Why Selling Power is Bad for Everyone

[Para_CW 19]

The game that I've seen that did the best at successfully avoiding selling power was the obscure, but popular kingdomofloathing.com.  They are one of the first free play games.  They don't compete well these days against the flood of less sophisticated but flashier games with good graphics, but the model is sound and from what I understand they make money far out of proportion to the number of players.

 

People are very loyal to that game.  One of the important features is that it is lighthearted and willing to be absurd.  While this doesn't seem like it would have much of an effect on the bottom line, it does.  They have absurd stuff in game just for the heck of it and people buy them indirectly with money to get complete sets.  The only things that are for sale in game are a very good accessory and some familiars for RPG characters. (They are always coming out with new ones and people buy them just to add to their collection.)  If people want something else they trade for it on an open market from players who got too many of something.

 

It's very easy for players to acquire items they need without paying if they play smart.  Nothing important is out of reach.  There is no level where you have to spend money.  I was glad to spend money on the game just to support them and many others feel the same way.

 

Collecting useless bling is part of the game and helps fill the coffers.  A bit of silliness makes this more palatable.  It doesn't all have to be serious battle.

 

So if I had only one suggestion to give the Devs it would be this:  Tone down the selling of power and gradually experiment with different alternatives to see what people will buy.  Give people ways to contribute different amounts of money without making it an investment in a better tank.  Will people invest a bit here and there to get unimportant trophies?  Will they buy customizing features for their tank just to be different?  These are things to seriously consider because the less the game sells power, the more players will join.

[chiddychiddy 6]

Selling power is important for any game, because it gives avid players a reason to keep playing. One time players are the ones who are turned off most by this. They don't deserve a free ride, that's earned, and in time, they will be buying power too, if they really enjoy the game.

[Para_CW 19]

Selling power is important for any game, because it gives avid players a reason to keep playing. One time players are the ones who are turned off most by this. They don't deserve a free ride, that's earned, and in time, they will be buying power too, if they really enjoy the game.

This comment doesn't address anything I wrote.  Please read my posts so that your contribution is meaningful.

[deadtoyou 2,515]

This comment doesn't address anything I wrote.  Please read my posts so that your contribution is meaningful.

Yes it does, he is saying that selling power is important for any game, and this topic is all about power, (I thought) so either he didn't mean what he said, or you just can't stand the comments disagreeing with you.

 

I think that post was meaningful.

[SicTransitGloria 76]

The game that I've seen that did the best at successfully avoiding selling power was the obscure, but popular kingdomofloathing.com.  They are one of the first free play games.  They don't compete well these days against the flood of less sophisticated but flashier games with good graphics, but the model is sound and from what I understand they make money far out of proportion to the number of players.

 

People are very loyal to that game.  One of the important features is that it is lighthearted and willing to be absurd.  While this doesn't seem like it would have much of an effect on the bottom line, it does.  They have absurd stuff in game just for the heck of it and people buy them indirectly with money to get complete sets.  The only things that are for sale in game are a very good accessory and some familiars for RPG characters. (They are always coming out with new ones and people buy them just to add to their collection.)  If people want something else they trade for it on an open market from players who got too many of something.

 

It's very easy for players to acquire items they need without paying if they play smart.  Nothing important is out of reach.  There is no level where you have to spend money.  I was glad to spend money on the game just to support them and many others feel the same way.

 

Collecting useless bling is part of the game and helps fill the coffers.  A bit of silliness makes this more palatable.  It doesn't all have to be serious battle.

 

So if I had only one suggestion to give the Devs it would be this:  Tone down the selling of power and gradually experiment with different alternatives to see what people will buy.  Give people ways to contribute different amounts of money without making it an investment in a better tank.  Will people invest a bit here and there to get unimportant trophies?  Will they buy customizing features for their tank just to be different?  These are things to seriously consider because the less the game sells power, the more players will join.

Yes, I've always looked at Tanki as a somewhat comical game, far less serious than its "cousin", World of Tanks.

 

Tell me, Para, where you around when the "Farewell to Moon Silence" even went on? Probably not, as I hadn't even joined yet. But during that event, they offered a special commemorative pain: "Moonwalker". It offered the same protection at the same price of "Dragon", a normal paint. The difference is that anyone can buy "Dragon", but "Moon Walker" could only be bought at that time.Unlike the recent XT experiments, Moonwalker stayed permanently in the garages of the buyers. I'm quite sure it isn't particularly useful or pretty, but it is a nice souvenir. I would love it if Tanki did more things like that.

