Reserves, done right

[Kyonye]

I would say no more than Command Rank 1, if not none at all. I like the idea, though. I'd rather see reserves get no CR. CR should be reserved for people willing to pay. Reserves is a good idea. Things like that can lead to more people deciding to pay monthly for it. If they get addicted, they'll want to go farther in BR and CR, and all the weapons, etc.

[Rbstr]

I like this idea to some extent.
Don't want to pay? Be forced to the whims of balance. Or worse! A CR5s whims!

Gotta watch out that the reserves aren't just wantonly chucked across the game though. It'd be amazingly frustrating to die and have to load a new continent every time. There should be some consistency.

Originally Posted by Bags

I'll TLDR your post:

Reserves:
Require legit CC to setup account
Max BR 6 CR 2
Has to wait in bottom of queue.

There ya go.

TLDR: Bags cunting up the thread.
Seriously, what was the point of that? Just state what you'd rather see instead of being a douche.

[morf]

Originally Posted by Rbstr

Gotta watch out that the reserves aren't just wantonly chucked across the game though. It'd be amazingly frustrating to die and have to load a new continent every time. There should be some consistency.

I was thinking about this too. They are initially placed at a hotspot and as long as that particular territory remains a hotspot, then the priority would be to spawn the reserve who is already there in the same area. This gives them some continuity and lets them feel like they are a part of that battle. However if a reserve is assaulting a base and it gets hacked and we're all sitting around with our thumbs in our asses waiting for the cap, it's time for those reserves to move out. No rest for the balance grunts.

[Bags]

Originally Posted by Rbstr

TLDR: Bags cunting up the thread.
Seriously, what was the point of that? Just state what you'd rather see instead of being a douche.

That's exactly what I did though. I gave a TLDR of my response to his post. Only reason I posted that my post would be TLDR in length was to point out the stark contrast between his lengthy post and my short, concise post.

Oh, I get it. I got trolled. 10/10 you got me to bite, WP.

[PsychoXR-20]

Some interesting ideas, and some bad ideas.

Originally Posted by morf

Players would be able to download and play the game as a reserve for free, provided that they verify with a credit card, so that hackers can't just create unlimited accounts.

I don't think anyone can really disagree with needing to verify with a CC, even for a free account. CC = no/very few hackers = much more fun game.

Originally Posted by morf

First and foremost, free players should not be able to choose their empire. They should only be allowed to play for the empire with the lowest pop.

I like this, empire balance is very important.

Originally Posted by morf

I was thinking that reserves could be instant action only...When a reserve dies, instead of choosing a respawn point, he is instantly transported to wherever the game decides he is needed. He spawns, already equipped with weapons and ready to fight.

I like the idea of forcing them into instant action at the start of a session, as that will help keep fights big, however I very much disagree with forcing them into instant action every time they die. You are going to turn more people off from PlanetSide by doing that. The purpose of a reserves program is to get people interested in PlanetSide so that they realize it's not just CoD with a monthly fee, but something much deeper. A reserve would never get to truly experience a large battle if every time they die they get shipped off to a different facility, or a different continent all-together. In the end they will see PS as a shallow, strategy-less game that isn't worth their money. Not to mention the prospect of group play is completely shattered if as soon as they die they are on the other side of the world from the rest of their squad.

Originally Posted by morf

NOW here's my favorite part of this idea... how many times have you sat in a CY screaming for a tail gunner for your lib? People are quick to pile into the bomber slot but without a tail gunner you're toast the first time a mossie sees you. But with the improved reserve system, this is no longer a problem. Simply use the "WE NEED A GUNNER" voice macro and a few seconds later, the next available reserve spawns directly into your gunner slot, ready to go. Same goes for passengers in your gal, you can put together raid drops ON DEMAND.

Forcing people into doing roles they don't find entertaining is not the best way to find new customers.

[morf]

Yeah as I said before, the priority would be to keep a player at the same battle after he instant actions until that is no longer a hotspot, then ship him off somewhere else.

Forcing people into doing roles they don't find entertaining is not the best way to find new customers.

A reserve will play a variety of roles, namely, whatever we need at the time. What's worse: throwing a freeloader customer into a vehicle he may or may not like, or letting a paying customer sit in a CY screaming for a gunner for 5 mins before taking off without one? Besides, the reserve can always exit the vehicle and walk away if he REALLY doesn't like it. Another one will be along in a few seconds.

[Sifer2]

Hmm everything I was about to say PsychoXR-20 beat me to it.

So yeah like the idea of requiring CC. Like the idea of only able to join lowest pop faction.

But I dislike the rest since spawning them around randomly would only confuse an annoy them an is not likely to make them want to play it for long. I know if I had that kind of restriction I would be tempted to log on only to grief people an act silly since whatever battle I was in wouldn't matter. I would be on the other side of the world after death an never see those people again.

[Aractain]

It seems like you would be treating potential customers as oil for your current customers.

Its like beating someone who comes into your shop and saying they will stop the beating if you buy. They are just going to go to another establishment.
If someone is playing for 'free' they are doing potentially 2 things.

The first is providing more bodies - self explanatory.
The second, possibly, is providing motivation for friends to keep paying and or friends to play in the first place. (Your player base is your marketing).

