How can this be done ?

I want to give away 30 day subscriptions paid for by me.
I want to give them away as gifts or bonuses.
I don't see a way to do it unless I give them access to everything else on the account as well.

OR OR maybe if there were some way to purchase 30 day friends keys for cash and give them out somehow ? To either new or current players.

I don't want to give them cash or paypal because I want them to play the game and it's possible they might just take the money and not play the game.
So it has to be some sort of free subscription or friend key paid for by me.

Or some sort of VO credit or something.
Or would they prohibit me from paying for another persons account ?

Any suggestions on how to get this done using the current system available ?

You know, I was going to criticize this another veiled attempt at opening up the 'we need more players' rant again.

But then it struck me, this isn't such a bad idea. I probably wouldn't do this because most of the people I know irl aren't into this sort of game or gaming at all. But it has merit.

I would propose that Guild provide a month key for a nominal fee of somewhere between $5.00 to the full price of $9.99. If discounted, then the key should only be purchasable by players with subscribed accounts and usable only for newly created accounts of no more than a month old and only one usable per account. If purchased at full price, then absolutely no restrictions.

I'm neutral about how this would improve long term subscriptions while I don't see a down side.

Ok, I don't have any crayons to spell this out for you... and my bullshit detector is reading off the scale, but... in the incredibly unlikely event that you are serious:

1. Figure out how many.
2. Multiply by ten.
3. Purchase a prepaid Visa card.
4. Convert the figure you obtained from step 2 into USD.
5. Put the proper amount of money on the card.
6. buy X amount of 30 day subs.
7. Never use the card again.
8. Shut up.

+1, the concept is certainly something to consider.

Edit for ryan: much simpler to have a one-step process, which doesn't seem too heavy on the devs' side.

ryan reign
I have considered that but then I can't recharge their accounts if or when I want to. Those cards would be gone.
This may not be only 30 days for one user it could be 30 days ever 30 days for however long I want to provide it.

Death Fluffy
I know what you mean about neutral on long term subscriptions

This idea is not really about trying to attract new long subscribers as a sales topic but more of a personal topic. However this could seem to overlap a bit.

In other words, If I pay for and give away some subscriptions, I will have other people to play the game with hopefully LOL.

I'm considering trying maybe 20 new subscribers that I would pay for.
I would likely want it to be long term so I would have to consider it as a long term customer benefit or perhaps some sort of commission bonus or something

I got a bunch of ideas on that part but in short I don't see a way of actually doing it even if I gave away subscriptions via pre-paid cards

Pre paid vista is not terrible it's just that I would need 20 of them with no real way to recharge them because they don't work that way without having a name attached to them. At least I don't know of any. Additionally they may not subscribe if I just sort of give them cash or credit cards.

I would prefer to purchase friends keys either in bulk with discount or full priced 30 day keys for $10 per key and so on.

That might be the simplest implementation for VO but if they already have their hands tied then I need to figure this out on my own using their current system they have.

Purchase of friends keys would be cool too.
I would want to be able to use the purchased 30 days friends keys for whoever I want not just new players but ongoing since they are purchased anyhow.

You gave me another idea though too.
It would be cool to purchase 30 day keys in bulk at discount.
They might not want that though. Some don't like competition in this way because people might purchase in bulk and sell for a profit. I know I would consider it.

But it seems there is no real ongoing solution other then something like send people paypal funds or something and I don't really want that because they may not subscribe with the cash LOL Or at least there is a chance it would defeat the whole purpose of doing this.

All good ideas, I look forward to more
Thanks

This shouldn't be anything for the devs to concern themselves with. If some one wants to give out free thirty day subs, the process is simple... just do as described in my simple eight step system. Or use you own card, and click cancel account after its verified.

I've used the prepaid system to hand out a few subs... its simplicity itself.

I think the idea of buying playmates is destined for fail. Seriously, if you want to give someone a gift it should be something that THEY would want. Not something that would entice them to play in your room. Give them a friend key. That should be good enough. If you run out and still have people you want to invite, wait a month, open a second account or have an in game friend use theirs for you.

