"You really need to start being less condescending especially since most people being happy with tiered pricing is implicit in what you said. You said "Happy people don't post about being happy!" Which means the people posting on the forums are the unhappy ones. Then you said "Further, forums are not typically a good representation of a games total population." Since it's common knowledge that vocal forum posters are the minority of any player base and since you bring this up in a conversation about tiered pricing, anyone can see why I would come to the logical conclusion you are saying most people are happy with tiered pricing."

I never stated that A = B and B = C so I disagree with what you think I implied, A = C. I have NO clue how most people feel about the pricing. My point of contention with you is that, I feel you are using very weak point to try to make a case against tiered pricing. You are not presenting a concern. You have decided you don't like tiered pricing and are trying to make that case. I am condescending because you seem to here what you want to hear, despite what I have actually written. I also just like to argue with people, it's good practice for me.

"What exactly is your stance on this topic? Do you think simutronics will be successful and have no problems with tiered pricing based on your previous experience with them? If so, that's an assumption. You are assuming things like I am assuming things."

As I said in a earlier post, I would prefer to pay less but I am not making judgments on tiered pricing until I know what that entails. Huge assumptions on my part, sorry :/

"Claiming I am making assumptions doesn't invalidate my argument like you seem to think it does. For like the fourth time: My "assumptions" are backed up by facts I know about previous simutronics games and actual testimonies by people that have played simutronics games with tiered pricing."

Again, ignoring what I typed! Yes, I said you were making assumption. Then I went on to point out how those assumptions are weak. Further, I pointed out how your "facts" are weak. This isn't TV where you get away with picking and choosing a sound bite of what I typed to make your point. You must take the whole of what I said, or I will call you on it. As for your facts. It does not mean you have a strong case just because you can find an example of someone that is unhappy. There are people that smoke their entire life and never get cancer. Does that mean the tobacco companies should be able to claim that smoking can't possible cause cancer? Just look at Bob over there, he smokes and look ... no cancer! I'd say that is rather weak and I bet you would agree.

"I want simutronics to be just as successful as you do. I don't think you understand that. I am not attacking them. Another thing I know is that the current one price pricing scheme works great for mmorpgs. It's a proven and effective way to sell them. Tered pricing for a big budget mmorpg hasn't been proven to not hurt sales or gameplay experiences. Thats what I'm saying."

This isn't about Simu and the success of HJ. Again, you are reading more into this than what I am saying. I know, it's human nature to try and derive more out of what someone is saying and I really shouldn't nitpick at your for it. So what do I think about tiered pricing? I guess I think that dollars drive innovation and I hope that Simu can maximize their profits and use those profits to continue to innovate. I also hope all those GM's working for fee have a chance to get paid some money, Simu employees feel comfortable and secure in their jobs, Simu hires more people (it's just good for the economy), etc ... I would love to have an inexpensive game to play but, not at a cost to others or innovation.

"Bad example. Why not go to a one price model that's slightly higher than basic so everyone can have all the perks?"

::Groan:: I was not trying to solve a "perceived" problem. I was presenting a situation that might cause the "happy" people to become unhappy and post how they like tiered pricing and want it back.

This is, honestly, my biggest concern as well.

I left DragonRealms in 02, after playing it since before the switch to the web, so about since '96 or '97. I loved it, but ultimately left because I was sick of the pricing. They took every advantage to "tax" the players with extra costs. Want a house? Extra cost. Want to get married? Extra cost. Want to participate in a massive in-game event that affects everyone in the game (except you if you don't pay)? Extra cost. Want to cheat? Extra cost. Want an image of yourself in the game when someone looks at you? Extra cost.

I know that currently, many of the extra costs are reduced or are in-game fees. Good. But for a long time they were highly expensive. I remember someone paying over $250 to get married in the game. And while having an extra server for cheaters seemed appropriate, I think it just should have been a server choice or not at all (if you think about it, it's the opposite of MMOs, where the RPers are sent to a different server and cheating is the norm.)

