OP is mad that PWE/Cryptic are using false advertising to make STO seem less violent than it is, also promotes violence in his initial post. Makes you think.
You guys have a really low threshold for using the word 'mad' . 'Irritated' is probably adequate. And a bit of assault and battery is generally a much better instructional tool than murder in my experience, so maybe degrees of violence are just as foreign a concept...
That is why I don't play a federation character. It doesn't feel right. In the movies and tv shows it was "Seek out new life and new civilizations. To boldly go where no man has gone before." In STO it is " To seek out new life and new civilizations. To boldy erradicate anything that moves before we have to talk to them."
"Take command of your ship and crew in Star Trek Online, coming to PlayStation®4 and Xbox One consoles in 2016.
Accept this mission and go where no one has gone before. Explore the galaxy, seeking out new civilizations, helping those in need, and fighting – when you must."
Like I said, my Feddy toons always open hailing frequencies. It's not their fault that everyone else in the game considers concentrated disruptor fire to be an appropriate response. What, they're just supposed to sit there and get dusted to appease your oddly situational ethics?
I think its strangely in keeping with what we see in the TV shows that admirals are consistently way, way more pragmatic, vicious, and politically-minded than the protagonist captains are. It makes you wonder what the adventures of some of the other, non-pretty boy flagship vessels are like that those people move up right on past Kirk, Picard and similar "must stay in the chair" captains. You kind of have to suspect some people out there get ground under Starfleet's boot from time to time.
Like I said, my Feddy toons always open hailing frequencies. It's not their fault that everyone else in the game considers concentrated disruptor fire to be an appropriate response. What, they're just supposed to sit there and get dusted to appease your oddly situational ethics?
My what?
I'm with you on opening hailing frequencies. It'd be neat if the game actually reflected that step as more than head canon, but missed opportunities are only that. Like I said at the outset, I still have fun in the game.
Honestly, I occasionally wonder what was the exact moment you decided you had no other mode of interacting with me than to try and be a TRIBBLE on every occasion, to the point of actively arguing against your own positions as long as it lets you scream 'rabbit season' to my 'duck season' in contrarian glee. You mange clever and even charming often enough elsewhere on the boards that the contrast is striking. But at the point I'm starting to take perverse pride in it.
"Take command of your ship and crew in Star Trek Online, coming to PlayStation®4 and Xbox One consoles in 2016.
Accept this mission and go where no one has gone before. Explore the galaxy, seeking out new civilizations, helping those in need, and fighting – when you must."
Ok, that advertising copy writer needs to have their head dashed against a stone wall about six times. That's so untrue not even "bald-faced LIE" is adequate to describe the willful deception.
Its like they know what a game set in the Star Trek universe should be, but just can't quite summon the ingenuity to deliver on the concept.
Seriously Cryptic... why would you set yourself up for the scathing backlash that's going to draw? Is an honest description of the game just not good enough for your future customers?
@nikeix
More like they know what a Star Trek game should be but why should they bother to do that when people will blindly hand over piles of cash for the same old power creeping broken junk?
Can't have a honest conversation because of a white knight with power
Before Exploration missions were removed, it was possible to get to Level 11 with non-combat exploration missions and use duty officer assignments to get to level 50 with the only necessary combat being in the tutorial. I originally played a Pacifist character that was so traumatized by the tutorial that she warped out of a system the first time she saw a red blip on the radar. She was remade into a non-pacifist when the Delta Recruitment event came out.
So after a certain point in the game, there is absolutely no need to do any combat and still get to level 60.
Thank you for you continued efforts to show the virtues of having a dead soul and the joy of subservience to the grinding machine.
I'm gonna pause and go get some lohlunat favors to drown my frustrations with the last summer kit I need for my Romulan Science captain . Because I should seize those rare opportunities to advance my character by not fighting - when I can.
Not listening, clearly. I don't want/need the game to change. I WANT the advertisers to STOP LYING TO PEOPLE. Its one line of text, not 78,000 lines of code.
If the ad copy writers can't find joy in the game we actually have, then they shouldn't be writing ad copy for it.
It's called PR spin. Much like the game, it won't change. Cryptic can do whatever they want with things, PR or otherwise.
There ARE non-combat missions. Obviously combat missions are common, but the blurb doesn't say that "when you must" is either common or uncommon, just that it is.
Not listening, clearly. I don't want/need the game to change. I WANT the advertisers to STOP LYING TO PEOPLE. Its one line of text, not 78,000 lines of code.
If the ad copy writers can't find joy in the game we actually have, then they shouldn't be writing ad copy for it.
It's called PR spin. Much like the game, it won't change. Cryptic can do whatever they want with things, PR or otherwise.
There ARE non-combat missions. Obviously combat missions are common, but the blurb doesn't say that "when you must" is either common or uncommon, just that it is.
this; there are no lies, just truth - from a certain point of view
A normie goes "Oh, what's this?"
