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Topic: EP retrieval feature

Hi,

I would like a feature to retrieve lost EP due to account inactivity.

The idea would be that players that had already played the game previously would be able to pay a fee to recover the lost ep (say pay a months sub for a months ep).

i know how this sounds but im only asking about buying back LOST ep not buy MORE ep. and it would be restricted to players that have had an active account in the past not for new accounts (no buying ep for new players). Also there could be a restriction as to how much EP can be bought back, say maximum of 12months of ep so as not to allow ppl that had an active account 5 years ago to cash in on it and abuse it.

the reason i think this should be available is because if you are paying the same amount as players that have been paying all along then there shouldn't be any issues as the other players have been paying also.

some people have to stop subs due RL issues financial issues W/E, and it would be nice for ppl like that to be able to buy back what they lost due to being a victim of circumstances.

please let me know what you think of this idea, i dont mind constructive criticism but anyone who wants to flame should go elsewhere.

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Re: EP retrieval feature

No
-1

"you're not in an MMO to make friends, you're there to make enemies smile"

3 Reply by Alexander (edited by Alexander 2012-01-24 14:42:41)

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Re: EP retrieval feature

No
-1

If you choose not be subscribe you should not be able to buy EP. If you only just found the game and are a new player it's not fair to let them buy all the EP they could have had if they'd have found the game sooner.

The game is balanced enough where you don't need this feature. Even if you did buy all the missed EP back you'd still want more and would be thinking or anything feature to get even more EP.

Removing attributes is enough and while I'd love to see a better "Downgrading" system for extensions it's not urgent.

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Re: EP retrieval feature

No
-1

This idea goes against the fundamental basis of the the extension system....... Your character progresses over time based on your choices in allocating accumulated EP not on choosing to leave the game and resubbing 6 months later.

Allowing a buy back of "lost" ep is, in my opinion, an insult to the players that have been here from day one and continue to help build and grow the game. It completely nullifies the effort they have put into shaping their characters and the time they have invested in this game.

Bad things happen to good people. That is a fact of life. It is in those times that people really have to choose what is important to them. Is it playing internet robots? Is it buying one less six pack of beer to fund their gaming. Is it making sure that their family has a roof over their head and food on the table? I know the choice I made when it happened to me years ago and I don't regret losing 8 months of skill training in stEve.

Bottom line is that someone that was forced to leave the game due to RL issues will come back when they can if they truely enjoyed the game regardless of how much EP they could have had but don't.

Inappropriate signature.

5 Reply by fantazmythe (edited by fantazmythe 2012-01-24 15:42:31)

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Re: EP retrieval feature

Alexander wrote:

If you only just found the game and are a new player it's not fair to let them buy all the EP they could have had if they'd have found the game sooner.

if you had read the post closer you would have see that i said i DONT want new players to be able to buy EP

Alexander wrote:

Even if you did buy all the missed EP back you'd still want more and would be thinking or anything feature to get even more EP.

i also said i DONT want to buy more then what i would have accumulated

Scyylla wrote:

Allowing a buy back of "lost" ep is, in my opinion, an insult to the players that have been here from day one and continue to help build and grow the game.

for your information i was in both the closed beta AND the open beta and also bought the pre-release pack for 3 accounts and played for about 6-8months before i was forced to stop playing due to circumstances that arn't any of your business. so no i didn't play for a month then stop playing and am now expecting my EP back.

PS. i asked for constructive criticism not flames. all i have heard from both you is NO NO NO flame flame flame

6 Reply by fantazmythe (edited by fantazmythe 2012-01-24 16:08:48)

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Re: EP retrieval feature

let me put it this way. you pay each month to have access to the game, while having access to that game you accumulate EP REGARDLESS of how much you play. EP as we know is NOT accumulated by grinding.
your paying that fee is what supports Avatar Creations most. so if ALL i want to do is buy the EP i lost while not subbed, for the SAME amount as you payed what is the issue?

im still paying Avatar Creations which helps them out a lot, and im not getting all the fun from the time i lost, im not getting any NIC from it that i might have otherwise accumulated while subbed the whole time. to me that means im getting the shorter end of the stick.

what is your VALID issue?

P.S

Scyylla wrote:

This idea goes against the fundamental basis of the the extension system....... Your character progresses over time based on your choices in allocating accumulated EP

this is totally laughable. you just shot yourself in the foot with that one.
let me explain, unlike stEVE you accumulate EP and spend it rahter then train a skill, therefore you are shaping your spark on the choices you make with the EP you will get no matter what you do. you are not required to log on and keep a skill trained, you just choose the extension you want and if you have the EP you buy it(as we all know) how you play the game does change how you SPEND it not how you get it. that means if i get it i can decide what i want and get it right away or decide to save it like everyone else.

please explain to me how this goes against the fundamentals of the game?

