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Member Benefits

AuthorMessage
Armiger
Jan 11, 2012
2497
I KNOW this is only in the test realm right now, but I feel this topic is better served in a place where it wont get deleted after the test realm goes down. The test realm has certain rewards set up for members only. F2P and C2P (crowns players) don't get these added benefits. This is something that has been HOTLY debated on one of the social media groups I'm on. The general feeling is that you, KI, are causing a rift to happen in a way unintended. Currently, there are rifts between users in many ways, but this new one has been made between people who pay money to play the game and people who pay money to play the game. No, that is not a typo. It's going to start a crowns vs subscription war. Now, I see both sides of this argument. The people who pay you money every month (even if they pay a one time price per year, there's still a monthly breakdown) are getting benefits that C2P people are not, yet they are spending money just like the members are. I fully understand that the members are your bread and butter and you deserve to make a profit and reward them for their continued loyalty, however, this is leaving a very bad taste in people's mouths. It's like saying that C2P's money isnt good enough to reward because they dont outright buy a membership. All I ask of you, is caution and balance when deciding on introducing a benefit program. If you're going to reward people who pay you money, then reward ALL of them properly. All I ask is that you be fair and not treat one group of people like "lesser than" because they're not AS profitable. The ironic thing is this, those who will have the strongest voice in this are forbidden from posting because they're not members.

Survivor
Dec 09, 2011
18
Well said!
I agree totally. The thing we want least in a game is division between players, we need all our energy to fight the bosses, not each other. And this suggestion of member only benefits is doing that already, in the forums. Please KI, rethink how you are going to do this so benefits are fair to all who pay to play the game.

Survivor
Jun 24, 2009
13
One guy's opinion:

I think most of the anger stems from the fact that choices were made before these changes.

There were a few small benefits to being a member already which have been in the game quite a long time. There were a few extras added along the way, at least by proxy (energy becoming more important benefiting members who regen energy faster).
Even with those additions for the most part the 'Membership vs Crowns' choice has been fairly clear-cut and people made the choice they felt best suited their play style and budget.

These new changes, if they were to go live, definitely shift the balance for that choice in a major way.

Personally I've been through this all before with another game that had a similar tiered payment system. I'm not upset and my family's accounts actually fall on both sides of the debate. If my wife decides she can't live without the new member benefits then we've probably spent $60-100 on areas that we didn't need to buy. I've personally come to accept that type of thing as something that happens with a tiered Membership vs Purchase system in an online game.

Beyond myself though I know this is the first time KI has really delved into this type of tiered system in a major way. I'll echo dayerider's urging that KI takes things slowly and considers these changes very carefully. I think that improvements to the membership perks are sorely needed but a balance needs to be struck. Perhaps bonuses like this one could be added on a limited time basis? For example, open up the pet bonus for a weekend. Then maybe the next weekend there's a bonus to something else (xp, gold collected, free gifts, whatever). Have bonuses that rotate and add perks as a limited time thing instead of permanently. That would allow more powerful bonuses since they wouldn't last forever.

Again, these are just some of my own personal thoughts on the matter. I understand everyone's point of view here and hope for some positive discussion here!

Survivor
Mar 10, 2009
11
Yes, It is creating hostility between players. Members that say they deserve the benefits and crowns players that spend hundreds a year on this game that feel that they deserve the same. You will lose players if you choose to tell crowns players that their money doesn't mean as much as a members money. Sadly, there are members that do surveys to pay for their monthly dues and never spend a dime on this game. The benefits should be for all "paying" players, not just the ones with monthly/yearly memberships.

Administrator
Darkrok on Nov 5, 2014 wrote:
One guy's opinion:

I think most of the anger stems from the fact that choices were made before these changes.

There were a few small benefits to being a member already which have been in the game quite a long time. There were a few extras added along the way, at least by proxy (energy becoming more important benefiting members who regen energy faster).
Even with those additions for the most part the 'Membership vs Crowns' choice has been fairly clear-cut and people made the choice they felt best suited their play style and budget.

These new changes, if they were to go live, definitely shift the balance for that choice in a major way.

Personally I've been through this all before with another game that had a similar tiered payment system. I'm not upset and my family's accounts actually fall on both sides of the debate. If my wife decides she can't live without the new member benefits then we've probably spent $60-100 on areas that we didn't need to buy. I've personally come to accept that type of thing as something that happens with a tiered Membership vs Purchase system in an online game.

