Sadly I think cryptic doesn't want any changes for CO. they feel they earn a small but stable income and they prefer to not risk that to potentially getting more customers and subs but risking what they have currently.
you mean the onslaught? that's not really a lot, just another become device and that's mostly it. you really think CO is going to have now more new content (and I mean like every other MMO out there) new story arc? new enemies? new maps? new classes? If you think that's coming over more power to you, but I really doubt so. Cryptic has already said the money they earn with CO justifies keeping the servers on and make only small things like lockboxes and small events. if you think oterhwise it's finaly up to you, but I don't think so untill the devs let us know they have in fact future plans and changes for CO.
you really think CO is going to have now more new content (and I mean like every other MMO out there) new story arc? new enemies? new maps? new classes?
Yes. I've been doing the "wait and see" thing for a while now. I have now seen something that makes it look like the wait is over.
Keep in mind, I don't care about "bulk" of content. If we don't see a bunch of new zones, I couldn't care less. What I care about is that they appear to actually be trying to make the game more fun, by giving us new things to do, and by making the old content less boring. Literally the two things I've been hoping for.
This is so not happing, I whuold and almost everyone quit CO, this is like giveing out a founder package in warframe!
You can dream....but this will NEVER and I hope gladly never happen, we payed CASH, you wanna be gold or FF?, PAY, can't pay, sucks to be you
Also slivers already have a "FF" its called "FF Slot", is it too much money?, sucks to be you
You're the same type of person who, years ago, complained bitterly and predicted doom when i advocated that Cryptic should sell FF slots. Guess what, now Cryptic sells FF slots and the sky never fell. I think you're wrong here too.
FWIW, i've been a silver player, a gold player, and now own an LTS, and I wouldn't be going anywhere because of this change. And a business model which encourages Cryptic to produce content because they have monetary incentives to do so (selling powersets to silver players) would be better for everyone, gold and silver players alike.
Cry, encouraging people to learn English in order to communicate better in English on an English-language forum is not "racist". For starters, English isn't a "race", it's a language - and a language spoken by a number of ethnicities around the world. (I've encountered folks from places in Africa and Indonesia who kept apologizing for their English as it wasn't their first language - who communicated in it more clearly than quite a few Americans and Brits!)
I'm not certain of Nepht's ethnicity, for instance, but I gather that she's not a WASP (White Anglo-Saxon Protestant). She notes that English is her third language. And yet, when she's not slipping into Japanese slang, she communicates quite clearly in this forum's primary tongue.
How is it "racist" to ask that others do the same? Heck, I've asked that of white folks here in the States!
"Science teaches us to expect -- demand -- more than just eerie mysteries. What use is a puzzle that can't be solved? Patience is fine, but I'm not going to stop asking the universe to make sense!"
Cry, encouraging people to learn English in order to communicate better in English on an English-language forum is not "racist". For starters, English isn't a "race", it's a language - and a language spoken by a number of ethnicities around the world. (I've encountered folks from places in Africa and Indonesia who kept apologizing for their English as it wasn't their first language - who communicated in it more clearly than quite a few Americans and Brits!)
I'm not certain of Nepht's ethnicity, for instance, but I gather that she's not a WASP (White Anglo-Saxon Protestant). She notes that English is her third language. And yet, when she's not slipping into Japanese slang, she communicates quite clearly in this forum's primary tongue.
How is it "racist" to ask that others do the same? Heck, I've asked that of white folks here in the States!
Ima massive Alphabet racist though. I hate those letter Zs
My ethnicity and where I am from I am Japanese of Japanese/Dutch parentage . Obviously I learnt Japanese and Dutch while I was a kid and English later on.
Odd thing I was moaning about peoples bad english in another thread no idea why Cry posted his response here. He should learn how to use forums and I bet that comment makes me a fascist
*edit*
Jon...*pokes* JON! I dont think he was talking to me...you point still stands though
Nepht and Dr Deflecto on primus
They all thought I was out of the game....But I'm holding all the lockboxes now..
