I have posted several times that i wish that once gold players paid for X number of months that they should automatically receive a LTS. If not that then at least a MASSIVE discount on LTS depending on how many years you have paid...
That doesn't make any sense from a business perspective. PWE benefits from getting your money up front, when spending it does more to grow their customer base, so an LTS is in their best interest at the front end.
Offering a subscription benefits PWE less, but allows a customer who can't afford an LTS to choose to play with Gold benefits and bail out later if he doesn't want to stick around. Getting an LTS will be a better deal if you intend to stay, but it's your choice.
But converting you to LTS automatically after you sub? That just cuts off a revenue stream and discourages the upfront payment that they'd prefer to receive. There's no business case for this.
Now, a discount; that makes sense. Although I'd say no more than 50% off; any more than that, and it again just cuts off a revenue stream.
Former moderator of these forums. Lifetime sub since before launch. Been here since before public betas. Foundry author of "Franklin Drake Must Die".
The new changes are nice in that I do not have to rush to make new characters to get the Vetran rewards over the time of each character. With new characters the rewards may help me level them up easier.
The new changes are nice in that I do not have to rush to make new characters to get the Vetran rewards over the time of each character. With new characters the rewards may help me level them up easier.
I am not sure how many people fall into this category, but im thinking of people that have already paid as much or more than those that bought LTS through their monthly payment. I found it so frustrating watching a couple of beta-start players in my old fleet paying their monthly fee for close to 2 years that i sent them a paypal "donation" so they would get LTS.
I would love it also if there was a way you could just send people LTS as gifts from the zen store. It is my dream that STO philanthropy will get me elected federation president someday...
I am not sure how many people fall into this category, but im thinking of people that have already paid as much or more than those that bought LTS through their monthly payment. I found it so frustrating watching a couple of beta-start players in my old fleet paying their monthly fee for close to 2 years that i sent them a paypal "donation" so they would get LTS.
I would love it also if there was a way you could just send people LTS as gifts from the zen store. It is my dream that STO philanthropy will get me elected federation president someday...
Honestly, it would be smarter on the whole if you don't have money for an LTS to put an LTS on a credit card and then pay $15 a month more than you'd normally pay on your card.
Same thing with ZEN and sales in general.
If you have a 20% APR on your card, you'd be better off to buy ZEN when it's on sale for 20% in bulk on a CC and pay it down, as long as you aren't buying more than you can pay off in a year.
I have posted several times that i wish that once gold players paid for X number of months that they should automatically receive a LTS. If not that then at least a MASSIVE discount on LTS depending on how many years you have paid...
That's kind of missing the point of annuities, or really anything involving installments. :P
Honestly, it would be smarter on the whole if you don't have money for an LTS to put an LTS on a credit card and then pay $15 a month more than you'd normally pay on your card.
Same thing with ZEN and sales in general.
If you have a 20% APR on your card, you'd be better off to buy ZEN when it's on sale for 20% in bulk on a CC and pay it down, as long as you aren't buying more than you can pay off in a year.
For heaven's sake, please don't recommend buying an LTS on credit if they can't afford one in the first place. Too many people are impulse shoppers and don't have a lot of financial savvy (like me).
If you have to use credit, use it responsibly. But with the option to use PayPal and other non-credit payment methods, I don't see why anyone should have to rack up debt on STO. It's way too easy for debt to snowball out of control for the average person.
My views may not represent those of Cryptic Studios or Perfect World Entertainment. You can file a "forums and website" support ticket here Link: How to PM - Twitter @STOMod_Bluegeek
For heaven's sake, please don't recommend buying an LTS on credit if they can't afford one in the first place. Too many people are impulse shoppers and don't have a lot of financial savvy (like me).
If you have to use credit, use it responsibly. But with the option to use PayPal and other non-credit payment methods, I don't see why anyone should have to rack up debt on STO. It's way too easy for debt to snowball out of control for the average person.
Credit is not evil but it does require budgeting.
If you can afford an extra $15 a month, it's better to buy an LTS on credit and pay $15 towards that a month. If you can't afford $15 a month, you shouldn't be subbing either.
My estimate is that someone with even a 30% APR would take 16 months to pay off the balance at $15 a and would cost $38 in interest.
Now... Would you wind up paying more than $238 otherwise? If so, use credit. If not, don't.
In general, outside of emergencies, I wouldn't advise a lot of credit usage. But I would for sales, bulk purchases, or cases where your savings exceed your interest payments.
The new changes are nice in that I do not have to rush to make new characters to get the Vetran rewards over the time of each character. With new characters the rewards may help me level them up easier.
As an aside to the overall topic here, I do find the account reward system to be very useful in that you get items that are useful in playing the game compared to other online games.
In WoW, there are no rewards over time
For Guild Wars all I get is a new mini pet each year
Hellgate:London - no rewards over time, but it was fun
I do hope the new rewards do attract more players to join and keep the community engaged.
And in STO, you get rewards for logging in during the anniversaries, at Christmas, etc.
but most of the stuff in sto is cool for that day then ya [Explosive Party Popper] ..... when i get say pet in wow i will use that for a month a year not just for that day if i like it
and fyi i didnt say sto didnt give or do any thing
If you can afford an extra $15 a month, it's better to buy an LTS on credit and pay $15 towards that a month. If you can't afford $15 a month, you shouldn't be subbing either.
