Registered Member #279
Joined: 4:17:59 pm GMT 09/25/04
Posts: 5460
As Thain enters its 14th year of activity, and player levels continue to rise, it's time to rethink the monetization system. Electricity prices are rising, the server hardware has begun to require more maintenance, and most importantly, we need to hire professional customer service reps and developers. So, I think the best way we can accomplish this is to add an F2P/cash-shop system.
These are remarkably successful in other games; and allow players to choose the kinds of content they enjoy the most, or to just play for free, forever!
Changes that would need to be made:
-- Addition of a new, custom scripted game currency: "Thainstars". Thainstars, or TS, can be earned in-game through defeating certain new raid bosses with 1 TS awarded to a random member of the victorious party, by leveling up your main character, one TS per level, through veteran rewards by playing four or more hours each day for seven consecutive days for a Veteran Thainstar, through rewards from DM's for exceptional roleplay (limit one Thainstar per DM per day per character), and through purchase via pay-pal at $0.99USD each.
-- Removing all dropped and purchased potions and now providing potions via the new "Thainstore". Thainstore NPC's will be easily identified as the giant penguins with pulsing epic warding VFX. These will be placed for your convenience in The Trade & Tackle, Steinkreis, Ravenswatch, Hamley, The RW Fire, Feywood, Hammersong, Northlands, Sandburrow, Webster's Landing, Crossroads Fire, The Mourning Knight Inn, Cobblewall, Greenvale, and most other zones with rest points along roads.
-- Players will be able to purchase convenient consumables at any Thainstore, and be able to purchase special items and exciting new account services, such as:
+4 Items -- 1 TS. +5 items -- 2 TS. Mezz Immunity Items -- 3 TS. Instant level-up -- 5 TS. Permanent Ability Increase -- 5 TS. Permanent Bonus Skill point -- 2 TS. Emote wand use permit -- 5 TS. Permanent Bonus Feat -- 10 TS. Perma-Haste -- 10 TS. MPC Permit -- 50 TS. Get Out of Blackgate Free Card -- 10 TS. Visible Cloak License -- 5 TS. Stone of Advancement -- 50 TS. (Allows one additional epic level, maximum of ten per character) Drakamyre Gate Key -- 100 TS. (Permanent, Allows access to West Thain) Wondrous Wastes 10-man Raid Access (1 Month, also grants purple glow) -- 100 TS. Desolation of Fhelkorn 20-man Raid Access (1 Month, also grants red glow) -- 200 TS. Giants of the South Coast Mists 20-man Raid Access (1 Month, also grants red glow) -- 250 TS. Salvation of the Feywood 40-man Raid Access (1 Month, epic weapons not guaranteed to drop) -- 500 TS. Title "Star of Thain" -- 100 TS. Title "Thainmaster" -- 75 TS. Title "Hamley Hero" -- 50 TS. Title "Songhammer" -- 50 TS. Title "Sandburrower" -- 50 TS. Level 7 Spell License -- 10 TS. (1 Month, one character) Level 8 Spell License -- 50 TS. (1 Month, one character) Level 9 Spell License -- 100 TS. (1 Month, one character) RDD Wings Permit -- 25 TS. Expanded Storage Key (Allows character to carry a bag, maximum of five) -- 50 TS. Guild creation permit -- 500 TS. Guildhall key -- 100 TS. Character private home key -- 1000 TS. Wings/Tail/Custom Appearance -- 100 TS.
-- Also, introduce the new special drop-box -- the Thainchest! When opened a Thainchest may drop one of many special prizes, including a chance at one of six rare Celestial or Infernal companion! Collect all six to gain a permanent +5 buff to AC (Celestial Set) or +5 to AB (Infernal Set.) Every Thainchest is guaranteed to drop at least one very useful Cure Light Wounds potion. Thainchests will drop from monster all over Thain, and can be opened by any character with a Thainkey, which will be sold in the Thainstore for 5 TS each, or in convenient bundles of ten for 50 TS.
I'm sure everyone will be excited for these changes and a new, enduring Thain for years to come.
Registered Member #345
Joined: 2:28:49 am GMT 11/25/04
Posts: 1954
Amber, this is fantastic! It's about time that someone got around to monetizing Thain. I especially like the Level 7-9 spell licenses. I can see those as a cash store type of tax system for those over-powered spell-casting classes.
Great ideas! And I do hope that early springtime, calender-related culture is global.
Moo Registered Member #1327
Joined: 2:14:55 am GMT 07/27/08
Posts: 1718
This is a pretty cool idea Amber, and is sure to help with my cash flow during these times of low oil prices. I'm going to halt work on the Thain 5.0 overhaul so I can get started on implementing this Thainstore!
Registered Member #17
Joined: 1:33:47 am GMT 02/25/04
Posts: 1364
Thain if F'n pay to win!!!!!
You just lost me as a customer, I'm not sure wasting any more money on this game! Thain used to be all about the players man, now the devs can't see past the $$$
(after 2+ years on the Star Citizen forums imitating P2W QQing is almost natural )
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