An otaku goes "UwU, what's this?"
A furry goes "OwO, what's this?"
A werewolf goes "Awoo, what's this?"
"It's nothing personal, I just don't feel like I've gotten to know a person until I've sniffed their crotch." "We said 'no' to Mr. Curiosity. We're not home. Curiosity is not welcome, it is not to be invited in. Curiosity...is bad. It gets you in trouble, it gets you killed, and more importantly...it makes you poor!"
Passion and Serenity are one.
I gain power by understanding both.
In the chaos of their battle, I bring order.
I am a shadow, darkness born from light.
The Force is united within me.
Alright, lets talk real politic here for a minute. There's a pretty round consensus here that - whether or not you care - its so far divorced from the actual gameplay its tantamount to false advertising. STO is not a box-price game. You don't collect $50 a head to get people to shuffle through the front door. People can play long enough to figure out you just fed them a line of BS and leave before you gather up so much as a single dollar.
Knowing that, it behooves your ad-writers to not feed people a line. I'm not saying the game needs to change. I'm saying why lie when it just cuts into your profits and spreads bad word of mouth? Not everyone is indifferent to expecting one game and finding another. Mistaken expectations are the foundation of all disappointment. If we all loves the killin' so much (and we does) then frame that excitement, that adventure, that daring do as an important part of your offering. As was suggested, this is the Federation in the grip of troubled times. Tough decisions need to be made. Lives will be lost. You will be that hero.
The lie isn't even lazy. It's shoddy work and the game deserves better because doing better is how you bring in an audience that will stay. And from pure self-interest I'd like for STO to acquire and keep more players.
"Take command of your ship and crew in Star Trek Online, coming to PlayStation®4 and Xbox One consoles in 2016.
Accept this mission and go where no one has gone before. Explore the galaxy, seeking out new civilizations, helping those in need, and fighting – when you must."
Ok, that advertising copy writer needs to have their head dashed against a stone wall about six times. That's so untrue not even "bald-faced LIE" is adequate to describe the willful deception.
Its like they know what a game set in the Star Trek universe should be, but just can't quite summon the ingenuity to deliver on the concept.
Seriously Cryptic... why would you set yourself up for the scathing backlash that's going to draw? Is an honest description of the game just not good enough for your future customers?
In an age where Mortal Kombat has withstood the test of time, hasn't been taboo for years, and nobody cares anymore, I highly doubt there will be a "backlash" at the amount of "violent" content in this game.
Nike, your own head is not a "general consensus", and at no point was this game falsely advertised. Take a breath, get a drink, and if it bothers you so damn much, try to code yourself an MMO that doesn't rely on combat fairly frequently. 'Cause I ain't seen one yet. Hell, even tabletop tends that way - there's a reason why the D&D books have entire chapters on combat techniques and rules and weapons, and maybe a couple of lines about how to roleplay negotiations.
Nike, your own head is not a "general consensus", and at no point was this game falsely advertised. Take a breath, get a drink, and if it bothers you so damn much, try to code yourself an MMO that doesn't rely on combat fairly frequently. 'Cause I ain't seen one yet. Hell, even tabletop tends that way - there's a reason why the D&D books have entire chapters on combat techniques and rules and weapons, and maybe a couple of lines about how to roleplay negotiations.
I still think you miss the point.
The problem is not that the game is "violent" or involves a lot of space battles. Especially since all of that is really fun.
The problem is advertising the game as something where this isn't the case. Why not come out and say something like: "In the troubled times of the 25th century, join Starfleet to serve and protect the Federation against overwhelming odds."
Star Trek Online Advancement: You start with lowbie gear, you end with Lobi gear.
Unfortunately there exists a legal principal called "Puffery" in regards to advertising. I wish that was not the case but it is. False advertising that is within the definition of puffery is legally acceptable practice and can be found in most marketing. It stinks.
Well technically it's not a lie. They're just telling their potential new customers to 'fight when they must'. The only thing they forgot to mention, is that we almost always must fight.
It's not a lie, it's just telling half of the story.
sheeeesh, just add the dialog option to attemp communication before bfaw-ing everythang......
Why? So we can tap 'F' some more before getting down to business? The majority of the dialog options in this game do absolutely nothing, even when the other guy wants to talk to us.
Except that Exploration's been removed since 2014.
Sure, if you limit "exploration" to only mean "use the 'Exploration System'". As opposed to, say, taking your ship and wandering around the galaxy map to see what you can see.
helping those in need
mm...partially true. depends on how much 'in need' you think the company's shareholders (or is it shear holders, given that we're basically being run in a closed course like sheep...)
Considering the number of missions that revolve around someone having a problem and you helping them?
