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What Loyalty Rewards Say to Me


Trevorghost

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Loyalty Rewards have created quite the controversy, and I mean, why not? It's a huge step for Jagex in either the right, or the wrong direction, depending on how you see it.

 

Now, I could sit here and spin out this huge, profanity driven rant. I could yell that it's RWT, I could claim Moe is 100% right in that it disadvantages people who can't or don't renew every month, but instead, I'll simply say I'm dissapointed. It appears to me Jagex has run out of originsl, unique content, and instead are trying to bribe people to become members.

 

Between this, and then the Katana?

 

Jagex should be giving people a reason to renew membership. Be it a new quest, an awesome looking activity, or a great looking piece of content. Instead, they've taken on this new mentality that, "Let's give people items for renewing membership!"

 

I hate to keep playing the same broken record, but that's not the RuneScape I fell in love with. I fell in love with a game that each month produced content that appeared new and exciting. I renewed my membership because I wanted to! Not because I was getting to sword, or aura, or some special title.

 

But now, that's exactly what Jagex is doing. Replacing content with this marketing garbage. A little piece of me died when I read this month's Behind the Scenes. It finally became clear that this isn't the RuneScape I grew to love. This is a game I don't even know anymore.

 

I want a reason to keep renewing my membership. I want to give you my money each month, because the content looks unique and exciting, not because I'll earn points to spend in some item-shop. That's not what RuneScape was supposed to be about.

 

It saddens me, and sickens me, that Jagex has become this dependent on increasing membership sales. I would have gladly payed an extra few bucks, even though I feel five dollars is a fair price, if it meant new content, excitiment, waking up in the mornings looking foward to whether or not there will be an update today.

 

Instead, however, you've gone down a different path. I know this update has its supporters, I'm just not one. It upsets me, even as I type this. Not with anger, not with ill-meaning words, but with sadness, with a realization that this game has shifted away from everything I fell in love with.

 

I just don't know how much more I can handle.

Quest Points; 317/317

Last Quest Completed; Deadliest Catch

 

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I agree in part, or perhaps in full. I do not fear change, but that does not mean that I like it, either. I used to play RS for exactly the same reason as you - great, unique weekly updates that actually bring (brought) something to the game that I would be happy to see and experience when I got home from school or that I could read about in the morning and wonder about all day. It was always like Christmas, like getting a large colorful gift every week, for only $5 a month. Now, though, I look at or get through updates and I think, "That's it? That wasn't very satisfying. What did that even change?"

It is as if, wtih the "new style" of graphics, everything goes to style (AKA graphics, gimmicks, some of their community events) rather than substance or depth of play.

 

I have heard people in GenDisc repeatedly say that it's a "standard" for MMORPGs to tie real life money (past the basic subscription cost) to in-game benefits, even if that's not quite what this is just yet, and I have to continually tell them that the lack of such practices by JaGEx was part of what made RS special.

 

I was pretty much okay with the entire loyalty progam until I read through the FAQ. It's really not about rewarding loyal players; it's about keeping people paying or they might "miss out", which is entirely different. The bonus for consecutive members months really bothers me.

Also, the things that they intend to reward us with (emotes and costumes for the most part) are usually things unlocked by the most enjoyable content. There should be nothing like those that isn't achievable fully within the game itself.

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It saddens me, and sickens me, that Jagex has become this dependent on increasing membership sales. I would have gladly payed an extra few bucks, even though I feel five dollars is a fair price, if it meant new content, excitiment, waking up in the mornings looking foward to whether or not there will be an update today.

 

Jagex is 100% dependent on increasing membership sales. Always have been, always will be. Now Jagex is working on 8Realms, Stellar Dawn, Transformers Online, and an unnamed fantasy MMO, anything left after Runescape's development/maintenance costs are figured in is probably gone to their other projects. Take a look at CCP, they have over 300 thousand subscribers for Eve Online, and they're being bankrupted by the development of World of Darkness and DUST 514. Just be glad Jagex didn't take the same route and open up a cash shop.

 

They're a business, and at heart they're rather amateur businessmen. Loyalty rewards have been used in MMOs for almost a decade now, and that's by MMOs where you either pay or you don't play at all. The presence of loyalty rewards isn't going to bring less content to Runescape, in case you hadn't noticed the multitude of content that has come out this month.

 

Replacing content with this marketing garbage.

 

No they aren't. Content isn't being replaced.

