Comments on: SoM(e) Valuation

By: Thallian

Thallian — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:55:57 +0000

I felt the same way, it feels like a trick (badly done marketing) but its really in fact a good deal. Why shoot yourself in the foot like that when you don’t have to?

By: ceolstan

ceolstan — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 20:43:03 +0000

I’m one of those 1-year multimonth subscribers. When Guild Wars 2 comes out, I’ll not have time for any other MMO, and I only have time for LotRO because I’ve put in enough hours in GW to need a diversion for a few times per week. It took me a bit of close reading to realize that if I ponied up for the Adventurer’s Pack, I’d be getting Mirkwood. Now for the cute part–how do I get the AP?

Dear Turbine: Please put a bit button that says “BUY ADVENTURER’S PACK NOW (with free Mirkwood upgrade for multimonth and lifetime subscribers)” Then let it charge my credit card. Don’t make me hunt for how to give you money. Love and kisses, ~~ceolstan

By: shinjitsu

shinjitsu — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 16:32:30 +0000

Provide obscure convoluted pricing scheme -> get entire game blogging community to devote multiple entries to “setting the record straight”

yield: several days of free advertising, thats not a bad deal in a down economy.

everyone is talking about the game and people are even writing perl scripts in homage of it

By: Suzina

Suzina — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 20:14:38 +0000

Technically, as a lifetime Subscriber you CAN forgo Adventure Pack and buy the digital expansion for $20. You just don’t pre-order anything.

The “pre-order adventure pack and get mirkwood free” deal is limited time, because it’s only available to lifer’s while they can still pre-order.

If you decide you want to try mirkwood mid-december, you will have to pay 20$ for SOM and 20$ for fluff. Lifer’s who pre-order the adventure pack get mirkwood free.

(admittedly, they should have done it the other way around… pre-order the expansion and get fluff for free, but they did not)

By: Zar

Zar — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:28:47 +0000

Perhaps they read the screaming posts from another game where they always explain how they would gladly pay $$$ for extra space or character slots, just so long as it was a one time charge. All I can really think of is that they needed some way to make sure that they got $$$ from all sides, one way or another. That is, for all intent and purposes why they exist. Our family changed over right away to a three month plan (we were monthly) and since we wanted the items offered for the $20, we went for it right away. Why wait if your going to eventually purchase it anyway? Actually, it’s funny, but one of the things I enjoy about the game after years upon years of other games is the limited space in the banks. I no longer find myself saving stuff from level 1 in my 600 slot vault only to move it to the Guild Bank, then later to some mule to destroy later. Did it sell? Do I need more room….DESTROY…

By: Julian

Julian — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:25:16 +0000

Is it me or ever since 2-3 years ago or so subscription offers and options have been getting too convoluted and complicated?

By: Vykromond

Vykromond — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:54:03 +0000

Oh I didn’t notice the extra conditions attached to lifetime subscriptions. It is pretty convoluted yes, but the idea at work is really clever and it’s still a good bit of marketing IMO.

By: Ethic

Ethic — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:53:06 +0000

Finally, terms I can understand. Thanks!

By: Moondog548

Moondog548 — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:16:53 +0000

Guys, it’s very simple.

(Courtesy of DartSimian)

If (x=lifetime_subscriber) then {
if (pay_20$_now) then
{
get(SoM);
get(adventure_pack);
} else {
get(SoM);
}
} elseif(x=multi_month_sub) then {
continue;
get(SoM);
} elseif(x=monthly_sub) then {
if (changes_to_multimonth) {
get(SoM); /*free*/
if (pay($20)) {
get(adventure_pack);
}
} else {
pay($20);
get(SoM);
}
}

By: Green Armadillo

Green Armadillo — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:11:33 +0000

Let’s just hope that no one tells Darren about the $20 goat. :P

That said, the case could be made that the adventure pack (for non-lifetime subscribers, and lifetimers who for whatever reason fail to preorder), feels like them saying “you can pay us more money to byepass a timesink that we concede may be too onerous for new players and alts”. That’s very common in F2P games but relatively new to high profile subscription games.