Make pre-order VIP friendly?

[marios555]

As I see it the pre-order kinda sucks for VIPs since it has a bunch of packs included for 'free' http://underdark.ddo.com/

Maybe make some kind of offer for us VIPs also to pre-order ? since we can already play all those packs that are included as bonus ?

Discuss

[danotmano1998]

Agreed. The new pre-order pack isn't very VIP friendly.

Until you realize that Turbine is giving us exactly what so many people have complained about for so long.. The ability to buy packs as VIP members.

Personally, I bought the top tier. I am VIP.
Yeah, there's a lot of fluff and stuff I don't need. But I have no problem buying it now, knowing that with it I get: Lesser XP tomes for ever character I'll ever make, and now I have those adventure packs if I should have to downgrade my subscription to Premium in the future.

[patang01]

I'm VIP; I didn't buy it for the packs or pets. I bought the collector's for the other stuff.

And with those packs I'm just one step closer from dropping VIP and go premium.

No big thang.

[Yetzederixx]

I weighed it out and still bought the $80 version, but I agree that VIP's that order it should get some sort of bonus.

I could drop VIP now and have access to a majority of the Epic's I run now, Epic levels, new challenge packs, and the FR content all to run while I decide on what other packs to buy. If I had bought the 11k TP I could then get packs like Gianthold, Desert, Vale, etc that I do run and just terminated my subscription. hrm, too late now...

[Devilyna]

I had already bought many of the packs prior to going VIP. I thought, when I went VIP I was going to get something more, like oh, unlimited access to all adventures. Now, I understand that Turbine needs to make some money but evidently they don't want mine as VIP anymore. I do not want to buy a bunch of useless packs that I already own. I shouldn't HAVE to buy any new ones (this includes classes and packs).

So, DDO you may make a little more money from me as I buy all the "additions" that I want, since most of the reasons I went VIP are now available for purchase it seems to make a lot more sense to me to downgrade and quit giving you my money for a useless VIP service that no longer holds any benefit.

If you want to keep my VIP money, I suggest that you start making it worth my while. You may think oh what's one person? But I promise you that there are many more with the same opinion that I have right now.

[ssgcmwatson]

But I promise you that there are many more with the same opinion that I have right now.

I would be one of them, and there are a bunch of similar threads out there.

Turbine - I find it hard to believe that your business model includes encouraging people to stop subscribing.

[Talias006]

Going to address these two points.

I shouldn't HAVE to buy any new ones (this includes classes and packs).

Currently you do not have to buy the unreleased upcoming Druid class or the Challenges as a VIP.
Think of the new FR packs in Menace as an "Expansion," which it is.
This Expansion is about 4+ years in the making, and timed well to go in tandem with the new FR reboot as showcased by the novels.

Think about how many games normally have expansion packs to enjoy more of the game.
Don't try to compare with other F2P games, as there is no true comparison.
Unless you know of another F2P game that started out as a P2P and converted into a F2P model only to have its' first actual expansion after 6 years of waiting?

But I promise you that there are many more with the same opinion that I have right now.

This may be true, but I can promise the other side of that coin.
There will be many more who just don't care about this to have it ruin their day.

[Hafeal]

I would be one of them, and there are a bunch of similar threads out there.

Turbine - I find it hard to believe that your business model includes encouraging people to stop subscribing.

Well, after 5+ years as ViP, I finally broke the habit and went premium. Eh, slow learner, what can I say. If you are looking for Turbine to get more ViP friendly - forget it, the pattern is the exact opposite. Oh sure, they'll take your ViP money all day long but they won't give you a warm and fuzzy for it.

And, yes, the business likely shows that players spend more as premium and f2p; most players are probably not tracking their purchases over time. If the sub model was truly the 'best' revenue stream, I think we would see more lavished on it. We don't 'cause it ain't where the do re mi is.

[altrocks]

I don't think the collector's edition is really meant for VIPs anyway. It seems to be aimed at new players who are being drawn by the Fr setting and want to get to it ASAP. EXP tomes and lots of adventure packs to level quickly, plus all the little goodies. There's still plenty of room for VIP's to purchase it as well, as many have already pointed out, but I don't actually think that current players are the primary target audience for this in Turbine's eyes. I think they were assuming VIP's would buy the cheap pack just to get the new stuff since they already get most everything else. Who knew that useless little pets would be such a huge draw?

[JasonJi72]

I don't think the collector's edition is really meant for VIPs anyway. It seems to be aimed at new players who are being drawn by the Fr setting and want to get to it ASAP. EXP tomes and lots of adventure packs to level quickly, plus all the little goodies. There's still plenty of room for VIP's to purchase it as well, as many have already pointed out, but I don't actually think that current players are the primary target audience for this in Turbine's eyes. I think they were assuming VIP's would buy the cheap pack just to get the new stuff since they already get most everything else. Who knew that useless little pets would be such a huge draw?

You got it.

Turbine already implemented the one thing that will keep most hard core players VIP, which is the ability to open any difficulty and the Bravery Bonus.

I am considering buying the standard pack, since I know I won't be able to stay VIP when I return to sea duty, and I want to have Druids. For me, it is a way to buy Druids with some nice extras; mainly the new quests.

[Forgeborn]

Who knew that useless little pets would be such a huge draw?