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The loyalty rewards thing is unfortunate but it doesn't bother me too much because members is only 6$/month. But I don't like what they've done with the katana to make it available for a limited time to only one country and only to one mode of payment... Imo everyone should atleast have the opportunity to get it.

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I understand that the runescape player database is going down and jagex needs more paying players and the loyalty scheme is a direct way to get people to keep paying. I am fine with paying money to keep the company going but they seem to be piling this on rather hard over the past few month which make them look too desperate and lowers the quality of recent game updates.

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To orginal poster... this is a game, you sound like your about to slit your wrists for christ sake! if you dont want to give them money because of this update stop paying! sounds like you need a break anyway jeez.

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"We shouldn't wish for easier lives, we should wish to be stronger men"

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I understand that the runescape player database is going down

 

It is? Because Jagex's financial reports show they've been gaining profit year on year, every year since 2003 when the game really started taking off. But since you're clearly more informed than Jagex's own accountants and lawyers, do tell where you obtained this information.

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Imo there's nothing wrong with rewarding people who are loyal to the member worlds. Calling this bribery sounds wrong, it's just an extra motivation for the players who are looking for yet more emotes etc.

I'm not interested in these things, nor in the titles but the aura's to increase ranged damage seem handy to me. I do understand people dislike it though, since it's another update directly linked to member fees...

2016 goals: all skills +30mil xp - Completed this goal 11th December 2016 smile.gif
2017 goals: get at least 3 more master capes (start xp: invention done@21st Jan, mining done@2nd April & ranged 76/104mil done@June 20th) & all skills +40mil xp (done 24th August)

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A company trying to make money...? HOW COULD THEY LET THIS HAPPEN?

 

Also, you act like Jagex isn't going to make anymore updates because of this.

 

I don't think that Trevor has any problem with a company making money. But, generally, if you're making games, like Jagex are, then the best and most long-term way to actually do so is to improve the gameplay and experience of the game itself, rather than cramming it full of superficial "items" - the more of these special "items" people acquire, the more they realise they are effecitvely meaningless - and coercing people into paying through silly schemes, rather than making them want to by doing something good with the game.

 

That's why people are annoyed at this atrocity of an update.


"Imagine yourself surrounded by the most horrible cripples and maniacs it is possible to conceive, and you may understand a little of my feelings with these grotesque caricatures of humanity about me."

- H.G. Wells, The Island of Doctor Moreau

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A company trying to make money...? HOW COULD THEY LET THIS HAPPEN?

 

Also, you act like Jagex isn't going to make anymore updates because of this.

 

I don't think that Trevor has any problem with a company making money. But, generally, if you're making games, like Jagex are, then the best and most long-term way to actually do so is to improve the gameplay and experience of the game itself, rather than cramming it full of superficial "items" - the more of these special "items" people acquire, the more they realise they are effecitvely meaningless - and coercing people into paying through silly schemes, rather than making them want to by doing something good with the game.

 

That's why people are annoyed at this atrocity of an update.

 

It's a solid update. It appeals to literally everyone. Except f2p I suppose. The rewards are pretty useful, you might think 3% ranged accuracy is pointless, but I know people in help & advice that would eat you alive for saying that. And these are only the tier 1 rewards.

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I understand that the runescape player database is going down

 

It is? Because Jagex's financial reports show they've been gaining profit year on year, every year since 2003 when the game really started taking off. But since you're clearly more informed than Jagex's own accountants and lawyers, do tell where you obtained this information.

 

I said player database going down which I extrapolated from this.

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I understand that the runescape player database is going down

 

It is? Because Jagex's financial reports show they've been gaining profit year on year, every year since 2003 when the game really started taking off. But since you're clearly more informed than Jagex's own accountants and lawyers, do tell where you obtained this information.

 

I said player database going down which I extrapolated from this.

 

Man. I've read that three times over and I don't see how you extrapolated that the Runescape player database (?) is going down. Although this:

 

Compared with all internet users, the site appeals more to users who are under the age of 25; its audience also tends to consist of Caucasians browsing from home and school who are not college graduates and have more children.

 

Made me sad. I'm 26, Black, a college graduate and have no children. I'm an anomaly, apparently.

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A company trying to make money...? HOW COULD THEY LET THIS HAPPEN?

 

Also, you act like Jagex isn't going to make anymore updates because of this.

