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Should returning players be given more of a reason to return?

Discussion in 'General MMORPG Discussion' started by narshbleed60, Jun 3, 2015.

  1. narshbleed60

    narshbleed60 Member

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    With the current market and economy, MMO titles have been slowing in their release frequency. The list of stable MMOs with a healthy population is fairly small. I don't understand why MMOs do so little to encourage players to return to their games.
    There is nothing more discouraging when checking out a MMO you used to play than a large pay-wall put in front of you just to get back into the game. From expansions to other content and features, MMOs tend to forget the players who stopped playing and do little to encourage people to re-subscribe.
    World of Warcraft is one of the few I know of that made a decent effort to get people into their latest expansion. Those who pre-ordered were given a level 90 level boost, from what I remember. That is great for players who may have missed the previous expansion for whatever reason. It doesn't change the amount to be paid to get back into the game, but it at least gives some incentive for those who haven't played in a while.
    MMOs could do more than just give someone a boost to the current content's level. Patches change a game significantly over the life of a MMO and players may need a tutorial to re-acquaint themselves with the various systems of the game. A summary of the changes could also be made for those who prefer to read patch-note-style text. For the free-to-play market, discounts on item stores should be given to players who have been away a while.
    Anything would be better than the current less-than-welcoming doors to MMOs I used to play.
     
    #1 narshbleed60, Jun 3, 2015
  2. Zamininc

    Zamininc Member

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    I feel like the major problem when it comes to MMORPGs and returning players is that most of them change too quickly. Take RuneScape or WoW for example. If you're gone for a year or longer, you're barely going to recognize the game.

    Incentives to return would definitely cause a lot more players to return; however, it's not really going to be enough to retain those players. Something I wish MMOs would do more often is just create a page where they show how the game has changed through the years in order to allow returning players to acquaint themselves with the changes.
     
    #2 Zamininc, Jun 3, 2015
  3. Totalarmordestine

    Totalarmordestine Well-Known Member

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    I think it speaks volumes of the developer's stance towards the content they create that they offer players a choice to skip everything but the current content. As if the previous content would cease being fun or entertaining just because it's not the newest feature.

    Much better in my opinion is to incentivize playing through all the contents the game has to offer. Have the previous expansions included when you buy the latest one or something. Unless your content sucks so much you don't think it's worth actually playing through.
     
    #3 Totalarmordestine, Jun 3, 2015
  4. tarverten

    tarverten Well-Known Member

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    Given that WoW is the most successful sub-based MMO out there, and their sub numbers just went back up to 10M after the latest expansion, i don't see how that is a big mistake.

    Plus, the level 90 thing is completely optional. You can slow level all you want.
     
    #4 tarverten, Jun 3, 2015
  5. blastguardgear

    blastguardgear Well-Known Member

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    Best use of content ... games like marvel heroes.

    Once a level is created, it can be used for multiple difficulties, and bounties. Nothing is wasted. If you play another hero, you use the same levels. If you hack-n-slash for end-game drops, the same levels.

    So at each stage, there are a good variety of places to play.
     
    #5 blastguardgear, Jun 3, 2015
  6. thepieeatingjay

    thepieeatingjay Well-Known Member

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    I'm sorry but no. Why SHOULD returning players have more done for them? They aren't any more or less special than new first time players or consistent players that never left. This right here just shows how entitled some gamers are.
     
    #6 thepieeatingjay, Jun 3, 2015
  7. Azrile

    Azrile Well-Known Member
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    WOW not only did the free lvl 90 thing. but they have always done a few other things that are important. They basically give you all the expansion for free except the latest one.

    For example, if you played up until WoTLK and then quit. If you rejoin WOW now, and just pay the $15 subscription fee, you get Catacylsm and MoP included .. they are now part of the base game. that means if you want, you could take months leveling through all that new content before you had to buy the WoD expansion.

    The other thing WOW does is with every expansion they go back and make leveling faster through old expansions. The exp needed to go from lvl 58 to 59 is like nothing now.
     
    #7 Azrile, Jun 4, 2015
  8. thejamal

    thejamal Well-Known Member

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    I'm not sure why you would return to a game just for incentives. You should want to come back to a game because of the content. Incentives are cool, but it shouldn't be the reason you come back.

    For games that have been around forever like WoW, I think a great thing they should do is open up old expansion servers where you can actually play that expansion. THAT would get people to come back to the game. If you had Vanilla, WoTLK, BC, Cata servers, I think you'd very easily close to a million subs back to the game. The nostalgia alone would get people excited about playing. And all you would have to do is require people to have a sub to the most up to date expansion.
     
    #8 thejamal, Jun 5, 2015
  9. Samu Zadori

    Samu Zadori Member

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    I agree with you in that people who left shouldn't be treated specially, per se. However, I do think loyality should be rewarded, in the forms of special items or mounts for example. This could lure back some of the players who left and give them a reason to play again, while also rewarding those who stayed with the game through good and bad.
     
    #9 Samu Zadori, Jun 6, 2015
  10. MrHurricane89

    MrHurricane89 Well-Known Member

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    I don't agree with return inventives. No point in giving free mounts ,gold or anything to would-be returning players. If the content isnt good enough for them to return on their own, and you rely on these incentives, then you know your content is of a low quality.
     
    #10 MrHurricane89, Jun 6, 2015
  11. Azrile

    Azrile Well-Known Member
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    yeah, I think this is the better option. Reward players for staying with the game, not for leaving and coming back. UO had a nice veteran reward system where ever year you would get new gifts
     
    #11 Azrile, Jun 6, 2015
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