I suspect Cryptic has adopted a revenue model based on making a simple quick game, calling it an MMO then attempt to make as much in box sales as you would from a standalone rpg. Then the subscription fees would be enormously profitable.  I wouldn't have thought this could be possible given the ongoing costs of maintaining an MMO, but if you factor in Cryptic using the same engine for multiple games, relatively short dev time and their cookie-cutter, barely an mmo approach it may be possible. Add to that their reliance on established IP to drive sales and you can see how they may have pulled it off. Clearly this latest issue was driven by a need for box sales.

So sad as someone posted on the STO forum, the thread got locked too.

It is a tragic situation to see an MMO managed so badly by people who have no excuse not to know better.

My theory is they are hurting for cash. Subs aren't nearly what they projected, so they are digging out various marketing schemes in hopes of boosting subscribers.

The didn't think this 60 day bonus through very carefully though, so hence the retraction.

Cryptic and Atari is why GEORGE (MR SULU) TAKEI  turned out the way he did. Now the're trying to stick it to us.

Originally posted by Slowdoves

So sad as someone posted on the STO forum, the thread got locked too.

 

 

The BBB is kinda biased; you have to jump through hoops, pay fees, and what not. It's heavily based on whether or not you're willing to pay them for the score you want. Take Bioware for example. They also got a "F" rating. Bioware, seriously? They're the leading RPG developers in the market today and even they got a F.

~Miles "Tails" Prower out! Catch me if you can!

I know I'm done with Cryptic.. As long as the current executive staff is still employed there, I'll never buy another Atari/Cryptic product.. I'm not even happy with CBS based on their letter they recently sent out.. However not sure how much they actually know what is going on..

Originally posted by Deeter

OMG Cryptic ahahaha

I remember like it was yesterday that people were singing the praises of Champions Online because Cryptic knew how to make a superhero mmo with deep customization

Now just half a year later, their name has become synonymous with slimy immoral business practices and horrible game design/customer service

Aaaaand meanwhile Funcom, most hated MMO developer of all time thanks to AO's launch and AoC as a whole, has come out of nowhere to be a ****ing awesome company and completely turned AoC around for the better

I love this industry

I love this post. I was kinda thinking the same. Even though AO is old as dirt, and AoC still is not living up to the original hype both are still going and doing well. We need to find some clever name to call Cryptic Studios like "Failcom" and "Flagshipped."

Originally posted by Miles-Prower

Originally posted by Slowdoves

So sad as someone posted on the STO forum, the thread got locked too.

 

 

The BBB is kinda biased; you have to jump through hoops, pay fees, and what not. It's heavily based on whether or not you're willing to pay them for the score you want. Take Bioware for example. They also got a "F" rating. Bioware, seriously? They're the leading RPG developers in the market today and even they got a F.

~Miles "Tails" Prower out! Catch me if you can!

This is not true sir! My own business has never had to do that, though we do not have  the volume of comsumers like Cryptic and Bioware. We are not BBB Accredited and have never had to pay to maintain the score we have with them.

Interestingly, the stealth winner here may be NCSoft, who bought the rights to Cryptic's CoX line.

Cryptic selling those off, but then turning around to produce Champions Online to compete directly, looked like a huge slap in the face to NCSoft.

Now, I imagine NCSoft can't contain their laughter at Cryptic's apparent implosion.

Originally posted by Aristides

Interestingly, the stealth winner here may be NCSoft, who bought the rights to Cryptic's CoX line.

Cryptic selling those off, but then turning around to produce Champions Online to compete directly, looked like a huge slap in the face to NCSoft.

Now, I imagine NCSoft can't contain their laughter at Cryptic's apparent implosion.

Is a scene out of The Three Stooges!

Originally posted by xenorace

Originally posted by Deeter

OMG Cryptic ahahaha

I remember like it was yesterday that people were singing the praises of Champions Online because Cryptic knew how to make a superhero mmo with deep customization

Now just half a year later, their name has become synonymous with slimy immoral business practices and horrible game design/customer service

Aaaaand meanwhile Funcom, most hated MMO developer of all time thanks to AO's launch and AoC as a whole, has come out of nowhere to be a ****ing awesome company and completely turned AoC around for the better

I love this industry

I love this post. I was kinda thinking the same. Even though AO is old as dirt, and AoC still is not living up to the original hype both are still going and doing well. We need to find some clever name to call Cryptic Studios like "Failcom" and "Flagshipped."

 

For myself  I certainly don't think this is the worst thing to have hapened in the grand scheme of things but in regards to this indusrtry I think Cryptics behavier is appaling and should definatly not be left alone to be swept under the carpet. I enjoyed the Beta very much warts and all but the game is just not good enough to warrent supporting it through all this crap.

