Subscription Fees Suggestion

Shortly, I've found a solution for players who have nothing else to do other than playing on EU/NA servers without having to pay the original price.

The main problem people have mentioned in the previous discussion was about how will we avoid players from pretending that they're from Egypt or any other MENA country, I've mentioned a few ways to increase the constraints for players to do so but still it will happen so you have a valid point.

What about having $30-40 cash that must be paid in order to claim the game for Egyptian players, after that they will have to pay $2.5 monthly.

By this way, people shouldn't be worried from botters/hackers/gold sellers on EU/NA servers. The Majority won't tend to trick the system because besides the constraints(Egyptian phone no., local credit card, VPN) they'll have to pay double the price (or even more) just to claim the game firstly. Who's going to risk his cash and paying more just to save few pounds on the long term? even if this happened, the consequences of getting caught tricking the system would get you banned!

Not just paying the double and have to pass these constraints every single day/month, you'll always be threatened that you may lose all your progress at anytime and starting all over again! This isn't a FPS game where starting over won't matter that much. Even for gold sellers who will try to use bot, they will have to pay more than the original price firstly and if they get caught then they will have to pay again more than the original price which would make no sense for gold sellers to do so.

Saving up for paying $30-40 one shot is the best way for us as it is impossible to pay $15/month and about the harmonized regions, MENA players are excluded we don't have our servers (like in any other popular online games it's better for them to rely on that we're near to Europe so we can play on EU servers without lagging 18-25ms).
I've covered all these points in details previously so if you haven't read the previous discussion kindly check it out.

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Comments

AutumnEmbers

I have one problem with the sub plan, which I consider to be a personal problem and thus I do not expect the sub plan to change for this reason.

Paying a monthly fee makes me feel like I have to put in a certain amount of hours every month into playing the game or else I'm wasting money. $15/month is only one or two hours a month (if relating it to hourly pay) but I personally don't want to feel pressured into playing a game. It takes the fun out of it. Also, realistically, I would want to play more than two hours a month to get more for my money.

In the event that you want to entertain this, I can think of a solution. Make the monthly fee optional. For everyone, the game can have a "free" model like Guild Wars 2's, where you pay one time for the expansions, and most of the money comes from the cosmetics cash shop. You may also want to charge once for the base game. For anyone who wants to contribute more, there can be a "subscription" where people pay monthly fees to earn exclusive monthly costumes, or even a one-use buff that lasts 10 minutes. Something small and insignificant, or a cosmetic that isn't legendary.

However, this does not address the issue of people buying accounts for bots, gold sellers, and other unwanted players, so this solution does not work for the reasons that Intrepid Studios listed for using a sub plan. Nevertheless, I'm posting this anyway.

Due to how the game will be sub, I will never be able to play. I will continue to look at YouTube videos and wish that I could, but my reality is that it's a bad idea to play any game with a sub plan, no matter how good.

Hirschegar

Noaani wrote: »

I guess some people have no shame.

Ignoring this.

AutumnEmbers wrote: »

Make the monthly fee optional. For everyone, the game can have a "free" model like Guild Wars 2's, where you pay one time for the expansions, and most of the money comes from the cosmetics cash shop.

The idea of guild wars 2 wasn't the best tho I didn't like it, when I tried to play it back then I felt it like pay 2 play and this was just a demo, we all know that mmorpg games are meant to play for 24/7 for many years.

AutumnEmbers wrote: »

Due to how the game will be sub, I will never be able to play. I will continue to look at YouTube videos and wish that I could, but my reality is that it's a bad idea to play any game with a sub plan, no matter how good.

I understand you, I really do. Also to be fair removing subscription fees isn't a solution.

And yet, I came here for a solution to the current situation. I really hope they implement the idea.

UrFavSarah

Noaani wrote: »

I guess some people have no shame.

I know that many people who aren't living in the same conditions and not facing the same obstacles wouldn't understand.
But I never expected this would be the response of one of these people.
I believe that there are disrespectful people everywhere

LieutenantToast

Hiya friends

let's please remember to be kind to each other here, understanding there are many differences around the world! Ty @Hirschegar for chatting with us a bit more on Discord about this, and I hope I and other folks here were able to explain a bit more on our current plans and how we hope to support more regions moving forward!

Noaani

UrFavSarah wrote: »

Noaani wrote: »

I guess some people have no shame.