If free players arn't having fun they leave and do something that IS.

[morf]

Originally Posted by Aractain

It seems like you would be treating potential customers as oil for your current customers.

What's wrong with this if it keeps the subs happy? Like they say in business, it's more expensive to recruit a new customer than to keep the one you have. And who said anything about them not having fun? The proposed system would give them a similar experience to what they have in a traditional FPS, like I said before, spawn, shoot, die, respawn. Furthermore it places them in action equipped with weapons needed to make a difference. All of this FOR FREE. Take a look at all of the crap games on the internet that HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS play every day just because they are free. (I'm looking at you, gunz, travian, runescape) This would trump them all.

So they miss out on some of the features that make PS more than another FPS. I've got news for you, software companies do this all the time. It's a proven marketing strategy, make the threshold to try it out as easy as possible then charge them once they have a taste. (I'm looking at you, 30 second fraps demo video length limit) Giving BR6 for free is practically giving 70 percent of the game away. As the saying goes, why buy the cow if you can get the milk for free?

[Hamma]

Interesting ideas for sure. The buddy key system was neat but then again it was our Key Exchange that made that successful otherwise folks would have sat on their buddy keys for some time.

[brinkdadrink]

What if you did a mix. So lets say they DL the game and they start like normal with BR6 max on a trial account (CC required free) which only takes like a couple of hours to hit anyway. Then after a week if they havnt subbed they already have a feel for how the game actually is and is moved to the "reserves". Here they are bounced around as needed. When they log in they are auto put on the low pop and play like you said.

I like the idea you have but if i want my friends to join and know what the game is about i want them to play with me to get the true since. If after a week they like it but dont want to sub them f*em

[Grimster]

I think requiring CC has its advantages as well as its drawbacks.

I think many new players might be reluctant to be required to register their CC to be able to play and this might lower the interest for such solution. At the same time I think it is necessary to do.

I guess when I read my post I don't really contribute with anything but anyways just letting my mind loose.

[Aractain]

Originally Posted by morf

What's wrong with this if it keeps the subs happy? Like they say in business, it's more expensive to recruit a new customer than to keep the one you have. And who said anything about them not having fun? The proposed system would give them a similar experience to what they have in a traditional FPS, like I said before, spawn, shoot, die, respawn. Furthermore it places them in action equipped with weapons needed to make a difference. All of this FOR FREE. Take a look at all of the crap games on the internet that HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS play every day just because they are free. (I'm looking at you, gunz, travian, runescape) This would trump them all.

So they miss out on some of the features that make PS more than another FPS. I've got news for you, software companies do this all the time. It's a proven marketing strategy, make the threshold to try it out as easy as possible then charge them once they have a taste. (I'm looking at you, 30 second fraps demo video length limit) Giving BR6 for free is practically giving 70 percent of the game away. As the saying goes, why buy the cow if you can get the milk for free?

I havn't played Gunz or Combat Arms or whatever but if loads play Im guessing its fun? You are right that these people need to get a demo though.

Anyway my point is more about how these players feel like they are being treated. If they feel like valued potential customers being shown how awesome the game is then great. If the feel like they are just fodder for subscribers we arn't going to get any new players lol.

SOE NEEDS to fix its turnover problem in PSN this time. We need a constant flow of new players to replace those who (will!) quit.

(Side note: Thats why I like free to play, its a demo and a flexible payment model all in one. When done right (LOL ALLODS LOL) it makes more money than subs because you have waaay more people interested. Its perfect for niche games that have bigger budget competition.)

[The Desert Fox]

You guys arn't looking at this reserves thing literally enough, for those who know how the reserves actually work they drill 1 weekend a month. I say we have a Reserves Drill weekend and apply everything you all said, but only for 1 weekend. To stay true to the Reservist way

[Traak]

Anything free=bad in this game. UNLESS the free players can't fire weapons, are restricted to running around at half speed, and every ten to twenty seconds will randomly be taken over and run around the battlefield in ever-larger circles gibbering and bleating like sheep with an XP amount-displaying WP rotating above their heads. They would all appear on everybody's map, and anyone, friendly or enemy would get triple XP for killing them. Bonus points if they use plasma.

This will make them useful for something, and minimize their ability to ruin the game for everyone else.

Also, make it so no free account can be going to the same IP address as any other account, free or otherwise, so people can't stack 200 free accounts up and then just use them to mow down to bolster their kill stats, like they did when it was available. "Gee, why are the guys not defending this base, but just respawning and clotting the hallway where we're trying to fight?" DUH! Why do you think??? So their "owner" can mow them down for fat XP b0nuz!

Hm. Trying to think of what else we could do with the free players. How about if they canvass their neighborhoods and sign up 100 paying players, they get to play for free until every paying player they signed up quits? Make them salesmen for Sony!

I really don't like the idea of people playing for free because free=cheat, cheat, cheat, cheat, cheat. I also think it should be physically impossible for one player to play more than one toon at the same time. This is supposed to be PVP not PVPPPPPPPPPPPPPP.

Sony could just spend more, scratch that, ANY money on advertising and get this game rocking. It could become a society-affecting thing like Facebook. Bring it to the masses, not just computer gamers with more money in their computer than in their cars. (sheepishly raises hand).