Suggestions for a great game

[hoscheck]

A brief history about who I am which will shed light on how I think when considering my suggestions:

• I am a disabled US Marine (Staff NCO)
• After leaving my beloved Corps, I opened a business that required me to learn C/C++/Java/OOD, etc., but I would never consider myself a professional programmer—basically, I know enough to read other people's code and it has been over a decade since I really built any databases of significance (like when I worked on the American Airlines training platform).
• As a life-long artist, I decided to get my degree in 3d Animation and graduated at the top of my class and was easily twice the age of every other student, lol.
• I opened a 35-artist animation and design company and dove into the industry and did quite well for a few years until my old life came calling—Marines, Close Quarters Combat, and Teaching Tactics.
• I now work in the defense industry as an owner of a product innovator for "toys" our guys and gals use in the mountains and deserts overseas fighting those that wish us wiped off the face of the map.
• Due to my extremely busy schedule, I spend money in the game (around 1k a week) rather than "grind" my way through things
• Considering my schedule, I am about as active as I can be ... you could fairly accurately call me an addict, but I (at least this is my excuse) NEED an escape so I choose to fight on the pixel battlefield since I can no-longer do the real thing, which, in all honesty, doesn't make me sad.

I say all this, for a few reasons:

• Though new to the game, I am at the top end of all worlds I play in and know enough to be making suggestions, in my opinion
• As a business owner, I understand PlayMesh's true goal - profit - it's not to bring us a great game - its profit - the game just happens to be the medium - the sooner all understand how the world works, the easier it is to have adult discussions about such matters
• As a paying member, I think I have earned the right to make suggestions that involve the money side of the game

So enough BS about myself and all that jazz. Here are my suggestions—first off, I suggest a completely different business model altogether based off of three choices:

• Free play (plus option to buy amulets)
• Monthly Fee (9.99/month which gives you 500 gold which can be used for a VERY limited number of things I will list in a moment) (plus option to buy amulets)
• Monthly Fee (14.99/month which gives you NO gold, but a number of amulets equal to the current number for that price) (plus option to buy additional amulets)

Next my reason for this drastic change:

• If all things were honest, the number of truly active players that play more than just a few days is relatively low compared to the "world" populations and there are legitimate reasons for this with the most important one being that people see "free" games as the biggest rip-off out there - face it, most people can't afford to spend $1,000 a week like myself (and in all honestly, I can't "justify" it either, lol)
• People flock to games like "WoW" and the monthly fee because they can "justify paying the cost of a movie and popcorn for an entire month of entertainment - there is no way you can justify paying what it takes to really get ahead in "free" games and those games tend to loose players overtime rather than gain new blood - I mean people that really stick around for the long haul.

Here are the items I would suggest could be purchased ONLY with gold and can not be gambled for (this would drive the monthly fee because these are really valuable items:

• Resource boosters
• Instant Resource Trade
• Truce
• Combat Medic
• Loot Thirst
• Prestige
• Queue Extender

Here are the items that would ONLY be available via the amulet gambling (this would drive the desire to gamble):

• Speed Ups in these in increments: 15 min, 30 min, 1 hour, 2.5 hours, 4 hours, 8 hours, 16 hours
• Bulk resources in these increments: 100 of each resources, 500 of each resource, 1,000 of each resource, 5,000 of each resource, 10,000 of each resource

Here are things I think should TOTALLY be removed from purchase or gamble, but be given as rewards for winning competitions:

• Ability to purchase resources directly
• Instant Spy
• Reveal Incoming Troops

Also, I really think it is currently very unfair for people like myself to be able to "buy" my success when very talented, experienced "free" players just can't keep up. That develops bitterness towards a game in my opinion.

Lastly, I hope that my suggestions begin a healthy dialogue that would sprout even better ideas than my own!

While I truly think some of my ideas are valid, I do acknowledge that I am extremely high on opiates from my EXTREMELY major back surgery, so if any of my writing didn't make sense, please forgive me, but I am very, VERY foggy, lol.

Semper Fidelis!

Lord Hosch

[hoscheck]

Honestly surprised not a single response to my thoughts, LoL.

Well, after a few more days play, here are some additional thoughts:

• We should have a way to disband troops, send them home and recoup a small portion of the resources - this is a possibility in many similar games I have added.
• Scouts should have a very small haul capacity, five for example. That fits with the "lore" of them being thieves.
• Scouts should be able to have a chance at poisoning, sabotage, etc. Again, thus fits the "lore" direction the game is taking.
• If done right, I see MUCH more potential for this game ... First think Warcraft in the 90's and what it ultimately evolved into ... WoW. Do things right and a 100m company could become a 10b company and the players benefit as well. PM has taken this genre to new levels, but it could be just scratching the surface.

