Systems: Purchasing Certs with Station Cash

[Tatwi]

Just wanted to share the following concept of how certs could work in the Free2Play model.

NOTE: WE'RE NOT SELLING CERT POINTS, just unlocking access to higher level certs with SC.

1. Players earn and allocate cert points the same way regardless of being monthly subscribers or free2Play.

2. Monthly subscribers can use any cert they have earned, any time they like. If their subscription lapses, they go back to Free2Play and have those limitation until they subscribe again.

3. Free2Play players have access to the first 50% of all the cert trees (that they have earned), at all times.

4. Once they have earned and allocated the cert points in the last 50% of a tree, Free2Play players can use those certs for 20 minutes every day. This allows F2P players to test the waters and see what certs they really enjoy using.

5. F2P players may purchase access to the remaining 50% of cert trees for $5 each tree. This grants them full access to the cert trees that they have purchased AND EARNED THE CERT POINTS TO ACCESS THROUGH GAME PLAY.

6. Free2Play players who have purchased to unlock cert trees, but later on become recurring subscribers do not gain a bonus, because they will retain their paid unlocked certs should they let their subscription lapse.

I think this system is fair for SOE as well as the players, as it lets everyone "try before they buy" any advanced certs they've earned, but it also incentives the subscription while still giving folks the ability to only spend $5 here or there, rather than a full $15/m. It's sort of "the best of both worlds" and it leaves room for SOE to add more levels of paid/subscription-only certs down the road too.

Anyhow, food for thought.