Forums » Suggestions
It's clear that a player on a PC is valued within the community and players who are on mobile are not.
Why does GC limit the environment in which it can create a active player-base and deeper community by restricting PC players with level caps, 8HR trial, and so on.
What I suggest is make players who decide to play on a PC to get a 14 day free trial right off the bat, a new player without any knowledge of VO can't do much in 8 hours let alone 8 days. I've seen the same tragic pattern over and over again of people registering, spending a few hours in the game on their own, struggling to connect with the existing community, and then leaving, permanently. These are players with a lot of potential that are being ignored as a whole.
Mobile players and the platform they choose to play on will always restrict them as second-class citizens within the gameplay mechanics, that is undeniable. So let's give the same opportunity to players who can take full advantage of VO instead of pandering to a market that still has not provided the "steam release" effect that so many have talked up the mobile port to provide.
Why does GC limit the environment in which it can create a active player-base and deeper community by restricting PC players with level caps, 8HR trial, and so on.
What I suggest is make players who decide to play on a PC to get a 14 day free trial right off the bat, a new player without any knowledge of VO can't do much in 8 hours let alone 8 days. I've seen the same tragic pattern over and over again of people registering, spending a few hours in the game on their own, struggling to connect with the existing community, and then leaving, permanently. These are players with a lot of potential that are being ignored as a whole.
Mobile players and the platform they choose to play on will always restrict them as second-class citizens within the gameplay mechanics, that is undeniable. So let's give the same opportunity to players who can take full advantage of VO instead of pandering to a market that still has not provided the "steam release" effect that so many have talked up the mobile port to provide.
+1 an 8 hr trial is extremely short to even get a grasp of the scope of VO. I believe when I first started it took me about half an hour to get through the training sector and of course it takes time for a new player to learn how to level up and what ships are even good to fly.
+1
+1
The last time we tried this, we experienced a sudden, major drop in subscription revenue.
I know people have specific perceptions, based on their personal experiences. But what's true in a specific case (or cases) does not necessarily bear out when measured across an aggregate population.
That being said, I definitely want to converge our mobile and PC models and make things more sane. I've just been reluctant to do that without a cash buffer, which is part of what I'm currently working on.
I know people have specific perceptions, based on their personal experiences. But what's true in a specific case (or cases) does not necessarily bear out when measured across an aggregate population.
That being said, I definitely want to converge our mobile and PC models and make things more sane. I've just been reluctant to do that without a cash buffer, which is part of what I'm currently working on.
Consider doing it a second time, the political atmosphere is much different as is the game as a whole.
Honestly, would you be willing to risk the existence of the game on this gamble, right now.. as opposed to waiting a little while until we're on more secure footing, as I'm saying?
-1 to the op. The game is worth the subscription and it's reasonably priced. Consider what we pay in coffee/tea or alcohol each month. Here we get unlimited fun entertainment.
I laugh when people complain that eight hours isn't enough time to decide. A movie costs the same as VO, but it's only a couple hours long, and we have to decide whether that short burst of entertainment is worth the cost based on only a two minute trial (i.e. the trailer). That's a much higher risk proposition than deciding whether to buy a month of VO.
I laugh when people compare a movie to the VO.
Hey my car costs a grand why should your plane cost a million?
Hey my car costs a grand why should your plane cost a million?
What does that have to do with anything? My point was that it does not take even eight hours of trial to decide whether to risk spending $10, let alone 14 days.
Oh, and speaking of cars... did the previous owner give you a two week trial before you made up your mind to spend that grand on it?
Oh, and speaking of cars... did the previous owner give you a two week trial before you made up your mind to spend that grand on it?
Players who recieved friend keys are way more likely to sub then a 8hr ragequit.
I want to extend my suggestion by a revamp of the tutorial with a new required mission to witness first hand the mechanisms behind combat outside of nation space with the intent to get the point across that this is a space combat game and that when you exit nation space and head into real content VO has for subscribers hidden behind dangerous freedom of lawless unmonitored space.
