This week, MMORPG.com's Jon Wood uses his column to comment on three news stories this week. First, Cryptic's addition of bridges to Star Trek Online, then on to a possible Call of Duty MMO and Aventurine's Community Publishing Program.

This week, there were a few topics that I wanted to cover, so rather than presenting a single, coherent thought in this week’s column, I thought I’d break it up into smaller, bite-sized chunks for your reading pleasure. Welcome to the ramblings of my mind. Don’t pay any attention to the upside down clown weeping in the corner:

Star Trek Online Bridges

Last week, I came down pretty hard on the folks at Cryptic for their cross promotion of Star Trek Online with their Champions Online lifetime subscriptions. This week though, I’m happy to be able to actually applaud the STO dev team for their recent decision to include interior bridges in the launch version of the game.

Read Wood: Bridges, Cash for Players and CoDO.

I really don't see how anyone can see the referral program of Aventurines as negative.  It's the same old referral program with a twist.  It's better for the players and that's what matters.  Outsiders who use this program then become players who have their own opportunity to profit.

Sounds like a indie company who may not have the funding for advertisement, to pay people around the world to do it.

I do not see how it hurts or why you would think it as a negative for a indie company to do this.

Hmmm... were you guys paid to say that?

***see the problem?***

Originally posted by dterry

Hmmm... were you guys paid to say that?

 

***see the problem?***

Still don't see a problem. You say that as if before this article everyone could be trusted to give objective non-partisan input on anything at any time on the internet. Everyone has an angle. If you're the kind of player who would buy an mmo and pay a sub without researching on your own you might be given pause to worry about someone's opinion on the matter. I really can't see anyone on this website not at least checking a few sources out before jumping into a new game. 

I think the point of the article was that AV's player incentive idea is weird.   It's too early to judge whether it's good or bad or even effective, but however it turns out, it is weird.   

That's not a necessarily a bad thing, innovation often seems strange at first.   But Darkfall's already had a bizarre development history and Devs who seem to thrive on controversy and doing even more stuff like this to further add to that reputation could either help or hurt the game.   Like I said, it's too early to tell.

But it is weird.  

AVs incentive makes perfect sense and here's why:

It gets people who don't want to even play the game to help advertise it. They don't have to rely on their small player base to advertise the game, anyone who wants some money can advertise it and get a cut. It's the same thing online poker sites have done since their inception. Every person recruited you get x percentage of the money from the rake they produce. You don't even have to have a poker account or play, just advertise and get people to sign up.

But overall it makes the company look bad in my opinion, and if I were to ever play this game (which I wouldn't) I'd do what I usually do for all online products. I click a link that looks interesting and then if I want to buy it I load the homepage of the company directly and buy it that way.

Originally posted by SnarlingWolf

AVs incentive makes perfect sense and here's why:

 

It gets people who don't want to even play the game to help advertise it. They don't have to rely on their small player base to advertise the game, anyone who wants some money can advertise it and get a cut. It's the same thing online poker sites have done since their inception. Every person recruited you get x percentage of the money from the rake they produce. You don't even have to have a poker account or play, just advertise and get people to sign up.

 

But overall it makes the company look bad in my opinion, and if I were to ever play this game (which I wouldn't) I'd do what I usually do for all online products. I click a link that looks interesting and then if I want to buy it I load the homepage of the company directly and buy it that way.

This is misinformation.  You have to have an active account to have a referral link.

Originally posted by Ruyn

Originally posted by SnarlingWolf

AVs incentive makes perfect sense and here's why:

 

It gets people who don't want to even play the game to help advertise it. They don't have to rely on their small player base to advertise the game, anyone who wants some money can advertise it and get a cut. It's the same thing online poker sites have done since their inception. Every person recruited you get x percentage of the money from the rake they produce. You don't even have to have a poker account or play, just advertise and get people to sign up.

 

But overall it makes the company look bad in my opinion, and if I were to ever play this game (which I wouldn't) I'd do what I usually do for all online products. I click a link that looks interesting and then if I want to buy it I load the homepage of the company directly and buy it that way.

 

This is misinformation.  You have to have an active account to have a referral link.

I didn't say you didn't have to have a game account I was pointing out how poker companies do a similar program.