Beyond myself though I know this is the first time KI has really delved into this type of tiered system in a major way. I'll echo dayerider's urging that KI takes things slowly and considers these changes very carefully. I think that improvements to the membership perks are sorely needed but a balance needs to be struck. Perhaps bonuses like this one could be added on a limited time basis? For example, open up the pet bonus for a weekend. Then maybe the next weekend there's a bonus to something else (xp, gold collected, free gifts, whatever). Have bonuses that rotate and add perks as a limited time thing instead of permanently. That would allow more powerful bonuses since they wouldn't last forever.

Again, these are just some of my own personal thoughts on the matter. I understand everyone's point of view here and hope for some positive discussion here!
Hello,

For sake of clarity (and for those who are not reading the Test Realm forums), the permanent Member benefits currently on Test Realm include the larger backpack, larger friends list and new emotes.

Any additional benefit, such as the double pet experience benefit currently being tested, is a limited-time benefit. It is something, as you describe above, that will be turned on and off for limited time special events.

We appreciate everyone's continued constructive feedback on the feature.


community@wizard101.com
Survivor
Mar 19, 2014
1
As a member, I like these Member Benefits.

However, I feel that Crowns Players (who are paying players as well) are being left out here. I'm not saying that they should get all the benefits but I think that Crowns players should have the option to purchase Elixirs - with the very thing they are paying for in the first place,crowns - to expand their backpack space and their friends list. Maybe even offer an elixir for when these limited time offers come around to last for that limited time and give them that benefit.

Sheldon

Survivor
Aug 28, 2013
42
When I found this game, I had to make a choice. Do I become a yearly subscriber or do I buy areas with crowns? I researched the subject for about a week. In the end, I decided the added benefits (membership perks) to becoming a recurring payment member outweighed the benefit of the (lower cost in the long run) one time purchase of areas. These special member perks are why I am ok paying each and every month. If they were not in place, I would have went the other route and saved money. Why would I opt to intentionally pay more to get the exact same thing I could get for less?

The larger backpack, larger friends list, faster energy regeneration, quicker timer resets, ability to do the Carlton, and reward of occasional double pet xp are all things that will lead me to keep "renting" each and every month as opposed to "owning" the game.

Personally, I say Bravo Kingsisle. These are the types of things that keep loyal members feeling good about choosing to remain loyal customers.

Survivor
Jun 24, 2009
13
Professor Greyrose on Nov 5, 2014 wrote:
Hello,

For sake of clarity (and for those who are not reading the Test Realm forums), the permanent Member benefits currently on Test Realm include the larger backpack, larger friends list and new emotes.

Any additional benefit, such as the double pet experience benefit currently being tested, is a limited-time benefit. It is something, as you describe above, that will be turned on and off for limited time special events.

We appreciate everyone's continued constructive feedback on the feature.
Outstanding! That's what I was hoping when I saw this and it makes a lot of sense. A few always-on nice perks along with occasional big bonuses seems well-balanced and should hopefully make members feel it's worth the money without upsetting crowns-players too much. Thanks for the clarification!

Survivor
Apr 16, 2013
6
I am a crowns member because it the cheapest method for me. I have the entire game unlocked so buying a sub is not going to happen for me. What I would love to see though is some sort of compromise for crowns accounts. I know we can't have 150 slots in our bags like members but maybe give us the option to have 30 slots added with an elixir. It would be a one time buy so it can't be abused. I know on my accounts I have to add people to other wiz because my friends list is full. Give us a one time elixir to boost that as well. I am just asking for compromise, I am more than willing to buy the crowns for an elixir if you make one to boost bag space or friends lists.
Buying a sub on all three of my accounts I can't afford to do, so a compromise with crowns players would be very dear to my heart since the members are getting bag and friends list boosts.

Delver
Dec 30, 2012
291
I, being a member myself, do see that it is highly unfair.
I am really excited for the extra backpack and friend space though, so I hope if they make any changes at all, they would add the feature to crowns and paying members.

Here is how it could work:
You have to pay a certain amount of crowns every once in awhile to get the member benefits too.
That way, people don't buy an area, and get member benefits forever.

Anyways, I understand why Kingsisle would do this, and seeing that Crowns cost more in the long run, I don't see why everyone won't become a member (excluding if you already bought multiple areas in multiple worlds).

