New game idea to encourage players to make alts

Discussion in 'The Veterans' Lounge' started by Fian, Sep 7, 2020.

  1. Fian Augur

    I have a suspicion that new expansion will be delayed this year since we normally hear something announced by now. If true, darkpaw will need a reason for us to continue to pay our monthly subscription. It doesn't help that raids are dropping loot and coin like candy, and most serious raiders have all they want out of TOV raid.

    So here is my suggestion on how to encourage players to make an alt to keep them playing the game. For every qualifying alt on an account, each of your characters on that account gains a special ability based on the class of the alt. For an alt to qualify, they will need to meet a certain threshold. You could just set at 115, but I think that might be too easy and a boon to PL services. So my proposal is to complete all TOV quests/missions (other than TS earring quests). Here are some ideas on the bonuses:

    Enchanter: Self only buff version of haste/mana
    Druid: snare ability with 1 minute refresh
    Cleric: once a day 100% self-only rez
    Beastlord: once an hour focused paragon (Self only paragon)
    Warrior: once an hour Fortitude 18 second disc

    So take the above as an example. You are playing a wizard alt, and you have the above classes that have "completed" TOV. You can give yourself mana buff as needed, topping up with paragon once an hour as well. If you die, you can self-rez your corpse once a day. If you get in trouble and need to run to escape, you hit yourself with Fortitude.
  2. Duder Augur

    You've described abilities similar to many veteran rewards.
    Winnowyl, Celephane and Skuz like this.
  3. Corwyhn Lionheart Guild Leader, Lions of the Heart

    I don't want to play alts :)
    Velisaris_MS likes this.
  4. Smokezz The Bane Crew


    No, we don't normally hear something by now. Last year the only thing we heard was a level increase was coming. The expansion news was announced in October. If you know where to look, there is lots of hints on what's coming... odds are it's not going to be delayed.
  5. Nennius Curmudgeon

    The sale on the previous expansion ends on October 20th. Odds are decent of an announcement on or about the 21st of October. On the other hand, it could be whenever they are ready to announce it. We just have to wait.
  6. Bigstomp Augur

    I feel like the people who want to play alts are already playing them and getting the benefits.
    Enhancing your main by playing an alt I think is dumb. (Beyond generic knowledge. Playing a healer alt gives me insight that helps me tank better)
  7. Yinla Ye Ol' Dragon

    No from me.

    Many play alts on other accounts, rather than on their main accounts unless accounts can be linked forget it.
  8. Cicelee Augur

    I thought TOV raids dropping thousands of pieces of gear each week was the game idea to encourage people to make alts...
    Dibab and Yendar like this.
  9. Celephane Augur

    I vote no, my alts are on other accounts, don't want/need this
    xcitng, Corwyhn Lionheart and Dibab like this.
  10. KermittheFroglok Augur

    I would vote no to this one as well...

    1) As others pointed out, a lot of these “perks” already overlap existing perks like Veteran AA and tribute master perks.

    2) In the game’s meta, this effectively penalizes players that don’t have time to raise alts. From what I gather, the meta impact was part of the reason DBG finally relented and gave everyone the Vet AA’s because people were either unable to use them on new box accounts for years or resorting to buying accounts already flagged with them to stay competitive (which created a market for stolen/hacked accounts)..

    An obvious unintended consequence of giving perks for raising alts is that the people willing to buy an account for Vet AA will likewise start botting or start paying botters to PL alts for them or accounts that already have alts.

    3) The communications for the expansions are following the typical timeline. They’re likely making ToV part II and reusing ToV assets, so I doubt there will be a delay. In the past, expansions have been released piece meal a few zones at a time when there was [likely] a development delay instead of outright delaying the expansion for awhile
  11. Raccoo Augur

    If they are running short of time on their main project, why would they take on another one?

    I think it's easier for them to encourage spending time on alts with XP bonus and raid loot out our ears. :p
    Qelil, Yinla and KermittheFroglok like this.
  12. CrazyLarth Augur

    its called bag space I do it all the time create a new acct lvl 1 toon zone to POK give it some money and buy bags and then throw stuff in it can created a few more free bag toons per free acct.
  13. Fian Augur

    By this time in the past, DB would confirm that there is a new expansion coming even if there weren't any details yet. So far, we haven't received that confirmation. I agree that if expansion does come out this year, then there is no need to do this alt feature, however if expansion is delayed, they may see a huge decrease in subs from raiders. If you posted that you were opposed to this feature, would you really sub another year? If not, is there a new feature that would keep you playing the game?
  14. KermittheFroglok Augur

    First, that’s NOT TRUE, as others pointed out already. For example, Ring of Scale (ie EoK part II) wasn’t announced until late September.

    https://mmos.com/news/everquest-announces-24th-expansion-ring-scale-producers-letter

    But we also have a different executive producer (or “Head of Studio) too. I think not having more details speaks less to development progress and more to Jennifer Chan’s communication cadence and style being very different from Holly’s. Holly use to sprinkle out information where Jennifer seems a lot more direct so far (in my opinion) and seems to prefer having more details before communicating anything. Under her DPG’s (as a whole) messages also seem to focus on a topic not several at once. (ie Labor Day bonus message, Fall Bonuses, Expansion discount, pretty much separate messages.)
    Coagagin likes this.
  15. Yinla Ye Ol' Dragon

    There have been hints that the expansion is on its way, the set of collect for next expansion dropping when it shouldn't (corrected last patch). I think someone said some zone files had show up. Expansion sale is following the same timeline as previously, and many are expecting preorders to commence the day after the expansion sale ends, the same as it usually does.

    My sub has run continually for the last 20 years, and I can't see it changing any time soon. I'm running alts through older content, as well as teaching my daughter how to play while she is jobless and driving me nuts with the "I'm bored" comments all the time! I've run out of jobs for her to do in the garden and around the house. :rolleyes: Just wish restaurants would get back to normal!
    Aanuvane likes this.
  16. Waring_McMarrin Augur

    Wouldn't this be considered pay to win as well? Considering you can buy more character slots from the marketplace and if you had the station pass(I think this is what it was) back in the day you also get more. Some would be able to get all 16 classes on a single account/server. Sure you could say that the rewards won't take into account which server you are on but how many want to play alts on other servers?
  17. Smokezz The Bane Crew

    They confirmed another expansion was coming waaaaaaaay back in the early part of the year!

    Like I said, if you know where to look... Klandicar is likely to come visit us along with Tantor... we'll hear all about it right around Oct 20 or so.
    Celephane likes this.
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  20. CrazyLarth Augur