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the way to possibly do that is an alternative contact to Ramiel. A contact only available to Premium/Freebie players.|
Originally Posted by Pepper II
So, you want to get freebies to subscribe and premiums to resubscribe for a while? Show them what they're missing.
Step 1: Unlock Mender Ramiel. Let everyone run it. You don't really get a reward, other than a shard and the unlock. But it lets people get a toe into the incarnate system who otherwise don't have one. Step 2: Give a taste. When a character hits 50 (limit of 1 per month, or 1 every 2 weeks or whatever, if there has to be a throttle to discourage PLing) let them be "full" VIPs - no free points/tokens/etc, but let them try out the trials, the SSAs, an extra slot with locked powersets (with full warning that "This is just a test run, these will be re-locked unless you subscribe/buy them!") for, say, 72 hours realtime. Some people won't care. Others will want to get going, or re-unlock those slots or powersets, which can only bring in money. |
Could do it as an alternate opening to the alpha slot than the Oro one too for VIPs, and giving Ramiel an option for a one time 72 hour access to Incarnate abilities could be the way to go instead, I think I just prefere something a bit different
But should this be per character to maybe get them hooked on a character they may not have been hooked on before? Or per account?
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The BrandX Collection
IDK free people already get enough stuff for free. The reality some people are just not worth chasing after because they are just not going to spend money to sub.
I mean ffs you have some people here complaining about paying two dollars for an IO license.
The development team and this community deserved better than this from NC Soft. Best wishes on your search.
/unsigned
VIP content should be exculsive to erm...VIP's don't you think? Doing something like this risks annoying a long term customer base. Plus as said above too much work for potential little reward.
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And don't forget the people that are still complaining that Freems and Prems can't use anything in the Super Packs (which is untrue). If they are going to throw temper tantrums about stuff they don't have to pay for if they don't like it, giving them something they can't use as a reward for a mission is a horrible idea.|
Originally Posted by Darth_Khasei
IDK free people already get enough stuff for free. The reality some people are just not worth chasing after because they are just not going to spend money to sub.
I mean ffs you have some people here complaining about paying two dollars for an IO license. |
/unsigned
Another option would be to do something similar to what they have done in the past to lure back former players. A Post-Freedom version of the old "Reactivation" weekend. This would, of course, only be available to Premium members who had spent at least $15 in the past (the equivalent of a month subscription). Why? Because these people have already demonstrated they are not completely adverse to spending money. For the most part, those people who remain "free" players for an extended period of time (never spending any money at all) are far less likely to be tempted by a free trial period. They are much more likely to say, "More free stuff! Thank you!", and once the period is up say, "That was great! When are you gonna do another free trial period? You should do one of these every month or at least every time there is a new issue."
Think, for a moment, what the Free (as in never bought anything) players already put themselves through in order to avoid spending any money. They can't send tells, can't join Supergroups, can't start teams, have access to a limited number of archetypes, have only the most basic costume options, no access to side switching, no IOs, no market, no global email, and the list goes on. Given all of that, do you really think a free activation is going to suddenly make them say, "Wow! Maybe I should start spending money!" It's not likely.
- Garielle
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Originally Posted by Frosty_Femme
I said "ur" which is not a word. It's a sound dumb people make when you ask them to spell out "you are".
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Sounds like it might work. Get a little sample, see if they want to pay to keep it. Not a new idea - just ask the various people in the supermarket handing out the little cups o'stuff.
And lol at the "Don't they get enough stuff free!" and the "ewww, free player cooties, leave it VIP!" The OP's not asking for anyone to get it free. They're getting to see if they like it, and with some (reasonable sounding, to me) restrictions. Some people stay premium because they don't want to lose the Incarnate stuff - just like it's not a draw for some people to stay VIP. I say let 'em try it. Doesn't cost anything, and might make Paragon more money when some people decide they want to keep it.
Sort of the point of "COH Freedom" itself, isn't it?
Wanted: Origin centric story arcs.
If you've only played an AT once (one set combo) and "hate" it - don't give up. Roll a different combo. It may just be those sets not clicking for you.
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Premium accounts don't have access to Incarnate content, powers, or drops. Only VIP's get access to that stuff. |
Originally Posted by Stormbird
Some people stay premium because they don't want to lose the Incarnate stuff
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Did you perhaps mean to say that some people stay VIP for the Incarnate content?
The OP's suggestion only works if there's data to show that people abandon the game at level 50 because the non-paying player feels there's absolutely nothing to do in game upon reaching that point in their character's career.
