| 98 posts found | |
|---|---|
|
Why on earth do people think there is, or more importantly that there should be, a "standard MMO fee"?
Aside from movies, no other consumer product has standardized pricing. Why? Because it's moronic.
If you're not offering as much as an existing product, then in any other industry, you would charge less. In the cast of WoW, part of what it offers is a huge community, tons of proven and tested content, an existing successful IP.
It doesn't matter what WoW charged at launch. The MMO world was different then. There is now a premiere product, an 800-lb gorilla in the room. As much as you WoW-haters can't handle it, WoW is the gold-standard for an MMORPG.
Any of these developers go to investors and say "WoW has 10 million players, we're going to peel off 1% of those players, as well as a number of players from other games". That's how they get people to invest in an industry where front-end investment is huge and success is, at best, elusive. Their models all include your "standard" price as something that the MMORPG market "will bear".
However, that is the wrong approach and really hasn't worked as best as I can tell. I think a handful of developers can scrape by just trying to follow the "develop a new game and charge WoW's prices". However, far more just fail. They don't seem to understand that by charge a premium price, you're creating premium expectations.
The two most recent clear successes are LotRO and DDO. One only charges $10/month (no upfront fee), and the other is F2P with an option to subscribe as well as purchase items from a shop. The games both found audiences, but were only able to get the exposure they needed by emphasizing a pricing model that was different from WoW. Turbine has had the sense to realize that WoW is in a league of it's own, but you can succeed if you offer consumers value. People moved to those games, many from WoW, largely by word of mouth.
And in Alganon's case, the game is just a shell right now, no community, and it's reliability is in clear dispute. The best way to counter all of that is to get lots of folks in there trying out the game, buildign up the community and creating good word of mouth.
New games make promises to investors that they only need a tiny piece of WoW's player-base to be successful, yet they never seem to realize that the 10-12 million folks who play, while they may be ready to play something else, aren't just going to up and walk away from a game they've invested hundreds or thousands of hours into for no good reason.
You can't claim that market as your target and not have a reasonable plan to peel them away.
If Alganon is a success, bully for them. But in my opinion a more creative pricing model could have increased their chances dramatically. |
|
Originally posted by Banquetto
Sure they are... Whose PR department do you work for? |
|
|
Yes..DDO was so much of a "success" that it had to go F2P in an attempt to salvage what they could. If that doesn't work, look for it to be closed like Asherons Call 2 was. |
|
Originally posted by Wraithone
Changing their pricing model and going F2P was the point, had you dared to read.
They're now growing by leaps and bounds. They've recently stated that they've had 40% of the folks who joined F2P convert over to subscriptions.
The creative, non-standardized pricing model saved a game that was, at best, ignored and assumed to be on the ash heap of MMO history.
That is the lesson for MMOs trying to break into the market. DDO was a good game that no one played because it originally followed the WoW model. Now that it's free, there are enough people seeing how the game is and they like it. They like it so much that suddenly DDO is financially successful.
The problem was not DDO the game. It was it's pricing model. A good game will stay obscure if not enough of a community exists to make the game fun, and to spread the word. |
|
|
The fact that you wrote an essay and continue to debate here is ironic to me since you don't appear to like the game.
Reminds me of some one else I see do this a lot on another game's forum.... "This may hurt a little, but it's something you'll get used to. Relax....." |
|
|
Cochran1
 Hard Core Member
Joined: 10/01/06
"If you''re not for yourself, who will be? If you''re always for yourself, who are you?" |
I've seen a bit of misinformation posted here, read here before you say things like "only 1 race" or " only four classes" http://www.alganon.com/features copied from the link for those who don't want to go there...... Races & Classes Action, Ability, Skill and Study Systems Enhanced Appearance
As for mechanics and logistics, unless you have participated in the beta "a buggy game" is just speculation. |
|
Well there is only one race per side and four classes so i dont get what your point is? |
|
Originally posted by PhelimReagh
Changing their pricing model and going F2P was the point, had you dared to read.
They're now growing by leaps and bounds. They've recently stated that they've had 40% of the folks who joined F2P convert over to subscriptions.