I'll......FOAM FINGER YOUR BACK!
Jon...*pokes* JON! I dont think he was talking to me...you point still stands though
I used you as an example because you've been involved in similar conversations in the past, and you provide the best example I know of. If you can manage to communicate in clear, grammatically-correct fashion in your third language, why should it be "racist" to ask others to do so in their second? (Or, in some cases around here, their primary?)
"Science teaches us to expect -- demand -- more than just eerie mysteries. What use is a puzzle that can't be solved? Patience is fine, but I'm not going to stop asking the universe to make sense!"
I think a better solution would be to scrap the AT system, and have new players choose 2 powersets to start with which they can use to build freeforms within those sets, with the other power sets being unlockable for silvers via Zen store.
That's definitely not a bad idea, but I also think some people may want the structure of having an archetype. Some people may feel afraid to make a wrong decision and appreciate simply having the powers basically chosen for them. Obviously many prefer to choose themselves, but I don't think archetypes should be scrapped, because some people may want that, and that's fine.
It's a fact of life for me. Without Kenpo's Freeform Directory I'd have been completely lost back when I was Gold. I love thosehereoes, but I also enjoy my Archs.
I've always thought CO should ditch the FF/archetype separation, and let us silver players build FF with the powers we have bought. I understand that some people who are subbed might disagree and they are in their own right to do so. but I think the game could potentially bring more people and paying people by doing so. I have paid for many things in CO, but I don't feel that a sub or a 50$ ff character is worth it.
Jon...*pokes* JON! I dont think he was talking to me...you point still stands though
I used you as an example because you've been involved in similar conversations in the past, and you provide the best example I know of. If you can manage to communicate in clear, grammatically-correct fashion in your third language, why should it be "racist" to ask others to do so in their second? (Or, in some cases around here, their primary?)
There's a difference between "learn english" and "please speak more clearly". It's one of those social nuance things.
Jon...*pokes* JON! I dont think he was talking to me...you point still stands though
I used you as an example because you've been involved in similar conversations in the past, and you provide the best example I know of. If you can manage to communicate in clear, grammatically-correct fashion in your third language, why should it be "racist" to ask others to do so in their second? (Or, in some cases around here, their primary?)
Jon...*pokes* JON! I dont think he was talking to me...you point still stands though
I used you as an example because you've been involved in similar conversations in the past, and you provide the best example I know of. If you can manage to communicate in clear, grammatically-correct fashion in your third language, why should it be "racist" to ask others to do so in their second? (Or, in some cases around here, their primary?)
There's a difference between "learn english" and "please speak more clearly". It's one of those social nuance things.
You talk in emotes though your opinions don't count :P
Nepht and Dr Deflecto on primus
They all thought I was out of the game....But I'm holding all the lockboxes now..
I'll......FOAM FINGER YOUR BACK!
Maybe give away a single freeform slot free as a form of customer loyalty reward for spending a certain amount of ZEN at the store, even with ZEN that was gotten via Questionite exchange.
Throwing a $50 product for free at someone who has no obligation to stay playing for a prolonged period of time to spend a single cent at the store doesn't really make sense. The game already spoils a silver player with how much free stuff is being thrown at them. Gotta draw a line somewhere.
And I agree with what bob has said; people are extremely cheap, and at the end of the day it's okay to be cheap. But if you want to be cheap then realistically expect quality limitations that come with being cheap. If you want something of better, premium quality then pay for it.
Anyone remember that Archetype rotation they did several years back? They should just bring that back and have all premium ATs rotate on a trial basis like that all the time...
And yes, 1 singular Freeform slot should be given to all silver players.
I wouldn't have stayed with this game as long as I have if I hadn't go to try out Freeform at one point. I subed for 1 month just to try it out, and was hooked... I recently upgraded to an LTS after having already spent over $500 on this game. I can guarantee you that if I was offered a Freeform slot for free from day 1 I would have subscribed sooner than I did. I didn't buy my first month subscription until I was about to hit lvl 40 for the first time.
