Slot limitations in the early days of the game may have made sense. I find it hard to believe that it is still a memory-limit or server-side issue for the game today. It is a shame to earn (via rank) or acquire (via pack or other random mechanisms) a card that you cannot keep because of space issues. (Toss 'em if you hate the character or whatever - that's fine. But if you are willing to keep them, yet can't... that's not good.) The forum offers a wealth of ideas about how to manage roster space for all types of players, which is great as far as it goes. But with re-runs and collections, I look at some of the silhouettes of crew that I've airlocked for space reasons and wonder about what could have been.
I have never airlocked crew that I didn't already have. I have lost a few that I didn't get in quick enough though. I got another Friar Tuck Data last week to replace the one I lost, so I'm a little happier with the world.
My advice for new players needing space is to freeze in this order:
1.) 1*s and any 2*s that are human, male, and not Starfleet- They don't have much utility, but, immortalized and froze, they do a lot of good. Firstly, space! Secondly, they are an easy way to get those first milestones and boosts, both for sheer numbers and collections. A frozen CMO Bashir will free one space, but count on two collections! Most large collections have a 1* or two in them and you will get the boosts that help with step two.
2.) Once you get all the stars on a Cadet Challenge, freeze the crew that you can't use on other days and have been superseded by a better crew for both stats AND traits. Once the CCs are done, your 2*s are pretty well froze.
3.) If you have all the 3* ships maxed and beat the Weekend CC's, you can skip Commander in Arena and freeze the 3*s.I
4.) Freezing 4*s (and 5*s) is a tricky business. You can always unfreeze, but that costs merits and can take time. My policy is any 4* that is immortal, but isn't one of the following better serves me in freezer, if I need space:
A) In the top ten for one of the skills- This gives me plenty to choose from for Voyage and regular shuttle seats. Top three or so for a certain trait- the moment all the nurses are froze, you'll need one.
C) The best or second best of a main or regularly occurring enough crew to see multiple variants of that can serve as a surrogate for one I don't have during events. Example: I can use Beowulf and Taresian Kim until DF Kim is built up enough to be useful.
D) Arena use (I keep this in mind, but my current crew fits the above)
E) Have they been the existing 4* on an event? If yes, they probably won't pop up in an event other than a rerun/flashback and can freeze.
F) I'm currently keeping Disco and Picard crew (Also Voyager until after June) out because they have a higher likelihood of being needed, either as a variant of their actual crew, a new trait, or simply a Disco, Picard, or possible Voyager crew bonus. As my selection of Immortals grows, I'll weed this down from any crew from series X to just the best, but, with just 200 immortalized total (all 1*s and 2*s, all 3*s from Human Airiam and back, six 5*s, and the balance 4*s) and 300+ crew slots, I don't have to get too picky yet.
Any thoughts?
W.W. CarlislePlayed since January 20, 2019Captain Level- 99 (May 9, 2022)VIP 14Crew Quarters: 485/485Most recent/Lowest- Anbo-jyutsu Kyle Riker (1/5* Lvl 30) 5/29/23Immortalized x-866 5* x184, 4* x 490, 3* x91, 2* x62, and 1* x27Most recent Immortal - Tearful Janeway 4* 5/25/23Current non-event project- Improving my Science base skill. Retrieval Project- Mestral 1/5*
Looking at how the vault was structured, financial considerations play a big part in the slot limit.
People spend Dil for slots
People increase VIP levels for slots
People airlock crew when they are out of slots and then send more Dil later to get the crew they previously airlocked
Yes some people may buy fewer packs because of slot limits. But DB/WRG looks at those sales metrics vs how they are monetizing slots and has determined the optimal way to maximize revenue.
If there are too many slots they lose all the revenue above. If there are too few then they lose pack sales and players as the game becomes too frustrating. Somewhere in between they can maximize revenue.
We're probably due for another 5 slots soon. But we will never get the unlimited slots some players seem to think should happen.
