Would You Be Interested In A Subscription Option For SoTA?

They kind of have a subscription program...pay as you go for different levels in game now.

How would you propose a fair system for those that have donated a lot more then others?

 

strait from the kickstarter:

Shroud of the Avatar is a “buy-to-play” game that, once purchased, does not require a subscription to play!

 

Well, the problems (as others have pointed out):

- The game is promoted as B2P
- Would subscribers get benefits non-subscribers/buyers wouldnt get? I'd be happy if the game would avoid this, as there always is a risk of people being chased away by unfair or inconvenient disadvantages for non-subbers.
- If there are no "physical" benefits, why would people subscribe after buying?

However... I might be totally weird, but I am planning on keeping up a payment plan even after reaching the pledge level I looked for (which is already paid by now), simply in order to support the game. Yes, I supported it by buying it, but if I truly enjoy a game, I don't mind "donating" or paying a monthly fee simply to help at least a tiny bit to keep it going. It's not mandatory for SotA, but I would like to pay a monthly fee as an appreciation and to help keep it going.
There will probably a lot of purchases when the game comes out, but who knows, even though there will probably always be new buyers, in order to keep the game financed and updated with new features, I think it will be helpful if some people continue to contribute, and I don't mind doing so.
So, I will keep up paying that plan if I can, as I do enjoy the game and like where it appears to be headed (yes, still alpha, still bugs/problems, but I think you know what I mean), and say, 15 bucks a month is not much for the enjoyment a good game can give me.

But again, that's on a volunteer base. I dont think it should be mandatory after the game was promoted as B2P, and I don't think a "sub with reward vs. non-subs with no rewards" would be a good idea.
Just my opinion though

 

I wonder if store credits will carry over to later episodes? And can apply them if there are future kickstarts?

 

I'd be okay with subs if those who have already spent hundreds or even thousands in the game were given a lifetime subscription.

 

Subscription fee is for MMO games only. Imho this would turn SotA definitively and finally into an MMO, because all the further money comes from the MMO lovers and money makes the world go round. Bad times for single player lovers.

 

So I would have to pay a subscription fee to play in Single Player mode?

 

I'd already thought about this. I prefer to support the games I love over a long term so they can continue to grow and give me new / improved things. Because this game *is* pay-to-play and it should stay that way, I would like to see a 'subscription service that perhaps let's us pledge $5 - $10 a month and we receive credits to the microtransaction store. While I may not care about the $2 hats or $5 outfit, If I could support Portalarium monthly and then after 6-7 months purchase a larger thing, like a plot or a house or a new game system with my credits, I would do that.

We get credit for the money we give, no one HAS to give money over and above the purchase price of the game, and Port gets a steady stream of revenue. Win win win.

 

How about after a certain date new players have a subscription model? Could make people on the fence grab a pledge to avoid a subscription model...

Revenue is the main concern for future episodes.

 

I have essentially already paid $40 a month for the next 5 years once the game goes live. So, no thanks.

 

I don't mind paying for it if it is good enough to pay for. However, people that paid did so under the current terms and I would expect those terms to be honored because that is good business. If Port wanted to change payment methodologies, its fine as long as past deals are honored.

I also like good things that are free.

 

It seems like it would under mind the idea of crowd funding to charge a monthly fee wouldn't it?

 

It does, and I agree. But what I DO wonder is... there was the Kickstarter to get the game of the ground. However, the game will need constant development of new zones/dungeons/items/mechanics etc. Will the pledges be enough to pay for that? Will it all be microtransactions paying for that? How to sustain customer support and development of new stuff a year, two years, three years after the game was released?

See my post above, I wouldn't want a mandatory subscription or some kind of "upper/lower class-B2P and sub system", where subbers get bonusses non-subbers dont get. But I wonder, will the kickstarter and the pledges be enough to sustain the game. I will keep up my payment plan on a volunteer-base as I like the game and like to support it beyond the pledge I wanted to get, but of course, I want the game to be improved and increased in size for quite some time, and I hope the income they get from Kickstarter/pledges will be sufficient for that!
So while of course Kickstarter PLUS sub seems odd, one might think "yeah, Kickstarter to get the game off the ground, to get the biggest chunk, the initial programming done, subs to keep it going and keep new stuff added", so to some, it might not seem so odd

 

While I do respect the business model of subscription fees, one of my deciding factors in joining the kickstarter was the premise of no subscription fees to play the game. In all honesty, I would much rather pay for add-ons and such to help fund the game.

