10-13-2003, 12:46 AM
All this talk about not liking the current system. I'm curious as to what you all think is a fair payment method?
The first problem seems to be the paying twice thing. People don't like paying for the product in the store and then again in order to actually play it. So how about if some play time is included with the purchase? You buy a game and when you install it and register (or whatever the process is) you get like 2-3 months of play time with no added cost. (or maybe an amount of in-game play time so that its fair for those who don't play as often. Like maybe a certain number of hours of in-game play for free.) In effect this play time would have been part of the purchase price. So then if you like the game and want to keep playing it after that there can be a monthly price for you to pay beyond that free period.
This allows people to feel like they are getting their money's worth out of the initial purchase as well as provides the company a way to pay for the services they provide with the monthly fee for those who wish to keep playing. Also if you go with the method of the game having a certain number of hours of actual play time that you get with registration then it also makes it so that if you play it once and then stop for a period of time, you can still come back and have the time you paid for. The system of so many months free on registration means you have to play it at that moment, if something comes up that keeps you from playing then your money could be wasted.
This brings up another point. What is the better way to charge? Do you charge by monthly fees or by certain amounts of actual play time. They both have their plusses. Charging by play time is good for the user who just plays off and on, while per month is good for the person that plays all the time. I'm thinking the best system would be a combination of the two. When you buy the product you get a certain number of free hours of actual play. Then once those are used you can continue to play for a flat rate monthly fee.
So what do you all think is the best way for the companies to charge? What is the correct balance between the user's needs and the company's needs?
The first problem seems to be the paying twice thing. People don't like paying for the product in the store and then again in order to actually play it. So how about if some play time is included with the purchase? You buy a game and when you install it and register (or whatever the process is) you get like 2-3 months of play time with no added cost. (or maybe an amount of in-game play time so that its fair for those who don't play as often. Like maybe a certain number of hours of in-game play for free.) In effect this play time would have been part of the purchase price. So then if you like the game and want to keep playing it after that there can be a monthly price for you to pay beyond that free period.
This allows people to feel like they are getting their money's worth out of the initial purchase as well as provides the company a way to pay for the services they provide with the monthly fee for those who wish to keep playing. Also if you go with the method of the game having a certain number of hours of actual play time that you get with registration then it also makes it so that if you play it once and then stop for a period of time, you can still come back and have the time you paid for. The system of so many months free on registration means you have to play it at that moment, if something comes up that keeps you from playing then your money could be wasted.
This brings up another point. What is the better way to charge? Do you charge by monthly fees or by certain amounts of actual play time. They both have their plusses. Charging by play time is good for the user who just plays off and on, while per month is good for the person that plays all the time. I'm thinking the best system would be a combination of the two. When you buy the product you get a certain number of free hours of actual play. Then once those are used you can continue to play for a flat rate monthly fee.
So what do you all think is the best way for the companies to charge? What is the correct balance between the user's needs and the company's needs?