How many played physical TCGs? If you did, you will note something long running successful games do. They retire sets.
There isn't an exact direct comparison to STT. And perhaps this doesn't directly fit the slot debate. But the need for slots is directly caused by adding new cards to the game. The pool get more diluted and the newer you are the more difficult it is to get what you need or want from voyages or portal.
I have several golds Det Data, Prof, Garak, that will sit in those slots for a long time and never get used. Power creep has made moved to far. My odds of getting copies or citing them are significantly worse than a year ago or more.
I wouldn't mind being happy with '16/'17 golds if somehow they picked up a power creep update. Part of the game is collecting, but part of the game is also doing side quest and events. Cards that do absolutely nothing 97% of the time frustrate the actual playing part of the game.
Maybe the solution isn't more slots. Maybe they need to introduce some sort of fuse to update old card. Maybe they need to give players a retirement home to put aging Golds and SR unfused golds. A sort of deep freeze for cards that people want to collect but obviously can't get much use from. Maybe you should be able to simply freeze unfused cards so you don't have to airlock but still have to designate active and inactive crew.
I'm getting kind disgusted with old players closing ranks. I get it, the game needs money to maintain and grow. But I reject the position of the unrelenting assault on players wallets. The ruthless monetizing of any and all aspects. I reject the hyperbole that any argument that they think might impact the financial bottom line of the game is simply selfish and would result in the games death. People should be able to ask or insist on a sale without ivory tower trolls ranting about potential lost revenue. No one goes to Wal-Mart and demands they never have sales so the company doesn't loose a single cent.
How many played physical TCGs? If you did, you will note something long running successful games do. They retire sets.
There isn't an exact direct comparison to STT. And perhaps this doesn't directly fit the slot debate. But the need for slots is directly caused by adding new cards to the game. The pool get more diluted and the newer you are the more difficult it is to get what you need or want from voyages or portal.
I have several golds Det Data, Prof, Garak, that will sit in those slots for a long time and never get used. Power creep has made moved to far. My odds of getting copies or citing them are significantly worse than a year ago or more.
I wouldn't mind being happy with '16/'17 golds if somehow they picked up a power creep update. Part of the game is collecting, but part of the game is also doing side quest and events. Cards that do absolutely nothing 97% of the time frustrate the actual playing part of the game.
Maybe the solution isn't more slots. Maybe they need to introduce some sort of fuse to update old card. Maybe they need to give players a retirement home to put aging Golds and SR unfused golds. A sort of deep freeze for cards that people want to collect but obviously can't get much use from. Maybe you should be able to simply freeze unfused cards so you don't have to airlock but still have to designate active and inactive crew.
I'm getting kind disgusted with old players closing ranks. I get it, the game needs money to maintain and grow. But I reject the position of the unrelenting assault on players wallets. The ruthless monetizing of any and all aspects. I reject the hyperbole that any argument that they think might impact the financial bottom line of the game is simply selfish and would result in the games death. People should be able to ask or insist on a sale without ivory tower trolls ranting about potential lost revenue. No one goes to Wal-Mart and demands they never have sales so the company doesn't loose a single cent.
I am an “old” player, both from time playing the game and years since my birth. I find it disappointing that you have had to resort to unreasonably criticising a section of the playing group to get your point across. You didn’t need to do that, you can obviously make a reasonable argument anyway.
I have never airlocked crew that I didn't already have.
Any thoughts?
Yes, 2 actually:
1) I'm of the school who doesn't airlock crew they don't already own ... Lal was the last one I airlocked due to crew space right after the event we got her in (mid 2017) ... I made it my goal, so ...
2) The process is waaaay too complicated ... Just freeze any immortal 1 - 4* crew, period, no matter how good they look. You can easily play this game to a high level with 1+/5s and non-FF 4*s.
I currently have 2 3*s out (for Arena - but they could be frozen to be honest) and 1 4* (Ardra for Arena) who are immortal ... and for the coming event a small handful of 4* pilots to cover 5* crew gaps, but they were all frozen prior to last Friday.
