There's an opt-in subscription now

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by Preachyr, Jul 6, 2018.

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  1. Beaumaris

    Beaumaris Avatar

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    Thumbs up! Good program, thanks for launching.
     
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  2. Xandra7

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    My thoughts.

    Potential new players hear about SoTA, sounds interesting to them they check out what it is all about.

    There is the $$:
    -initial purchase cost
    -Cash Shop
    -Premium currency (cash shop)
    -"optional" subscription -premium coin/exclusive items monthly
    -RMT (player2player) encouraged
    -monthly telethons
    -Stretch goals
    -Kickstarter planned for episode 2 (not sure, if this is planned)

    I am not sure if folks will be ready or willing to take a closer look after the sticker shock.
     
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  3. Azzamean

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    I'm surprised they didn't have a subscription a long time ago. I have always been a fan of subscriptions. I would much, much rather have that then the cash shop having items at astronomical prices.
     
  4. Xandra7

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    Me too, but I would expect a complete level playing field to go with it.
     
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  5. idaniod

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    I like to think that intelligent people will know the difference between what it costs... and what you COULD spend if you WANT.

    Not that people do, just that I like to think that...
     
  6. Dermott

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    There has never been and will never be anything like a "level playing field" in a persistent online game regardless of system of funding, especially after Persistence has been achieved. People start at different times, content cycles in and out (and the items that go with it), some people play more hours than others, some are better at min-maxing, etc.

    I'm not really sure what "complete level playing field" even means in a game that is not specifically a competition anyway. Ok, so someone spends a couple grand and has a castle compared to my village lot. That doesn't affect or impede my play whatsoever.

    Now if there were a certain Scene or creature in a scene that had to be defeated that required specific equipment only available via the Cash Shop... THEN we have an issue in my book.

    SotA is not a charity endeavour for our entertainment. It costs a good bit to have the people put it together (who have to be able to make their own living by doing so) and provide the service for us... especially with monthly updates the sizes we have seen. So in that regard, the subscription is a great way to help that along for those of us who enjoy the game.
     
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  7. Gregg247

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    After some thought, I subscribed on just my 2 accounts that have extra character slots on them; I'll stick with the $5 during the telethons for the rest of them.

    On a side note, every purchase I make on every account I have requires me to validate my shipping address - every time! It's getting old, Portalarium! Stop asking me to validate my address after every $5 purchase I make! I'm not going anywhere--honest!!! ;)
     
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  8. Beaumaris

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    I agree with the perception. But reality is that many games have headed down this path. Check out The Elder Scrolls Online's Crown Store, SWTOR's Cartel Coin Store, and Blizzard's cash shop to name a few. With successful games like this using non-subscription funding approaches, its hard to fault the team here for doing similar for development fund raising. My two cents at least. The good news, I think is that today we get to decide what to buy into or not. Some here are old enough to remember days when operators like AOL charged - by the hour - for access to early online games like Neverwinter. The only choice then was pay or dont play.
     
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  9. DeadnGone

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    Not sure why they would. Most things here are nothing new.

    1.) Most games have an initial cost to purchase the game. Those free to play usually have cash shops and premiums for players to purchase as well.

    2.) Nowadays, most games have cash shops. This would be nothing out of the ordinary. In fact, it would be a shock if a game didn't have a cash shop.

    3.) Premium currency - Quite a few MMOs have it. I can understand some non-MMOs not having it, but it's been around for a while and is pretty much like the cash shop, so shouldn't be a shock.

    4.) Subscription options have been around since the beginning of MMOs, shouldnt be a shock or surprise. Throw in the fact that it is completely optional and not a pay-to-play form of subscription and it's even better.

    5.) RMT (real money transactions) - There is an odd stigma about RMT from some people who base their distaste for it from other games that had a Pay-to-Win setup. It's not here and you can't sway those that can't see that or those that will never be swayed from a negative view on RMTs. There are even those out there that don't like any money transactions (like this entire list) because they either don't have the money, are kids and also don't have the money, or just think they should be able to game freely on anything they get their hands on.

    6.) Monthly telethons - These may be the one thing that differs from a lot of games and I love them. You get your livestreams and monthly updates on what's going on, what's coming up, what are they focusing on now, live views of stuff in action, details of transactions and other behind the scenes things, live Q&A, etc etc. I think its a great thing for a company to do and if you put in a minimum of $5 pledge you get in on the rewards for their stretch goals while supporting the company. If you like the game this shouldn't be an issue. Seems like a Win/Win situation to me.

    7.) Stretch goals - Not sure why this would be a shocker. Most companies don't even tell you or let you in on whats being worked on. You may get some vague details about an expansion down the road and more right before release but here you get to know about pretty much everything way ahead of time. People complain about transparency, not sure how much more transparent you can be about these things. Besides, gives you incentives to help the game with player's support for things they like.

