Add a new Premium, subscription-only server (with benefits)

[qoolboxer]

Well, I guess if Turbine ever gets around to adding a 8th server, they could try to make it VIP-only to see how it goes. If it doesn't work out, just switch it back to the same as the rest. This is the "1st server: Same game, no perks, just requires a subscription to play on it." as Martell proposed. I don't ever think the 2nd type of server with benefits will ever work out - if you want bonus xp and loot, just buy the jewels from the store.

But even such a VIP-only server carries a certain risk to the F2P model - on the F2P servers, the presence of VIPs works to introduce free players to the VIP status, ie VIPs can help to convert free players to premium/VIPs. It is basically viral marketing at work.

Same thing goes for the loot jewels. Having a server where everybody gets +loot bonus isn't going to help promote the use of loot jewels. If you party with a member who uses a loot jewel and he gets better loot, you would be tempted to buy the jewels. But if everyone gets the bonus anyway, the jewels don't get sold.

[ssgcmwatson]

Having a server where everybody gets +loot bonus isn't going to help promote the use of loot jewels. If you party with a member who uses a loot jewel and he gets better loot, you would be tempted to buy the jewels. But if everyone gets the bonus anyway, the jewels don't get sold.

Unless jewels on that server would give you a +2 bonus, or some other advantage (increased % of named items, etc).

Haven't thought about it enough to decide whether or not I like the idea, but there is still room for Turbine to make $$$ on top of subscription fees at a VIP server.

[Martell]

Unless jewels on that server would give you a +2 bonus, or some other advantage (increased % of named items, etc).

This is what I had envisioned for the "pay-extra" server. It has built in bonuses that are AUGMENTED EVEN MORE by the jewel of fortune/xp boost items.

As it is, I allready use the boosters constantly - I never enter a quest without bonus xp and loot. Personally, a little extra cash is something I can easily afford. TIME, however, isn't so spendy, so I would like more bang for my buck (i.e. xp/nifty loot per unit time).

With regard to a 'subscription-only' server, with vanilla rulesets - this is just a convenience thing, where you know everyone is on the same page. Whether a person subscribes or just has purchased all the content, it doesn't matter to me - so long as there is no guesswork.

I am not the boogeyman here, I don't hate F2P players. I would just like another option - an option I am willing to pay for.

[katana_one]

Why do you need to miss them completely? Just select the quest from the list when you make your LFM and you'll only get requests from people that have access to that quest.

This. Completely fill out your LFM, and those who don't have the quest will get a giant "Buy Now" icon beside your LFM. Problem solved.

[Spiffyspiffy]

One thing that has always bugged me is... in DDO, everything is instanced. Most private, but even the public areas can spawn off multiple instances when population gets high.

So why do we have seperate servers at all?

[Martell]

This. Completely fill out your LFM, and those who don't have the quest will get a giant "Buy Now" icon beside your LFM. Problem solved.

Well, I think I am being misunderstood here. I understand how to utilize the LFM toolset, and that it will eliminate (mostly) anyone attempting to join a quest that is incapable of doing so. However its not that simple.

For instance:
Your group has formed seamlessly using the LFM tool properly and you go bang out a quest, and have a good time doing it. Naturally, your party thinks they have a good thing going and say:

"Lets do another!".
I reply. "Okay how about the sharn syndicate line."
"Well Bob doesn't have that." Charlie states.
After some consideration, I mention "I haven't done those Phiarlin Carnival quests yet, how about those?".
Obviously, Bob won't have access to that either.

Usually, in the interest of keeping a party together that is doing really well, we will skip the P2P content to go do some freebie thing - again.

Regardless, I understand that 'missing' content is something that is surmountable and is not really the point. It was just the catalyst that got me thinking about this new type of server idea.

I want to solicit input on the idea of a new, benefit-laden, pay-to-play server. I am not requesting help on how to use game features. That is not a problem.

[Razcar]

This. Completely fill out your LFM, and those who don't have the quest will get a giant "Buy Now" icon beside your LFM. Problem solved.

Not really. There's lot of content that P2P players seldom buy, and if you want to pug that, you will be waiting with your LFM for a long while. On a VIP-only server that won't be the same issue, since 100% of the players there will have access to all the content. By picking a less-run quest that is P2P on the normal servers you are catering to a small percentage of the player base, which seems to be getting smaller every day.

I don't think, if realised, this would turn into an "elite-server", since most power-gamers do not care to run these out-of-the-way quests anyway, and if they run them for favour they can rush it alone or in their guilds. But a server like that could make it easier to pug this kind of "narrow" content, if that's what you like.