Aren't the Reinforcement Program tiers too expensive?
NeoQuaker1
New York Join Date: 2013-02-19 Member: 183182Members, Reinforced - Supporter, Reinforced - Silver, Reinforced - Gold, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Supporter
New York Join Date: 2013-02-19 Member: 183182Members, Reinforced - Supporter, Reinforced - Silver, Reinforced - Gold, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Supporter
I love this game and appreciate all the updates they've done since release. I want UWE to keep working on it awhile longer, which is why I want them to make as much as possible with this donation program. But they might have overestimated how much people are willing donate. I think that everything included in the Shadow Badge should be offered for $25 or less.
Something like this:
Shadow Badge $25
Diamond Badge $15
Gold Badge $10
Silver Badge $5
Supporter Badger $1-4
So far they have about 2,200 contributors. I'm guessing NS2 has sold at least 50,000 copies. With lower prices, they would get a much greater percentage of the community to donate. I'm confident that getting more people to donate less, will yields better results than getting a few die hard fans to donate a lot. I for one would definitely get the Shadow Badge for $25, but the way it is now, I'll probably send $10. Again, I want what best for NS2, what do you think?
Something like this:
Shadow Badge $25
Diamond Badge $15
Gold Badge $10
Silver Badge $5
Supporter Badger $1-4
So far they have about 2,200 contributors. I'm guessing NS2 has sold at least 50,000 copies. With lower prices, they would get a much greater percentage of the community to donate. I'm confident that getting more people to donate less, will yields better results than getting a few die hard fans to donate a lot. I for one would definitely get the Shadow Badge for $25, but the way it is now, I'll probably send $10. Again, I want what best for NS2, what do you think?
Comments
So the cost of the tiers is not the "price" of the items, it's just a donation. The items are given to you as a small thank you from the company for doing your part.
If someone is looking at this program as a sale, they are not thinking about it the right way.
I understand that. When the whole game itself is just $25 (and sometimes offered at a huge discount), giving $40 for a soundtrack and new skin wouldn't make sense to anyone. So it has to be mostly out of appreciation to the UWE team. But I still think they are asking for a lot.
Supporter Badger?
You are allowed to donate any amount of money, and it's an entirely voluntary system, so they aren't really asking for anything when you think about it in a certain way.
After that it probably goes really slow but they are not on a 30 day limit like kickstarter.
And if they do another program in a few months i'm happy to give again.
I'd gladly pay some more for that. Adding to it, I'd be fine with that kind of DLC in the game (cosmetic skins) I just despise any DLC that divides a playerbase or provides in game advantages. Might be worth considering as a supplemental revenue stream
An upgrade to onos badge would see a lot of shadow donors like me upgrading to onos cos we missed out first time
I'm sure there's plenty of people who would be willing to donate more than $75, but since there was no tier option settled for the Shadow.
Another thing would be allowing people to upgrade their tiers, ie if you have purchased diamond you can pay 25 to go up to shadow.
Let's look at it through the lens of a cynic (this is how 'disagrees' are born): I feel it's significant you paid exactly 75 though you say it is not a sale, I.e. The rewards are not significant. You're saying their progress wasn't worth 76, 77, 190, or 2k to you. You who can specify any amount to donate, just *happened* to donate the minimum amount
to get the maximum status rewards. And with no influence of the rewards. Seems improbable.
I think it's a cleverly pitched sales scheme selling a new, higher status and reprieve from a newly-created guilt, all of which is created to generate money from a previously failed business model.
You are looking at a subtly-introduced free to play model with an element of guilt, IMHO. Though the devs might not have intended this, this is effectually how it behaves
It simply doesn't matter how you define it. There was a request from players of being able to donate and UWE delivered. Together with a little thank you.
I could also define your post as envy instead of a normal opinion. Does it change anything? No. But one can talk bad about everything if he tries hard enough.
I enjoyed this post... I love the cynicism
But sure, some level marketing is very much about creating needs and problems that you have solutions available for and that element is can be seen in any marketing. Then again, I really can't subscribe to this notion of me being guilt manipulated into this, although to some that may or course be the case. For me, NS1 & 2 have been the 2 subjectively best games I have played and I think I'm honest to myself saying that I've supported the game out of thankfulness.
PS. Even after NS2 preorder premium, shadow-reinforcement and all the server hosting costs, I think I'm actually on the plus side, what with the tournament gear prizes and the trip to Cologne... How is that for a good deal?
At the time I purchased my shadow tier I did not realize that you could specify any amount, so I chose to purchase the shadow tier because it was the highest available that remains within my price range. If I were to estimate a price on the items that you receive as part of the package, I'd say they're worth... $5? Maybe $10? The new skins are okay, but I don't ever see them so it does little for me. The shoulder decal I'm not a fan of. I didn't even download the soundtrack, I play this game with music muted anyway. I think that's all the rewards that come with it. My decision to purchase this had much more to do with a feeling of appreciation for a developer who has provided me with many hours of entertainment than it did with status or in-game items.