Gold Membership Value

trainmaster2000 · June 2013

I was going to get a Gold membership but I am wondering about the value of it. Is it better to just get Zen?

gremmer · June 2013

I am new and just subscribed. All I can see is some more bank space, more inventory, and more slots for bridge officers. That's it. If there's more, it is not evident. I wasn't really needing any of the perks I got.

I read that you can get skill re-spec tokens as you level, but I was already at level 50.

All in all, I don't see the value of subscribing whatsoever. Save your money.

atticusmas · June 2013

gremmer wrote: »

I am new and just subscribed. All I can see is some more bank space, more inventory, and more slots for bridge officers. That's it. If there's more, it is not evident. I wasn't really needing any of the perks I got.

I read that you can get skill re-spec tokens as you level, but I was already at level 50.

All in all, I don't see the value of subscribing whatsoever. Save your money.

You DO get the 500 point stipend which is basically 500 zen a month (but bound to STO)

But honestly I see no other value to getting it on a monthly basis. It IS however very useful if you just get one month because the extra slots for stuff stay after you stop subscribing. So it is lucrative to sub for 1 month.

LTS on the other hand gives you A LOT of goodies and is on sale. If you are in the game for the long run LTS is an awesome value. You basically can get 500 zen a month forever and that means whenever you quit and come back you come back a rich man

steamwright · June 2013

Quoting somebob from over on the "what u wish u knew" thread:

somebob wrote: »

It's well worth subscribing for a single month (or however long it takes you to get to max level). Why?

1) You get a free respec every 10 levels if you're subscribed (and it stays when you drop your subscription).
2) You get more free inventory space if you're subscribed (and it stays when you drop your sub).
3) You get more free personal bank space if you're subscribed (and it stays).
4) You get a higher Energy Credit max (and it stays).
5) You get more ship and BOFF slots (and it stays).
6) You'll get 500Z per month (thus dropping your sub price down 'technically' by $5).

STO is a very weird hybrid F2P game where you want to subscribe for a month to go from level 1 to 50 and then never pay a subscription fee ever again. In CO you want to stay subscribed if you want to keep your features (like a Freeform character, free costumes, power colorization) - in STO you keep everything you've gained once you turn off the sub.

savnoka · June 2013

I've had a gold lifetime membership since game launch. Back then, assuming the game had a lifespan of more than a year and a half, it was a pretty good deal.

Now?

There's a thread about the 'value' of gold, i.e., how much zen it would take to unlock everything offered by the gold membership. I quote figures from that thread:
http://sto-forum.perfectworld.com/showpost.php?p=3863443&postcount=5

Let's assume you play STO for the next two years. You'd spend $199 for the lifetime, and get back about $120 worth of stipends, several free ships from LT to RA, and all of the benefits.

If you play for the next two years as free, buying things from the zen store, you would spend at LEAST

2 char slots, 6 BO slot unlocks, 6 inventory slot unlocks, 12 bank slot unlocks, 6 retrain tokens, 8 foundry slots, and 20k dilithium for ships = about 3600 to 4000 ZEN. Keep in mind most of that stuff is per character not account wide.

Then , there's vet rewards. Again, the golds get them across all characters, and most of them can't be replicated. The thread I mentioned comes up with a rough value for them.

Basically, you save a LOT of money in the long run with lifetime . . . but in the short term, or if you are not absolutely sure you like the game, it's a waste of money.

gremmer · June 2013

atticusmas wrote: »

You DO get the 500 point stipend which is basically 500 zen a month (but bound to STO)

But honestly I see no other value to getting it on a monthly basis. It IS however very useful if you just get one month because the extra slots for stuff stay after you stop subscribing. So it is lucrative to sub for 1 month.

LTS on the other hand gives you A LOT of goodies and is on sale. If you are in the game for the long run LTS is an awesome value. You basically can get 500 zen a month forever and that means whenever you quit and come back you come back a rich man

What 500 point stipend? Saw your note - went back in game and on the store web site - saw no sign of a 500 point anything. I have unsubscribed - would have stayed subscribed if there was something in return, anything.

