Tuesday, January 31, 2017

BB 79 - Congrats on Subscribing for a Long Time

The current Blog Banter from Sand, Cider, and Spaceships:

Blog Banter 79 - Rewarding the Vets?
Should CCP put more effort into rewards for loyal customers? The mystery code from the collector's edition hasn't seen much use and whilst veteran rewards have been mentioned by CCP several times at Fanfests, we have seen nothing. Wasn't there talk of a special station only 10-year vets could dock in at one point?
Is this lack of gratitude towards loyal customers alienating? Do people wish for a change here? Is it too self-righteous to expect small signs of gratitude for being a loyal customer? Is a customer purchasing half a year in advance more loyal than someone plexing every now and than probably missing out a few weeks or months a year? How do CCP place rewards in game without hurting the economy?
Or is it just a case of there is no need and HTFU snowflake?
Its no secret I'm not a fan of the current skill point system which unnecessarily punishes new players compared to veteran players. I like that skill point trading gives newer players a chance to overcome some of that deficit, but really it does not go far enough in the end.

Regardless, when we talk about rewards for veteran players I have issues because not only do the vets have the advantages of having accrued massive number of skill points over the years they have been subscribed, unlocking all manners of choices in terms of activity and ships and weapon systems, these vets have typically accrued an amount of material wealth dwarfing what a newer player has many times over. Unless you are very active and careless with your ships and assets, you will inevitably gain wealth through normal activities, and the amount you gain increases over time.

And as wealth increases, we find ways to compound the interest so to speak: corporate welfare programs ship as ship replacement programs, money making fleets (mining or PvE), free ships, etc.

Add to that the frequent rewards players get at holidays and EVE's birthday like skins, free ships, collectibles, and it quickly becomes apparent to me that veterans are rewarded handsomely for being veterans.

So yeah, I honestly don't think veterans need much more in the way of reward for basically being subscribed for a long period of time.

2 comments:

  1. "you will inevitably gain wealth through normal activities"

    Speak for yourself! :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. PvE players will, PvP not so much

    ReplyDelete