Gambit21 Posted September 20, 2016 Posted September 20, 2016 ...on a subscription basis? More than one person has expressed the desire to contribute more than simply the cost of the latest installment. 1C is not interested in "donations" - which I can argue both sides to honestly, but that's neither here nor there. That's their stance - fine. So how can they give us something in return? One idea I had is a monthly newsletter with a write-up or two, screen shots of aircraft development, maps, new tech being worked on, etc. This way subscribers have something extra to get their 'fix' every month, and the developers have another stream of income. Sort of a Star Citizen approach. Questions is, does it pencil out. How many of us would subscribe, and at what rate, vs how long will it take every month for someone over there in Russia to put this thing together every month? A 6 month and a yearly subscription option? Some actual subscriber content every once in while, skins or instance? A month goes by pretty fast - bi-monthly? Is there too few like minded players to make this feasible? Just trying to think outside the box a little.
Bearfoot Posted September 20, 2016 Posted September 20, 2016 (edited) I like the idea. But I think it may lead down to ugly consequences. As it is now, people freely over-interpret/mis-interpret/forget-and-replace-with-their-own-fantasies what the developers say and then get outraged or furious or despair etc. Or otherwise take "maybes" and "good idea, we will look into it" and "considering" as rock-solid promises that the features will be delivered on 2nd October and 9am with patch 2.xx (for example), and then get outraged/furious/despair etc. when that does not happen. I think such a newsletter may inadvertently lead to more fuel for the fire, and no amount of caveats/disclaimers/etc. is going to help that. But I do like the idea, anyway! In fact, I would go so far as to say that maybe the "buy a module" business model should be replaced with a subscription business model. I.e., we pay monthly/annual fees and get rolling updates. Adobe has switched to this, and it works very well. I know this will cause outrage/fury/despair amongst many of the community as well, and, independent of this, doubt the developers will adopt it ... but just throwing it out there as an outside the box idea. Another one might be crowd-fund very specific feature enhancements. E.g., we are given a list of features and the approximate cost required to fast-track it (e.g., hiring dedicated coders, 3D artists, what-have you, who will take this on as their primary task). Then we literally vote with our wallets on the feature. Ok, I sense I am side-tracking your thread (sorry), so will stop right here ... Edited September 20, 2016 by Bearfoot
AndyJWest Posted September 20, 2016 Posted September 20, 2016 Sort of a Star Citizen approach... how about no? No developer with any sort of sense will wish to emulate that ludicrous hype-fest. If 1C/777 have information they want to give us, they can. When it suits them. Expecting people to pay for marketing content (which is what it amounts to) is ridiculous. That Chris Roberts' fanclub/cult allow him to get away with it is no reason to assume that rational people will. Find another box, and think outside that one... 1 2
Gambit21 Posted September 20, 2016 Author Posted September 20, 2016 how about no? No developer with any sort of sense will wish to emulate that ludicrous hype-fest. If 1C/777 have information they want to give us, they can. When it suits them. Expecting people to pay for marketing content (which is what it amounts to) is ridiculous. That Chris Roberts' fanclub/cult allow him to get away with it is no reason to assume that rational people will. Find another box, and think outside that one... Eh - I think you misunderstood. It's not about "expecting" anything, it's simply offering something up in exchange for additional funding. You also went a bit off the rails with the Star Citizen thing, this isn't Star Citizen - we have a working product. I could easily have made the suggestion without even mentioning Start Citizen - sorry that I did - un-bunch your panties. Just an idea - but hey glad I can give you an outlet for your pent-up anger. 1
Pharoah Posted September 20, 2016 Posted September 20, 2016 Find another box, and think outside that one... I've got nothing to add other than to say I think that's the best quote I've heard in a long time! lol. Do you mind if I use it? 1
AndyJWest Posted September 20, 2016 Posted September 20, 2016 I've not misunderstood anything. Expecting prospective customers to pay for information on future products is silly. I've got nothing to add other than to say I think that's the best quote I've heard in a long time! lol. Do you mind if I use it? Feel free (further pithy ripostes to worn-out clichés are available on subscription). 1 1
Gambit21 Posted September 20, 2016 Author Posted September 20, 2016 (edited) I've not misunderstood anything. Expecting prospective customers to pay for information on future products is silly. Feel free (further pithy ripostes to worn-out clichés are available on subscription). You certainly have misunderstood my intentions and tone - either that or you always act like this. I don't seem to remember you being so needlessly disrespectful and combative in years past though. Edited September 20, 2016 by Gambit21 1
AndyJWest Posted September 20, 2016 Posted September 20, 2016 (edited) You certainly have misunderstood my intentions and tone - either that or you always act like this. I don't seem to remember you being so needlessly disrespectful and combative in years past though. What have I misunderstood? Aren't you proposing that prospective customers pay for information on future products? Because not only does this seem a bad deal for any such potential customers who actually pay, it is also an abysmal way to attract new customers. If the information is fit for release, logic suggests it needs to go to the widest audience, rather than a few loyal fans. Raising small amounts of revenue by branching off into publishing, only to lose more by failing to attract potential sales for core products is no way to run a business. Edited September 20, 2016 by AndyJWest 1 3
Gambit21 Posted September 20, 2016 Author Posted September 20, 2016 (edited) What I'm looking for Andy, is a way for us to contribute without it being a "donation" as it were. Maybe it's not a newsletter, maybe it's something else, some sort of content - a few skins each month. Just like when I design something, it's best to get the bad ideas out of the way first. That's how the process works sometimes. Feel free to contribute your own, better ideas on the matter. Edited September 20, 2016 by Gambit21 1
WWChunk Posted September 20, 2016 Posted September 20, 2016 I've pre-ordered BOS, BOM, BOK, and every collector plane. There is less than zero chance I would pay for a newsletter. 1
AndyJWest Posted September 20, 2016 Posted September 20, 2016 As far as I'm aware, the only form of income the developers have expressed any interest in receiving is from sales. Anyone is free to buy such content, and give it to friends, or indeed to give it away on the forum, as has been done by several generous regulars. Admittedly this is probably a rather expensive way to contribute for most of us (it is easier with RoF, considering the lower prices and the ability to donate single aircraft), but it might be possible I suppose to set up some sort of communal fund where smaller donations could be accumulated until a gift could be funded. To my mind attracting new players while adding to the developers income is the best approach.
