Rethink 14 day trial

[Thrakkar]

Since we got almost 2014, it might be time to revise that outdated business model. What I would like to see is:

Remove 14 day limit. Make it infinite.
Lower skill cap to 400.
Cannot use powerscrolls.
Cannot join general chat.
Cannot place a house.

Then let previously paid accounts also log in, but with the constraint, that just characters can be played, who meet the trial account limitations (skills < 400, no PS eaten, house would decay, if placed).

What would be the benefits?

Former (paying) players can revisit UO without having to create a trial acc. They would see their 700+ skill chars, but can't play them. Since they might be attached to these chars, it's more likely, that they might pay a month. Still they can create a new char to check out the current state of the game. On their original account. If they decide to pay a month, they can continue to play that new char along with their old chars.

Lesser trial accounts, because people can check back on their former (trial or full) account. At least from me, since I don't pay 12 months a year. Currently I've got an active account for about 1 to 3 months per year. And If I want to check out that fancy new publish or want to check back on some friends and guildies, but don't want to pay a full month, I have to create a new trial acc...

 

[S_S]

No.

 

[Aran]

Nah.

 

[Uvtha]

Since we got almost 2014, it might be time to revise that outdated business model. What I would like to see is:

Remove 14 day limit. Make it infinite.
Lower skill cap to 400.
Cannot use powerscrolls.
Cannot join general chat.
Cannot place a house.

Then let previously paid accounts also log in, but with the constraint, that just characters can be played, who meet the trial account limitations (skills < 400, no PS eaten, house would decay, if placed).

What would be the benefits?

Former (paying) players can revisit UO without having to create a trial acc. They would see their 700+ skill chars, but can't play them. Since they might be attached to these chars, it's more likely, that they might pay a month. Still they can create a new char to check out the current state of the game. On their original account. If they decide to pay a month, they can continue to play that new char along with their old chars.

Lesser trial accounts, because people can check back on their former (trial or full) account. At least from me, since I don't pay 12 months a year. Currently I've got an active account for about 1 to 3 months per year. And If I want to check out that fancy new publish or want to check back on some friends and guildies, but don't want to pay a full month, I have to create a new trial acc...

I would also consider lowering character slots to 1. But good idea.

 

[Lady Michelle]

Since we got almost 2014, it might be time to revise that outdated business model. What I would like to see is:

Remove 14 day limit. Make it infinite.
Lower skill cap to 400.
Cannot use powerscrolls.
Cannot join general chat.
Cannot place a house.

Then let previously paid accounts also log in, but with the constraint, that just characters can be played, who meet the trial account limitations (skills < 400, no PS eaten, house would decay, if placed).

What would be the benefits?

Former (paying) players can revisit UO without having to create a trial acc. They would see their 700+ skill chars, but can't play them. Since they might be attached to these chars, it's more likely, that they might pay a month. Still they can create a new char to check out the current state of the game. On their original account. If they decide to pay a month, they can continue to play that new char along with their old chars.

Lesser trial accounts, because people can check back on their former (trial or full) account. At least from me, since I don't pay 12 months a year. Currently I've got an active account for about 1 to 3 months per year. And If I want to check out that fancy new publish or want to check back on some friends and guildies, but don't want to pay a full month, I have to create a new trial acc...

house would decay, if placed seriously a big NOOOO!!! to this. reason this would be a idocers or house players come true. open a an old account use it place at idocs to get loot clean it out drop it move to next idoc place. Im not going to even get started on the ones who place who sell them.Sorry but anyone who wants a house needs to pay for one like all of the paying customers do.

 

[Flagg]

It is a good idea OP. People are the most important,most needed and most welcome commodity in any and all MMOs. Anything and everything that'd bring even some back to UO would be extremely welcome.



14 day trial to 16 year old game when there are dozens of quite current free to play MMOs out there isn't without it's saddening qualities. Mythic/EA has done nothing new to bring new/old people in in several years.

 

[Ox AO]

house would decay, if placed seriously a big NOOOO!!! to this. reason this would be a idocers or house players come true. open a an old account use it place at idocs to get loot clean it out drop it move to next idoc place. Im not going to even get started on the ones who place who sell them.Sorry but anyone who wants a house needs to pay for one like all of the paying customers do.

he said no houses.

A bit of a tweek to the idea:

I believe it should be for new accounts only.
I see many complications for doing this to older accounts.
Should I list them?
1. Skill issues as already listed.
2. Account age. It isn't paid so it should get rewards.

Rather a skill cap of 400 make it a skill cap of 85 on any skill to avoid scripters.

 

[Ox AO]

I like the general concept more interaction.
Another idea is to do basic functions in the game over an Ipad.

Check and stock your vendor with stuff in your bank.
Get BOD's and click on all your clicky items in your house.
You know all the errands we do done using applications.

I know this is more involved.... just an idea.

 

[kaio]

How about making it alot simpler.
Paying custmors get GM support and the ability to place a house. And the ability to play the latest Expansion pack.
Those who dosent pay, get no house, and not the latest and greatest expansion.
I dont mind paying for this game, but i want to see more people..

