[Federation News Service]

Information about the return of the Lohlunat Festival is on its way soon. As part of this year's summer event, we will be retiring the Risian Lohlunat Pearls and introducing a new item for earning your summer starship.

Before this happens, though, we want to give you the opportunity to trade in any leftover Risian Lohlunat Pearls for something special. Beginning on Thursday May 14th (just after Maintenance completes) we're opening access to the "Summer Buyback" store. This special store, accessible from your Event Reputation Store button, will be offering a selection of unique prizes in exchange for your existing Risian Lohlunat Pearls.

Here are the items that will be available:





ITEM


1 Specialization Point
1/2 Specialization Point

78,200 XP equivalent


1/10th Specialization Point

15,640 XP equivalent


500 Specialization XP
Event Buyback Tech Upgrade - Universal (Large)

+25,600 Tech Points / No Research
No Dilithium Cost


Event Buyback Tech Upgrade - Universal (Small)

+12,800 Tech Points / No Research
No Dilithium Cost


Elite Queue R&D Material Reward Package

Available in all varieties. Player chooses contents.


Starship Emote Pack: "Smile" and "Sad"
Starship Emote Pack: "Thumbs Up" and "Thumbs Down"
Starship Emote Pack: "Live Long and Prosper"
Starship Emote Pack: "Rock, Paper, Scissors"



PEARL COST

200
125

30

1
50


30


15

40
40
40
40






** NOTE: Specialization Point packages may only be purchased by Level 60 characters.

A few prizes require a bit more information, so allow me to expand on those…

STARSHIP EMOTE PACKS


Each of these packages unlocks one or two new powers, which can be slotted into your Starship Power Trays. Activating any of these Powers will display a brief holographic symbol above your ship while in System or Sector Space. All share a brief cooldown period, so as to discourage noisy over-use of this new feature.

Our hope is that having a few quick communication options at your fingertips may help even total strangers communicate with one another with ease, while flying among the stars.

While these will remain exclusively available on the Summer Buyback Store for the time being, these Emote Packs will eventually also become available for Gold-Pressed Latinum.



SPECIALIZATION / XP PACKAGES


Purchasing any of these items will immediately reward the buyer with either 1 Specialization Point, or an amount of XP equivalent to the fraction (1/2 or 1/10th), or the amount (500 XP) indicated. These cannot be traded, and only players that are already Level 60 will be eligible to purchase them.

While the lowest denomination package may be purchased in bulk, it’s important to note that larger packages are more cost-efficient.

ELITE QUEUE R&D MATERIALS


These packages are exactly identical to the rewards given upon the completion of an Elite Queue. Players will be able to choose which Material they prefer to receive, by purchasing the corresponding pack: Craylon Gas, Argonite Gas, Dentarium, Trellium-K, Plekton Particle, or Radiogenic Particle

As with the standard Elite Queue R&D prizes, all of these packages include all of the following:


10 Common R&D Materials
10 Uncommon, Rare or Very Rare R&D Materials
7 Rare or Very Rare R&D Materials
3 Very Rare R&D Materials
Common, Uncommon and Rare Materials are Random, while the Very Rare will always correspond to the Material type purchased.


FAQ:


Why are you retiring the Risian Lohlunat Pearls?

We want to maintain the exclusivity and collectability of the event ships from the Summer Event each year, and in order to do that we will be retiring the existing Risian Lohlunat Pearls. When the 2015 Summer Event begins, an entirely new currency will be needed to acquire the event starship. This will be the process going forward – a new item to be collected each year.

Our goal for this change is to ensure that everyone participates on equal footing for the release of each year's new ship.

What if I have a partial Summer Reputation project in progress?

Those of you that already have a summer ship project in progress from a previous year’s event WILL NOT lose any progress, and can simply finish that project either with Risian Lohlunat Pearls or with the new currency when it arrives.

Can I slot a new project for a Risian Corvette or Risian Luxury Cruiser?

No. These ships are being retired with the start of the 2015 Lohlunat Festival.

What about discounts for alts?

Once you have earned the new 2015 starship on a single character, ships for your alt characters can still be earned with a single play through of the “Flyin’ High” daily mission.

What if I don't finish a Summer Reputation project?

All in-progress Summer Reputation projects will be removed at the end of the 2015 Lohlunat Festival.

View Complete Article...

[ForTheGamer]

Can I just say I find it funny that everyone is upset about this, yet I'm sure I remember the community disliking the ships as "non-canon" and some such?

Honestly, figured this was coming since they seem to be on a "what can we do to get people to play all the content all the time" mood. Also, Gecko's fault.

[Sysil]

I don't get why people are upset by this. Then again, some people like to grind more than what's needed, something that I find incomprehensible.

Also, Gecko's fault.

[Dark]

On the one hand, it means I can't skip the event entirely to pick up the new ship (if I end up interested in it).

On the other hand, I can turn my thousand-plus Pearls into Spec points... which is worth a heck of a lot more than yet another ship for me.

I'm okay with it.

[Three of Seven]

The free ships they have put together have usually been fairly strong ships, able to compete with whatever the current paid ships are, there isn't really any reason to complain when that is the case. Before T6 ships were a thing, the party boat cruiser could be good enough for PvP

But yeah, I usually overstock for the next year, just to help boost my project, the trade isn't too bad for it, no idea how many I have from last year lol, but spec points are nice. Not sure on the ship emotes lol.

[Bridger]

I have 40 Pearls left but thousands for the Winter Event that means I have to bring all my alts to Level 60 in time.

[Kains]

Aw man... makes me wish I didn't blow off those events now

[Marcel]

http://sto-forum.perfectworld.com/sh...postcount=1034
FYI Salami is the (still rather new) boss of the dev team. Most nerfs except the doff one came from the one before.