 

I don't think that Trevor has any problem with a company making money. But, generally, if you're making games, like Jagex are, then the best and most long-term way to actually do so is to improve the gameplay and experience of the game itself, rather than cramming it full of superficial "items" - the more of these special "items" people acquire, the more they realise they are effecitvely meaningless - and coercing people into paying through silly schemes, rather than making them want to by doing something good with the game.

 

That's why people are annoyed at this atrocity of an update.

 

It's a solid update. It appeals to literally everyone. Except f2p I suppose. The rewards are pretty useful, you might think 3% ranged accuracy is pointless, but I know people in help & advice that would eat you alive for saying that. And these are only the tier 1 rewards.

 

I can't say I agree with such an appraisal. Personally, I see it as nothing more than very lazy, crass marketing. Most sane game developers do not resort to these sorts of cheap tricks.


"Imagine yourself surrounded by the most horrible cripples and maniacs it is possible to conceive, and you may understand a little of my feelings with these grotesque caricatures of humanity about me."

- H.G. Wells, The Island of Doctor Moreau

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I can't say I agree with such an appraisal. Personally, I see it as nothing more than very lazy, crass marketing. Most sane game developers do not resort to these sorts of cheap tricks.

 

 

Your right about that. Sane developers use micro-transactions and have you purchase DLC's as it much simpler to make money that way.

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I can't say I agree with such an appraisal. Personally, I see it as nothing more than very lazy, crass marketing. Most sane game developers do not resort to these sorts of cheap tricks.

 

 

Your right about that. Sane developers use micro-transactions and have you purchase DLC's as it much simpler to make money that way.

 

But sane developers do not force anyone into buying DLC, and generally make no more than 4 (as a rule of thumb). Jagex, on the other hand, are employing every trick in the book to coerce people into paying for RS, lest they want to miss out on half of the holiday items available and so on. It's shameful.


"Imagine yourself surrounded by the most horrible cripples and maniacs it is possible to conceive, and you may understand a little of my feelings with these grotesque caricatures of humanity about me."

- H.G. Wells, The Island of Doctor Moreau

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I can't say I agree with such an appraisal. Personally, I see it as nothing more than very lazy, crass marketing. Most sane game developers do not resort to these sorts of cheap tricks.

 

 

Your right about that. Sane developers use micro-transactions and have you purchase DLC's as it much simpler to make money that way.

 

But sane developers do not force anyone into buying DLC, and generally make no more than 4 (as a rule of thumb). Jagex, on the other hand, are employing every trick in the book to coerce people into paying for RS, lest they want to miss out on half of the holiday items available and so on. It's shameful.

 

You aren't forced into buying membership. And even if you were its like 5 dollars, the cheapest subscription cost I've seen in the mmo market.

 

I don't think you realize that these 'tricks' are what keep the price cheap. Complain all you like about their behavior but also recognize 5.95 a month is a good deal for all that we get.

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I can't say I agree with such an appraisal. Personally, I see it as nothing more than very lazy, crass marketing. Most sane game developers do not resort to these sorts of cheap tricks.

 

 

Your right about that. Sane developers use micro-transactions and have you purchase DLC's as it much simpler to make money that way.

 

But sane developers do not force anyone into buying DLC, and generally make no more than 4 (as a rule of thumb). Jagex, on the other hand, are employing every trick in the book to coerce people into paying for RS, lest they want to miss out on half of the holiday items available and so on. It's shameful.

 

You aren't forced into buying membership. And even if you were its like 5 dollars, the cheapest subscription cost I've seen in the mmo market.

 

I don't think you realize that these 'tricks' are what keep the price cheap. Complain all you like about their behavior but also recognize 5.95 a month is a good deal for all that we get.

 

True, you're not "forced" into buying membership. But the gradual transfer of many aspects of the free game to the members' game is a very sly way of trying to lure free players with the means to pay into doing so.

 

I disagree that these tricks keep the game cheap, and I do not recognise that $5.95 is a good deal. Frankly, I think it's the most Jagex could get away with charging for RS, considering that it plays like a drunk 90s PC RPG made by a blind person. The fact that it's a Java-based MMO does not - in my mind - justify shoddy gameplay mechanics, and neither does the cheapness justify calling adding a few items an "update". At the end of the day, the basic tenets of the game grow more and more outmoded by the day, but Jagex decide instead to continue cramming it with "stuff" to divert people, or perhaps just themselves.