Bearcat Posted September 20, 2016 Posted September 20, 2016 I totally agree Andy. Eh - I think you misunderstood. It's not about "expecting" anything, it's simply offering something up in exchange for additional funding. You also went a bit off the rails with the Star Citizen thing, this isn't Star Citizen - we have a working product. I could easily have made the suggestion without even mentioning Start Citizen - sorry that I did - un-bunch your panties. Just an idea - but hey glad I can give you an outlet for your pent-up anger. I think that is a bad idea. I think we already get fantastic updates as it is.. for free.... and some folks hinge on every word still... What I'm looking for Andy, is a way for us to contribute without it being a "donation" as it were. Maybe it's not a newsletter, maybe it's something else, some sort of content - a few skins each month. Just like when I design something, it's best to get the bad ideas out of the way first. That's how the process works sometimes. Feel free to contribute your own, better ideas on the matter. The best way to contribute to this sim is to pre order it or gift it. Look.... by now it should be pretty clear to anyone what this team is about... This is not 2013 and there is a track record. Now some may argue about this plane or that plane.... but the bottom line is that this team has worked very hard to try to deliver a viable product and frankly they are STILL the only developer putting out any kind of substantial new WWII related sim. We are still waiting for the other sim developer to come up with a WWII theater... and as far as I am concerned the mod teams do not count. Their work is greatly appreciated but they are not in the same league as a dedicated paid team of developers whoose business is a sim.
Gambit21 Posted September 20, 2016 Author Posted September 20, 2016 (edited) What makes you think I don't get all that in part 2 there? Here's the fact - several people have expressed interest in contributing beyond the pre-order price. I would have myself if there was an option. Maybe there's only a few and it's a moot point. I'm not on the 'limited thinking' bandwagon though, that's not my default setting, regardless of what anyone else says. Edited September 20, 2016 by Gambit21
unreasonable Posted September 20, 2016 Posted September 20, 2016 (edited) I would also say that not only would I not pay for it, I would be concerned if such an idea was implemented. A two-tier information flow must necessarily develop to make a newletter worth money. But the DDs have to continue, non-subscribers still need to be told what is going on, so how do the developers decide which bits of information to put in the newsletter only and leave out of the DD? Non-subscribers would inevitably complain - rightly or wrongly - that information that they would previously have got in the DD, and that they need to make informed choices, is now being withheld or delayed to give the newsletter more content. How do you prevent people from reposting the newsletter for all to see? Too many practical difficulties that could cause marketing problems I believe. Edit: The easiest way to contribute beyond the pre-order price is to buy another copy and give it to someone who you are sure would not otherwise had bought the game. Not only do 1CGS get the money from another sale, they get another notch on their marketing bedpost and perhaps you entice another player to pay for future releases. Anyone can do this right now..... Edited September 20, 2016 by unreasonable
Gambit21 Posted September 20, 2016 Author Posted September 20, 2016 (edited) OK - so Newsletter bad idea. Edited September 20, 2016 by Gambit21
SAG Posted September 20, 2016 Posted September 20, 2016 OK - so Newsletter bad idea. OK so Newsletter bad idea... but why not change the title of the thread and brainstorm for something else?
Feathered_IV Posted September 20, 2016 Posted September 20, 2016 I'd pay for something like map making tutorials or tools. I wouldn't be interested in buying promotional material though.
SAG Posted September 20, 2016 Posted September 20, 2016 (edited) I'd pay for something like map making tutorials or tools. I wouldn't be interested in buying promotional material though. Since tanks are out of the plans, id pay for a tool to make more, also AAA or Just Troop trucks to go along with paratroopers, not infantry per-se, but just to fill in the same potential roles as the JU52 but on the ground :D EDIT: Drivable Edited September 20, 2016 by 19.GIAP//SAG
II/JG17_HerrMurf Posted September 20, 2016 Posted September 20, 2016 I'd pay for more official skins. I'd pay for more official skins as well. I'd be down for once a month if THAT was a subscription service/minor revenue stream.
Feathered_IV Posted September 20, 2016 Posted September 20, 2016 Why not make your own skins with a freeware version of photoshop or gimp? It would be easier than having a developer create, compose and encrypt them into a .gtp every month.
Scarecrow Posted September 20, 2016 Posted September 20, 2016 The Dev Team could start a Patreon account with tier levels for different subscriptions i.e $5 gets you a skin and $10 gets you nude pics of the Dev team etc. Luthier woulda done it
coconut Posted September 20, 2016 Posted September 20, 2016 These days, "app stores" seem a popular way to make money. Open the platform with mods on, make an online content store to distribute this content, make the content paying, share revenue with the content maker. It's a risk of course. These things cost money to develop, and if the customer base is small the revenues will be small too. It's a tough nut to crack.
Jason_Williams Posted September 20, 2016 Posted September 20, 2016 We're not doing this. Please no more such threads. Jason 1
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