51 & 54 Month Vet Rewards
By
Black_Shade_EU,
Posted on: 2008-07-09 09:32 in CoH and CoV General Discussions
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Iv got a Tesco club card, but thats not why i shop at Tesco, nor does it stop me going to M&S now and then for me shopping.
I also dont make spurious purchases on my American Express card, just because i happen to get air miles when i do.
Look at them for what they are, a free bonus, thats it.
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Heheh. Well, if that had been what they really were, companies wouldn't be giving them out. They're loyality schemes, and companies use them because they really, truly do affect the way consumers (that's "people" to us non marketoids) spend their money. It's a bit like advertisements -- everybody say they're not affected by advertisements, and yet advertisements work.
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W00t.Free Stuff!
I'm sorry, but why all the grumbling? Its Free Stuff!
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Well, it's sort of like this: not getting desert is fine; getting desert is great; getting desert, but it's just a slice of white breat with butter, is disappointing.
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Bread AND Butter! Gosh!
Will there be balsamic vinegar too?
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W00t.Free Stuff!
I'm sorry, but why all the grumbling? Its Free Stuff!
I'm sitting on 27 months now, and enjoy the fact that I have a few extra options when creating a new character.
Free stuff rocks!
Long live Free stuff!
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So, you'd be happy with a lump of coal for an xmas pressie then?
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My everyone is very grumpy today 
And besides I wouldn't get coal. I've been good..
And if I did get coal... i have a coal fire... So W00T
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W00t.Free Stuff!
I'm sorry, but why all the grumbling? Its Free Stuff!
I'm sitting on 27 months now, and enjoy the fact that I have a few extra options when creating a new character.
Free stuff rocks!
Long live Free stuff!
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So, you'd be happy with a lump of coal for an xmas pressie then?
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Given the price of coal atm I'd be delighted!
I could trade it in for a Porsche. 
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Ooh.... Coal FTW
Veteran award at 57 month...
Temporary power - "Coal"
1 use only, swap for an in game porsche...
Sweet
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Heheh. Well, if that had been what they really were, companies wouldn't be giving them out. They're loyality schemes, and companies use them because they really, truly do affect the way consumers (that's "people" to us non marketoids) spend their money. It's a bit like advertisements -- everybody say they're not affected by advertisements, and yet advertisements work.
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Maybe i worded the last one badly, Tesco Club cards are great in a small sort of way, but they are not the reason i shop at Tesco.
Nor would they be enough to keep me shopping at Tesco, if they suddenly for example "nerfed" the hygene in Tesco.
In other words when im sick of this game, im off, regardless of rewards.
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Heheh. Well, if that had been what they really were, companies wouldn't be giving them out. They're loyality schemes, and companies use them because they really, truly do affect the way consumers (that's "people" to us non marketoids) spend their money. It's a bit like advertisements -- everybody say they're not affected by advertisements, and yet advertisements work.
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Maybe i worded the last one badly, Tesco Club cards are great in a small sort of way, but they are not the reason i shop at Tesco.
Nor would they be enough to keep me shopping at Tesco, if they suddenly for example "nerfed" the hygene in Tesco.
In other words when im sick of this game, im off, regardless of rewards.
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You could say the exact same thing about any aspect of the game.
It's not like you'll be sticking around because of the costume creator updates is it? Or the storyline? Or to see what new zones they'll put it?
This is the point I have when I say that the updates aren't really free. They're an addition to the game like everything else that's been added to it since the beginning. I pay to play a game that's constantly updated. If it wasn't updated then I wouldn't subscribe to it once I got sick of doing the same thing over and over.
I played Assassin's Creed and now I've seen everything in it I wouldn't pay a fee to keep playing it over and over, but if it was constantly updated I might.
[url=http://vox-doom.deviantart.com]Take A Gander At This.[/url]
Another problem is, that if they would really give people some great vet rewards, others would be whining, that only the vets are getting the coolest items.
Honestly, I would say. Drop all the vet rewards, except the free costume changes, the free respects and the additional char slots.
And give all the bonus powers and items to everyone.
There's also the problem of making something really cool, but then telling people they must wait 4 or 5 years to get it - a vet reward has to be fun and/or useful, but not incredibly desirable, I think.
Liek the flyer models for the bases - they're cool, but not incredibly desirable - but imagine if they said that after 6 years, you could actually fly one of them as an alternative travel power - it'd make player exicted, but it'd also cause a lot of dissatisfaction, I think.
@Golden Girl
City of Heroes comics and artwork
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There's also the problem of making something really cool, but then telling people they must wait 4 or 5 years to get it - a vet reward has to be fun and/or useful, but not incredibly desirable, I think.
