Play as a Borg in Star Trek Online

[Andy Chalk]

Play as a Borg in Star Trek Online

Cryptic is offering a Star Trek Online [http://www.amazon.com/Star-Trek-Online-Pc/dp/B002673XJA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1280861282&sr=8-1] deal that's futile to resist: Sign up for a lifetime subscription and you'll get to play as a Borg.

They're the baddest of the bad, the leather-and-latex S&M kings of the galaxy who kicked the crap out of Starfleet at Wolf 359 and turned the redoubtable Captain Picard into a sniveling sissy. If that sounds like the team you want to play for, Cryptic has a great deal for you, with a bit of a catch.

Players who preorder the game and sign up for a lifetime subscription will be given access to a playable Borg character, which will include two unique Borg traits: An increase in health regeneration thanks to the Borg nanites and improved starship efficiencies which will improve the effectiveness of power management abilities. A Borg Neural Blast debuff option is also available and players will be able to choose two more traits from the game's regular list.

The catch? These are "liberated Borg" like the hot blonde from Voyager, Seven of Boobs or whatever her name was, who have been removed from the Collective and now function as independent, albeit somewhat emotionally distant, entities. In other words, don't expect to take control of a Borg Cube and assimilate your very own cadre of Locutuses.

The other downside is the cost: The lifetime subscription will run you 240 bucks, so you better be sure you're going to stick with this game for awhile. Still sound good? Get all the details at startrekonline.com [http://startrekonline.com/subscribe].


Permalink

 

[Deofuta]

Tempting, but I am not sure if 2 years worth of subscription money is worth it. Who knows if i'd play it that long? Also,Federation - Allied Romulan is the way I am going to go.

 

[Cpt_Oblivious]

Why are so many games starting lifetime subscriptions nowadays? Half the people who buy it probably find out they don't like the game in the beta or the first few days of play and are now $240 out of pocket.

 

[Earthmonger]

Tempted until I read "liberated Borg". I want to bring Starfleet to its knees. :/

 

[Deofuta]

Well for new/less popular MMO Titles it is a great idea for their hardcore fans to get some larger instant profits, instead of waiting for 2 years down the road. The reason you dont see this sort of thing in the Most popular MMO's (Read: WOW) is because sucha LARGE chunk of the gaming masses would buy it, they would be lynching themselves.

 

[Tireseas_v1legacy]

Hmmmm... Depending on how sucessful STO is, it may be a bargin. I know I've sunk at least that much in WoW not counting the expansion packs. That said, betting on the house in the MMO casino is not as surefire as, say, a casino.

 

[ryai458]

thats dropping a pretty peice of change for being a borg, I'm no Star Treck fanatic so I don't know if it would be worth t.

 

[Slycne]

Why are so many games starting lifetime subscriptions nowadays? Half the people who buy it probably find out they don't like the game in the beta or the first few days of play and are now $240 out of pocket.

Because it's a great way for them to get some money built up immediately and to keep a certain percent of your population always interested in the game. The consumer does take some risk if the game tanks in under 16 months[footnote]However, there might be some legal precidence to reimburse prorated lost time.[/footnote], but that's unlikely even with most sub-par games. I know some people who rather enjoy the lifetime model, they don't feel like they need to play the game 24/7 to get their moneys worth after a certain point - allowing them to come and go with the game as they please several times.

 

[boholikeu]

I'm very tempted by this offer, but I'd really like to try the game first. Damn you WarCry! Why must you run out of beta keys so quickly!!!

 

[Void(null)]

The consumer does take some risk if the game tanks in under 16 months, but that's unlikely even with most sub-par games.

And yet Bill Roper and Jack Emmert both have a proven history of doing just that, with Hellgate: London & Champions Online.

You may be interested to know that Cryptic Studios has admitted that they are trying to get STO out the door ASAP, as thanks to the wasted Development time of Perpetual Entertainment (Who were previously developing STO before they went bankrupt) Atari with lose the rights to produce a Star trek MMO after that date.

So Cryptic must get the game out the door, or there will simply be no Star Trek MMO... at least not in the foreseeable future.

 

[Jared]

Sounds tempting but that much money...I, Dont know.

Thought will be needed...

I really dont see much purpose to it other than they get tons of money

 

[Anarien]

STO has scattered its bonuses too far, so that if you want any number of them, you'll have to preorder from multiple retailers. Now this.

I'm a long-time Star Trek fan, but the marketing spreads these things out too much. I know this happens a lot with notable titles, but it can be rather annoying.

That said, the beta underwhelmed me, so I won't even be playing at launch. This is a huge disappointment if you know me, since I was waiting excitedly for STO since Perpetual announced it.

 

[Slycne]

The consumer does take some risk if the game tanks in under 16 months, but that's unlikely even with most sub-par games.

And yet Bill Roper and Jack Emmert both have a proven history of doing just that, with Hellgate: London & Champions Online.

I didn't say it was impossible, but most games will even languish around long enough for you to at least be able to play long enough to get your money's worth. However if they are that bad, they might not be even worth playing. It's a risky purchase none the less, but it's not without it's benefits either. You just need to weigh the chances that both the game will continue that long and that you will still be interested in the title down the line.

 

[JaredXE]

$240? That's twice as much as the Champions lifetime order. Paying for a year ahead of time I could see, but two? The only game I would ever consider that for is TOR, and even then I am sceptical.....though that borg in the screenshot is tempting.....no, I will resist.....

 

[Zac_Dai]

Lifetime subscriptions are massive scams.

I've seen too many MMOs that offered these deals and then went under after a year.

 

[Lord Beautiful]

It's pretty sad when the cost to play a game (with specific conditions) is greater than Steel fucking Batallion.

Still, if the Borg come equipped with that red face laser, there may be some value there. And you can use some rather lovely trash talk that other races wouldn't quite be able to use.

"Set phasers to assimilation."

"You have been assimilated, ************."

"We did in Captain Picard; what the hell makes you think you have a chance?"

 

[Escapefromwhatever]

Liberated Borg, eh? Sounds like a lazy way to excuse players acting separately from the Collective, even though there were liberated Borg in the show. It reminds me almost exactly of the Forsaken from Warcraft- undead acting with a mind rather than as part of the Scourge, being a lazy way to excuse players from acting independently from the Lich King, even though the Forsaken were in Warcraft 3. Still cool, I suppose, but worth 240 bucks? I'm not so sure about that, especially when you can make your own species, a pretty cool option, with a regular subscription.

 

[Daveman]

LAME, I don't want a shitty Voyager borg, I want full blown Picard-Stomping borg!

 

[Bad Cluster]

This just made me loose all interest in that game.
Which is okay, less things to worry about.

 

[Anarien]

Liberated Borg, eh? Sounds like a lazy to excuse players acting separately from the Collective, even though there were liberated Borg in the show.

It does come off that way. Also, the lame no-PvE options for advancing as a Klingon. Yes, Klingons are a warlike race, but it seems like they rushed development time and are trying to pass these things off as design concepts.