Secret Microtransactions In Star Trek Online

[Greg Tito]

Secret Microtransactions In Star Trek Online

If you want to play as a Federation Klingon or a Ferengi in Star Trek Online [http://www.amazon.com/Star-Trek-Online-Pc/dp/B002673XJA/ref=sr_1_1?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1280162709&sr=1-1], you can, just as long as you buy a few Cryptic points.

A vigilant poster on the Cryptic Star Trek Online forums and subscriber to the game, crusader8463, posted a shot [http://forums.startrekonline.com/showthread.php?t=97494] of the heretofore unannounced in-game Cryptic Store. Listed in the store is a "Federation Klingon Playable Species" and a "Federation Ferengi Playable Species" for 240 and 80 Cryptic points, respectively. Star Trek Online officially opened its servers in North America today, and will launch in the EU on the 5th.

According to the Champions Online website [http://www.champions-online.com/cryptic_points], 500 Cryptic points retails for US $6.25. Quick and dirty math tells us that a Cryptic Point is equal then to 1.25 cents (or $.0125) and that playing a Klingon will cost you $3 and a Ferengi $1. While that might not seem exorbitant, players have already spent at least $50 on the game (or $240 for the lifetime subscription) and do not appreciate being asked to spend more money through these microtransactions.

I've asked representatives at Cryptic if they had any comment on the C Store and I'll update this post when they get back to me with a statement.

Despite the fact that it is definitely cool to play as a Klingon in the Federation a la Worf [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worf] or a Ferengi obsessed with making a credit, the problem is that making items or options available only if you pay the piper leaves a bad taste in some gamers mouths.

Crusader8463 had this to say in an open letter to designers of Star Trek Online:

Dear Cryptic: Please don't nickle and dime the hell out of this game. I really want to keep playing STO, but i refuse to be a part of the problem and support your game if you plan to proceed with a microtransaction model on top of our monthly fees. If you wish to pursue a business model based around microtransactions that's fine, but doing both would make even the greediest of Ferengi blush with shame. If it's in the store, then it needs to be obtainable in the game.

Other players argue that if you want to play a certain way, you now have the option to, and more choice is a good thing. Still others point to the fact there were a plethora of awesome in-game items that were only available if you preordered from a certain vendor and no one had a problem with that business model.

Finally, some players claim that buying special or collector's edition of STO automatically gives you 500 Cryptic points to spend how you choose, so these items are still essentially free.

It seems that Cryptic is testing the waters as to how microtransactions are received amongst the MMOG player base. Whether it translates into more revenue for the company or a net loss due to pissing off customers remains to be seen.

Source: MMORPG [http://www.mmorpg.com/newsroom.cfm/read/16124/Star-Trek-Online-Now-Live-Federation-KlingonFerengi-Available-in-CStore.html]

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[The_root_of_all_evil]

and that playing a Klingon will cost you $3 and a Ferengi $1. While that might not seem exorbitant, players have already spent at least $50 on the game (or $240 for the lifetime subscription) and do not appreciate being asked to spend more money through these microtransactions.

Rule of Acquisition #34 "War is good for business"
Rule of Acquisition #35 "Peace is good for business."

 

[aPod]

Very happy i cancelled that pre-order.

I despise micro-transaction models. And if i was paying a monthly fee on top of that i'd flip.

 

[thenumberthirteen]

Cryptic obviously forgot Rule of Acquisition #206 "New customers are like razor-toothed gree-worms. They can be succulent, but sometimes they bite back."

 

[Kuliani]

I noticed that this morning when I logged on. It doesn't tell us what the bonuses are for the Ferengi or Klingon, so I didn't use my points on them. Besides, I have a Joined Trill to overpower my starship with.

 

[Jared]

and that playing a Klingon will cost you $3 and a Ferengi $1. While that might not seem exorbitant, players have already spent at least $50 on the game (or $240 for the lifetime subscription) and do not appreciate being asked to spend more money through these microtransactions.

Rule of Acquisition #34 "War is good for business"
Rule of Acquisition #35 "Peace is good for business."

Ahhh! The Rules of Acquisition! How we love thee!

Although, I am going to say this about microtransactions. They work, only if they are little and often. If everything becomes a microtransaction then you will very quickly lose the faith of alot of people...

 

[oneplus999]

Blizzard seems to have the plan that anything that impacts gameplay should not be available for money, so while there are plenty of random vanity items that can be purchased, they would never do a race for purchase since every one has different abilities that impact the game. So my question would be, in STO, does your race actually matter to the gameplay, or are these only skin-deep changes? Would still sucks for the RP'ers, either way...

 

[The Unskilled78]

It amuses me that you must pay for the ability to be Ferengi.

 

[Wicky_42]

Ok, for free facebook games I understand why they charge for premium content - that's their revenue, from those who just want to win at a facebook game. But to charge EXTRA for a MONTHLY SUBSCRIPTION game?! That's just throwing sand in the eye. Compare it to EVE Online, where they release entire expansion packs free, paid for by your subscription. That's how it should be, none of this bullshit "super items for pre-orders" and "micro-transactions to unlock more game content". Gah - I guess this makes me even less interested in the game...

 

[Earthmonger]

If they had announced the addition of microtransactions prior to launch, they would have lost a lot of potential customers. This way, they just look like a bunch of crooks, or used car salesmen, instead. Bravo.

