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ReplyI have a few suggestions to help increase the appeal of upgrading a standard account to a premium one.
1) Reopen Fang Cove portals 24/7. For some reason this was viewed as "abuse" - premium folks being able to have access to Fang Cove to make trading between different provinces easier. Not sure why it's viewed as abuse instead of just having it a perk. I don't see this as something game breaking - GSIV has their premium portals all the time and they haven't had any issues.
2) Flesh out Fang Cove a little more. Someone suggested vaults, which is a good idea. It would also be nice to have a couple other perks in Fang Cove:
a) Trader shops. Assuming the portals go back to being open 24/7, having another area for trader shops would be ideal. Reduced monthly dues due to them being in a premium area as well as their sales scope being a little more limited since only other premium people could shop their.
b) Instant repair shop. Similar to the items that offer instant repair of weapons and armor, you can visit the Fang Cove repair shop and have everything on you repaired at the same time - limited to once a day, or week, and have it cost twice as much as the traditional repair shops do.
3) Increased experience in some form. Either have..
a) Increased experience drain, so you drain your skills in larger chunks than normal subscribers. 10% larger chunks would be ideal, but 5% could also work. However, for those worried that it becomes a little too "pay to play" at that point (although for those who have such stance/argument, I point you towards the current experience scale. Free to play have the base slow experience drain, and you can either purchase a pass to have it increased, or pay a subscription to increase it more.)
b) Increased field experience gain. Each action you do, you get a larger chunk of field experience gained from it. 10% would be nice. So you're more efficient at moving/locking your skills, but the drain rate itself stays the same. A lesser issue for those in the "pay to play" worry department, but a nice incentive as it could give premium people more time to roleplay or do other things with their time.
4) Reduced costs in game for microtrans events. Say something currently costs 1000 tokens/bloodscrip/kernels/etc - have that as the cost for F2P accounts, a 10% discount for those who are basic subscribers (so 900 of whatever currency instead), and a 25% discount for those who are premium subscribers (so 750 of whatever currency instead.) Have the values rounded up. This would help increase the value for premium subscribers (as well as basic ones) and make microtrans events sting a little less since they are stacked on top of our subscriptions.
I had a few other suggestions but my mind went completely blank. I'll try and add more later.
>>Uritel: 3) Increased experience in some form.
I hate to say this, because I feel like players say it far too liberally (with no real intention to follow through), but I would seriously consider canceling if Simu monetized the experience mechanics beyond what we already have (a substantial penalty for F2P).
I like your other three suggestions, however.
Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall rank!
Paladin new player guide: https://elanthipedia.play.net/mediawiki/index.php/Paladin_new_player_guide
armor and shields: https://elanthipedia.play.net/mediawiki/index.php/Armor_and_shield_player_guide
I hate to say this, because I feel like players say it far too liberally (with no real intention to follow through), but I would seriously consider canceling if Simu monetized the experience mechanics beyond what we already have (a substantial penalty for F2P).
I like your other three suggestions, however.
Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall rank!
Paladin new player guide: https://elanthipedia.play.net/mediawiki/index.php/Paladin_new_player_guide
armor and shields: https://elanthipedia.play.net/mediawiki/index.php/Armor_and_shield_player_guide
>>seriously consider canceling if Simu monetized the experience mechanics beyond what we already have
Care to share the reason why?
Personally, right now, I look at it from a few different angles. First, it's already implemented with F2P. However, that can also be made a convenient excuse. So, a few other examples. In the current state of the game there isn't much benefit (at least combat wise) to being bigger beyond pvp. Payouts from one creature to another do not grow that much - gem pouches from resuscitants to xala'shar/intercessors/cabalists aren't that much of a difference, although the experience needed to hunt there has huge differences. Paid events have flex monsters so having a lot of experience isn't necessary there, either. I suppose though when it comes to crafts that folks will have an edge because they'll be able to craft that one thing a wee bit sooner than they would have if they were a normal subscriber.