Very strange business model. I'm a customer with money and Cryptic cannot put on something for me to buy.

smokeybacon90 · June 2013

Either sub for one month, grab the stipend and slots then unsub, or go LTS, I don't see any reason to maintain a Gold sub.

packer3434 · June 2013

Your best bet is to sub for one month, this will give you the increased inventory and bank spaces on all your toons and free respecs every 10 levels for low levels characters that level while your sub is active. You will also recieve 500zen.

After this first point there is little point in remaining subbed imo, you're probably better off just buying what ever you want/need from the c-store once the need arises.

Lifetime sub is an option but that obviously costs a lot more so you're gonna have to look at what that will give you and decide whether it's worth it.

gremmer · June 2013

sopwithsnipe wrote: »

That's because you weren't looking very hard. The stipend is clearly displayed on the website where they list the benefits between subscribing and playing for free.

If it's too hard to read the whole list just scroll to the bottom.

Features Matrix

It's the standard hybrid F2P business model used by several MMO's for several years now.

DDO
LOTRO
CoH
CO
A0C
SW:ToR
DCUO

To name a few.

Sorry - I wasn't clear. I do see the "500 points" feature listed on the gold membership listing on the website, as you describe. I cannot figure out how to redeem it - that is, to have it available to me to spend - so it doesn't exist, in my point of view. Please don't tell me in need to wait until the first month ends...

rylanadionysis · June 2013

I am most likely letting my sub lapse in a week. All I really got out of it was a few more inventory slots and 2 days worth of zen.

Maybe if there was a more serious perk, ya know? Something you cant just dilithium grind to get as a freebie, i might sub back up. Otherwise gold is a joke. Why spend money?

kirkepsilon1 · June 2013

trainmaster2000 wrote: »

I was going to get a Gold membership but I am wondering about the value of it. Is it better to just get Zen?

That's a interesting question you pose, I would say if you have read the features matrix that all you have to decide is any of that except the C point stipend something you want?

The vet uniforms are cool as are the 1000 day vet ships, that being said it really boils down to do you feel that you want those things or are you happy as you are?. Am a LTS sub so for me those things are pretty cool for the most part I would say they are more cosmetic rather than pratical.

Also you would have to consider whether or not do you believe its value for money? If you decided to get a LTS under the sale then you won't have to worry about ever paying again and you won't feel pressured or obligated to have to play. For me I jump in and out of STO all the time so the LTS was the way to go for me

.

gonjaa · June 2013

gremmer wrote: »

Sorry - I wasn't clear. I do see the "500 points" feature listed on the gold membership listing on the website, as you describe. I cannot figure out how to redeem it - that is, to have it available to me to spend - so it doesn't exist, in my point of view. Please don't tell me in need to wait until the first month ends...

I'm new too and my first bunch of zen I bought I couldn't get into game for days. I found I had to go to my account and transfer Zen from my acccount (on the website) to this game (since Zen is Perfect World wide). I'm not sure if you have to do it with the 500zen from the subscription or not but I believe my 500 was bunched with the zen I had bought but I don't remember now

saroven · June 2013

Honestly if you like this game with LTS sub on sale for only 199 USD you would be crazy not to get it. You get a lot of goodies as a LTS and it absolutely ends up paying for itself and then some.

artanisen · June 2013

in my opinion the value of being a sub here isnt all that appealing to me.
the benefits seems great but not enough to make me want it.

but if they add a Gold member shipyard, Gold member boff trainer
Gold member Pet store(combat pets only), Gold member crafting system,
stuff like this that makes it worth getting.

i just might think about it.

gonjaa · June 2013

imo a subscriber should have no need for the store outside of cosmetics

fraghul2000 · June 2013

A 1-month gold membership is definately worth it.

