Early adopters-- or in the case of these newfangled paid alphas, very early adopters-- tend, on the whole, to be more enthusiastic about their investment in a new product than most mainstream folks. I don't think there's much to quibble about that fact. In fact, it's the early adopters and their enthusiasm that often propels these games to the forefront in the first place. It's no surprise to me at all that those who paid to be in this alpha would have a higher retention rate than we'd expect to see for a released game.
It would be easier to draw some relative conclusions about the success of the game so far if we had something to compare it to. If Landmark had come out with stats on its player activity during alpha, say. Right now, I'm hesitant to accept any conclusion based on the info we have except that people who paid $150 to be in the alpha are regularly playing the game.
Originally posted by tyfonI just got an email from Trion CEO, as did the other founders.What was quite cool and I personally can relate to was: After the first week, we saw that more than 80% of you were still playing every day and we upgraded it again It's now been three weeks for me, and my wife and me have not been this hooked on a game in a long time They also mentioned server upgrades and the beta progress, but I guess the email will be in some articles soon on this and other sites.
These are people who liked what they saw so much that they dropped big bucks to be part of the testing process including some mechanics that involve time based activities. This not only means that the population to sample from is HIGHLY biased but that some game activities highly encourage logging in at least once per day (farming).
All of this makes it nothing more than a meaningless propaganda post that you slopped up an regurgitated for them which isn't really a negative but highlights how this entire thread is kinda dumb.
Your logic...isn't. I knew noting about Archeage and my wife knew less. We decided to purchase the founders pack and see what it was about. Turns out we will both be playing at launch.
So, you saying it only attracted people that were interested in it in the first place, is flawed, for starters. There are also several members of our guild that tried it on a whim and will be playing when it goes live as well.
The fact that so many people are willing to shell out cash to play an alpha build speak volumes, the fact that most of them want to keep playing say'seven more.
So, in light of all that your logic isn't and your post while mostly useless and founded on wild conjecture, is also a dumb waste of time. But I have time to waste so here is your attention for the day. Don't get excited, I won't be answering you again.
There are many who are from the Russian and Korean versions who are playing now on this EN version. Paying $150 for alpha access isn't exactly something you hear about all that often, even though it does happen. So what you end up having is a smaller community that is already highly invested into a game that has been at a release state for some time now, save some localization work.
So yeah, I'm not surprised at all that there is a high retention rate which may seem impressive but when you put it all together you should really expect it. I'll be impressed if it has a good retention rate 6 months after it's market release.
Why would you hold this game to higher standards than any other game? The retention rate for most MMOs is 30% after the first month.
Originally posted by Torvaldr People spent $150 to play the game at this point. I sure hope they're playing. With that said I do think this will be one of the best games of its type and will deliver where it's supposed to. I don't think most of the people playing right now are having to force themselves to login and get a return on their money.
not entirely true. I bought the 150$ alpha. played it for 2 weeks straight. got level 50 did some PvP became a pirate had a lot of fun. freaking love the game, it`s amazing. But i have played in the last 2 weeks or so for the simple fact i don`t want to be burned out. you need to understand that most people that could afford 150$ for a game without hurting their real life responsibilities doesn`t really worry about if they are getting their monies worth (Atleast for me).
I hope it does well when it comes out...the spawn camping gankers worry me though...
thats one of the parts im looking forward to.. reminds me of wow classic where the world was still filed with players to kill
Oh yeah, don't get me wrong, I love me some PvP. And I have absolutely no problem with getting ganked while questing in a PvP area. And you are right, there are plenty of players to kill in AA.
I only get annoyed that 50's spawn camping level 30's seems so rampant. And even if you kill the 50's, it makes no difference, they are back almost immediately, and you wind up having to wait like 90 seconds to spawn because of repeated ganking.
This isn't one of those games where a 30 can't beat a 50. Sure, the 50 has a major advantage, but the combat is so quick, kind of like L2 without a CP bar, that if a level 30 hops out and has the right build, they can kill you. Again, not saying it's all the time, but many games one level difference and it's over...here, you can never think it's gg.
