Donator Issues

[Goldfolk]

Couple of Suggestions, only suggestions so please don't get aerated if you don't like.

First, gap between Gold and Platinum too big why not have an intermediate level at say $15-$20 or so which would correspond to actual cost of commercial MMO

People who donate generally have jobs and thus more limited time so allow benefits that save donators time on non-critical areas of game. So say for this intermediate level you allow 3-boxing purely for the purposes of buffing and porting. I realise that your immediate reaction may be unfavourable but personally when I'm trying to buff my duo and there are no friends around to help buffing is a real pain.

There are other time savers I could suggest but as general point benefits would be a lot more attractive if they saved time more consistently. In this respect the gold boots do work and you might consider whether you could angle other benefits similarly.

 

[triptoy2002]

First, gap between Gold and Platinum too big why not have an intermediate level at say $15-$20 or so which would correspond to actual cost of commercial MMO.

You can actually donate as much or as little as you like, you don't have to go with one of the preset amounts. For example, if you chose to donate 15 euros instead of 8 (gold) you can, though you would only get gold and silver benefits from it.

 

[Goldfolk]

You can actually donate as much or as little as you like, you don't have to go with one of the preset amounts. For example, if you chose to donate 15 euros instead of 8 (gold) you can, though you would only get gold and silver benefits from it.

I realise that but a benefit and a level would encourage more to donate

 

[Xardon]

So say for this intermediate level you allow 3-boxing purely for the purposes of buffing and porting.

This will never happen, however, I do believe the Platinum level should be reduced to $15, and potentially adding a higher status level like Titanium or something. I do also think the Plat level is a tad too high.

 

[lynnettell]

When I first started donating platinum, 3 years ago or so, it was around $20 a month with conversion rates. It then went to around $22 a month, etc.... at one point it was over $30 a month.

While the change and actually seeing how much more I was paying didn't force me to drop platinum status, I was disappointed in two things (one I need to e-mail Tao about, apparently). First, I'm still being charged the 20 Euro fee for subscription (just noticed it because my renewal just hit). I also agree that $20 would be more in line since it's double gold status.

As I said, it's hasn't forced me to cancel my subscription, but would be nice.

PS - the levels still reference moneybookers on the support the server page, and that option has been gone for quite a while now.

 

[Kazimir]

While a middle for gold/platinum would be nice, I don't think it would change much. A better alternative would be $50 for a one time charm transfer. Would make a spiky donation system but would help to boost/ create a reserve for the current subscription system. This would not effect economy as the plat is already in they system and charm money cant be turned back into plat. However, if the server averaged 4 a month(which I think is low on average), that is 8 extra plat donators monthly. This should cause the consistent, over that last couple years, middle light to now shift to high. This reserve could also be used to fund upgraded servers.

 

[Goldfolk]

A better alternative would be $50 for a one time charm transfer.

This sounds like someone with a vested interest. I think we all have things we would like to happen, for example, I would love to be able to exchange 1 nodrop item between toons once a month and I'd probably subscribe at a higher level for the pleasure but I am willing to bet it isn't going to happen in the forseeable future or ever.

I do think that there is debate to be had about what benefits might entice more to donate without them gaining any unfair advantage in game. The trouble is that what we would really like such as batch combining are absolute no-nos.

 

[Kazimir]

Well other ideas I had today were:

$50 for a gate clicky (this isnt game breaking and can be had through other means but would most likely sell a few a month)

$50 for a 10 slot 100% giant 0.0 weight reduction bag (Also not game breaking but would sell some)

With a few of these types of items, the revenue would help to stabalize server funds and possibly create an excess. The excess could then be used to fund new servers periodically. If there were 10 of these 3 requests a month, thats an extra $500 (= to 20 plat donations) Over the course of a year thats $6000. Not sure what the servers cost for this type of application as the ones I work with range from 4k-90k, but Im sure this would put a dent in it. Given past experience it seems as though there is a need for a new server every 2 years over the past 6 years I have been playing. A service program like this seems like it would be good for the server and help prevent low points where admins have dipped into there pockets to help it survive.

My guess is the first month or 2 would result in a decent spike which would temporarily fix the low fund issue. Then the lower rates would become sustained in the long run.

 

[mechkl]

you are turning this from donations to support the server into an item mall - free to play - pay to win game.

 

[Kazimir]

Not really. The 2 items I listed are more of a convenience. Having a gate clicky would be convienient. Sure you would do the vah one if you have several hours and an EF key. The bag, well currently there are 6 100% 10 slot bags available to all and 7 for monks. Considering you generally want 1-2 slots openned for mod rod and so on, this bag is not of use given the rest. However some people are impatient and given the current donation system is not working effectively, and has been lacking for some time, an alternative system to pad the current would be useful.

As per the charm, it is currently very difficult for people to switch mains in this game due to the time vested. The ability to switch mains would most likely result in people hang around longer. At $50 people have to make a conscious decision as to if they want to, as a move back would result in another $50. There would be a decent flux over the first few months that would settle down afterward. This would allow the server to boost itself back into the green. With more people sticking around longer, there is more potential for sustained money coming in to the server.

Also, if you look at the current system, it is very similar to that of what I listed. Silver, not so much utility. Gold, SoW boots are very convenient but can be had elsewhere. Plat, clicky to pocket plane for all your TS needs and tons of extra bank slots and all can be had elsewhere (bank slots require the create of multiple character).

The biggest perk of this system on top of the current though is that it should be able to pull a surplus of $$ to help with physical server maintenance. To my knowledge, a couple people have donated them in the past, however that is a very large donation for a single person and is hard to justify especially in a sub par economy. If the donation system could support itself fully, this would be a better alternative. There have also been several studies/surveys that show that it is much easier for people to handle a one time donation over a reoccurring, which this provides.

