General RPG DiscussionDiscussion of all RPGs and non-system-specific topics. DM/GM/player issues, settings, etc. Rules discussion belongs in one the forums below.
Just guaging the opinion on the exclusive content.
In the last month, 12 PDFs have appeared in the community supporter subscription section. Do people feel they're getting good value?
On the one hand, I have everything I need for my game right now. I'm running War of the Burning Sky (online here in fact) and already have the pdf of the first adventure and the super-collected-version. So I don't get direct use out of the free stuff.
OTOH, I bought the super-collection-pdf during the GenCon sale so it cost me something like $17. It's not like the subscription is me paying again to get something I already have because I don't really feel like I paid much for what I currently have.
On the gripping hand, getting the 4E version of WotBS is kinda cool. It's nice to have the option of running it in realspace, assuming either I want to run 4E or my players only want to play 4E.
That's the plan! I have craploads of stuff to give subscribers. Plus I'm working on deals with some publishers and manufacturers for even more cool stuff!
Limited edition EN World dice set raffle, anyone?
Dice raffle? Sure, why not? You can never have too many dice!
__________________ DM of Adventure Path Story Hour (now in Thunderspire Labyrinth!): Ryam Plays Dice - updated 8th June 09 (campaign on indefinite hiatus).
Player in Swordlands Story Hour: Interview with a Fey - updated 15th June 09. News just in - this campaign may be restarting in the near future! Watch this space!
I also have the singular honour of being Rouseketeer #20.
Just curious, what's the current subscription count?
It's currently going down, not up. A lot of cancellations this week (I don't know why). Also quite a few people who sign up and then cancel within 2-3 minutes.
I think people are seeing it as a "grab all you can for $3".
I'm considering a "it's $3 the first time, but if you cancel you lose that rate and its more the second time" type arrangement to discourage people from that. Basically, it needs to be pitched at a level where someone makes money for EN World, not costs me money by grabbing more than $3 worth of stuff then cancelling. Might be some technical difficulties implementing it, though, since somebody could just create a new account.
__________________
Last edited by Morrus; 19th November 2009 at 08:42 PM..
I would still like to contribute (and not because of exclusive content), but don't use a credit card. I can't get PayPal to process without one.
RC
__________________ [A]ny good dungeon will have undiscovered treasures in areas that have been explored by the players, simply because it is impossible to expect that they will find every one of them.
RCFG - My free mostly-OGC OGL game! RCFG is intended to be a fusion between OS & NS playstyles, giving the advantages of SRD-based gaming coupled with quick character and adventure generation and an Old School feel.
Well, it wasn't unexpected. If the system enables you to do something, then a certain percentage will do it.
There's not a lot of point in my whining about it; my job is to figure out the price structure which results in the highest profit for EN World. Someone signing up, downloading and then cancelling is a net loss (it costs me money to provide the downloads); so I need to work out how to prevent that.
Some people have suggested a limit to the number of downloads one can make per month so that they'll have to continue subscribing if they plan to download *everything*. That seems a bit draconian to me (and is hard to implement).
The "you're welcome to cancel, but you'll lose the $3 price" is a softer approach and might help with people who are planning to sign up and cancel periodically to get as much as they can for as little as possible (and who can blame them?), but it would have to be pretty high to actually be a discouragement to someone who wants to pay $3 every six months or whatever.
How does WotC handle it? Or are they able to simply factor in that people will do that?
I dunno, maybe set up tiered subscriptions like WotC.
1 month - $10.
3 months - $18 at $6 a month.
1 year - $36 at $3 a month.
Once you sign up for a subscription, you agree to the full length of time, though you're only charged on a monthly basis. Is that doable?
__________________ Ryan "RangerWickett" Nock
Author of the War of the Burning Sky serialized novel, free at EN World. Part Two, The Irons Have Tolled, now available.
... Someone signing up, downloading and then cancelling is a net loss (it costs me money to provide the downloads); so I need to work out how to prevent that.
Some people have suggested a limit to the number of downloads one can make per month so that they'll have to continue subscribing if they plan to download *everything*. That seems a bit draconian to me (and is hard to implement).
The "you're welcome to cancel, but you'll lose the $3 price" is a softer approach and might help with people who are planning to sign up and cancel periodically to get as much as they can for as little as possible (and who can blame them?), but it would have to be pretty high to actually be a discouragement to someone who wants to pay $3 every six months or whatever.
How does WotC handle it? Or are they able to simply factor in that people will do that?
Personally, I would cycle the free subscriber downloads so that only the most current 3-4 downloads (or 1-2 months worth)are available at any given time. I know there is a lot of goodwill involved in keeping indefinite archives, but those who want to support the site will do so (and get the content each month). Those who only want the current freebie (or as much as they can get), well... they will still get more than $3 worth of excellent materials, but not break the bank. You have to keep up payments to enjoy continued benefits... that's why it is called a "subscription."
I believe WotC gives complete access during the time you are paying, but they undoubtedly have the volume to better manage "one-month grabs".
Also, offering on-going premium content should keep people coming back. I believe that if you continue to offer your content, some of those lost subs will come back to get more. (This would apply to WotC's model as well.)
__________________ "Preview Twice, Post Once" - ancient board saying
Just a note - we've only been doing this for a few weeks, so it's not really possible to get definite patterns out of the figures yet. It may turn out that in the long-term, the issue simply doesn't matter.
I think we'll be able to guage things better after 6 months or so.
First thing that popped into my head by way of a solution...
Make the first month more expensive, say $10-$15 and then $3.00 per month after. If you cancel, you have to start with the $10-$15 start up month again.
Another idea... I don't know exactly how you could implement it...
You get access to one download item from those available each month. On your second month, you can now access two items, third month gets you access to three items, etc...
You could also make it clear to people that if they subscribe, they are expected to maintain it for a certain number of months (6 months, 12 months?) If they cannot commit to that, they can make a flat donation or not subscribe. If someone then cancels, post the user name, and email address in a "Cancelation" thread. ???
Well, it wasn't unexpected. If the system enables you to do something, then a certain percentage will do it.
Thank you for acknowledging this.
There really is only one solution - make all possible ways to subscribe into profitable encouraged positive way to subscribe.
if you can do it, people will do it, and you should expect them to do it. If you don't want them to do it - then don't make it easy (or legit) to do it. If you don't turn a profit from someone paying $3 to download everything that's on offer then don't offer that possibility.
Seems WotC's structure works well and is reasonable too: pay $10 for one month's access, pay $15 for three months access, and pay $18 for six months access.
All upfront.
Please don't seek solutions that force people to continue paying, that can be abused and turn out really nasty. That kind of forced subscriptions really is a kind of business I associate with murky scammers only TBH. Auto-renewals really isn't very friendly either. It's best to offer a no-strings-attached deal, where you pay once, get something, and then nothing more unless the customer approaches you again.
If anything, you should consider giving a rebate to a former customer who considers resubscribing! Never apply a penalty. Penalties are always bad PR.
27
Linear Mode
And yet another word from our sponsors