"Imagine yourself surrounded by the most horrible cripples and maniacs it is possible to conceive, and you may understand a little of my feelings with these grotesque caricatures of humanity about me."

- H.G. Wells, The Island of Doctor Moreau

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A company trying to make money...? HOW COULD THEY LET THIS HAPPEN?

 

Also, you act like Jagex isn't going to make anymore updates because of this.

 

A company is developed to make money, but a company doesn't make any money unless they can keep their consumers happy, which Jagex has failed to do via this update.

 

I didn't imply they won't be making any more updates at all. What I said is that this development time could have been better spent on another piece of content. Auras isn't a bad idea. The game needs a new equipment slot. But witholding auras to only those who pay Jagex is frustrating. Auras could have been used for a Slayer update, a boss drop, anything but this Loyalty garbage.

Quest Points; 317/317

Last Quest Completed; Deadliest Catch

 

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I understand that the runescape player database is going down

 

It is? Because Jagex's financial reports show they've been gaining profit year on year, every year since 2003 when the game really started taking off. But since you're clearly more informed than Jagex's own accountants and lawyers, do tell where you obtained this information.

 

I said player database going down which I extrapolated from this.

 

You could try using actually related facts next time. Jagex's profits from subscriptions has gone up, meaning more subscribers. Their profits from advertising have increased, meaning more free players looking at ads. More free players, more subscribers, yet you still think the numbers are shrinking.

 

What exactly does the "player database" mean, in your line of thinking? Because if it isn't number of active players/subscribers (which is going up), then what?

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I can't say I agree with such an appraisal. Personally, I see it as nothing more than very lazy, crass marketing. Most sane game developers do not resort to these sorts of cheap tricks.

 

 

Your right about that. Sane developers use micro-transactions and have you purchase DLC's as it much simpler to make money that way.

 

But sane developers do not force anyone into buying DLC, and generally make no more than 4 (as a rule of thumb). Jagex, on the other hand, are employing every trick in the book to coerce people into paying for RS, lest they want to miss out on half of the holiday items available and so on. It's shameful.

 

You aren't forced into buying membership. And even if you were its like 5 dollars, the cheapest subscription cost I've seen in the mmo market.

 

I don't think you realize that these 'tricks' are what keep the price cheap. Complain all you like about their behavior but also recognize 5.95 a month is a good deal for all that we get.

 

True, you're not "forced" into buying membership. But the gradual transfer of many aspects of the free game to the members' game is a very sly way of trying to lure free players with the means to pay into doing so.

 

I disagree that these tricks keep the game cheap, and I do not recognise that $5.95 is a good deal. Frankly, I think it's the most Jagex could get away with charging for RS, considering that it plays like a drunk 90s PC RPG made by a blind person. The fact that it's a Java-based MMO does not - in my mind - justify shoddy gameplay mechanics, and neither does the cheapness justify calling adding a few items an "update". At the end of the day, the basic tenets of the game grow more and more outmoded by the day, but Jagex decide instead to continue cramming it with "stuff" to divert people, or perhaps just themselves.

 

They are a business, get it? They want you to pay. They would never deny that.

 

5.95 isn't a good deal? Then tell me what mmo is, please. Dead frontier will run you 8.50 and it's described by its developer (the ONLY developer) as a bare bones game. It also has mictro transactions that let you buy anything. $15 a month + buying the box set for wow. Big suprise here; they also have micro transactions. Guild wars was a good deal but it's mostly dead now. Developers jumped ship to work on guild wars 2.

 

So where is this cheaper-than-5.95-no microtransaction-amazing updates every week- no advertisments - no promotions mmo that puts rs to shame?

 

I'd like to see it. Cause right now it looks like your just a spoiled rs player.

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I understand that the runescape player database is going down

 

It is? Because Jagex's financial reports show they've been gaining profit year on year, every year since 2003 when the game really started taking off. But since you're clearly more informed than Jagex's own accountants and lawyers, do tell where you obtained this information.

 

I said player database going down which I extrapolated from this.

 

You could try using actually related facts next time. Jagex's profits from subscriptions has gone up, meaning more subscribers. Their profits from advertising have increased, meaning more free players looking at ads. More free players, more subscribers, yet you still think the numbers are shrinking.

 

What exactly does the "player database" mean, in your line of thinking? Because if it isn't number of active players/subscribers (which is going up), then what?