I'll concede though that some people will view the larger experience chunk as a "the sky is falling" type scenario, so could you also share your potential issue with people gaining more field experience per action, but keeping the drain/pulses the same?
An increase in LTB making the items easier to get and also better items in general. (Offer to let them submit ideas for items have a "Block Party" Where they have their own little fest like the Magma fest or something)
More customization to their houses and things of this nature.
>>Isharon
I agree with Isharon. I feel like beyond f2p if you offer this as a pay for thing on any level you are opening it up for Simutronics to money grab the holy greatness right out of it. I say a firm no no no no no and just in case NO NO.
Even though I am not premie I do feel that Premie people do not get their $ worth especially now with the huge amounts of money grabs throwing new items out all the time.. it's making the benefits to premium seem almost sad. More things would be great.
Uritel;
I am sincerely interested in your views and would like to subscribe to your newsletter. I like all of these suggestions. If there is tiered learning from f2p to basic it seems only logical that there should be a perk for premium subscribers. 24/7 portals, Fang Cove flesh out and the microtrans event price slash all solid ideas I'd toss in the idea of a free basic one character account to go with your suggestions.
I am sincerely interested in your views and would like to subscribe to your newsletter. I like all of these suggestions. If there is tiered learning from f2p to basic it seems only logical that there should be a perk for premium subscribers. 24/7 portals, Fang Cove flesh out and the microtrans event price slash all solid ideas I'd toss in the idea of a free basic one character account to go with your suggestions.
>>Isharon: I would seriously consider canceling if Simu monetized the experience mechanics beyond what we already have (a substantial penalty for F2P).
>>Uritel: Care to share the reason why?
Simply put, I don't enjoy games with excessive pay-to-win mechanics. YMMV, but I don't like when there are strong mechanical incentives to pay more money. In my ideal game, all account tiers would be operating under the same experience mechanics, 99% of content would be included in the subscription, and nothing sold at quests or festivals would confer a competitive advantage (but would instead be purely cosmetic or convenient).
I am not thrilled with the way DragonRealms is going in terms of selling mechanically superior weapons, armor, crafting materials, and crafting instructions. While this is certainly not new, it has escalated dramatically since the end of 2015 and can only result in an accelerating arms race ("mudflation") in order to get the same players to want to keep spending money at events.
I already find myself disengaging from the game due to the frequency of "revenue events" coupled with the reduction in development and RP events. With less of the content that actually engages me -- and no clear indication that the situation is going to improve in the near future -- it wouldn't take much more to make me unsubscribe. And monetizing experience might just be enough to get me to that point.
My opposition to monetizing experience mechanics is mainly a matter of principle and personal taste in game design. Selling access to enhanced experience mechanics (however implemented) disrupts game balance and undermines the competitive integrity of the game. (And just to preempt the inevitable retort of "but you can already buy characters and items on DRSales," a transfer of ownership does not change the net level of power in the game.)
Even if you do not care about the competitive aspects of the game (such as PvP and renown scrolls), increasing some players' learning rate affects everyone, because skill, stat, and experience benchmarks are not chosen in a vacuum. GMs consider factors like how many ranks characters should be expected to have in a skill and how long it should take to get there.
If enough people are playing under the enhanced mechanics, that skews the game's skill and stat averages. Because these averages are taken into consideration whenever skill benchmarks are decided or reevaluated, tiered experience mechanics effectively penalize those who aren't paying extra. It becomes more than a mere desire to "keep up with the Joneses" when skill benchmarks are set artificially high to account for the increased rank gain among those paying extra.
Lastly, once the door is opened to monetizing experience mechanics, I do not trust Simutronics not to take it way too far.
>>Uritel: I'll concede though that some people will view the larger experience chunk as a "the sky is falling" type scenario, so could you also share your potential issue with people gaining more field experience per action, but keeping the drain/pulses the same?