[Kevred 1,588]

If a game does not sell power, then the base of free players will grow much larger because if the game is good and they're not getting frustrated, they won't leave.  This increases the base of paying players.  The devs don't make as much on individual players who are constantly in an arms race to buy more power, but they make up for it in volume.

 

Agreed.

 

1.  Sell experience:  This is convenience, not power, because a person moving faster through the ranks doesn't affect those around him/her.

2.  Sell individuality:  Bling for tanks.  Many free to play games sell customizable skins.  They don't affect game play and help players stand out in a crowd.

3.  Sell reduced waiting times for stuff that's bought.

4.  Sell early access to new features.

5.  Sell access to multiple turrets and hulls past M1.  (Free players can only afford to upgrade one hull and one turret past M1.)

6.  Sell notability:  A player who pays can have their own Tanki web page.

 

I'm sure there are other things that can be found that will increase the coffers without selling power.  it takes some creativity, but it's doable.  Just don't sell power.

Mostly agree with you on "6 things to sell", except with no.4, 5, and 6.

 

4, because early access to advanced tech is an advantage in battle, which, in your words, is defined as "power".

5, Well, simply because it'll be no fun for the non-buyers.

6, Again, non-buyers will hate it.

[Kevred 1,588]

I would love it if Tanki did more things like that.

++

 

 

 

[chiddychiddy 6]

This comment doesn't address anything I wrote. Please read my posts so that your contribution is meaningful.

You titled this topic selling power ect. and I have some serious beefs with NOT selling kits out of your current rank, so I thought I would drop my 2 cents in you ambiguous bucket.

[Para_CW 19]

Mostly agree with you on "6 things to sell", except with no.4, 5, and 6.

 

4, because early access to advanced tech is an advantage in battle, which, in your words, is defined as "power".

5, Well, simply because it'll be no fun for the non-buyers.

6, Again, non-buyers will hate it.

When I listed #5 I meant that paying players can afford to upgrade more than one hull and turret, and have several to choose from in battle, mixing and matching at higher levels.  Free players cannot do this.  This is selling convenience and doesn't affect the balance of power.

[Para_CW 19]

Yes it does, he is saying that selling power is important for any game, and this topic is all about power, (I thought) so either he didn't mean what he said, or you just can't stand the comments disagreeing with you.

 

I think that post was meaningful.

Okay.

[Para_CW 19]

You titled this topic selling power ect. and I have some serious beefs with NOT selling kits out of your current rank, so I thought I would drop my 2 cents in you ambiguous bucket.

What does this have to do with the need to properly utilize free players to grow the business?

[magnaboy2 668]

You can buy everything in the game but without buying crystals for money you will have to play a lot of long battles to get the crystals you need. So you currently it's a choice between playing for hours and hours to get more crystals from the game or spending real money to save time and effort.

But in those "long battes" you'll get way more real experience then you do when you buy crystals and immedeatly buy the best things you can get,without having any experience and knowing how to play it properly...yk

[Maf 32,841]

But in those "long battes" you'll get way more real experience then you do when you buy crystals and immedeatly buy the best things you can get,without having any experience and knowing how to play it properly...yk

True, but most of the time, unfortunately, having a much stronger tank and a load of drugs compensates for lack of skill.

[Lord-of-the-Snipers 1,620]

True, but most of the time, unfortunately, having a much stronger tank and a load of drugs compensates for lack of skill.

Also true, that 's why it 's a sort of a trap to invest too much early in your TO "carreer".

 

First a beginning Tanker should develop some decent basic skills with close to nil microupgraded equipment,

and especially without loads of drugs. Only use the daily gift supplies.

 

By doing this you will force yourself to compensate the lesser power with "smart" gameplay and a good

development of those basic skills.

[deadtoyou 2,515]

True, but most of the time, unfortunately, having a much stronger tank and a load of drugs compensates for lack of skill.

Yeah...like the lack of knowledge on turning their turrets. xD

[Kevred 1,588]

When I listed #5 I meant that paying players can afford to upgrade more than one hull and turret, and have several to choose from in battle, mixing and matching at higher levels.  Free players cannot do this.  This is selling convenience and doesn't affect the balance of power.

