Fluffy Moe
Royal Amarr Institute
Amarr Empire
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Posted - 2017.03.18 20:22:09 -
[1] - Quote
Arthur Aihaken wrote:Despite the initial surge in new Alpha players, active player numbers on Tranquility are now almost back to where they were prior to Ascension. There is nothing earth shattering on the horizon and CCP has fired all barrels (SKINs, skill extractors/injectors and F2P). To-date Alphas have't really contributed more than reducing mineral prices, serving as cannon fodder in null fleets and continued thread requests for "moar".
Numbers don't lie so it will be interesting to see how CCP spins this (if they even try to spin it). I'm not sure if the free 30-day trial that was originally in-place was any worse than the current F2P model. One advantage of the free trial is that it gave you unlimited access to the game for a month - which was more than enough time to make a determination.
Rather than continuing to gimp the "Alpha experience" CCP should be looking for ways to incentivize players to subscribe and become Omegas. So here are a few suggestions in no particular order (donning my asbestos suit):
* Remove all the current skill and module restrictions from Alphas save one: reduced skill training time.
* Limit Alphas to high-sec only. No venturing into low-sec, null-sec or wormhole space.
* Move L4 agents, Incursions and ice belts to low-sec. I was vehemently opposed to these ideas originally, but have gradually warmed to the concept (even though it means my own style of play will have to adapt and evolve). In combination with banning the transit and operatipn of supers, this might actually largely fix low-sec.
* Extend a Premium Insurance option to Omegas to cover T2, T3 and Faction ship hulls and ease the transition to low-sec.
* Introduce a new Implant Extractor for Aurum that can only be utilized by Omega characters (use extracts all implants in a clone or corpse).
Comments welcome - discussion appreciated - even flames tolerated.
I disagree with you completely. I have both Omega and Alpha accounts here and I play multiple MMORPGs, this is not the only one.
I also have 2 alts that play quite a lot with the actual, new, alpha players. The main problem with the alpha state here is that overall game mechanics wise it is comparable to that of World of Warcraft. Yup, you heard it right and correct. Whereas it needs to be comparable to that of GW2.
That overall difference in functionality is gigantic. The alpha state here is more like a "free demo" not an actual playable way to maintain a main character, that's the problem. And a lot of alphas, a fairly large percentage, are simply alts.
The skill injectors are great, as they are a tool for new players to catch up a bit and I would take them a bit further, the 2 things in particular that come to my mind:
1. Make more skill injectors with the upcoming changes to PLEX, for example have skill injectors for 100k skill points, 200k, 300k, 400k, 500k, not just the current ones.
2. Give a new player a free NOT TRANSFARRABLE 500k skill injector when upgrading from alpha to omega and using actual CC or other payment method via their account website. This would not be applicable if player is using just plex, but only to those that make an actual monetary payment to CCP.
Those kinda changes would make players stick around more. The biggest turn off to new players, is the same exact one that was there before the alphas, that is how long the skills take to train up and when they realize just how much disparity there is between them and vets and that there is no chance whatsoever for them to even remotely be anything other then cannon fodder in PVP because of the types of ships they can fly. THAT is when they give up and quit and what they need help with.
Instead of posting here like this you should go make an alt and talk to them. I happen to do so because I'm a returning player and there have been so many changes to the game since last I played, I am still kinda new in many aspects now.
O, and the ones that do venture to low / null, are either alts or just unaware yet of what it is they're doing. Some of them join a corp just to see what its like and the corps drags them out there while they have really no clue what it really is, and then again, they quit rather then going Omega.
But putting further limitations on it is the exact opposite of what needs to be done, alphas need more incentives to go Omega and a lot more functionality.
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