Increasing field experience is not as bad as increasing experience absorption, but it is still problematic in that it lets people buy access to more efficient training. The best scripters try to get as many skills draining as possible (since a pulse at 3/34 is as good as a pulse at 34/34, and there is no penalty for training multiple skills). It currently takes quite a while to warm up a good skill rotation so that you have all of these skills draining without interruption. Increasing the experience generated per action has the effect of shortening this warm-up time and decreasing the frequency with which you need to "revisit" each skill in the rotation.
As a Premium subscriber, I am 100% in favor of adding value to the Premium subscription package as well as adding value to the standard subscription package. I just think there are better ways to do this that don't disrupt game balance or amount to "pay to win."
Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall rank!
Paladin new player guide: https://elanthipedia.play.net/mediawiki/index.php/Paladin_new_player_guide
armor and shields: https://elanthipedia.play.net/mediawiki/index.php/Armor_and_shield_player_guide
>>Uritel: Care to share the reason why?
Simply put, I don't enjoy games with excessive pay-to-win mechanics. YMMV, but I don't like when there are strong mechanical incentives to pay more money. In my ideal game, all account tiers would be operating under the same experience mechanics, 99% of content would be included in the subscription, and nothing sold at quests or festivals would confer a competitive advantage (but would instead be purely cosmetic or convenient).
I am not thrilled with the way DragonRealms is going in terms of selling mechanically superior weapons, armor, crafting materials, and crafting instructions. While this is certainly not new, it has escalated dramatically since the end of 2015 and can only result in an accelerating arms race ("mudflation") in order to get the same players to want to keep spending money at events.
I already find myself disengaging from the game due to the frequency of "revenue events" coupled with the reduction in development and RP events. With less of the content that actually engages me -- and no clear indication that the situation is going to improve in the near future -- it wouldn't take much more to make me unsubscribe. And monetizing experience might just be enough to get me to that point.
My opposition to monetizing experience mechanics is mainly a matter of principle and personal taste in game design. Selling access to enhanced experience mechanics (however implemented) disrupts game balance and undermines the competitive integrity of the game. (And just to preempt the inevitable retort of "but you can already buy characters and items on DRSales," a transfer of ownership does not change the net level of power in the game.)
Even if you do not care about the competitive aspects of the game (such as PvP and renown scrolls), increasing some players' learning rate affects everyone, because skill, stat, and experience benchmarks are not chosen in a vacuum. GMs consider factors like how many ranks characters should be expected to have in a skill and how long it should take to get there.
If enough people are playing under the enhanced mechanics, that skews the game's skill and stat averages. Because these averages are taken into consideration whenever skill benchmarks are decided or reevaluated, tiered experience mechanics effectively penalize those who aren't paying extra. It becomes more than a mere desire to "keep up with the Joneses" when skill benchmarks are set artificially high to account for the increased rank gain among those paying extra.
Lastly, once the door is opened to monetizing experience mechanics, I do not trust Simutronics not to take it way too far.
>>Uritel: I'll concede though that some people will view the larger experience chunk as a "the sky is falling" type scenario, so could you also share your potential issue with people gaining more field experience per action, but keeping the drain/pulses the same?
Increasing field experience is not as bad as increasing experience absorption, but it is still problematic in that it lets people buy access to more efficient training. The best scripters try to get as many skills draining as possible (since a pulse at 3/34 is as good as a pulse at 34/34, and there is no penalty for training multiple skills). It currently takes quite a while to warm up a good skill rotation so that you have all of these skills draining without interruption. Increasing the experience generated per action has the effect of shortening this warm-up time and decreasing the frequency with which you need to "revisit" each skill in the rotation.
As a Premium subscriber, I am 100% in favor of adding value to the Premium subscription package as well as adding value to the standard subscription package. I just think there are better ways to do this that don't disrupt game balance or amount to "pay to win."
Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall rank!
Paladin new player guide: https://elanthipedia.play.net/mediawiki/index.php/Paladin_new_player_guide
armor and shields: https://elanthipedia.play.net/mediawiki/index.php/Armor_and_shield_player_guide
>Post: 1532
A.K.A. what Isharon's player wrote.