Eh, whatever. You seemed to start out making a reasonable parsing of the press release, but then careened wildly off the tracks into anti-Cryptic editorial. /shrug
Except that Exploration's been removed since 2014.
Sure, if you limit "exploration" to only mean "use the 'Exploration System'". As opposed to, say, taking your ship and wandering around the galaxy map to see what you can see.
helping those in need
mm...partially true. depends on how much 'in need' you think the company's shareholders (or is it shear holders, given that we're basically being run in a closed course like sheep...)
Considering the number of missions that revolve around someone having a problem and you helping them?
Eh, whatever. You seemed to start out making a reasonable parsing of the press release, but then careened wildly off the tracks into anti-Cryptic editorial. /shrug
Yup, pretty much. Kinda the usual from the poster, really.
Star Trek Online Advancement: You start with lowbie gear, you end with Lobi gear.
Personally I think it is a mistake moving to consoles. The PC crowd is already feeling neglected, so I can only imagine the neglect to come. They may decide to drop the PC version and just allow the consoles to supply their paychecks. They could save money by shutting their servers down because Microsoft and Sony run their own servers. Consoles cannot easily be botted or software modded. I fully understand they are looking at getting away from working as hard, eliminating jobs, and making a ton of cash.
So why do I say it is a BIG mistake?
I am 50 years old and don't plan to buy a console. I have an old Wii kicking around the house, but I don't use it. Why do I want to buy a PS4 or XB1 just to have them make the next best thing in a few years? They will be catering to an elite few. My nephew who is 18 and works a job just bought the latest CoD game for the XB1. People who play these consoles, still go to the store and buy $60 games and pay XB Live monthly fees to play "blood sports" this is NOT Star Trek. I asked my nephew about his opinion and his answer, "Free games are not worth the effort, they are a waste of your time." Cryptic cannot please the players of Halo, CoD, Killzone, Dead Space, etc.. They cannot compete in this market.
As for the advertisement... I am a Foundry author, I seldom "played" the game. My characters are Admirals and Generals now. They got there with duty officer missions. My sons kept telling me, "Mom this isn't suppose to be Farmville you know?!?" I got there without fighting so it can be done, just not very exciting. I only got into STO for the Foundry, for the last 90 days the Foundry has been shutdown in Neverwinter so I am back here until they decide to turn it back on or scrap it out.
i'm 42, and I don't have a modern console (only a ps2 covered by dust), in my opinion sto on consoles is a good idea, because sto will have more visibility, and will be able to bring more players; more players = more $ for PWE/cryptic/etc. And money = a game that can stay alive, and maybe more contents (yes i dream )
STO on consoles is not for the pc players, because we are already playing sto. many people predicted the death of the games on pc, but pc games are still alive and a lot of games are created for pc each year.
Sennah . Just take a look at this years e3 thats currently on. PC is getting a lotta lovin of late, especially with the piles of MOBAs thatve been pouring out the last year or two
Agreed with the OP as the game model caters to the typical gameplay model of perpetual warfare.
I could name a ton of other games I've played and still play that contain a lot of exploration, building, story-lines which actually impact gameplay, and multiplayer team play dynamics. Sure, most of those are single player, or non-MMORPG, but all the extra $$$ being put in should more than cover the cost of keeping the servers running and the IP license, still make good profit, and have left-over for continued development, including end-game content and exploring non-warfare options.
The game engine clearly is very capable (as Devs have confirmed), and the graphics are still very good for a 6 year old MMO, so there's no faulting that if the UI lag and polygon spam of DR missions is taken care of.
Alternative content should be just that, alternate ways of getting the same thing. The game is rated Teen after all, and those who are not up to some challenge can either get their marks from regular battles, get help from others, read online tutorials, actually apply themselves (imagine that), or play on normal where mission design would be super simplified and streamlined. If it's fun, people will do it even if it is for the same rewards in proportion of mission time and risk.
Comments
There you go, literal truth restored. Now go thou and whine no more.
You guys have a really low threshold for using the word 'mad'
I think every admiral that commands you around is like the king in this video: https://youtube.com/watch?v=vTwyaIo9ADk
(chuckle) That was... different.
I think its strangely in keeping with what we see in the TV shows that admirals are consistently way, way more pragmatic, vicious, and politically-minded than the protagonist captains are. It makes you wonder what the adventures of some of the other, non-pretty boy flagship vessels are like that those people move up right on past Kirk, Picard and similar "must stay in the chair" captains. You kind of have to suspect some people out there get ground under Starfleet's boot from time to time.
My what?
I'm with you on opening hailing frequencies. It'd be neat if the game actually reflected that step as more than head canon, but missed opportunities are only that. Like I said at the outset, I still have fun in the game.