In my experience, I've never heard any player complain about the lack of incarnate system is why they opt to leave the game. Heck, some prefer to stay away from that whole system because of the extra work it does entail.
"I saw my advantage and took it. That's what heroes do." - Homer Simpson.
The point, which I think some people missed in a rush to say no, is to give someone not paying a taste of what they're missing. If they never see it, or just equate it with "raid in some other game," so it just doesn't exist for them at all, it's not an incentive.
Let them see what it's like (just like when we had 10/14 day trials) and you may capture some people (more importantly, their money) you wouldn't have before.
More money = game sticks around longer. Not a bad thing to go after.
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Actually you completely misunderstood. He isn't talking about people leaving the game, he's talking about coaxing free players to become paying players. |
Originally Posted by terrible_deli
The OP's suggestion only works if there's data to show that people abandon the game at level 50 because the non-paying player feels there's absolutely nothing to do in game upon reaching that point in their character's career.
In my experience, I've never heard any player complain about the lack of incarnate system is why they opt to leave the game. Heck, some prefer to stay away from that whole system because of the extra work it does entail. |
Personally, the ONLY reason I'm still VIP is because of incarnate powers. I am tier 9 VIP and could quit and still use IOs, etc. and I've found the SSA disappointing, so Incarnate content is good enough to keep me paying. If that's true, its likely true it's also good enough to make OTHERS pay who wouldn't, otherwise, but they haven't been able to try it.
/signed. It wouldn't cost them a dime and could possibly bring in more revenue.
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They are giving people a taste of what they are missing.|
Originally Posted by Pepper II
The point, which I think some people missed in a rush to say no, is to give someone not paying a taste of what they're missing. If they never see it, or just equate it with "raid in some other game," so it just doesn't exist for them at all, it's not an incentive.
Let them see what it's like (just like when we had 10/14 day trials) and you may capture some people (more importantly, their money) you wouldn't have before. More money = game sticks around longer. Not a bad thing to go after. |
Used to be, if you stopped paying your subscription you stopped being able to play at all.
Used to be, if you were on a trial account you could get to level 14, now you can play all the way to 50. If that doesn't convince you that it's worth spending the money on a sub, not much will.
The problem with giving them a little taste is that people keep wanting a bigger taste.
If they keep increasing it, being VIP will mean nothing.
If the game spit out 20 dollar bills people would complain that they weren't sequentially numbered. If they were sequentially numbered people would complain that they weren't random enough.
Black Pebble is my new hero.
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I'm sorry, but that's just laughable. |
Originally Posted by Texas Justice
If they keep increasing it, being VIP will mean nothing.
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VIP will still mean:
- You keep the incarnate powers for more than 72 realtime hours of play - as in as long as you keep playing
- you get your monthly tokens
- you get your monthly points
- you get your unlocked powersets
- you get your unlocked costume sets
- you get your unlocked ATs no matter how much time you have racked up in game
- you get your SSAs
- you can keep playing trials
Really, a 72 hour "VIP trial" - *realtime* not consecutive hours, and limited (no free tokens, etc, as mentioned before) - is oh so threatening to your VIP status? Really?
I wonder how the game itself ever survived having trial accounts.
Sounds like a stretch to me. And no, they are *not* giving people "a taste of what they are missing." Free and premium players can't do jack with Incarnates, period. Which, again, is the *point* - it's another hook to get people TO pay.
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Oh really? And exactly how many non subscribers were able to play an account longer than 2 weeks and get higher than level 14 before Freedom launched?|
Originally Posted by Pepper II
And no, they are *not* giving people "a taste of what they are missing.".
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Answer: None.
You can post otherwise til your blue in the face, it won't change the fact that allowing non subscribers to play at all is providing them with a "taste of what they are missing".
The only thing laughable is the sense of entitlement some people have requesting and in some cases (seen in other threads) demanding more handouts.
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Actually, it's a very common market strategy. They're called free samples. |
Originally Posted by Forbin_Project
Oh really? And exactly how many non subscribers were able to play an account longer than 2 weeks and get higher than level 14 before Freedom launched?
Answer: None. You can post otherwise til your blue in the face, it won't change the fact that allowing non subscribers to play at all is providing them with a "taste of what they are missing". The only thing laughable is the sense of entitlement some people have requesting and in some cases (seen in other threads) demanding more handouts. |
Lets face it, a free player gets a toon to 50 and can do almost anything in the game. Wht incentive do they have at that point to decide to start paying?
Two big ones: Re-rolling alts (more than 2) and Incarnate content.
