How about a new billing system?

[The Fugitive]

Yes, YOU might, but we have to remember that with the economy in the shape it is, some of us might have enough for 1 week a month at 5$ a week and then thats it.

Well if your hurting for money that bad that $10 could break you then I suggest that you end your subscription and bank that extra $5. There are far more important things to spend money on than a game. Priorities.

But now that you have brought it out into the open lets ask what your really asking for. A cheaper way to pay so all of your buddies in intermediate school can play too ( you mentioned not being old enough to work by law). Again, I believe if you can't afford it, you shouldn't be spending it. It's a good lesson to learn now so later when you start thinking about buying a car you'll look at those that you can afford. I know a Corvette would look nice in my driveway, on the other hand I understand  putting food on the table and a roof over the the heads of my family is a bit more important.

The same goes for the game. Its entertainment, and nothing more. My kids use to earn their game subscriptions by doing chores around the house. Of course they didn't realize that once they made the deal I had them by the ...ummm ... well you know whats    "Do your chores or I make a call to Blizzard right now!"  LOL!!! taught them a little responsibility.

Instead of looking for ways for some one else to make things cheaper, why not looking for ways to "earn" your way to pay the bill. I know, it's easier to have someone else fix it than it is for you to work at it yourself.

[AWwrgwy]

It would stop once it hit 15$. And the daily/weekly rate would be more than that of the 15$/month. HTC earns more money per day/week off them, but they pay less in the end so everyones happy.

Yes, daily rate ends at midnight for the servers, or we could use the time zone right next to the Prime Meridian or the internationl date line so we can't be favoring the players in any country, were just setting a spot that everyone knows.

Too easily abused.  It should start at $15 a month.  Paying by the week/day/hour could be an option but not a benefit.  Paying up front and in full is a reward in a cheaper price. 

As far as pissing off customers goes, if you are not currently subscribed you are not a customer.  You are a potential customer or a former customer and, in your case, an occasional, former, potential customer.

HTC isn't making anything off you nor is he losing anything.


wrongway

[Nemisis]

Well if your hurting for money that bad that $10 could break you then I suggest that you end your subscription and bank that extra $5. There are far more important things to spend money on than a game. Priorities.

I CAN pay the subscription right now. I could go on, subscribe, and nail a couple of T34/76's within 10mins, but I CHOOSE not to, because I should be saving it now.

But now that you have brought it out into the open lets ask what your really asking for. A cheaper way to pay so all of your buddies in intermediate school can play too ( you mentioned not being old enough to work by law). Again, I believe if you can't afford it, you shouldn't be spending it. It's a good lesson to learn now so later when you start thinking about buying a car you'll look at those that you can afford.

Can already buy a car, and do they really have 15yr olds in intermediate school where you live?

The same goes for the game. Its entertainment, and nothing more. My kids use to earn their game subscriptions by doing chores around the house. Of course they didn't realize that once they made the deal I had them by the ...ummm ... well you know whats    "Do your chores or I make a call to Blizzard right now!"  LOL!!! taught them a little responsibility.

I realize it's entertainment, and it doesn't take anywhere near top priority. Lol, had something like that when I was 10 with the PS2. Mom would always threaten to take away sly 2 band of theives. hehehe 5 years ago I was playing sly, and now I'm blowing up tanks....

Instead of looking for ways for some one else to make things cheaper, why not looking for ways to "earn" your way to pay the bill. I know, it's easier to have someone else fix it than it is for you to work at it yourself.

While I would get benefit from it, I'm just over the edge of not playing. I can make money almost as fast as I spend it on this game so I could get away with it for about a year before it caught up with me, and allmost all previous work will have been for a video game instead of a car.

Too easily abused.  It should start at $15 a month.  Paying by the week/day/hour could be an option but not a benefit.  Paying up front and in full is a reward in a cheaper price. 

As far as pissing off customers goes, if you are not currently subscribed you are not a customer.  You are a potential customer or a former customer and, in your case, an occasional, former, potential customer.
wrongway

How would it get abused? You can pay up to 15$/month at which point you make no more payments for the rest of your 30 days. If you only play for 2 weeks, you've saved half of next months game funds by not playing that extra week.