I understand that it's hard for a text-based game to survive these days, and I understand that they have a low playerbase, but they also have lower production costs and lower content costs, so they are charging $15 a month plus $2 a character is just greedy. Not to mention the whole Fallen and Platinum membership tiers.

While I could pay $75 a month for a game... I won't. Not unless this is a virtual reality game.  I love games, I've been playing games since I was a kid - in fact, DR was my first online game, but I cannot play a game that encourages out-of-world wealth to rule. A game should be a place where everyone starts out the same and becomes wealthy, powerful or famous based on their gaming skills, NOT their real-world pocket.

Bottom line: tiered pricing and overcharging for every single droplet of content will make me avoid this game like the plague. ( Expansion packs are understandable... to a point. I'm looking at you, EQ. )

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Originally posted by jgankum
You are not presenting a concern. You have decided you don't like tiered pricing and are trying to make that case.

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Interesting. Thanks for telling me what I am doing and thinking. What I actually HAVE decided is that I have my doubts about tiered pricing being worth the RISK when a one-price scheme is proven to work.

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Originally posted by jgankum
"Claiming I am making assumptions doesn't invalidate my argument like you seem to think it does. For like the fourth time: My "assumptions" are backed up by facts I know about previous simutronics games and actual testimonies by people that have played simutronics games with tiered pricing."

Again, ignoring what I typed! Yes, I said you were making assumption. Then I went on to point out how those assumptions are weak. Further, I pointed out how your "facts" are weak. This isn't TV where you get away with picking and choosing a sound bite of what I typed to make your point. You must take the whole of what I said, or I will call you on it. As for your facts. It does not mean you have a strong case just because you can find an example of someone that is unhappy. There are people that smoke their entire life and never get cancer.

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Look. I've formed an opinion based on research of the topic (try the official forums where knowledgeable people break down whether or not tiered pricing is actually even better financially). You don't even have an opinion on the topic ("not making judgements [yet]"). You are just arguing with me for the sake of arguing ("it's good practice."). It's a waste of both of our time. If you want to just try to attack my argument because it delights you, seriously find something better to do. My facts and assumptions are weak? that's your argument? Congratulations, you disagree with me. I am expressing doubts and pointing out possible flaws in tiered pricing since this is a debate about pricing and I think it's important for people to know that using it could be a mistake.

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Originally posted by jgankum
"I want simutronics to be just as successful as you do. I don't think you understand that. I am not attacking them. Another thing I know is that the current one price pricing scheme works great for mmorpgs. It's a proven and effective way to sell them. Tered pricing for a big budget mmorpg hasn't been proven to not hurt sales or gameplay experiences. Thats what I'm saying."

This isn't about Simu and the success of HJ.

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Really? I'll let you decide what this open conversation is about then. You seem awfully defensive of them for not having an opinion though.

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Originally posted by jgankum
"Bad example. Why not go to a one price model that's slightly higher than basic so everyone can have all the perks?"

::Groan:: I was not trying to solve a "perceived" problem. I was presenting a situation that might cause the "happy" people to become unhappy and post how they like tiered pricing and want it back.

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People don't like things taken away from them. Angry people saying they want tiered pricing back so they can have their perks again would in no way mean that tiered pricing is a good system. It wouldn't even necessarily mean they LIKED tiered pricing. They could just want their stuff back. A less biased situation would be allowing people to choose between tiered or a slightly higher than normal single price for the same perks, since that is a main point of our argument.

"Interesting. Thanks for telling me what I am doing and thinking. What I actually HAVE decided is that I have my doubts about tiered pricing being worth the RISK when a one-price scheme is proven to work."

I already stated in a prior post that, that was my opinion of what you were doing. I did not feel the need to state that again.

"I am expressing doubts and pointing out possible flaws in tiered pricing since this is a debate about pricing and I think it's important for people to know that using it could be a mistake."

If you really want debate, why don't you comment on my thoughts about innovation. You keep passing right by them during this discussion. I would be willing to bet that much of the reason you even get the chance to play HJ is due to the tiered pricing of their current games. Without that extra revienew do you think this would even be possible? Do you think it would be as good? People cost money, skill cost money, innovation cost money, but people like you SEEM to want it all for free. Give me a break and stop thinking about yourself so much.