Re-rolling alts...they know how that works. Incarnate content? They don't. Give them a few days to try it out and they might be 20% more likely to buy. Maybe more, but lets be conservative with our averages.
That means some of them will start paying. And it hasn't cost NCsoft anything. It hasn't cost you anything. It hasn't cost me anything. Everyone wins.
Those who DON'T decide to pay have gotten, in the long run, nothing for free, because everything they made is gone after the trial period.
I'm telling you that, as a tier 9 vet, Incarnate content is one of the only things keeping me paying. The other is having the character slots open, but since I have a ton of unlocked slots I bought before f2p I could still satisfy my alititis by just "retiring" my unused toons to other servers if I wanted to, so Incarnate content is really 90% of what I pay for. I'm also telling you I'm not alone. That means there are probably free players who would make the same decision if they knew how much more powerful incarnate powers made their characters. It's dumb to lose out on that revenue because a few VIP will cry "but they didn't pay for that!" The hope is that they WILL.
Have you noticed that Zune marketplace and VUDU have started offering not just trailers for movies for free, but sometimes 2, and even up to -20- minute previews? It's the same idea. Get them hooked. Incarnate level game is so different from the normal game it may warrant its own mini-trial.
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LOL@"Sense of entitlement."|
Originally Posted by Forbin_Project
Oh really? And exactly how many non subscribers were able to play an account longer than 2 weeks and get higher than level 14 before Freedom launched?
Answer: None. You can post otherwise til your blue in the face, it won't change the fact that allowing non subscribers to play at all is providing them with a "taste of what they are missing". The only thing laughable is the sense of entitlement some people have requesting and in some cases (seen in other threads) demanding more handouts. |
Oh god, that's just rich. Do you even read what you write? LOL! The fact people can play for free now from 1-50 must really burn you up if you think that.
"Demanding handouts?" LOL. The OP's suggesting a TRIAL of post 50 content to get people who otherwise wouldn't see it AT ALL interested in paying to keep going. One with limits! Ones that sound reasonable, too! You make it sound like he (assuming he) wants all incarnate stuff free 100% of the time. THAT would be "demanding a handout." Not to mention the added hook of premiums hitting 50 - you know, people who HAVE paid money to the game, but may be coming back from before Incarnates - and getting a little time to play with their friends who ARE Incarnates. Another hook to get them to start paying again.
But no, "He wants a handout!"
Oh my freaking god, you're a laugh-riot at times.
Do you also go to the same dealership you got your car from and go blue in the face when people get to test drive a car for 30 minutes? Y'know, the dealership giving them a taste of what the car is like so they might buy it?
Sounds more like someone going "OMG, no, get those nasty freebie peons away, don't let them peek into my exclusive little club! I don't care if they get kicked out shortly after!" to me.
What do you have against more ways to get people to pay money and keep this game going?
Wanted: Origin centric story arcs.
If you've only played an AT once (one set combo) and "hate" it - don't give up. Roll a different combo. It may just be those sets not clicking for you.
/signed.
A free trial got me into this game, before Freedom.
A "limited free trial" of Incarnate stuff might get people interested in paying after trying it.
Seems simple enough.
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Originally Posted by opprime28
Actually, it's a very common market strategy. They're called free samples.
Lets face it, a free player gets a toon to 50 and can do almost anything in the game. Wht incentive do they have at that point to decide to start paying? Two big ones: Re-rolling alts (more than 2) and Incarnate content. Re-rolling alts...they know how that works. Incarnate content? They don't. Give them a few days to try it out and they might be 20% more likely to buy. Maybe more, but lets be conservative with our averages. That means some of them will start paying. And it hasn't cost NCsoft anything. It hasn't cost you anything. It hasn't cost me anything. Everyone wins. Those who DON'T decide to pay have gotten, in the long run, nothing for free, because everything they made is gone after the trial period. I'm telling you that, as a tier 9 vet, Incarnate content is one of the only things keeping me paying. The other is having the character slots open, but since I have a ton of unlocked slots I bought before f2p I could still satisfy my alititis by just "retiring" my unused toons to other servers if I wanted to, so Incarnate content is really 90% of what I pay for. I'm also telling you I'm not alone. That means there are probably free players who would make the same decision if they knew how much more powerful incarnate powers made their characters. It's dumb to lose out on that revenue because a few VIP will cry "but they didn't pay for that!" The hope is that they WILL. Have you noticed that Zune marketplace and VUDU have started offering not just trailers for movies for free, but sometimes 2, and even up to -20- minute previews? It's the same idea. Get them hooked. Incarnate level game is so different from the normal game it may warrant its own mini-trial. |
Exactly.