But ... you have 300+ slots ... waaaaay more than what I have available, so I've had to be ruthless during my playing time.
I plan to make a Ready Room post later this week on crew management for voyages during events ... I'll show how to (that it is possible to) hit 6-8 hr voyages (i.e. ideal voyage length) with non-event crew during those difficult events (Faction, Faction-hybrid, Expedition) and only using 1/5s and 2/5s that have low-event potential (i.e. no Picards, Janeways, Kirks, Spocks, Burnhams, Jadzia Dax etc.).
--> Hopefully to show that players can safely freeze immortal 4*s, no matter who they are.
How many played physical TCGs? If you did, you will note something long running successful games do. They retire sets.
There isn't an exact direct comparison to STT. And perhaps this doesn't directly fit the slot debate. But the need for slots is directly caused by adding new cards to the game. The pool get more diluted and the newer you are the more difficult it is to get what you need or want from voyages or portal.
I have several golds Det Data, Prof, Garak, that will sit in those slots for a long time and never get used. Power creep has made moved to far. My odds of getting copies or citing them are significantly worse than a year ago or more.
I wouldn't mind being happy with '16/'17 golds if somehow they picked up a power creep update. Part of the game is collecting, but part of the game is also doing side quest and events. Cards that do absolutely nothing 97% of the time frustrate the actual playing part of the game.
Maybe the solution isn't more slots. Maybe they need to introduce some sort of fuse to update old card. Maybe they need to give players a retirement home to put aging Golds and SR unfused golds. A sort of deep freeze for cards that people want to collect but obviously can't get much use from. Maybe you should be able to simply freeze unfused cards so you don't have to airlock but still have to designate active and inactive crew.
I'm getting kind disgusted with old players closing ranks. I get it, the game needs money to maintain and grow. But I reject the position of the unrelenting assault on players wallets. The ruthless monetizing of any and all aspects. I reject the hyperbole that any argument that they think might impact the financial bottom line of the game is simply selfish and would result in the games death. People should be able to ask or insist on a sale without ivory tower trolls ranting about potential lost revenue. No one goes to Wal-Mart and demands they never have sales so the company doesn't loose a single cent.
I am an “old” player, both from time playing the game and years since my birth. I find it disappointing that you have had to resort to unreasonably criticising a section of the playing group to get your point across. You didn’t need to do that, you can obviously make a reasonable argument anyway.
Indeed, it’s a tactic that’s as likely to backfire and cause people to dismiss the rest of the argument entirely without further consideration.
And in any case, monetization of new game features is how those new features can be justified. No business that wants to stay open is going to invest time, energy, and labor hours in something without the reasonable expectation that it will pay dividends in the future. A new event type or overhaul of an existing interface that requires dozens (or more likely hundreds) of hours of programming effort needs to have some clear benefit...whether it creates a new revenue stream or alleviates player frustration (thus protecting an existing revenue stream), there still needs to be a return on investment at some point.
The challenging part for TP (or any business) is striking a fine balance between obtaining that return while ensuring that their customers still value whatever else it is that is being offered, and obviously not everyone values things the same way. Trying to turn players on one another doesn’t change the fact that how we value things has nothing to do with the number of years in the game so much as how much disposable income any of us feel is worth allocating to the entertainment we receive.
I'd rather they just lower the base price. Heck with this sale stuff. I don't think hardly anyone pays full price anyway.
This. Absolutely this. 1000% this.
Not only should they just do away with slots sales (by keeping them at the half off price point permanently), but they should also still give away 5 free slots every other month as well.
I'd rather they just lower the base price. Heck with this sale stuff. I don't think hardly anyone pays full price anyway.
This. Absolutely this. 1000% this.
Not only should they just do away with slots sales (by keeping them at the half off price point permanently), but they should also still give away 5 free slots every other month as well.