Giving everyone a taste of freeform is a surefire way to get more people hooked.
BTW: I'm one of the people who lobbied for the freeform slot to be added to begin with, and I even voiced multiple times that they need to give silver 1 free FF slot when they add it. I will continue to support this notion even now. Silver should have 1 FF slot standard. It doesn't matter if they convert one of the 2 existing slots to FF or give them all a 3rd slot as a FF slot, as long as they have one available to try FF from the moment they create their account.
the customization in CO is it's biggest draw, so don't lock it behind a pay wall without atleast giving new members a chance to try it out.
Another option that was suggested years ago before FF slots were made a reality was to give Silver a "Trial FF slot" that let them play FF up to lv20 then prompted them to subscribe to continue to continue to play as a FF, they could retrain at lv20 into any owned ATs if they don't wish to subscribe but want to continue to play the character as an AT. This sugestion would at this point become "subscribe ($15/mo or $300LTS) or buy a FF slot ($50)" upon reaching lvl 20 in the Trial FF slot.
A few more ideas that popped up at one point: FF for the first week after account creation. 1 free FF slot upon reaching Lv40 for the first time - Gold would get a 2nd free character slot with their first lv40 and 1 would onvert to Silver FF if they ever unsubscribe FF Tester character - 1 Lv 40 FF character who cannot leave the PH & cannot trade, available to ALL players... This option would have the double benefit of offering subscribers an alternative to the PTS for testing new build ideas. Granted the PH can't provide a full analysis of a builds potential. Due to being unable to leave the PH all retcons on this character would be free.
Maybe give away a single freeform slot free as a form of customer loyalty reward for spending a certain amount of ZEN at the store, even with ZEN that was gotten via Questionite exchange.
Throwing a $50 product for free at someone who has no obligation to stay playing for a prolonged period of time to spend a single cent at the store doesn't really make sense. The game already spoils a silver player with how much free stuff is being thrown at them. Gotta draw a line somewhere.
And I agree with what bob has said; people are extremely cheap, and at the end of the day it's okay to be cheap. But if you want to be cheap then realistically expect quality limitations that come with being cheap. If you want something of better, premium quality then pay for it.
Maybe give away a single freeform slot free as a form of customer loyalty reward for spending a certain amount of ZEN at the store, even with ZEN that was gotten via Questionite exchange.
If you're going to do it that way you have to put quote marks around free. Like this: "free". Otherwise people are going to waggle their fingers at you about making people pay to get something for free
If you're going to do it that way you have to put quote marks around free. Like this: "free". Otherwise people are going to waggle their fingers at you about making people pay to get something for free
Doesn't bother me, cause the wagglers gonna wag wag wag wag wag...
If you're going to do it that way you have to put quote marks around free. Like this: "free". Otherwise people are going to waggle their fingers at you about making people pay to get something for free
Doesn't bother me, cause the wagglers gonna wag wag wag wag wag...
Yeah, ignore the "free" part in my post.
Ignoring the "free" part completely negates the entire reason I posted this thread in the first place: to attract new people to the game. Your suggestion of giving a FF slot to people who have spent X amount of money only helps people who are already here, already spending money. I am suggesting something to actually attract new people to the game. Giving away 1 single FF slot, plus some advertising to get the word out, would result in new people, many of whom would wind up spending money on various other things.
advertising is key in getting new people to play it, it doesn't cost anything and yet I haven't seen any advertising in years for CO. the fact that they don't even care to advertise their own game says a lot in their interest with it
advertising is key in getting new people to play it, it doesn't cost anything
This could not be further from the truth. Advertising certainly *does* cost money, but it is something you have to do if you want people to know about your product.
it depends on how you do it. of course a broader advertisment campaign costs money, but posting on your own facebok, twitter, and many other free platforms doesn't cost anything. and so far CO doesn't even do that. I get more news about CO when it's maintenance day than any other day. organize contests, fanart, fan stories, costume contests, advertise those in your own facebook or twitter account. it doesn't cost anything and at least helps to maintain a sense of community.
