Please Add a COMPLETELY OPTIONAL Subscription Model...

jobob

COMPLETELY OPTIONAL. One that complements the current F2P system. This is done all the time in MMOs, quite successfully. It is, in effect, still an F2P model, it's just now one of the things you can drop real cash on is a membership instead of just HP or ISO.

I don't like the idea of forcing anyone to spend money to play the game. But I really do like the game, and I don't mind spending money on it, but the F2P model for this game is so... random... that it actually discourages me from spending money.

I would like to see a subscriber option. Nothing that breaks the game for those who don't play, but gives players a different way to support the game.

Obviously, pricing is dependent upon the quality/quantity of benefits... so I won't suggest a price. Some of the rewards could include:

-Additional free roster spot each time a new character is released
-Increasing the # of Health Packs that accumulate over time from 5 to 10
-Faster healing rate for characters
-"Discount" on the amount of ISO required to raise character's level
-A monthly stipend of health packs, hero points, etc
-Double-time for the daily rewards (e.g., if you subscribe, after 30 days you will be up to day 60 on your SHIELD resupply)
-Access to an occasional (not so frequent as to shut out non-subs) "subscriber only" tournament with some extra rewards.

These are a few ideas... obviously there are many ways to go with this. I know it has been brought up before and a lot of folks don't like it, but a lot of folks do, and so long as it doesn't drastically change the game for the non-sub players, I think it is a great offering.

Lystrata

With the exception of the last two suggestions, I think this concept overall is a really good idea.

Fast-tracking daily rewards is a bit 'game breaking', imho. I certainly don't want vets fast-tracking their way through the latter rewards (whatever those might end up being).

And I really dislike the idea of them adding more tournaments to this, unless they scale back other things (such as week-long PvEs). Imagine if they made it alliance / season based (at worst). People would die of sleep deprivation, if nothing else.

Anywho, nitpicking aside, I fully appreciate the idea and think that it would add greatly to the game.

atomzed

I have previously proposed a subscription model too, and think that it will be great for the game.

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Joey Jellico

I would love this!

FaustianDeal

The set of spiffs for the subscription could be limited to those that can already be acquired with HP.

Even if they set it to something along the lines of:
* 1x 3-hour shield for every PVP
* 1x roster spots / month (or higher depending on the price of the subscription)

With just those 2 things they could can know what the cost of this would be (approximately)... 10x 75HP for the shields, and call it 1,000HP for 2x roster spots (which could grow over time to 1,600 - but this is where the discounting of the 'subscription' finally starts to add value).

Those 2 items sound like they would 'retail' for ~1,750HP... which is ~$12 based on the HP/$ price of a Logan's Loonies, and ~$8.75 at the HP/$ price of a Stark Salary (regularly priced - it drops to move like $7.25 for someone who buys a Stark's when they get +20% HP during sales).

If they priced it at $10 - then someone who usually buys a Stark's won't buy it until their per-slot price for roster expansion grows to 700/slot... that violates the "hook 'em early" concept, so they would need to price it lower... like $8. If this was a true 'subscription' where they could continue to debit the account until someone affirmatively cancels the subscription that seems like a great revenue model for them... its not as good as getting a Stark out of them, but its a nice start. From an accounting perspective its easier to do revenue projections for subscription income because it is recurring and you can make projections based known cancellation rates - these are good things. And they don't necessarily disrupt the rest of the game.

Rather than dialing up the daily reward frequency they could just put a 3* cover into the monthly 'goodie bag' you are awarded (the shields and slots). The most attractive option would be to make it a 3* that is either; currently vaulted, or was launched during the previous month.

Though $8 seems like a more 'fair' price, throwing in a 3* cover each month could easily let them raise the price to $10/month. It would also let them do something extra crazy like to an 'annual' subscription that would do the same thing as the 12 monthlies, but throws in another kicker... maybe a 4* cover... that could get priced at anywhere from $100 -> $120 / year.. (some kind of discount over the monthly rate is almost required, even if there is an additional kicker thrown in.. they are trying to get people over the hesitation to click the 'buy' button after all.)

You have to limit your subscription 'bonuses' to things that are 'completely optional' ... some of the options would be incredibly unbalancing... making them more 'mandatory'.
Semi-permanently raising the total number of health packs becomes a destabilizing change. A whale or a grinder with 10-health packs turns into an unstoppable force; you will be hard pressed to catch or even keep up with that person in PVE or PVP. Faster healing rates present a similar problem.. if my bench time becomes greatly reduced then I can come back after a 3-hour shield and not need health packs to get started again, that is too good a bonus.

jobob

Good points, and I agree 100% that it can't be game-breaking or become "required."

I didn't think the health packs would be game-breaking, but I'll readily admit I don't understand the meta-game PVP as well as many do. As far as faster healing rates, I kind of equated that to a cost-avoidance for buying health packs... so in essence you'd just be paying for the healing up front.