"Yes, this is our most luxurious model and it comes at this price, with monthly service fees. But for just a dollar more, we'll throw in wheels."

One or the other, not both.

 

[Mojojuxxy]

Microtransaction and subscription models should remain separate. They both work but only in different situations, microtransactions when you're giving away a baseline product for free/very cheap and want people to spend as much/as little as they want. And subscriptions when you want every player to pay the same, if you're denied content when already paying the full subscription costs I personally would feel cheated.

 

[Robert0288]

bonus items for pre-orders make sense so they can encourage some more working capital and not have everything depend on investment.

though microtransactions after you purchased the game is stupid and greedy.

 

[SharedProphet]

I don't think it's a coincidence that the value of 1 Cryptic Point and 1 Microsoft Point is the same. Especially considering that Champions Online is supposedly in development for the Xbox 360. But it is a little funny that now, when Cryptic is getting their points system going, Microsoft is talking about dropping theirs.

 

[Chipperz]

If they had announced the addition of microtransactions prior to launch, they would have lost a lot of potential customers. This way, they just look like a bunch of crooks, or used car salesmen, instead. Bravo.

"Yes, this is our most luxurious model and it comes at this price, with monthly service fees. But for just a dollar more, we'll throw in wheels."

One or the other, not both.

Yes, because a game charging 50p extra for an unneccesary but unique character model is exactly like a car coming without wheels. Star Trek Online is going to be completely unplayable until you can be a Ferengi...

Seriously, it's 50p for something with no effect on the game. Some people want to be Nog, some people want to be Worf, but by making them seperate from the main game means that they are the exception, not the rule. Part of me wishes World of Warcraft charged people that claimed they are related to Arthas or that they were vampires...

 

[CrystalShadow]

Ah yes. I was wondering when this would happen.

I spotted the cryptic store link even in open beta...
But so far, I haven't seen anything available for sale.

It's irritating that this would be where they start, though it is vaguely amusing that you have to pay to be ferengi.

(seriously, ferengi culture goes so far as to have an 'entry fee' to your friend's house...
Heh. -10 for doing crappy microtransaction. +1 for the interesting thematic relevance XD)

 

[Jiveturkey124]

If they had announced the addition of microtransactions prior to launch, they would have lost a lot of potential customers. This way, they just look like a bunch of crooks, or used car salesmen, instead. Bravo.

"Yes, this is our most luxurious model and it comes at this price, with monthly service fees. But for just a dollar more, we'll throw in wheels."

One or the other, not both.

Yes, because a game charging 50p extra for an unneccesary but unique character model is exactly like a car coming without wheels. Star Trek Online is going to be completely unplayable until you can be a Ferengi...

Seriously, it's 50p for something with no effect on the game. Some people want to be Nog, some people want to be Worf, but by making them seperate from the main game means that they are the exception, not the rule. Part of me wishes World of Warcraft charged people that claimed they are related to Arthas or that they were vampires...

Thats not the point at all, the point is the game code to make a federation Klingon is already in the game, they are just charging you an extra buck to unlock it.

Its just a cheap way of getting a little extra income. If your paying 15 dollars a month, plus the box cost, why should they continue to grab at every cent?

All it shows is a lack of faith in their own product, just like the lifetime subscriptions. When LOTRO did it, it was unique and it served a purpose, now its just used as another tool to get into peoples pockets.

 

[Chipperz]

If they had announced the addition of microtransactions prior to launch, they would have lost a lot of potential customers. This way, they just look like a bunch of crooks, or used car salesmen, instead. Bravo.

"Yes, this is our most luxurious model and it comes at this price, with monthly service fees. But for just a dollar more, we'll throw in wheels."

One or the other, not both.

Yes, because a game charging 50p extra for an unneccesary but unique character model is exactly like a car coming without wheels. Star Trek Online is going to be completely unplayable until you can be a Ferengi...

Seriously, it's 50p for something with no effect on the game. Some people want to be Nog, some people want to be Worf, but by making them seperate from the main game means that they are the exception, not the rule. Part of me wishes World of Warcraft charged people that claimed they are related to Arthas or that they were vampires...

Thats not the point at all, the point is the game code to make a federation Klingon is already in the game, they are just charging you an extra buck to unlock it.

Its just a cheap way of getting a little extra income. If your paying 15 dollars a month, plus the box cost, why should they continue to grab at every cent?

All it shows is a lack of faith in their own product, just like the lifetime subscriptions. When LOTRO did it, it was unique and it served a purpose, now its just used as another tool to get into peoples pockets.

Actually, I'm willing to bet that is exactly their thought process. Lots of people like Nog and Worf. Many gamers don't actually have the imagination to come up with their own characters. Cryptics last MMORPG proved this perfectly. A good way to limit what's meant to be a rare thing is to charge a tiny fee for it.

Yes, people are being charged £8 a month to play the, but a new skin at 50p is a vanity item, even if it has slightly different stats. It just makes sure that for every ten Kirks, we only have one Worf. Hell, I think buying the game gets you 400 points (it did for Champions), so it's not like this is a massive deal anyway...

 

[EmoDan]

well its not so bad
im just confused why my monthly is now 3quid more than stated

 

[Lazarus2259]

I don't think it's fair too call them "Secret Microtransactions" They were saying for ages before release and before official pre-orders they were implementing a microtransaction system. And if people want to waste their money on an untried game and spend 250-300 USD on a game its their own problem