Only counting the 4, free characters and the perks you get to keep when returning to silver:

- 30 inventory slots (for 4 characters) = 4.000 Zen
- 60 bank slots (for 4 characters) = 6.000 Zen
- 4 Boff slots (for 4 characters) = 2.000 Zen
- 2 ship slots (for 4 characters) = 2.000 Zen

- 20 slot account bank = 2.000 Zen
- 1 unrestricted character slot = ~300 Zen
- 500 Zen stipend = 500 Zen

if you level all of those 4 characters while being subbed you can add:

- 6 retrain tokens (for 4 characters) = 12.000 Zen

so that's almost $150 worth of Zen which you get to keep after your sub expires, ~$270 if you level your toons during that period.

I can only recommend to everyone to buy a sub for a single month, either directly through pwe or by buying an old, unopened retail version of the game. Amazon still has them in the marketplace for prices below 1 Euro and they come with 30 days gametime.

zachverant · June 2013

Game Doomsayers say..DO NOT waste your money the game will be gone soon...

However...they have been wrong for 3 years running now...and I believe the game will be around for some time. You DO NOT launch an expansion just to close up shop next month.

For all the complaining I do around "patch day", it is really just to let the Devs know...I care...ohhh, and I want whatever it was they broke...fixed.

They have done a GREAT job making a fun game, from a stroke giving game. Is it perfect...no...but it is fun and I enjoy it.

In Closing, My LTS has paid for itself and the Dev's give you 500 zen every month for just breathing. 500 zen = $5 American every month + the other stuff you get for signing up.

Get the LTS and save the $15 a month and spend that on something you need/want or just pocket it.

just my 2 ec's worth

coffee...black...and keep it coming...:cool:

saxfire · June 2013

In my opinion it's worth to subscribe for one month to get the membership benefits such as inventory increasement, boffs, and so on, consider collection's edition.

gremmer · June 2013

fraghul2000 wrote: »

A 1-month gold membership is definately worth it.

Only counting the 4, free characters and the perks you get to keep when returning to silver:

- 30 inventory slots (for 4 characters) = 4.000 Zen
- 60 bank slots (for 4 characters) = 6.000 Zen
- 4 Boff slots (for 4 characters) = 2.000 Zen
- 2 ship slots (for 4 characters) = 2.000 Zen

- 20 slot account bank = 2.000 Zen
- 1 unrestricted character slot = ~300 Zen
- 500 Zen stipend = 500 Zen

if you level all of those 4 characters while being subbed you can add:

- 6 retrain tokens (for 4 characters) = 12.000 Zen

so that's almost $150 worth of Zen which you get to keep after your sub expires, ~$270 if you level your toons during that period.

I can only recommend to everyone to buy a sub for a single month, either directly through pwe or by buying an old, unopened retail version of the game. Amazon still has them in the marketplace for prices below 1 Euro and they come with 30 days gametime.

My experience?

Did not get 500 stipend
Started a new character - did not get additional inventory slots
That's just what I found so far...

rylanadionysis · June 2013

gonjaa wrote: »

imo a subscriber should have no need for the store outside of cosmetics

a thousand times this ^

Every other F2P game I have subbed to gives you freaking everything when you sub (you lose it if you unsub of course)

Why the hell not here?

daveyny · June 2013

gremmer wrote: »

My experience?

Did not get 500 stipend
Started a new character - did not get additional inventory slots
That's just what I found so far...

I hope you realize that none of it kicks-in till you finish the Tutorial... ? ...

Every toon I've started (11 now including a Romulan), have acquire all the items they are entitled to.

gremmer · June 2013

daveyny wrote: »

I hope you realize that none of it kicks-in till you finish the Tutorial... ? ...

Every toon I've started (11 now including a Romulan), have acquire all the items they are entitled to.

Thank you for the suggestion; I acknowledge you're trying to help.

In fact, I had finished the tutorial, and did not get the extra inventory slots. I have not checked the bank, but I would guess I did not get those either.

daveyny · June 2013

sopwithsnipe wrote: »

Okay, first off the stipend isn't redeemed it gets credited to your STO C-Store total.

