my VIP perks thoughts

[theboyftw]

Hey ya'll as a long time 12+ year player on Cannith server I've been reading the threads about the cancellation of the daily gold dice with interest. I didn't see an official "post your VIP ideas" thread so I figure I'd throw mine out there. I really don't think they are too far away with the stuff that being VIP gives you (try logging in on a total F2P account and you'll very quickly realize that VIP definitely has some immediate perks) but I also feel it could give a bit more because the current benefits really haven't scaled with the real world economy in years so here are a few of my thoughts - in no particular order. Also I'm not a programmer so I don't know how hard some of these would be to integrate but I'm throwing them in anyhow. Cheers!

-more quest exp granted to VIP's - someone suggested 25% and I think that's a bit high but 20% would be solid.
-an extra bank storage tab on your primary server
-a re-calibration of the daily dice rewards. Yeah they mentioned the daily gold roll being non sustainable and a money loser, but I think if they were to tweak the rewards for VIP's (so you don't end up getting HOLY AURA scrolls and RISING FURY and other useless 30 second buff pots all the friggin' time) and more stuff people
actually use it would be a nice perk. free players can still use the crappy current tables and your weekly gold roll would actually be something you look forward to.
- sign up for a month get a jeweler's toolkit and scale that on length of subscription (see my idea about ddo points below)
- sign up for a year get 1 wish of inheritance - I don't know anyone who is willing to shell out the current cost of these things but to give you one for a year's VIP fee is a solid deal.
- start new characters at a higher level and/or TR to a higher starting level.
- tweak the ddo points to scale based on subscription length - sign up for a month get your 500 - sign up for 3 months get 600, sign up for 6 months get 700, sign up for a year get 800.
- have the art department crank out a bunch of cosmetics that you can only get as a VIP - have a vendor where you can pick ONE for each month you are subscribed. Also. some sort of cosmetic storage wardrobe or something would be amazing. not everyone likes cosmetics but special VIP outfits would stand out for sure.
- spell component bag. come on it's time.
- 1 of each good pots a month (named loot, remnant boost, exp, slayer, etc) again you could scale it based on subscription length as to the quality of each pot.
- astral shards (enough for a couple of re-rolls) scalable per length of subscription

that's what I've got off the top of my head. thanks for reading

Ostwind - guild leader "Company of Gyros" Cannith Server

[mikarddo]

I dont think there is a reason to make things complicated - or to add addition work load for cosmetics etc.

Simply
a) Change the 10% VIP bonus to 25% and
b) Make VIP able to start at level 4 after a TR.
Both are things already in the code, so hopefully it should be simple to do. Anything that takes alot of man hours is less desireable.
Neither take away from sales by giving people something they might otherwise purchase from the store. So, it is fiscally responsible

[theboyftw]

I dont think there is a reason to make things complicated - or to add addition work load for cosmetics etc.

Simply
a) Change the 10% VIP bonus to 25% and
b) Make VIP able to start at level 4 after a TR.
Both are things already in the code, so hopefully it should be simple to do. Anything that takes alot of man hours is less desireable.
Neither take away from sales by giving people something they might otherwise purchase from the store. So, it is fiscally responsible

I'm VIP regardless. oops probably shouldn't have told them that but if I'm on the fence this isn't enough to sway me. I think most people need to feel like they are getting something more.

[Eantarus]

Anything that takes alot of man hours is less desireable.

Neither take away from sales by giving people something

Two major points we all need to stick to when suggesting VIP benefits.

[mikarddo]

Two major points we all need to stick to when suggesting VIP benefits.

Thank you.

[Oliphant]

25% faster xp progression for VIPs sounds more troublesome than helpful, just my opinion.

[ismikes]

I would be quite happy if they just gave us those 500 DDO points twice a month instead of the current once a month.

[songswrath]

i dont like the boosting of vip exp leave it alone this will just make you lvl much faster than your none vip friends. making grouping even harder
starting at lvl 4 sounds good but from a business standpoint will never happen. i know many of us spend shards to skip the 1st few lvls each tr. or save our daily gems. This is the real reason no more vip gold rolls.

Things they can add 1 vip only cosmetics, mounts, and pets. 2 discounted store < this needs to happen.3 one weekly raid bypass timer. 4 A guild ship/quest teleport much like the vip one to e star in place now .

[mikarddo]

i dont like the boosting of vip exp leave it alone this will just make you lvl much faster than your none vip friends. making grouping even harder
starting at lvl 4 sounds good but from a business standpoint will never happen. i know many of us spend shards to skip the 1st few lvls each tr. or save our daily gems. This is the real reason no more vip gold rolls.

