If people are upset about extra events or content then just skip all that and designate the premium server as the "no-griefing" server lol.
A lot of people would pay extra for that and you wouldn't even need to use banning as a punishment, you could just transfer them off to a normal server instead haha.
;-)
I also have to say that I'm not a fan of premium servers. I feel like they will end up pulling much of the hardcore passionate players into one place, leaving the average or new fans of Pantheon into a server devoid of those players. That would undoubtedly have a negative effect on the community and "feel" of non-premium servers.
Also, the issue with premium servers in EQ was that they were known as P2W because people would progress faster there, then immediately transfer over to other servers with better gear, that they acquired quickly/more easily.
Aradune said:....
Veteran Server(s) -- These would be servers where you would need to pay up front (e.g. no trial period) for those players who don't want to deal with new players who are just checking out the game to see if they like it during a free trial period (likely the first 5-10 levels would be free, then you have to sign up).
......
I like the idea of your other server choices. This one (veteran) concerns me however.
-Veterans who want their friends to trial the game will have to tell their friend - go play on a different server and come back when you can pay lol.
-Free trial people will all be on the same server (servers?) and that server(s) will not be characteristic of the actual game. There wont be as many helpful answers and friendly faces like it would be if free trial players were spread out. And there might be a higher concentration of gold spammers/bot/trolls - the malicious accounts that abuse free trials and a lower concentration of the people that report them. I wouldn't want a person to trial Pantheon and say its full of trolls/gold spammers etc.
-The veteran server will have a smaller influx of new players coming in because once a person creates a trial account, they are most likely to continue playing on the server that they started on.
EQBallzz said:I agree with this. I think it's cool to have a few different server rulesets but I'm not a fan of offering a "premium" server. Even if there aren't better items or anything it just creates a tiered customer experience that I don't believe will be healthy in the long run. Like you mentioned..if they offer the premium server too much the regular servers will feel like they are getting shorted and if they don't offer enough there is no point in the added expense. It just sounds like a can of worms that is not necessary to open.
I also worry that too many server rulesets will fragment a community that by most accounts will be a niche audience. If your goal is to appeal to a niche audience I think further splitting up the community with too many rulesets will be counter-productive to the core of what Pantheon is offering..group content and class interdependence. If everyone gets their exact ruleset that they want but nobody can fill a group because the community is too spread out that won't benefit anyone.
Agree with both statements.
Sarim said:EQBallzz said:I agree with this. I think it's cool to have a few different server rulesets but I'm not a fan of offering a "premium" server. Even if there aren't better items or anything it just creates a tiered customer experience that I don't believe will be healthy in the long run. Like you mentioned..if they offer the premium server too much the regular servers will feel like they are getting shorted and if they don't offer enough there is no point in the added expense. It just sounds like a can of worms that is not necessary to open.
I also worry that too many server rulesets will fragment a community that by most accounts will be a niche audience. If your goal is to appeal to a niche audience I think further splitting up the community with too many rulesets will be counter-productive to the core of what Pantheon is offering..group content and class interdependence. If everyone gets their exact ruleset that they want but nobody can fill a group because the community is too spread out that won't benefit anyone.
Agree with both statements.
I agree as well I see nothing wrong with a RP server, normal servers, FFA PVP server and faction based PVP server. The Vetern server could have a bad affect on growth when new people start and all the best are on there own server and they have no one to help with
Zarriya said:Aradune said:....
Veteran Server(s) -- These would be servers where you would need to pay up front (e.g. no trial period) for those players who don't want to deal with new players who are just checking out the game to see if they like it during a free trial period (likely the first 5-10 levels would be free, then you have to sign up).
......
I like the idea of your other server choices. This one (veteran) concerns me however.
-Veterans who want their friends to trial the game will have to tell their friend - go play on a different server and come back when you can pay lol.
-Free trial people will all be on the same server (servers?) and that server(s) will not be characteristic of the actual game. There wont be as many helpful answers and friendly faces like it would be if free trial players were spread out. And there might be a higher concentration of gold spammers/bot/trolls - the malicious accounts that abuse free trials and a lower concentration of the people that report them. I wouldn't want a person to trial Pantheon and say its full of trolls/gold spammers etc.
-The veteran server will have a smaller influx of new players coming in because once a person creates a trial account, they are most likely to continue playing on the server that they started on.
Totally agree with You Zarriya :)
Assuming you got the patience and regarding your worries :)
- In as far as the GM presence:
i) Might be just my misinterpreting, but what i got was that logically, 'A' normal server has let us say 5 GMs per 500 people ok? Now if we want to offer events where the constant (important part this) presence of a GM is necessary, naturally they will have say 7 or 8 GMs per same 500 people.
Ergo.. "more GMs". Same number for policing, servicing, etc, on any server, an extra number on top for the shards/servers wherein events are transpiring. Can't have a GM playing the duck while on an event and simultaneously serving a ticket.. so we get more.
