Veteran players given limited benefits?

Honestly good will doesnt hurt, they decided to do it for the minipets why not again, it'd definately please a lot of players keep them more interrested. Not to mention the good will is a safety net for later on if GW does implement monthly fees, at which point some people will be asking themselves "why bother paying" since they dont have much interrest in the game. I've asked numerous people their opinions on monthly fees and what they'd do. A lot of players wouldn't think twice about paying fees simply because the game holds nothing for them. A common view on the game is awesome for a free game but its less of a comparison to large MMOs and if they'd want to put themselves on that playing field (which you'd assume they would otherwise they wouldnt reserve the right to implement fees) they'd have to gain consumer interrest

In a game like Guild Wars, the point is that there is still a retention issue. If a rewards system would make the community happy, then it should at least be considered.

The way to look at it is that if the players are happy, then they will be there for both expansions every year. On top of that, they will probably buy an extra character slot or two (so it's now easy to keep a character longer term to use in future expansions) and they will refer their friends.

I doubt that A-Net looks at it as though "they already bought it so forget about them, let's focus on new players". They are smarter than that or they never would have made it this far.

They will not alienate their long-term players since they know that it is easier to get longer term players to buy the expansions than it is to generate a new sale (the same as in virtually any business model).

This is a good thread to throw some ideas in the air and then let Arena Net decide which way it wants to go. They get a lot of ideas from the community so it's better to be vocal so that they will have the opporunity to at least consider these options.

Joe

I agree with the above, though the rewards freebie items probably should not cross into collector's edition specialty gear. Otherwise, there will be no incentive in paying the extra cash to obtain the CE copies.

Umm, no it's definitly paying. Anet must still make us buy the next chapter. I doubt I will be getting nightfall (at least for a long while) because I take my time, I still have heaps to do in factions and a bit in prophecies.


Turning more on topic, I wouldn't turn down free stuff
But personally I don't feel because I've been playing for 16 odd months I should get free stuff. I mean if Anet needs to give out weapons etc with new chapters to keep the game alive with newcomers, I say go for it.
I mean the stats on them don't give an advantage, besides veterans will have rare skins mursaat hammers, magmas... etc etc.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and make an assumption, you're not actually going to use these will you? you just want them because people are buying the same product a year later and it has these additional items?

A bit of extra goodwill can't hurt - the more players who play, the better the game is for everyone. If some sort of reward for "time served" can be brought in, preferably based on account starting date rather than the age of specific characters, I'd be very happy. Not that I tend to delete characters, but as stated, some people do...

Everybody wants something for free. You want the items so bad, go buy the edition. Costs too much? Then don't buy it. Just like pre-order items, extra slots, unlock packs, expansions, etc.

How about being able to buy a relatively cheap key off the online store or something that gives you the bonus items. If it's cheap, Anet'll still make quite a bit of money and everyone's relatively happy that they have the choice to add it to their account.

m3h...

Stop whining. I bought the GOTY version and I doubt its any different from the normal version other than the additional items. Heck, I don't even know when I get this item! I hope it wasn't in my starting inventory. Cuz I probably sold it. The extra items mean nothing to me whatsoever. I bought the GOTY version because it was the only version available. GW is free of monthly fees and if you feel you're being neglected then you're free to find a new game. Or better yet...step away from PC gaming for a while. You don't want to become one of those hnl guys.

Here's what I'm having a hard time understanding:

You've had GW for 17 months, and it sounds like you've exhausted the content to the point that you're just not getting fun out of it right now. That's seems totally understandable. Assuming that you'll buy Nightfall, it's reasonable to assume that you'll play that for a while, and could potentially get bored of GW again in the couple months preceding Chapter 4. When Chapter 4 comes out, you may or may not buy it, depending on reviews, PWE's, etc.

Would getting a free weapon really change anything? Would it make you less bored of the content at the end of each chapter cycle? Are you going to suddenly feel a new passion to redo all the missions, because of your new Slingshot of the Magi? Given the nature of GW's balancing, I really can't fathom how a new item would revitalize my interest in the game for more than an hour or two, if my interest was already gone.