Maybe he meant the number of people actually sitting behind their screen playing RS, but that's obviously not something we can actually measure.

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I can't say I agree with such an appraisal. Personally, I see it as nothing more than very lazy, crass marketing. Most sane game developers do not resort to these sorts of cheap tricks.

 

 

Your right about that. Sane developers use micro-transactions and have you purchase DLC's as it much simpler to make money that way.

 

But sane developers do not force anyone into buying DLC, and generally make no more than 4 (as a rule of thumb). Jagex, on the other hand, are employing every trick in the book to coerce people into paying for RS, lest they want to miss out on half of the holiday items available and so on. It's shameful.

 

You aren't forced into buying membership. And even if you were its like 5 dollars, the cheapest subscription cost I've seen in the mmo market.

 

I don't think you realize that these 'tricks' are what keep the price cheap. Complain all you like about their behavior but also recognize 5.95 a month is a good deal for all that we get.

 

True, you're not "forced" into buying membership. But the gradual transfer of many aspects of the free game to the members' game is a very sly way of trying to lure free players with the means to pay into doing so.

 

I disagree that these tricks keep the game cheap, and I do not recognise that $5.95 is a good deal. Frankly, I think it's the most Jagex could get away with charging for RS, considering that it plays like a drunk 90s PC RPG made by a blind person. The fact that it's a Java-based MMO does not - in my mind - justify shoddy gameplay mechanics, and neither does the cheapness justify calling adding a few items an "update". At the end of the day, the basic tenets of the game grow more and more outmoded by the day, but Jagex decide instead to continue cramming it with "stuff" to divert people, or perhaps just themselves.

 

They are a business, get it? They want you to pay. They would never deny that.

 

5.95 isn't a good deal? Then tell me what mmo is, please. Dead frontier will run you 8.50 and it's described by its developer (the ONLY developer) as a bare bones game. It also has mictro transactions that let you buy anything. $15 a month + buying the box set for wow. Big suprise here; they also have micro transactions. Guild wars was a good deal but it's mostly dead now. Developers jumped ship to work on guild wars 2.

 

So where is this cheaper-than-5.95-no microtransaction-amazing updates every week- no advertisments - no promotions mmo that puts rs to shame?

 

I'd like to see it. Cause right now it looks like your just a spoiled rs player.

 

Calm down, Nipples; it seems like you took my comments on RS a little personally. Let's take a step back and think for a second: why might I say that RS isn't a good deal? You've successfully regurgitated a lot of facts about various other MMOs, and generously reminded me that Jagex is a business, something I'd otherwise be oblivious to. But in doing so, you've totally missed the point of my previous posts.

 

Price is not the only thing that must be considered when developing a successful game. If it were, then surely Budget Carnival Simulator or whatever those £10 Wii games are called would be at the top of all sales lists. As it happens, they're not, because video games consumers generally don't mind paying as long as the game is good. That is why WoW dominates the MMO market, irrespective of price.

 

The fact that there are no microtransactions and a low price doesn't mean anything to many people. If you're going to pay for an MMO, surely someone is going to opt for a better game if it means shelling out more cash. Advertisements are perhaps the only thing you mentioned that make a difference to most people. As for "amazing updates every week"... I don't think you can categorically say that. Quite a few people disagree with this loyalty scheme, for example.

 

Similarly, if people just wanted a quick, easy to play game, irrespective of the quality of the game, then www.zxspectrum.net would be the most popular gaming site in the world; it offers a myraid of Java-based emulations of ZX Spectrum games from the 80s, all for free. But the fact is that the games are repetitive and dated, and the same applies to RS. It doesn't matter that it's Java based and there are limitations; at the end of the day, people aren't going to

 

In the same way that video games sequels need to be fresh enough to be both justified and commercially successful, so too do MMO developers need to keep their games feeling fresh. Jagex fail in this respect because they just cram RS full of little things like items and quests, but the archaic game mechanics do not change. More successful MMO developers revamp their product every now and again, so as to modernise it.

 

Thus, $5.95, no microtransactions and all the rest count for little if the game itself is a bit shoddy. That's why I wouldn't call RS a "good deal".


"Imagine yourself surrounded by the most horrible cripples and maniacs it is possible to conceive, and you may understand a little of my feelings with these grotesque caricatures of humanity about me."

- H.G. Wells, The Island of Doctor Moreau

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