To reiterate, this in no way would remove the current system.

 

[triptoy2002]

$50 for a gate clicky (this isnt game breaking and can be had through other means but would most likely sell a few a month)

$50 for a 10 slot 100% giant 0.0 weight reduction bag (Also not game breaking but would sell some)

Platinum donations (roughly $25-30 a month) get you an Amulet of the Platinum Donator which is basically a gate neck for the Pocket Plane. In the Pocket Plane there is every vendor you would have in a town, a bank, 2 healers and a MoP.

Also in the Pocket Plane there is a certain vendor that always has a 10 slot 100% WR giant bag. Granted you have to pay 6k for it, but as a no drop bag, it is only available to plat donators.

So already these two items exist, though they only cost a donation of $25-30 for the two of them.

It seems with your idea the gate clicky would be cheaper in the long run (one time payment for a permanent item vs monthly payments to upkeep a temp item) and I assume you mean a gate clicky that ports to bind. The bag would also be an additional bag, but it just seems like taking what is already available and selling it to players again. My 2 coppers.

 

[lynnettell]

You can one time donate at any time. If you have a spare $24, then donate plat for a month, you'll get your WR bag. If you have a spare $100, then donate plat for a month, and have PP amulet for four months. *shrug*

Personally, I hate the idea of one time donation for things that are questable/droppable (like a gate neck clicky). I use my gold donator boots all the time when I forget to rebind after stuff since I'm too lazy to finish my Athica neck, and druids only get a port to LFay or GSM.... and I practically live in pocket plane. No annoying newbs giving me diseases every time I hit the banker, 24/7 Ally Vendors for every damn tradeskill (yeah, I'm a click addict, or was), it's like a sweet little haven.

As already stated, there is a WR bag that you buy in pocket plane. Even if you stop donating, it doesn't poof. Instead of one time donation to get a gate neck clicky, how about a lore/ no drop one with X number of charges added into a plat donation, with max you can "buy" at a Pocket Plane Vendor of 1 a week or something?

 

[Kazimir]

In response to the 2 posts above, unless I am misreading/misinterpreting the 5 dot measure on the homepage and the current donation system has not proven to be enough for at least a year now for fees alone. This in no way includes server upgrades which shards is clearly in need of.

If something doesn't change, then the lag will get worse to the point of being unplayable, which at times right now it is. With an increased fund mechanism, this should help mitigate further issues.

 

[vistachiri]

Honestly I'd say dyeing should have already seen a boost, though moving it down to the silver level and promoting it would probably see a much larger influx. Vanity items are one of the big consistent sellers in f2p mmo's, the key is bringing things down to a micropayment level (the psych of micropayments being an entirely different discussion).

Essentially what I am saying is that people will pony up the fundage to look badass (or even match), as opposed to looking like they shop at the dalayan version of the salvation army.

 

[Nuvian]

i really think some of the ideas brought up here have some merit.

regarding donator levels:

i have always felt the jump from gold to platinum was a bit steep. would it really be so bad to make platinum a 19 dollar/month ordeal and maybe make a titanium level at 25 dollar/month ordeal? notice, i said $19 and not $20 for platinum. wether you care to admit it, pricing is important, it's why merchants sell their items for 19.99 and not 20.00. there is somethig in the human brain that thinks 19.99 is sooo much better than 20.00. if i am wrong on that, please explain why thousands of merchants set prices like that. lastly, people are lazy, they don't even feel like taking out the time to figure what they should donate. by making a new level it helps give them another reasonable option without having to think. yes, i am one of those lazy people.

regarding one time items fees:

as for charm transfers, i feel this has some merit. i do not necessarliy view charms as just a platinum sink, but as a time sink as well. sometimes people end up switching thier main char's, therefore the time they put into the old charm is all for not. i think a fee on a scale would work well, and also it should have restrictions.

for example, for a 2000pp charm, make it a a 5 dollar transfer fee and make it a requirement that the char that it is being transferrred to is level 65. as the charm gets more expensive, make the price of the transfer higher and the character level requirement go up as well.

regarding the server in general:

players cry that the server misses this or that and that they don't like it when the server lags and such. look, if you really want to see improvements occur, then some form of money needs to come in. it may sound cold, but the fact of the matter is that cash, and not hopes and dreams, makes stuff happen. i would love to see the deep basement of stormseye get finished, but i understand in asking for it to be done i'm asking for a dev to give up their free time. in return, that dev gets happiness and rainbows in return. nice as that may be, it doesn't pay the bills. cash does. (i am a plat donator as of recent but 24 bucks per month is chicken s%$t in comparison to the amount of time is needed to code all of that)

i think that some form of encouragement for donations should be looked into. if donations go up, then dev's have the ability to pay more attention to the server. if they stay low, well, it is what it is, be happy. this server goes through stages in which donations are low. hows about instead of just magically hoping they go up, or expecting them to because that's just how the pattern goes, that we think a little outside of the box in order to bring in more donations and they hopefully never go down in the fist place.

 

[Kazimir]

Honestly I'd say dyeing should have already seen a boost, though moving it down to the silver level and promoting it would probably see a much larger influx. Vanity items are one of the big consistent sellers in f2p mmo's, the key is bringing things down to a micropayment level (the psych of micropayments being an entirely different discussion).

Essentially what I am saying is that people will pony up the fundage to look badass (or even match), as opposed to looking like they shop at the dalayan version of the salvation army.

Dyes are another cool option. There are several things out there people would donate for if only they existed.

 

[lynnettell]

Dyes are in game, gold level & above.