Since my most recent re-subscription, I would argue that the in game population is up at least double and possibly well on it's way to 3x the active players in my previous incarnations.

Seriously. I still think the basic concept (as I described) is ok, but what you seem to be wanting comes off as somewhat needy and more than a little bit creepy.

I think the idea of buying playmates is destined for fail.

A certain Mr. Hefner would disagree with you, DF.

Dr. Lecter LOL

Yep

Death Fluffy

It's not about buying playmates and certainly would not fail especially since the current pattern of gift giving or incentives does attract new customers for all business models and is a proven system already.

Ongoing bonuses and gifts for achievements do work as well (proven track record of success).

Free subscription for 30 days for some achievement bonus or gift idea that I could give to a customers who purchased some product or something.
Like a new computer that comes with 90 day VO subscription or something
Or new copier with 6 months subscription etc.

Incentives absolutely work no question about it even if you think it's like buying playmates if thats how you view it.
It's actually buying customer loyalty and building a relationship with the customer more or less.
I gave away toners to get my company recognized and they purchased printers and copiers from me. Then referred others who purchased toner supplies, copiers and tools and equipment.

However, how to give them or distribute the game as a bonus or subscription or even to pay for this is the question I'm asking.

I know they don't have a friend key system that can be purchased which would be a good idea
If I open another account then the player logs in and has complete access to all the information.
Or they may not want me be able to access any of their account

Which is why the key level subscription would be a good idea but probably not something VO will do anytime soon.

Vista gift cards wouldn't be bad, why not a VO gift card of some sort.

Doesn't look like I'm going to be able to do it easily.
Wow can't even give VO away. Well except the 14 days friend keys

Oh well.
Back to the drawing board.

There is one thing that may work... try drinking broken glass.

Look, your advocating a sidewise attempt to increase the player base and in your lengthy broadcasts made it plain that the sole goal is to fill up your merry go round with other players so that you don't have to push as hard.

As I've said, the core of your suggestion has merit; the sum of your postings is all over the place.

So, from what you've said, I'm guessing you have some sort of PC and / or accessory retail business and would like to use that business to promote Vendetta Online. Your asking the wrong question to the mostly wrong audience.

You should be going direct to Incarnate or the dev team probably through Support system and laying out your scenario and how you would like to promote the game to your customers if they could provide you a method. Asking such a question to the general population with no real focus (despite your admirable word count) is simply a fruitless gesture.

I stand by my prior suggestion as a decent method to achieve your goal and would be supportive if the dev team allotted you a certain number of month long trials to distribute to your customers for free.

If my assumptions based on what I've gleened from your posts are invalid, well then I stand by my last post and add annoying.

@ The Good Dr.
There is a reason most of the rest of us settle for the scraps from his table. ;)

6/10

+1

What is wrong with you guys?

For a lot of "online services" like spotify, itunes etc you can buy gift cards. People like getting gifts, other people like giving gifts to people, and money or credit cards or whatever don't make very personal gifts. Why one earth would anyone want to stop someone giving the gift of VO to a friend?

If it is too difficult for the devs given the presumably small return, sure, but the idea itself is perfectly normal

TLDR: +1

Well, VO does accept payment with Zeevex cards. You could buy a bunch of those and give them out to people. They'd be able to use it to play other games as well though.

Zeevex is not bad I have to look into that too

-vanatteveldt- I know right ? I just don't want to be bored in VO going from sector to sector and asking in 100 if there is anyone on. It's way past old which is why I don't subscribe right now.

-Death Fluffy
Needy and Creepy NO as I already said.
However the game is already doing what you say is needy and creepy which is giving away friends keys so you need to explain how this would be different for an individual to want to do the same thing or even better increase the friend key length ?

VO is the ones who need players that is for sure and 3x the number of players is an illusion. Where are you seeing them ? What times are they on ?
I had 3 separate trial accounts just to check in every few months and there is practically no one there.
Your assuming that I'm not aware of the player activity and I am because I'm hoping things will pickup so it will actually be fun to be in some guild or something.

I'm not sure the devs would entertain the subject of giving out free 30 day trials and it would require more programming. They already expressed they have their hands tied and are working on other more important things.

