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...

[Gracious]

Haha kudos for originality! Sounds interesting!

[NotYoCookiez]

probably the best idea i have ever read ever on the forums!!!

This is the best!!! Kinda gets me excited from just reading

[Roberto077]

Shadow Lairs for each of the Famous maps

The Shadowmancer (FH)
The Void (AO)
The Fever (BS)
Demons (NH)
The Dark Drake (BSM)
Unknown Passage (only granted access through the end of each shadow level) (cant be accessed through the 'Map' tab).

Solitude (town only accessible after completing the Unknown Passage) (cant be accessed from the 'Map' tab)

Completion of each the Unknown Passage will grant you a crafting component to upgrade 1 of your items and you must complete the missions in order. The cap is completing the 6 maps and getting the full endgame set (I mean literal endgame, not pvp).

[octavos]

a proper closure would do all the games justice (Pl, DL, SL)...love the Idea bud ;) even I would level and play to the end...but its not really the end, since you can replay all the levels at any time. This is why many want new things, but since there is no "Ending" per say...people just feel like the game is abandoned.

I remember when I destroyed Super Metroid...I really did feel like it was the end...but I wanted to feel like part of the series..so I kept playing Metroid Prime and other new games....Since the devs classify AL as PL 2.o an ending to reflect that would be great.

[NotYoCookiez]

a proper closure would do all the games justice (Pl, DL, SL)...love the Idea bud ;) even I would level and play to the end...but its not really the end, since you can replay all the levels at any time.

but atleast it will have a proper closure and people cant complain for a new cap afterwards because they Officially beat the game

right now we are on a huge cliff hangar... its not suppose to end like this (bad).

[octavos]

but atleast it will have a proper closure and people cant complain for a new cap afterwards because they Officially beat the game

right now we are on a huge cliff hangar... its not suppose to end like this (bad).

yes cliffhangers suck...maybe a way to incorporate an ending to AL....hummm...that would be interesting ;) then Zeus's idea (http://www.spacetimestudios.com/showthread.php?132923-A-possible-solution-to-PL-Players-(Free-Characters)) to help starting players for AL would really help new players into AL.

[Shonex]

Nice idea. I like it.

[NotYoCookiez]

yes cliffhangers suck...maybe a way to incorporate an ending to AL....hummm...that would be interesting ;) then Zeus's idea (http://www.spacetimestudios.com/showthread.php?132923-A-possible-solution-to-PL-Players-(Free-Characters)) to help starting players for AL would really help new players into AL.

yes! the ending should kinda hint at how alorck(whatever AL town is called) came to be!

the fight continues in AL :O

[xbabybugszx]

Sounds great +1

[quantionus]

i appreciate ur work and time but i didnt personally like it bcuz it basically suggests people start playing AL and for me its too boring. Also this is against the style of PL. New caps come , ppl lvl and farm when they cap then most of em start playing pvp. Giving such an idea will make the game die. STG wont spend any time after this 'end cap' releases. Its a temporary solution which will end up in a worse condition than its now. Anyways i respect ur idea but this is what i really think.

[NotYoCookiez]

i appreciate ur work and time but i didnt personally like it bcuz it basically suggests people start playing AL and for me its too boring. Also this is against the style of PL. New caps come , ppl lvl and farm when they cap then most of em start playing pvp. Giving such an idea will make the game die. STG wont spend any time after this 'end cap' releases. Its a temporary solution which will end up in a worse condition than its now. Anyways i respect ur idea but this is what i really think.

Well stg isn't exactly spending enough time on us for us to miss. We can always have the annual events but atleast this way we know that the game ended. But pvp ans pve can still continue

[Matutd]

Just posted this in another thread, but I actually hope this happens.

Just release another PL. Lvl 56 cap client. Surely that's still saved somewhere in the STS regions of texas or in the magical cloud of storages.
Advatages of 56 cap client:
Putting on a strength set doesn't make you a good pvp player
Old players will play for nostalgia
New players can experience PL in its prime
Doesn't require updates
Probably more I can't be bothered thinking.

