I think that one aspect not well discussed in these various tribble discussions is the fact that the game shouldn't change that much for subscribers.

What that means is... You're going to be spending $15 per month on the game. It's just now that it's going to be in the c-store. That's all.

I agree with almost everyone's distaste for these changes, but facts are facts.

For me, on tribble currently, customizing my ship for those "cool nacelle pylons" at ESD costs EC and not DL.

So I, at this time, do not seem to need to worry about using up limited DL resources on cosmetic ship changes.

I don't know under the old system you have to spend merits to promote a BO where as this new system you just have to spend skill points and BO points to do it. That is why less time consuming.

It seems Merits are no longer needed at all for training BOs. That is fine for me.
But I still find Dilithium as resource poorly thought out. It just doesn't fit the IP. People don't exchange Dilitihium on a regular basis.

Using Merit and Honor as "Dilithium Ore" and "Favor" as "refined Dilithium" would work considerably better for me.

What I said was And as you just said it's going to take a LOOONG time to get an account unlock w/ just 400 points per month alone. The idea Cryptic has here is that they give you 400 in the hopes that you will "buy something" with it or will spend money to make up the difference. I know alot of people level alts and think on an alt to alt level, why buy a CStore Cruiser if my Tactical Captain is going to be in an Escort? Doing that would waste the CPoints for that character so why dont I just spend 100 of my 400 points and get a decent size amount of Dilithium for it, because (as I stated) I will get 400 more the next month so there is no harm in actuallly using some of it. Just because you would perfer to hoard your CPoints (Hoarding is a problem you should seek help!! ) to try and get a unneeded HUGE amount (by the time you do I'm willing to bet there will be a sale) by all means more power to you.

Don't assume just because you wouldn't do something doesn't mean generalize about everyone else.

Given that Cryptic are selling Doff packs on the C-Store for around 200 points a pop, I fully expect lifers to be using their Stipend to buying things like this in the lottery game of getting better officers.

The entire concept of Lifers trading C-points to buy Dilithium falls apart if Dilithium supply is curbed to an insane degree or the C-Store has items that circumvent the need for Dilithium.

Why would I need to trade C-Points for Dilithium to buy a equipment if I can save up points towards getting C-Store ships that come with equipment ?
Sure, buying a cruiser for an escort pilot is pointless... unless you ever want to level a character up in a cruiser, the game makes cruisers better or that cruiser comes with a console that can be used for an Escort pilot.

I.E
Who needs to buy phaser banks if they get leveling phasers off the Connie
Who needs to buy doffs or Boffs if they buy them off the C-Store packs
Who needs to buy phaser cannons when they come off the Defiant

Personally, I own all but two C-Store ships (no NX or T1 Connie). I plan on purchasing every ship when comes out.

Being a lifer with a stipend and owning most every ship already (and uniforms, and all races, and bridges, etc...), I will most likely have a surplus of C-Points that I can use to purchase DL if I want, rather than grind it out.

So in my case, I see this new system as a good way to trade un-needed C-Points for better gear if I want, while providing someone with C-Points who does not want to spend any real cash, but wants a C-Store ship.

Also, C-Store ships have white gear on them which sells for almost no EC. DL purchased gear, from what I have seen so far is superior to what you get "free" on a ship.

I can forsee this part of the game to be another Money Grabber for Cryptic. Fine tuning the dilithium system or whatever you use on tribble to train your Boff's yourself and respec.

They will make it so that it will either cost you 6 months for a respec, or just buy buy buy from C$tore.

I had seen myself doing this as well. But then Cryptic came with P2W ships and all that, and suddenly I don't want to buy anything anymore.

Did you compare the price of a respec on the Tribble C-Store to that of a respec on Holodeck yet? Maybe this is just a copy & paste error from the CO shop, but... it seems the value has changed.

+1 to this - Merits/Honor should remain the currency of training BOs. It's like Prestige in SFC3 that you can spend to do this. Now I will say the missions should give more prestige than the dailies but turning this into dilithium doesn't make any sort of canon sense (as much as that even means here in STO)