Second, the stipend is game specific and can't be used on any other game.

Now I've been a lifer from the start so I'll need confirmation but I believe we are awarded our stipend on the date the account goes "Gold".

Most have found that it starts One Day After (30 or 31+1) the acquisition of Gold/LTS status.

gremmer · June 2013

sopwithsnipe wrote: »

Okay, first off the stipend isn't redeemed it gets credited to your STO C-Store total.

Second, the stipend is game specific and can't be used on any other game.

Now I've been a lifer from the start so I'll need confirmation but I believe we are awarded our stipend on the date the account goes "Gold".

My issue is not that I went over to Neverwinter and tried to use my STO 500 point stipend.

The issue is straightforward: I subscribed to STO Gold and have yet to see my STO 500 stipend.

Thank you for trying to help here.

daveyny · June 2013

gremmer wrote: »

Thank you for the suggestion; I acknowledge you're trying to help.

In fact, I had finished the tutorial, and did not get the extra inventory slots. I have not checked the bank, but I would guess I did not get those either.

What level has your character reached?

It may be that with LoR the items may not pop-up till you reach Level 5.

(though I think my Romulan didn't get them till level 10, but that was a BUG I believe)

:cool:

gremmer · June 2013

daveyny wrote: »

Most have found that it starts One Day After the acquisition of Gold/LTS status.

Clarity!

Brilliant.

Thank you.

daveyny · June 2013

gremmer wrote: »

My issue is not that I went over to Neverwinter and tried to use my STO 500 point stipend.

The issue is straightforward: I subscribed to STO Gold and have yet to see my STO 500 stipend.

Thank you for trying to help here.

If it has been more than a month + one day, then I would use the contact email address to inquire.

Also, if you can, try to write down the 'day number' it hits your account, because it will be on that date (within 24 hours) every time afterward.

gremmer · June 2013

gremmer wrote: »

Clarity!

Brilliant.

Thank you.

Well, this turned out not to be true.

My first full day of Gold has come and gone - no 500 point STO stipend.

In addition, no skill respect token.

And finally, no additional inventory space on 2nd character.

Wow, just wow.

mbomberdavid · June 2013

gremmer wrote: »

Well, this turned out not to be true.

My first full day of Gold has come and gone - no 500 point STO stipend.

In addition, no skill respect token.

And finally, no additional inventory space on 2nd character.

Wow, just wow.

If there is an error im sure they will help you fix it. I had my account banned by accessing it from a banned region on travels (i think) and they sorted that out in time. I have been LTS since the first year and i have not been through the low levels for a long time, but i think you need to be a certain level after the tutorial before you can spend your points in the zen-store. My LTS has long since paid for itself. Im a sporadic player and it is nice to have a pile of zen built up when i return from a playing break to convert to dilithium or keys to sell on the exchange. The system works nicely for me and various play styles. If your are not getting your 500 points a month, point it out to them and they will in time fix your troubles...

grouchyotaku · June 2013

gremmer wrote: »

Well, this turned out not to be true.

My first full day of Gold has come and gone - no 500 point STO stipend.

In addition, no skill respect token.

And finally, no additional inventory space on 2nd character.

Wow, just wow.

The Stipend doesn't kick in until 30 days after the start of the subscription...
Skill respec tokens are given out in the 'Rank Up' promotion missions, and are not granted retro-active.
Inventory space is also granted in the 'Rank Up' promotion missions, though this is given retro-active for higher level charcters...

Please read the F2P Feature Matrix for the actual details of your Bank/Inventory/BO slot increases... http://sto.perfectworld.com/about/freetoplay/features-matrix

syberghost · June 2013

gremmer wrote: »

My first full day of Gold has come and gone - no 500 point STO stipend.

Multiple people have pointed out in this thread that the stipend begins one month + one day after you subscribe. They were correct.

Gold Membership Value

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