 

[Thrakkar]

14 day trial to 16 year old game when there are dozens of quite current free to play MMOs out there

Exactly! You have to do something to stay competitive. Though, the devs want to stay competitive. The question is, do they?

How about making it alot simpler.
Paying custmors get GM support and the ability to place a house. And the ability to play the latest Expansion pack.
Those who dosent pay, get no house, and not the latest and greatest expansion.
I dont mind paying for this game, but i want to see more people..

Can't say, I would like that. IMHO there should be quite some serious differences between trial and full. Trial should just tease and not give them almost all of the game for free. If you want the full experience, you have to pay.

 

[Uvtha]

How about making it alot simpler.
Paying custmors get GM support and the ability to place a house. And the ability to play the latest Expansion pack.
Those who dosent pay, get no house, and not the latest and greatest expansion.
I dont mind paying for this game, but i want to see more people..

Hah... the latest and greatest expansion was like 4 years ago. I prefer keeping people low on skill rather than keeping them out of areas anyway, since doing so can split up groups, and make it hard to play with "free" account people, which would dampen the effect.

But I agree on GM service.

 

[CovenantX]

Since we got almost 2014, it might be time to revise that outdated business model. What I would like to see is:

Remove 14 day limit. Make it infinite.
Lower skill cap to 400.
Cannot use powerscrolls.
Cannot join general chat.
Cannot place a house.

You missed some restrictions...
"Cannot recall, sacred journey, or gate travel"
"Cannot enter Felucca"

Besides nothing is stopping you from creating a 14-day trial account currently...

 

[Flagg]

^ Not very good suggestions imo. Idea is that the guy trying the (unlimited or otherwise) trial has fun. Punishing and pissing him/her off purely for sake of it is neither. Why would you want to keep them out of Fel? Do you consider shards besides ATL have such full Fels they'd be unable to fit few trials?

I've always believed very few MMOs could ever work as great in F2P as UO would. It is a huge shame resources of Mythic and ancient coding of the client stand in the way of this ever happening.

 

[Lord Frodo]

To my knowledge here are the current restrictions
http://uo2.stratics.com/miscellaneous/young-players-and-trial-accounts

Trial Account Restrictions:

• Players are not allowed to place a house while on a trial account
• Players are not allowed to co-own or be traded a house while on a trial account
• Trial accounts have travel restrictions –
  • Cannot visit Felucca dungeons or Felucca T2A
• Trial Accounts have the following resource restrictions -
  • Will only receive basic ores and logs (iron, plain logs) even if they’d otherwise qualify for better types
  • Will not receive sand or stone when mining
• Trial Account Misc. restrictions -
  • Will not receive ML rewards for resource gathering (jewels, ingredients, and white pearls while fishing)
  • Will not receive rewards, monster kill points, or virtue points from champ spawns
  • Will not get scrolls while doing champ spawns
  • Will not gain Justice virtue points for killing murderers
  • Cannot use Valor or Justice virtues
  • Cannot Protect or be Protected by another player
  • Can not join factions or faction aligned guilds
  • If in a guild they will be removed from the guild, if their guild joins a faction
  • Cannot use Scrolls of Alacrity, Power Scrolls, Stat Scrolls, or Scrolls of Transcendence
  • Cannot use Commodity Deeds
  • Cannot do Community Collections
  • Cannot use Soulstones or fragment soulstones
  • Cannot use Pet summoning balls
  • Cannot use Bracelets of Binding
  • Cannot use the Bag of Sending
  • Cannot do any repeatable quests – even if they are normally repeatable
  • Cannot acquire BOD’s

Just remove the 14 days and as far as letting non paid accounts use this would be very hard to do because of all the restrictions that a Trial (now free to play) account would have. I guess if you had a char. that met all the requirements then yes let them log in and play.

 

[Angel of Sonoma]

No .... but .... what if a 14 day account started with ONE "mini Advanced Character" with no young status on this character? And was given jewels to bring some of the skills near GM (example: a tamer would start with 80 taming, lore, etc and get a ring with +7 taming & +7 lore)? Granted, the person lacks the experience playing the template from the ground up.

Many will probably disagree with this idea but my thought is: If someone starts out with a higher skilled character, their playing experience will be more positive and they are more likely to continue the account beyond the 14 day trial period. I think we would lure in more players this way rather than have the first 14 days spent grinding skills.

 

[cazador]

Best solution will piss off all the forum jockeys...FTP/PTW(Pay to Win). They don't care about fairness..just $. So even though your ideas of limiting trials and getting a surge of the 8 players who don't currently play seeking to play a retro 2D game..isn't worth the monetary investment for such a little increase in cash..I'm sure the devs/ea have discussed at one point or another all these ideas to a certain extent.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Flagg]

SW:TOR makes most recent example of an EA MMO that switched from sub-only to a very fair FTP. It is not Pay to Win in any truly meaningful way.

Speaking of Pay2Win,
come to think of it, due to UO's nature I'd say it is much more of a Pay2Win than majority of FTP MMOs currently out. UO Gold can buy you best gear available. Have enough gold and no armor set is out of your reach. Origin store on the other hand has tons of items available for real money. These items are freely tradeable in-game. You can very easily convert them to millions in UO gold. With this gold, you can buy as good gear as game has to offer. You can increase skills, statscaps. You can increase rates of your skillgains. There is no feature in PaytoWin that is not present in UO already.

