Results from the inactive participants hunting event April 27-29

[Dusk]

I wonder if the winners all still participate now? How many took part in the event? How many of them have hung around since?

Third prize is far more than anything I've even looted in six-and-a-half years of doing various activities, BTW.

 

[Ludvig|MindArk]

See you in a few years on the next inactive player event..

You do realize that if the numbers they have posted are correct (and I have no reason to assume they are not) they managed to bring 1000 people in at a cost of 3USD/person (a sum they may very well have made back already)?

Charlie also said yesterday that there will be an event like this for active players as well, and that at least 500 of the players are still active after the event.

So yeah... 6USD per person brought back, if those 500 deposit 100PED each and leaves then MindArk has already profited 2000USD from this.




Also, things like this really are not that unusual for businesses to do.


EDIT: You should also note that this is taken from the marketing budget derived from CLD sales, not the loot pool... and the sum of the prizes in the event are equal to 0.05% of the CLD sale money.

 

[~CHOPPER~]

Instead of developing a solid marketing plan, MA is throwing money at former players??

My god, What is wrong with these people

 

[~CHOPPER~]

.....

Come back to debate when you have something other then anecdotal evidence.

 

[Ludvig|MindArk]

Come back to debate when you have something other then anecdotal evidence.

Would you do the same then? As well as everyone else complaining in here?

 

[Infinity01]

You know - all I said on this was congratulate the winners. Something that I think was their due.
.

First of all this whole thing, at least by the appearance of it, was not only
RIGGED, but also probably FAKED!

1. It was started without any announcement, in secracy!

2. It was so obvious that the 1st prize winner is not the real winnner...

3. I guess based on the profile of the 1st prize winner... it was targeted and predetermined.... and they didnt' even realize that there was another player who got the highest single loot at the eleventh hour. So, they ignored it! I said predetermined coz the result was announced well past the date 4/29. A quick look would have solved the issue.... but they did not ... WHY?

4. even after pointing out.... they failed to aknowledge that it was a mistake. let alone explain how that could happen!!!

I guess you are smart enough to see these.... but you've deliberately ignored... now do you see my point?

 

[Ludvig|MindArk]

...

Yes, there seems to be a mistake here and MA has not commented on that, which they probably should.

However, something like it has happened before and that time they compensated for their error, so my guess is that they are currently discussing what to do about it and that they will tell us once they have decided.

Of course, if this is the case there is still a problematic communications error that should not occur

 

[jetsina]

To those who say MA may have actually gained more revenue from this than the 'marketing' event cost, please assess the true costs against the benefits!

The true costs include active but unhappy players who take this 'idea' as the final kick in the teeth to go INACTIVE.
It is true that it is virtually impossible to please everybody, but to do things that are so 'blissfully ignorant' of how many of EU's active players feel really is ............. (and at this point I simply can't find the right words).

To paraphrase a response from MA here: we were asked if we preferred MA to do something even more stupid with their marketing budget.
That's kind of symptomatic of the mindset, isn't it?

Trying to attract new players is still like trying blood transfusions with a massive gaping wound in your side, MA.
To try to be positive, let me suggest that you implement a new mission called the "active players' mission", in which you have a daily repeatable 200 daikiba mission or so (or mob on all planets), which rewards 1 in 50 or 1 in 100 finishers with a certain tt of a higher mu stackable, or an item, or so.
As 'marketing' for the mission itself, list somewhere accessible the last 50 'bonus reward prizes' paid out, or so, as in Hall of Fame, for example.
(It may just be that the beacons are supposed to be an idea like this, even....... but you've not marketed THAT very well, have you?)

MA provide a bit of retention tt payout, let the rest of us add the mu that keeps things interesting, and see whether ppl are actually happy with the concept, or not!

Whichever side has been too stupid to recognise something, let's rectify that with some communication and partnership, shall we?

(Hopes for positive uptake in what is obviously a mainly negative thread - but for reasons I fully understand!)

 

[Xen]

btw, when they say "More than one thousand eager hunters accepted the invitation!", does that mean more than 1000 inactive people logged in and played, or simply clicked a link in the email to register for the event?

 

[~CHOPPER~]

Throwing money at former customers is something that American
Telecom companies tried 20 years ago.
That plan failed.
MA needs to learn from others mistakes.

