWTOR. That's your competition. And unless you think your games are as good or better than those - because you also have to overcome their reputation - it's going to be highly unlikely a large number of people, meaning 200,000-plus, are going to be willing to subscribe to your game.
"World of Warcraft has pretty much sucked the oxygen out of the subscription market and kind of devoured it itself," he added, "and those games that are currently subscription-based are battling for a very, very small market of people who either don't like WOW or are willing to pay a second subscription."
"If I'm a consumer and I walk into a store and I look at it, I have to be 100 per cent sure that that subscription game is going to deliver an experience equal to or better than World of Warcraft. That's my benchmark. If they can do that..."
Now... we are all aware that CO is going f2p for a variety of reasons (which is a good thing IMO) and that others like LOTRO are doing the same.
What then, are the implications for Star Trek Online?
If the plan is to eventually go f2p, then fine. But if the plan is there, can we ask for more transpareny so that we can work to help Crypic set up some good hybrid system ahead of time that won't look like going f2p is a last ditch effort to save a dying game? (Which is the general feeling when a game goes f2p right now.)
Personally, I have been away and only returned and have found that since dstahl has taken over, some really nice changes have happened and there are way more positive things about STO than before! YAY!
I'd be curious to know what people think and to hear from DSTAHL on this one.
Cheers!
Curious_Canuck

PS - Save the "Sky is falling / Doom and gloom" posts for other forums. I am generally curious about this and think that it's important to discuss this frankly with the developpers.
Comments
http://forums.startrekonline.com/showthread.php?t=185819
And yes, I suppose I could have stuck the news into the last page of that thread and seen where it would go, but I think that the article is significant enough to warrant it's own thread.
(btw... I have read that whole thread over the last few days and find it interesting)
Thanks Nagus
Thankful_Canuck
What also makes this interesting is where this places current subscription based MMOs, like STO and how this will affect development budgets for upcoming MMOs like the Neverwinter Nights one and that other one Cryptic is working on. What makes this doubly interesting is that it is coming from a person who's head of a company that will have an f2p MMO, a subscription based MMO (that works on the same engine and uses the same mechanics) and what is developping another MMO.
Keep it coming!
Vocative_Canuck
Now dstahl said that as far as he knows there are no plans to convert STO to F2P. I'm going to assume that he's being honest with us since I've never seen any reason to believe that he's ever lied to us.
However, it's quite possible, likely even, that Jack Emmert has thoughts and plans that dstahl and the STO team aren't aware of. For the simple reason that Jack hasn't told them, or he hasn't told them the truth. It's also possible that Jack doesn't even know himself what he wants to do with STO in the future. Perhaps he is taking a wait and see approach.
It's also possible that suits at either CBS or Atari, or perhaps both, don't want to lose money by going F2P.
So I guess that my opinion on this is: Jack's just flapping his gums again and it likely doesn't mean much of anything. Which of course won't prevent people on this forum from trying to whip it up into a frenzy out of shear boredom.
And I think these comments from Jack are a sign of things to come. Back in 2008, Jack made statements about his hatred from Micro-Transactions, a staple of the F2P model. But if you look at his statements now, it seems like he has seen the writing on the wall, and his business side is kicking in. In order to stay solvent and competitive, F2P is the way to go. You don't go mano-e-mano with the 800lb gorilla and come out a champ.
Look for about a 6 month or 1 year "trial" of F2P on Champions. If the numbers come up, then STO will follow suit.
All of this could be a lead in for a multi-game subscription model as well.
Then they can recycle the server and resources to be used for their next MMO.
Though at the same time, Iam not entirely sure that STO should go F2P more than I would like to see perhaps bring the sub down to say $4.99 a month + micros (C-store). Like I stated, it is my opinion.
As for World of Warcraft as a whole, I think that of what has become of Blizzard and being apart of Activision is simply going to finally take a dive and I say that in part that Blizzard isnt what it once was when it was an independent company. I like to refer to Activision as the Plague of Franchises; they are a direct responsibility for much of the turmoil that occurred through the demise of past Star Trek Titles and the endless lawsuits. Look at that of what has occurred in regards to the Call of Duty series, greediness of Activision has destroyed another great Franchise and I suspect that the Blizzard brand will do the same, why In part that StarCraft 2 hasnt been the big hit that everyone thought it was going to be, so I think it is only a matter of time until WOW basically takes a dive as it as an MMOs has been so dumbed down it is amazing it is still going as strong as it is. As well, it has been stated in the last month or so that WOW could go F2P at some point.
I also see this F2P model coming about more and more, though at the same time I have to question is it for the means that they are losing subs and this is the only way to maintain the MMO? Another example, Pirates of the Burning Sea is going F2P, while it was a great game why did they decide to go to F2P? Was the model just not working in regards to the Subs? As well, can and on what scale can the F2P model work and what has to if anything be reduced to maintain such a model? I just dont know.
So, in other words, he doesn't feel Champions is as good or better than WoW. Thanks Jack.