...I didn't mean the above as much of a critique at all. Changes are game would be dead without the item shop. Additionally, mudding waters of RL and in-game cash works well in a sandbox MMO. I'm just saying tis most assuredly a wrong game for somebody who is much shunning the very thought of P2W.

I'd love to hear what people have - against - the idea of removing 14 day trial? Many here settle for resisting it, and reason it with " no".
Why not? In what ways would the game suffer from modest increase of people this could bring?

 

[Lady Michelle]

he said no houses.

A bit of a tweek to the idea:

I believe it should be for new accounts only.
I see many complications for doing this to older accounts.
Should I list them?
1. Skill issues as already listed.
2. Account age. It isn't paid so it should get rewards.

Rather a skill cap of 400 make it a skill cap of 85 on any skill to avoid scripters.

I was refering to this part

Then let previously paid accounts also log in, but with the constraint, that just characters can be played, who meet the trial account limitations (skills < 400, no PS eaten,>>> >house would decay, if placed<<<<<).

 

[Lady Michelle]

I would dump the trail accounts and replace them with Test Center accounts so players would be able to do everything that a paid player on a regular shard may do. but have a advantage of setting statis, and skills. be able to place a house..maybe have to refresh it.
Players who want to play for free or check out UO they get a test center code apply it same place they would a paid account code. Once set up they log in all they will see is test center shards maybe few to choose to play on.

They decide they want to play with paying customers they may purchase a new account code from orgin store.

 

[Flagg]

I would dump the trail accounts and replace them with Test Center accounts so players would be able to do everything that a paid player on a regular shard may do. but have a advantage of setting statis, and skills. be able to place a house..maybe have to refresh it.
Players who want to play for free or check out UO they get a test center code apply it same place they would a paid account code. Once set up they log in all they will see is test center shards maybe few to choose to play on.

They decide they want to play with paying customers they may purchase a new account code from orgin store.

Why would you willingly want to isolate yourself and the current community of UO as a whole from these(potential) new players? Nothing is more valuable to an old MMO than a new player. He buys your armor. He sells you his loots. He spams WTS/WTB macros by bank. He joins your guild and your hunts. He chats with you in heart of the night. He runs around cluelessly in Fel so evul reds have somebody to gank. He ensures your miner isn't too bored and safe in Fel. On legimate shard, he is valuable part of community like everyone else. On test server,nothing he says or does gets noticed by currently existing community. Nothing he does leaves a trail on any of the pernament worlds. Having it this way around would leave potential value new player has to community completely ignored and untapped.

 

[Lady Michelle]

Why would you willingly want to isolate yourself and the current community of UO as a whole from these(potential) new players? Nothing is more valuable to an old MMO than a new player. He buys your armor. He sells you his loots. He spams WTS/WTB macros by bank. He joins your guild and your hunts. He chats with you in heart of the night. He runs around cluelessly in Fel so evul reds have somebody to gank. He ensures your miner isn't too bored and safe in Fel. On legimate shard, he is valuable part of community like everyone else. On test server,nothing he says or does gets noticed by currently existing community. Nothing he does leaves a trail on any of the pernament worlds. Having it this way around would leave potential value new player has to community completely ignored and untapped.

14 day trial accounts you can't do this you can't do that.
test center you can do this you can do that.
plus set the stats and the skills.
lol at the time i posted was not quiet awake wasn't thinking community.
Also what i post others may add to or change my suggestions if they like to.

 

[Viper09]

Rather a skill cap of 400 make it a skill cap of 85 on any skill to avoid scripters.

I think 85 is too high. I would keep the skill cap for each skill for the "trial" accounts at 70.

 

[T-Hunt]

All I can see by doing this is, someone making 30 free accounts to collect holliday items.

 

[Viper09]

All I can see by doing this is, someone making 30 free accounts to collect holliday items.

Well I think that not allowing these free accounts to collect gifts would be an obvious restriction.

 

[Ox AO]

I was refering to this part "house would decay"

Ok missed that. I agree with you
Should be no houses at all.

 

[SunWolf]

I would just, make the 14 day trial account,to a 28 day account. Uo is so advanced with a steed learning curve. For someone to try the game for the first time and balance out real life, would be really hard for them in 14 days to get a true feel of the game and is see if they truely like it.

 

[weins201]

Lets see I have 1 billion gold and cannot put more on my account so I want more accounts so I can hord more stuff and not have to pay for it ----

NOPE THIS IDEA IS STRAIGHT TO THE CIRCULAR FILE :gun:

 

[aarons6]

having tried to get several of my friends to play with no success. something has to be done with trial accounts.
its a double edged sword tho.
on one hand, making trial accounts ftp and leave the restrictions on will get more players.. but they will eventually get board and quit. some might switch to pay.. you will also get the people that will make 20 accounts with 5 chars each to hold stuff..
on the other hand, leaving as it is now, is really hard to bring in new people. its an old game, all my friends have heard of it and they dont want to start playing now.