Why we didn't make a new expansion for Pocket Legends in 2013

[Kiwihawk]

What about BSM II? Part two, like teo said, just add 5 more reusable levels with new drops. That can give us 81 level cap. These drops don't have to be different, they can have better stats from previous cap, and the designs doesn't has to be different. You can also add more and longer quests with maybe new ctf maps 10 vs 10? With this new cap, maybe pvp balance could also be fixed.

I have to refer you back to the "why don't you hire more people" portion of my original post. We already have the team (again, we're a small shop with only so many people to do stuff) tied up working on stuff that will get us the biggest bang for our buck. Recycling an existing set of zones and content is a good idea, but it won't just happen. I'm not saying it won't ever happen, but that's why we haven't done it up to this point.

Maybe spend time to balance pvp/ctf by fixing the sets etc.
Take a look at imxoriginal'a thread on pvp balance.
Got some great stuff there^

And then create the 10.10 map and a simple quest to get te 2 pc ten 3 pc ring

10:10 Jeez Imagne The Lag Though

[ReligionIsABarrier]

Thanks

[Extreme]

Very Appreciated, Sam.

[Suentous PO]

Ty Sam & all STG. As I said elsewhere it means a lot that you and G are engaging us even though some people are just plain being crass. I was more critical when I understood less from your perspective, and you guys seemed more distant.
You guys are part of the community we love, and it's nice to have you lurking around our side of the forums more like it was in the past. I think some are too young to appreciate that you are taking time away on a weekend with kids and taking one on the chin here and there, just to respond.

100,000 balanced against 1,000 is pretty clear.

[Jcyee]

As much as I too have wanted an expansion, I have always understood the decisions and choices that STG has made as a company. I hope everyone can now understand the situation that Spacetime is in and can understand why they do what they do.

Thank you, Sam.

[Oldcoot]

Thanks Sam for doing this on your day off its helpful insight on why things are the way they are. I'll speak my own opinion but I think a lot of the community will agree with me. I got accustomed to having a level cap raise every few months and when that stopped I felt abandoned or that the end was near. In my mind the truly elite players were the ones that ground out that extra 100k xp before the next update came. A lot of players are wanting a new cap for the ring bonus or the unfinished story line. Pvp balances should be a priority because it seams to be a large portion of the complaints I read about.
This is where I'm not sure if the community agrees with me or not but 2014 could be a time for a change in direction for pl from level caps to quest achievements. One long quest for the next ring, cool weapon or vanity. That way you don't half to make 5 maps and bosses.(ichor style) I see I have been ninjaed by a few above me so I'll stop for now. Thanks for reading my rambling thoughts.

[Hook]

Hey Sam, thank you for your insight and explanation, im sure it ought to calm some people down in here

Personally, I'd just like to ask one thing. Why wasn't Arcane Legends designed with a built-in rotation option?

Believe it or not, its amongst one of the top three reasons why some pocket legends players did not like Arcane.

I tried it upon its release, and when I found out you couldn't rotate, I instantly put it down.
I know thats probably insignificant to all the Arcane players now, hence its been a year, but im just speaking for myself and a good amount of the PL community.

I agree with you that AL is PL's reincarnation, and it is it's offspring, so my own small advice would be , when STS starts designing its next bigger and better mobile MMORPG, please include the rotation mechanism. It makes it that much better.

[LEVEL ONE]

I cant get rid of the feeling that PL is just a cash-cow now. I see a ton of people running around with 1000 plat worth of vanities and I keep hearing how some (not a few, though) drop hundreds and thousands of dollars into PL - still - even after a year of recycled events and vanities. How much man-hours did you invest in PL this year, seriously (apart from the support)... The only real new items (vanities) we got are the wreaths and the holiday helper outfit. The smart business men as you are, obviously noticed that even if all you do for PL is release the same events, you still get a nice, regular, little cash inflow without any content input. No? Well, Im asking, because I dont want to make false accusations. So, all this money goes into AL, other battle games, and also the new game(s) you are developing. There is nothing wrong with that, of course. Thats how you make the business grow. So, its obvious that AL is getting more frequent updates. But, do we really "invest" so little in PL that we dont deserve to get a new cap (or some other kind of expansion) after 2 years?