Ignoring the "free" part completely negates the entire reason I posted this thread in the first place: to attract new people to the game. Your suggestion of giving a FF slot to people who have spent X amount of money only helps people who are already here, already spending money. I am suggesting something to actually attract new people to the game. Giving away 1 single FF slot, plus some advertising to get the word out, would result in new people, many of whom would wind up spending money on various other things.
Giving away something that costs $50 bucks just to attract new players doesn't mean that those new players are going to stick around and spend any actual money into the game. Last I checked MMOs at their core are still businesses and the main point of a business is to make money. Giving it away as a loyalty reward makes more sense if the deserving player actually pledges money into it compared to someone who plays entirely for free or hasn't even started playing at all.
Want to know the most effective thing we have to draw new players at the moment? The fact that the game is entirely free to play, especially considering that there is no content or level gate. A substantial amount of gameplay time will decide whether or not they will stick around and potentially buy stuff at the store, and not by outright bribing them.
Last I checked sodas don't cost $50 per can or bottle. Last I checked you don't get to infinitely drink from that can or bottle similar to how a freeform slot can be used indefinitely.
Also the market demographic for sodas is many times much larger and much more global compared to a niche MMO. Apples. Oranges.
If you're going to do it that way you have to put quote marks around free. Like this: "free". Otherwise people are going to waggle their fingers at you about making people pay to get something for free
Making every purchase in an MMO dirt cheap has only proven to be outrageously successful. Simply because you want as many players as possible and then you want them to throw their change and at most ten dollar bills at you regularly because it adds up faster than $50 price tags for less players.
Anyway I missed it the first time but somebob and Biff have already pointed out something that should be glaringly obvious as to why the idea won't work earlier. If Cryptic starts giving out free FF slots for new silver accounts then anyone would be able to make an infinite amount of accounts to get an unlimited amount of freeform slots. Suddenly it changes from something intended to be a one-time promotion gift to outright exploiting the system to get infinite freebies.
The fact that anyone can have an unlimited amount of silver accounts means that using Z store items as promotional gifts doesn't look feasible at all, unless some monetary commitment is made with the account beforehand.
And before the same argument is copy pasted, no, making multiple silver accounts for free character slots is not the same thing if it's being done to make more silver ATs.
If that was true no one would ever buy new character slots. Since they can just make anither free acount. If ff being used forever is what worries you they can simply make a trial. Give everyone 30 days where they can turn one of their chars into a ff one. And after 30 days the character goes bacl to being an at. Now. What do you propose to better the game? I always read the same people against most changes being suggested but i done see any ideas presented by them. Unless of course they think the game is doing fine as it is. Which was already clarified that mo one thinks that.
I'm not against "most" changes being suggested. I'm just against suggestions that come off as unfeasible and unrealistic, be it practical or business-wise. I'm also not particularly supportive of suggestions that get a player easily and unjustifiably rewarded for exploitation.
When I've come up with a magical solution to prevent people from making multiple free accounts just to exploit and get multiple, premium Z store items if they were made free of charge intended for a single account, I'll let you know of my suggestions.
Don't wait up though. Oh and last I checked ideas and opinions are open to criticisms in an open forum discussion. Please spare me your personal attack.
Ideas to prevent that have already been thrown in this same topic. I guess ill have to keep waiting to see an actual suggestion from you, and just have you criticize everyone elses ideas.
I've already suggested making them loyalty rewards as an alternative suggestion. I see no reason or benefit in entertaining you with more just because you think I'm being some kind of bad person intentionally crapping on other people's ideas, which is just you projecting. Haven't you gotten a clue by now on my opinion that giving away premium Z store items is no assurance to attracting paying players?