The creative, non-standardized pricing model saved a game that was, at best, ignored and assumed to be on the ash heap of MMO history.
That is the lesson for MMOs trying to break into the market. DDO was a good game that no one played because it originally followed the WoW model. Now that it's free, there are enough people seeing how the game is and they like it. They like it so much that suddenly DDO is financially successful.
The problem was not DDO the game. It was it's pricing model. A good game will stay obscure if not enough of a community exists to make the game fun, and to spread the word.
No. The major problem with the original DDO was its forced grouping. Having been in at launch(original) I can tell you that for a fact. Having to spend a good part of ones limited play time Looking For Group was what kept it a niche game. That is obviously one of the lessons you missed in this parable. It had very little to do with the price, and MUCH to to do with the forced grouping. As for the new version, I'd not know. You see I'm one of those who can't run it due to constant BSOD 116 errors. Its a conflict with one of Nvidias sub driver modules. Its been that way for months and months. That and LOTRO(also Turbine) are the only games that do not run on my system. If you check the forums and other such, I'm hardly the only one with that problem. Having reported it multiple times, and received no support, I simply shrugged and moved on. |
|
Originally posted by Wraithone
People in glass houses shouldn't throw comments about "clones". Runes of Magic, for instance, was panned as a WoW clone, but it is far far more distinct from WoW than Alganon is. |
|
Originally posted by PhelimReagh
I doubt a different pricing model will help them. The niche market they are aiming for is hardly influenced by the price of the product. They need to make their product more outstanding IMO. Signs at the moment are not looking good. However, when they change the pricing model now, it will be seen as a defeat and an indication for the fact that they do no longer believe in their own product. -- |
|
Originally posted by Banquetto
People in glass houses shouldn't throw comments about "clones". Runes of Magic, for instance, was panned as a WoW clone, but it is far far more distinct from WoW than Alganon is.
I've played RoM. Its dual class system is interesting(warrior/knight), but I REALLY did not like the boss class mobs that roam through outside quest areas, with long aggro ranges, which can one to two shot players in that areas level range. |
|
Originally posted by Cochran1
|
|
|
I had high hopes for this game, but after playing the beta for a while I've realized that it really, really is not anywhere near ready for release. Furthermore, I honestly don't see how the developers could possibly think that it's worth anything close to a full retail price at this point. In 6 months to a year, when things are more polished and features implemented, sure. But right now it's just a clone of a WoW clone with almost nothing to set it apart from the masses. To those whom choose to support it out of the gate, I honestly do wish you the best of luck. The game does have potential, and if you've got the money to spare, it might be worth it in the long run. I for one don't have the luxury of spending money on potential, I need a good, solid product right out of the gate, and Alganon just doesn't deliver that. In my opinion, of course. |
|
Originally posted by Rednecksith
Then by that definition, you should be playing WoW or some such. Very few MMO's are "good solid" right at launch. Its simply the nature of the beast(shrug). I have Alganon pre ordered. I believe in supporting companies like QO, as thats the only way we are ever going to get different options. |
|
|
According to developers, this game should be "unique"...At current stage it is just another WoW like game. The aspects, which should make this game special are not implemented and there are some f2p games, which are just better. The pricing of this game is too high in compare to current content. For me it doesn' t matter who makes this game. I want quality for money I pay. |
|
Originally posted by jawali
Then resign yourself to the same old, same old. Because if enough people take your approach, thats all we are going to see. |
|
Originally posted by Wraithone
Then resign yourself to the same old, same old. Because if enough people take your approach, thats all we are going to see.
I see that you are just Alganons fanboy/ fangirl...It is really hard talk to such people using arguments... I wrote that I am disappointed int his game cause of content and pricing (cause of lack of many features) and that game is not "unique" asi is should be...Which of things I wrote are not true? |
|
Originally posted by jawali
I see that you are just Alganons fanboy/ fangirl...It is really hard talk to such people using arguments... I wrote that I am disappointed int his game cause of content and pricing (cause of lack of many features) and that game is not "unique" asi is should be...Which of things I wrote are not true?
