Cycles of ESOTU - Past, present, and future?

Sylvyr

Past:
Initial player base - players go through initial content.
Those that level up too quickly burn out but most find enough content to keep playing for good amount of time.
VR Levels, Craglorn, Undaunted grinds - enough new content added to keep majority busy

Present:
Discrepancy gap between old players and new/returning (B2P Change-over) - Major overhaul of game implemented - champ system put into place help even the gap. Champ system gives old players something new to do as well (new grind)

Future:
Crown store & convenience items expand into such things as XP boosts - these appeal to old players to try to stay more powerful and new players to catch up - huge potential cash cow for ZoS. Time to fix up game before console launch. New content worked on and stashed for future DLCs and further cash injections.

A lot of people are looking at P2W elements with extreme caution. There seems to be some bitterness in that ZoS definitely help create an environment that adds to the demand for such products. Is this a bad thing? Will they use this influx of cash to fix/further the game? Probably. And a lot of players seem to voice that that is a good thing.

They also have content "in their hat" that they have been working on - zones (that scale to your level), spellcrafting... they will probably hold out on until the majority need new content to play, and after console launch (as they have stated).

CPs will keep us busy while they clean things up and get ready for console launch. Also they can hold onto customers that are skeptical or have lighter wallets with F2P (B2P) option.

I can't say their PR and way they've been handling things have been pleasant, but there is some genius behind the suits that are looking at their product life cycle stages and planning. The old player guard that went through a lot of the rough and tumble are soon to be in the minority and most of the bitter stuff will be forgotten under new layers of time. I think it's a bit sad but also brilliant. And it smells like, from a business perspective, sweet success right around the corner. Even disgruntled and bitter players will probably settle down as they find new pleasure in the new era of ESOTU if they fix bugs and make the game fun again and they will get lost in it and forget and/or forgive.

Within this game itself, it's a good plan. But within multiple games, will it hold up? Will the consumers of ESOTU find more pleasure from competition? Lots of upcoming titles, with different development models (Crowdfunded, etc). Will there be other games with less grind and P2CONVENIENCE cycles? We'll see... but it seems like ZoS, if they can pull it off, have a few months to really transform this game into the next level.

Will they break from the usual downfalls that have plagued other games or will they just fall victim to the same old cycle of grab as much cash out of it as possible and cannibalize it to oblivion?

PKMN12

If XP those Potions come out in the way it is believed/seen in-game from data-mining, then it is already too late, and any competitiveness this game had dies.

Sylvyr

PKMN12 wrote: »

If XP those Potions come out in the way it is believed/seen in-game from data-mining, then it is already too late, and any competitiveness this game had dies.

Well, at this stage, especially with lots of new and returning players, with lots of "fresh" content from their perspective - won't they be willing to pay? Even existing players wanting CP points won't they be willing to pay?

PKMN12

Sylvyr wrote: »

PKMN12 wrote: »

If XP those Potions come out in the way it is believed/seen in-game from data-mining, then it is already too late, and any competitiveness this game had dies.

Well, at this stage, especially with lots of new and returning players, with lots of "fresh" content from their perspective - won't they be willing to pay? Even existing players wanting CP points won't they be willing to pay?

no, but with the champion system in palce, it basically means, at end game, the only people who would really stand a chance in PVP are those who used those XP pots. In PVE, it would 100% likely end up making it so every group expects you have to a certain amount of champion points and if you do nto have that amount or more, you are not getting a group.

Sylvyr

PKMN12 wrote: »

Sylvyr wrote: »

PKMN12 wrote: »

If XP those Potions come out in the way it is believed/seen in-game from data-mining, then it is already too late, and any competitiveness this game had dies.

Well, at this stage, especially with lots of new and returning players, with lots of "fresh" content from their perspective - won't they be willing to pay? Even existing players wanting CP points won't they be willing to pay?

no, but with the champion system in palce, it basically means, at end game, the only people who would really stand a chance in PVP are those who used those XP pots. In PVE, it would 100% likely end up making it so every group expects you have to a certain amount of champion points and if you do nto have that amount or more, you are not getting a group.