I want more for Premium, believe me I really think it is lacking. And I'd like to brain storm some concepts that are appealing to me.
One of the things that I was thinking was more nods to premium players character's stories and backgrounds, helping them establish these things.
Maybe a monthly meeting along those lines, one month just a general group meeting to discuss some suggestions on how players can springboard stuff and get people more outgoing what not, see if it can break some ice type things.
Maybe another month instead of an alteration one on one, talk with a GM face to face to see if there might be some way to help the player push his character(s) stories and concepts.
Maybe another month breaking down groups into teams, and well just spitballing, have each mentor take a team, and see if they can kinda break the ice and get a group RP event concept rolling from it. (I'm throwing out mentors because I know a LOT of us mentors are also Premium subscribers).
I'd like if one of the 'paid accounts' was a little less pay and more we appreciate you Premiums subscribers here have a faire/festival which your PCs can just attend every year, maybe change up what it is exactly every year but some in game event that is just part of being a premium, maybe allow subscribers in at some type of ticket and that character can be seen as an Estate Holder Associate's guest, and heck same for the Explorer class of adventurers (F2P characters) only make their ticket be a bit more then the basic subscriber (what is their in-game term for that type of adventuring class).
---
"I think anything that forces you to do something no sane adventurer would do just in order to train is ridiculous."
DR-SOCHARIS
---
"Phelim, what have I wrought?"
GM NaOHHI
---
Victory Over Lyras, on the 397th year and 156 S.V.o.L.t.R
A.K.A. what Isharon's player wrote.
I want more for Premium, believe me I really think it is lacking. And I'd like to brain storm some concepts that are appealing to me.
One of the things that I was thinking was more nods to premium players character's stories and backgrounds, helping them establish these things.
Maybe a monthly meeting along those lines, one month just a general group meeting to discuss some suggestions on how players can springboard stuff and get people more outgoing what not, see if it can break some ice type things.
Maybe another month instead of an alteration one on one, talk with a GM face to face to see if there might be some way to help the player push his character(s) stories and concepts.
Maybe another month breaking down groups into teams, and well just spitballing, have each mentor take a team, and see if they can kinda break the ice and get a group RP event concept rolling from it. (I'm throwing out mentors because I know a LOT of us mentors are also Premium subscribers).
I'd like if one of the 'paid accounts' was a little less pay and more we appreciate you Premiums subscribers here have a faire/festival which your PCs can just attend every year, maybe change up what it is exactly every year but some in game event that is just part of being a premium, maybe allow subscribers in at some type of ticket and that character can be seen as an Estate Holder Associate's guest, and heck same for the Explorer class of adventurers (F2P characters) only make their ticket be a bit more then the basic subscriber (what is their in-game term for that type of adventuring class).
---
"I think anything that forces you to do something no sane adventurer would do just in order to train is ridiculous."
DR-SOCHARIS
---
"Phelim, what have I wrought?"
GM NaOHHI
---
Victory Over Lyras, on the 397th year and 156 S.V.o.L.t.R
>>Isharon's response.
Fair points. I might not wholly agree with the views, but if there is a genuine concern among the community - and it would drive people away instead of it being more attractive, then I'll retract my experience suggestion.
Still definitely in support of the rest of the options though!
i'd love to see a yearly token auction that had better than HE/Yearly auction items, ie enchantments for weapons, cool vouchers, some high end items that would be equal too other auctions but only available to the higher paying folks.
And then platinum gets eben better thangs! :P
You slap Voldag hard in the face with your hand, making a nice crisp smack!! That's going to leave a mark!
And then platinum gets eben better thangs! :P
You slap Voldag hard in the face with your hand, making a nice crisp smack!! That's going to leave a mark!
I'd like to add a few suggestions in here:
1) Add a climbing area in Fang Cove similar to the area in the under gondola in Shard, where the farther you move around the location, the harder it is to get over obstacles and the better it trains.