Why all the negative connotations? Did i get something wrong? :)
ii) I also fail to understand how policing, griefing and anti-griefing are relevant to any of this, and allow me to explain. By your stating that premium servers will have more policing or more anti-griefing (forget if that's good or bad, stick to having it for now), you are indirectly implying that the normal shards will be.. lawless, or in any case the Wild Wild West.. says who?
Again, VR will decide (don't even know how this is decided) on a fixed number of GMs per server, according to their criteria. Said criteria fly over to ALL shards. Including monitoring behaviour, muting, banning, warning, etc. The 'extras' are extras because they will have a function the 'non-extras' got no time to perform; simple as that. Unless again i am missing something?
- In as far as normal servers and lack of 'good' players, etc:
i) who told you all the good players will be in the premium servers? An extra fiver or a tenner each month may be nothing to you, but may be something to another
ii) this is still a subscription based, adult-oriented, 'old school' game. You are expected a priori to have the qualities (as a player) these entail. I do not see how some hostile, clueless and braindead mass of people will all of a sudden both invade Pantheon and get to stay, therefore causing an issue to everyone else. Veni, maybe, vidi and vici no way. We are still a sub game, at a time where most of said people get apoplexy just hearing of the term
iii) who says ALL servers must have good players? That implies we all, i, you, have equal potential, ergo all the servers too have equal potential. Since when? And who told you that even if we did have only normal servers.. that yet again, there wouldn't be servers doing better or much better than others? This is.. natural. You cannot equate but downwards. And by equating thus you move on to a different kind of game, the kind where "all fit". We aren't that kind of game people
Some people will want to play on the 'veteran' servers, but I think a lot of veterans will want to help guide the newbies too. In fact, we're brainstorming on ways to promote vertical interdependence and offer rewards for players who help each other out. Lots of proactive, pro-grouping planning going on. Plus, of course, a Guide program.
Aradune said:Some people will want to play on the 'veteran' servers, but I think a lot of veterans will want to help guide the newbies too. In fact, we're brainstorming on ways to promote vertical interdependence and offer rewards for players who help each other out. Lots of proactive, pro-grouping planning going on. Plus, of course, a Guide program.
Awesome. It would be brilliant to know what would be required to join the guide program. I know it is way too early for an answer now but as soon as you do have an answer I'd love to hear about it. Plus rewarding players for helping other players seems like a really good idea. It is much better to reward good behaviour than to punish bad behaviour. That way people have an incentive to behave well in-game.
Kelem said:Totally agree with You Zarriya :)
<3
Aradune said:Some people will want to play on the 'veteran' servers, but I think a lot of veterans will want to help guide the newbies too. In fact, we're brainstorming on ways to promote vertical interdependence and offer rewards for players who help each other out. Lots of proactive, pro-grouping planning going on. Plus, of course, a Guide program.
I know you know best :) , I was just giving you my thoughts. I am looking forward to those programs. I enjoyed them in Eq2.
I've never been a fan of premium servers. They've always screamed developer greed to me, irregardless if they have been implemented with the best intentions. I've always thought it set a bad precedent that the "normal" servers cost 14.99 a month, but, in order to get the "best" experience, you need to pay 39.99/month (just basing these numbers off the old EQ Legends Server).
I'd much rather the subscription cost be raised and equal throughout (with discounts being offered for paying at 3/month versus 6/month versus annually like EQ did), versus offering incentive to pay more money for better rewards/experiences/gm interactions/customer service.
Much like anything else, if it's not good enough to justify the cost, then why bother paying 39.99 versus 14.99? But, if the servers are that "much" better to justify the cost difference, then it is a subscription form of "Pay to Win" or at least "Pay for Unique features and advantages" versus the normal servers. And, Aenra, making exaggerated claims that those who think premium servers are P2W must be a 12 year old is ridiculous. I want Pantheon successful, and I don't agree that offering a Lamborghini Diablo server for a premium versus a Chevy Chevette at more normal fee is a good idea. I'd prefer not to fragment a niche population even further.
If Pantheon still needs more funding post launch, I'd much rather the development team ask for continued donations and pump out new content for all.
Aradune said:Some people will want to play on the 'veteran' servers, but I think a lot of veterans will want to help guide the newbies too. In fact, we're brainstorming on ways to promote vertical interdependence and offer rewards for players who help each other out. Lots of proactive, pro-grouping planning going on. Plus, of course, a Guide program.
Nothing could make me happier than than to hear this Aradune. I always loved hanging in the newbie areas with my Shaman in EQ and saving someone's life or buffing them out of this world. Why? Because I loved that when I was a new and I was paying the community back. Haveing the game promote that is a great idea.
I also loved seeing the guides in all the games you've touched. Wonderful to see that idea still alive.