There are a ton of ways to go, but I definitely think it's something worth pursuing for the devs.

FaustianDeal

jobob wrote:

Good points, and I agree 100% that it can't be game-breaking or become "required."

I didn't think the health packs would be game-breaking, but I'll readily admit I don't understand the meta-game PVP as well as many do. As far as faster healing rates, I kind of equated that to a cost-avoidance for buying health packs... so in essence you'd just be paying for the healing up front.

There are a ton of ways to go, but I definitely think it's something worth pursuing for the devs.

I know that, for me, the only thing that stops my climb in PVP, or finishes my grind in PVE, is when the health pack stack runs dry. I have frequently had to consign myself to a slightly lower placement prize tier than I was hoping for because the packs weren't there to fuel the climb. If I suddenly had more packs, or if I needed to use fewer packs because guys were healing faster, I think I would be able to move up 1 placement tier in lots of events (in both formats). If that statement is true for me it is probably true for a lot of people. Those subscription options would change the landscape.

Even if all the subscription bought was 2 roster slots a month (at a discount) I think they could sell quite a few of those. Throw in a free 3* cover each month and you would sell a boatload.

The accounting department loves recurring revenue. Look into it.

jobob

Another new 4*... sure would be nice to have that subscriber's free slot for him...

...just sayin'

MojoWild

I'll be the voice of dissent. I don't like the idea of an optional subscription because if you want to keep up, you pretty much feel compelled to do it. I think this would further the gap between the pay players and the free players, and actually even turn free players off, like they feel they won't be complete without the subscription. There's already enough options for things to buy although some of those could be restructured. My two cents.

FaustianDeal

MojoWild wrote:

I'll be the voice of dissent. I don't like the idea of an optional subscription because if you want to keep up, you pretty much feel compelled to do it. I think this would further the gap between the pay players and the free players, and actually even turn free players off, like they feel they won't be complete without the subscription. There's already enough options for things to buy although some of those could be restructured. My two cents.

This argument is why I posted to suggest a revised/downgraded set of options. IF the subscription only offers things that are purchasable using HP then the subscription doesn't offer anything that is "unique". Subscriptions features that you "can't get any other way" are what would drive the feeling of it being mandatory.

A monthly allotment of shields for PVP, a roster spot or 2, and (if the price is right) a cover or covers. All of those things can be purchased with HP so the subscription isn't mandatory. And if you feel like your $$ (or HP) could be better spent if you called the shots on how it was allocated (more shields or covers, but fewer roster spots) then you could spend a roughly equivalent amount of $$ or HP on the items directly rather than subscribing.

The subscription should can be done in such a way that it allows them to book revenue for accounting purposes but not ruin the game.

dkffiv

While what you posted is enticing it really feels game-breaking and a must have.

The only subscription model I could see working is something like $8.50 or $10 a month for 2000 hero points + 10,000 ISO. The best sale they've had was $1 per 285 hero points so the subscription model is basically 20,000 HP + 100,000 ISO vs. 28,500 HP for $100. Maybe every 10 or 12 months they give you a double monthly stipend to make it feel like a really good deal.

If I enjoy a game I don't mind giving roughly $100 a year to a developer. A monthly subscription generally makes that easier than waiting for the sale to come around.

jobob

...So many changes... I just want to bump this up. Would really LOVE to have some perks of being a subscriber like... say, a subscriber-reward respec for updated characters, or a subscriber-reward character slot when new ones are released...

slidecage

shocked they never did micro transactions

for 1.99 you can Loan the covers you need. Did not win kingpin in the last event for just 2 bucks you can buy him for 24 hours.. they would make tons of money , but the game is not coded for this and will never happen

jobob

Would still love to see this... a few free hero points and an extra roster slot each time they add a character... would be very nice.

Cypr3ss

jobob wrote:

I don't mind spending money on it, but the F2P model for this game is so... random... that it actually discourages me from spending money.

There are some interesting ideas in the OP and in the posts that follow, but I don't see how adding a subscription will remove the random, because its not the F2P model that's random, its how progression within the game is handled that's random (i.e luck based) and none of the proposed 'subscription reward ideas' appear to resolve this.

So I'm wondering why the OP would be more inclined to hand over regular amounts of money for random progression but is discouraged from spending that money now?

Regards,
Cypr3ss.

jobob

Cypr3ss wrote:

jobob wrote:

I don't mind spending money on it, but the F2P model for this game is so... random... that it actually discourages me from spending money.

There are some interesting ideas in the OP and in the posts that follow, but I don't see how adding a subscription will remove the random, because its not the F2P model that's random, its how progression within the game is handled that's random (i.e luck based) and none of the proposed 'subscription reward ideas' appear to resolve this.