2) Add more monsters to Fang Cove that have difficulty higher than the yellow bristled goblins. I am sure something similar to warklins would be a welcome addition, as well as some more challenging monsters above that. Warklins has been absolutely packed, I've had to share a room on more than one occasion and had difficulties hunting due to lack of warklins in the remaining free rooms when there is one available. There are only a few rooms with good elemental mana levels, as well.
3) Please make armor repair shops and bundle and gem shops 24/7. It is frustrating to know I can't get to Fang Cove, sell my things and leave via the Estate Holder ring unless it's the right time of day.
4) Allow a small gathering area for non Premium subscribers to sit that's not the mammoth area. Allow traders that are not premium access to the gem shop and furrier so they can sell bundles and gem pouches for premium patrons.
5) No timer on Estate Holder rings to return to previous location after activated.
6) More mammoths! Mammoths to M'riss, Aesry and Hara'jaal would be wonderful, or if not mammoths, some other kind of transport directly to these other islands from Fang Cove.
...
- I hate the word paywall and everything that goes with it. -
- Please keep the discussion on topic. Posts here should pertain to suggestions for Warrior Mages only please. MOD-Aneka
Xionara Swiftstrike
1) Add a climbing area in Fang Cove similar to the area in the under gondola in Shard, where the farther you move around the location, the harder it is to get over obstacles and the better it trains.
2) Add more monsters to Fang Cove that have difficulty higher than the yellow bristled goblins. I am sure something similar to warklins would be a welcome addition, as well as some more challenging monsters above that. Warklins has been absolutely packed, I've had to share a room on more than one occasion and had difficulties hunting due to lack of warklins in the remaining free rooms when there is one available. There are only a few rooms with good elemental mana levels, as well.
3) Please make armor repair shops and bundle and gem shops 24/7. It is frustrating to know I can't get to Fang Cove, sell my things and leave via the Estate Holder ring unless it's the right time of day.
4) Allow a small gathering area for non Premium subscribers to sit that's not the mammoth area. Allow traders that are not premium access to the gem shop and furrier so they can sell bundles and gem pouches for premium patrons.
5) No timer on Estate Holder rings to return to previous location after activated.
6) More mammoths! Mammoths to M'riss, Aesry and Hara'jaal would be wonderful, or if not mammoths, some other kind of transport directly to these other islands from Fang Cove.
...
- I hate the word paywall and everything that goes with it. -
- Please keep the discussion on topic. Posts here should pertain to suggestions for Warrior Mages only please. MOD-Aneka
Xionara Swiftstrike
These are all great ideas and would add a lot. Just a couple of notes:
>>2) Add more monsters to Fang Cove that have difficulty higher than the yellow bristled goblins.
This would be amazing and is my top pick.
>>5) No timer on Estate Holder rings to return to previous location after activated.
This would be great. As of now, we can head to Fang Cove every hour for 30 minutes. We can already trade with other Premium players whenever we want because of this, so I'm not sure why the restriction exists. It would be amazing to be able to go and hang out and hunt for a while before returning to another location.
>>6) More mammoths! Mammoths to M'riss, Aesry and Hara'jaal would be wonderful, or if not mammoths, some other kind of transport directly to these other islands from Fang Cove.
Mammoths are great but they are currently available to everyone, so more of then would be more of a general benefit. I would be in favor of a few premium-only mammoths to other islands.
- Navesi
>>2) Add more monsters to Fang Cove that have difficulty higher than the yellow bristled goblins.
This would be amazing and is my top pick.
>>5) No timer on Estate Holder rings to return to previous location after activated.
This would be great. As of now, we can head to Fang Cove every hour for 30 minutes. We can already trade with other Premium players whenever we want because of this, so I'm not sure why the restriction exists. It would be amazing to be able to go and hang out and hunt for a while before returning to another location.
>>6) More mammoths! Mammoths to M'riss, Aesry and Hara'jaal would be wonderful, or if not mammoths, some other kind of transport directly to these other islands from Fang Cove.
Mammoths are great but they are currently available to everyone, so more of then would be more of a general benefit. I would be in favor of a few premium-only mammoths to other islands.
- Navesi