"Really? I'll let you decide what this open conversation is about then. You seem awfully defensive of them for not having an opinion though."

My discussion with you was focused on the way you present your arguments. Not about Simu success or failure. So YEA, Really!

"People don't like things taken away from them. Angry people saying they want tiered pricing back so they can have their perks again would in no way mean that tiered pricing is a good system. It wouldn't even necessarily mean they LIKED tiered pricing. They could just want their stuff back. A less biased situation would be allowing people to choose between tiered or a slightly higher than normal single price for the same perks, since that is a main point of our argument."

Again, I think your trying to fix what you think is a problem. I just want to test a theory. In testing a theory you change as few variables as possible. That's why I suggest keeping the basic people the same and taking away the premium benefits. What you propose changes both groups with the greater effect being placed on the basic users. That just does not work for what I wanted to test.

Look, I am really not trying to be all that mean or condescending. I'm just well ... blunt and I do like to argue, as I pointed out. Disagreements, especially in text are tough. We don't get a sense of tone or inflection from the other person, so we miss a lot in the conversation. Then their is the fact that our language severely inhibits communication. People get mad, mean things get said, it happens all the time and with the safety of the Internet I bet it happens even more.

If you want to keep this up, well thats cool with me. I would ask that you start to comment about innovation, salaries for developers, IT staff, marketing, burn rates, infrastructure, co-location facility cost, etc ... This shit just ain't cheep. At the end of the day if you get a great game and someone else gets access to that same great game with more vault space, more outfits, more types of pets, but nothing that changes actual character development balance .... don't you think you would be happy to be playing that great game? It's almost like you think that every extra dollar from a premium account goes right into David W's pocket (Sorry David, cant remember your last name at the moment). I believe that those extra dollars end up benefiting everyone that plays the game; though better innovation, skilled developers, more developers, faster content production, etc ...

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Originally posted by jgankum
My discussion with you was focused on the way you present your arguments.

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So now that we've officially established you haven't been focusing on the topic I've been trying to discuss but on critiquing the way I present my arguments, I'm sure you won't mind me moving on to people actually in the "pricing" thread to discuss their opinions on pricing. You seem like a smart guy, so let's just say you win the argument you were having. If you feel like taking a side and actually respectfully debating the pros and cons of tiered pricing, let me know. Otherwise, I'm really not interested in discussing things with you further.

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Originally posted by Archaos

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Originally posted by jgankum
My discussion with you was focused on the way you present your arguments.

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So now that we've officially established you haven't been focusing on the topic I've been trying to discuss but on critiquing the way I present my arguments, I'm sure you won't mind me moving on to people actually in the "pricing" thread to discuss their opinions on pricing. You seem like a smart guy, so let's just say you win the argument you were having. If you feel like taking a side and actually respectfully debating the pros and cons of tiered pricing, let me know. Otherwise, I'm really not interested in discussing things with you further.

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LoL. I guess you did not read my whole post. Go figure.

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Originally posted by jgankum
Sorry, but you do pay $20 more to get the Monopoly set with crystal peices or the special edition sets etc...

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Where the hell do you live? You want cable, pay 20 bucks. You want digital pay 40 bucks, High Def pay 50! You want options on your car, pay. Bigger seats, faster service, better service. Pay pay pay. I dont get penis envy just because my neighbor has digital tv. I just become his frind and watch at his house. That whole "elitest" arguement is just crap.

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You have no clue about markets and how they drive prices. You think MMOG's are different than any other market in the "free" world? It's time for you to wake up and smell the capitolism.

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Originally posted by xDivianaDRx
In DR and GS, having a higher priced account doesn't get you ANYTHING that benefits your character so you level faster, or any special items. (alterations do not count, because non premie can get items altered too)

There are lots of convieniences, like owning a house, or closer hunting areas, or more vault space, but none of that makes your character physically better than another. They're mostly just bragging rights.

