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Subscription done differently. (did I delete it by accident?)

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Comments

  • While I like the idea, I'm not sure from a business point of view it's viable for a couple of reasons.

    A: With a subscription they developer/publishers (yes I know they're the same in this instance) know exactly how much money they make a month, and can therefore budget accordingly.

    B: With an opt in opt out system it will be very difficult to keep track of server and game population, yes they may have 5million people subscribed but if 4.99million are opted out at the moment, the game will feel empty etc.

    WOW has 12mil subscribers, the developers know exactly how much money they have coming in at any given time, and basically know how many active players are playing at any given time. I assume it's something like 85% of subscribers actually play regularly etc
  • Well, wow has been going downhill since Lich king it seems https://qph.ec.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-6a648a3d4ccb66583b7308f738d4b0f3. Wonder if it was due to monthly subs or because they started to run out of ideas. But cant the AOC crew plan with the amount of money they recieved? For example they get together in august and say "hey guys....we have 100 000 dollars to invest from purchases from january to july, what should we do with it?"
  • I just don't see it viable, one week your server could have 5k people on and be over populated, then come Monday 4900 of those people "opt out" and the server's like a ghost town, it would cripple AOC's whole game mechanic. Yes I know even with a subscription people do take "time off" but generally if your "your paying, your playing" at least to some extent.

    I mean imagine E3 in 4 years time
    "so Intrepid, how many subscribers do you have"
    "We've got 7 million"
    "Oh that's great"
    "yeah but only 2k actively playing"
  • Same thing can happen with a sub, you don't know when people are leaving or not renewing their sub.

    This isn't going to replace the sub, it's recommended as an additional option to the sub.

    A monthly sub should still be there and be the most cost effective for those who play consistently.
  • Exactly, I remember when Tibia was good like 10 years ago, I purchased a year worth subsciption and played for two months because I got bored. Active subs do not equal active players im afraid.
  • Pre-game forums... always full of people who can't accept how a game wants to do something.
  • Also full of fools who accept what is thrown at them and bring nothing to discussion ;). Why dont you take your iPhone and play flappy bird in the corner while adults discuss matters ;)
  • Discuss ? Anyway...

    The company has infrastructure and staff and bills to pay for on a monthly expense.
    Failure to pay these is not an option.

    As the sole purpose of this gaming infrastructure is to enable me (and everyone else) to play the persistent 24/7 game world,
    I have no problems paying a part of the monthly costs to ensure that they are met.

    They cant just decide to not pay bills wages or maintenance costs this month.
  • This is brilliant, i love this idea. I sometimes have to play casually and this just makes so much sense to me.
  • So, if people do not buy monthly sub, how do they pay the bills then? Its the same thing.
  • Problem with "pay per hour" would be that there would be no people "slacking" in cities, and just chatting, socializing, screwing around. World would be an emptier place. Most people would quest while they quest or do whatever effective game play then log off because each hour costs them money. Each AFK costs them money (log off each time when you afk?)

    Game world would be more barren in off time specially but overall as well. And that's a fact.
    I personally wouldn't enjoy that. I LOVE socializing, chatting, doing nothing smart sometimes, slacking around or whatever that doesn't go under "effective game play".

    Pay per hour kills the online population and socializing time.
  • People who play casualy do not afk anyway, they are happy to get some action after a while. Besides, some of the casuals wont even consider monthly sub, but might consider the pay per hour system which could go alongside of monthly sub for others.
  • <blockquote>Also full of fools who accept what is thrown at them and bring nothing to discussion ;)</blockquote>

    Well, if you need something brought to the discussion, beyond what I've already said, it's very simple.

    The game has a sub model; the game is clearly basing its business model around it. It was likely worked out long ago and it won't be changing at this stage in their planning.

    You might be too cheap to want to pay $15/mo, or whatever it ends up being, if there are some months you'll hammer the game and some months you won't but... guess what? You aren't a special, precious and unique snowflake.

