Give Non-Premium Players X Number of Free Speed Games

Coleman · Post by **Coleman** » Tue Sep 11, 2007 11:48 pm

turtle32 wrote:Maybe that should have like 4 free speeds games, then you must pay, that would be a great teaser.

This is a great idea. Not sure how you would code it though. Or if 4 is the right number.

Reason it is a good idea is because there is a good chance the reason so many new players deadbeat is they join a game, realize it is going to take forever, and then never come back.

Priority: Impossible to determine. Depends on if lack thinks this is a good idea or not.

magneticgoop · Post by **magneticgoop** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 12:29 am

yeah i think it is a good idea maybe they/we can have 1 speed game going but it counts against the 4 game limit

lackattack · Post by **lackattack** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 12:54 am

In fact I have been discussing this same idea with some people over the past few days!

I think a speed game teaser is worth trying out, but if we make it available to new recruits it would encourage people to make multiple accounts for unlimited speed games. I think it would have to be later on, perhaps a couple free speed games every 50 games conpleted?

wcaclimbing · Post by **wcaclimbing** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 1:03 am

i agree with lack. maybe 3 speed games per 50 games played.

Night Strike · Post by **Night Strike** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 1:44 am

I say allow 1 free speed game immediately upon sign up and then 2 free ones every 25 games completed. The free one at sign up could be included in the confirmation email saying something like: "You have been awarded the opportunity to play in 1 speed game as a trial. Speed games have 5 minute turn limits instead of the 24 hours allowed in normal games. Note: We recommend reading all the information under the 'Rules', 'Help', and 'Instructions' tabs located at the top of the page BEFORE starting any of your games."

As a similar side note, can freemiums join a private speed game??

lackattack · Post by **lackattack** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 2:29 am

Freemiums can never join speed games, private or public.

Even if you only had 1 speed teaser upon sign up, people will be making multiple accounts just to play a speed game. I don't want that.

Seinfreak · Post by **Seinfreak** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 8:48 am

Another option would be to offer tiered free games.

a. 24 hours/turn
b. 12 hours/turn
c. 8 hours/turn
d. 1 hour/turn

Keep "speed games" premium, but give new players learning the game different options for game speed.

lackattack · Post by **lackattack** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 9:04 am

Seinfreak wrote:Another option would be to offer tiered free games.

a. 24 hours/turn
b. 12 hours/turn
c. 8 hours/turn
d. 1 hour/turn

8/12 hour turns don't work. people need to sleep, yo!

Seinfreak · Post by **Seinfreak** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 9:09 am

lackattack wrote:8/12 hour turns don't work. people need to sleep, yo!

Point taken, but that's assuming everyone is living in the same time zone and has the same schedules. But there is a pretty wide assortment of countries represented here.

2 options? 24 hours/turn and 1 hour/turn?

Rocketry · Post by **Rocketry** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 9:09 am

lackattack wrote:
Seinfreak wrote:Another option would be to offer tiered free games.

a. 24 hours/turn
b. 12 hours/turn
c. 8 hours/turn
d. 1 hour/turn

8/12 hour turns don't work. people need to sleep, yo!

unless you are clapper

Rocketry

Rahm Es Hestos · Post by **Rahm Es Hestos** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 9:11 am

How about instead of per games played it's based on weeks at the site......say after a month of being here you are given four free speed games right off the bat and then 1 extra speed game every week you continue to use the site?

AndyDufresne · Post by **AndyDufresne** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 11:19 am

I'd be more in favor of the 'x' number of finished games option. I wouldn't go any lower than 50 though.

--Andy

yeti_c · Post by **yeti_c** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 11:36 am

Then Freemies with loads of games could play loads of speed games... and the more speed games they play - the more speed games they can get?!

Or is it x number of full time games?

I think you should make it 4 games max with 1 of them speed if wanted...

C.

Ishiro · Post by **Ishiro** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 12:35 pm

I'd say give them access to 1 speed game, if they want it, after they become ranked (5 completed games). In fact, when they finish game 5, send them a PM congratulating them on becoming ranked, losing the new recruit status, explain how premium works, and then say "And right now as a reward for getting out of your New Recruit status, we are giving you the ability to join 1 Speed Game!"

Then, if you want, you can also set up automated PMs after every 50 (?) completed games that say, "I see you are enjoying the site, but I just wanted to remind you of the things you might be missing..." and list the benefits of premium, and then say "Hey, right now, for being a dedicated player here, we're going to give you access to join a Speed Game!" or even allow people after 50 games are completed to one time join up to 8 games instead of 4 (then once they hit 8, drop their cap back to 4).

