STOked tells it like it is..

[Christian M. Hanson]

[Ryo Himura]

Yno..I used to play a bunch of Perfect World games and thought they were all great but I've lost faith in them since they took over STO. Imho they shouldnt have touched STO, it's not their type of game to manage. It's just too big for them.

[VADM pRett]

I think Chris and Mav, if not spot on, are damn close to center target on what they're saying. Now, all we need is for Perfect World to actually listen and heed what they're saying.

[Captain Talbot]

Borannus wrote:

Now, all we need is for Perfect World to actually listen and heed what they're saying.

OH Yeah...like that will ever happen.

[CAPT Huckabee]

Well I agree with them on this episode and last weeks. Sadly I see this game heading down a dark path.

[Morgan Shackelford]

I have a difference of opinion on some of these things. Calling the Lockbox issue a distraction from other problems in this particular title is not necessarily wrong; but it shows a smaller frame of reference to the genre.

How this issue is resolved in STO will lead to how it is treated in the genre as a whole. In that sense, it's not a distraction; it is an issue of paramount importance. If Perfect World can utilize Cryptic and STO to push an eastern style model and prove it successful in North America, you are going to start seeing lockbox style systems in other MMO's - and, in fact, LotRO has picked up on this already and established a similar system in their own game.

So, if you have other MMO's you care about - which most MMO players do - STO becomes the frontlines of a battle that the community cannot afford to lose.

As far as the lockout on communications, I can see their point about how it can cripple the community. Some of that comes across as selfish of STOked (it's going to affect our podcast!), but, they aren't necessarily wrong. The STO community, for it's size, is incredibly active and involved. Typical mega-corporate response to a negative article - I'm quite certain policy at Cryptic is now that employees can have no unapproved communication with the playerbase. Jeremy probably can't even post on his own guild forums anymore without risking his job.

But you know, I gotta disagree with the response to the massively article. It's a twisting of words, in one sense, but the spirit isn't far off. I honestly believe that Cryptic would much rather cut off access to smaller countries where their system might be illegal, than change the lockbox system. It's a numbers game. The amount of revenue they make with lockboxes versus the amount of revenue they lose by closing access in certain countries is going to determine whether they decide to keep the system or not. While it might have been somewhat taken out of context, and the massively article is speculatory to some degree, I have to applaud them for creating a ruckus. The lockbox system, imo, should be constantly pushed as a negative, anywhere and everywhere, until PWE gets that in the long run, it's going to cost them more than they can afford.

[Lang S]

From what i've seen already I feel like this game is going to change to the point of closed feedback from the community less seeing whatever one is saying and more ali cart style. here an e-mail take a survey and where we pick what you eat and that it. Lock box are not goin away as I wish they would, but its business and I fell into the trap the other day and start open boxes yup its temping see people have cool ship and stuff all I got was shit ...so no more lock boxes for me. They have the one thing that will keep this thing goin longer after and that's STAR TREK < just hearing that name runs shives down my spine. And really I think STOKED is try to use there little bit of power with the fan base as a show of force and hopefully it works but who knows. just my thoughts

[Anton Mercer]

Im still hung up on the concept of it being illegal? Can some one please shed the light on this?

[VADM pRett]

Evidently, it can be construed as gambling under some country's laws. I can see it, from a certain perspective.

[Morgan Shackelford]

Borannus wrote:

Evidently, it can be construed as gambling under some country's laws. I can see it, from a certain perspective.

You're paying money on the uncertain outcome of an event. I think words like 'construed' and 'perspective' should be reseverved for countries who believe the internet is a series of fucking tubes.

[Ezreq Blodvaerd]

A few weeks ago the retiring Principal in a school I work with got very upset that I said in passing that the school would likely be closed in 1 - 2 years. He did not refute my statement, he only said I should not spread rumors. I told him that it was my job to speak my honest opinion when directly asked a question from my members. I never rule any possibility in or out.

A bit over a year ago, I predicted that STO would go F2P. I was attacked by some for expressing that prediction. Now it is clear that "new content" is not on the front burner and Perfect World will try to squeeze every nichol and dime out of the player base.

Will Season 6 bring us Fleet Star Bases? I certainly hope so. But, the trend that I can see is that it will cost real money in some way. If that is truly the case, I have yet another prediction.

STO will shutter its doors in less than 2 years. I'd even be surprised if its player base is curently above 100k as it is now. But, don''t get me wrong, they are not going to SWTOR anymore either.

There are always a new batch of MMOs on the horizon. They all seem like they have a life span of 8 - 14 months or so. Then they fall into the same pattern.

I hope I'm wrong about the Fleet Star Bases needing CP Store items, but nothiung they have said or done encourages be to believe otherwise.

No matter what happens, I'd be glad to play any MMO with the 7th Fleet.

[CAPT Huckabee]

Ezreq Blodvaerd wrote:

STO will shutter its doors in less than 2 years. I'd even be surprised if its player base is curently above 100k as it is now. But, don''t get me wrong, they are not going to SWTOR anymore either. There are always a new batch of MMOs on the horizon. They all seem like they have a life span of 8 - 14 months or so. Then they fall into the same pattern. No matter what happens, I'd be glad to play any MMO with the 7th Fleet.

Not really sure how you can predict a game I never see you playing

[VADM pRett]

HuckabeeNC wrote:

Not really sure how you can predict a game I never see you playing

He's an expert in all of the games he dabbles in, don't you know? Just being honest, as you (Blod) seem to value.

[Ezreq Blodvaerd]

HuckabeeNC wrote:

Not really sure how you can predict a game I never see you playing

I have been playing STO since closed beta. Based on that and my extensive experience, playing dozens of MMOs over the past 10+ years, I can formulate an "educated" opinion.

I did accurately predict that STO would go F2P, and I was easily 6 months ahead of the speculation and almost dead on to when it actually would take place.

I have always been one to argue that the 7th Fleet should be bigger than any one game. We should always look to broaden our horizons and look for other opportunitites to test and play a variety of games and hopefully extend our community to them.

As for my activity in STO, it is limited to just a couple of hours per week. Hopefully, Season Six will give me a reason to spend more time there. As I have said a number of times, I like to contribute my time to something greater than my own character goals. Fleet Star Bases is soemhting that should fit that bill very well. My only concern is that some of it may turn out to be more lock box (requiring C Store) type nonsense.

This is not a sentiment excusively held by me, and me alone. I'm sure that there are many who have the same concern. Too much "content" in STO is starting to find itself connected to the C-Store.

[CAPT Huckabee]

Wow, youre right p'Rett.....an expert. Of course STO has it major flaws, but......

Well I've been playing this game exclusively for the past year, and been part of the fleet for almost as long (which you've been on reserve 90% of the time).

Anyone who is actually playing the game right now can tell you that it's full of players since F2P.

Stuff being tied to C-store now.....well duh it's their source of income A F2P expert should know that and understand why it's so tied into stuff.

If they tie starbase stuff into C-store, I say smart business move. Because fleets will buy into stuff.

And if people don't want to spend the money, hello, dilithium farm. Free C points. Not that hard to earn for those of us that do play.

Lockbox nonsense? I hate them myself, but if people want to buy them, go for it. More money toward game. They are making a killing off those. It's the only way CBS allows them to put those non fed ships in game, which is the only cool thing in them. Other then that nothin of value in them.

Your posts proclaiming the end of STO are the equivilant of me gettin on the TOR forum page and sayin "oh this game is going to fail, people don't play it like they use to.". I don't play it......

You sir, are a troll in my opinion.