Yeah, but good luck finding people that'll agree to only have the ability to advance one combo if they don't pay.

[chiddychiddy 6]

What does this have to do with the need to properly utilize free players to grow the business?

The old kits are what first inspired me to buy crystals. I had never done this in any game before. What I'm saying is that if the kits are awesome, not just something you can buy normally for a little bit more, people will spend money.

[RustyNail 1,549]

First a beginning Tanker should develop some decent basic skills with close to nil microupgraded equipment,

and especially without loads of drugs. Only use the daily gift supplies.

 

By doing this you will force yourself to compensate the lesser power with "smart" gameplay and a good

development of those basic skills.

That's what I did in the first place, untill I became a Major. I used drugs as rare as possible, saving them for special occasions only, for example when I go for the enemy flag or when the battle we where winning started to "freeze" and opponents gaining a series of flags in the row, such things.

That's why smart cooldown made me mad, everybody after that was constantly on one or two drugs, especially double power, forcing me to drug back, which I didn't want to do and initially didn't... Uh, what's the use of remembering, it only makes me sad.

 

Anyway, the point is one can avoid pay for a few ranks but eventually when everybody else is more or less with an upgraded combo in relation to own, one doesn;t have many choices.... and the more power Tanki sells, the sooner one has to face the dilemma.

[Para_CW 19]

Yeah, but good luck finding people that'll agree to only have the ability to advance one combo if they don't pay.

Well, that's what I do.  I consider it an acceptable trade off for being a free player.  There have to be some limitations or the game won't make money, which is the whole point of the thing.  It's just a question of how to go about it.

[deadtoyou 2,515]

You know what? I'm going to say this on every complaining topic I come across from now on:

 

There is absolutely no way to make every player happy. So find a way to deal with your problem, or just quit the game. :)

[Kevred 1,588]

There is absolutely no way to make every player happy. So find a way to deal with your problem, or just quit the game. :)

 

If people listened to you blindly there'll be no players left. Everyone is mad about something in the game, and sometimes they come up with solutions, then post these in this forum. 

 

So yes, they have found a way to deal with their problem. I'm not quite sure what you're trying to say.

[deadtoyou 2,515]

If people listened to you blindly there'll be no players left. Everyone is mad about something in the game, and sometimes they come up with solutions, then post these in this forum. 

 

So yes, they have found a way to deal with their problem. I'm not quite sure what you're trying to say.

Just that there is no way to make every player happy, and this topic doesn't solve anything, all I see is a lot of arguing.....

And I'm not asking people to listen to me blindly, I'm just appealing to players to think about what they're saying before they post topics like this.

But yeah, I see where you were going with that, I understand. :)

[chiddychiddy 6]

That's what I did in the first place, untill I became a Major. I used drugs as rare as possible, saving them for special occasions only, for example when I go for the enemy flag or when the battle we where winning started to "freeze" and opponents gaining a series of flags in the row, such things.

That's why smart cooldown made me mad, everybody after that was constantly on one or two drugs, especially double power, forcing me to drug back, which I didn't want to do and initially didn't... Uh, what's the use of remembering, it only makes me sad.

 

Anyway, the point is one can avoid pay for a few ranks but eventually when everybody else is more or less with an upgraded combo in relation to own, one doesn;t have many choices.... and the more power Tanki sells, the sooner one has to face the dilemma.

I remember being able to use all my drugs at once, I could never conserve them because they were so easy to use. Now, I only use the drug I need and they last much longer-armour for flags-damage for kills-speed soon after armour when taking flags. If you play it just right, you will always have the right drug for every situation (unles you have thunder, in which case you'll never have enough damage).

[delnina2 1,587]

Idea has been rejected .

 

Read: [topic=http://en.tankiforum.com/index.php?showtopic=212473]Rules. [/topic]

Ideas regarding refund and / or selling items are not accepted .

[RustyNail 1,549]

Idea has been rejected .

 

Read: [topic=http://en.tankiforum.com/index.php?showtopic=212473]Rules. [/topic]

Ideas regarding refund and / or selling items are not accepted .

So, what?

Is this section God's commands?

If many players gather and agree in something shouldn't they express their opinion just because Tanki Devs have decided in the past to draw a policy line?

Absurd.