My estimate is that someone with even a 30% APR would take 16 months to pay off the balance at $15 a and would cost $38 in interest.
Now... Would you wind up paying more than $238 otherwise? If so, use credit. If not, don't.
In general, outside of emergencies, I wouldn't advise a lot of credit usage. But I would for sales, bulk purchases, or cases where your savings exceed your interest payments.
The problem with this plan is, if you're subscribing, and you can't afford to continue, you can walk away; if you're paying for an LTS on a credit card, you can't; you're stuck, even if you can't afford to be.
Not a good idea.
Former moderator of these forums. Lifetime sub since before launch. Been here since before public betas. Foundry author of "Franklin Drake Must Die".
but most of the stuff in sto is cool for that day then ya [Explosive Party Popper] ..... when i get say pet in wow i will use that for a month a year not just for that day if i like it
and fyi i didnt say sto didnt give or do any thing
That's pretty comparable to the stuff WoW gives out like the snow machine, elf pets, Santa hats and non-combat BB gun.
The problem with this plan is, if you're subscribing, and you can't afford to continue, you can walk away; if you're paying for an LTS on a credit card, you can't; you're stuck, even if you can't afford to be.
Not a good idea.
Well, let's compare it to buying bulk game time then. It's an easy win there.
I still think it's a better deal if you aren't going anywhere.
For example, you have a steady job but a budget that allows less than $200 for entertainment.
I think that would account for a lot of people in a $20-30k income range with no kids.
Comments
That doesn't make any sense from a business perspective. PWE benefits from getting your money up front, when spending it does more to grow their customer base, so an LTS is in their best interest at the front end.
Offering a subscription benefits PWE less, but allows a customer who can't afford an LTS to choose to play with Gold benefits and bail out later if he doesn't want to stick around. Getting an LTS will be a better deal if you intend to stay, but it's your choice.
But converting you to LTS automatically after you sub? That just cuts off a revenue stream and discourages the upfront payment that they'd prefer to receive. There's no business case for this.
Now, a discount; that makes sense. Although I'd say no more than 50% off; any more than that, and it again just cuts off a revenue stream.
I am not sure how many people fall into this category, but im thinking of people that have already paid as much or more than those that bought LTS through their monthly payment. I found it so frustrating watching a couple of beta-start players in my old fleet paying their monthly fee for close to 2 years that i sent them a paypal "donation" so they would get LTS.
I would love it also if there was a way you could just send people LTS as gifts from the zen store. It is my dream that STO philanthropy will get me elected federation president someday...
Honestly, it would be smarter on the whole if you don't have money for an LTS to put an LTS on a credit card and then pay $15 a month more than you'd normally pay on your card.
Same thing with ZEN and sales in general.
If you have a 20% APR on your card, you'd be better off to buy ZEN when it's on sale for 20% in bulk on a CC and pay it down, as long as you aren't buying more than you can pay off in a year.
That's kind of missing the point of annuities, or really anything involving installments. :P
For heaven's sake, please don't recommend buying an LTS on credit if they can't afford one in the first place. Too many people are impulse shoppers and don't have a lot of financial savvy (like me).
If you have to use credit, use it responsibly. But with the option to use PayPal and other non-credit payment methods, I don't see why anyone should have to rack up debt on STO. It's way too easy for debt to snowball out of control for the average person.
Link: How to PM - Twitter @STOMod_Bluegeek
Credit is not evil but it does require budgeting.
If you can afford an extra $15 a month, it's better to buy an LTS on credit and pay $15 towards that a month. If you can't afford $15 a month, you shouldn't be subbing either.
My estimate is that someone with even a 30% APR would take 16 months to pay off the balance at $15 a and would cost $38 in interest.
Now... Would you wind up paying more than $238 otherwise? If so, use credit. If not, don't.
In general, outside of emergencies, I wouldn't advise a lot of credit usage. But I would for sales, bulk purchases, or cases where your savings exceed your interest payments.
As an aside to the overall topic here, I do find the account reward system to be very useful in that you get items that are useful in playing the game compared to other online games.
In WoW, there are no rewards over time
For Guild Wars all I get is a new mini pet each year
Hellgate:London - no rewards over time, but it was fun
I do hope the new rewards do attract more players to join and keep the community engaged.
funny i get something in wow every anniversary most of the time its a pet not to say Winter Veil
system Lord Baal is dead
And in STO, you get rewards for logging in during the anniversaries, at Christmas, etc.
but most of the stuff in sto is cool for that day then ya [Explosive Party Popper] ..... when i get say pet in wow i will use that for a month a year not just for that day if i like it
and fyi i didnt say sto didnt give or do any thing
system Lord Baal is dead
The problem with this plan is, if you're subscribing, and you can't afford to continue, you can walk away; if you're paying for an LTS on a credit card, you can't; you're stuck, even if you can't afford to be.
Not a good idea.
That's pretty comparable to the stuff WoW gives out like the snow machine, elf pets, Santa hats and non-combat BB gun.
Well, let's compare it to buying bulk game time then. It's an easy win there.
I still think it's a better deal if you aren't going anywhere.
For example, you have a steady job but a budget that allows less than $200 for entertainment.
I think that would account for a lot of people in a $20-30k income range with no kids.
alot if not all of that is from the winter veil not the anniversary not to say they not going to give you 2 pets 2 months in a row
system Lord Baal is dead