I make plenty of money making "toys" to help our guys and gals kill better and stay alive longer, so I'm not for hire ... that said, I would gladly donate 1-2 hours a week as an objective consultant on where this game could go ... You have my info ... Try me out, I have a solid circle of old timers that have been gaming since the beginning, we would love to be your "think tank"

Give me a ring sometime, you might just be surprised what a crusty group of old gamers could offer ...

Semper Fidelis!

Lord Hosch
Old Broken Down Marine Fighting on the Pixel Battlefield ...

[PwnLaw]

Honestly surprised not a single response to my thoughts, LoL.

Well, after a few more days play, here are some additional thoughts:

• We should have a way to disband troops, send them home and recoup a small portion of the resources - this is a possibility in many similar games I have added.
• Scouts should have a very small haul capacity, five for example. That fits with the "lore" of them being thieves.
• Scouts should be able to have a chance at poisoning, sabotage, etc. Again, thus fits they"lore" direction the game is taking.
• If done right, I see MUCH more potential for this game ... First think Warcraft in the 90's and what it ultimately evolved into ... WoW. Do things right and a 100m company could become a 10b company and the players benefit as well. PM has taken this genre to new levels, but it could be just scratching the surface.

I make plenty of money making "toys" to help our guys and gals kill better and stay alive longer, so I'm not for hire ... that said, I would gladly donate 1-2 hours a week as an objective consultant on where this game could go ... You have my info ... Try me out, I have a solid circle of old timers that have been gaming since the beginning, we would love to be your "think tank"

Give me a ring sometime, you might just be surprised what a crusty group of old gamers could offer ...

Semper Fidelis!

Lord Hosch
Old Broken Down Marine Fighting on the Pixel Battlefield ...

All right, there's a lot to digest here, and I'm on the tail end of back to back 20 hour days.

A few things come to mind, unrelated to the merit of your ideas:

1) Thank you for the service. It means a lot to me that people from the armed forces think this is a worthwhile use of time.
2) You will be getting an invite to the Lions of Valor.


As a general matter, I agree with you regarding the long term potential for Valor. I was brought on a few months ago to lead up design and the team to push the game forward. The revamp features are about 6 weeks out, and if you take look at the lore, you can get a sense for where things are heading. Short story: much more competitive.

A quick note on subscription models.

We started out using a subscription model -- massive failure. We loved the idea, but it just wasn't something the mobile audience was interested in. I've spent some time considering some alternative models, but a pure subscription model is unlikely to return.

[Brendone]

I'd like to respond to some of your points directly:

I say all this, for a few reasons:

• Though new to the game, I am at the top end of all worlds I play in and know enough to be making suggestions, in my opinion
• As a business owner, I understand PlayMesh's true goal - profit - it's not to bring us a great game - its profit - the game just happens to be the medium - the sooner all understand how the world works, the easier it is to have adult discussions about such matters
• As a paying member, I think I have earned the right to make suggestions that involve the money side of the game

I think anyone can suggest anything. I have spent a little in the game but not much. The only reason most people play or want to play, is because it is something free and accessible. If this game had to cost money, just to play, most would join other free games that exist, and those that didn't leave because of the money, would leave because of so few players. I am also normally at the top of the worlds I play in, and I believe I have stimulated the playmesh economy through my gameplay (I know I have caused over 20 truces personally, and many more than that if I can count the guild wars I've directed) not to mention others trying to compete with activity. Time=Money and I invest time in my gameplay and guild to get ahead, money spending directly doesn't make some players better, you need the free players there to make it fun and competitive too.

So enough BS about myself and all that jazz. Here are my suggestions—first off, I suggest a completely different business model altogether based off of three choices:

• Free play (plus option to buy amulets)
• Monthly Fee (9.99/month which gives you 500 gold which can be used for a VERY limited number of things I will list in a moment) (plus option to buy amulets)
• Monthly Fee (14.99/month which gives you NO gold, but a number of amulets equal to the current number for that price) (plus option to buy additional amulets)

The way it works now, people can pay as much as they want to get whatever amount they want, why limit people to 500 gold a month? Or what would the purpose be, except to limit the game to people who can spend 10/ a month on what was free? Why 15 a month for a gambling sub-game that is primarily meant to be an incentive to players to play daily?