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Re: EP retrieval feature

hmmm,
Guys are quick to say no, and that is how I felt as I was reading the initial post but then I considered this point.

Lets say a guy subbed 6 months ago, played 3 months then un-subbed for another 3.  What he is asking is can he back pay the 3 months he was un-subbed and get that EP back.  Again my first thought is NO FREEKING WAY...but hold up.

By him paying the back 3 months, he is not gaining any additional advantage as he will have payed the same as everyone else that has been subbed.

The game could use any additional income, so having him pay back subs would help the game more than just having him re-sub and continue.

I propose this....have the ability to "back sub" months that you have not payed....at full monthly price per month (not a package discount amount) and get 50% - 75% of that EP back to that player at the time the "back sub" is payed.  One more restriction that seems reasonable is limit it to 4 - 6 months cap.

This generates revenue for our Devs, encourages a guy with a little extra cash to come back, giving us a larger player base, and when all added up, he is still behind those that subbed every month.  I think this helps everyone.

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Re: EP retrieval feature

To address your points:

1-- You should review my other posts. This was constructive CRITICISM. You are the one that is full of piss and vinegar because nobody has agreed with you. A bit lower in this post I will share with you what alot of people want to type but lack the testicular fortitude to actually do.

2-- EP accumulates because you have PAID to STAY subscribed. That's the way it works. AC has absolutely nothing to do with you CHOOSING to stop playing for whatever reason. Why should they reward you for being a "disloyal" customer by allowing you to buy EP?

3-- People can do whatever they want with the EP that has accumulated during their PAID subscription. That is the the way the skilling system is designed.

4-- Your idea rewards the flavor of the month gamer more then anyone else. Play a game for a month or 2 until the new shiney one comes out. Play it till it bores you and come back here, buy back 3 months of EP and be competitive with people who actually give a damn about the game then wander away the next minute something shiney distracts you.. I don't think so....


Now here is the fun part that I purposely avoided in my first post to provide you some CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM:

1-- Your idea is plain idiotic
2-- I don't care when you started playing or what pre-release pack you bought
3-- You stopped playing. Deal with it.
4-- There are no free cheese lines in Perpetuum. Accept the consequences of your actions.
5-- Whatever sob story you have doesn't matter. I don't care why you quit. Fact is that you QUIT!
6-- Quit pretending that your idea helps AC out. It doesn't you numpty. All it does is encourage an unstable player base which is the exact opposite of what a sandbox MMO needs.
7-- Sandbox MMO's are not for you or your kind. This genre of game is not for the flavor of the month gamer and your idiotic idea does nothing but reward them..

Last but not least:

There are plenty of free to play games out there for you. Don't let the door hit ya where the good lord split ya!

Inappropriate signature.
  • JOKE
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Re: EP retrieval feature

Tbh I don't see anything wrong with this idea, after all you actually pay to get EP every month. This obviously has to be limited in some way in order not being able to surpass vet players skill wise.

Developers could use the extra cash and some players would actually not feel left behind. This service should be more expensive though and 3 months of EP should cost something extra than the actual subscription.

+1

RIP PERPETUUM
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Re: EP retrieval feature

Takeo Prime wrote:

hmmm,
Guys are quick to say no, and that is how I felt as I was reading the initial post but then I considered this point.

Lets say a guy subbed 6 months ago, played 3 months then un-subbed for another 3.  What he is asking is can he back pay the 3 months he was un-subbed and get that EP back.  Again my first thought is NO FREEKING WAY...but hold up.

By him paying the back 3 months, he is not gaining any additional advantage as he will have payed the same as everyone else that has been subbed.

The game could use any additional income, so having him pay back subs would help the game more than just having him re-sub and continue.

I propose this....have the ability to "back sub" months that you have not payed....at full monthly price per month (not a package discount amount) and get 50% - 75% of that EP back to that player at the time the "back sub" is payed.  One more restriction that seems reasonable is limit it to 4 - 6 months cap.

This generates revenue for our Devs, encourages a guy with a little extra cash to come back, giving us a larger player base, and when all added up, he is still behind those that subbed every month.  I think this helps everyone.