RiskTycoon · Post by **RiskTycoon** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 12:55 pm

I say no, think about it....glorify it ...hmmm tell them they can't and they will want to....it's only human nature! kinda like under age drinking...lol

Optimus Prime · Post by **Optimus Prime** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 1:42 pm

Does anyone have a rough estimate of how long it takes to complete 50 games if you are a non-premium member? I know that it would take quite a while to do. I'd be in favor of putting it at 30 or 35 to reach the first one, and then perhaps moving it up a little bit, making it a little harder to reach for the next set of free games.

You don't want to make it impossible for them to reach before getting bored, but at the same time, you don't want it to be too easy to reach because then like lackattack said, it would get abused much more easily.

I definitely don't think they should be allowed to have one upon sign up because that seems to defeat the purpose.

Night Strike · Post by **Night Strike** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 1:48 pm

Ishiro wrote:I'd say give them access to 1 speed game, if they want it, after they become ranked (5 completed games). In fact, when they finish game 5, send them a PM congratulating them on becoming ranked, losing the new recruit status, explain how premium works, and then say "And right now as a reward for getting out of your New Recruit status, we are giving you the ability to join 1 Speed Game!"

I like this idea a lot. It grants a free speed game but also could help boost premium memberships because of the personal contact.

I also agree with OP about how 50 could take a really long time (which is why I suggested 25 earlier).

As an additional thought, how would all the current freemiums be handled (since we're just discussing new recruits)?

And why do I keep talking about speed games when I haven't played one????

AndyDufresne · Post by **AndyDufresne** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 5:26 pm

I don't think they should be given on...any time early on. As lack said, that'll only promote people making multiple accounts.

And I'm still in favor of more than 25 or 30 games. They should be happy they get one for free at any time!

--Andy

Optimus Prime · Post by **Optimus Prime** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 5:39 pm

AndyDufresne wrote:I don't think they should be given on...any time early on. As lack said, that'll only promote people making multiple accounts.

And I'm still in favor of more than 25 or 30 games. They should be happy they get one for free at any time!

--Andy

Has there been any thoughts on having 50 games be the plateau for the first trial speed-game and perhaps a lower interval for each successive one such as every 30 after that? Just curious.

Ishiro · Post by **Ishiro** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 5:42 pm

I'll just say that if people are willing to create new accounts, play and complete 5 regular games just to get a single free speed game... that's just a kind of insanity I cannot begin to fathom.

turtle32 · Post by **turtle32** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 6:10 pm

Optimus Prime wrote:Does anyone have a rough estimate of how long it takes to complete 50 games if you are a non-premium member?

it really depends, i did it in a few days...i believe the recent games page showed about 47. But every game was a 1 vs 1 frestyle that i played about 40 of rt. But now that summer has ended i moved to sequential 6 player. So far i have played about 10 in 2 weeks.

Night Strike · Post by **Night Strike** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 7:34 pm

Ishiro wrote:I'll just say that if people are willing to create new accounts, play and complete 5 regular games just to get a single free speed game... that's just a kind of insanity I cannot begin to fathom.

I greatly agree.

Aerial Attack · Post by **Aerial Attack** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 7:50 pm

Ishiro wrote:I'll just say that if people are willing to create new accounts, play and complete 5 regular games just to get a single free speed game... that's just a kind of insanity I cannot begin to fathom.

Unfortunately, what you actually don't seem to understand is that people won't actually PLAY those 5 games. Meaning they will deadbeat 15 days worth of turns, just get 1 speed game. [although this does require them to finish 1 game before they can deadbeat the last game].

Looking at the argument above, I just realized that "dedicated" people might want to just finish games to earn a free speed game ...

I think that it should be about NOT missing turns vs finishing games. So, something like every 1000 turns take with fewer than 5 missed turns earns a speed game.

Ishiro · Post by **Ishiro** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 7:51 pm

I believe if you deadbeat, that game does not count toward getting you out of New Recruit. If it does, it shouldn't.

Backglass · Post by **Backglass** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 7:53 pm

lackattack wrote:Even if you only had 1 speed teaser upon sign up, people will be making multiple accounts just to play a speed game. I don't want that.

Neither do I. It's very simple. If you want to play speed games, buy a membership.