Does HiTech really want more user accounts?

[CptTrips]

http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,301030.0.html


The WWI arena is currently almost completely un-utilized.  Making it free would not realistically lose HTC revenue. (The additional server bandwidth, if any, would be about the cheapest marketing campaign HTC could buy.)

Its not HTC's core genre so it wouldn't undercut their premier arenas.

There is a higher resistance to bother downloading and configuring a 200mb client to only have it expire on you just as you get setup.  It would be worth that effort to play the free arena as long as you like.  However, since all the clients are combined, the free arena would be a trojan horse to get the WWII client downloaded as well.  At that point they have a lowered threshold to just try a 2-week stint WWII.  

The free WWI arena would be a great Marketing tool to funnel new customers into the HTC sphere of influence.  That use at least would justify the effort HTC had already put in to it.

It would keep the WWI arena populated which also benefits premier customers who would occasionally like to go fly some canvas AND actually have some activity in the arena.


$0.02,
Wab

[The Fugitive]

A free wwi arena would more than likely lose more players than bring then in. All those sharks feeding on the baby seals would discourage the baby seals.

On the other hand, I think a newbie arena would be a good idea. Have it be free, with all planes and gvs available, and let it be unlimited time wise. Tie it into the score and make it so the score doesn't reset ever. This way new players play against new player giving them a chance to have some fun while they figure out the game. Once the score limit has.been reached they no longer get ammo or bombs, heck.they could even set it up so that when you try to launch all it does.is give you a pop-up window with the question " would you like to subscribe to the full game?"

Make it so the trainers can go in to train, and answer questions and such. This way the new.guys get a less stressful indoctrination of the game with out the helpful F3 comments. By the time they hit.the cap.score they should.know.their way around the game, have a good ground work of how to fly and fight, and be interested in moving forward instead feeling defeated and ready to give up. 2 weeks is not enough time to get comfortable in this game, and having you butt handed to you the whole time doesn't help either.

[Grundle1]

First of all, I want to say thanks and congratulations to HiTech and staff for developing a superb simulation/game.  It is truly a remarkable achievement.

Personally, I wouldn't blink if the price were $30 or $40 per month.   I run a small business myself and stare at cashflow spreadsheets constantly.   Given the revenue that I think the business is realizing, it is surprising to me that this venture can pay for the staff, TV commercials, etc. and continue to evolve.  Kudos.

I would like HiTech and crew have the resources  to keep developing new planes and tanks.   I'd like them to have extra resources to work on extra layers of game strategy -  perhaps focusing on supply/build up of resources and linking that to aircraft availability.    I think the idea of rookie squads with assigned trainers is strong.   Certainly, AH has a huge learning curve. It would be a good idea to make it more friendly to new customers.

All in all, though, I think this is a superb product and I've been wanting to say that for a while.

[dedalos]

LOL  you so are missing the simplicity of my comment.  CUSTOMERS ARE MONEY whether it be 1000 for $1 or 1 for $1000  i would rather have more customers with less per customer, ran my construction business for years this way and im sure its why I havnt gone out of business.  Instead of raping my customers I gave them great value along with superb service. This led to a much larger advertising base for me, LOTS OF HAPPY customers instead of just a few. Finding that fine line is the goal. 

Every business is different.  In the software business having 1000 customers for 1$ is not preferable over having 100 for 10$ due to the hardware footprint and support personnel.  You also have to take into account the following:  Does HT want 20 more customers for 5$ that leave after a few months or 1 for 15$ that stays with them for 10 years?

In any case, AH is pretty cheap and I don;t think it is the price that is keeping people away.  It is probably time the price went up a bit.  I have never paid for anything the same price for 10 years in a row. 

BTW, if you want a discount, they do give you one when you subscribe if you pay for six months or a year in advance.

[Shuffler]

Well I can tell you one thing for sure..... I will not be here for ten ye... umm uh ok 15 years.... I just won't do it.

[CptTrips]

Every business is different.  In the software business having 1000 customers for 1$ is not preferable over having 100 for 10$ due to the hardware footprint and support personnel.  You also have to take into account the following:  Does HT want 20 more customers for 5$ that leave after a few months or 1 for 15$ that stays with them for 10 years?
...

You are correct that there are many factors to be considered.  Many trade-offs to be balanced. 

For instance to the question: is having 1000 customers for 1$ vs. 100 for 10$...

Overhead costs as you suggested are one factor. 

Another might be variation sensitivity.  A 10 player fluctuation in one would be a 1% drop in revenue, in the other a 10% drop.  The fewer, higher paying customers, the less diversification. THe more sensitivity to small changes.  I've seen small companies make a mistake of allowing too large a percentage of their revenue from too few big customers.

Another factor is critical mass.  The fewer the customers, the greater the chance of dropping below critical mass.  Then you enter a colony collapse cycle.  Players start leaving because there aren't enough players to make it fun...which leave fewer players still.... recurse.

In regards to overhead alone, the idea scenario is 1 user paying $1000.  But they will soon leave due to lack of critical mass, and then your income would go from 100% to 0% instantly because of variation sensitivity. 


Regards,
Wab

 

[grumpy37]

HTC's overhead should be pretty well established and not really fluctuate do to more or less subscribers, unless programers are laid off because of fewer paying customers.  Server is a server and unless they all the sudden have 10000000 people wanting to play at one time this server setup shouldnt be an issue. 

[grizz441]

yes

[guncrasher]

yes

well that answers the question.

anybody remember the kid from like 2 years ago that got together with a couple of his friends and threatened to quit unless they were allowed to pay for only the days they played.  they wanted to pay something like 50 cents a day.  well, he isnt around anymore, but can somebody post a link.  it should be mandatory reading for anybody trying to re write hitech's fee schedule.

semp

[zack1234]

 

[AKLdButt]

GC, that has very little to due with the thread if you read it all. I think most people on the thread have no major issues with fee costs.

It's more along the lines of thoughts on on-line game fee modeling and thoughts on HT's modeling vs. new trends I noted seeing on Gamebreaker TV.
It's always fun to talk about these things for ideas and input on the boards. I've seen some interesting posts