Expansion Purchase Rewards in 2019

Discussion in 'The Veterans' Lounge' started by LDEffectsMe, Oct 23, 2019.

  1. LDEffectsMe Augur

    Maybe I'm alone in this, but I'm getting really annoyed with how these purchase rewards are offered. This is 2019, and EverQuest expansions cost more money than they ever did, now offering a $250 bundle. Yet, every single expansion always has about 3-4 items that are available "once per character" and everything else is "available once per account" which is terrible.

    Let me tell you what ends up happening, at least on my end. I end up claiming all of my "once per character" rewards freely, and all of my "once per account" rewards just get hoarded and sit there because I'm afraid to claim them on the "wrong" character that I'll end up abandoning at some point. Especially because I assume that Daybreak wants TLP players to buy their expansions too... Way more than half of the rewards become useless when a new TLP rolls out and everyone starts over, thus abandoning the toons they claimed those "once per account" rewards on. I have a ton of those on Live characters too that I'll never see again.

    This "once per account" stuff is bull. I'm someone that doesn't play Live anymore, but I would actually buy these expansions if there was something I could really use in the purchase pack, but I'm not paying $60+ for literally 3 items that I can use on all of my characters. A Coldain illusion item is "once per account" ...why? The only things that I could reasonably see being "once per account" are the XP potions and other consumable items. Maybe the bags too, because I know that's where Daybreak makes a lot of revenue. But making things like illusion items and mounts "once per account" is bull. Make them "once per character" and keep making them look cool and we'll keep buying them.

    TLDR; Daybreak keeps introducing cool illusions, mounts, and other stuff as "once per account" items and they should really be "once per character" for the amount of money they charge per expansion. It's 2019 and this doesn't feel like it gives real value for your money to those that buy the expansion just for the rewards because they're not playing end game on Live, you're essentially paying $60+ for 3 "permanent" items.
  2. Cicelee Augur

    Lots of players have one primary character that is their main that gets all the "once per account" stuff.

    And when I say lots, what I really mean is a lot...
    Corwyhn Lionheart likes this.
  3. Benito EQ player since 2001.

    In before someone says don't sweat the "fluff" or "bonus."

    I agree with the OP. It's quite disappointing to see the shift from 999 claim Ethernere Wurm Saddle back in CoTF.

    However, unfortunately, with the introduction of "tradable" Collector and Premium mounts, Daybreak has officially signaled that you will never see a return to the older model.

    They have monetized what used to be a bonus.

    The question is: will the new model (tradable single claim mounts and others) better support and sustain the game?

    And, perhaps, another reason for single claim items is that Daybreak wants you to invest more into a single character (a main, a raider). A main offers a better measure of population stability and even an incentive to maintain All Access and desire prestige/chase loot (vertical progression).

    Edit: Also, the scarcity heuristic plays a role in how people perceive the items (especially as a source of prestige or cool). Aesthetics aside, do you feel more special with the Ethernere Wurm Saddle or the Saddle of the Lava Snail?
    Gyurika Godofwar likes this.
  4. Zamiam Augur

    I guess if DB wants me to focus more on a Main character and group more I should cancel my 6 other gold accounts and not order anymore expansions for those accounts but my main .. fine with me .

    the OP has a point its ridiculous to charge such a high price on expansions and then make things / items limited to once per character or once per account .. for that kinda price it should be anything in the expansion 999 or with consumables heirloomable .. so I can have the option to move said items to another toon .. I switch toons alot and with this new lvl increase there are about 5 toons i want to increase to max level ..
    Gyurika Godofwar likes this.
  5. LDEffectsMe Augur

    In Episode 7 of The EverQuest Show Holly Longdale says (to paraphrase) that there are now just as many Progression players as Live players.



    The way that Progression players are forced to play, by the nature of progression, is that every 2-3 years they have to start completely over when the next Progression server rolls out, or else stay active in a very empty server.

    You could make the argument that the newest Live expansion isn't aimed toward Progression players as customers, but if that were the case, none of the items would be able to be /claim'd on Progression servers. They make sure to tag the illusions, bags, and XP potions so that Progression servers can claim them... Hence giving the Progression people a reason to buy them.

    Since you can never transfer to a TLP server, even if mounts and stuff are tradeable on Live, it still makes them worthless to TLP players in the long run. With the asking price of an expansion, there is no justifiable reason in 2019 to have these "once per account" items. They spend the time to make such awesome art assets that end up sitting in my /claim window forever. :(
    Gyurika Godofwar likes this.
  6. Gherig Addicted since Aug 1st, 1998

    I have to agree, once per account has been a really stingy way to do it for decades now. Some people play one character for years other like to play many characters all the time. I just dont see the reason to make every item once per character once per account when literally every other studio makes loyal customer rewards account wide and unlimited on characters.

    It still angers me to no end that the "Sceptre of Draconic Calling" is once per account and its sitting on another character on another server I haven't played for 10+ years. That should have been 999 count item in claim.
    Yinla likes this.
  7. Greymantle Augur

    What irritates me is in the early days, when an expansion came out. You recieved a box with a CD and literature. Sometimes a bonus item like a keychain or map. All that for $29.95. Now you get zero phyiscal items, just a digital download that costs more. You would think the digital version would be cheaper as they do not have to produce the hard copy items and packaging. Not to mention shipping same all over the world.
    Gyurika Godofwar and Flatchy like this.
  8. Scornfire The Nimbus Prince

    Developing a game with a 20 year old code base is progressively harder and more costly in man hours, if you recall posts from the Devs and even a very recent interview with Holly, they actually volunteer/sacrifice their own time to get things done sometimes. Because it's hard. Seriously, this game is 20 years old, even INFLATION has to be taken into consideration here. Compare it with it's main competition, WoW, their expansion is "On Sale" for 37.99, is 63.00 on launch. EQ is priced fine, the options are mostly just there to give people who want to support the game in that way an avenue to do so and get some fluff for their troubles. We're lucky this game still has expansions coming out at any price point
  9. Hellowhatsyourname Augur

    Since you brought up the comparison...