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And you can argue that closer hunting grounds can make a difference, but most people just "move" to the area they need to hunt at until they are done there. There is still a community around, and there isn't anything permanently disabling them. They can also travel back to their "home" city if they want to, and at the MOST it will take a few hours, but mostly a few minutes.

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I however would pay more for a really good rp server. Not much, but enough to discourage those who really don't wanna rp.

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Originally posted by xDivianaDRx
The only reason I EVER wanted to go premie was because of the houses and extra vault space..

And I STILL don't have a house. Isn't that sad?

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Originally posted by jgankum
As I said in a earlier post, I would prefer to pay less but I am not making judgments on tiered pricing until I know what that entails. Huge assumptions on my part, sorry :/

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If paying more affects gameplay in even the slightest way (closer hunting grounds, houses, bragging rights, etc.) then I will not be a happy camper. Depending on how much it affects the game, I might not even play. If there is an elite server, then I won't care because I won't be on it.

So far, I have heard that we will be able to get player houses, and that we will be able to get guild halls, and we will be able to get private guild hunting grounds. They have never said that these will be only for those who have deeper pockets.

Also, it was Melissa who said that having tier pricing was something she'd like to have in HJ, but she is leaving Simutronics soon, and we still haven't heard anyone else's stance on the matter.

I can cut the tension in here with a knife.

This thread is getting out of hand in every board out there

You get what you pay for.

I can see the headlines now, " Simu fans clash on the street in a bloody riot concerning speculation of pricing for a game called Hero's Journey " 3 Dead, 27 injured

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Originally posted by Shroom_Mage

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Originally posted by jgankum
Sorry, but you do pay $20 more to get the Monopoly set with crystal peices or the special edition sets etc...

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Okay, well, your Monopoly analogy is terrible. MisterJaw was saying that one player doesn't pay extra for an advantage. Your example is closer to saying that you pay more for EQ2 than EQ.

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Where the hell do you live? You want cable, pay 20 bucks. You want digital pay 40 bucks, High Def pay 50! You want options on your car, pay. Bigger seats, faster service, better service. Pay pay pay. I dont get penis envy just because my neighbor has digital tv. I just become his frind and watch at his house. That whole "elitest" arguement is just crap.

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This sounds kind of elitist to me. "Where the hell do you live?" That almost sounds like a way of saying, "You must be poor." This argument is also invalid because you can't go watch your neighbor's proverbial TV. They paid for better content and you didn't. There's no sharing.

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You have no clue about markets and how they drive prices. You think MMOG's are different than any other market in the "free" world? It's time for you to wake up and smell the capitolism.

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This topic was comparing the pricing of most MMORPG's to the pricing of Simutronic's text-based games. You're not paying attention. Other successful MMORPG's all follow the same pricing standards, and we were discussing/worrying/complaining about whether or not HJ will.

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Thanks for taking over, lol. I don't think you'll have much luck getting through though. Five bucks says he critiques the way you argue or claims you didn't read what he wrote thoroughly enough.

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Originally posted by Shroom_Mage
If paying more affects gameplay in even the slightest way (closer hunting grounds, houses, bragging rights, etc.) then I will not be a happy camper. Depending on how much it affects the game, I might not even play. If there is an elite server, then I won't care because I won't be on it.

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That pretty much sums up how I feel too.

   I took twenty minutes to type out a huge post... My ISP disconnected me... I hate those sons of bitches...

   Anyway, it basicly said "Archaos=Good, jgankum=Bad". I'll put some of the other stuff on here.

   They shouldn't make you buy additional character slots to have more than one character. If they want to do that, they should start you off at four slots. I mean, with a character creation system like this, you'll want people to play around with it.

   Also, I don't think they should have tiered pricing. If they have some premium thing, I won't be able to get it. I most likely won't even buy the game(And I really want to play this) if they do that.

   The seperate RP server that you pay more for doesn't really sit right with me. I mean, they should have RP servers and if you want to RP, you go to them. If someone doesn't want to RP, they can stay off those servers. If someone is a part-time RPer, this's where you'd want more than one character.

   I'm what some people would call an "Altoholic".

   Now, excuse me while I go slap the hell out of my ISP.