I understand it would be nice, and goodwill, and all of that. But is it really a dealbreaker for anyone here? Does the lack of free account birthday gifts really influence anyone's decisions to buy future chapters? Isn't that the bottom line?

I'm all for introducing a veteran's reward type of thing, but I would rather have it be the time that your acct was active, not how long you've been playing.

I think CoH/CoV/NCSoft did that just because we all left after I5 and ED... craptastic armor ftl.

I've actually ran that idea through my head, but it seems Anet puts very little if any effort into their store. They came out a bit late with the skill packs IMO and the extra slots only appeal to so many people. If they could implement bonuses like mentioned in the thread for a relatively cheap price I'm sure they'd see some happy faces and a lot of paying customers.

I see posts talking about account age and character age in months. Make the rewards based on hours played. If there are to be rewards for veterans, make it for Active accounts (or characters, if possible) over a certain age (# hours played). I am sure Anet can determine which accounts are active or not, not too sure about the characters.

Just a thought.

I find this whole thread funny actually.

Veterans? Hell even the people in the Beta couldnt be called veterans. The game is barely a year and a half old, if even that. Come back after playing it for 5 or 6 years and I'll gladly call you a veteran and say that you deserve something special for playing that long.

But you expect a reward for being here a year? Pssh. That just shows how bad your ADD is.

I see nothing in the new release editions that I as a veteren player would want anyway. The concept is that we have been in game long enough to be well compensated for time in game with any number of things. Plus add to that teh already numerous bonuses for preordering Prophacies, Factions, and Nightfall... well... thats 5 items right there... More if collectors editions as well... so yea... I see your point, but in reality is anything in that somethign one of your vetern character builds would use anyway? Prob not...

The Presents and Masks and holiday items are goodies that vetern players display all the time, but are they useful? NOPE... I have a Ithica Bow from preorder that I use for pulling, but little else... as it is not that great a bow. But it does help to have it on a presearing character in the beginning... you know how long it has been since I have graced presearing areas at all? Anywhere... ANYWHERE else, you got access to storage and then you got access to end game stuff from there for any new characters... That is the reward for vet players... Easy access to end game crafters and collectors.

In the end I think its a fair trade off... New people get middle grade weapons as bonus if they get the approprate package. and the people that have been here from teh beginning have storage access, and bonuses from preorders...

I don't know about you but I am one happy Guildie...

I am not so sure about that. The shield in the new release ed. is the same as victo's with tatic stat. I think personally that is very useful especially for pvp only char, this is because we're limited to 2 off hand, for spell caster I usually carry +12 energy, +27/-1 off hand and a shield to switch off when getting spike or against energy denial. Speaking about pre orders items, anyone found them useful? The only one I can think of is probably the spear.

I bought the GOTY edition only last week for the pre-order weapon skins alone. These pre-order weapons will be ultra-customizable once Nightfall's inscription system goes live. Imagine a 15>50 Nevermore Bow on your favorite ranger That bow skin is still one of the nicest available.

Might as well say if you had account before Game of the Year edition that you can buy the upgrade for 10 bucks. XD

why reward long time players...
because long time players are the ones who bring in their friends, ive seen old guildmembers quit and start some other games... now 1 player quits... his friends are wondering what games is he playing now... a good player may take up to 10 ppl with him to other games...
now we have 10 less players an perhaps missing some core players... thus begins the fall of the guild... some ppl will go to other guilds and some quit the game... now the friends of these ppl that were thinking about purchasing guildwars purchase the other game that these ppl jst bought... as they said gw got boring...

ive seen many guilds fall and every time some ppl transfer to other games... also in our guild we have many ppl who are playing other games on the side...

veterans are the ones who bring ppl into these games, their friends their relatives etc, they should be rewarded

/signed

Do you have the URL for the upgrade offer? I'll pass it onto my other buddies who are interested. I did pick up the full goty edition, but price wan't a real issue for me

ah and the shield for example is one id like to have... similar to jaqui aegis but while in stance... id say its one of the most useful since the hp 30 is always ...

mm.. i think id prefer sunreach over it but 50 k is alot so , this would be the next best thing, oh well back to farming geoffer´s bulwark