paid server?

wraithverge · 2012-07-19, 01:51 PM

I know it's too early to say, but is there a possibility of a single server where only payed members can log into? Depending on the audience that this game attracts, I prefer people at least old enough to have a credit card, or know that if they get banned, they are actually losing real money. I know it may be bad for the business model you are shooting for but I think payed attracts a higher quality of gamer. Maybe just an optional sub server that costs a few bucks a month?

Ideas on how we can make this work so far. Please add more, just adding them here for summary or TL;DR

I suggest being able to buy in for large amounts of auraxium or pay cash for it.

Loco suggested tying it to the station pass model.

Sylphaen suggested anyone who's spent any money can access it

Rivenshield brought up the paid client, which is a confirmed no.

SgtExo · 2012-07-19, 01:52 PM

I dont see this happening at all.

Stardouser · 2012-07-19, 01:55 PM

Well, everyone loves to cite that PS2 is an MMO when it supports their case in certain issues.

And as it happens, Premium servers are not unheard of in MMOs. Legends server in Everquest for example.

Goku · 2012-07-19, 01:56 PM

Originally Posted by SgtExo

I dont see this happening at all.

This. Fragments the community and I don't see many people hopping on board. If by paid server also means you get even more stuff then what a regular prem sub (if it happens) may afford that isn't going to happen. That splits their business model.

SFJake · 2012-07-19, 01:58 PM

If paid only meant "you have to have spent at least 10$ on the game", I'd actually like it. Sub servers, no. Thats dumb when you have free ones.

I'd think the game would have enough servers eventually to have at least one of those. Unless the game is struggling to have one server filled at a time. This really depends on the population in the game, it definitively could hurt it.

Tough. I don't expect it at all myself.

NCLynx · 2012-07-19, 02:00 PM

This will never happen.

Xyntech · 2012-07-19, 02:06 PM

I tend to think this is a bad idea and won't happen, but if there are enough servers it may not have as large of a problem of fracturing the community at least.

But personally, this seems like a bad band-aid style solution to help dealing with hackers and griefers. I'd much rather see them successfully deal with hackers and griefers on all servers if possible. If they are able to keep those issues to a minimum without resorting to charging money for an account, I don't see why a paid only server would be necessary.

Honestly, I've seen way too many assholes, hackers and griefers in buy to play and subscription based games to think that it would help much. F2P can increase the number of problem players, but charging money certainly doesn't get anywhere even remotely close to eliminating them. Good anti-cheat and anti-grief systems, along with responsive GM's will be a lot more important to keeping the quality of a server high. As for the rest, as far as players just being assholes without breaking any rules, that's going to come down to the community self policing itself.

wraithverge · 2012-07-19, 02:16 PM

yeah, that's why I said it might be bad for the business model. Splitting playerbase only makes sense if there's a really good reason for it. So how can we make this work? How about you can spend X auraxium to buy access to this special server as well? This way the people on the server are those who are vested in the game, OR those who have payed and are therefore vested in the game? We are a creative bunch, how can we make a game where we are not constantly flooded with people who have nothing to lose? It's the ring of gyges dillema, or in modern terms, keyboard courage, where people turn to jerks when they have minimal to no consequences to their actions? If all you have to do is create a new account people will cheat, be jerks etc. We learned this lesson from fodderside.

Loco · 2012-07-19, 02:20 PM

I wonder if they will have a "Gold Club" prescription server to work with the SOE station pass.

Stardouser · 2012-07-19, 02:20 PM

Originally Posted by Xyntech

I tend to think this is a bad idea and won't happen, but if there are enough servers it may not have as large of a problem of fracturing the community at least.

But personally, this seems like a bad band-aid style solution to help dealing with hackers and griefers. I'd much rather see them successfully deal with hackers and griefers on all servers if possible. If they are able to keep those issues to a minimum without resorting to charging money for an account, I don't see why a paid only server would be necessary.

Honestly, I've seen way too many assholes, hackers and griefers in buy to play and subscription based games to think that it would help much. F2P can increase the number of problem players, but charging money certainly doesn't get anywhere even remotely close to eliminating them. Good anti-cheat and anti-grief systems, along with responsive GM's will be a lot more important to keeping the quality of a server high. As for the rest, as far as players just being assholes without breaking any rules, that's going to come down to the community self policing itself.

I agree with you that if there are enough servers overall, having a few variable content servers(of any kind, including simple premium servers) won't harm anything.

I'm just curious why you automatically jumped to assuming that such a server was for the purpose of avoiding hackers and griefers though

lol, it could always be premium in other ways than just that.

wraithverge · 2012-07-19, 02:26 PM

Originally Posted by Stardouser

I'm just curious why you automatically jumped to assuming that such a server was for the purpose of avoiding hackers and griefers though

lol, it could always be premium in other ways than just that.

fodderside or "reserves" is my guess, we tried the free thing. Of course better anti cheat methods are built in from the ground up now.

shadar · 2012-07-19, 02:38 PM

I highly doupt that they would do that. The only thing somewhat simmarl to that i could see being done is to have a exclusive sever for some of the more respected community members and poeple who know what there talking about to be basicly one patch ahead of the rest of the severs. That way they can catch any ballance isues or bugs that may have gone un noticed if only 50-60 poeple had tested it. Could also prevent a major screw up like the BFR were

sylphaen · 2012-07-19, 02:39 PM

Unless they make it so anyone who has spent at least 1$ since PS2 launch can get on them, there may be population issues. And even then there could be population issues.

haticK · 2012-07-19, 02:40 PM

but then how will i make 12 year olds rage

Rivenshield · 2012-07-19, 02:40 PM

Nah.

/shakes head

I still think they need to charge a modest amount for the client, though. It won't *prevent* double-boxing spies/saboteurs, hackers, etc.... but it'll certainly harden the target.

Originally Posted by haticK

but then how will i make 12 year olds rage

You evil purple bastard.