I know that many people who aren't living in the same conditions and not facing the same obstacles wouldn't understand.

It isnt about this at all, I have had to deal with similar issues a lot in the past. I am fortunate enough that it is no longer an issue for me, but dont for a second assume i have not been in that same situation.

I started playing MMO's over 20 years ago. Back then, there wasnt even an option to pay in my local currency - I had to convert to USD. I was paying very nearly 10 times the comparative price (compared to average income) to what others were paying.

So yeah, I fully understand.

The thing is, Intrepid have given many of these regions a solution to this. It is one that will cost them money, though not an excessive amount. Rather than being happy that Intrepid are the one MMO publisher that is actually thinking of such regions, you are asking to get even more than what they are offering, while paying even less.

Aaxc

I've been playing games for like 30 years and never heard of an MMO named Silkroad before ...

Dygz

Silkroad Online is a Korean MMORPG.
Apparently, much more popular in Egypt than in the West.

akabear

I thought the inspiration for AoC`s caravan system was loosely based on Silkroad Online.

UrFavSarah

Aaxc wrote: »

I've been playing games for like 30 years and never heard of an MMO named Silkroad before ...

That's mean you've missed so much fun like the fortress war, trading system between cities of traders&thieves, unique mobs spawning, capture the flag, the PVP/PVE/Taxi system.. the whole game literally. Check out this headlines starting from fortress war of silkroad.

Dygz wrote: »

Silkroad Online is a Korean MMORPG.
Apparently, much more popular in Egypt than in the West.

I had many U.S. friends playing it but I think you are right thought.

akabear wrote: »

I thought the inspiration for AoC`s caravan system was loosely based on Silkroad Online.

Me too!

Noaani

akabear wrote: »

I thought the inspiration for AoC`s caravan system was loosely based on Silkroad Online.

Half Silkroad, half Archeage.

Hirschegar

Ty @LieutenantToast and other folks on discord for being nice and helpful!

Alright, I need to rephrase all of this and I have to mention that segregation isn't going to affect on my region by anyway so it doesn't really matter that much to me.

There are no servers for my region, all the companies of popular online games used to invest more in EU/NA servers to be able to handle both players from EU/NA and MENA regions instead of having a MENA server, personally I like the idea and I'm not against it as it is cheaper for companies to do so.

Need a solution for players who have nothing else to do rather than playing on EU/NA servers without having to pay the original price(to have a reduced fees).

I think I will have to edit the post to be more precise to lead people to concentrate on one spot which is the main problem.

Noaani

Hirschegar wrote: »

Ty LieutenantToast and other folks on discord for being nice and helpful!

Alright, I need to rephrase all of this and I have to mention that segregation isn't going to affect on my region by anyway so it doesn't really matter that much to me.

There are no servers for my region, all the companies of popular online games used to invest more in EU/NA servers to be able to handle both players from EU/NA and MENA regions instead of having a MENA server, personally I like the idea and I'm not against it as it is cheaper for companies to do so.

Need a solution for players who have nothing else to do rather than playing on EU/NA servers without having to pay the original price(to have a reduced fees).

I think I will have to edit the post to be more precise to lead people to concentrate on one spot which is the main problem.

So, to be clear, in all other games you have played, you just paid the EU/NA price and all was fine.

Yet in this game, one that is offering a solution to regions large enough to warrant it, that status quo is no longer good enough?

Is that an accurate summary?

Hirschegar

Noaani wrote: »

So, to be clear, in all other games you have played, you just paid the EU/NA price and all was fine.

Yet in this game, one that is offering a solution to regions large enough to warrant it, that status quo is no longer good enough?

Is that an accurate summary?

No, you're wrong.

In all other online games I have played, I either played it for free or had to pay for it one shot(which I've mentioned thousands time that to do so players from my region would be able to afford it but they have to start saving up to pay one shot).

But again, repeating endlessly that I'm not against the monthly subscription.

You're just proving that either you haven't read the main post or you love living in an infinite loop.

Noaani

Hirschegar wrote: »

Noaani wrote: »

So, to be clear, in all other games you have played, you just paid the EU/NA price and all was fine.

Yet in this game, one that is offering a solution to regions large enough to warrant it, that status quo is no longer good enough?

Is that an accurate summary?

No, you're wrong.

In all other online games I have played, I either played it for free or had to pay for it one shot(which I've mentioned thousands time that to do so players from my region would be able to afford it but they have to start saving up to pay one shot).

