When Star Trek Online came out, I first had a trial account (as I wasn’t sure if it’d run on my PC or not). Once that expired and I needed a full retail key, I went to Steam and looked at the options available. There I could get the game, or for an extra tenner, I could get a Digital Deluxe edition that came with various exclusive items such as Classic Trek uniforms and an NX registry prefix for my ship.

I’m a sucker for classic Trek, so I jumped at the chance to get those uniforms and went for the deluxe package.

In this month’s engineering report however, it was announced that coming to the C-Store (the in-game micro transaction store filled with various fluff like extra character slots, extra bridge designs etc) were some of the various “exclusive” items.  So not only would people be able to buy my classic Trek uniforms, but also appearing were items available in other collectors editions like the TNG and DS9 uniforms, Borg bridge officers (think 7of9) and the original Constitution class as a starter ship.

This has sparked a lot of discussion online, with many people feeling betrayed by Cryptic.   After all these items were marked as exclusive, and many spent extra on multiple copies of the game in order to get all the extras.

My own opinion though, is slightly different.  Once I realised there was a micro-transaction store in the game, selling various ship costumes, bridges etc, I kind’ve knew this was going to be coming.  My immediate reaction was that “exclusive” would mean “only for a certain period of time”, and that Cryptic would be throwing away a source of income by not allowing people to purchase these extras.

Now, if the extras had been, for example, a variant Cryptic-designed uniform, then it would be easy to just leave it as exclusive to whatever version of the game.  However we’re talking about iconic things, like the various TV show and movie uniforms.   Of course, people are going to jump at the chance to pay a bit extra to get them.  For myself, I know I’ll be straight onto the C-Store (once my PC is fixed or replaced) in order to get the bits and pieces I’m missing.

I can appreciate that those who spent extra money are upset, and I know I was personally tempted to buy other copies of the game for the TNG and DS9 uniforms, but to me this was something that was inevitable so if I had bought the game, it would’ve been in the knowledge that I was just doing it to get them before everyone else (although I’ll admit I’m surprised it happened quite this soon).   With these kinds of things, I think you always have to assume that you’re only buying exclusivity for a certain period of time.   There’s a long history in computer games of exclusive items eventually turning up for purchase separately.

The exclusivity had been dubious prior to this as well, despite forum posters acting like this is a new thing.  Now, as I said, I paid an extra tenner for my edition, primarily due to the lure of classic Trek uniforms.  Yet not long after I got the game, this thread appeared on the forums.  Yup, my supposedly exclusive uniforms being given away with a magazine, via a website that anyone can access and get the uniforms from for free.  That thread in fact, is periodically bumped to ensure it remains on or near the front page, with other posters ensuring others get their free uniforms.   Cryptic allow the thread and the offer to continue, so it appears they don’t have a problem with it.

And there’s the Wrath of Khan uniforms.  Supposedly, you had to buy the Blueray editions of classic Trek, and yet a quick google will reveal the relevant code to get them.

Should I be shouting about getting a refund?  Possibly, but I got what I paid for, and enjoy just having the classic uniforms.  This way, other people that want to enjoy them, can as well.  To just moan that they’re not exclusive any more has a slight hint of wanting to appear special and better than others within the game.  For me, buying the deluxe edition was just a means to get a uniform I really wanted.

So, I’m not too angry about this, although admittedly that’s largely because it’ll just benefit me, due to the classic Trek uniforms already being freely available.  My items have long since lost their exclusivity, so from my perspective, this is just the others catching up (and I have to wonder, out of those complaining on the forums, how many used that website for the classic uniforms, and googled the Wrath of Khan code).

That all being said, I do think Cryptic could’ve maybe handled it better.  Primarily I do think the exclusives might’ve been better being things that were less iconic.  Cryptic-designed uniforms and starships for example.  The minute recognisable uniforms were in the game, there was always going to be a big demand for them to be more readily available.  However I can certainly appreciate that those same TV uniforms also made for a much bigger draw on the collectors editions.

I also think Cryptic have perhaps jumped the gun.  As much as I want the TNG and DS9 uniforms, I really didn’t expect to see them like this within the first year of the game.  And perhaps in the FAQs on the website, it could’ve been made clearer that the exclusivity was only going to be for a certain amount of time.

However, nonetheless, I look forward to the opportunity to login to the store and buy these extras.  There’s a lot of complaints online, but I strongly hope that they don’t influence the decision the release them in the C-Store.   After all, for those that got the TNG and DS9 uniforms in your boxset, at least I’m having to pay for them as well.  Everyone got my classic Trek uniforms for free.