Monthy rate v. 'Freemium' <--------------

[Uctiger62]

I suppose the problem with adding new game content is funding, right? And there have got to be certain times when platinum sales 'plateau' off....that's only natural. Dead times in between content updates.

STS tries to counter these dead spells in the PL economy with things like vanity items and customization. I, for one, have no interest in these...whatever, man. It's a bird...I just wanna play the game.

Here's a thought--I wonder what the reaction would be from the PL community and from the devs at STS about charging a monthly rate for all content? Say...charge 5 bucks a month and get all released maps and maybe some vanity upgrades bundled in that 5/month subscription fee. And since it's probly not feasible to release new maps every month, toss in things like unlimited skill point respecs and maybe something like PVP rankings, etc.

That's not to say STS should FORCE everyone to pay for these subscriptions. For anyone who doesn't want to pay the monthly fee, they could still play the game and access all the content that the monthly's would have access to...but they'd have to use the current system of buying each piece seperately.

So as not to abuse this system, STS would have to come up with a way to stop people from paying five bucks for one month, then cancelling their subscription and still retaining their unlocked content. I've thought of a few ways to handle this...The best idea would be to have everything 'perma-unlocked' after X amount of months subscribed.

For example: You pay 5/month. For arguments sake, let's say that every six months is the 'anniversary' date. During the course of the upcoming 6 months they add XXX amount of in game maps, guild upgrades, pvp upgrades, sex, drugs, rock n roll. Once you reach the pre-determined 'anniversary' date (or whatever it should be called) everything that has been released in the past six months is permanently unlocked forever. Even if you cancel your subscription, it remains unlocked.

If, however, you should cancel your subscription after 3 months, your accessible content rolls back to whatever you had purchased prior to the start of your subscription. (maybe there could be a buy-out option for the remainder of the six months...that wouldn't be a bad idea?) This would mean that if you wanted to access a certain map that you had previous unlocked, you would to pay the X amount of plat to unlock it separately.


Does this make sense? I hope I've explained it clearly. I feel like this would be mutually satisfying to both developers and players. The devs get what they need (i.e.--income) and us players get a hassle free way of knowing that our game will not die for lack of plat sales, etc. And if some of the younger/not as interested players or players lacking disposable income don't like the idea of a monthly fee...then they can stick to the current system of unlocking content individually.


Feedback? Yay, nay, stfu's?





*edit* since the main point needs to be bolded out...YOU PAY FIVE DOLLARS A MONTH AND GET ALL CONTENT UNLOCKED.
IF YOU CANCEL YOUR SUBSCRIPTION BEFORE SIX MONTHS, CONTENT IS LOCKED AGAIN.
Sustainable income for the devs = more **** for us.

[Lesrider]

Eh sorry, I don't like it.

[TheLaw]

Nay, aint that interesting, would be easier if you bolded the main points.

[Varking]

I have no problems paying $5.00 a month for the game. Like you said, eventually you run out of things to use platinum on and then you pretty much never put any more money into the pockets of the developers. $5.00 a month for users who want it, on the side of freemium content would likely be a smart move, but how would they get that to work with the Android Market and the App Store?

[Arterra]

Like!

A combination of free to play and optional monthly rent for assured content sounds sane and awesome. Good work, high fives all around!

[Uctiger62]

I have no problems paying $5.00 a month for the game. Like you said, eventually you run out of things to use platinum on and then you pretty much never put any more money into the pockets of the developers. $5.00 a month for users who want it, on the side of freemium content would likely be a smart move, but how would they get that to work with the Android Market and the App Store?


Mmmm...I don't know the exact specifics of it, but i know that the itunes app store allows apps to charge a monthly service fee. I usually pay 10/month on the MobiTV app for a couple months during the heart of college football season to watch the games on my phone. Idk if Apple takes a cut or what...but I would assume it's the same basic idea? maybe.

[Arterra]

If systems like papal are introduced then they can take money out monthly, right?

[giayuan]

I like this :D
I DONT wanna pay 5 bucks per month, but i can still use the feature where i stay and buy everything piece by piece

[juhnken773]

Well it did say yu didn't have to go along with the sub fee. Or did I miss read.

[TheLaw]

I dont like this idea, many people from places in Asia will quit as they cant spend that much on games.. It will be like RuneScape! And its much cheaper to buy 30 plat than to subscribe to a monthly fee!

[jonboy]

Why not just have an option that purchases you x plat per month, and then you can spend the plat on what you want.

[Varking]

I dont like this idea, many people from places in Asia will quit as they cant spend that much on games.. It will be like RuneScape! And its much cheaper to buy 30 plat than to subscribe to a monthly fee!

The idea I thought was that you can still do it like you can now, buying things piece by piece, or you can choose to go with the monthly fee. You aren't forced to go monthly, it just now becomes an option.

[Lesrider]

If it's optional, why would anyone do the monthly version? What would they gain from it?

[ciss]

well, I don't like the idea either. If new stuff will be introduced to be bought with plat, and would make me interested enough, I would refill with 800 plat and that would be enough for 6 months or so... don't like subscription things in general.

BTW, spent already 300 + 50 plat in a month of playing pl lol. Well at first, noobish thing like buying pots with plat, etc. Its my first mmo thing, never paid for a game that much, but really feel like it was worth it, its amazing and deadly addictive.

[Errosion]

A vast majority of other games are going the free to play set up, but if you want certain content or want certain things in the game, then you have to pay real money. IMO, the best implementation would be to do a monthly recurring fee that gives some platinum compensation as well as some other perks. Not just pay to play.

[Lesrider]

How 'bout "if it ain't broken, don't fix it" ?