And it swiches about every 3-4 months seems like. And i think I've had my Nemisis account the longest out of all of them (a whopping 11 months)

[AWwrgwy]

How would it get abused? You can pay up to 15$/month at which point you make no more payments for the rest of your 30 days. If you only play for 2 weeks, you've saved half of next months game funds by not playing that extra week.


And it swiches about every 3-4 months seems like. And i think I've had my Nemisis account the longest out of all of them (a whopping 11 months)

How abused? 

Say I play only on weekends.  That's all I do.  All day.  $1/day.  Hey!!  $4/month!!  What a deal!!  HTC would end up losing money at that rate.  Why pay $15 if you're only flying a few days a month.

My bill. per hour, is around 25 cents an hour.  That's between 30 and 50 hours a week.  I think I play a bit too much.  I'm sure some play more and some play less.

$15 gives you access.  What you do with it is your business. 

I don't think my local gym is going to go out of business because I'm not a member.


wrongway

[Ack-Ack]

4. To put things into perspective when I was playing online sims a lot $600 to $800 a month bill was not uncommon for me.

HiTech

When I stumbled across AW on Genie, that's pretty much what my monthly bill looked like.  All I have to say, thank the Gawds for student loans.


ack-ack

[hitech]

Nemisis wrote:

[qutoe]It would stop once it hit 15$. And the daily/weekly rate would be more than that of the 15$/month. HTC earns more money per day/week off them, but they pay less in the end so everyones happy.[/quote]

I believe you should take a few business courses if you think everyone would be happy with this view.

Less in the end, means less for HTC. The only way I would change billing is if it was MORE in the end.

HiTech

[StokesAk]

If you mail HTC beer you will get a discount.

[Nemisis]

If you mail HTC beer you will get a discount.

Damn law states persons under 21 aren't allowed touch alcahol..... Well I won't see that discount for 6 more years  .

[AWwrgwy]

Damn law states persons under 21 aren't allowed touch alcahol..... Well I won't see that discount for 6 more years  .

While you're out on the street corner begging for money to play AH I bet you could score a beer from one of your "peers".

 



wrongway

[Nemisis]

See Rule #6

[Infidelz]

Its not the only choice we have if we get HTC to add our ideas. Were the customers, and if HTC pisses enough of us off and we quit, then Hi Tech Creations goes down the tubes. Whey else do we have a wishlist if were never going to change anything? I honestly think that the new customers who can only play for a week or two a month will make up for the profits lost by those of us who would rather pay more per week than more total.

Not everyone is rich enough to afford an alienware computer with surround sound speakers, triple head to go giving them wide screen, and a minifridge all in their private jet....

Balzy little fellow I see big career as a czar for jou!

How about $15 for the first hour and you get the rest of the month free? Or go back to Il2? Your other option is to pay for 5 months and get one free.

Or maybe we just owe you? We could tax all the private jet owners. lets set a goal of maybe only 50% paying (just like real life!!). the Capitalist subsidize the socialists who have no money. That leaves you with enough $ for beer, drugs, and twinkies. 

Infdielz

[guncrasher]

I learned this back in the aw/aol per minute charge.  only reason companies have a per minute/per use charge is to get more revenue out of you than they would get for a flat rate.  they know that some people will end up paying way more if they go on a per use/minute/hour/day rate because there is no tools to keep track of it or if there is they're hard to find or customer will make a mistake.  I never heard of a company offering a pay per use up to their regular flat rate.  and since they know that this customer wont stick around anyway they dont care how mad they get.  I am glad its not like that here.  I like having the 15 flat rate.  I play as much or as little, but I know my true cost of playing ah is way higher.  here's a breakdown.  now this is a rough guesstimate and only applies to me since i only use computer/dsl/phone to play ah.  I could do without it. but hey i like ah and well I get my money's worth.

phone line              25      (phone line/ds usually go together or higher charge applies for dsl only/cable cost 50/month in my area, so about the same)
dsl                        30
ah                         15
electricity                 5   
puter cost               20        (assuming i buy new/upgrade/fix/monitor computer every 3 years)

so my point of typing this is If i wanna save money, paying $1 to 15 for ah  per month wont really make a difference when you actually look at the true cost.  to me its worth it, but if it came to the point where I cant afford $15 then...

semp

(above doesnt include beer, chips, soda or sheep since this would be the same as if you were to watch tv)