I'm not asking for you to hire a marketing guru I just want to take advantage of the untapped playerbase that can be converted from a casual guest to a full subscriber.
Also I'm not above raising the price of subscription to 14.95 a month to allow all players a two week free trial.
I want to extend my suggestion by a revamp of the tutorial with a new required mission to witness first hand the mechanisms behind combat outside of nation space with the intent to get the point across that this is a space combat game and that when you exit nation space and head into real content VO has for subscribers hidden behind dangerous freedom of lawless unmonitored space.
I'm not asking for you to hire a marketing guru I just want to take advantage of the untapped playerbase that can be converted from a casual guest to a full subscriber.
Also I'm not above raising the price of subscription to 14.95 a month to allow all players a two week free trial.
I agree with Blaqk, the current $10 a month is honestly the least expensive subscription to any video game I have seen. I have in the past asked for a more streamlined friend key system but I realize that that is not going to happen soon. However if there could be an official place I could send skeptical players to verify the need for an email address that would work too. But charging more per month would be fine by me, if it ultimately leads to more player retention.
Well, you all do realise time in the training sector isn't counted towards the 8 hours? In theory, a PC player could stay in the training sector forever. Just thought I'd point that out.
It's clear that a player on a PC is valued within the community and players who are on mobile are not.
Not off to a good start. I've heard figures ranging anywhere from half to 80% of our playerbase being on mobile. Are you saying a majority of VO's playerbase isn't valued?
For the last year, I've played primarily on mobile FWIW.
Not off to a good start. I've heard figures ranging anywhere from half to 80% of our playerbase being on mobile. Are you saying a majority of VO's playerbase isn't valued?
For the last year, I've played primarily on mobile FWIW.
That is exactly what I'm saying, that I would rather have 20 PC players then 80 mobile players behind me at NW, Levi, Trident Conflicts, Conquerable Stations, Escorting, I can go on for a while, even when in a blue moon I trade or mine this pattern emerged.
This is a great idea, a 14-day trial is much better than 8 hours. I have trouble anyway using a bt keyboard, 14 days will make more people sub when they see how great PC is.
But, of course, we must consider the devs here, only 4 devs, it is very hard for them to manage the community as a whole right now, let us wait for a bit.
But, of course, we must consider the devs here, only 4 devs, it is very hard for them to manage the community as a whole right now, let us wait for a bit.
That is exactly what I'm saying, that I would rather have 20 PC players then 80 mobile players behind me
From the perspective of personal gameplay preference I certainly understand, but from a business perspective I can't say it's a good outlook.
From the perspective of personal gameplay preference I certainly understand, but from a business perspective I can't say it's a good outlook.
The smartest business outlook GS can have is the perspective of personal gameplay preference of the top 20%
That would be foolish. People stop playing games all the time. Would be silly to have put hundreds of hours into development just for those top 20% of players, only to find that they've discovered a new game that fits their needs better.
The smartest business outlook GS can have at this point (after 20 fucking years of being around) is to keep doing whatever it is they are doing.
I will be honest. For the longest time, I was like "how the fuck is this game still around? there isn't that many people playing it", but then I realized that the reason it was still around was probably most likely due to way that Inc chose the development cycle.
He goes after the money to keep the lights on. He doesn't chase the unicorns that are new potential players. Those will come eventually (haha lol yea soonTM hehe lulz youre so cool omg). He is keeping the doors open, and I respect him for that.
To hell with the haters, all of ye!!!!
The smartest business outlook GS can have at this point (after 20 fucking years of being around) is to keep doing whatever it is they are doing.
I will be honest. For the longest time, I was like "how the fuck is this game still around? there isn't that many people playing it", but then I realized that the reason it was still around was probably most likely due to way that Inc chose the development cycle.
He goes after the money to keep the lights on. He doesn't chase the unicorns that are new potential players. Those will come eventually (haha lol yea soonTM hehe lulz youre so cool omg). He is keeping the doors open, and I respect him for that.
To hell with the haters, all of ye!!!!