Things they can add 1 vip only cosmetics, mounts, and pets. 2 discounted store < this needs to happen.3 one weekly raid bypass timer. 4 A guild ship/quest teleport much like the vip one to e star in place now .

I disagree on all counts.

a) It is true that 25% vip xp will make it harder for non-vip to level with VIP. That is 100% working as intented as that means more people will consider picking up VIP. Thats half the point.
b) Anyone that cares so little for his money as to purchase gold rolls for shards will find some other reason to spend his money. I honestly dont see any loss for SSG here. Most players will see the awful conversion from shards to xp through gold rolls and not do that.

1) Cosmetics, mounts and pets are zero value to me (and I expect not to be alone in that stance) AND take time for SSG to make. Giving those to VIP would be the single most folish thing to do. Some see that as no value and to be frank as an insult. Others love those things but will not be VIP but want to buy them and pay a good price and those things are often used as fluff in expensive xpac sales. Also, they cost SSG money to make which is the number one no-no. Not a good idea at all.
2) Discounting store items. I suppose - but wont that take away from SSG earnings? Definitely much more than letting VIP start at level 4 as far more players are likely to purchase stuff (xp pots) from the store than are to blow shards on gold rolls. So, maybe but not a great idea.
3) Hmm, personally I dont need to run the same raid on the same char more than once per week - and I bet those that do will simply purchase the raid timers when they do. So, for many VIP the value will be small, for those that do not raid it will be zero, and for those that would get good value from it that means a loss of sales. Even worse - those VIP that dont need timers every week will be storing them for use when a new raid comes out. That means that at the exact time where SSG is likely to make a killing selling raid timers the VIP players will already have a free stash and thus dont need to buy. Very much not a good idea.

4) I am unsure what you mean so without more specifics its hard to comment. If you mean a TP to the airship we already nearly have a TP to Sharn topside so that would be rather low value for many.

Thus I stand by that +25% vip and start at level 4 would be a great solution. It does not mean any meaningful loss sales, incurs no/very little dev time to make happen AND it adds incensitive to join the ranks of VIP as you just further emphasized, thank you for that.

[Oxarhamar]

i dont like the boosting of vip exp leave it alone this will just make you lvl much faster than your none vip friends. making grouping even harder
starting at lvl 4 sounds good but from a business standpoint will never happen. i know many of us spend shards to skip the 1st few lvls each tr. or save our daily gems. This is the real reason no more vip gold rolls.

Things they can add 1 vip only cosmetics, mounts, and pets. 2 discounted store < this needs to happen.3 one weekly raid bypass timer. 4 A guild ship/quest teleport much like the vip one to e star in place now .

I will second that cosmetics mounts and pets have no value imo

Discount for store is ok but it needs to be on Expansions more often

Raid timer is fine but hand it over not just a free weekly skip

Quest teleport VIP only will cause problems for groups that is something that should just be open to all players

[Jaxtan]

Since the game is in such dire financial condition that daily gold rolls would bankrupt it, perhaps they should require everyone who wants to play to subscribe and VIP gets nothing else. That way we can all do our part to ensure the game stays up and running by paying a monthly fee and purchase everything else with cash. Just imagine what they could do for the game if we did that.
/s

[mbartol]

Since the game is in such dire financial condition that daily gold rolls would bankrupt it, perhaps they should require everyone who wants to play to subscribe and VIP gets nothing else. That way we can all do our part to ensure the game stays up and running by paying a monthly fee and purchase everything else with cash. Just imagine what they could do for the game if we did that.
/s

The funny thing is, despite this being sarcasm, I really thought this was one of the options SSG probably considered. Even they released the negative publicity of a FTP game reverting to subscription only would sink them (he he, Sinking Ship Games).

[songswrath]

I disagree on all counts.

a) It is true that 25% vip xp will make it harder for non-vip to level with VIP. That is 100% working as intented as that means more people will consider picking up VIP. Thats half the point.
b) Anyone that cares so little for his money as to purchase gold rolls for shards will find some other reason to spend his money. I honestly dont see any loss for SSG here. Most players will see the awful conversion from shards to xp through gold rolls and not do that.