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Originally posted by Shroom_Mage

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Originally posted by xDivianaDRx
In DR and GS, having a higher priced account doesn't get you ANYTHING that benefits your character so you level faster, or any special items. (alterations do not count, because non premie can get items altered too)

There are lots of convieniences, like owning a house, or closer hunting areas, or more vault space, but none of that makes your character physically better than another. They're mostly just bragging rights.

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Conveniences equate to less time wasted on things like moving from Point A to Point B. To most MMORPG players, time = experience. Bragging rights can also lead to to elitist additudes, especially in MMORPG's.

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And you can argue that closer hunting grounds can make a difference, but most people just "move" to the area they need to hunt at until they are done there. There is still a community around, and there isn't anything permanently disabling them. They can also travel back to their "home" city if they want to, and at the MOST it will take a few hours, but mostly a few minutes.

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Huh? A few hours? Hours, minutes, it doesn't really matter anyway. Time is time. This is how MMORPG players view it:
time = experience
experience = power
more money = more time (because less is "wasted" travelling)
money = power
If you pay more, then you'll be more powerful in the longrun.

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I however would pay more for a really good rp server. Not much, but enough to discourage those who really don't wanna rp.

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I like to RP, but I wouldn't want to pay extra for it. At the same time, though, I can understand this argument. As long as there's no difference to the gameplay, then I don't have a problem.

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Originally posted by xDivianaDRx
The only reason I EVER wanted to go premie was because of the houses and extra vault space..

And I STILL don't have a house. Isn't that sad?

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So what you're saying is that you payed extra for something that you never even got. That doesn't sound like a good idea to me. Oh, and a house (if it has any function other than just appearance) and extra vault space are advantages. Don't you think that being able to store a larger variety of weapons and items is an advantage?

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Okay, let me start off with.. I'm feeling particularly female so if I sound mean, it's hormones not me.

So first we'll cover time. The hunting grounds are not that much more convenient than the regular ones. The only difference is a couple of minutes if you travel over the ferries or gondola. In DR we use scripts, which will automatically get you to your destination, and they're extremely fast. You can travel around the world in a matter of a few minutes if you desired, excluding the islands which can take a lot longer, but again, there isn't a replacement for those hunting areas.

Also, I could brag about anything. I could brag that I spend all my time hunting, so my thief could kick the butt of thieves 10 levels higher than I am. But I don't. I don't really care. I hunt because I love hunting, and the sneakiness I get from being a thief. If someone is going to have an elitist attitude, it's because that is just how they are. Some people just like to be jerks and try to make others feel bad. I try really hard to do just the opposite of that. I try to always help people I see that need help, I try to make people feel good about themselves.

Another thing I guess you don't understand about DR is that we HAVE to have downtime, otherwise we don't learn anything from training. Here's how I hunt when I do. I kill about five to ten gargoyles, leave the hunting area, sit around or train perception or pop my boxes if I have enough, and then I go hunt again when the mindlock goes away. We can't constantly kill things, because the skill just won't learn, and if I kept trying anyway, it would slow the learning of EVERYTHING I was trying to train..

You shouldn't have to pay more to RP.. but we need a good way to discourage those who are just there to ruin it for everyone else.. And the only way I have seen that would effectively accomplish that is to pay more for a rp server. That would also cover the cost of the extra GMs to help enforce the rules there.

And last but not least, I never got a house in DR because you have to be a premium member for a minimum of three months, and seeing as how I quit for the past two years (not by my choice, for other reasons), and now I've been playing for ten days, I can't get a house. Besides that I can't really afford it in the game because I get arrested like five times a day and I'm paying 2 gold fines each time.. Which I need to stop doing.. And a house can't really store anything, it's just for looks or um.. adult stuff..... but you could go to an inn if that's what you really wanted... And you get I think 95 spaces in your vault with a basic account. Premium is only 120 items I think.. (25 more) Most people don't have that much stuff.. And if they do, they just pay the 2 bucks for a mule to use their vault space.. Besides that, most of the stuff in my vault is junk. I have so much crap that I can't throw away because I'm a pack rat, that it's not funny.