So I'm wondering why the OP would be more inclined to hand over regular amounts of money for random progression but is discouraged from spending that money now?

Regards,
Cypr3ss.

Fair point, it's been a long time since I made that initial post and I'm inclined to agree with you on the randomness being inherent to the current model, not the F2P vs Subscription.

The theory behind a subscription is typically that since it is money that the devs can count on, you get a little more "bang for your buck," so even though that doesn't change the luck element of the game... hopefully you would get more opportunities to draw.

The problem lies in not making a subscription model gamebreaking, and since randomness is at the heart of the game (and is still the part I dislike a lot), you can't tweak it too much. I think you could do something like give 1 cover to subscribers when a new character comes out, just so they aren't locked out of the next round of PVE essentials. I don't think that would be gamebreaking since a lot of covers get handed out in the rewards anyway.

I also still like the idea of the occaisional subscriber event, with some guaranteed decent rewards.

Similar to the way CP's can be used to purchase a level on 5* characters, you could allow subscribers to purchase a 4* level for a certain number of heroic tokens. No... it doesn't eliminate the random element of getting that first cover, but at least you don't have to hope those heroic tokens yield a second specific cover.

Finally, so many people have asked about trading covers to your alliance mates... multiple accounts have always been a problem in F2P games where you can send stuff to other characters. But if you build in a way for subscribers to do it, it isn't as game-breaking (most people won't create another subscriber account just to send stuff back and forth). That doesn't affect the randomness directly, but it does give a way to take a cover you don't need and trade it to someone that does need it, in return for one that you need.

Unknown

I'm a firm believer in "tipping", to me, anytime I buy something, its a tip to the developers.

I have no qualms paying for their services - i.e. paying to play...so I am in favor of an additional subscriber model. The problem would be a proper implementation of "what it gets you".

I think differently from most post here. I understand why, but I feel the subscriber model should differ entirely from outright buying ISO/HP/Covers. It shouldn't be 'another way to pay for HP/ISO', it should literally be "able to play more".

Small idea, add a paywall beyond the current DDQ - after you complete the base 4 missions, for "X" HP you can do additional "Y" number of missions with various rewards. Subscribers would get access to this by default. The tournaments that had a buy in would be constant - for subscribers. Subscribers might get access to a "second simulator", allowing them to double up their prizes and scores for the season if they play the additional content enough.

I wouldn't have the subscribe model outright give out free HP/ISO/Covers.
- Unreall

jobob

Unreallystic wrote:

I'm a firm believer in "tipping", to me, anytime I buy something, its a tip to the developers.

I have no qualms paying for their services - i.e. paying to play...so I am in favor of an additional subscriber model. The problem would be a proper implementation of "what it gets you".

I think differently from most post here. I understand why, but I feel the subscriber model should differ entirely from outright buying ISO/HP/Covers. It shouldn't be 'another way to pay for HP/ISO', it should literally be "able to play more".

Small idea, add a paywall beyond the current DDQ - after you complete the base 4 missions, for "X" HP you can do additional "Y" number of missions with various rewards. Subscribers would get access to this by default. The tournaments that had a buy in would be constant - for subscribers. Subscribers might get access to a "second simulator", allowing them to double up their prizes and scores for the season if they play the additional content enough.

I wouldn't have the subscribe model outright give out free HP/ISO/Covers.
- Unreall

That's a really good idea as well, and kind of along the lines of what I was thinking with the "subscriber only" tournaments. You would obviously end up getting more HP, ISO, Covers... but you do still play for it.

optimus2861

Future Fight has a $4-ish monthly subscription that gives you 2450 crystals over 30 days; 200 up front and then 75 per day for the 30 days. To buy the 2450 all at once would run you... $50? Not sure. I haven't purchased crystals in a batch in quite some time. They promote it as "94% savings!" I think, so $50 sounds about right.

Why not something similar here? $5 gets you .. heck, make it identical. 200 HP at purchase and 75 HP per day, for 30 days, for a total of 2450 HP. That would feel like good bang for your buck (about 75% off a Stark), which MPQ sorely lacks. That's enough for two roster slots in the month plus some left over.

FaustianDeal

I still think this suggestion has merit for the right price.

What about, instead of paying with real currency you can subscribe with HP?

For example:
1,000 HP per month subscription. For the subscription you receive a roster slot and 20 CP?

simonsez

FaustianDeal wrote:

I still think this suggestion has merit for the right price.

What about, instead of paying with real currency you can subscribe with HP?

For example:
1,000 HP per month subscription. For the subscription you receive a roster slot and 20 CP?

I have to believe that if/when they roll out this VIP status thing, it'll be with actual money. Too many people have more HP than they know what to do with. I don't think they'd stand to gain much if they only charged HP. Either way, if it comes with some sort of ISO accelerator, count me in...