Different solution to "Free to play"

[Lugzan]

sorry for not going through all the posts, too tired for that right now =)

but just out of the blue - did anyone say out loud how MA is free of any service related liabilities without subscription fees? free means no warranty what so ever. well, just like stating we only grant the tt which means as far as people are collecting MU and burning out tt value, it's ok

you see, the main issue is, MA has never made any improvements to get masses online, especially those ready to deposit steady, long, but smaller amounts or not deposit at all. the bigger you deposit monthly the better, remember

so, Sircus, with all the respect, I am sad to tell you it will not happen... unless MA starts aiming at lower average deposit plus is also ready to lower the average bill (aka better returns, otherwise this would not work out). or, if ze ubers start to demand such decisions from MA, that could also click some changes. but you know, they are quiet until their monthly check is steady...


J.

 

[Sircus]

sorry for not going through all the posts, too tired for that right now =)

but just out of the blue - did anyone say out loud how MA is free of any service related liabilities without subscription fees? free means no warranty what so ever. well, just like stating we only grant the tt which means as far as people are collecting MU and burning out tt value, it's ok

you see, the main issue is, MA has never made any improvements to get masses online, especially those ready to deposit steady, long, but smaller amounts or not deposit at all. the bigger you deposit monthly the better, remember

so, Sircus, with all the respect, I am sad to tell you it will not happen... unless MA starts aiming at lower average deposit plus is also ready to lower the average bill (aka better returns, otherwise this would not work out). or, if ze ubers start to demand such decisions from MA, that could also click some changes. but you know, they are quiet until their monthly check is steady...


J.

He, with the way things are going its a very good guess that big changes are coming. But fair enough, 2 years ago your opinion would been more correct.

I dont know the changes but with MA on the verge of bankruptcy if they cant find investors/Sell Calypso again... Change is coming...

 

[Lugzan]

He, with the way things are going its a very good guess that big changes are coming. But fair enough, 2 years ago your opinion would been more correct.

I dont know the changes but with MA on the verge of bankruptcy if they cant find investors/Sell Calypso again... Change is coming...

I hope you are right, I really do... =)

+rep coming towards you later just for wishing the changes!


J.

 

[Svarog]

What you want to do is simply to introduce an entry threshold of 10$. While it possibly could be a good solution against various beggars, it will also upset or even hurt a lot of good people.

I know one person who could deposit right away more than I've had in 6 years, but instead she likes to challenge herself to make her way on Calypso without external (i.e. realworld) help. She has a choice, you want to strip her of it (ok, not her personally, since she would count as 12+ months old, but others like her). Not good. You can say that they can follow their goal after the initial 10$, but no, it doesn't work, - you grab your Visa once and your non-depo motivation is ruined forever . My Gold Card and my Visa are like peas and carrots.

Then there are people who would like to depo but have no technical means to do it. I know a guy from Serbia - no paypal or other common payment systems work there, bank cards are rare, etc. But he's a kind guy and our society really need those like him, no matter do they depo or not.

And if you think that those 10$ will do any good for the lootpool, I wouldn't hold breath for that . Anyway, MA would never do it, since it would deprecate their beloved "free to start, free to play" cadence and hurt the feel of the free economy.

 

[M Rufen Power]

you grab your Visa once and your non-depo motivation is ruined forever . My Gold Card and my Visa are like peas and carrots.

This I will agree with as it's so true . Once you start getting a feel for depo gaming style, you don't want to go back. But there are times downgrading is most beneficial and welcome.

 

[Magyar_Republic]

Regarding Entropia being free to play, I though about another suggestion. How about this;

You can dl for free and create an account. If you dont deposit after 30 days your character will be deleted. Amount to deposit is 100 ped. This will continue for 12 months. After that you wont have to deposit anymore and your character is what we have today. All players currently registered would count past the 12 months.

In many ways I thought this would be good. What do you think?

No. With the industry moving quickly towards a Free To Play standard essentially making this product a free to download and try, with a mandatory subscription for 1 year (staggered payments) the gaming community will find yet another reason to loudly reject Entropia Universe.

Gama Sutra reviews the Free to Play MMORPG Trend

What needs to happen isnt MindArk forcibly sticking their hands in peoples pockets with words like you must, but instead MindArk creating a welcoming and fun free but not profitable environment that encourages social ties to develop, showcases the possibilities of the platform, and makes the player themselves want to deposit to experience more. The way I think this should be accomplished is by utilizing the towns, creating within each town a few *free* activities, tourist industries if you will.

Port Atlantis and Twin Peaks have mercantile activities and act as military hubs. Laser Tag arenas could be included as a building where players can explore pvp without gain or loss, just score points put on an internal board. Atlas Haven could have various competing radio outlets in a manner like Trafalgar Square has the soap box talkers. Nymphtown could have a thriving fishing industry, with competitions for who can catch the largest fish. Athena could have a Space Elevator.

These are just ideas off the top of my head that entire tourist industries could be built around. Adding events with cost to these tourist industries could allow MA (or enterprising players) to make some profit off of these additions, although modest would be a generous word to describe them.

Do this, and expand on the avatar capabilities as well. Add the ability to swing a sword in different directions and spin with it, do a gun spray attack, sprint short distances, duck to avoid attack, etc. Make things engaging on all levels.

Then suddenly you have a competitive product people want to spend money on again.

The problem with EU isnt that it costs money. The problem is it doesnt tantalize the new player enough, and other games offer much more initial glitz and glamor. Why build a life in EU when you're only initially arriving to enjoy a game for perhaps a couple hours a week for the next few months? Did any of us actually download the game intending on building a life here, or did it happen for all of us slowly because we liked what the product offered?

 

[Xavier Target]

I think they should just expand on the deposit bonuses. Perhaps a first time deposit bonus would go a long way to encouraging more to try more aspects of the game. Deposit over $50 in a month and get 5 free entries into space which would accomplish two things, encouraging space travel and deposits). I think they would be surprised how much simple things like that would boost deposits.

 

[Magyar_Republic]

I think they should just expand on the deposit bonuses. Perhaps a first time deposit bonus would go a long way to encouraging more to try more aspects of the game. Deposit over $50 in a month and get 5 free entries into space which would accomplish two things, encouraging space travel and deposits). I think they would be surprised how much simple things like that would boost deposits.

Thats pretty good too. Combine a few approaches and you'll have a playerbase that starts off happy and remains happier.

 

[Torschen]

I like the way it is, going through this grindfest comparable to none other I know of (possible exception EVE, which I have not played), I must have vacations now and then, 2-3 months or so is fine. The "always-free", "always available" concept, no matter if you have a year break or move to other continent for some reason and don't have "installation discs" and such, and still can continue within hours if you just have internet connection, defines the persistent universe to me. To me this is just as essential as EU being RCE, it makes it real, and this is one of the reasons I keep coming back, just because of that free persistence. (and reasons games like WoW never keep me there long enough, you have to be subscribed to even to post to the main forum!)