Anyway, yes I understand a graphical game will be somewhat different, and that's why I'm more for my idea of being able to pick the specific "bonuses" you want for your account.. If you want a house, pay another 2 a month, or if you want premium hunting areas, pay another dollar.. It would be pick and choose, and it would be affordable to get the bonuses you really want. If you wanted the whole pack, then you could just add them all in.. and if you just wanted a couple, well you could do that.. And I feel everyone would be more satisfied because they could get what they want.

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Anyway, yes I understand a graphical game will be somewhat different, and that's why I'm more for my idea of being able to pick the specific "bonuses" you want for your account.. If you want a house, pay another 2 a month, or if you want premium hunting areas, pay another dollar.. It would be pick and choose, and it would be affordable to get the bonuses you really want. If you wanted the whole pack, then you could just add them all in.. and if you just wanted a couple, well you could do that.. And I feel everyone would be more satisfied because they could get what they want.

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Tiered pricing and hard zone borders are really the only two barriers to entry this game has for me. Most of the features that have been disclosed seem as if they were built specifically to fulfill my desires, but those remaining barriers are very difficult to overcome. I know I can overcome the hard zone borders if they're implemented decently (DAoC did it very well, EQ2 did it horribly), but tiered pricing...I don't know if I can really quantify how much of a turn-off that is to me other than to say it's entirely possible I'll skip this game altogether because of it.

Business is business, so I won't complain if Simtronics finds tiered pricing to be the best option for them; I will most likely, however, quietly find a game that has a more traditional pricing model to play (even if that game has fewer desirable features). If the entire industry switched to tiered pricing, I'd very probably go back to playing MUDs, or perhaps I'd leave online gaming altogether. This is largely due to the perceived "have and have not" environment tiered pricing can create. I suppose it's also a psychological thing, though. I'm pefectly happy to buy an expansion pack once a year, because that's a one-time charge. An increase in monthly expenses hits me every time I pay my bills, however, and that has a cumulative effect on my perception of the game. I'd go so far as to say that I'd be happier paying an extra $20 a year on an expansion pack than I would be paying an extra $15 a year on monthly charges. Go figure.

I suppose a lot will depend on how Simutronics implements this, much like the hard zone borders. Tiered pricing is absolutely the largest obstacle standing between me and a monthly subscription to this game instead of one of its competitors, though. The only power a consumer has is the power to walk away from a transaction, and tiered pricing is potentially all the motivation I'll need to do exactly that.

(Again, I offer this just as feedback, not as a "do it my way or else!" post. I'll certainly understand if the game goes in a direction that's more profitable with a different sort of pricing model for a different class of gamer.)

Still waiting for those of you claiming you want to debate, to respond to the questions I ask in my last few post. Each one of you has skipped past them, every time I have brought them up. I still maintain most of you sound more concerned about yourselves and your feelings, ignoring the potential "greater good" benifits I have suggested.

For me, there is no debate. If their is tiered pricing and it's out of my price range comfort zone the game can go to hell. Regardless of whether it's the best game ever made or not.
I'm personally very excited about HJ but with this new speculation I'm a little nervous now. I know we don't have any info (on almost anything about the game including pricing) so my final opinion will be withheld until such a time as the info is available.
About the most I'd go for an online game is $20 bucks a month, even then it's pushing it.
Personally the "greater good" means little to me. I know if the company makes money that better things usually come of it. On the other hand I don't feel I need to personally finance their endeavors out of my own pocket buy paying rediculous amounts of money for extra features that a somewhat lesser game may include in a normal price scheme.
From the posts here I see there are quite a few who have no problem with tiered price schemes and more power to you. I for one am not a supporter of it obviously. Simply put, tiered pricing usually means that the company is going to over charge for the service. As an example, all the cable modem providers are fighting for just this type of plan. Tiered pricing will allow them to charge more for the services than what a flat rate would. My ISP right now, if that tiered pricing plan goes into effect would raise my current service $20 because somehow they feel it will offer more, when it doesn't. I think tiered systems are just greed based actually.
On another issue. I think a previous poster pointed out something very important. Most current MMO players are used to a flat rate for their game. So I can play a couple games (like I am now) for $30 a month. I allow myself about $30 - $40 bucks a month for online gaming but it needs to be that only for multiple games. I already gave my max price point for one game a month ($20)
I hope the info on pricing comes out before the game does (that's usually the case) and it's clear how they are going to impliment the tiered scheme (if they do).
If it's out of me and my friends price range. I'll be very disappointed but I'll just move on to another game. Not like their isn't a flood of fantasy MMO choking the MMO world at the moment.

edit: spelling....