Disadvantages:
Levelling up again
Nothing else

[quantionus]

Well stg isn't exactly spending enough time on us for us to miss. We can always have the annual events but at least this way we know that the game ended. But pvp ans pve can still continue

i agree with that but now we have (at least i) some hope that STG will release a new cap or cooler vanities. However, after this cap comes , there will be no hope for us anymore. STG wil think that they have completed their job in PL and they wont even spend time as much as they are now. If this cap comes out then there wont be any new items and so on... As i said this is may work just to save PL for a year but after a year ppl will quit more. I personally have friends who quit PL but comes to check if there are any new changes or not and even sometimes start playing again such as Bless and Pvpandctf.

[Chopper]

Yes, there is no obligation to move on to AL. It will set a definitive "new cap" finale and stop the painful limbo we are stuck in now. Both players and STG can have decent closure without leaving the hostility to grow and blow up. As it stands now, things will only get worse, players keep quitting and getting angrier, STG dragging it out, pissing off more people until the point where the server costs outweigh the money PL makes. Then the end will come in a bitter, nasty way. STG loses a ton of customers, it's reputation takes a big hit, and players only remember PL as left to die, rather than going out in a satisfactory and epic ending.

PvP will still continue and PvE will exist up until the finale, which will give a proper final challenge to all those who start from Level 1.

[dijnes]

If we do end up having 3-5 bosses in one room i hope that the increase the maz player amount like 7 people in one map. Might be fun :)

Wonderful idea btw

[Nekza]

Me likes it.

[dijnes]

Just posted this in another thread, but I actually hope this happens.

Just release another PL. Lvl 56 cap client. Surely that's still saved somewhere in the STS regions of texas or in the magical cloud of storages.
Advatages of 56 cap client:
Putting on a strength set doesn't make you a good pvp player
Old players will play for nostalgia
New players can experience PL in its prime
Doesn't require updates
Probably more I can't be bothered thinking.

Disadvantages:
Levelling up again
Nothing else

Wait a minute sts is in texas !?!? Where r they? I hope their close to dallas....

[Chopper]

If we do end up having 3-5 bosses in one room i hope that the increase the maz player amount like 7 people in one map. Might be fun :)

Wonderful idea btw

thanks. Im not sure PL is set up to handle more than 5 players on a map, but it would be awesome fun to play anyway. Imagine planing out which player is going to fight which boss. Aunt Emma would control the middle of the room, while the players try to frantically fight Vlod in one corner, while the Baron comes along and throws your strongest player across the room, into Emma's "kill-zone"! It would be chaos and a lot of fun!! :)

[quantionus]

Yes, there is no obligation to move on to AL. It will set a definitive "new cap" finale and stop the painful limbo we are stuck in now. Both players and STG can have decent closure without leaving the hostility to grow and blow up. As it stands now, things will only get worse, players keep quitting and getting angrier, STG dragging it out, pissing off more people until the point where the server costs outweigh the money PL makes. Then the end will come in a bitter, nasty way. STG loses a ton of customers, it's reputation takes a big hit, and players only remember PL as left to die, rather than going out in a satisfactory and epic ending.

PvP will still continue and PvE will exist up until the finale, which will give a proper final challenge to all those who start from Level 1.

what i am saying that they will not spend any time on this game anymore after this update. I do agree with PL's getting worse but this should be the way of saving PL. The only way is STG , if u know what i mean. Anyways again i appreciate ur job,time and explanation.

[Xyzther]

Just posted this in another thread, but I actually hope this happens.

Just release another PL. Lvl 56 cap client. Surely that's still saved somewhere in the STS regions of texas or in the magical cloud of storages.
Advatages of 56 cap client:
Putting on a strength set doesn't make you a good pvp player
Old players will play for nostalgia
New players can experience PL in its prime
Doesn't require updates
Probably more I can't be bothered thinking.

Disadvantages:
Levelling up again
Nothing else

This!

[Suentous PO]

A good I idea for some but not me.
When STG gives up on pl completely, I'm done. No other title is as appealing, AL pve and pvp aren't as good as pl ( pet spamming, boosters, class imbalance, i wont gamble, lack of pugs/bad join system, no rotating camera, it's more pay to win, ect..).

