Star Trek Online: Beginners Guide Part 1 - The Cost of Playing
I’ve mentioned in the past that a lot of important information regarding the MMORPG Star Trek Online is centralised within the official subreddit. That’s fine if you enjoy using this platform but it’s not for everyone. I’ve always found Reddit somewhat esoteric and I don’t really like the way it visually displays information. I have to use a browser addon to make it more user friendly. Unlike other communities, STO does not seem to have that many fan produced blogs. However, I may be wrong regarding this, so feel free to correct me (and provide URLs). In the meantime, I thought it may be useful to write a series of simple guides, offering practical information for those who are new to STO. Nothing fancy or in any way definitive. Just a few basic tips that may help orientate the new player. This time we’re going to look at the business model for STO and the cost of playing the game.
Q: What is the business model for STO?
A: STO is a free to play game. Unlike some other MMOs there are no major impediments to new players. Story based content is not locked behind any sort of paywall. Once a player has completed the tutorial and reached level 10 (which is easy to do) they can play the latest material. Some content is scalable. STO has several earnable in-game currencies; Energy Credits, Dilithium and Lobi Crystals. You can also purchase Zen for real money. This currency is used to buy in-game store items such as ships, character slots and bank space etc. If you don’t want to spend any real money, you can grind Dilithium and exchange it for Zen, legitimately within the game.
Q: Is there a subscription?
A: STO used to have a subscription option but this was removed from the game in December 2018. If you play for free, you have Silver account status. This applies a degree of limitations upon the game, such as an Energy Credit cap of 15 million and your overall number of character slots, bank slots, Bridge Officer and ship slots. None of these are a deal breaker for new players. If you enjoy the game and wish to create multiple alts or feel that you need more space, you can purchase all these additional resources via the store. Gold account status used to be gained by subscribing but now it is only available by the purchase of a lifetime account.
Q: Are there any essential items to purchase?
A: Although I wouldn’t define it as “essential” the Elite Services Starter Pack does offer a lot of benefits to a new player. It costs 1,000 Zen and can be found in the C-Store. It includes 36 bank slots and 36 inventory spaces, two Bridge Officer slots and three retrain tokens (for reallocating your skill points). If these items were bought separately it would cost the player 2,250 Zen. Hence, the Elite Services Starter Pack is a real bargain working out at less than $10. Again if you don’t want to buy any Zen with real money, you can grind Dilithium by playing game content and exchange it for Zen. It will take about one week to earn sufficient Zen for the Elite Services Starter Pack.
Q: Is the Lifetime subscription worth it ?
A: This very much depends on how often you play STO. I would not encourage new players to contemplate such a purchase until they have played STO for a while and determined how invested they are in the game. If it becomes your MMO of choice and you log on several times a week or more, then it does offer value for money. Upon purchase you immediately unlock Veteran Rewards which include unique ships, uniforms and other game rewards. But perhaps the biggest incentive is a monthly stipend of 500 Zen. A Lifetime subscription retails at $299 but there are often sales throughout the year when the price is dropped to $199.
Q: Should I buy a ship straight away?
A: Unless you have your heart set on a specific ship and are happy to pay real money, once again I would advise those just starting out to not do so. The game provides the player with 5 free ships as they progress through the game. This occurs at levels 10, 20, 30, 40 and 61. The ships are level specific. If you follow the story, then a free shuttle is also available. STO holds several events throughout the year which also allow players to earn a Tier 6 ship. However, part of the appeal of STO is its expansive collection of iconic ships. Developer’s Cryptic rely on the sale of these for much of their revenue. They recently made many Tier 6 ships scalable, so they can be used by new players and will level with them. So it ultimately comes down to your personal choice and budget. However, a free player will not be penalised for not spending money. They simply have less choice. Again, if you’re prepared to invest the time then you can earn the appropriate currencies to obtain a Tier 6 ship at no financial cost.