Oh well, enjoy the bliss of empty VO space.
I'll check in every month or 2 and get my trial account to see if there is any new developments with player activity.

Next time you see empty space think of me and wave which will likely be quite often unfortunately

Simply sad, such a decent game too.
I guess I'll conclude by retracting my request for suggestions since there is no real solution for this either.

Happy blogging

This isn't a blog.

"In other words, If I pay for and give away some subscriptions, I will have other people to play the game with hopefully LOL."

Like promising the other kids presents if they come to your birthday party.

If you can't see the difference between a business using various models to draw new customers vs an individual who wants a method with which they can manipulate other individuals to play the same game they do by using economic force in the form of a single use financial credit towards said game because they feel 'lonely', then nothing I say will make it clear to you.

If you are unhappy with the current population but enjoy then game, then by all means, check in periodically and see what's going on.

And just how many subscriptions are / were you planning to purchase and hand out? 10? 100? 1000? And then what? Are you going to pay another month for them? You may well have the financial position to populate the game to your liking for all I know. I doubt it, but it is plausible. Are you going to offer to build them a free trident if they stick around for a full year? Did you really think about this before asking for 'suggestions'? And why not subscribe and hand out the friend keys? Did you even consider trying at this smaller scale to prove or invalidate your idea before looking to expand to a longer version?

So after months of people pulling the "If you want more people so badly, you should go get your friends to play" routine on this guy, he finally starts looking for a way to do it. And what does he get for his trouble? People whining about him being manipulative.

Really, I think this is a stretch. He likes this game. He wants to share it with others by gifting them subscription time so they can try it out and see if they like it for however long he wants to pay, without them having to worry about paying for something they might not want. He hopes that some of them will like it and keep playing. So what?

Manipulative would be trying to make them feel like they are obligated to try it because of how much money he spent on it, even though they never asked for it, and basically just making them feel like dirt if they don't do it. If, on the other hand, he simply tells them, "Hey, I bought you a month of this game I like. You should try it out!" and then leaves it at that, no nagging or pressuring, then that's just fine.

Since, I'm the one whining about him being manipulative, I'll respond. I hear what your saying. And maybe I crossed the line with suggesting his methods were manipulative, creepy and so forth. However, I do consider that 'I bought you x' imposes a certain amount of debt upon the receiver. I would also consider getting such a gift from someone whom I do not have a certain level of intimacy (non sexual) in our friendship / acquaintance to be creepy. As opposed to 'Hey, I know you like to play mmorpg games. I play a space simulation game called Vendetta Online that is pretty cool. The game is currently giving out free two week trial keys. If your interested I'll email you one.'

As I stated up front, his idea has merit. He was given several valid suggestions with which he could either immediately achieve or partially achieve his goal as well as suggestions for how he could better focus his efforts to get closer to what he specifically wants.

He could very easily use his own bank card to do the first billing and then cancel as was suggested. This would not in fact leave him open to fraud as access the credit card information would not be available to the end user. The third party would have to supply their own credit card information in order to continue or re-activate the account.

He could very well save himself from having to buy 16 subscriptions as he originally proposed by scaling back his ambitions and paying for 4 subscriptions with which he could send out the twenty friend keys.

If he is in a position where he has foot traffic that a certain percentage of might be potential players, then he could send a private message to the development team explaining the opportunity he has and his goal and asking if they might be inclined to offer him either free or discounted keys. I hardly think such a thing would be difficult considering how many different version of this I've seen over the years in the various promotions run on gaming sites.

I'm sorry. This individual seems like a nice enough person, but he posted here to hear himself talk, not solicit a real solution to his problem. I still have no clear picture of how or to whom he planned to distribute them. He is impatient. Instead of using readily available options, he's throwing in the towel because to get something specific that does not currently exist is either too hard or takes too long.

A better use of this idea would follow my suggestion to offer discounted monthly membership keys to subscribers who could then pass them along to friends or interested parties to create new accounts with. I don't suggest it because I expect it would dramatically increase the active player base, but because it would give subscribed players a chance to give the cards as gifts to people. But then, that's why we have friend keys.