Scaled Pay Plan

[Letalis]

$15 a month is definitely worth it for this game, maybe even a steal...if you fly.  It is unfortunate when you see people leaving the game because they can't justify $180/yr for a game.  $15/mo is not a horrific total by any means, but it adds up.  Every time a long business trip/family illness/busy project at work/deployment comes along, I'm fairly sure a lot of people start thinking "geez, maybe I should cancel and stop throwing money away" (been there).  If someone knows they'll be away from the game they won't simply cancel and have to revisit the "subscription decision barrier" all over again much less remember the 5k perks they threw away (been there). The dropping numbers is worrying me and affecting gameplay.  http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2013/05/09/as-world-of-warcraft-bleeds-subscribers-free-to-play-is-already-winning-the-future/ 

Given current numbers and the fact HT doesn't seem to want AH to go mainstream, I am not advocating a F2P model.  (Though I do like the idea of people paying for their dweeby 262s )   Instead, what if it were $1 per flight hour up to a max of $15 with anything over 15hrs being free?  Yes, a large numbers of players likely don't put in 15hrs/mo., but those are also the guys that are probably going to cancel and never come back.  Players have an incentive to get into the free hours and no reason to cancel when they want to take a couple months off.  I don't have HT's financials data, but such a model might help player retention/numbers/morale and the bottom line to boot. 


 

[Pannono]

I was thinking about this as well. Currently, I am on summer vacation from college so I have unlimited time to play each day. I'm worried that when I go back to college in August I won't get my $15 worth out of AH each month and I'll have to cancel to save some money. I'd like to see something like this mainly for the players that go to school or do not have a set work schedule every week/month.

[Myg]

I don't think people leave because they can't particularly afford the monthly subscription (if you take the 50cent a day thing to heart) , its more the time itself it takes from their lives that could of been spent on better things.

When times get harder people are needed to be more available to deal with situations/opportunities when they arise, around the house, community and work place.

Times like that, an "instant action" button goes a very long way.

[Arlo]

$15 a month is definitely worth it for this game, maybe even a steal...if you fly.  It is unfortunate when you see people leaving the game because they can't justify $180/yr for a game.  $15/mo is not a horrific total by any means, but it adds up.  Every time a long business trip/family illness/busy project at work/deployment comes along, I'm fairly sure a lot of people start thinking "geez, maybe I should cancel and stop throwing money away" (been there).  If someone knows they'll be away from the game they won't simply cancel and have to revisit the "subscription decision barrier" all over again much less remember the 5k perks they threw away (been there). The dropping numbers is worrying me and affecting gameplay.  http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2013/05/09/as-world-of-warcraft-bleeds-subscribers-free-to-play-is-already-winning-the-future/ 

Given current numbers and the fact HT doesn't seem to want AH to go mainstream, I am not advocating a F2P model.  (Though I do like the idea of people paying for their dweeby 262s )   Instead, what if it were $1 per flight hour up to a max of $15 with anything over 15hrs being free?  Yes, a large numbers of players likely don't put in 15hrs/mo., but those are also the guys that are probably going to cancel and never come back.  Players have an incentive to get into the free hours and no reason to cancel when they want to take a couple months off.  I don't have HT's financials data, but such a model might help player retention/numbers/morale and the bottom line to boot. 


 

I see where this saves less active players money (I'm in that category). What I'm not seeing is where this is a healthier business plan for HTC, therefore not forcing them to raise their rates.

[gyrene81]

that article doesn't give a complete picture. world of warcraft player attrition numbers are a reflection of the pc gaming market in general, not to mention the lack of fresh content. wow and games like it, has a double whammy, you have to pay for the base game, and the expansions, then pay a subscription fee. the article doesn't even look at the decreasing average age of online gamers. the free to play/microtransaction market has become more and more popular due in large part to the economy, new mmo games being released and the number of younger players who can't afford to pay monthly subscription fees. as long as the developers keep the content fresh and maintain minimal maintenance down times, they will keep a large part of their player base. if they let a game get stale and don't improve it, they won't last long. most of the f2p mmo games are generally considered "pay to win" games and in the case of swtor (as well as other similar games), if it's a point and click grinder, a subscription model isn't going to work well for long. the gaming market in general, especially the mmo genre is constantly fluctuating with players grinding through the games and jumping from one to the other.

it wouldn't be real difficult to track a players online time in aces high but, imagine the angst that would be caused by getting disconnected when the player surpasses the time they have paid for. especially if they are using a perk plane/gv at the time it happens. then to add to the frustration they have to go dig out a credit card, try to figure out how much time they want to pay for, and get back in the game. the entire structure of ah doesn't lend itself to a microtransaction system very well. if it were more like the latest entries in the war game mmo's, (warthunder, world of tanks, world of planes, etc...) with limited player options from the start and fast limited action options, then a microtranaction system would work. then again, would the game be as good and how many existing long time dedicated players would be lost?

[guncrasher]

man think of all the money I would save by not paying for the midway account and still keep it.  I could up 1 time a month and save 14 bucks a month.  heck I would use my laptop and vulch it to death so i can get more starz, after all what is a buck.  heck I would switch my main account just in case I play less than 15 hours a month and pay less.

semp

[Myg]

Its a shame we cant just literally pay .50 cent a day, every time we log in, per day.

