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Store & Crowns: Please read about important upcoming changes!

Discussion in 'Announcements' started by Chris, Feb 13, 2019.

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  1. Chris

    Chris Tech Lord Moderator Ambassador SOTA Developer

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    Greetings avatars! As many of you know, there are some BIG changes underway with Shroud of the Avatar. After far too long, we are finally getting rid of our giant online cash shop and moving to the model that every other game uses. This is a LONG overdue change and definitely one that benefits the players and the Shroud team.

    Maintaining the existing cash shop was a full time job for several people. Managing everything in game versus a webstore is both easier for us and benefits the players with easier browsing, searching, instant delivery, and is generally a much simpler process for everyone.

    Also, in addition to removing the majority of the web store items, we’re also going to be changing up our semi-premium currency, Crowns or COTOs. Previously the rough target was 1 crown = $1. This was problematic because it did not give us the granularity needed for pricing smaller item and it got even more problematic when we wanted to put something on sale!

    Starting in Release 63, players will see that each of their crowns will be converted into 100 crowns. Store prices will follow that conversion for now and then over time will have their prices updated to more appropriate numbers. This means some items will go up and some will go down.

    With the increased resolution of crown we were also able to adjust our prices for crowns to more closely match what we wanted. Those prices will also go live with Release 63 in just over 2 weeks! The conversion rate is very slightly worse with most packages but now fall into what we believe will be a better set of numbers for the long term.

    As for store and crown sales, I think most people have seen we left our sales on this entire month. This is because after looking at what we sell things for, we had effectively targeted prices based on what they cost on sale. Going forward, we will be doing far fewer and much smaller sales BUT the normal price will be roughly the current sale price.

    For crown sales, we’ve also gotten people used to them always being on sale. Starting in R63 we’re going to start reducing that sale each release until we get to zero discount. We will still have sales but only briefly and only for special events.

    I repeat, we’re going to reduce and then kill off the reliance of store and crown sale pricing starting in just over 2 weeks, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

    Also, for those who haven’t seen the new planned crown bundle prices:

    $10.00 --> 750
    $20.00 --> 1600
    $35.00 --> 3200
    $60.00 --> 6300
    $100.00 --> 10750

    Also, since I know some of you just read the top and bottom of the post, here is the tl;dr version:
    • 98% of the cash shop going away
    • We’re doing a 1 to 100 split for crowns to give us more pricing resolution for smaller items
    • We’re doing away with huge sales and moving to a more steady but realistic price
    • Crown store sales will be going away over the next few months starting with a reduction starting with R63

    As always, thanks for your patience with this stuff and thanks for your support! Also, we have a number of exciting, upcoming announcements so keep your eyes on the forums over the next two weeks!
     
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  2. Hemswal The Descended

    Hemswal The Descended Avatar

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    I've already heard a lot of praise about the in game store vs the web store. Looking great guys! :)
     
  3. Doctorface

    Doctorface Avatar

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    I don't think this is a good idea. Microsoft had the same pricing setup ages ago and ditched it for a dollar value because of the perceived loss of value between dollar value to points. 10.00 for 750 of something makes it look like you're losing 2.50 cents. It even makes it worse when previously 10 dollars got you nine cotos and this takes it to 7.5. Hope it doesn't cause any blowback.
     
  4. Earl Atogrim von Draken

    Earl Atogrim von Draken Avatar

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    Yeah it's pretty nice!

    Hurmdurrrrm......got me......:D
     
  5. Chris

    Chris Tech Lord Moderator Ambassador SOTA Developer

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    We had the cash shop because that is what made sense for crowdfunding since we didn't have an actual game. When the game progressed we were somewhat tied into having a cash shop due to upgrade options. Now that those have all been expired, the cash shop is a burden from both perception standpoint and also from a work required standpoint.

    I under stand your concern but almost 100% of other games use the model we're moving to and for good reason. We still believe our game is more flexible in how we do "premium" currency since we're the only ones who allow it to be traded. This allows most players to get whatever they want without spending a dime.

    As for concerns on the 1 to 100 crown split, in addition to allowing us to price things for less than a dollar, this is again what almost all other games do. Trust me, change is scary for us as well but we're fairly confident we're moving in the right direction. Our previous crown prices were whacky and not what we wanted but what we settled for due to a lack of resolution.

    Again, scary? Yes! But strongly believe it is the right move and also what most other games do after years of refining and research.
     
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  6. Aartemis

    Aartemis Avatar

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    Looking forward to the changes and much more promising 2019!!