1) Cosmetics, mounts and pets are zero value to me (and I expect not to be alone in that stance) AND take time for SSG to make. Giving those to VIP would be the single most folish thing to do. Some see that as no value and to be frank as an insult. Others love those things but will not be VIP but want to buy them and pay a good price and those things are often used as fluff in expensive xpac sales. Also, they cost SSG money to make which is the number one no-no. Not a good idea at all.
2) Discounting store items. I suppose - but wont that take away from SSG earnings? Definitely much more than letting VIP start at level 4 as far more players are likely to purchase stuff (xp pots) from the store than are to blow shards on gold rolls. So, maybe but not a great idea.
3) Hmm, personally I dont need to run the same raid on the same char more than once per week - and I bet those that do will simply purchase the raid timers when they do. So, for many VIP the value will be small, for those that do not raid it will be zero, and for those that would get good value from it that means a loss of sales. Even worse - those VIP that dont need timers every week will be storing them for use when a new raid comes out. That means that at the exact time where SSG is likely to make a killing selling raid timers the VIP players will already have a free stash and thus dont need to buy. Very much not a good idea.

4) I am unsure what you mean so without more specifics its hard to comment. If you mean a TP to the airship we already nearly have a TP to Sharn topside so that would be rather low value for many.

Thus I stand by that +25% vip and start at level 4 would be a great solution. It does not mean any meaningful loss sales, incurs no/very little dev time to make happen AND it adds incensitive to join the ranks of VIP as you just further emphasized, thank you for that.

every single game i can think of that has a vip also gives you a discount for in store purchases this promotes more ppl buying things even it for self profit such as bypass timers and jeweler kits.
and on your point of vip 25% a good thing lol. i tr'ed my main so many times i lost count about 700 ago ><. and yes many times grouping with ppl groups fell off cause i was pulling so far ahead. everything you purposed is damaging to the game and very sort sided

[songswrath]

Since the game is in such dire financial condition that daily gold rolls would bankrupt it, perhaps they should require everyone who wants to play to subscribe and VIP gets nothing else. That way we can all do our part to ensure the game stays up and running by paying a monthly fee and purchase everything else with cash. Just imagine what they could do for the game if we did that.
/s

i know while daily golds rolls was a round i spend zero for shards for gold rolls i have 38 toons and was running out of places to put them. whereas when i tr'ed a toon i spent my saved points via vip questing or payment to skip lvl 1-4. vip needs helpful but not game breaking perks like the teleport to e star you can do at log in. IN the end it's a business and it about making money

[songswrath]

the real reason vip lost so much value. Mini exp packs salt marsh was a huge !@!# to long time vip players . that should have never happened. quest shoudl have been part of vip but all goodies not. many bought it just for the trapper hire.

[Jaxtan]

i know while daily golds rolls was a round i spend zero for shards for gold rolls i have 38 toons and was running out of places to put them. whereas when i tr'ed a toon i spent my saved points via vip questing or payment to skip lvl 1-4. vip needs helpful but not game breaking perks like the teleport to e star you can do at log in. IN the end it's a business and it about making money

So at what point do you stop blaming the customers for the business not making money?

[songswrath]

So at what point do you stop blaming the customers for the business not making money?

my point is it was a mistake that should of never happened. but it did and it should of never went away after the fact. that was a bad business decision. nobody's blaming the players. the ppl that run this game ran anything else it would die in a few mths. this game keeps on kicking cause of the many wales here. case in point the albino dino everywhere

[systemshaker1941]

my point is it was a mistake that should of never happened. but it did and it should of never went away after the fact. that was a bad business decision. nobody's blaming the players. the ppl that run this game ran anything else it would die in a few mths. this game keeps on kicking cause of the many wales here. case in point the albino dino everywhere

And the mistakes continue by not talking to us or coming out with any VIP improvements. I sincerely do not know how they expect to win back consumer faith at this point.

[Oliphant]

I disagree on all counts.

a) It is true that 25% vip xp will make it harder for non-vip to level with VIP. That is 100% working as intented as that means more people will consider picking up VIP. Thats half the point.

The current 10% is the only VIP incentive that motivated me to be VIP after I owned all the packs for years. Didn't need VIP for the packs but 10% xp while I was grinding out PLs helped. 10% bonus makes it hard for non-VIPs to level with VIPs but 25% pretty much breaks. If the game starts WAI to break non-VIPs running with VIPs, at the current state of the game, which already occurs to me as a bit sad socially, I think I'd drift off into the sunset. I'm already VIP so I'd benefit, but I it turns into something I'm not sure I can be part of anymore if it gets much worse for people being left out.

p.s. Compared to someone with the premium mentality like me, monthly VIP subscriptions are petty money. I keep subscribing even though I'm done with XP progression because its almost literally nothing to me. If you want to reward people with 25%, maybe give it to people when then buy the $200 points pack whenever its on sale 4-5 times per year. Maybe spend more than $2000 in one year, get your 25%. The idea of under bussing the real spenders for the phoney VIP thing seems pretty absurd.

[Oliphant]

My ideas:

• VIPs get access to mini-expansions.
• Cosmetic pet butler that slow claps for you.