Honestly, I occasionally wonder what was the exact moment you decided you had no other mode of interacting with me than to try and be a TRIBBLE on every occasion, to the point of actively arguing against your own positions as long as it lets you scream 'rabbit season' to my 'duck season' in contrarian glee. You mange clever and even charming often enough elsewhere on the boards that the contrast is striking. But at the point I'm starting to take perverse pride in it.
More like they know what a Star Trek game should be but why should they bother to do that when people will blindly hand over piles of cash for the same old power creeping broken junk?
So after a certain point in the game, there is absolutely no need to do any combat and still get to level 60.
Somebody missed thier Zoloft today...
My character Tsin'xing
this; there are no lies, just truth - from a certain point of view
#LegalizeAwoo
A normie goes "Oh, what's this?"
An otaku goes "UwU, what's this?"
A furry goes "OwO, what's this?"
A werewolf goes "Awoo, what's this?"
"It's nothing personal, I just don't feel like I've gotten to know a person until I've sniffed their crotch."
"We said 'no' to Mr. Curiosity. We're not home. Curiosity is not welcome, it is not to be invited in. Curiosity...is bad. It gets you in trouble, it gets you killed, and more importantly...it makes you poor!"
Knowing that, it behooves your ad-writers to not feed people a line. I'm not saying the game needs to change. I'm saying why lie when it just cuts into your profits and spreads bad word of mouth? Not everyone is indifferent to expecting one game and finding another. Mistaken expectations are the foundation of all disappointment. If we all loves the killin' so much (and we does) then frame that excitement, that adventure, that daring do as an important part of your offering. As was suggested, this is the Federation in the grip of troubled times. Tough decisions need to be made. Lives will be lost. You will be that hero.
The lie isn't even lazy. It's shoddy work and the game deserves better because doing better is how you bring in an audience that will stay. And from pure self-interest I'd like for STO to acquire and keep more players.
In an age where Mortal Kombat has withstood the test of time, hasn't been taboo for years, and nobody cares anymore, I highly doubt there will be a "backlash" at the amount of "violent" content in this game.
The problem is not that the game is "violent" or involves a lot of space battles. Especially since all of that is really fun.
The problem is advertising the game as something where this isn't the case. Why not come out and say something like: "In the troubled times of the 25th century, join Starfleet to serve and protect the Federation against overwhelming odds."
article on puffery on Americanbar.org
Never trust marketing claims!
either, I have salt and melted butter.... even some caramel drizzle sitting here
It's not a lie, it's just telling half of the story.
Sure, if you limit "exploration" to only mean "use the 'Exploration System'". As opposed to, say, taking your ship and wandering around the galaxy map to see what you can see.
Considering the number of missions that revolve around someone having a problem and you helping them?
Eh, whatever. You seemed to start out making a reasonable parsing of the press release, but then careened wildly off the tracks into anti-Cryptic editorial. /shrug
So why do I say it is a BIG mistake?
I am 50 years old and don't plan to buy a console. I have an old Wii kicking around the house, but I don't use it. Why do I want to buy a PS4 or XB1 just to have them make the next best thing in a few years? They will be catering to an elite few. My nephew who is 18 and works a job just bought the latest CoD game for the XB1. People who play these consoles, still go to the store and buy $60 games and pay XB Live monthly fees to play "blood sports" this is NOT Star Trek. I asked my nephew about his opinion and his answer, "Free games are not worth the effort, they are a waste of your time." Cryptic cannot please the players of Halo, CoD, Killzone, Dead Space, etc.. They cannot compete in this market.
As for the advertisement... I am a Foundry author, I seldom "played" the game. My characters are Admirals and Generals now. They got there with duty officer missions. My sons kept telling me, "Mom this isn't suppose to be Farmville you know?!?" I got there without fighting so it can be done, just not very exciting. I only got into STO for the Foundry, for the last 90 days the Foundry has been shutdown in Neverwinter so I am back here until they decide to turn it back on or scrap it out.
STO on consoles is not for the pc players, because we are already playing sto. many people predicted the death of the games on pc, but pc games are still alive and a lot of games are created for pc each year.
I could name a ton of other games I've played and still play that contain a lot of exploration, building, story-lines which actually impact gameplay, and multiplayer team play dynamics. Sure, most of those are single player, or non-MMORPG, but all the extra $$$ being put in should more than cover the cost of keeping the servers running and the IP license, still make good profit, and have left-over for continued development, including end-game content and exploring non-warfare options.
The game engine clearly is very capable (as Devs have confirmed), and the graphics are still very good for a 6 year old MMO, so there's no faulting that if the UI lag and polygon spam of DR missions is taken care of.
Alternative content should be just that, alternate ways of getting the same thing. The game is rated Teen after all, and those who are not up to some challenge can either get their marks from regular battles, get help from others, read online tutorials, actually apply themselves (imagine that), or play on normal where mission design would be super simplified and streamlined. If it's fun, people will do it even if it is for the same rewards in proportion of mission time and risk.