From the streams I've watched, I'd agree. I've seen plenty of streamers get jumped when they were severely out leveled (level 50 jumping a 25 for example) and the streamer wiped the floor with em. So at least there is room for personal skill to shine.
That...must have been a terrible 50 lol .
Don't get me wrong, the power scale between a 50 and a 30 is nowhere near like it was in a game like EQ...but a 50 definitely has a HUGE advantage over a level 30.
I actually tested this out with my friend. He was level 30 and I was like...45 I think? We dueled and he used all his abilities to try to beat me. I literally did nothing but stand there and use the auto-attack like ability from occultism.
I won with half health left. Sooo yeah, unless the 50 is really, really bad, the level 30 should basically have no chance.
I'll be the first to say I got my money's worth,...however, the title, "alpha stage" was a money ploy imo. The game is ready for launch today...no real bugs, smooth, no lag...translation and that's it.
Granted, the Alpha is more of an Alpha for Trion, stress testing, waiting to add whatever portions of the Korean updates they are going to add, and of course the translated bits.
However, there is lag. I suspect that this is because their server has more people than it should.
This was a game that I swore I wasn't going to play until I saw a video by one of the posters here who made very compelling and thoughtful arguments "for" the game.
Even though I can easily point to bits that some players will not like, this game does have that "mmo feel" that many recent games just haven't been able to capture.
I still hate the mish-mash of art assets though.
Like Skyrim? Need more content? Try my Skyrim mod "Godfred's Tomb."
I was really really really hesitant to buy the alpha, but I have been waiting for this game for so long now. My refund for the shitshow known as ESO helped seal the deal, as I was essentially buying the alpha for normalish game price. I could not be any happier. FINALLY, an open PvP non-indie developed bugfest with TONS of content. This thing is a dream.
For everyone complaining about the open PvP, this is not your game. You have 100 boring instanced PvP PvE titles to choose from. Just don't play.
This game is about player driven conflict and economics. If you do not know how to play socially there is no point. You cry about no-life, anti-social PK behavior and do not get the point. You are the anti-social one. PKing drives conflict, you call in your friends, or if you are high level, you drop what you are doing, and go actually help someone for the sake of helping, for the sake of conflict. We create our own carrots here.
Rumor has it that the Beta starts in 1 month. So if you can hold out, you can buy in for only the Silver Pack ( $50.00 )
Originally posted by kitarad It is possible that since you paid $150 for it you might feel guilty if you don't log in. Even if you tell others you gave it up you might still log in out of guilt. So their figure could be right.
Umm sure... probably not likely but.. hey whatever lets you sleep at night while fighting off the nightmares about games you don't like being successful...
I was really really really hesitant to buy the alpha, but I have been waiting for this game for so long now. My refund for the shitshow known as ESO helped seal the deal, as I was essentially buying the alpha for normalish game price. I could not be any happier. FINALLY, an open PvP non-indie developed bugfest with TONS of content. This thing is a dream.
For everyone complaining about the open PvP, this is not your game. You have 100 boring instanced PvP PvE titles to choose from. Just don't play.
This game is about player driven conflict and economics. If you do not know how to play socially there is no point. You cry about no-life, anti-social PK behavior and do not get the point. You are the anti-social one. PKing drives conflict, you call in your friends, or if you are high level, you drop what you are doing, and go actually help someone for the sake of helping, for the sake of conflict. We create our own carrots here.
Rumor has it that the Beta starts in 1 month. So if you can hold out, you can buy in for only the Silver Pack ( $50.00 )
50 for beta? I'm not one to say something like this typically but damn they're milking this before they open the gates.
For every minute you are angry , you lose 60 seconds of happiness."-Emerson
I was really really really hesitant to buy the alpha, but I have been waiting for this game for so long now. My refund for the shitshow known as ESO helped seal the deal, as I was essentially buying the alpha for normalish game price. I could not be any happier. FINALLY, an open PvP non-indie developed bugfest with TONS of content. This thing is a dream.