Here's a suggestion; stop demanding for suggestions.
I always read the same people against most changes being suggested but i done see any ideas presented by them. Unless of course they think the game is doing fine as it is. Which was already clarified that mo one thinks that.
I've noticed the same trend for years now. I've even called many of the repeat offenders out on it and asked them to provide valid and productive feedback rather than just being purely destructive... it resulted in a dozen of my threads being flamed out for over a month... Took a 4 month break from the forums came back to the same overly destructive responses to suggestions, and more often than not they tear the ideas down over some of the smallest of details or something that was a non-issue to begin with for the suggestion...
Usually if I can't think of any alternative to improve the suggestion I won't post. If I do post I'll at least express that I don't believe the suggestion is a good idea as is and that I personally don't see a way to make it work. It's always better to leave the idea open for improvement and if you can provide even the smallest bit of improvement or identify an ACTUAL problem area, do so. But don't just go in to suggestions and tear them apart over the smallest thing.
I'll be completely honest, In all my years of playing MMOs and posting on their respective forums, I have never once encountered a more destructive forum community than exists here on the CO forums. And that's pretty bad considering several of the forum communities I've encountered have consisted of mostly trolls.
Now back on topic:
A singular free FF slot to all silver players will help promote the game and encourage more people to buy FF slots or subscribe. Silver's are reminded on a daily basis that they are limited in what they can do without a FF, and many of them are more prone to quit the game than to ever subscribe to try out FF.
The trial options are a great alternative to this as well. Several F2P/P2P games give new players a limited "premium" experience out of the starting gate as a way to promote their subscription service and encourage new players to spend money. Champions could adopt a similar system. For your first 30 days (& 30 days following the addition of this, for existing accounts, starting the first day they log back into the game) you are granted a few of the Gold benefits (FF character creation, Increased Resource Limit, AH Slots, Bag Slots, Power Hues, & Premium ATs). At the end of that 30 days your account is reverted to a normal silver account unless you subscribe. You will be prompted to retrain your characters when you attempt to log into them as if your subscription had just lapsed (existing accounts will get this prompt and a BOLD NOTICEABLE MESSAGE when they first log in after the update informing them about the 30-day trial period).
Didn't take long for someone to pull out the victim card.
And considering that I've been on objectively worse and poorly-moderated forums that tolerated the worst kind of behaviours that involved things like racism and the most vulgar insults ever invented by man, I find it hilarious that these forums are being called the most "destructive" in terms of community. Just wow.
Anyway a temporary FF slot sounds all well and good. A permanent one comes off as a no-no.
I do think the 30 day trial could work. It would help prevent countless new accounts to just get endless FF characters. where I work, we are required that each time we say some else's idea doesn't work, we have to give an idea ourselves. I know this isn't my job and the decision is finally only cryptic's. but still I think it works pretty good.
I do think the 30 day trial could work. It would help prevent countless new accounts to just get endless FF characters. where I work, we are required that each time we say some else's idea doesn't work, we have to give an idea ourselves. I know this isn't my job and the decision is finally only cryptic's. but still I think it works pretty good.
None of us are your colleagues in company that you work for. I'm certainly not one. Maybe consider that fact in future.
apparently you can't read very well. I just said "I know this isn't my job". So maybe try to read before, once again, criticize others' ideas.
Yeah I know it isn't your job. I don't care what is your actual job is. It's not your job to tell me not to criticize ideas in an OPEN DISCUSSION. That was all I ever cared in pointing out to you.
I never told you not to criticize ideas. I just said that at my work we use a system that I find to be a good idea. It wasn't even intended for you specifically. but you felt the need to clarify that this isn't my work (which is evident). Now, can we please let's go back on topic?
Giving away something that costs $50 bucks just to attract new players doesn't mean that those new players are going to stick around and spend any actual money into the game.