Some players feel unappreciated in this game, even after several, loyal years. There are some great MMORPGs coming in 2014 and lots of people I talked to, are considering to migrate. Thats not a threat lol, just thought Id let you know.

Anyway, if making new games and abandoning the old ones is what you do, then I hope, that people will soon realize that no STS game is there for the long run. Well, your business model seems to be good so far, so good luck in the future.

[Bilaxman]

Perhaps you could consider adding some sort of optional subscription to all of the games (not just PL) as well? If I remember correctly, there was talk about possibly adding them from a survey a while back. I'm not sure what the specifics of that would be but perhaps there could be some perks (i.e.: /guildhall command; says it requires a subscription in game).

[Cheenivie]

I have to agree with what Level One said, when you guys make a new game it might be a bigger hit then AL will you just give up on AL? Because that is what us PL players feel.
I understand that this is a buisness and that you need new "better" and "bigger" stuff to succeed and that if you didn't follow the path you have taken STG wouldn't exist and all but it seems to me that you just gave up on us and we are just a "cash-cow".
Not long ago I was talking to Parth and he was pretty much laughing at everyone who still invests money into PL because all of it goes to AL. Personally I don't mind that some of it goes into AL but it seems like all of it is which is what bothers me.

I don't mind if we don't get a new cap but PvP needs a lot of work IMO and if I were investing money into this game, that is where I would like to see my money go. But I know not everyone PvP's so I thought that maybe you could make a new map similar to when shadow caves was released because now PL is kinda getting boring for me who is a PvPer, so I can't imagine how PvEer's feel.

But I'd like to thank you for taking your time to make this thread to inform us and to give us a few answers.

[VVake]

I cant get rid of the feeling that PL is just a cash-cow now. I see a ton of people running around with 1000 plat worth of vanities and I keep hearing how some (not a few, though) drop hundreds and thousands of dollars into PL - still - even after a year of recycled events and vanities. How much man-hours did you invest in PL this year, seriously (apart from the support)... The only real new items (vanities) we got are the wreaths and the holiday helper outfit. The smart business men as you are, obviously noticed that even if all you do for PL is release the same events, you still get a nice, regular, little cash inflow without any content input. No? Well, Im asking, because I dont want to make false accusations. So, all this money goes into AL, other battle games, and also the new game(s) you are developing. There is nothing wrong with that, of course. Thats how you make the business grow. So, its obvious that AL is getting more frequent updates. But, do we really "invest" so little in PL that we dont deserve to get a new cap (or some other kind of expansion) after 2 years?

Some players feel unappreciated in this game, even after several, loyal years. There are some great MMORPGs coming in 2014 and lots of people I talked to, are considering to migrate. Thats not a threat lol, just thought Id let you know.

Anyway, if making new games and abandoning the old ones is what you do, then I hope, that people will soon realize that no STS game is there for the long run. Well, your business model seems to be good so far, so good luck in the future.

Agreed

[Shonex]

Thank you Sam, I read your post. I will continue to play PL cap or no cap. I just love the game.
Say hello to the Dev team, because they did a mighty fine job with this game.

Sincerely, Shone.

[Xyzther]

Thank you Sam, I just wish I was as optimistic as everyone else...

[Suentous PO]

Why wasn't Arcane Legends designed with a built-in rotation option? .

To paraphrase him from another thread; it's faster, easier, and takes less bandwidth to have one side.
Like making one painting compared to making a animated cartoon.

I agree with you rotation makes for more engaging game play, and is one of the reasons I don't enjoy al.

[Itoopeo]

What about making 5 guys work with PL, 2 guys with SL and 2 guys with DL and rest 25 with customer service and AL? Like seperate people to do different things. Not just consentrate to AL only?

I heard SL latest cap was made by one guy. He just planted some trees to green and brown ground and added some random mobs around. Thats great! I actually liked it . He just forgot to make new kind of armors to game.