Next my reason for this drastic change:

• If all things were honest, the number of truly active players that play more than just a few days is relatively low compared to the "world" populations and there are legitimate reasons for this with the most important one being that people see "free" games as the biggest rip-off out there - face it, most people can't afford to spend $1,000 a week like myself (and in all honestly, I can't "justify" it either, lol)
• People flock to games like "WoW" and the monthly fee because they can "justify paying the cost of a movie and popcorn for an entire month of entertainment - there is no way you can justify paying what it takes to really get ahead in "free" games and those games tend to loose players overtime rather than gain new blood - I mean people that really stick around for the long haul.

I don't see how this free game is a ripoff? In world 25 I was rank 1 for a long time, and hadn't spent anything on gold. I know other players who do spend money on the game, to save the time I spend farming they buy resource enhancers, etc. People can spend whatever they want on the game, but they are still just as vulnerable and maybe even more likely to be a target for it too. If I want to spend the price of a movie on this I will, but I'd rather take my wife on a date and play this for free in spare time.

Here are the items I would suggest could be purchased ONLY with gold and can not be gambled for (this would drive the monthly fee because these are really valuable items:

• Resource boosters
• Instant Resource Trade
• Truce
• Combat Medic
• Loot Thirst
• Prestige
• Queue Extender

That's already how it is.

Here are the items that would ONLY be available via the amulet gambling (this would drive the desire to gamble):

• Speed Ups in these in increments: 15 min, 30 min, 1 hour, 2.5 hours, 4 hours, 8 hours, 16 hours
• Bulk resources in these increments: 100 of each resources, 500 of each resource, 1,000 of each resource, 5,000 of each resource, 10,000 of each resource

There is no reason to drive a desire to gamble. People either have it or they don't, and I think the wheel of fortune is meant more for rewarding players with a random prize for playing every day (I think the prizes should be improved though or scaled up as time passes, after the first couple weeks they prizes are pretty lame).

Here are things I think should TOTALLY be removed from purchase or gamble, but be given as rewards for winning competitions:

• Ability to purchase resources directly
• Instant Spy
• Reveal Incoming Troops

Purchasing resources directly does give players and advantage at the beginning of the world, but by time the world is advanced, no one will ever use it (6000/res an hour plus resource booster is a lot cheaper then 25 gold for 1000 of each), so no point in getting it as a reward.
Instant spy and reveal are pretty unbalanced, and I think there should be a way to counter them. Either be able to block instant spy the same way as scouting, or get a report saying you were instant spied, etc.

Also, I really think it is currently very unfair for people like myself to be able to "buy" my success when very talented, experienced "free" players just can't keep up. That develops bitterness towards a game in my opinion.

Speak for yourself, I enjoy the challenge, and seek the target of money-players as time progresses. The players are rarely bitter towards the game, but sometimes towards players, which only encourages competition.

Lastly, I hope that my suggestions begin a healthy dialogue that would sprout even better ideas than my own!

While I truly think some of my ideas are valid, I do acknowledge that I am extremely high on opiates from my EXTREMELY major back surgery, so if any of my writing didn't make sense, please forgive me, but I am very, VERY foggy, lol.

Semper Fidelis!

Lord Hosch

[bananabandana]

That's a very interesting and impressive background story you've got there hoscheck. And on a personal note, I wish you a speedy recovery on your surgery!

To echo a bit of what Brendone and PwnLaw said:

1. Don't discount the skilled, non-monetizing players. A large number of them rule their worlds.
2. Skilled guild play allows players who don't spend money to catch up to the players who skyrocket out of the gate, so it's possible that the playing field can level quickly.
3. Player inactivity has plagued worlds in Valor for awhile, and we won't deny it's a problem, but there are other ways to mitigate this problem that consider both the acquisition of new users as well as pleasing the old. But I am happy to see that you are taking into consideration this particular issue and have gone beyond simply recognizing the problem and are on the solution-seeking side.

All that said, since you seem to have a firm grasp of the game and are willing to offer your expertise to help improve the game, I'm sure we will be in contact with you more often to seek your input on Valor's development, and there are a lot of ways you can get more involved:

-Beta Testing feedback (Since Pwn has gone ahead and went all Lion up on you, I'm sure this will be offered to you soon)
-Lions of Valor Forum: A place where a lot of players such as yourself are discussing topics similar to what you have posted and can expand that think-tank of yours.
-General Forum Input: Though it takes time sometimes for us to respond to everything on here, we've got eyes on this thing and take community posts very seriously.

Thanks again for this post (it was very comprehensive and cohesive despite the drugs, btw)