If you simply must troll, at least make an attempt to be subtle... I'm not at all interested in "unique" games. They tend to be ill conceived and implimented poorly. Just about anyone who saw the original design of Dave Allens first game(before he was back stabbed) would be a "fan kiddie" as you so charmingly phrase it. The foundation of the game is well laid out. I'm curious to see how far he can expand it from there. I'm more than willing to support QO while they are in that process. Anyone who expects WoW's current polish and feature set from a new company is unrealistic, and bound to be endlessly disappointed by just about any game. |
|
|
But if they don't aspire to do something unique, and they don't aspire to do the familiar better than the people who are already doing it - what are they aspiring to do, that I should be willing to buy? |
|
Originally posted by Banquetto
Better takes time/money. WoW didn't launch with almost 12 million players, two expansions and 5 years of content. Who said they don't aspire to do the familiar better? |
|
Originally posted by Wraithone
Better takes time/money. WoW didn't launch with almost 12 million players, two expansions and 5 years of content. Who said they don't aspire to do the familiar better?
No wow didnt launch with 12 millions acounts, and it had serious server issues, but the game itself was polish and fluid. Something Alganon dosent have, at least for now. People can flame against blizzard but for what i know blizzard always polish they game before release it. |
|
Originally posted by Silok
No wow didnt launch with 12 millions acounts, and it had serious server issues, but the game itself was polish and fluid. Something Alganon dosent have, at least for now. People can flame against blizzard but for what i know blizzard always polish they game before release it.
I started WoW in late beta. I'm painfully aware of the issues you mention in the first year. But all things considered it was a good launch, and WoW is a good game, all the way up to level cap. But keep in mind that at WoWs launch, Blizzard had already had the experience from all of the warcraft games, starcraft and diablo. They also had a *huge* amount of money behind them. That allows a degree of polish thats unrealistic to expect from new companies. I'm willing to give QO a chance to see how they do going forward. |
|
Originally posted by Wraithone Considering that Blizzard delayed their launch for over a year then their product was not finished on time... saying that much of its success was due to this delay and producing a more polished game. Perhaps other games such as Alganon might want to learn from this. Alganon has many qualities that are promising, but I would prefer to see a few more months put into ironing out any bugs before releasing, especially if they are going to charge their subscription. |
|
Originally posted by haratu
My thoughts exactly, people who are buying the game right now are well aware of the fact that there going to be paying for a beta. But when a company dosen't even tell you that alot of features won't be in at launch and asks for money for pre orders where also giving huge bonuses to 1 year players, something unethical is going on. |
|
Originally posted by Gabby-air
My thoughts exactly, people who are buying the game right now are well aware of the fact that there going to be paying for a beta. But when a company dosen't even tell you that alot of features won't be in at launch and asks for money for pre orders where also giving huge bonuses to 1 year players, something unethical is going on.
Not in the least. Anyone who has any experience in dealing with MMO's should know by this late stage of the game what is involved. MMO's are some of the most complex software suites in existence. NO ONE does it all right the first time out. There WILL be problems, and there will be delays in adding features. One of the major initial problems is that everything takes longer to impliment properly than it looked like going in. Also keep in mind that time very much is money. Companies that aren't sitting on huge piles of money like Blizzard and some of the other major corporation backed games can't afford to add everything at launch that they would have liked to. It all comes down to a matter of belief, and what one wants from a game. I believe in Dave Allen's vision for the game. I also believe that he will do his very best to make the game conform to that vision. I'm willing to invest my money in the game to give him the time to do so. I want to be in at the start of something that could well turn out to be a source of continuing entertainment for years and years to come. Many of us who are supporting him feel the same way. In return, those who do support him and his efforts are receiving some reward. There is nothing unethical in the least about that. |
|
Much of the F2P Asian imports I've played over the last year have pretty much been cookie cutter clones. Heavy on the cash shops and VERY heavy on the grind. They also continue the typical Asian obsession with poorly designed PvP. Which of course doesn't do all that well in the west. Talk about people who just don't get it...