 

[Dusk]

If 1000+ inactives suddenly turned up, surely many people would have noticed them suddenly lighting up in green on their Friend List. Surely conversations like, "Hi long time no see" and "What brings you back?" would have happened. Surely the active population would have heard about this event before MA retrospectively announced it.

Sorry if I'm going over old ground, BTW. I don't have time to read back over ten pages right now.

 

[Akbar]

Throwing money at former customers is something that American
Telecom companies tried 20 years ago.
That plan failed.
MA needs to learn from others mistakes.

Who cares, if this failed, they will not record our skill gains on end sessions for 6 months, and they'll be winners again.

I bet they have a book at the office : how to regain money when we lost it by our mistakes...

 

[~CHOPPER~]

Who cares, if this failed, they will not record our skill gains on end sessions for 6 months, and they'll be winners again.

I bet they have a book at the office : how to regain money when we lost it by our mistakes...

Sounds like you still got an axe to grind on existing issues.

 

[wizz]

3000 USD for over 1000 "new" paying players. Sounds a good deal to me. If they spend at least 300 ped, then they've paid for themselves.

Finally! Thanks mrproper!

The first sensible reaction in this thread. If everybody just would stop whining for a minute and use that minute to think first.

Then maybe you will see the positive side about this.

First of all, everybody is whining that the player base is to small. MA does something about it, and you all start whining. If MA hadn't organized this event, you all still wouldn't have had the possibility to participate and NEITHER would they have reached 1000 players. And it's not like MA doesn't organize any events. How many shadows, PoE's etc etc have been given away on events?

So what exactly is the big deal?

MA has a new marketing budget (remember the CLD sales anybody?), so what's 3000$?
Well, I think the 3000 can even be reduced to 1000, since the gift vouchers are probably valid for standard retail prices (so without discount) and as mentioned earlier, they'll probably got some sponsoring on that as well. So, NEVER that MA has paid 3000$ for it (or they're really stupid).


So if the number of 1000 is valid and half of those people actually stay, I'd say well done MA!!


Now do more of this stuff!

 

[jetsina]

If 1000+ inactives suddenly turned up, surely many people would have noticed them suddenly lighting up in green on their Friend List. Surely conversations like, "Hi long time no see" and "What brings you back?" would have happened. Surely the active population would have heard about this event before MA retrospectively announced it.

Sorry if I'm going over old ground, BTW. I don't have time to read back over ten pages right now.

I haven't seen this mentioned in the thread up to now - I think you are absolutely right! The active population should have noticed... unless it was mostly sidelined 'alts' that responded (or whole clumps of avatars left the game in closed society circles).

 

[Akbar]

If 1000+ inactives suddenly turned up, surely many people would have noticed them suddenly lighting up in green on their Friend List. Surely conversations like, "Hi long time no see" and "What brings you back?" would have happened. Surely the active population would have heard about this event before MA retrospectively announced it.

I must say that i did not pay attention when you posted it,
but your analysis is absolutely correct, and that's really not hard to read throu the lines...

 

[FallenAngel]

Lizzie PERKy Borden is the correct winner!

How could you place someone who came a clear second - first and not even realize, unless it was already pre-scripted that this avatar "would" win

First of all this whole thing, at least by the appearance of it, was not only
RIGGED, but also probably FAKED!

I am quite critical of MA when it is warranted but this is just silly, they may not have done this perfectly but its creative marketing, it does not cost much, and it seems to have had some results.
Wild conspiracy theories about pre-scripted or rigged loot/events without ANY evidence to back it up really helps nobody and looks foolish.

If there is constructive criticism to be made then make it but this?

 

[Infinity01]

without ANY evidence to back it up

Oh really!!???

take a look with an open mind:

so, do you have any comment on the discrepency between the 1st prize and the highest single loot value?
Don't come up with UTC/MA time issue as an excuse....

 

[Infinity01]

I am quite critical of MA when it is warranted but this is just silly, they may not have done this perfectly but its creative marketing, it does not cost much, and it seems to have had some results.
Wild conspiracy theories about pre-scripted or rigged loot/events without ANY evidence to back it up really helps nobody and looks foolish.

If there is constructive criticism to be made then make it but this?

Also note what i've said, I'd highlight for you:

First of all this whole thing, at least by the appearance of it, was not only
RIGGED, but also probably FAKED!

I've added "probably Faked" after reading this post:

If 1000+ inactives suddenly turned up, surely many people would have noticed them suddenly lighting up in green on their Friend List. Surely conversations like, "Hi long time no see" and "What brings you back?" would have happened. Surely the active population would have heard about this event before MA retrospectively announced it.