For everyone complaining about the open PvP, this is not your game. You have 100 boring instanced PvP PvE titles to choose from. Just don't play.
This game is about player driven conflict and economics. If you do not know how to play socially there is no point. You cry about no-life, anti-social PK behavior and do not get the point. You are the anti-social one. PKing drives conflict, you call in your friends, or if you are high level, you drop what you are doing, and go actually help someone for the sake of helping, for the sake of conflict. We create our own carrots here.
Rumor has it that the Beta starts in 1 month. So if you can hold out, you can buy in for only the Silver Pack ( $50.00 )
50 for beta? I'm not one to say something like this typically but damn they're milking this before they open the gates.
The $50 beta has tons of in game stuff. They also have free beta just like everyone else. Just depends on what you are wanting.
Comments
Early adopters-- or in the case of these newfangled paid alphas, very early adopters-- tend, on the whole, to be more enthusiastic about their investment in a new product than most mainstream folks. I don't think there's much to quibble about that fact. In fact, it's the early adopters and their enthusiasm that often propels these games to the forefront in the first place. It's no surprise to me at all that those who paid to be in this alpha would have a higher retention rate than we'd expect to see for a released game.
It would be easier to draw some relative conclusions about the success of the game so far if we had something to compare it to. If Landmark had come out with stats on its player activity during alpha, say. Right now, I'm hesitant to accept any conclusion based on the info we have except that people who paid $150 to be in the alpha are regularly playing the game.
Edit: Grammar.
Why would you hold this game to higher standards than any other game? The retention rate for most MMOs is 30% after the first month.
not entirely true. I bought the 150$ alpha. played it for 2 weeks straight. got level 50 did some PvP became a pirate had a lot of fun. freaking love the game, it`s amazing. But i have played in the last 2 weeks or so for the simple fact i don`t want to be burned out. you need to understand that most people that could afford 150$ for a game without hurting their real life responsibilities doesn`t really worry about if they are getting their monies worth (Atleast for me).
NvIWraith (Level 50 archer)
That...must have been a terrible 50 lol
.
Don't get me wrong, the power scale between a 50 and a 30 is nowhere near like it was in a game like EQ...but a 50 definitely has a HUGE advantage over a level 30.
I actually tested this out with my friend. He was level 30 and I was like...45 I think? We dueled and he used all his abilities to try to beat me. I literally did nothing but stand there and use the auto-attack like ability from occultism.
I won with half health left. Sooo yeah, unless the 50 is really, really bad, the level 30 should basically have no chance.
Are you team Azeroth, team Tyria, or team Jacob?
Granted, the Alpha is more of an Alpha for Trion, stress testing, waiting to add whatever portions of the Korean updates they are going to add, and of course the translated bits.
However, there is lag. I suspect that this is because their server has more people than it should.
This was a game that I swore I wasn't going to play until I saw a video by one of the posters here who made very compelling and thoughtful arguments "for" the game.
Even though I can easily point to bits that some players will not like, this game does have that "mmo feel" that many recent games just haven't been able to capture.
I still hate the mish-mash of art assets though.
Godfred's Tomb Trailer: https://youtu.be/-nsXGddj_4w
Original Skyrim: https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/109547
Serph toze kindly has started a walk-through. https://youtu.be/UIelCK-lldo
Rumor has it that the Beta starts in 1 month. So if you can hold out, you can buy in for only the Silver Pack ( $50.00 )
Umm sure... probably not likely but.. hey whatever lets you sleep at night while fighting off the nightmares about games you don't like being successful...
50 for beta? I'm not one to say something like this typically but damn they're milking this before they open the gates.
For every minute you are angry , you lose 60 seconds of happiness."-Emerson
The $50 beta has tons of in game stuff. They also have free beta just like everyone else. Just depends on what you are wanting.