Liek the flyer models for the bases - they're cool, but not incredibly desirable - but imagine if they said that after 6 years, you could actually fly one of them as an alternative travel power - it'd make player exicted, but it'd also cause a lot of dissatisfaction, I think.
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72 month vet reward: Animated Hair 
Thelonious Monk
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No one strives to stay loyal for them anyway, nor would they if the 6th year reward was an "instant i win" button.
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I have to agree with Londoner in one respect - I can't believe anyone who became thoroughly dissatisfied with the game, and was going to quit for good, would be persuaded to stay on and continue their sub purely because of a few in-game bonuses.
BUT with the number of people who leave this game temporarily to try another MMO, then always come back here when they get bored of it, the Vet Reward scheme is probably a good incentive to stay subscribed to CoH/V even if you're not actually planning to play it. People who might have considered stopping their sub for the 6 or so months they were going to be away, to save some money, might be persuaded to keep it going so as not to fall behind on vet rewards.
Sometimes I regret not keeping my sub going for the year break my friend and I took away from CoH/V (to try WoW and a few beta tests) - I'm reminded of it every time he uses his Nemesis Staff or Base Teleport - but on the flipside he didn't play much during that year so I remind myself that I did save roughly a hundred quid - I'm not sure a base TP and a Nem Staff are worth that
But I can believe some people might be persuaded to keep a sub going even while they weren't playing (much), because my friend did.
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People play games until they get sick of them, then move on, thats that. Reward points/prizes dont win anyones loyalty.
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So loyalty schemes used by companies all over the planet are the marketing people being silly and frivolously giving away stuff?
That's just ridiculous, a product is successful for various reasons, never just one. The quality might be good and it might be reasonably prised, it might be marketed well and have good return customer policies (loyalty schemes). If several aspects of the product are horrible then the product is most likely to fail.
The same thing is true for our product CoH, if the gameplay becomes horrible or we get tired of it , loyalty bonuses might not save it, but they are likely to make a small difference.
As previously mentioned they are also a great scheme to keep some customers from cancelling their subs while they are on a planned break.
Shadowplay - Scrapper DM/DA SL 50
Doctor Storm- Brute SS/Elec SL 50
"speed boosts someone in the face" - Cognito
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So loyalty schemes used by companies all over the planet are the marketing people being silly and frivolously giving away stuff?
That's just ridiculous, a product is successful for various reasons, never just one. The quality might be good and it might be reasonably prised, it might be marketed well and have good return customer policies (loyalty schemes). If several aspects of the product are horrible then the product is most likely to fail.
The same thing is true for our product CoH, if the gameplay becomes horrible or we get tired of it , loyalty bonuses might not save it, but they are likely to make a small difference.
As previously mentioned they are also a great scheme to keep some customers from cancelling their subs while they are on a planned break.
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Thanks for that, and as iv been saying, loyalty schemes DONT keep people loyal when they are done with a product, ANY product.
They are a BONUS, while you are using the product/service.
People that keep subs running when not playing have either forgotten to cancel, or are intending to return.
I cant think of anyone who's finnished playing this game thats going to carry on paying just so they can see what funky vet reward he/she is gonna get in 4 years time, and pop back then to see it.
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I cant think of anyone who's finnished playing this game thats going to carry on paying so he can see what funky vet reward he/she is gonna get in 4 years time, and pop back then to see it.
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Actually... *raises hand*
I've been through several months in the last couple of years where I've not played at all; yet carry on subbing; at least in part due to wanting the vet rewards. A small part it's true, but it HAS been a consideration.
@FloatingFatMan
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
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Actually... *raises hand*
I've been through several months in the last couple of years where I've not played at all; yet carry on subbing; at least in part due to wanting the vet rewards. A small part it's true, but it HAS been a consideration.
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And at any time during your breaks did you decide you were finnished with this game full stop?
Also your love for this forum was your reason for continued subscribing, be honest.
The 51 month reward is something that some in the community have actively asked for. The 54 month gives an opportunity to choose again from some popular powers granted in earlier rewards.
Neither of them are for a particularly big milestone ... I think you'll all be quite happy when the 60 month (5 years) reward is announced .
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Neither of them are for a particularly big milestone ... I think you'll all be quite happy when the 60 month (5 years) reward is announced .
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Bet you there's someone who isn't!
(Probably along the lines of "Waaaah! I don't want to wait, I want it now and screw those people who have actually waited (and paid) 5 years to get it!")
"Idealism is such a wonderful thing. All you really need is someone rational to put it to proper use." - Kerr Avon
Myopic Aardvark on Twitter
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The 51 month reward is something that some in the community have actively asked for. The 54 month gives an opportunity to choose again from some popular powers granted in earlier rewards.