Sorry if I'm going over old ground, BTW. I don't have time to read back over ten pages right now.

Plus

Kim and other MA officials must have seen this issue ....and they didnt' make any comment so far!

If it was an honest mistake it shouldn't have taken so long to say that it was a mistake!

What better explantion can you give for this?


Also note that I'm not that very critical of the event, if real, that MA has designed to bring back old players as reflected in my earlier post:

If this is part of a multi-pronged co-ordianted strategy then i guess it's good as some posters have pointed out.
But I still dont' understand the 1st and 2nd prize winners... what was the basis ...........definitely not based on the stated rules!


EDIT: LOL i feel bad for MA now... Probably this whole thing was done with a good intent.. traditional way of attracting customers who have left.
MA needs a good PR personnel.... ASAP.

This last quote of mine was in response to Kim's post...

I've seen him in this forum after I've posted!

 

[Ludvig|MindArk]

What better explantion can you give for this?

[/B]

Bad communications?

 

[das]

I don't think anyone would expect those who returned to go straight back into full gaming mode but in time we think some of them will. The goal of this event wasn't to give a quick boost to our revenue but to increase the long term player activity on Calypso. Both in terms of bringing these old players back and by addressing the concerns they expressed in the survey.

I hope this makes it more clear.

Cheers

Does this mean we actually need to stop playing b4 someone listens to our concerns?

 

[MIND]

ok i will be incative so i can get my prize too

 

[dr3w]

Strange. I always getting reminders from games which I had abandoned, with bonuses, boosts, from poker rooms with free cash, from shops with discounts. Common, standard.

What is that shitstorm is about? Where is good&old whining about ATHs which "drying loot pool"? It's all out of fashion?

 

[mastermesh]

I don't think anyone would expect those who returned to go straight back into full gaming mode but in time we think some of them will. The goal of this event wasn't to give a quick boost to our revenue but to increase the long term player activity on Calypso. Both in terms of bringing these old players back and by addressing the concerns they expressed in the survey.

I hope this makes it more clear.

Cheers

so the goal was to lure back those that quit... much like ads from a casino do to those that joined gamblers anonymous or like cigarette ads due to those that quit smoking? KIM, I THINK YOUR ADVERTISING MONEY COULD GO A LOT FURTHER IN TRYING TO GET NEW PEOPLE INSTEAD OF BRINGING THOSE THAT QUIT BACK!

 

[Magyar_Republic]

so the goal was to lure back those that quit... much like ads from a casino do to those that joined gamblers anonymous or like cigarette ads due to those that quit smoking? KIM, I THINK YOUR ADVERTISING MONEY COULD GO A LOT FURTHER IN TRYING TO GET NEW PEOPLE INSTEAD OF BRINGING THOSE THAT QUIT BACK!

The goal was to conduct business. Part of conducting business is appealing to former customers as well as new customers.

The appeal to new customers says your product can sell. The appeal to old customers says your product can improve.

Retention in both areas is important.

 

[Teiwaz Storm]

The idea of such event is right but I think prizes were a bit high.

If 1000+ inactives suddenly turned up, surely many people would have noticed them suddenly lighting up in green on their Friend List. Surely conversations like, "Hi long time no see" and "What brings you back?" would have happened. Surely the active population would have heard about this event before MA retrospectively announced it.

Sorry if I'm going over old ground, BTW. I don't have time to read back over ten pages right now.

I highly doubt that there were so many players involved in this event. Let's track globals of event creatures, 27-29.04 (inclusive):

Daikiba:

Thorkell Wizze Viking 	Daikiba Guardian  	64 PED 	Sunday, April 29, 2012 23:40
Lizzie Perky Borden 	Daikiba Alpha  	495 PED 	Sunday, April 29, 2012 23:26
(Shared Loot) 	        Daikiba Alpha  	65 PED 	Sunday, April 29, 2012 16:55
Lizzie Perky Borden 	Daikiba Old Alpha  	58 PED 	Sunday, April 29, 2012 15:28
Cunning Cunning Linguist 	Daikiba Alpha  	103 PED 	Sunday, April 29, 2012 02:31
Lizzie Perky Borden 	Daikiba Dominant  	59 PED 	Saturday, April 28, 2012 21:56
Andre Psychos Pereira 	Daikiba Old Alpha  	53 PED 	Saturday, April 28, 2012 15:06
Andre Psychos Pereira 	Daikiba Dominant  	56 PED 	Saturday, April 28, 2012 14:54
The Lone Deranger 	Daikiba Alpha  	67 PED 	Saturday, April 28, 2012 02:21
Thorkell Wizze Viking 	Daikiba Dominant  	455 PED 	Saturday, April 28, 2012 00:40
Andre Psychos Pereira 	Daikiba Dominant  	81 PED 	Friday, April 27, 2012 14:30
Andre Psychos Pereira 	Daikiba Old Alpha  	102 PED 	Friday, April 27, 2012 12:42
Michael Mick Bindram 	Daikiba Alpha  	61 PED 	Friday, April 27, 2012 11:37
Cunning Cunning Linguist 	Daikiba Old Alpha  	58 PED 	Friday, April 27, 2012 04:41
Andre Psychos Pereira 	Daikiba Alpha  	81 PED 	Friday, April 27, 2012 00:29

Tripudion:

Yngwe Metal Benchpress 	Tripudion Young  	155 PED 	Saturday, April 28, 2012 06:52

Caudatergus:

Franky Tee Bone 	Caudatergus Guardian  	69 PED 	Sunday, April 29, 2012 05:51
Budwick CaptainZerO Brown 	Caudatergus Old Alpha  	72 PED 	Saturday, April 28, 2012 11:17
Franky Tee Bone 	Caudatergus Prowler  	65 PED 	Saturday, April 28, 2012 01:27
Franky Tee Bone 	Caudatergus Old Alpha  	78 PED 	Friday, April 27, 2012 19:44
Franky Tee Bone 	Caudatergus Alpha  	78 PED 	Friday, April 27, 2012 19:26

Exarosaur:

marty aubim aubichon 	Exarosaur Guardian  	177 PED 	Sunday, April 29, 2012 19:21
Duncan QS Stonewall 	Exarosaur Young  	69 PED 	Friday, April 27, 2012 04:07

This give us list of 11 players who scored globals on event mobs. Note that some of them don't look like inactives so not all mentioned players below players was taking part in that event.

Andre Psychos Pereira
Cunning Cunning Linguist - most likely not in event
Michael Mick Bindram
Thorkell Wizze Viking
The Lone Deranger
Lizzie Perky Borden
Yngwe Metal Benchpress - most likely not in event
Franky Tee Bone
Budwick CaptainZerO Brown
Duncan QS Stonewall
marty aubim aubichon - most likely not in event



Although globals are not direct representation of activity on mob, I think that with such massive event for such mammoth prizes there would be more happening on those mobs.
Doesn't exactly look like 1000+ player event outcome to me...


Another, already mentioned multiple times, very stinky thing is that based on "highest single loots" rule, actual winner should be other than is stated... MA mustn't ignore such doubts and should comment and explain ASAP to not lose more trust from active playerbase!

Bad communications?

Boring!
That is so old excuse... maybe it's about time to change communication then...

 

[Art Jennifer]

SO your rewards inactive players?

That makes sense

 

[wizz]

so the goal was to lure back those that quit... much like ads from a casino do to those that joined gamblers anonymous or like cigarette ads due to those that quit smoking? KIM, I THINK YOUR ADVERTISING MONEY COULD GO A LOT FURTHER IN TRYING TO GET NEW PEOPLE INSTEAD OF BRINGING THOSE THAT QUIT BACK!

So, trying to get old players back is a bad thing?

Jeezz, sorry but wake up!!

 

[BlackHawk]

I think going for marketing of any kind is good. But the way you did it makes us all doubt your fairness.

First place looks rigged since the second place had a higher hof. If you skipped this for any reason, only shows that you just don't care about your player base. Such a mistake in a marketing event is outrageous.

It makes me wonder who the announced winner is... Is he working for MA? Is he a friend or relative of someone who works for MA? If he is not, how can such a thing happen? Is not the type of mistake that can come out of a search in a database performed by an algorithm. And if it is... how can you have a license to make any type of software?

 

[dr3w]

I highly doubt that there were so many players involved in this event. Let's track globals of event creatures, 27-29.04 (inclusive):

Tracker fortune telling FTW.

Look at my tracker. I have whooping 3 Daikiba globals. And in that period i did smashed 5000+ of them.

And?