1) It would seem like significant amount of new/returning players are not at end game... ?

2) If a majority of people are willing to pay, how much harm can it do? The majority would stand a chance in PvP and be group-able for PvE.

PKMN12

Sylvyr wrote: »

PKMN12 wrote: »

Sylvyr wrote: »

PKMN12 wrote: »

If XP those Potions come out in the way it is believed/seen in-game from data-mining, then it is already too late, and any competitiveness this game had dies.

Well, at this stage, especially with lots of new and returning players, with lots of "fresh" content from their perspective - won't they be willing to pay? Even existing players wanting CP points won't they be willing to pay?

no, but with the champion system in palce, it basically means, at end game, the only people who would really stand a chance in PVP are those who used those XP pots. In PVE, it would 100% likely end up making it so every group expects you have to a certain amount of champion points and if you do nto have that amount or more, you are not getting a group.

1) It would seem like significant amount of new/returning players are not at end game... ?

2) If a majority of people are willing to pay, how much harm can it do? The majority would stand a chance in PvP and be group-able for PvE.

those same new palyers will then NEVER stand a chance in endgame, they will be left floundering in teh duest behind all the people who not only have a lot of time to play but are spending

IT means to stand a chance at endgame, you have to Pay real money, if you do not see something wrong with this, then you are a terrible person. and no, it would mean VERY few people would stand a chance in PVP OR PVE because only those with lots of time and lots of money would stand a chance.

Sylvyr

PKMN12 wrote: »

Sylvyr wrote: »

PKMN12 wrote: »

Sylvyr wrote: »

PKMN12 wrote: »

If XP those Potions come out in the way it is believed/seen in-game from data-mining, then it is already too late, and any competitiveness this game had dies.

Well, at this stage, especially with lots of new and returning players, with lots of "fresh" content from their perspective - won't they be willing to pay? Even existing players wanting CP points won't they be willing to pay?

no, but with the champion system in palce, it basically means, at end game, the only people who would really stand a chance in PVP are those who used those XP pots. In PVE, it would 100% likely end up making it so every group expects you have to a certain amount of champion points and if you do nto have that amount or more, you are not getting a group.

1) It would seem like significant amount of new/returning players are not at end game... ?

2) If a majority of people are willing to pay, how much harm can it do? The majority would stand a chance in PvP and be group-able for PvE.

those same new palyers will then NEVER stand a chance in endgame, they will be left floundering in teh duest behind all the people who not only have a lot of time to play but are spending

IT means to stand a chance at endgame, you have to Pay real money, if you do not see something wrong with this, then you are a terrible person. and no, it would mean VERY few people would stand a chance in PVP OR PVE because only those with lots of time and lots of money would stand a chance.

So... I'm confused... You're saying those with lots of time or lots of money stand a chance. And it's bad to pay real money to stand a chance. Implying it's OK to spend lots of time to have a chance (that this is OK and the "acceptable" way).

So those people that have time look at people that have money as bad?

Just saying... Money and time are both resources, right?

So a person that has lots of time but little money can put their time into the game to succeed at having fun playing.

A person that has money but not a lot of time, maybe because they work a lot or something, what's wrong with them putting in money as a resource, to succeed at the game and have fun playing?

Why is one good and one bad? Furthermore if the game is funded... by... money... wouldn't that be good?

Now don't get me wrong, personally I don't like being nickel and dimed to death, or taken advantage of, but does this mean that is what's going to happen? Will they create situations that will force us to spend an unreasonable amount of money for playing their game?

For those that don't have time or money, they are at a disadvantage regardless. But what would you expect by not putting anything into the game?

For those that have time and money, they can dump both resources into the game, so to me that's the only thing that changes. How many people have both? I don't know, not many people I know.

Granted I can see it getting frustrated for people to be excluded from groups or underpowered for PvP because they don't have much of either resource to get to a baseline, but like I said, if a person doesn't have either money or time, what do they expect?