But I wouldn't go advertise for a game that gave me more in game time if I didn't enjoy the game.

With AV you can create an account that you won't play (thus helping them) and then recruit people in to make money (thus helping both you and them). So it makes it far more likely that someone who doesn't care about the game will advertise for it, and that works out as a  win win for AV.

Which as I said in my opinion makes the company look bad.

So Jon supports a big company nickel and diming their players (Blizzard)

But is against a small company giving back to their players?

 darkfalls so popular, noone even cares about str trek online or CoD online when they share they share thew same article with Darkfall! lol

Originally posted by Papadam

So Jon supports a big company nickel and diming their players (Blizzard)

But is against a small company giving back to their players?

 

That's kind of the impression I get as well.

Originally posted by FikusOfAhazi

Originally posted by Papadam

So Jon supports a big company nickel and diming their players (Blizzard)

But is against a small company giving back to their players?

 

 

That's kind of the impression I get as well.

I'm not against it. I'm simply saying that it could be percieved as a little bit desperate. I didn't even say *I* saw it that way. I simply said that to me, it seems a bit weird. I also mention that Aventurine is known for flying in the face of conventional PR wisdom, and I actually give them kudos for doing something out of the ordinary. It's a gutsy move.

I don't think it's entirely necessary to twist my words to make them overly negative. Do I think it's a good idea? Personally, no. But like is said, I can see why the game's players would like it. 

Originally posted by Stradden

Originally posted by FikusOfAhazi

Originally posted by Papadam

So Jon supports a big company nickel and diming their players (Blizzard)

But is against a small company giving back to their players?

 

 

That's kind of the impression I get as well.

 

I'm not against it. I'm simply saying that it could be percieved as a little bit desperate. I didn't even say *I* saw it that way. I simply said that to me, it seems a bit weird. I also mention that Aventurine is known for flying in the face of conventional PR wisdom, and I actually give them kudos for doing something out of the ordinary. It's a gutsy move.

I don't think it's entirely necessary to twist my words to make them overly negative. Do I think it's a good idea? Personally, no. But like is said, I can see why the game's players would like it. 

 

Thanks for clearing that up.
 

Well I am still on the cryptic bash bandwagon.  I know folks who play in other games, none of them bought the campions online and none of them have been extended an invite to the beta program.  Some these foks did beta's for LOTRO, EQ2, SWG and other games so they are use to doing these kind of things.  Also just giving us a bridge to be social with is a cop out. With that being said im 50/50 in doing the pre order.

Now for call of duty. I dont play that fps. i don't see how that is going to work in an mmo. I do agree calling it an MMO is the buz word nowdays.

Third cash payouts to bring your friends.  This is something new we have been seing all around.  Direct TV 100 bucks to sign up a friend, I actually got 200 out of that little thing. There are other companies offerinc cash incentives.  Will it work with games, It could  I can see going out of my way to make a couple of extra hundred bucks for hitting all my friends up.

Interesting article.

Desperate? I see more desperation in MMOs with item malls trying to cash on both functional, efficiency and cosmetic addicts slapping COME PLAY FOR FREE everywhere and legal RMTs (except EVE for their interesting idea, you're not technically paying for pixels but rather a monthly subscription to trade in-game) than desperation in DF for actually paying us for referrals.

While bridges being present in STO are an interesting surprise, can't say I'm that excited considering the gameplay video. Guess a trial or open previ*cough*beta will be the key to determine if it's worth the money.

RE" ST I would expect socialization would occur in 10 Forward. That's Quark's place in TNG

RE: Money for referals. Online Poker Sites have done this for a long time. It seems to work for them

 I'm hesitant about DFO's program because it shifts the focus away from the game, and more into the real world with cold hard cash. I'm undecided if its a good thing or a bad thing. Time will tell.

Originally posted by Kaisen_Dexx

 I'm hesitant about DFO's program because it shifts the focus away from the game, and more into the real world with cold hard cash. I'm undecided if its a good thing or a bad thing. Time will tell.

It's a single level marketing scheme. I guarantee when the final details are released you have to have an active account to receive any payments. The only good thing I have to say about it is it's not a pyramid scam. It might work and they sure can't damage their business reputation any further.

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