Man, this is certainly a heated debate.

I think I agree with those who are opposed to tired pricing. And that is that.

Just kidding. New to the online pay every month thing. But I can see why it is needed. Very expensive for staff and servers. Every company has a business plan that includes a budget. So I really can not see why the monthly fee has to be anything but a flat rate for everyone. Everyone start on an even playing field.

I agree that no one likes to go up to a place and see a sign that says only people without long hair can come in. "Long haired freaky people need not apply". It sounds like a way to build racism into the game. But if it works in their other games then maybe it will work here.

And under no circumstances is anyone allowed to respond to my post and berate me for saying that the developers are racists. You know darned well that that isn't what I said. I actually said that they are Nazis. 

But I will once again go on the record as saying that everyone should start on an even playing field. Even preorder frills are basically meaningless. You get boots of fancy smancy ever so slightly faster running that within a few levels have become obsolete. But building in content that all who pay more money can solely use is hanging out that country club sign. Think we will be able to work as caddies at least...? LOL

This seems like a strange decision for a company that seems to be trying to do away with a lot of the things in MMOGs that pull people apart.

I would rather pay 20 where everybody pays 20, than 15 for having a special treatment just because I can afford it.
Really... I love HJ and the ideas behind it, but I'm shocked to discover that such an unfair payment method will be implemented; in my opinion it doesn't match with what should be a truely immersive and RPG-oriented experience. It's totally going to ruin the atmosphere and all (at least for me).
Is there any possibility you will rethink it?

p.s.: I'm new here, ciao a tutti

I think this is getting a little out of hand.

As far as I know (I might be wrong) they may and they may not put in tiered pricing.

If they do not, I would think the price of the game might be a little more expensive than if they didn't, to help cover the costs that the tiered pricing would have paid for. Of course that could be wrong too.

I like tiered pricing, not because it makes people better than others, but because it allows more for the game as a whole. Tiered pricing means more GMs and more GMs means more content, more events, and more customer service.

(Wow my cat is clumsy)

So anyway, what I'm trying to say is, I don't know what the plan is. And don't let that scare you away because for all we know, it can go either way.

I'd prefer to see a flat fee, its what people have come to expect of a modern MMO and it doesn't leave those poor (literally) sod's like me feeling that they're missing out on half of the game becuase we can't justify the extra's.

Like I say I'd prefer an all or nothing approach over a haves and have nots model.

Another thing to consider here is the history of paying real-life money for extras in MMORPGs. Buying in-game money or items with real-life money is a controversial thing that's against the EULA of most games, but happens on a large scale anyway. Despite that, most people dislike it; players like me loathe the idea of that kind of cheating, which harms the game (through professional gold-farming and duping that harm the game's economy) and gives people things they didn't earn; and even a lot of the people who do pay for that consider it a necessary evil to stay competitive, but would rather that they didn't "have to". Because of this, even though Simu's scheme will almost certainly be nothing like that, I think a tiered pricing plan is likely to inherit a stigma among MMO gamers, that might not exist among their existing MUD players.

I, personally, would be willing to spend more under certain conditions, but the problem wouldn't be the money itself. For me, the distinction comes at the point of whether the higher pricing gives a material advantage over other players. I like the cosmetic frills that commonly come with MMO Collector's Editions (like exclusive clothing) and I'd be happy to spend a little extra for a properly moderated RP server, but I wouldn't want a more expensive subscription to carry more tangible benefits. If I bought them, I'd feel like it was cheating, and if I didn't, I'd feel like I was missing out.