*troll hat off*

Takeo-- Don't be blinded by the fact we have a low population or that this poor numpty had RL issues.

His idea may be beneficial to a handful of people but would be totally abused by the flavor of the month "tweaks" out there. They would be on again off again players at best that wander from new game to new game and come back to perp when they are bored, buy back EP and play till the next shiney "tweak" game comes along.

A sandbox mmo needs a consistent and stable subscriber base. The Incarnage spike showed everyone that. You cannot possibly play this game if half your corpmates only play 1 or 2 months at a time every 6 months. You have to have a consistency within the corporation to meet and maintain your goals. WAR and 62nd have become an effective team. What would happen if half your current active members went away for 3 months at a time and popped back in every so often? Would you be able to compete with the enemy? Would you be able to effectively run the industry in your corp? Would you be able to maintain an outpost on beta if you couldn't count on your corpies to be around? For me the answer is no to all of these. Dedicated players are the key to a sandbox mmo.

Don't let additional revenue for AC be a factor when reading the OP. If you wanted AC to have more resources you would support p2w which buy back of EP is a major step towards.... Is it better for AC to get a couple revenue spikes or to have a consistent balance sheet of stable subscriptions? AC needs to work on growing a stable player base not count on gimmicks and impulse purchases to remain profittable. Having a stable income that you can forecast is key in any business venture.

Bottom line is that the Op's idea encourages the wrong type of gamer for a sandbox and as such the idea should die in a fire.

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Re: EP retrieval feature

Scyylla wrote:

To address your points:

1-- You should review my other posts. This was constructive CRITICISM. You are the one that is full of piss and vinegar because nobody has agreed with you. A bit lower in this post I will share with you what alot of people want to type but lack the testicular fortitude to actually do.

2-- EP accumulates because you have PAID to STAY subscribed. That's the way it works. AC has absolutely nothing to do with you CHOOSING to stop playing for whatever reason. Why should they reward you for being a "disloyal" customer by allowing you to buy EP?

3-- People can do whatever they want with the EP that has accumulated during their PAID subscription. That is the the way the skilling system is designed.

4-- Your idea rewards the flavor of the month gamer more then anyone else. Play a game for a month or 2 until the new shiney one comes out. Play it till it bores you and come back here, buy back 3 months of EP and be competitive with people who actually give a damn about the game then wander away the next minute something shiney distracts you.. I don't think so....


Now here is the fun part that I purposely avoided in my first post to provide you some CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM:

1-- Your idea is plain idiotic
2-- I don't care when you started playing or what pre-release pack you bought
3-- You stopped playing. Deal with it.
4-- There are no free cheese lines in Perpetuum. Accept the consequences of your actions.
5-- Whatever sob story you have doesn't matter. I don't care why you quit. Fact is that you QUIT!
6-- Quit pretending that your idea helps AC out. It doesn't you numpty. All it does is encourage an unstable player base which is the exact opposite of what a sandbox MMO needs.
7-- Sandbox MMO's are not for you or your kind. This genre of game is not for the flavor of the month gamer and your idiotic idea does nothing but reward them..

Last but not least:

There are plenty of free to play games out there for you. Don't let the door hit ya where the good lord split ya!

Sorry Scyylla, this has nothing to do with others being penalized for trying something else for a while then wanting to come back and not be so far behind.  Your points are clear but this is not an exclusive club where you must your part every month to earn your place.  It is a pay per month game that needs players.  If there is a penalty in EP amount and you still have to pay to get that limited amount back, I don't see where anyone is hurt.  We could use any motivation to have the hundreds that have left to return.  It is all about the money, even if you try to act like it isn't. 

If a guy buys a years sub and never plays for 11 months then come on and places all that EP, he has not effected any game play that whole time.  How is that different than letting a guy be penalized in some EP amount with a cap, to come back to the community.  Your arguments are a rage post and not in line with the medication your doctor has you on.  Please request a change in dosage.

I think Celebros comments echo the path that I would like to see available for guys that want to come back.  Give them a reason.  Lets build the player base, not look for ways to discourage people from rejoining the ranks.

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Re: EP retrieval feature

imagine those guys from eg. CIR (sorry, lack of other examples) get bored of swtor in a few month and perpetuum has added pbs, countless terrain to claim, and terraforming.

Those who have quit, canceled their sub and even demanded reimbursments of their last sub -> they could come back, pay that gametime they have been absent and kick some *** on same level as those who stayed subscribed all the time.

also with countless trial accs, or one-month spy agents, they could start Ebaying vet accounts...

the abuse possibilites of such a feature are far to high for the small gain it would have.