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I do believe sto will eventually go F2P. The dev team is just not big enouph to keep people entertained unfortuneatly. Even my fleet alone, half of the fleet dosnt play STO because theres just nothing there. Weeklys are cool and all but its not going to sustain this game. It needs a Massive update to it with loads of solid content. Season 3 was from what i recall to be bug fixes but to me has changed to the Forge now. Ive heard Stahl mention it tons of times saying that the team is very hard onto the forge and getting it done. Already the game is buggered atm. Not bad but there are bugs that been there that simply shouldnt. Also the games rep... this games rep isnt what I call good. I had to beg my buddy to come play STO even though he thinks it sucks.
Its like that article said. Go big or go home, and unfortuneatly its true.
I know theres alot of fan boys out there for STO but I hate to tell yah... I myself dont see STO going anywhere for along time. I think its life is just like SWG's just prior to me leaving it after 4 years playing. Dead. Dev team is going to try its hardest to keep us all happy, but I fear its just not enouph....
Time will only tell.
The gamer in me does sometimes get upset with Cryptic, because if any game deserved to have the red carpet treatment rolled out for it, it's an MMO for Star Trek. Come on, it's Star Trek - it deserved better than it got. I wish there had been someone with enough influence at the company to say "No, no, no.. we either do it right or we let someone else do it right", but apparently there wasn't or things would have turned out differently.
I'm just grateful enough of the development team members are fans and try their hardest to make magic with what they have. I'm quite sure many of them are equally as frustrated at times. I believe that, given enough time, they can do great things with this game. It's just frustrating because what they eventually turn the game into is what it deserved to be from the start.
I share the same thoughts.
Startrek I think if done right could topple the king. Especially an MMO that would offers so many multi factions. But unfortuneatly this mmo is the way it is now. It could do better, but the heads of the game would have to start feeding the game money and also hire on new team members. What feeds an mmo is content. if you can sustain your player base with content then youll have them keep coming back. And with the economy the way it is, people look at go, well I can afford to play this but this has more content and I may enjoy this more.. there going to go with something that offers there buck value.
Its sad really, in time this game would be great to someone who would try it out maybe 2 years from now but to us... its kinda a bore. We log in, do our dailies, play dabo... some roleplay and thats about it really. Just nothing to enjoy in game. Limited planets to explore, small maps on those planets and, theres no new life, no new planets to explore like startrek is all about.
I know I played swg for 4 years and i kept hoping something would be done in order to get swg back to being the best mmo, but it just never happened. I waisted my time and my money on somethng that was dead due to the NGE. And whats killing this game in my opinion here is what happened at launch and all the marketing blunders. People avoid this game and dont want anything to do with it and the only ones that play are die hard trekies that want to enjoy an MMO thats in there favourite area..star trek.
Lets be honest; its not. Not in quality, or amount of content. And virtually all professional reviewers agree. Thats not to say its a bad game and you cant have fun with it; I have. And while I let my sub lapse, I'll play again once it goes F2P.
It's unlikely something that's completely intended for a niche market will pull in the $$$, there has to be some level of mass appeal.
agreed, there'll be initial interest because it's free but the restriction is likely to get in the general way of the goal, $$$.
The cynic in me agrees somewhat, CO going F2P is obviously a test run if it fails and STO starts decreasing is $$$ intake it'll probably get dropped pretty fast.
A niche can also mean there are untapped market demographics and preferences.
There is no best MMO, rather there are best MMOs: there really aren't any good console MMOs , nor are there any truly great shooter MMOs yet (either commercially or critically). These are all areas that can be developed in more fully. An untapped market is one that doesn't need to worry about competing with WoW.
Stuff like integrating mission creation for Neverwinter at launch (and having non-sub models) actually sounds extremely promising - as does Guild Wars 2's insistence on dynamic events, consistent leveling rate, and no-sub model.
1- Pay to purchase the game (39.99$ for eg) free to subscribe and play (for everyone)
2- A robust and well thought out macro transaction system (char slots, name changes, transfers, etc.)
3- A robust and well thought out micro transaction system (char customization, cosmetic, inventory)
4- At least 3 months (ie - 400+ hours) of content at launch
5- Purchasable content such as adventures or access to zones based on a token system
6- NO Gold, Silver, Bronze access models at all.
If something like this was done with the clear understanding by the players, that the game fully intends to be a "nickel and dime" model, then I think this would absolutely work.
The problem with Subscription models is you need the game to justify it. EvE Online and WoW (although I have never played WoW) are two, bona fide MMOs (among a few others) that can honestly say they are worth subscriptions.
As well, the problem with F2P models, especially for games that transition from a Subscription model to a f2P model, is that the general concessus among gamers is that it's the proverbial "last kick at the can" for an otherwise unsuccessful game.
Anyhow... that`s my opinion on it and I guess, to an extent, that is pretty much in-line with what Jack Emmet said before.
Cheers!
Hybrid_Canuck
oh... and I know that Jack said SWTOR was the one that would be able to go up against WoW, but from what I have read about it, even though I am a big Star Wars fan, I am not going to withing 10 Parsecs of that game at launch. What else is there to say but - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Drkh0YLF8rI