For those with severe altholism, (20+ toons) the highest pack is awesome since it comes with free lesser xp tomes for all the babies, both old, recent, and unborn as of yet, which, if you have enough characters, it's worth it just for those.

Of course, the 'fluff' pets, free level 20 hireling that's usable by level 18+ and can be used in addition to a plat bought one, mask that gives bonus to skills, some extra TP, and the assurance that I get the FR packs when they are released, do help.

The 'packs' they so 'kindly' shoved in there, I don't like, I'm premium, but I owned all packs, bought all of them in one go without waiting for sales, to show my 'support' for turbine and DDO, I keep two accounts updated like that, and both of them cannot use those packs... luckily they're on top of the other stuff, so meh.

[Alrik_Fassbauer]

Personally, I'm a little bit surprised that VIP's don't even get a discount.
And no, I'm not VIP. I just thought that a discount would be "fair".
I'm F2P, by the way.

[Devilyna]

Going to address these two points.

Currently you do not have to buy the unreleased upcoming Druid class or the Challenges as a VIP.
Think of the new FR packs in Menace as an "Expansion," which it is.
This Expansion is about 4+ years in the making, and timed well to go in tandem with the new FR reboot as showcased by the novels.

More than happy to buy an expansion that includes the fluff but does not include packs that I already get "free" or already own at a discounted price for VIP. Yes, we get the druid class and challenges, What about the artificers? I have to buy that class to play it. You can't tell me that turbine is that hard up for money. If that is the case maybe they need to have 2 tiers of VIP with one that actually DOES include everything at a couple extra dollars a month.

This may be true, but I can promise the other side of that coin.
There will be many more who just don't care about this to have it ruin their day.

You are right, there are many that have jumped up and bought this pack just because of what it offers, VIP and not. That doesn't change the fact that there are a great many people that are unhappy with turbine's blatant dismissal of those people that give Turbine a steady source of income through their paid subscriptions.

[eulogy098]

VIPs pay for 7 items but only get 3 ("bonus" junk not calculated. if that was paid for it wouldnt be called "bonus").

This is so far over my head as understanding how anyone over there could have though that this was reasonable.

They need to wake the fluck up and create a VIP friendly option.

Insist on that price? fine. offer another version of the Collectors Edition -

Make all the Tomes of Learning into Greater Tome of Learning
and
Dramatically increase the Turbine Points

[Lazarus8]

If you calculate what you are actually getting for the money, as VIP or many alted toon account, the 79$ is well worth it, even if you have the packs already.
For myself with 20 toons, mules and alts, I netted around 26k TP counting tomes, elixers, res cakes, 19 lesser xp tomes, etc. If you look at the 11000 tp bundle for 60$ I basically got 2 of those (a little more actually), all the bells and whistles, the expansion, xp tomes for current and future toons.
Quite a deal for a multi tooned account.

I was premium for about a 6 months so I have quite a few packs bought already, this is just getting me closer to premium account again.
Granted anyone gets this deal with alot of alts, but as VIP I have no real reason to complain about not getting benefits others don't, nor do I expect benefits anymore. I'm getting used to losing the few benefits we have left.

Another thing I'd like to remind alot of the original players and current vips: If we didn't have p2p this game wouldn't exist anymore, seeing as p2p was a last ditch effort to keep this genre alive.
Turbine is going the business route, p2p makes money, actually alot more than our VIP token 8.50 a month does. If it keeps this game going I'll live with it, maybe not like it but... that's life.

That being said I wouldn't mind Turbine gifting VIP's with a few free +3 Tomes as a thank-you, I would even go as far as accepting an elusive +4

Can't wait for June 25th!!

[Seamonkeysix]

It's been said over and over, but I will chime in: VIPs were not valued at all in this pre-order deal. It's more than a little disconcerting, since I have been paying my sub for over 6 years and I get the worst deal of all.

It would be nice if Turbine broke the silence on this, realized there was a "oops" moment and fixed it soon. I am feeling a little perturbed, and I usually am 97% satisfied with DDO.

[Sidewaysgts86]

/signed to the concept. As others have said- as a VIP I feel there are no packages that benefit "me". The *only* reason im considering the premium expansion is the tomes-forever-bit, but at 80 bucks it feels a bit hefty of an investment. Oh well at least I've a couple of months to set aside the few hours of work it turns out to be for me before I decide if I want to do that.

Its very tempting to buy the premium and then discontinue my VIP service.

[Don1966]

sadly i have come to the conclusion the turbine does not want any of us to be vip anymore. i ran thru the math on it. for 20k tp i can purchase every pack that the top tier expansion doesn't include, 6 character slots, monk and warforged, shared bank and shared plat and the challenges. i won't get half-elf or half-orc but i have no characters that are either of those. were i to buy the top tier of the expansion and get the 11k tp bonus for $60, that's 13k of tp. i have 5k tp right now and will get another 500 in about 2 weeks when the monthly vip tp hits, grand total of 19500 tp, just 490 tp short. my yearly subscription is up in april, and now, with no expansion package that offers all of the goodies but none of the things vip get or will get for free, at a slightly lower cost, the choice is pretty obvious. yes, the open on elite thing is nice but right now the only character i have that i want to do that with is on his forth life so can do it anyway.