[guncrasher]

Its a shame we cant just literally pay .50 cent a day, every time we log in, per day.

because it wouldnt be 50 cents a day.  prices would have to go up to make up for lost revenue. 


semp

[Myg]

Understood, there are also transaction costs as well, which could be a problem, unless the provider specifically has a case for small payments.

The concept is fine though; paying daily. I wonder if this has been tried in the mainstream MMO game yet?

[guncrasher]

Understood, there are also transaction costs as well, which could be a problem, unless the provider specifically has a case for small payments.

The concept is fine though; paying daily. I wonder if this has been tried in the mainstream MMO game yet?

ok let me put it this way.  most players would just switch to the .50 cents a day. as I only play 3 or 4 times a week, if that.  now that few bucks that I dont play the game ht needs to make up that money some how.  and the only way would be for everybody's fee to go up.  so you wont be paying .50 cents a day anyway, it would be many times that to make up for the lost revenue.

imagine if at work they would only pay you for the time you actually work.  and not the time you are just daydreaming or "taking a break" or bs with friends, or stretching, or sending those pesky chain e-mails...

you would have to make up the lost income somehow and that would be by getting a second job.


semp

[Arlo]

Understood, there are also transaction costs as well, which could be a problem, unless the provider specifically has a case for small payments.

The concept is fine though; paying daily. I wonder if this has been tried in the mainstream MMO game yet?

The concept is not 'fine' for AHII which is a small company game with a dedicated clientele.

I understand your strong desire to somehow make an impact and name for yourself in this
community. Might I recommend getting to know both the community and nature of the game
first.

[gyrene81]

The concept is fine though; paying daily. I wonder if this has been tried in the mainstream MMO game yet?

not that i've been able to find, but they make up for it with micro transactions..."pay to win".

[earl1937]

$15 a month is definitely worth it for this game, maybe even a steal...if you fly.  It is unfortunate when you see people leaving the game because they can't justify $180/yr for a game.  $15/mo is not a horrific total by any means, but it adds up.  Every time a long business trip/family illness/busy project at work/deployment comes along, I'm fairly sure a lot of people start thinking "geez, maybe I should cancel and stop throwing money away" (been there).  If someone knows they'll be away from the game they won't simply cancel and have to revisit the "subscription decision barrier" all over again much less remember the 5k perks they threw away (been there). The dropping numbers is worrying me and affecting gameplay.  http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2013/05/09/as-world-of-warcraft-bleeds-subscribers-free-to-play-is-already-winning-the-future/ 

Given current numbers and the fact HT doesn't seem to want AH to go mainstream, I am not advocating a F2P model.  (Though I do like the idea of people paying for their dweeby 262s )   Instead, what if it were $1 per flight hour up to a max of $15 with anything over 15hrs being free?  Yes, a large numbers of players likely don't put in 15hrs/mo., but those are also the guys that are probably going to cancel and never come back.  Players have an incentive to get into the free hours and no reason to cancel when they want to take a couple months off.  I don't have HT's financials data, but such a model might help player retention/numbers/morale and the bottom line to boot. 


 

I guess by your post, you don't understand much about business! If AH did what you want, they would be out of business in less than a year! (Guess). AH has to make a profit for research and development costs, maintaince cost on net work equipment, not to mention having to update servers from time to time. Then you throw in the salary costs of about 15 employees and a merger profit margin, I would submit that $15.00 a month is a bargain and if someone can't afford that, then go to the local Walmart store, buy you  the cheapest rod and reel you can find, dig you up some worms in your backyard and then you have a way to control your cost of entertainment! The less you fish, the less the cost, the more you fish, the more your expense! (However, wetting a line from time to time aren't no bad thing). LOL

[Myg]

The concept is not 'fine' for AHII which is a small company game with a dedicated clientele.

I understand your strong desire to somehow make an impact and name for yourself in this
community. Might I recommend getting to know both the community and nature of the game
first.

The concept is 'fine' as it was for arcades back when video game culture was being formed in the social sense. I did not specially say it would fit for HTC, but the idea is intruiging non-the-less and I would of liked to seen it atleast tried by someone to see of its effectiveness: If the old arcade, pay for session, mentality still is valid.

[bustr]

It has been tried by someone else since the 16th amendment was ratified, Franklin Roosevelt, and Linden Banes Johnson were presidents.

Personal Income Tax
Social Security
Welfare

As more players choose no pay freebies or low pay basic toys accounts. The full account players monthly subscription fee has to be increased to support those who don't want to pay the full monti but, still want as many goodies as they can get while playing along side the full monti account payers.

Social Justice at first is great for those who don't pay into the support side of the equation. Eventually the money that really supports everything runs out because those who pay full share no longer can meet the cost and switch sides or quit because they get tired of the involuntary servitude to those who want freebies without contributing.

Allow HTC to solve this. Too many of the current generation will vote for a free ride on the backs of others. Then when the game croaks it's last death rattle, move on like locusts to suck the life out of the next virtual environment.