[EricB]

Yep, for now the Platinium system is working pretty well, i like it.
mayyyybe some super hardcore players could be interested in monthly fees, if it's an option and it can make the devs richer then why not..
Personnaly I won't go on this (sorry devs, lol) I'm fine with plats =)

[Reaper]

Nope, what if people want to subscribe, but they can't pay until shortly after the payment is expected, is it fair they should lose thier stuff?

[Uctiger62]

If it's optional, why would anyone do the monthly version? What would they gain from it?

If you read more than just the part in bold, you would have seen some ideas. Unlimited character respects was one idea. Another might be unlimited auction slots. Gold for face changes/vanity items instead of plat. In-game rankings for pvp/pve...The options are limitless.


The whole point of the monthly subscription is to create revenue for the Devs so that they can develop content faster and in return give their loyal members some perks.

You guys can be naive if you want, but MORE MONEY = FASTER UPDATED CONTENT.

I regularly see approximately 3k people logged in...if half of those bought subscriptions @5 bucks/month....7500 before taxes or whatever we have to pay.

STS? Could you use an extra seven thousand dollars a month? Would things get done faster?


And as for 'if it ain't broken don't fix it' well....you must not be interested in seeing this game progress.

I am.

[Ogediah]

I i were to suggest this, i would just make it completely simple. Two accounts, one is pay as you go for everything. one is a contract for so much a month everything unlimited. When your contract ends, you are allowed to continue on a monthly fee, or transfer to a pay as you go account with an "account transfer fee." otherwise data is deleted.
This would also help clean up inactive accounts.

[noobmigo]

I like this idea.
If you stick w/ it for 6 months, then you spend much less than you would on freemium.

Hardcore Player Graph (lvl 50) Freemium
Vanity Items (x10)= about 100 plat= $10.00 or something like that. (LOOK TWO MONTHS!!)
all the stages= about 100 plat=about $15 (LOOK THREE MONTHS)
char respecs= about 50 plat (LOOK ONE MORE MONTH!)
char invent spots= about 20 plat=about $2
plat store items= about 10 plat=$.99
more plat to make you look badass when you post pics= 100 plat= about 15$

ALL THAT ADDS UP TO...........$43!!!!!! ALMOST 9 MONTHS OF MONTHLY FEES!!!!

Hardcore players graph (lvl 50) Fees
6 months of $5 fees= $30.
Throw in some vanity items everymonth= maybe you'll get to 10 vanity items.
Maybe they might add some char respecs and invent spots!!
OH!!!! save $.99 on plat store items!!! :p

Graph for Average players
All the stages=$15
Badass plat=$10
Plat store items=$2-10
Vanity items=$2
Maybe some noobs will buy some store gold!! $10-50, or something.

THAT ADDS UP TOOO.......................$33 PLUS noobs buying store gold.

Those of you who go "but now the devs won't make money"
"you are too cheap"
"devs need to survive"
I agree with you, but here is some mind food.

If you drove by a car sale, and there was a 500k ferrari on sale, and the there was another ferrari for 250k of the exact same type by it, then you would buy the 500k ferrari right? 'cuz the car manufacturers need to survive too.

that's my super long 2 cents.

NOOBMIGO!!!

[noobmigo]

Monthly fee! Monthly fee! Monthly fee! Monthly fee!

[Uctiger62]

I like this idea.
If you stick w/ it for 6 months, then you spend much less than you would on freemium.

Hardcore Player Graph (lvl 50) Freemium
Vanity Items (x10)= about 100 plat= $10.00 or something like that. (LOOK TWO MONTHS!!)
all the stages= about 100 plat=about $15 (LOOK THREE MONTHS)
char respecs= about 50 plat (LOOK ONE MORE MONTH!)
char invent spots= about 20 plat=about $2
plat store items= about 10 plat=$.99
more plat to make you look badass when you post pics= 100 plat= about 15$

ALL THAT ADDS UP TO...........$43!!!!!! ALMOST 9 MONTHS OF MONTHLY FEES!!!!

Hardcore players graph (lvl 50) Fees
6 months of $5 fees= $30.
Throw in some vanity items everymonth= maybe you'll get to 10 vanity items.
Maybe they might add some char respecs and invent spots!!
OH!!!! save $.99 on plat store items!!! :p

Graph for Average players
All the stages=$15
Badass plat=$10
Plat store items=$2-10
Vanity items=$2
Maybe some noobs will buy some store gold!! $10-50, or something.

THAT ADDS UP TOOO.......................$33 PLUS noobs buying store gold.

Those of you who go "but now the devs won't make money"
"you are too cheap"
"devs need to survive"
I agree with you, but here is some mind food.

If you drove by a car sale, and there was a 500k ferrari on sale, and the there was another ferrari for 250k of the exact same type by it, then you would buy the 500k ferrari right? 'cuz the car manufacturers need to survive too.

that's my super long 2 cents.

NOOBMIGO!!!


See, it saves us money and it's better for the devs because they KNOW they're going to have that 5/month for at least six months(or they get to charge for content all over again).

The main flaw in the freemium, buying plat method, is that sales start strong in the beginning and then peter out the longer it takes to release new content. Those down times have got to be rough on a company like STS.

[Echelong]

Nope I don't like subscriptions to play games. I love how they priced things (except the gold exchange rate).

[Pharcyde]

You had me interested until a 5 buck monthly fee. If I wanted a monthly fee I would go to runescape....

[bladesword]

that goes to a advantage to noobs.

[missakara]

Alright idea, but many won't like it. I think they should stick to using platinum but also having a full version on the market. Some people don't feel safe buying platinum or don't like the longer process.