The manufacturing cost of FF slots is $0. Zero. Soda has a physical component that requires money to make. The $50 is an arbitrary value Cryptic felt like assigning. The Dev cost has been paid for long ago. Plus, Cryptic gives away free stuff from CO all the time. In fact, they give away $50 to every gold / lts that gets to 40. You can't possible expect me to believe that those players are spending so much money on the game that a $50 slot pales in comparison. Most gold / lts are not that wealthy to be spending oodles of money on the game.
Maybe you missed it, but Cryptic gave out as many FF slots as people could grind for in an even years ago. Clearly, they weren't concerned about giving them away then. The people who make 20 accounts for FF slots were never going to spend money on the game anyway. Chances are these are the same people who won't stick around. And this problem can be solved by Cryptic promoting community. Hell, it can be solved by getting people invested into their toons. Avatar customization is a very powerful motivator. You think someone who falls in love with the character they created wants 10 accounts? No. They want to pimp out their favorite toon and show it off.
The problem with the 30 day trial is the same problem that already exists with dropping gold and going silver. It's not going to encourage people to stick around or sub when they end up having the same crappy issues that already exist. One of those issues being if they decided to stay silver and want to keep their FF as a FF slot, they can't. Existing slots cannot be converted.
Sometimes it's not about getting people to spend money, it's about getting people hooked to a game. Many people that keep playing are going to spend money at some point. Giving 1 FF slot to all accounts is about getting people to stick around. Even if they only buy a few costumes or some keys, it's more than the $0 they were spending before.
Comments
My super cool CC build and how to use it.
you really think CO is going to have now more new content (and I mean like every other MMO out there) new story arc? new enemies? new maps? new classes? If you think that's coming over more power to you, but I really doubt so.
Cryptic has already said the money they earn with CO justifies keeping the servers on and make only small things like lockboxes and small events. if you think oterhwise it's finaly up to you, but I don't think so untill the devs let us know they have in fact future plans and changes for CO.
Keep in mind, I don't care about "bulk" of content. If we don't see a bunch of new zones, I couldn't care less. What I care about is that they appear to actually be trying to make the game more fun, by giving us new things to do, and by making the old content less boring. Literally the two things I've been hoping for.
My super cool CC build and how to use it.
I do hope youre right though.
Nepht and Dr Deflecto on primus
They all thought I was out of the game....But I'm holding all the lockboxes now..
I'll......FOAM FINGER YOUR BACK!
FWIW, i've been a silver player, a gold player, and now own an LTS, and I wouldn't be going anywhere because of this change. And a business model which encourages Cryptic to produce content because they have monetary incentives to do so (selling powersets to silver players) would be better for everyone, gold and silver players alike.
I'm not certain of Nepht's ethnicity, for instance, but I gather that she's not a WASP (White Anglo-Saxon Protestant). She notes that English is her third language. And yet, when she's not slipping into Japanese slang, she communicates quite clearly in this forum's primary tongue.
How is it "racist" to ask that others do the same? Heck, I've asked that of white folks here in the States!
- David Brin, "Those Eyes"
Get the Forums Enhancement Extension!
My ethnicity and where I am from I am Japanese of Japanese/Dutch parentage . Obviously I learnt Japanese and Dutch while I was a kid and English later on.
Odd thing I was moaning about peoples bad english in another thread no idea why Cry posted his response here. He should learn how to use forums and I bet that comment makes me a fascist
*edit*
Jon...*pokes* JON! I dont think he was talking to me...you point still stands though
Nepht and Dr Deflecto on primus
They all thought I was out of the game....But I'm holding all the lockboxes now..
I'll......FOAM FINGER YOUR BACK!
- David Brin, "Those Eyes"
Get the Forums Enhancement Extension!
I understand that some people who are subbed might disagree and they are in their own right to do so. but I think the game could potentially bring more people and paying people by doing so. I have paid for many things in CO, but I don't feel that a sub or a 50$ ff character is worth it.
My super cool CC build and how to use it.
My super cool CC build and how to use it.
