Ebon Gate and Microtransactions

[Taernath]

I also wonder why the GMs had all of this doom and gloom about DR being in trouble at Simucon because they were losing so many players yet according to that link DR only has about 100 fewer active accounts than GS and GS is still in pretty good shape.

What were they saying?

[Fallen]

Also interesting that Simu's EBITDA margin is 34% which must include paying all of their employees who work on other games and even fire extinguisher expenses. GS is a fucking cash cow.

This has always been my problem with GS in general. It generates a lot of money, but seemingly little of it is returned to the game itself. It just goes on to fund other ventures.

[Tgo01]

But they're struggling and need to introduce microtransactions into every new and existing system on top of the most expensive subscription model of any game OR THEY'LL GO OUT OF BUSINESS!

I better double my number of accounts right away!

It was probably about ten years outdated when they were finished with it.

But it was the first game to have dragon riding mechanics! Or something.

What were they saying?

Whereas the GS GMs (Well...Estilid...) were taking questions the DR GMs only discussed ways to get more new people (legit new players and not alts) to play DR because their current model wasn't working and DR won't survive at the rate they're going. The main chick specifically said DR isn't losing money or anything like that but stressed that something needed to change because they are losing existing players much faster than they are gaining new players.

[Androidpk]

This has always been my problem with GS in general. It generates a lot of money, but seemingly little of it is returned to the game itself. It just goes on to fund other ventures.

[Taernath]

This has always been my problem with GS in general. It generates a lot of money, but seemingly little of it is returned to the game itself. It just goes on to fund other ventures.

You'd think they'd feed their golden goose every once in a while.

[Taernath]

Whereas the GS GMs (Well...Estilid...) were taking questions the DR GMs only discussed ways to get more new people (legit new players and not alts) to play DR because their current model wasn't working and DR won't survive at the rate they're going. The main chick specifically said DR isn't losing money or anything like that but stressed that something needed to change because they are losing existing players much faster than they are gaining new players.

It has got to suck going to Simucon and being told that.

[Fallen]

You'd think they'd feed their golden goose every once in a while.

I guess Wyrom drawing a salary is an example of that.

Sounds like DR needs a Wyrom.

[Kobold]

I guess Wyrom drawing a salary is an example of that.

Sounds like DR needs a Wyrom.

Wyrom can't fix DR. DragonRealms' problems are much more deeply ingrained and is systemic, aka one of the parts of the holy trinity in game design for RPGs is completely broken (combat, loot, leveling).. and it's definitely not combat or loot both of which is easily arguable as being superior to GS.

DR's experience system is broken, while it is expected for a Gemstoner with regular 2 hours of play a day to reasonably cap in 5 years (especially with the new EXP changes like Lumnis, long term exp gain), in DR you couldn't even hit the theoretical cap in 5. Even if you hit circle 150, the power curve just keeps growing and growing (a level 155 in DR would utterly destroy a level 150.. like the same diff between a level 0 and level 100 in GS). In GS you do get a power bump especially with semi classes but overall it's more horizontal progression (versatility) and less vertical I can kill 10 people just 5 levels below me.

Which brings me to the last tidbit. DR is toxic like you wouldn't believe. It's sole purpose in terms of mechanics is not to climb the critter ladder (like it is in GS) but to "PWN" people of lower skills or circles below you. Thus in GS you get this happy harmony between players with groups like 'Hand of the Arkati' appearing with the sole purpose of helping each other finish quests or REIM dungeons what have you, plus classes are designed with spells and skills to help other players. So, in that way it runs like a traditional mmo.

In DR killing creatures or the creatures themselves might as well not exist.There's no point to them apart from finding 4 to dance with and set a script to. It's all about the PvP (the only outlet in terms of actually "playing" the game) which usually ends up being toxic and pushing people away.

So, as a wrap up, I'll quote what a wise man once said, "Yeah, it's fucked."

[Jhynnifer]

Simu couldn't even get a quarter of a million in a Kickstarter to get Dragons of Elanthia off the ground. The noobs.

Well that game wasn't very good, extremely awkward controls, Everquest-level graphics, etc.

[Gelston]

Well that game wasn't very good, extremely awkward controls, Everquest-level graphics, etc.

I sorta get it working "okay" when I remapped it to an XBox controller. It was still pretty bad though.