A Modest Proposal - the END of PL?!

[Chopper]

Bear with me guys, as I see it there is a malaise/funk that has crept in in the community around the game and maybe there is a way to do something about it. Here are the two general premises I am basing this proposal on:

(1) The players feeling abandoned. PL has gotten stagnant, while Al gets all the attention and updates. Players are leaving, getting frustrated, the game is slowing dying;

(2) STG wants to focus on games that are making the most money, or "bang for the buck". This is understandably, a business decision. We can't expect them to devote the same amount of time into PL when Al is making them most of the money. However, from comments by Devs, it seems they are concerned about the downturn of PL and 'feel bad' or guilty about not being able to care for the game that basically, made their company what it is today.

So the game is doing a slow decay into oblivion. I think we can all see it. Even if a new cap comes out in 8 months, it might be one of the last, and the general feeling of the players will continue to sour and turn players off STG for good.

How can both of the above premises be addressed without being completely unfair to the players OR the Devs?

My proposal - the END of PL!!

Instead of letting the game peter out the way it is now, and the community turn absolutely hostile or frustrated with what happened, let's have what old school games had back in the day...an awesome or epic ENDING!!

ONE more epic cap, where the ultimate bad guy has gathered all of the enemies of Alterra and is making one push for control of the world!!

It would be a HARD campaign to complete. it will have 5 re-used, but slightly modified, maps from different areas (pick the best ones), but it will require 10 (TEN) levels to max out, instead of 5. And really difficult quests spanning the different worlds to collect pieces of artifacts, etc.

The final quest to defeat the ultimate bad guy (a brand new BOSS) will need you to attain all 10 levels (Lvl 86) before you can take him/her/it on for the final battle of the game. XP Anywhere Elixir is turned off for these levels.

Each of the 5 level new maps will have KILLER Boss fights. STG can re-use bosses because the main villain is bringing them all together for one last battle. Imagine a level where you have to fight a stronger Count Vlod AND Aunt Emma AND the Baron in the SAME room at the SAME TIME! Epic battle! Or fight the Red Dragon AND Koal while the support mages are replaced by killer Shadow Witches!! Brutal!!

with the higher level climb (each level would take like 20k xp now to reach) and the epic boss battles, it would be a memorable campaign for all of the remaining PL heroes out there.

The final Villain can be the ONE new boss. It could be the Elf Queen gone evil or the King of Alterra coming back as a crazy bad guy or the Fallen Prince himself taking up world conquest! One ultimate bad guy to unify the entire community to defeat!

Bridging the Worlds -

Once the Ultimate villain is beaten by your group/character, you have finished the game! You are given the option of converting all of your gold to a smaller (but fair) amount of gold in AL and given an exclusive title in AL as well for being a CHAMPION of PL. This enticement will bridge the gap between the games and convert PL players into loyal STG players over at AL, where the community will be reunited and STG can focus on a larger customer base.

So, I think my proposal would help stop the "bad-will" being built up with the slow decay of PL, give all of the players a satisfying closure with an EPIC finale, and then bridge the gap between the two games. STG would know that whatever time they spend on the game will be balanced by (1) re-using maps and old bosses, (2) knowing that this will be the last time they update PL so wont feel like it is a waste, (3) save what good will they have left in the PL community by giving a final battle and an offer to join the AL community on good terms, (4) ease their feelings of guilt over abandoning PL by closing that chapter off on a high note and not losing a large loyal customer base.

PL will go out on a super high note and not be one of those games that people remember how crappy it just petered out. STG regains a lot of good will lost over the last year and a half and keeps as many players/customers as possible.

Just some of my thoughts anyway...