    Good Work Guys!
     
  7. Ashendie

    Ashendie Avatar

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    I agree here. Changing the current format and moving to an in-game store is a great idea but the 1 - 100 change is a bit much and the offset vs $ amount just adds confusion to what you you are paying vs its value in game. Surely a less extreme $10 = 100 crowns and stepping up from there like maybe $15 for 160 crowns for example would of made things clearer.

    But anyway, good to see the pricing/store change one way or the other :)
     
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  8. Lord Tachys al`Fahn

    Lord Tachys al`Fahn Avatar

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    Was just noticing that...

    Old version ($1 ~ 1c): $10 = 9c ; $20 = 19c; $40=45c and $100=115c
    New version($1=100c): $10.00=750c; $20.00=1600c; $35.00=3200c; $60.00=6300c; $100.00=10750c

    So... I have to spend $60 or more to get your 1/100 value on cotos, where before I came close to meeting the stated "value" of a coto at $20?

    As Monty Python actors were fond of saying: Pull the other one!
     
  9. Fiero Nord

    Fiero Nord Archived Account

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    Does this change have any effect on not-a-subscription monthly crowns?
     
  10. skeggy Media

    skeggy Media Avatar

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    my only question is about the store if this goes away what mechanism will there be to spend $5 or more toward the stretchgoals ?
     
  11. Nick

    Nick Avatar

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    Will buy orders for crowns be split too? Or do we have to manually update our buy orders. Imagine the rage if someone places a buy order 8k for one coto and it’s still the same price after the split.
     
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  12. Earl Atogrim von Draken

    Earl Atogrim von Draken Avatar

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    Good one.
     
  13. Doctorface

    Doctorface Avatar

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    I am not particularly scared, Chris but I've been bumming around the free to play scene for a little bit and haven't seen the same levels described here. I might not be looking in the right places, though. Could I get a few examples from either the staff or the community? I have been seeing more and more 1-100 transfers than 1-75. I also don't see a reason a 1-100 would stop you from charging less than a dollar for something but I am not great with marketing stuff. It's going to take a while for people to get the perceived loss of value for buying crowns. I think it also sends a message of 'your money isn't worth it unless you're spending atleast the cost of a retail game per purchase' which I am sure is not something you guys are intending.

    I do, however, fully support the leaving of the cash shop as there is now a fully integrated way to buy things in game. When it was attempted back in the day that wasn't there(save for some merchants that sold things for cotos but it's not the same) so now feels WAY better.

    Again, this is all my opinion and experience talking. good luck!
     
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  14. Chris

    Chris Tech Lord Moderator Ambassador SOTA Developer

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    and
    I'll answer these two together. With the change, your rewards program at $9 will become the cheapest option for the monthly rewards. The next cheapest will be the $10 crown package. This will get the rewards program back to being a deal again. You'll get the same number of crowns from it that you used to get but x100
     
  15. Chiasma

    Chiasma Bug Hunter

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    Paying $80 now will get 115 COTO and they will be converted into 11500 COTO in next release. It seems like more player will purchase the COTO now.
     
  16. Fiero Nord

    Fiero Nord Archived Account

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    @Chris, it seems like that would really hurt stretch goals if the only way to get them is to spend $10 on crowns or join the rewards program.

    And what about Prizening during the livestreams? Historically, it's been buy any item in the store or say a phrase ingame. This really ups the ante on Prizening.
     
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  17. Esher Stormcrow

    Esher Stormcrow Avatar

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    Depending on how the ingame shop prices change you will have roughly the same value as before imho

    But removing the $5.00 Package sounds bad to me ... im sure there are quite a few ppl who bought that in the past to get the stretch goals ... now its $9.00 for a sub as min. to get the stretch goals....
     
  18. Doctorface

    Doctorface Avatar

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    To people talking about the stretch goals I am sure they will be changing the wording after this change goes live to state 'purchase our 10.00 crown package or join our rewards program to get the stretch goals'. I am sure this will make it a lot less appetizing to people but I am sure they thought of that already and are prepared for it.

    Edit: also thank you for keeping this open for replies. I know how easy it would be to just lock this all down as an 'order from on high'. I hope it continues to be civil.
     
    Last edited: Feb 13, 2019
  19. Rowell

    Rowell Avatar

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    For those with a monthly subscription, and get 9 COTOs per month, what's the conversion rate under the new system? 900? 675?
     
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  20. Lazlo

    Lazlo Avatar

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    How will in-game crown drops work after the change? Complete rework?
     
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