    $15/mo is absolute peanuts. Nothing. So, frankly, the game will charge the money it wants to charge -- MONTHLY -- and, surprise, life moves on.

    You can have a tantrum here on the forum; you can say stupid stuff to people like me in reply. I couldn't care less; water off a duck's back mate.

    When the dust settles... when the game launches... I'll be right and you won't be.

    Have a good day.
  • Exactly, you are a SJW snowflake irl I bet xD. Cant accept opinion of others and your truth is the only truth there is. Its called being a commie ;). However a lot of people here agree with me so, yeah, you are a lone soul trying to boost his ego on the internet xD. MUH SUUUUB.

    Also if you knew a thing or two about economy you would know how stupid you sound, the end, dont write here anymore, thanks ;)
  • As I did say in your previous post, casuals will like this, but hardcore will absolutely HATE it. they play for several hours at a stretch. and will empty their balance as fast as they can play.
  • Hm.

    I already express my enthusiasm for such idea.

    Here's the arguement. Reducing the cost floor will allow more people to purchase your product. The thing they have to figure out, whats the optimum number where they can get the most subs x $ = most profit.

    I like the idea, i would say 200 hrs/15$ is too generous. Personally i would set it at 50hrs/15$.

    Intrepid doesnt lose out on dollar figures if they can figure out the right value.
  • 50hrs? Thats a ripoff man :X. If we say that casual plays 3 hours per day tops, you are at 90 hours minimum. Having 50 hours for 15 dollars would only serve as a repelent for potential customers. But anyway, that would be for devs to decide. Perhaps they make it a free to play with pay to win aspects in the end, you never know :P. Lets not celebrate yet.
  • I thought we were talking about both options, 15$/m and a 15$ time card both being available. Sorry i didnt keep up with the thread.

    Well, i think if 50hrs is not enough, then they should opt for the 15/month.

    3 hrs a day is probably something close to the avg gametime which they based their 15/month model on.

    Anyone who cant average 3 hrs a day, can have the option of a time card. 50/30 is 1.6 hrs a day right?
  • However people feel about the payment method, I disagree that the game will become P2W.

    Steven has emphatically stated that, heavens forbid, even if the game were to become financially unviable, Intrepid would find other ways to try to revive the game. Introducing a bad element into a dying game doesn't solve the core problem.
  • <blockquote><div class="d4p-bbp-quote-title"><a href="https://www.ashesofcreation.com/forums/topic/subscription-done-differently-did-i-delete-it-by-accident/page/3/#post-29549">freespiryt wrote:</a></div>However people feel about the payment method, I disagree that the game will become P2W.

    Steven has emphatically stated that, heavens forbid, even if the game were to become financially unviable, Intrepid would find other ways to try to revive the game. Introducing a bad element into a dying game doesn’t solve the core problem.

    </blockquote>

    Its good to know they learn from other games. I also hope they are going to follow to golden rule "if it aint broken, dont fix it" ^^
  • I think <a href="https://www.ashesofcreation.com/forums/topic/subscription-done-differently-did-i-delete-it-by-accident/page/2/#post-28543">this</a> is the best compromise that can be had on this issue.
  • <blockquote>Exactly, you are a SJW snowflake irl I bet xD. Cant accept opinion of others and your truth is the only truth there is. Its called being a commie ;)</blockquote>

    LOL, wow... where did the SJW thing come from? Sounds like you have some issues there.

    But seriously, it's not about accepting (or not) the opinions of others and is, as I've said, going to be a business decision that's already made. These guys aren't sitting there, right now, figuring out how they're going to fund the game. That would have been worked out A LONG TIME AGO. Long before Kickstarter. Long before this forum went up. A LONG TIME AGO.

    I know some people can be quite basic and 'live in the moment' and think if the Kickstarter is happening now, then EVERYTHING must be happening now and EVERYTHING must be up for discussion... and you're likely one of those people... but the reality is, it won't be.

    The game will have a monthly sub. Pony up and pay it... or don't play. It's really that simple.

    (This message has been brought to you by the word REALITY. Have a nice day.)
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