My main point is, when/if STG gives up after they said they planned lv 100, I loose all confidence as a consumer, I don't have any reason to think the same thing won't happen again with the next title I try to invest my time and money in. In fact I'm starting to see the same type of problems with al, instead of fixing things like boosters and pet spamming, they have a new expansion. Problem solving doesn't seem to be a priority above expansion.
This isn't bitter on my part, it's just that logical.

Even though my consumer confidence may be shot down I'm pretty sure I'm going to be one of the last people logged in when they shut off the server.

[Chopper]

A good I idea for some but not me.
When STG gives up on pl completely, I'm done. No other title is as appealing, AL pve and pvp aren't as good as pl ( pet spamming, boosters, class imbalance, i wont gamble, lack of pugs/bad join system, no rotating camera, it's more pay to win, ect..).

My main point is, when/if STG gives up after they said they planned lv 100, I loose all confidence as a consumer, I don't have any reason to think the same thing won't happen again with the next title I try to invest my time and money in. In fact I'm starting to see the same type of problems with al, instead of fixing things like boosters and pet spamming, they have a new expansion. Problem solving doesn't seem to be a priority above expansion.
This isn't bitter on my part, it's just that logical.

Even though my consumer confidence may be shot down I'm pretty sure I'm going to be one of the last people logged in when they shut off the server.

I'm actually in the same mind-set, Suentous. Once PL is done, I am done too. I still would like a grand finale and other players can migrate over to AL if they want. I've said it a number of times, the abandonment of PL can happen to AL, and BD, etc. just as easily, so consumer confidence is being shot by the current state of affairs. Here, STG has my opinion on how to salvage that by giving PL a proper finale, instead of trying to squeeze the last penny out of it before the last person quits out of frustration.

[Cheenivie]

A good I idea for some but not me.
When STG gives up on pl completely, I'm done. No other title is as appealing, AL pve and pvp aren't as good as pl ( pet spamming, boosters, class imbalance, i wont gamble, lack of pugs/bad join system, no rotating camera, it's more pay to win, ect..).

My main point is, when/if STG gives up after they said they planned lv 100, I loose all confidence as a consumer, I don't have any reason to think the same thing won't happen again with the next title I try to invest my time and money in. In fact I'm starting to see the same type of problems with al, instead of fixing things like boosters and pet spamming, they have a new expansion. Problem solving doesn't seem to be a priority above expansion.
This isn't bitter on my part, it's just that logical.

Even though my consumer confidence may be shot down I'm pretty sure I'm going to be one of the last people logged in when they shut off the server.

My thoughts exact..

[xcainnblecterx]

Pretty good idea especially the beating game part for al gold conversion. Dont know how much coding that would take but o can see some al players starting pl to reach cap and get the exclusive title+gold in al. Which means pl would have another opportunity to make sts some extra money from people wanting to cap fast. Really excellent idea

[Fyrce]

Wait, so there're are no new players?

[Chopper]

Wait, so there're are no new players?

there are, and they would have a complete game to play with an epic final 10 levels as a finale waiting for them. The community would be shaken out of its doldrums and old players active again too!

[PatsoeGamer]

Do it the opposite way, final expansion on AL before it closes down and send them all to PL

[lilgangster]

I love you

[XghostzX]

This is pretty sick, nice originality and stating the main points/concerns.

Let's get to it, STG ;)

Edit: I feel that this idea would be cool content-wise, but at sus thoroughly pointed out, I still would like some minor updates/attention as well. If they made a last campaign with a big bang, then what?

[SillyJuan]

Add Content

[NotYoCookiez]

This is pretty sick, nice originality and stating the main points/concerns.

Let's get to it, STG ;)

Edit: I feel that this idea would be cool content-wise, but at sus thoroughly pointed out, I still would like some minor updates/attention as well. If they made a last campaign with a big bang, then what?

