Hey folks, I'm very excited for the new Planetside Arena, which is coming next year. As mentioned in other threads before, I really think it's great for the franchise and for Planetside 2. It's a big deal for Daybreak and I hope they will have success with it. At the moment, there are not that many players like one or two years ago, but still there are players which support the game since the beginning. Together they have done their best to support the game, with events like Server Smashes or just by playing it for the complete time, since it was realeased. In my opinion, it's just the right time for DBG to give something back to their biggest supporters. I'm talking about the veterans of PS2 and the organisation team of the Server Smash. DBG could show their gratitude to the community and give free access to the vets of PS2 (maybe top 10-20 of each fraction) and the organisation team of the SS. DBG could also use it for advertising and it would be a win-win with low costs for them, but a big thanks to the community. I already suggested my idea to the PS2 Support. They liked the idea and recommended to post it here, so everyone can read about it. Hopefully the devs will read it. I can't wait to hear what you think about it!
Stopped there. PS2 is the only game offering of its type. Reducing it to something that's just like everything else is disappointing to people that outgrew arena battles shortly after Half Life 1.
Fine move, though personally don't really like giving out free games to select folks such as only old vet and folks who do Server Smash (SS for short), since heck I'd say even the newest member to the game is just as important and worth celebrating. Seeing those folks getting special privilege just makes everyone else feel like dirt which is the last thing we need when thinking of a new game. Also, PSA needs people to pay for the game to succeed monetarily (not that I agree with that, but thats what their decision is), and the folks most likely to pay for the game are the vets (salty or not) if for no other reason than because they are invested in the world of Planetside (once gain salty or not). Now not to say they shouldn't give out free games, as it could do well in getting folks to at least jump in to try it at launch in a organized way, but I think its a bit to narrow of thinking. I'm just going to shoot out other possible ideas. Mostly bad ones haha. I'm sure others will come up with better. Also all these ideas are under the guise of being former PS fans or even new players choosing to support PSA (could be time limited reward for new folks, with untimed benefit rewards for prior PS folks, or if you make account in either PSA and PS2 in tandem you get rewards for both which promotes the symbiotic growth of both games). 1. Perhaps instead of only rewarding old vets/SS guys, daybreak could go wiled tossing out free bonus cheques (DBC) for folks who make a PSA account/character within the first few months of the game - or if they were ever PS1/PS2 members before the release of PSA (or heck if they just make a toon in both games) they get the bonus DBC. Honestly a little lame of a gift, but there's no cost at least in dev time or loss in actual purchases. And everyone can get a little something useful. Also DBC is universal so we can use it in PS2 or PSA. You could even just make it a promo code. 2. Make cross promotional free in game unlock. Such as we get a specific gun(s) used in both games sorta bridging the gap between the two games. Maybe have some lore to it like it was weapon made during the PS1/PS2 era and now battle worn yet still trusty in PSA. I'm sure some new guns must have already been made in PSA they can just toss over into PS2, so hopefully it won't take up dev time (also just a good show of hands example of PSA assisting PS2 symbiotically). If there are no new guns then you can just go the route of just unlocking something we already have. 3. Do the same as above but with cosmetic. PSA does one thing for sure that I think we'd all agree on, dat armor look good. Give us that armor in PS2. That would be pretty sweet. Now you don't have to go full monty giving all of it in loo of monetizing them, but just a piece of the cake. Maybe just the helm and the rest are still bought regularly via DBC for example. Of course for PSA they can get a classic PS2 cosmetic brought back. Once again lore inclusion could be possible by tossing over a trusty battle worn helmet to PSA which we luckily have plenty in PS2. 4. Free exp boost items (or consumable, or hm.. implant loot box) for both PSA and PS2. Maybe folks who are already members get a helping of boosts and items, and folks that aren't get a try of a free month membership. Hmm this may be to much to give though since this does take away people actually paying for the membership, but hey would be nice and it does give them a nice taste of the benefits of being a member similar to how Amazon prime gets you with their free prime trials. Hmm, may also be to complicated. 5. Combine a little of everything above and make it a nice care package gift. Because? Maybe because Daybreak just loves us so very verily mucho much. 6. *insert your ideas here* And/or feel free to ignore everything above and just do what you already proposed because I don't know whats the best decision honestly - also wont hurt my feelings haha, honestly I'm more impressed you read/skippedown this far. I just hope that DBG does something at least.
As someone in chat mentioned, have a common selection screen login displaying both PS:A & PS2, side by side, that way new PS:A players will see plain as day PS2 to be an extension of PS:A almost like a game mode but quite different - showcase air vehicles, 4 factions, infiltrators and max units, access to different gear, hovertanks, and so on. They may some day decide to click on that too to discover how their growing PS:A experience can be challenged in new ways, and perhaps not rage-quit because the game is so punishing, unlike traditional arena shooters and their spam or OP abilities with few counters or easy kill count for assists that give the illusion of doing great despite dying just as much - and I speak of this from experience. Also liking the suggestions so far. A game's success is not simply profit, but having the players around who have fun with a game that has enough depth and diversity of play styles. I dropped some hard-earned spare cash on other multiplayer games in the past that used to be good, but now don't play them, and they sit on long wait queues for MMR to try to do its thing, full of toxic team members (somewhat understandably so given that game's core design), or outright dead queues. Current PS2 fans can help if PS:A turns out a great game and if fun and rewarding opportunities are provided between the two in some way or another, but without bleeding those players interested in PS:A away from PS2.
