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Monetizing XP
desade1
Member Posts: 97 Arc User
After observing the numerous changes for this expansion it is pretty clear that Cryptic's intent was to monetize xp. They have nerfed xp in numerous ways so that now something that was pretty much a freebie in seasons 1-10 is now time gated. With all the other time gates they also seem to be trying to monetize "time" itself. They have been increasing expertise in order to offset the xp nerf, because that is now the new throwaway freebie.
This will definitely backfire because there is no way they are going to sell enough xp boosts to justify the damage to their reputation.
This will definitely backfire because there is no way they are going to sell enough xp boosts to justify the damage to their reputation.
Post edited by desade1 on
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It seems that cryptic was tired of the fact that each time they lounch a season, there it was a lot of ppl that came in, play the new story mission and log out for ever and at the end of the day, only the same players remain. We can see that on the steam charters, how a lot of ppl came log in the first week and then the numbers get back to "normal".
Now they want you to force to stay, if you want to play the last story mission, then grind to lvl 60, and in the mean time, to make your grind a bit more easy, you need to upgrade your system and ship.
So, insted of making long and durable end game content, they just reduce the XP gain and increse the HP of the NPCs. By doing this, I guess they didnt relise (it seems they dont know their playerbase) that meny players were at the limit of our patient.
My advice to cryptic (if my guess is correct, it may be wrong) is that next time, make durable content like better and more fun STFs or hell, maybe spend a bit of time fixing PVP.
Division Hispana
www.divisionhispana.com
Time will only tell!
That is their foult. Beacose by doing this they encourage the creation of alters. In a game where you have to really work to get to max lvl, you only make one or two characters (at most). In here they force you to have at least 4 or 5 (dilithium cap).
So yes, if you make a casual system, stey casual or be ready for the rage when you change that.
Division Hispana
www.divisionhispana.com
Completed Starbase, Embassy, Mine, Spire and No Win Scenario
Nothing to do anymore.
http://dtfleet.com/
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I think it's clear that people don't come to play STO for grind, or because of battles, or for the very best combat experiences out there (and I think its fair to say it doesn't have these things), but primarily because of adventuring in the Star Trek universe. In other words, for things like exploration, puzzles, mysteries, and to borrow from Captain Kirk, "Saving the galaxy" using our wits, while developing friendships, and learning a little about ourselves along the way.
There are (or at least were... only PWE knows) a lot of people who were paying money to the game despite all its problems. For some of us it was more about supporting the game first, and coming up with excuses as to what to use things for after, rather than feeling we "had to have this stuff".
*Spoilers*
In terms of Delta Rising, results let down the hype. Silly really, because if it were sold the right way, it could have worked. The Patrol missions, with a mini-story with the Romulan Republic Intelligence officer, could have worked well as a starting point for future exploration missions and new patrols in other Sector Blocks. The Mindscape mission, if released as a stand-alone "getting ready for DR" a couple of weeks ago, could have closed that story off (preferably with a "The End...?" for it) in preparation. Then the seven-mission DR storyline could have stood alone as further adventures with a parallel "new patrol series" and I think we would have been far happier.
If Cryptic spent more time and effort, investing in a writing team to release a stream of missions, even just exploration and patrols, then there would be a reason to get into the rhythm of knowing, "log in once a week/month and find something new, which will be exciting, interesting, well written, and well executed". It's clear from the Steam stats that there was a small but prolonged login benefit from winter and summer events. People don't need these huge glitzy releases from STO, they want something else. Cryptic needs to spend some time and invest some funds to learn more about its real customer base, and not merely rely on what they imagine we want... or push ahead with internal "visions" for the game developed in a vacuum with no consideration for their customer base.
It is hard to know your playerbase when you refuse to have any customer relationship and despise your customer base. Another game I play specifically planned on their customers going to play other games, and set their structure and their releases to allow players to come and go as needed.
My advice would be to fix Delta Rising and start treating their customers with the kind of sentient concern the Star Trek franchise illustrates.
Plus, this part of it has not changed... just start a new toon, and skip the tutorial and you'll find you go from "Cadet" to "Level 3 Lt" before you even get to leave the academy.
I am not talking of new players, I am talking of old players that only play the new stuff and log off untill the next season. I am a fleet leader and I see that happend every season/expancion.
Guys that I never seen from months, enter and in a day play all the content and then log off. They dont care about the rep, or the new ship.. they came, play the new missions and good bye.
And in mine opinion (may be wrong) cryptic want to trap thouse players with the XP nerf and HP buff and not only they fail on achiving that, but also by doing so they offended their loyal playerbase.
Naw, with that said, I dont think this is doom, beacose yes, the steam noumbers shows that if we compear LOR and this expancion, DR was a fiasco, but they still mantain the 3000 player steam base (so, they didnt actually loss players as some claim) but at the same time, they sell more stuff than LOR did (new ships, item upgrades, boost, boffs, and all that) so at the end of the day, I can see why cryptic see this expancion as a "succes" even if the numbers of players are not bigs as the LOR ones.
Division Hispana
www.divisionhispana.com
Remove the paltry 5% XP point boosts entirely. With the current XP rates, 5% is worthless.
But I don't think Cryptic is smart enough to realize that easy method of making money. Heck; I'd renew my Gold or consider the 200 LTS instead of waiting for a 100 or 150 LTS sale if they did as I suggested. I'd even pay a full 300 USD if it was a permanent 4x XP gain.
I'm one of those who run alts because it's more fun to play for variety, rather than just stick to one character. Not to mention, though one may customize as many BOs as they want, it's usually only the player's character that is seen. I don't mind the grind past 60; it's just a thing I'll do as go. However, it's not until level 50 that things get really good, and therein lies that problem; getting alts to 50 without having to endlessly play the same missions over and over each time.
I'm not asking for an instant lvl 50 jump, I'm just asking for something to let the progress to that level go faster. I'm still experimenting with ships every ten levels, but all the actual fun equipment and things to work on (Reputation and queues) are level locked at 50. I wouldn't be asking for an XP boost if Reps could be started on as early as level 30; or even level 20. That alone would reduce the urge to speed level to 50 for everyone, as well as pad the lower levels with actually useful equipment, not the majority of pitiful Mission rewards we get and the ever boring lack of ship variety (another reason the majority want to grind to 40-50 faster).
Everyone should be a captain.
Keep a few for learning purposes at the beginning and then leave them alone.
I dunno, I think Kobali Prime alone (just the map + missions) is better than the whole LOR expansion.
The story missions are really up to Star Trek quality now. Soon I don't even have to load up Mass Effect if I want to play a sci-fi RPG lol.
Dont see how its being monetized? It's just BROKEN BEYOND repair...even MONEY can't solve it.
That was sort of the point, a wish from the poster to make it a more involved part of the game.
Very true and seems to be working for this new model
Have they considered that people are leaving because they want to have fun, not grind.
Bingo, regular quality releases of story content will attract far more players than releasing new and inventive ways to grind and things to grind for.
Anybody else miss when STO was basically Featured Episode Series after Feature Episode Series?
Almost called it.
lol
My character Tsin'xing