 

Agreed! I didnt mean to say I'm FOR a subscription. Just trying to ponder on why people might consider it, or might think it might be an idea to explore. I'm right with you, paying for add-ons or "expansions" or keeping up voluntary payments in order to support the game.

 

I think that a volunteer subscription idea is great! As long as they don't go to full sub then it's only a plus for further development. I think there is a certain stigma when talking about these models because everyone was promised [Edit: meant to say buy]2p. If the devs promise to stay p2p then I wouldnt mind an optional sub fee if I could afford it that month. Maybe an "opt-out of subscription this month" button. Or, we could do an opposite route, and treat them like add-ons or get a % back, kickback, from how much you sub each month for add-on item credits. This way there is incentive to subscribe, you are helping fund the game while funding your own add-on addictions, and it would stay optional.

 

Some great ideas there, Daven!
In my case, I would be ok without incentives for paying on a regular (like monthly) base. It would simply be my way of further supporting a game I enjoy. Any kind of actual ...rewards for donating on such a base would cause problems, as B2P was the plan, and because you don't want another game with a totally torn community between subbers and non-subbers. Everyone has a different opinion on what is a fair reward. So many people get outraged, for example, about SWTOR and the fact that, if you play it for free, you can not switch off the display of your helmet/hat. (also, additional action bars).
It wouldn't bother me, really, but I accept some are totally outraged by this.
If you'd get, I dunno, a special forum status/title, a non-stats cosmetic item in game or whatever, all that wouldn't interest me that much.

I have reached the pledge-level I wanted, and will keep my payment plan going anyway. If I eventually achieve a new level pledge level, that's nice, but the idea is to support the game on a volunteer base. Something like 10-15 bucks a month...not much, but maybe it helps, and it's the amount I'd usually invest in a sub for a p2p-MMO.

 

I'd love a sub plan IF:

1) It's optional, as suggested by Daven, and gives vanity items (dunno, a title, some non-combat clothes, non-combat pets) and game related bonuses (a discount on lot fees? Reagents/gold/resources every week? The sky is the limit) which have no real impact on game dynamics.

2) It affects exclusively online game. Single player game should be playable even when disconnected from the intarwebs. Yes, I'm looking at you, Diablo III!

3) Gives no more advantages ingame than the ones reserved to the high-money pledgers. I know I wouldn't even spend thousands of ${YOUR_CURRENCY} in a game in such a short amount of time and based on such vague promises, but I wouldn't mind doing the same over a longer period, or after the title proved itself worthy. Still, who dumped large sums of money on the startup development should be respected and rewarded, IMHO.

Actually, I have subscription running on two MMOs, and I'd hate to see them switch to any different business model. The risk of P2W is simply too large, these days. Developers, like bills, must be paid, server bandwidth and maintenance even more so, and customer care is a big chunk of the budget.

 

How about just getting extra SotA credit if you have paid regularly? So completely optional - just a loyalty bonus for regular payers.
No need for any extra perks but just a "discount" in the existing stores.


Lets say a specific increasing sum

$10/month gives
1st month - $10 SotA credit
2nd month - $10 SotA credit
3rd month - $11 SotA credit
4th month - $11 SotA credit
5th month onwards $12 SotA credit
ie max out at +20% (16%discount), and if you miss one month you are back to square one. So the real discount is lower due to the buildup.

a lower pledge would work at
$6/month gives
1st month - $6 SotA credit
2nd month - $6 SotA credit
3rd month - $6 SotA credit
4th month - $6 SotA credit
5th month onwards $7 SotA credit

$25/month gives
1st month - $25 SotA credit
2nd month - $26 SotA credit
3rd month - $28 SotA credit
4th month - $29 SotA credit
5th month onwards $30 SotA credit

as you can see a lower pledge gives the bonus later than higher ones.


What's in it for Port?
For most people it is easier to fork up a smaller amount each month than a one time thing.
Then when you have voluntary subscriptions that you need to cancel, that usually generates money in for longer than one time fees. Sometimes people forget/cant be bothered so pay for much longer as long as the sum seems trivial.

 

If our current pledges are applied to the future subscriptions @ 15/month I am good for about 30 years.