Pocket Legends II

[Laar]

Pocket Legends II
Aka AL

[fourleaf]

A good I idea for some but not me.
When STG gives up on pl completely, I'm done. No other title is as appealing, AL pve and pvp aren't as good as pl ( pet spamming, boosters, class imbalance, i wont gamble, lack of pugs/bad join system, no rotating camera, it's more pay to win, ect..).

My main point is, when/if STG gives up after they said they planned lv 100, I loose all confidence as a consumer, I don't have any reason to think the same thing won't happen again with the next title I try to invest my time and money in. In fact I'm starting to see the same type of problems with al, instead of fixing things like boosters and pet spamming, they have a new expansion. Problem solving doesn't seem to be a priority above expansion.
This isn't bitter on my part, it's just that logical.

Even though my consumer confidence may be shot down I'm pretty sure I'm going to be one of the last people logged in when they shut off the server.
sue is all over this
imo pl should try to grab more customers again

just slowly work on a graphic update
start with like low level minions: zombies, skeletons and witches.
just people seeing these small improvements when they start will make them more attracted to the game, and you will have a high keep rate of first time players

[Schnitzel]

A good I idea for some but not me.
When STG gives up on pl completely, I'm done. No other title is as appealing, AL pve and pvp aren't as good as pl ( pet spamming, boosters, class imbalance, i wont gamble, lack of pugs/bad join system, no rotating camera, it's more pay to win, ect..).

My main point is, when/if STG gives up after they said they planned lv 100, I loose all confidence as a consumer, I don't have any reason to think the same thing won't happen again with the next title I try to invest my time and money in. In fact I'm starting to see the same type of problems with al, instead of fixing things like boosters and pet spamming, they have a new expansion. Problem solving doesn't seem to be a priority above expansion.
This isn't bitter on my part, it's just that logical.

Even though my consumer confidence may be shot down I'm pretty sure I'm going to be one of the last people logged in when they shut off the server.

Same.

[PL•ayer]

Too soon tho, we gotta get L100

[Argyros]

Hmm it would be nice, but I'd just be happy if sts implemented like a raid dungeon where over 6 people could play.

[Promagin]

No.

[Laar]

No.
Why not?

[Rolocolo]

No.

Dillonhayne

[Solid]

This is a great idea but most likely will not happen, sadly...

Samhayne said this I believe- if you can do something for 1000 people, would you rather do it for 100 people?

Basically, by using time on this game STS loses profit because they could have made much more using time on AL..

[Waug]

There r enormous threads on new cap but --

as pl new cap kept arrivng pvp kept getting more and more unbalaced..

imagine the next cap bears getting. dodge>100 buffed (just an example)

[Cheenivie]

This is a great idea but most likely will not happen, sadly...

Samhayne said this I believe- if you can do something for 1000 people, would you rather do it for 100 people?

Basically, by using time on this game STS loses profit because they could have made much more using time on AL..

Gtfo of pl forums pls we heard enough of all the al crap and we don't want to hear about it anymore.


Thank you,
Sincerely,
Cheen

[Chopper]

This is a great idea but most likely will not happen, sadly...

Samhayne said this I believe- if you can do something for 1000 people, would you rather do it for 100 people?

Basically, by using time on this game STS loses profit because they could have made much more using time on AL..


I addressed this point in my original post.

It will be final time and a was of 'saying goodbye' to those "100" people who made your company what it is today. AND it will bring back lost goodwill to thousands of customers and establish more trust in the 10s of thousands of future customers that might have second thoughts about buying games from a company that simply abandoned its previous customer bases. All great reasons to do something for the PL customer base.

[Hawkbby]

So many ideas being spread around wow, much fascinated on which to thanks, wow. I think, it should be the other way around eh? Like a bridge between games, but from AL to PL, they have more players, thus bringing activity to PL. After they complete what you said in the conversions it should lead to a different game yah know? I need halp if someone could make my words look gud. Thx. I lub Docdobig.

[Extreme]

Don't know if I could agree or not..

[Chopper]

Don't know if I could agree or not..

sadly, without a major change or shake up like i suggest, i think the inevitable will occur and it will be an ugly and nasty slide to the end.