By the way, two things, Forbin.
One, while I'm not a long time poster, I have been a paid subscriber (returned for a bit.) I don't like putting out money for things I haven't tried, for the most part, and since I've got a fair number of 50s (and should note that this isn't retroactive,) yes, this is designed as a "tryout" for people like me. I stopped playing after AE, but before Incarnates came out. I prefer researching to just spending money blindly.
Two, you're famous. Or infamous, to be more precise. I mentioned in game that I'd make this suggestion and, even though it made sense to people there (who got the idea of "short trial to give you another reason to sub" pretty quickly,) was told not to bother specifically because of some long-term forumites who seem to love to do nothing but shoot things down. You were mentioned specifically. I figured it was just sour grapes over criticism (since there are some really bad ideas out there,) and I don't mind legitimate criticism - which is why I put things in like "72 hours realtime, no tokens/points" for limits.
I lurked on the forums before, and remembered them as pretty good other than the ED blowup. I'm sorry to see that I was mistaken and that you're certainly going out of your way to earn the reputation you were given. My advice to you is to not make (and then dig in and fight for) knee-jerk reactions, actually consider what's said and look for more than downsides.
Stormbird, while I appreciate the support, don't poke the bear. I'd rather not have discussion of this turn into a fight.
I'm more than willing to listen to actual problems with the idea. The fact it's a trial - that for a limited time, and with limitations as to how often this can happen, people can try something they otherwise wouldn't get to and that's not experienced elsewhere in the game - isn't a downside, it's the actual point of the suggestion. Bringing that up as a downside is like complaining that blue paint is blue. Well, "duh." That's why they call blue paint blue, and why they call a limited trial a limited trial.
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Then you knew in advance not to read my posts. You have the option of skipping over them or adding me to your ignore list. You have no one to blame but yourself if you choose to read the posts of someone you were "warned" about. |
Originally Posted by Pepper II
Two, you're famous. Or infamous, to be more precise.
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In either case my feelings won't be hurt.
I have no objection to granting F2Ps a three day VIP trial for the completion of a character specific one time trial mission arc or a one shot character locked VIP Trial for reaching level 50, in fact, it seems like a very good idea. To me it makes good common sense to use a trial VIP as a "Come on" to let folks test the VIP waters and see what they might be missing by not buying VIP. It would be a great business move in my opinion. Perhaps they should go a step further and grant a blanket game wide Three Day VIP concurrent with every 2XP event.
The only big problem I see with this idea is you know there will be people who would see the temporary VIP thing as somehow permanently granting them access to things like the VIP only powersets and Controllers/MMs. You'd think that it'd be common sense it wouldn't work that way, but near as I've ever been able to figure out common sense isn't terribly common.
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They could make 24 hour VIP tokens for 50 cents each, and sell them in bundles of 30.
@Golden Girl
City of Heroes comics and artwork
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Originally Posted by Golden Girl
They could make 24 hour VIP tokens for 50 cents each, and sell them in bundles of 30.
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Took me a minute till I did a double take on the math, you cracked me up GG!
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I second this....|
Originally Posted by Golden Girl
They could make 24 hour VIP tokens for 50 cents each, and sell them in bundles of 30.
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As to the OP's suggestion - /unsigned
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Originally Posted by Paladiamors
I love you, I Burnt the Toast!
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Not a bad idea, but I'd offer two more alternatives, a second smaller bundle of 10, or they can buy a single token for 80 points. Bundles should be a bargain for buying in bulk. |
Originally Posted by Golden Girl
They could make 24 hour VIP tokens for 50 cents each, and sell them in bundles of 30.
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So, you want to get freebies to subscribe and premiums to resubscribe for a while? Show them what they're missing.
Step 1: Unlock Mender Ramiel. Let everyone run it.
You don't really get a reward, other than a shard and the unlock. But it lets people get a toe into the incarnate system who otherwise don't have one.
Step 2: Give a taste.
When a character hits 50 (limit of 1 per month, or 1 every 2 weeks or whatever, if there has to be a throttle to discourage PLing) let them be "full" VIPs - no free points/tokens/etc, but let them try out the trials, the SSAs, an extra slot with locked powersets (with full warning that "This is just a test run, these will be re-locked unless you subscribe/buy them!") for, say, 72 hours realtime.
Some people won't care. Others will want to get going, or re-unlock those slots or powersets, which can only bring in money.