[Mod Edit]

Originally posted by xenorace

Originally posted by Deeter

OMG Cryptic ahahaha

I remember like it was yesterday that people were singing the praises of Champions Online because Cryptic knew how to make a superhero mmo with deep customization

Now just half a year later, their name has become synonymous with slimy immoral business practices and horrible game design/customer service

Aaaaand meanwhile Funcom, most hated MMO developer of all time thanks to AO's launch and AoC as a whole, has come out of nowhere to be a ****ing awesome company and completely turned AoC around for the better

I love this industry

I love this post. I was kinda thinking the same. Even though AO is old as dirt, and AoC still is not living up to the original hype both are still going and doing well. We need to find some clever name to call Cryptic Studios like "Failcom" and "Flagshipped."

 

Not only that, but STO seems to be on the ropes while Gods & Heroes is back! Man, what a crazy world we live in!

Originally posted by Slowdoves

Originally posted by Miles-Prower

Originally posted by Slowdoves

So sad as someone posted on the STO forum, the thread got locked too.

 

 

The BBB is kinda biased; you have to jump through hoops, pay fees, and what not. It's heavily based on whether or not you're willing to pay them for the score you want. Take Bioware for example. They also got a "F" rating. Bioware, seriously? They're the leading RPG developers in the market today and even they got a F.

~Miles "Tails" Prower out! Catch me if you can!

 

This is not true sir! My own business has never had to do that, though we do not have  the volume of comsumers like Cryptic and Bioware. We are not BBB Accredited and have never had to pay to maintain the score we have with them.

Perhaps. Can't imagine Bioware getting a F-score though. *shrugs* nothing can really explain that.

~Miles "Tails" Prower out! Catch me if you can!

I thought CO would of been the next step up from CoX, boy was I wrong. Enjoyed the game, won't deny that. But they don't take care of their games and they don't take care of their customers. It's very unfortunate and sooner or later fans of the games will realize that they are being shafted.

Waiting for the checkmate to put Cryptic/Atari 6-Feet Under.

 Cryptic is officially the worst MMO company out there today.  Only a poor company would attempt to release a game as poor as STO but then to treat their customers badly as well is just a shot in the nuts.

Saw this coming from a million miles away...makes you wonder how well STO must be doing if they are already wanting to drop the price on retail boxes just to get people to try the game.

From selling beta with champions online subscriptions, the closed beta fiasco, to lowering retail box copy prices and flat out saying that it never happened? I personally will never ever consider playing or being remotely interested in a Cryptic MMO (I use this term loosely)

Cryptic has failed to touch on what an MMO is; from their mostly single player action/beatem up titles to the shitbox that they call Star Trek Online. Too bad becuase the Star Trek IP could have been great for Trekkies had Cryptic not gotten a hold of it. Paramount should be down right embarassed with the product that Cryptic has turned out.

It's too bad it takes tragedies in life for anything good to come out of it, but in this case I hope it sends a clear message to developers that MMOs are made for the people and if you do it correctly revenue will come. Rush it out the door with lackluster content and claims of an epic MMO and you'll end up right where Crypitc is today, scrambling to get YOUR money as fast as possible before they go under or to a F2P model.

I wish they would take StarTrek Online off MMORPG, for christ sakes it's not even an MMO. It should be a F2P game on coffebreakarcade.com.

Funny. They banned the original poster who made the "angry" thread which reached 307 pages, yet stickied the thread.

Now they have deleted the original post and closed the thread. Damage control!

Posting about the issue now is risking a ban, unless you stay penned in the thread they made to corral all dissent.

Can someone here confirm that custimors that bought the 60 days extra value have actually had it removed from their gaming accounts?  If so then that is even 10 times worse than allowing them to buy it in the first place.

Plz dont tell me its like that.  I know MMO companies are bad.. but that would take it to the next lvl...

Originally posted by Miles-Prower

I never expected much out of Atari. Everything they release is a disappointment. They even managed to destroy the beloved Neverwinter Nights series.

Atari has done nothing but emit failure since it entered the console business

I sorry, you are saying the 2600 was a fail? That last line confused me a little...

back on topic though...

All MT/ cash shop gaming is shady by nature, as are the companies that are stooping to jump on the gravy train in time to exploit it to the fullest before the masses catch on as to exactly how much they have been ripped off and leave the hobby in droves.

I have no idea why anyone trusts these nickel and dime guys at all, and no idea why they are suprised when they get ripped off by them.

Over on the forums, the new word is "STOffed". Similar to Flagshipped, but more about being ripped off and duped by shady company. So similar, but more specific.

"Well, they STOffed me, I bought the game and they dropped the price the next day and included two months of free time in addition to the 30 from the box."