PS: i just resubbed my account with the last few bucks i got this month, to not lose any EP... wink

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Re: EP retrieval feature

In other mmo games can you leave and come back and pay for levels of a character?

Maybe the F2P games, have something close like extra exp tokens etc.

I would have to say NO to this idea.

-1

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Re: EP retrieval feature

see, takeo has the right idea, im not looking to have exactly what i was asking for. it was the start of an idea and he helped refine it. i like the idea of a back sub and would be happy to get at least some EP back.

this is an idea that can be refined. my idea was NOT one that was meant to be set in stone.

tyvm for your imput and for taking time to read my posts takeo

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Re: EP retrieval feature

I wouldn't recommend this as a game feature because companies need to manage cash flow. The feature would promote shorter subs and more people leaving the game, because they know they can just buy back in at a later date. It would result in many players going on haitus until the population increases, but it won't increase, because everyone else is waiting too.

In general, I don't like EP threads. The whole game is about persistance, and that centers around 1 EP per minute of subscribbed time. Regardless of the thread being about new players trying to buy up or old players trying to buy back, its about trying to manipulate the core game mechanic to get around it's limitations.

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Re: EP retrieval feature

Arga wrote:

I wouldn't recommend this as a game feature because companies need to manage cash flow. The feature would promote shorter subs and more people leaving the game, because they know they can just buy back in at a later date. It would result in many players going on haitus until the population increases, but it won't increase, because everyone else is waiting too.

In general, I don't like EP threads. The whole game is about persistance, and that centers around 1 EP per minute of subscribbed time. Regardless of the thread being about new players trying to buy up or old players trying to buy back, its about trying to manipulate the core game mechanic to get around it's limitations.

+1

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Re: EP retrieval feature

Even with all the negative points and flaws that have already been stresssed, theres still a tiny interesting point there - though I would put something like an EP-retrieval option under drastic conditions.
Just in regard that a few people may had some important RL-troubles so they rly! weren't able to sub for a month I somehow can't completely deny the idea.

Though it has to be set under some harsh requirements/conditions, like:
- maximum of retrievable days: 30 days = 1 month of subscription (= 43,000 EP)
- only available if account had been subscribed continuously for at least 6 months
- option will only show up if u purchase at least 3 months gametime
- option available only for a specific timeframe like let's say 48h after redeeming the new code
- costs of the back-purchase: at least one month gametime + interest (10-20%?) or like 3€ per day

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Re: EP retrieval feature

-1... i don't agree with your opinion fantazmythe

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Re: EP retrieval feature

well all these extra rules will not help much.

the community is so smal atm that these few more bucks will not help the devs much. besides this as it has been pointed out, a lot of players may be disapointed with that change and we might lose more players as we might gain.

the other thins is that there are plenty of options to abuse it... plenty...

i thought at first that this is no bad idea. but with a little thought i think the benefits will not cover the disadvatages. besides it will not be worth the work to put it in. bring us some more features that will help the game more then this...

-1

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Re: EP retrieval feature

no

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http://www.perp-kill.net/related/239910
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Re: EP retrieval feature

fantazmythe wrote:

if you had read the post closer you would have see that i said i DONT want new players to be able to buy EP

Allowing people to buy EP is bad enough, but then you go full *** and want to limit it to certain people (mainly yourself I assume). You get EP by subbing, no sub = no EP. Simples

-10000000000000000

22 Reply by Line (edited by Line 2012-01-25 05:37:45)

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Re: EP retrieval feature

One thing that might be more or less acceptable in such case - its Perpetuum Birthday Present - once in a year, at 11.25 they can recalculate our EP and add that amount we probably lost smile

However, despite I have such EP losses by myself, I'm not sure it's really good things.

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Re: EP retrieval feature

Sorry, but this is too abusable and basicly in bad taste.

<GargajCNS> we maim to please
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Re: EP retrieval feature

-1 way to abusable.

True Pros make a Podcast to influence the Devs minds, 
The rest of you guys are Hacks tongue

PS. I got my Highways & stopped playing b4 they came in & have never used them! ...... Irony much ? tongue

25 Reply by Kuo (edited by Kuo 2012-01-25 11:21:58)

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Re: EP retrieval feature

I look at ep as your agent learning. You log in and your agent has learned more. Some extension being harder to learn obviously take longer time, just like real life. Op's way of doing it is like dropping out of university then 6 month later expecting A's on everything because they paid. Pay, play, Learn.