    How much extra content does a WoW expansion have?

    Compare that to the six (6) zones we're getting.

    I'm not overtly knocking the hard work the devs here do... but the scale of expansions that we've received for the last few years has been wanting. Each have had like 1 or maybe 2 decent quest lines and a bunch of missions that can only be genuinely described as cookie-cutter. Let's not kid ourselves.

    With that said, I'm buying six expansions...... so............... *shrug*
  10. Bobbybick Only Banned Twice

    Most all of the modern claimables are never able to be claimed by the vast majority of people that play on TLP servers so I don't think that's an issue.
    Benito likes this.
  11. Micker Augur

    I just can't get over the prices. That is more expensive than a new game costs, for 6 rehashed zones? It should be like $19.99 or free at this point with a year membership or something like that.

    It makes people have to make a decision to play anymore. I go through periods where I play a lot, then nothing for several months. Having to buy an expansion, on top of the monthly fees, makes it harder to come back. I have 6 accounts I like to play, I would never play EQ with just one account, I don't know how you could, if you didn't raid. I just think they could easily include the basic expansion for free and just sell the premium version with the mounts etc. separately.
  12. Corwyhn Lionheart Guild Leader, Lions of the Heart


    And the only reason we are still getting new expansions on a 20 year old game.
  13. Micker Augur


    It would be the only reason, if they weren't charging a high monthly fee and making money from the SC store. The reason is to continue to keep people subscribed, who will eventually get bored, if you don't add content/levels etc.. Adding the cost of expansions, just makes people on the fence, consider quitting the game. At least say with a year membership, you get all the expansions included.
  14. Corwyhn Lionheart Guild Leader, Lions of the Heart



    They have to keep the cost of expansions up and based on the games demographics (an older crowd with more overall disposable income) it works. I am sure they do the calculation on whether they would expansions and make more money at cheaper price points. They have a large number of players who are willing to pay the current expansion prices. Cutting the expansion price in half would require them to sell twice as many expansions and I don't think that will happen. For those to whom price is a deciding factor they can upgrade at the end of the year when things go to half price.

    Sure I would love cheaper expansions considering I buy 9 a year but I understand the price points they have established. Wish for cheaper but don't feel DBG is being unreasonable.

    We have to remember DBG is a business their goal is to make as much profit as they feel they can reasonably expect to make. Not to price things as low as possible and squeak by.

    And in the very end DBG will look at expansion sales each year and decide how to price them and whether to continue making them. Obviously based on last years numbers they feel they should keep the prices where they are. So yeah they are already taking what you say into consideration.
  15. Benito EQ player since 2001.


    This. (Bobbybick has vastly more knowledge on TLP than myself or others on Vet Lounge).

    I understand that they used to advertise xp potions or bags as claimable on TLP but I think it was more a of courtesy for cross-over Live players. There are no asterisks on this year's expansion page to actively designate TLP claims.

    Edit: I see Ngreth's post on TLP forums outlining unlocked items but the general point I outlined in my first post remains.
  16. Benito EQ player since 2001.


    In terms of expansion pricing:

    Daybreak's Planetside 2 runs a very generous Free-to-Play system with heavy reliance on subscriptions and marketplace purchases. (A first person shooter needs to attract more pop - "cannon fodder" if you will). However, look at the recent cuts to that franchise. They laid off all of the Planetside team except for 1 producer, 1 developer, and 1 coder.
    MasterMagnus likes this.
  17. MasterMagnus The Oracle of AllHigh


    They don't make as much money from the marketplace as you might think.

    Keep in mind the free 500dbc you get each month doesn't make DBG any money or player studio artists (if it was a PS item).

    People have huge hoards of free dbc that are worth no profit to the company.

    And if you're spending dbc you paid a discount on (like they used to offer), it's worth less behind the scenes too.

    The vast majority of people you see with things from the marketplace benefited nobody behind the scenes.

    Even if players wanted to change that, you have to spend that first 'worthless' 500 on something each month before you could spend real world money on fun stuff just to benefit the company. <shrug>
  18. yepmetoo Abazzagorath

    Not true. Every SC dollar has to be accounting for in their financials. That's why they changed to a system where you have to claim it or lose it, and why they offer the "bonus" offer you can get stuff at reduced price when you claim. They don't want you to have any SC in their system.
  19. MasterMagnus The Oracle of AllHigh

    It is now claim it or lose it? I had forgotten that was the outcome from the proposal of $20 a month use it or lose it.

    Still only mitigates the effect by a small amount. Fear of 'losing it' means you're still gonna spend that 'worthless' 500 first every month.
  20. Hellowhatsyourname Augur


    Need to claim within the 30 days of your monthly subscription period. If you fail to do so, it goes away and you need to resub to get another 500 (unless you're on some longer term reoccurring plan).
    MasterMagnus likes this.