Neither of them are for a particularly big milestone ... I think you'll all be quite happy once the 60 month (5 years) reward is announced
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Im quite happy with all of them as iv been saying, i see them as something for nothing, not something to moan about.
Plenty of good things to moan about but not these.
Just my 10p worth of course
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People play games until they get sick of them, then move on, thats that. Reward points/prizes dont win anyones loyalty.
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So loyalty schemes used by companies all over the planet are the marketing people being silly and frivolously giving away stuff?
That's just ridiculous, a product is successful for various reasons, never just one. The quality might be good and it might be reasonably prised, it might be marketed well and have good return customer policies (loyalty schemes). If several aspects of the product are horrible then the product is most likely to fail.
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The loyalty rewards used by most companies all over the planet have very different purposes to the CoX ones.
There, the companies are competing with others to sell people a particular commodity - Tesco want their loyalty bonuses to make you buy groceries from them rather than Sainsburys, Shell gives you toys to encourage you to fill up there rather than the BP station down the road, BA gives you air miles so you'll fly with them rather than RyanAir.
In each case the service or item in question is available from several possible sources, and the loyalty scheme's there to try to draw you to one particular supplier - if customers are going to get that item from somewhere in any event (and in many cases it'll be an essential), there's a clear benefit to be had by winning people to you.
Loyalty rewards for an essentially unique game like CoX are different though - in that case there's no real alternative, and the core service is entirely dispensable in itself. If the customer decides they really don't like a superhero MMOG and would rather try something fantasy-based instead, being offered a new costume helmet won't persuade them to stay. So, other than the occasional "keep the subs going while on a break" win you mention, loyalty rewards aren't nearly as significant to NCSoft/CoX as they are to other companies.
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Neither of them are for a particularly big milestone ... I think you'll all be quite happy when the 60 month (5 years) reward is announced .
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They gain access to new forum software?! To the Vault maybe?
Oh.. wait a minute...
I'll be very happy (around Christmas time) to be able to pick up Sands of Mu on all my characters who took the Ghost Axe :-P
I don't know why anyone would be disappointed - Sands, Nem Staff, Blackwand and even Ghost Axe are all strong powers for just about any character. Having 3 of the 4 should make the low levels even faster - which is presumably the intent. Who wouldn't want 2 high-damage single-target ranged attacks with good secondary effects on, say, a scrapper or tanker?
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I don't know why anyone would be disappointed - Sands, Nem Staff, Blackwand and even Ghost Axe are all strong powers for just about any character.
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It's just that ... sure it's useful and practical, but it's just not much fun. It's not shiny and new. It's like getting woolen long johns for Christmas. They're useful and practical and you'll be glad you have them when it's cold but ... they're just not very exciting as presents goes. You can't help but be a little disappointed.
That sounds like past experience, I've got this horrible mental image now of cute little Norwegian children, their faces all aglow on Christmas morning rushing downstairs, ripping open presents and their faces dropping in disappointment at woolen underwear.
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I think you'll all be quite happy when the 60 month (5 years) reward is announced .
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Try us 
@Golden Girl
City of Heroes comics and artwork
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Actually... *raises hand*
I've been through several months in the last couple of years where I've not played at all; yet carry on subbing; at least in part due to wanting the vet rewards. A small part it's true, but it HAS been a consideration.
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And at any time during your breaks did you decide you were finnished with this game full stop?
Also your love for this forum was your reason for continued subscribing, be honest.
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You're missing the point a bit. Take my wife for example. (Please. )
She tells me to go shopping. She tells me to go to Tesco not Sainsburies and take the clubcard.
See, if it weren't for those loyalty bonuses I may well have gone to Sainsburys.
Now if I decide to dump Tescos entirely I may not even factor the clubcard in. But while I'm a "floater" the card swiungs me and my family there.
And I also have dropped the game for several months and kept the subscription running because of the awards.
Going deeper, its possible the awards aid retention because, If I werent still paying I'm not sure Ide have gone through the whole regimarole of re signing on. As it was I just logged in once then twice and before I knew it I was hooked again.
So there is a logic to them.
Don't get into a flap. It's only my opinion and I'm thick
Arc 56763 Lord Anarchys heaven
2 mission arc. Bring friends cause Lord Anarchy means business...
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a welcome addition, but not a proper system to strive to stay subscribed for.
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No one strives to stay loyal for them anyway, nor would they if the 6th year reward was an "instant i win" button.
People play games until they get sick of them, then move on, thats that. Reward points/prizes dont win anyones loyalty.
Iv got a Tesco club card, but thats not why i shop at Tesco, nor does it stop me going to M&S now and then for me shopping.
I also dont make spurious purchases on my American Express card, just because i happen to get air miles when i do.
Look at them for what they are, a free bonus, thats it.