+1. I choose to not feed trolls. Thank you, @Warrior Willo , for saying out loud what I was thinking. LLAP, y’all. 🖖
"In the short run, the game defines the players. But in the long run, it's us players who define the game." — Nicky Case, The Evolution of Trust
I could definitely use '5 free' right about now! Gained 10 via VIP Bonuses by buying the premium line for this last months campaign ... filled 'em up. Bought 5 more with dilithium ... filled them up. Now I have a 4* and a 3* waiting in limbo since I can't afford more slots. Looks like I will have to skip this week's Event since I don't have anywhere to put new crew. I would just have to flush them like goldfish.
The good news is that out my 165 slots I now have 51 of those immortalized! I keep chipping away ...
Remember: it's just a game, not a matter of life and death!
Comments
My advice for new players needing space is to freeze in this order:
1.) 1*s and any 2*s that are human, male, and not Starfleet- They don't have much utility, but, immortalized and froze, they do a lot of good. Firstly, space! Secondly, they are an easy way to get those first milestones and boosts, both for sheer numbers and collections. A frozen CMO Bashir will free one space, but count on two collections! Most large collections have a 1* or two in them and you will get the boosts that help with step two.
2.) Once you get all the stars on a Cadet Challenge, freeze the crew that you can't use on other days and have been superseded by a better crew for both stats AND traits. Once the CCs are done, your 2*s are pretty well froze.
3.) If you have all the 3* ships maxed and beat the Weekend CC's, you can skip Commander in Arena and freeze the 3*s.I
4.) Freezing 4*s (and 5*s) is a tricky business. You can always unfreeze, but that costs merits and can take time. My policy is any 4* that is immortal, but isn't one of the following better serves me in freezer, if I need space:
A) In the top ten for one of the skills- This gives me plenty to choose from for Voyage and regular shuttle seats.
C) The best or second best of a main or regularly occurring enough crew to see multiple variants of that can serve as a surrogate for one I don't have during events. Example: I can use Beowulf and Taresian Kim until DF Kim is built up enough to be useful.
D) Arena use (I keep this in mind, but my current crew fits the above)
E) Have they been the existing 4* on an event? If yes, they probably won't pop up in an event other than a rerun/flashback and can freeze.
F) I'm currently keeping Disco and Picard crew (Also Voyager until after June) out because they have a higher likelihood of being needed, either as a variant of their actual crew, a new trait, or simply a Disco, Picard, or possible Voyager crew bonus. As my selection of Immortals grows, I'll weed this down from any crew from series X to just the best, but, with just 200 immortalized total (all 1*s and 2*s, all 3*s from Human Airiam and back, six 5*s, and the balance 4*s) and 300+ crew slots, I don't have to get too picky yet.
Any thoughts?
Thank you for producing my favorite game, you invisible devs. 🖖
People spend Dil for slots
People increase VIP levels for slots
People airlock crew when they are out of slots and then send more Dil later to get the crew they previously airlocked
Yes some people may buy fewer packs because of slot limits. But DB/WRG looks at those sales metrics vs how they are monetizing slots and has determined the optimal way to maximize revenue.
If there are too many slots they lose all the revenue above. If there are too few then they lose pack sales and players as the game becomes too frustrating. Somewhere in between they can maximize revenue.
We're probably due for another 5 slots soon. But we will never get the unlimited slots some players seem to think should happen.
There isn't an exact direct comparison to STT. And perhaps this doesn't directly fit the slot debate. But the need for slots is directly caused by adding new cards to the game. The pool get more diluted and the newer you are the more difficult it is to get what you need or want from voyages or portal.
I have several golds Det Data, Prof, Garak, that will sit in those slots for a long time and never get used. Power creep has made moved to far. My odds of getting copies or citing them are significantly worse than a year ago or more.
I wouldn't mind being happy with '16/'17 golds if somehow they picked up a power creep update. Part of the game is collecting, but part of the game is also doing side quest and events. Cards that do absolutely nothing 97% of the time frustrate the actual playing part of the game.