Survivor
Jun 16, 2011
2
I am a crowns player and my decision wasn't based on money. I play a variety of games with multiple memberships. I used to spend most of my KingsIsle gaming time on Pirates, so that is where I had my membership. I played Wizard using crowns because at first, I only played it intermittently. I started playing more wizards, having achieving most of what I wanted to on Pirates. Just when I start getting more involved, I am made to feel second-class because of the choice I made early on. I have spent over $500 this year - mostly on wizards because of the availability of more items. Yet I am told I cannot have the same privileges - even if I'm willing to pay for them with crowns rather than membership. Had I known you were going to modify the membership privileges early on, I would have made a different decision, since the second membership would have been cheap. But here I am stuck. I've paid over 90,000 crowns for the areas I've accessed so far, so to just say "forget it" and buy a membership is not an option. Not because of the money but because of the principle. There is a great divide amongst us players on this subject. It is my hope you will close that gap and make it fair for all.

Explorer
Apr 04, 2009
52
i'm a paying member but i think that those who have payed for crowns in in a time frame of a month should get some of the benefits at least, though i can see the problem with the bigger backpack, (unless it is put into there bank after the one month time limit) i think they should get in creased time for energy, the new emotes, and the other things that don't require moveing items or the friends list, and those benifts with end after one month, you could even have it as a crowns shop item that they can buy and have it for increased time counts (i.e starting from 1 month then 2 all the way to 12 and the price of them would depend on what one you are getting) so that's my thoughts on it

Survivor
Dec 17, 2011
2
Well I see this totally fair to be honest. That's what membership is all about, to give unlimited access and special benefits for a limited amount of time. People can decide to pay for Crowns and get special exclusive items, permanent areas, and get many other stuff that membership itself can't grant. However that doesn't mean that you also deserve the same rights as membership people, I know you can spend allot of money on crowns, but you're gonna get something in exchange from them that subscribers won't, it's not like you're gonna lose them in vain. When you pay for membership you're paying for privileges, when you pay for crowns you're paying for exclusive items/areas, simple as that. I just don't see why this is unfair, KI has just done something beneficial and is harming nobody, they just ADDED(didn't get rid of something) stuff, they are not harming anyone, not even crowns people...I'm not gonna complain, i'm just gonna say thankyou KI! You did us a great favor by adding these new features to the game, I really appreciate your effort to make the community a better one and I know it will definitely make the game a better one.

Explorer
Sep 20, 2011
64
Professor Greyrose on Nov 5, 2014 wrote:
Hello,

For sake of clarity (and for those who are not reading the Test Realm forums), the permanent Member benefits currently on Test Realm include the larger backpack, larger friends list and new emotes.

Any additional benefit, such as the double pet experience benefit currently being tested, is a limited-time benefit. It is something, as you describe above, that will be turned on and off for limited time special events.

We appreciate everyone's continued constructive feedback on the feature.
I hope time zones will take into account when doing this.

Armiger
Jan 11, 2012
2497
Zhalycon on Nov 7, 2014 wrote:
Well I see this totally fair to be honest. That's what membership is all about, to give unlimited access and special benefits for a limited amount of time. People can decide to pay for Crowns and get special exclusive items, permanent areas, and get many other stuff that membership itself can't grant. However that doesn't mean that you also deserve the same rights as membership people, I know you can spend allot of money on crowns, but you're gonna get something in exchange from them that subscribers won't, it's not like you're gonna lose them in vain. When you pay for membership you're paying for privileges, when you pay for crowns you're paying for exclusive items/areas, simple as that. I just don't see why this is unfair, KI has just done something beneficial and is harming nobody, they just ADDED(didn't get rid of something) stuff, they are not harming anyone, not even crowns people...I'm not gonna complain, i'm just gonna say thankyou KI! You did us a great favor by adding these new features to the game, I really appreciate your effort to make the community a better one and I know it will definitely make the game a better one.
the harm is, and what's been discussed, is that it's a member only thing and gives a serious unfair advantage. The BIG complaint is NOT that it's member only, the big complain is that there's 2 groups who spend money and one group feels like they're being left out because they dont spend the right TYPE of money. That's the real thing of it. Crowns players feeling less than because they spend money and see this as merely a way for other people who spend money to get another reward they dont.