Nepht and Dr Deflecto on primus
They all thought I was out of the game....But I'm holding all the lockboxes now..
I'll......FOAM FINGER YOUR BACK!
Nepht and Dr Deflecto on primus
They all thought I was out of the game....But I'm holding all the lockboxes now..
I'll......FOAM FINGER YOUR BACK!
:*
My super cool CC build and how to use it.
let em try it all out, they screw it up that is their fault. Better start farming globals to fix that awful build.
Throwing a $50 product for free at someone who has no obligation to stay playing for a prolonged period of time to spend a single cent at the store doesn't really make sense. The game already spoils a silver player with how much free stuff is being thrown at them. Gotta draw a line somewhere.
And I agree with what bob has said; people are extremely cheap, and at the end of the day it's okay to be cheap. But if you want to be cheap then realistically expect quality limitations that come with being cheap. If you want something of better, premium quality then pay for it.
And yes, 1 singular Freeform slot should be given to all silver players.
I wouldn't have stayed with this game as long as I have if I hadn't go to try out Freeform at one point. I subed for 1 month just to try it out, and was hooked... I recently upgraded to an LTS after having already spent over $500 on this game. I can guarantee you that if I was offered a Freeform slot for free from day 1 I would have subscribed sooner than I did. I didn't buy my first month subscription until I was about to hit lvl 40 for the first time.
Giving everyone a taste of freeform is a surefire way to get more people hooked.
BTW: I'm one of the people who lobbied for the freeform slot to be added to begin with, and I even voiced multiple times that they need to give silver 1 free FF slot when they add it. I will continue to support this notion even now. Silver should have 1 FF slot standard. It doesn't matter if they convert one of the 2 existing slots to FF or give them all a 3rd slot as a FF slot, as long as they have one available to try FF from the moment they create their account.
the customization in CO is it's biggest draw, so don't lock it behind a pay wall without atleast giving new members a chance to try it out.
Another option that was suggested years ago before FF slots were made a reality was to give Silver a "Trial FF slot" that let them play FF up to lv20 then prompted them to subscribe to continue to continue to play as a FF, they could retrain at lv20 into any owned ATs if they don't wish to subscribe but want to continue to play the character as an AT. This sugestion would at this point become "subscribe ($15/mo or $300LTS) or buy a FF slot ($50)" upon reaching lvl 20 in the Trial FF slot.
A few more ideas that popped up at one point:
FF for the first week after account creation.
1 free FF slot upon reaching Lv40 for the first time - Gold would get a 2nd free character slot with their first lv40 and 1 would onvert to Silver FF if they ever unsubscribe
FF Tester character - 1 Lv 40 FF character who cannot leave the PH & cannot trade, available to ALL players... This option would have the double benefit of offering subscribers an alternative to the PTS for testing new build ideas. Granted the PH can't provide a full analysis of a builds potential. Due to being unable to leave the PH all retcons on this character would be free.
My super cool CC build and how to use it.
Yeah, ignore the "free" part in my post.
The-Grand-Nagus
Join Date: Sep 2008
the fact that they don't even care to advertise their own game says a lot in their interest with it
The-Grand-Nagus
Join Date: Sep 2008
organize contests, fanart, fan stories, costume contests, advertise those in your own facebook or twitter account. it doesn't cost anything and at least helps to maintain a sense of community.
Want to know the most effective thing we have to draw new players at the moment? The fact that the game is entirely free to play, especially considering that there is no content or level gate. A substantial amount of gameplay time will decide whether or not they will stick around and potentially buy stuff at the store, and not by outright bribing them.
Also the market demographic for sodas is many times much larger and much more global compared to a niche MMO. Apples. Oranges.
Such shame...
The fact that anyone can have an unlimited amount of silver accounts means that using Z store items as promotional gifts doesn't look feasible at all, unless some monetary commitment is made with the account beforehand.
