Funding plans?

[Rageburst]

Since the game is or will be for \"free\"... I was wondering... are you people even paid to make the game or is this all done volunterally? (Of course, I\'d also be willing to work for free if it involves games, but not at the present moment...)

Another thing, how do you plan on making the game free? It seems advertising has great income potential... You can also get lucky and a corporate giant decides to use your game as a promotional way to advertize their name... I\'d sure luv some pepsi ale.

Of course, you can also give privileges to people who pay monthly like they do for everquest....

Heck, Everquest currency can actually be traded with real money. Some people make money simply by power leveling characters and selling them through Ebay.

There\'s another MMRPG that actually sells virtual products and accepts real currency. It\'s not out yet of course... and may I say that I\'m not enthusiastic about this idea though.

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The game looks promising enough to have maybe tens of thousands eventually joining in. Being \"free\" gives it this potential.

\"Bodyguards\" or \"pets\" are also a trend in RPG games... Just a lil suggestion. I like to level up pets like in diablo 2. Well enough rambling... this is my first post.

[Mephisto]

Well everybody working on the game are doing it for free, (hey I would be on the team too if  I wasn\'t already busy developing my half life mod  ;( )

As for commercial it would be fine as long as they try not to include \"banners\" everywhere as they would lag players with slow internet/computers (i\'ve seen mmorpgs who have some real laggy banners)

The idea of adding stuff around the game sounds fun though (like in darkstone where you can find mcdonalds burgers)
as long as they try to make the commercials not too annoying I guess it\'s gonna be okay

About your idea of players getting more stuff if they pay... It\'s not gonna happen, or atleast from what we know now planeshift has absolutely NO intentions of having any kind of pay service (and by god let it stay this way)

I hope this answered some of your questions

-Mephisto

[tcd12642]

Believe me, u did.  )

[Rageburst]

Actually, Shen Mui or whatnot uses soda can machines to advertise for pepsi and others. Being a freely interactive environment, you can actually buy the cans. I\'m sure an equivalent thing can be done for PS taverns... a twist in names is definitely possible. This can allow social interaction with npcs or give a temporary sugar rush  simulated by heightened attributes during fights...

Of course, there can also be \"wanted\" posters or posters listing guild quests... something like \"This bandit is wanted... reward  of 1000 gold sponsored by the Pepsi Corporation.\" Even though, it would be annoying to have logos pop up everywhere in the game, this is much more preferable than having an extra banner-clicking frame that will not only lag the computer, but make it disruptive to the gameplay.... Of course, if the service requires say 25 banner clicks per hour, maybe it\'s not sooo bad. I\'d still prefer a more subtle approach.

I hope you people manage to pull this off... for the sake of promoting a movement towards free games....

...Working for free... great way to find enthusiastic game creators... I just hope you make enough for sustenance and shelter :p.

[Mephisto]

Originally posted by Rageburst

Of course, there can also be \"wanted\" posters or posters listing guild quests... something like \"This bandit is wanted... reward  of 1000 gold sponsored by the Pepsi Corporation.\" Even though, it would be annoying to have logos pop up everywhere in the game, this is much more preferable than having an extra banner-clicking frame that will not only lag the computer.

I agree totally here,  I wouldn\'t mind at all to see \"pepsi\" commercials or anything like that ingame, it\'s just the same as if they made up their own product called: subdi,
Except that they wouldn\'t get much sponsoring from,
Besides it would be rather fun to see this gigantic monster walking aorund with a can of pepsi! (ok maybe that would look a bit weird)

My point here being, commercials ingame are alot better then popups and stuff, Although if that\'s the only alternative I would respect it.

[TheGeneral]

Well, from what i have heard so far, they are not in any financial troubles, and i REALLY hope it will stay that way. And some dev have also mentioned that those problems will be solved as they encounter them.
I would not mind making a small(like $10) donation, to provide some funds for more servers, or something else.
Also, i heard something about paying, if you wanted some really cool, custome made weapon, with some extra stuff, that could be cool as well.

[Taslion]

heh I couldn\'t find where a post on how payment was gonna work so this cleared me up as well.

I wouldn\'t mind seeing mc donalds ads in game if it was free, this game would be totally worth it! The graphics are VERY good (very much like the new luclin everquest, which I\'m still playing(and paying for /sigh) so I do hope you guys survive.

One more thing, I don\'t think they should allow paying for weapons with special stats, rather weapons with special graphics would be fair to pay for, you have no idea how annoying it is to walk around with some stupid stick with some crystal on top, but it has really good stats so you can\'t really let it go  ;(  (staff of the wheel-everquest )

Anyways, good luck!

[Kada-El]

Originally posted by Taslion
I wouldn\'t mind seeing mc donalds ads in game

 8o I for one would mind, I can\'t think of many things worse than Ronald McDonald\'s hideous visage smiling inanely down at you from a billboard, what an effective way to destroy a RPG atmosphere. Sorry, but that\'s the worst thing I\'ve heard in ages!

Originally posted by Taslion
One more thing, I don\'t think they should allow paying for weapons with special stats, rather weapons with special graphics would be fair to pay for

Don\'t worry that was the idea, paying for stuff would only give you neat looking items, there would be no stat advantage involved, making rich players the best players.

[Taslion]

Wow someone else on late, or do you live somewhere where it is day, cuase its 1:50am here!!

And yes I think I would be afraid of that clown guy looking at me from a poster....maybe bk 4 u? heh.

[bbum]

Besides servers what would we need funds for?
Our long hard hours of work? hehe I dont think so

[Cyonamie]

The selling of characters and platinum on everquest for real money is against the law...believe me, my neighbor bought 68,000pp, i should know

[Vengeance]

There will be no advertising in PS, and no payments from players to play.  We have entertained a couple other ideas, but for now we are like the Buddhist monks of Thailand--entirely dependent on the good generosity of others to live.

- Vengeance