But again, repeating endlessly that I'm not against the monthly subscription.

You're just proving that either you haven't read the main post or you love living in an infinite loop.

Ok, so, games with monthly subscriptions just aren't for you then.

At the end of the day, what you are doing is asking Intrepid to basically pay to allow you to play their game. $3 a month will not cover the cost of the server that an EU/NA player uses - even *if* Intrepid were able to make a good deal with Amazon (however, Amazon dont do deals).

That is the heart of the issue. You are asking to pay less than you are going to cost.

That is why Intrepid have the plan of setting up regional server - as regional servers run on hardware in the region *should* have costs appropriate to that region and thus Intrepid can charge an amount appropriate to that region.

akabear

To the OP, one possible approach you might be able to take to alleviate some of the disparity of the cost difference might be to take advantage Ashe`s referral programme.

Just a thought.
https://ashesofcreation.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360036147094-What-is-the-referral-program-

Hirschegar

akabear wrote: »

To the OP, one possible approach you might be able to take to alleviate some of the disparity of the cost difference might be to take advantage Ashe`s referral programme.

Just a thought.
https://ashesofcreation.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360036147094-What-is-the-referral-program-

Thank you for highlighting this and being constructive, for the current time it is a good idea. How do you think it would work? Will the referral rate decrease after any purchase? If so, that wouldn't help at all.. I can barely convince few people from my region to pay the original subscription fees.
However, I doubt that it will remain the same as anyone can trick the system by inviting 7 people which would make the referral rate pass 100% that's mean you're not going to pay any fees.. considered as lifetime subscription tho.

Grihm

Hirschegar wrote: »

akabear wrote: »

To the OP, one possible approach you might be able to take to alleviate some of the disparity of the cost difference might be to take advantage Ashe`s referral programme.

Just a thought.
https://ashesofcreation.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360036147094-What-is-the-referral-program-

Thank you for highlighting this and being constructive, for the current time it is a good idea. How do you think it would work? Will the referral rate decrease after any purchase? If so, that wouldn't help at all.. I can barely convince few people from my region to pay the original subscription fees.
However, I doubt that it will remain the same as anyone can trick the system by inviting 7 people which would make the referral rate pass 100% that's mean you're not going to pay any fees.. considered as lifetime subscription tho.

A very good idea actually @akabear

@Hirschegar Perhaps you could look into doing a streaming channel with some friends, and that´s based on the issues you guys are having in streaming from your regions, what it is about, the problem of costs etc, and you do this as a sort of stream group to raise awareness?

Who knows...perhaps you and your friends can be the turning point towards a new option to make it possible to play MMO´s for more in Egypt and around?

Hirschegar

Grihm wrote: »

A very good idea actually @akabear

@Hirschegar Perhaps you could look into doing a streaming channel with some friends, and that´s based on the issues you guys are having in streaming from your regions, what it is about, the problem of costs etc, and you do this as a sort of stream group to raise awareness?

Who knows...perhaps you and your friends can be the turning point towards a new option to make it possible to play MMO´s for more in Egypt and around?

No need for raising it our favorite genre is already MMORPG it was mainstreaming for many years until there is no longer a good MMORPG game similar to Silkroad, that's why I have no doubts that AoC will be the next mainstreaming game in Egypt.

But this most probably won't happen due to the current subscription fees. And If the referral program will function the way I think then it will not be useful for us

Noaani

Hirschegar wrote: »

No need for raising it our favorite genre is already MMORPG it was mainstreaming for many years until there is no longer a good MMORPG game similar to Silkroad, that's why I have no doubts that AoC will be the next mainstreaming game in Egypt.

But this most probably won't happen due to the current subscription fees. And If the referral program will function the way I think then it will not be useful for us

If Ashes is likely to be that popular in Egypt - let alone the rest of the region - then you have a great case to make to Intrepid to add a regional server.

While it may not be your first choice of solutions, it is the solution to your specific situation that Intrepid have already decided works for them.

AutumnEmbers

I started referring people because I misread how referrals work and thought that I could refer enough people to try a month or more for free. Then I realized that it only gives you money back if you've already spent money, so I can't use it to get free months without buying many things first.

It would be nice if a certain amount of referrals meant that we can get a month free without having to already spend a lot on the game. However, this could be abused. People might make new emails and accounts and refer themselves for those free months. As the referral system works now, there's little incentive to cheat the system like that.

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