-New kind of map
-New bosses
-"fast xp map for capping"
-Droppable pinks and vanities
-New guests

Only new kind of wearable items were missing. Expansion would have been perfect with those.
I have a 3D modelling program on my pc. It really doesnt take long to create a map from roughly cutted flat pieces and stick previously made trees to it plus add some grass kind of graphic to green parts. And i think i made a pretty awesome map myself.

I made that map in like 5 or 6 hours and its about same size than Blacksmoke mountain third map. Without mobs of course.
So why dont you give a job for one guy: Make a cool expansion to PL. Make it look how you like. I bet he would try to create the coolest map ever to PL.
Most important part is the new sets and wearable items. All you need is basically a good imagination.

[angeldawn]

Thanks so much Sam for reiterating everything that has already been said. Sometimes it just needs to be known that you guys are still there or some ppl may just need to hear it a few times before it sinks in.

As someone mentioned, I would also be happy paying for a subscription. Many games implemented an optional subscription. (VIP members) This subscriptions usually reward the customer with benefits and that others don't get or have to pay with plat to get. They also give the equivalent of plat. So say $20 a month for $500 plat? (Just throwing numbers out there) Maybe cap inventory, stash and auction slots and premium toons for all toons on sub accounts. Discounted elixirs. Free faces with unlimited changes. Just random ideas ;p Having subscriptions will allow for constant and reliable income.

As for those who think PL is a 'cash cow' I hope you realize there are still expenses associated with keeping the game running. You realize there are probably server and bandwidth fees they have to pay monthly just to keep the game live? Website and forums expenses? Additionally, every time customer service, Sam or JustG replies to us it is also an expense associated with PL. Even without a big expansion PL is causing STS expenses.

When discussing how to improve PL we need to think logically and from a financial mind set. Example: what would be a new baby step towards fixing end game pvp unbalance? Nerfing damage on Savage set or reducing the Hit of all classes? The cheapest and probably most efficient would be to nerf set, because nerfing hit then means changing code for all classes and nerfing debuffs for all classes. (With lower hit then debuffs would be too high)

[Plaguemaw]

Thanks Sam, just keep trucking. We'll be here ready and waiting.

Sent from my GT-P3113

[Impact]

I fully support what you say Sam, running a mmo business isn't easy, so you can take you time and work out everything, my only suggestion is no more battle games, there are just too many of them with he majority play coc. Suggestion about new 1 legends game or any stg game every 3-5 years to make the other legends games feel cared about

[Samhayne]

Regarding Subscriptions, we don't currently have a billing system that supports them in place (so it's a pretty big tech investment to set them up) and well, the marketplace has shown that subscriptions aren't very interesting. Notice any other MMOs going free to play? ;-)

Finnman, I'll just say rock on with your 3D skills. No seriously, get some chops and land a good job Regarding your thoughts about manpower, I'll just say, "if only it was that easy" and just leave it at that. Love ya, mean it.

[Jhawkeye]

You can never make everyone happy. The fact that you guys are trying to me is a testament in itself as to how much you care about us. I have played games where I didn't know a dev/mod name, never seen them or anything. Here you guys are very active in forums and paying attention to us, answering our questions, etc. Here's my concern however, from what I'm seeing only minimal things in Pocket Legends will be done to improve gameplay, and double xp etc. There really is no incentive in this to keep old players around. What I'm seeing is that you guys are trying to make the best profit possible as you should. You are a company. Well from playing AL, to me Pocket Legends is better gameplay, but AL has a bigger emphasis on buying plat to get ahead (opening crates). My only question is have you guys tried implementing anything in PL that could draw players in and at the same time increase a desire to buy plat? Because I do buy plat in PL but not as much as I probably would in AL because I can't 1.trade any of the things I buy 2.use them for anything but elixirs 3.the gold-plat exchange is horrible imo.
I believe that maybe one more expansion to PL or at least added content would be great IF there was more incentive to buy plat placed on the expansion. I don't think that it should be completely plat based but if we're talking about money, make it so that it has a fighting chance to remain a game that old timers will enjoy playing because that's where most of the money is coming from.