Maybe the solution isn't more slots. Maybe they need to introduce some sort of fuse to update old card. Maybe they need to give players a retirement home to put aging Golds and SR unfused golds. A sort of deep freeze for cards that people want to collect but obviously can't get much use from. Maybe you should be able to simply freeze unfused cards so you don't have to airlock but still have to designate active and inactive crew.
I'm getting kind disgusted with old players closing ranks. I get it, the game needs money to maintain and grow. But I reject the position of the unrelenting assault on players wallets. The ruthless monetizing of any and all aspects. I reject the hyperbole that any argument that they think might impact the financial bottom line of the game is simply selfish and would result in the games death. People should be able to ask or insist on a sale without ivory tower trolls ranting about potential lost revenue. No one goes to Wal-Mart and demands they never have sales so the company doesn't loose a single cent.
I am an “old” player, both from time playing the game and years since my birth. I find it disappointing that you have had to resort to unreasonably criticising a section of the playing group to get your point across. You didn’t need to do that, you can obviously make a reasonable argument anyway.
Yes, 2 actually:
1) I'm of the school who doesn't airlock crew they don't already own ... Lal was the last one I airlocked due to crew space right after the event we got her in (mid 2017) ... I made it my goal, so ...
2) The process is waaaay too complicated ... Just freeze any immortal 1 - 4* crew, period, no matter how good they look. You can easily play this game to a high level with 1+/5s and non-FF 4*s.
I currently have 2 3*s out (for Arena - but they could be frozen to be honest) and 1 4* (Ardra for Arena) who are immortal ... and for the coming event a small handful of 4* pilots to cover 5* crew gaps, but they were all frozen prior to last Friday.
But ... you have 300+ slots ... waaaaay more than what I have available, so I've had to be ruthless during my playing time.
I plan to make a Ready Room post later this week on crew management for voyages during events ... I'll show how to (that it is possible to) hit 6-8 hr voyages (i.e. ideal voyage length) with non-event crew during those difficult events (Faction, Faction-hybrid, Expedition) and only using 1/5s and 2/5s that have low-event potential (i.e. no Picards, Janeways, Kirks, Spocks, Burnhams, Jadzia Dax etc.).
--> Hopefully to show that players can safely freeze immortal 4*s, no matter who they are.
Indeed, it’s a tactic that’s as likely to backfire and cause people to dismiss the rest of the argument entirely without further consideration.
And in any case, monetization of new game features is how those new features can be justified. No business that wants to stay open is going to invest time, energy, and labor hours in something without the reasonable expectation that it will pay dividends in the future. A new event type or overhaul of an existing interface that requires dozens (or more likely hundreds) of hours of programming effort needs to have some clear benefit...whether it creates a new revenue stream or alleviates player frustration (thus protecting an existing revenue stream), there still needs to be a return on investment at some point.
The challenging part for TP (or any business) is striking a fine balance between obtaining that return while ensuring that their customers still value whatever else it is that is being offered, and obviously not everyone values things the same way. Trying to turn players on one another doesn’t change the fact that how we value things has nothing to do with the number of years in the game so much as how much disposable income any of us feel is worth allocating to the entertainment we receive.
This. Absolutely this. 1000% this.
Not only should they just do away with slots sales (by keeping them at the half off price point permanently), but they should also still give away 5 free slots every other month as well.
+1. I choose to not feed trolls. Thank you, @Warrior Willo , for saying out loud what I was thinking. LLAP, y’all. 🖖
The good news is that out my 165 slots I now have 51 of those immortalized! I keep chipping away ...
My Captain Idol's
My DataCore page
My Spreadsheet
You get honour if you airlock, but not if they time out. Couldn’t tell from your comment if you knew that or not? Idk if that’s important to you.
Lame....
[:-P) <(*sick*)
Edit: Do better DB/TP, *sigh*, do better.