    8.) Episodes - This may slightly be different from expansions as, from the way I've seen it, it's supposed to be laid out story format based upon how the devs are putting out content from they story board they have. Granted a lot of other stuff is put into those segments but this is how I read it. If I'm wrong please let me know.

    So, with all that in mind, new players definitely need to know what they are getting into. I think if we didn't promote this as an independent game and tried to portray it like typical top tier games from big companies, then we would be doing players and even bigger disservice and causing even more problems. People should know from the start that this game runs on funding from it's players, not from big backers or companies, like EA, Bethesda, Ubisoft, etc. The base game is there but it's steadily being worked on every month and expanded every single month. Yes it can be slow for those impatient. The newcomers should certainly understand this before jumping in. All of it though takes revenue and it just doesn't come from nowhere. I think any rational, objectively reasonable gamer could see that.

    That being said... We still need more LOOT!! Better LOOT!! I'm gonna be like Cato the Elder, "but Carthage must be destroyed!"
     
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  10. Grimbone

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    I missed the telethon. If I subscribe now will it still include the telethon rewards?
     
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  11. Spoon

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    IIRC
    Then it will count for the next one but not the last one.
     
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  12. Fungus

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    With the greatest respect @majoria70 if they focused on this type of stuff ahead of getting the game working as intended so players join / come back to SotA then it will die on it's bottom before you get a bite on the end of your rod. We've just gotten the excitement that brewing ahead of fixing major issues within the game as well as undead kids and unicorns I mean really is that whats going to pull folks into this game? And really the time spent waffling on about whiskey that they want to take 1-5yrs real time to ferment is just utter codswallop to the average player!

    No subs from me for a while yet and I didn't bother with the telethon either this time round, it's was a total flimflam affair and addressed nothing but more guff, it's as if the leadership have put their fingers in their ears and just went LA LA LA (has the scary stuff gone away yet?)

    I haven't even been able to log in to my acc's today after the 'vision' given by @Lord British it's so depressing and this during a double exp weekend *sigh*
     
  13. Fionwyn Wyldemane

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    I'm not sure why we're calling the *Reward Program* a subscription.

    For the low price of 9 bucks you get the convenience of never missing a telethon again, plus all this:
    • 9 Gold Crowns of the Obsidians every month
    • Automatic Participation in the Monthly Livestream Stretchgoals (counts as the $5 minimum purchase)
    • Exclusive Title every 3 months
    • Pick any Dye Pack every 6 months
    • Pick any three of the 7 Obsidian Potions every month, including:
      • Potion of Capacity: Increases carrying capacity
      • Potion of Conservation: Reduces reagent use chance
      • Potion of Expedience: Swift gathering on all gathering skills
      • Potion of Precision: Increases Meticulous Collection to all gathering skills
      • Potion of Preservation: Reduces armor and weapon damage
      • Potion of Reclamation: Increases Salvage and Repair to all production skills
      • Potion of Stamina: Decreases focus use from sprinting
    So yeah, this is not a subscription to the game, it's an opt in for monthly livestream rewards AND a $hi+ ton of of stuff including 9 freaking COTOS. If you spend $5 bucks a month on the livestream, then that reduces the cost to 4 bucks - which is more than offest by the 9 dang COTOS which if you bought them from the addon store would cost you 10 bucks.

    I love this new reward program and I love being able to support the game so that the remaining Devs get paid and the lights stay on. Are they supposed to work for free?
     
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  14. Crazy Phil

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    I'm in!! #teamrewardprogram :)
     
  15. Lord Tachys al`Fahn

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    Good luck with that. Never going to happen.

    Even if the told you tomorrow that they would go through the months worth of work to sort out who bought what between July 2016 and now, and properly award that all to everyone, while still resetting everything about the world to a completely blank slate, the playing field is still nowhere near level, and never was going to be.

    Save yourself the angst and stop asking for what will never be reality.
     
  16. Blackghost

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    Agreed.
    I'm also done with Port.
     
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  17. Rufus D`Asperdi

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    [​IMG]
     
  18. infernal

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    its nothing more than a mini bundle paid for over time no logic in being bothered by it.
     
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  19. Floors

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    Need to step to grinding upper tears all weekend ! heheh :)
     
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  20. Duke Olahorand

    Duke Olahorand Localization Team

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    Well, the now Headless Rebel Duke does not have enough brain remain for a subscription, especially, since this is involved with paying tax again for us Europeans from our already heavily taxed income.

    But if I look at my spare accounts bank box - there should indeed be granted one additional bank storage slot with each Telethon reward for the subscribers as an additional benefit.

    *Salute*
    Olahorand
    The Headless Rebel Duke
     
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