And before the same argument is copy pasted, no, making multiple silver accounts for free character slots is not the same thing if it's being done to make more silver ATs.
If ff being used forever is what worries you they can simply make a trial. Give everyone 30 days where they can turn one of their chars into a ff one. And after 30 days the character goes bacl to being an at.
Now. What do you propose to better the game? I always read the same people against most changes being suggested but i done see any ideas presented by them. Unless of course they think the game is doing fine as it is. Which was already clarified that mo one thinks that.
Don't wait up though. Oh and last I checked ideas and opinions are open to criticisms in an open forum discussion. Please spare me your personal attack.
I guess ill have to keep waiting to see an actual suggestion from you, and just have you criticize everyone elses ideas.
Here's a suggestion; stop demanding for suggestions.
Usually if I can't think of any alternative to improve the suggestion I won't post. If I do post I'll at least express that I don't believe the suggestion is a good idea as is and that I personally don't see a way to make it work. It's always better to leave the idea open for improvement and if you can provide even the smallest bit of improvement or identify an ACTUAL problem area, do so. But don't just go in to suggestions and tear them apart over the smallest thing.
I'll be completely honest, In all my years of playing MMOs and posting on their respective forums, I have never once encountered a more destructive forum community than exists here on the CO forums. And that's pretty bad considering several of the forum communities I've encountered have consisted of mostly trolls.
Now back on topic:
A singular free FF slot to all silver players will help promote the game and encourage more people to buy FF slots or subscribe. Silver's are reminded on a daily basis that they are limited in what they can do without a FF, and many of them are more prone to quit the game than to ever subscribe to try out FF.
The trial options are a great alternative to this as well. Several F2P/P2P games give new players a limited "premium" experience out of the starting gate as a way to promote their subscription service and encourage new players to spend money. Champions could adopt a similar system. For your first 30 days (& 30 days following the addition of this, for existing accounts, starting the first day they log back into the game) you are granted a few of the Gold benefits (FF character creation, Increased Resource Limit, AH Slots, Bag Slots, Power Hues, & Premium ATs). At the end of that 30 days your account is reverted to a normal silver account unless you subscribe. You will be prompted to retrain your characters when you attempt to log into them as if your subscription had just lapsed (existing accounts will get this prompt and a BOLD NOTICEABLE MESSAGE when they first log in after the update informing them about the 30-day trial period).
And considering that I've been on objectively worse and poorly-moderated forums that tolerated the worst kind of behaviours that involved things like racism and the most vulgar insults ever invented by man, I find it hilarious that these forums are being called the most "destructive" in terms of community. Just wow.
Anyway a temporary FF slot sounds all well and good. A permanent one comes off as a no-no.
where I work, we are required that each time we say some else's idea doesn't work, we have to give an idea ourselves. I know this isn't my job and the decision is finally only cryptic's. but still I think it works pretty good.
Now, can we please let's go back on topic?
Maybe you missed it, but Cryptic gave out as many FF slots as people could grind for in an even years ago. Clearly, they weren't concerned about giving them away then. The people who make 20 accounts for FF slots were never going to spend money on the game anyway. Chances are these are the same people who won't stick around. And this problem can be solved by Cryptic promoting community. Hell, it can be solved by getting people invested into their toons. Avatar customization is a very powerful motivator. You think someone who falls in love with the character they created wants 10 accounts? No. They want to pimp out their favorite toon and show it off.
The problem with the 30 day trial is the same problem that already exists with dropping gold and going silver. It's not going to encourage people to stick around or sub when they end up having the same crappy issues that already exist. One of those issues being if they decided to stay silver and want to keep their FF as a FF slot, they can't. Existing slots cannot be converted.
Sometimes it's not about getting people to spend money, it's about getting people hooked to a game. Many people that keep playing are going to spend money at some point. Giving 1 FF slot to all accounts is about getting people to stick around. Even if they only buy a few costumes or some keys, it's more than the $0 they were spending before.
[at]riviania Member since Aug 2009