H8INCARNATE
New player locker space =0
01/12/2018 09:44 PM CST
Hello, my IGN is Fhaero, i am having an issue with lockers. I have only been playing about a week, started getting many items so i was going to store them in my locker, went to e locker to find i had no space 0 of 0. I read the wiki alot and i believe even f2p chars get a few slots. please help my roundtime is 10 secs.
sincerely
an overweighted bard.
H8INCARNATE
Re: New player locker space =0
01/12/2018 09:47 PM CST
also, i started in wehnimers landing am lv 3 and alreafy put in a assist request and report.
VANKRASN39
Re: New player locker space =0
01/12/2018 10:28 PM CST
there is no F2P access to lockers, but you can roll up another f2p and have it hold your stuff and coins up to the item limit.
https://gswiki.play.net/F2P_subscription#Treasure.2FItems.2FBanks
H8INCARNATE
Re: New player locker space =0
01/12/2018 10:54 PM CST
Thank you for that link. The wiki needs to be updated as well, in the New Character Page it plainly states that as a free player you get some slots. Also again thank you for the link, which has completely removed my interest in this game. I did not know f2p was so restricting, i played in the early 90's and it was not as much so. To be honest, there are very few people willing to pay the $15 per month sub for a text game, maybe 5$. I am an rpg fanatic and as far as story and mechanics go this game is good, but i would not pay $15 PER month, maybe a flat rate of 15-30 for full access for life. And dont get me started on the microtransactions. All I can say is money sink. Also that link needs to be put at the very top of the new player wiki and website. Poor new players like me get interested and then get our hopes dashed.
Sincerely,
An overweighted ex-bard/player.
Sincerely,
An overweighted ex-bard/player.
KRAKII
Re: New player locker space =0
01/13/2018 10:42 AM CST
In the early 90s, you would have had a 20 item locker, yes. Absolutely.
You would also have been paying anywhere from $3 to $6 per hour (depending on when exactly you got in on GemStone), best case; if you were playing between 8:00am and 6:00pm it would have been more like $12-$25. Per hour.
Add an extra $3 if you wanted 9600 baud.
.
Unless you were playing for free (in the second half of the 90s) with AOL "free hours" disks. In that case, you again would have had the 20 item locker...
...and had not more than 1000 hours of play. Then the free ran out, and you were back to $3/hour. (OR, another disk == new account == new character.)
.
.
I pay, now, for two premium accounts, for an entire year, what I used to pay for TWO months of play. (I had ONE four-digit month, when I was going for General rank in Multi-Player BattleTech. Swore off that really quick.)
You would also have been paying anywhere from $3 to $6 per hour (depending on when exactly you got in on GemStone), best case; if you were playing between 8:00am and 6:00pm it would have been more like $12-$25. Per hour.
Add an extra $3 if you wanted 9600 baud.
.
Unless you were playing for free (in the second half of the 90s) with AOL "free hours" disks. In that case, you again would have had the 20 item locker...
...and had not more than 1000 hours of play. Then the free ran out, and you were back to $3/hour. (OR, another disk == new account == new character.)
.
.
I pay, now, for two premium accounts, for an entire year, what I used to pay for TWO months of play. (I had ONE four-digit month, when I was going for General rank in Multi-Player BattleTech. Swore off that really quick.)
OM1E5GA
Re: New player locker space =0
01/13/2018 11:56 AM CST
<...and had not more than 1000 hours of play. Then the free ran out, and you were back to $3/hour. (OR, another disk == new account == new character.)>
By the time AOL made all games (including GS) free, they had already moved to a monthly subscription model rather then an hourly rate. So if someone was playing through AOL in the year or two before GS moved to the WEB, they wouldn't have been paying anything beyond their monthly AOL subscription.
That was the whole reason I moved from Prodigy to AOL: to feed my GS addiction without hearing my dad fussing about how much it was costing. Of course, you had to spend an hour or two listening to your modem trying to actually connect to AOL, hope no one picked up the phone while you were hunting, and pray GS didn't crash or lag out.... but that's a different story.
Starchitin
A severed gnomish hand crawls in on its fingertips and makes a rude gesture before quickly decaying and rotting into dust. A gust of wind quickly scatters the dust.
By the time AOL made all games (including GS) free, they had already moved to a monthly subscription model rather then an hourly rate. So if someone was playing through AOL in the year or two before GS moved to the WEB, they wouldn't have been paying anything beyond their monthly AOL subscription.
That was the whole reason I moved from Prodigy to AOL: to feed my GS addiction without hearing my dad fussing about how much it was costing. Of course, you had to spend an hour or two listening to your modem trying to actually connect to AOL, hope no one picked up the phone while you were hunting, and pray GS didn't crash or lag out.... but that's a different story.
Starchitin
A severed gnomish hand crawls in on its fingertips and makes a rude gesture before quickly decaying and rotting into dust. A gust of wind quickly scatters the dust.
KRAKII
Re: New player locker space =0
01/13/2018 01:07 PM CST
I agree.
However, he is exercised about the limitations on F2P.
The only way he could have played for free is AOL disks... which came with a guaranteed "this character ends" (unless he chose to start paying, which appears to be the entire issue).
If he wasn't playing for free--since he said he was in "early" 90s--the comparative cost makes current pricing laughable. (Still!)
And if he was on AOL playing for only their monthly fee (remember that there was an entire year of connection in there, between "when AOL got GemStone" and late 1996 "when AOL changed their pricing", and then another ~8 months before "Simutronics opens GemStone directly on the web")... yeah, that's basically what Simutronics is charging now. (They've had what, ONE base fee increase in 20 years?)
However, he is exercised about the limitations on F2P.
The only way he could have played for free is AOL disks... which came with a guaranteed "this character ends" (unless he chose to start paying, which appears to be the entire issue).
If he wasn't playing for free--since he said he was in "early" 90s--the comparative cost makes current pricing laughable. (Still!)
And if he was on AOL playing for only their monthly fee (remember that there was an entire year of connection in there, between "when AOL got GemStone" and late 1996 "when AOL changed their pricing", and then another ~8 months before "Simutronics opens GemStone directly on the web")... yeah, that's basically what Simutronics is charging now. (They've had what, ONE base fee increase in 20 years?)
ROBERTSM8
Re: New player locker space =0
01/13/2018 01:34 PM CST
1997 it was $9.95, went to 12.95 at some point, and has been at 14.95 since at least 2006.
KRAKII
Re: New player locker space =0
01/13/2018 02:00 PM CST
That does sound familiar, thanks.
My bad: TWO fee changes, in 20 years. <dismiss>
My bad: TWO fee changes, in 20 years. <dismiss>
THROGG
Re: New player locker space =0
01/13/2018 10:34 PM CST
I was running up AOL bills of around $900 a month.
:(
:(
LUXELLE
Re: New player locker space =0
01/13/2018 11:18 PM CST
Mine were GEnie bills. I had a budget that I mostly stuck to.
---
Rohese: "... the TownCrier (tune in if you haven’t, it’s without doubt the best thing to ever happen on LNet)"
;tune towncrier
TownCrier News Submission link: http://bit.ly/TownCrierNews
TownCrier News Dailies via Email: http://bit.ly/2ivAJfw
---
Rohese: "... the TownCrier (tune in if you haven’t, it’s without doubt the best thing to ever happen on LNet)"
;tune towncrier
TownCrier News Submission link: http://bit.ly/TownCrierNews
TownCrier News Dailies via Email: http://bit.ly/2ivAJfw
ALLENM20
Re: New player locker space =0
01/14/2018 01:28 AM CST
The debates about price are silly. Regardless of new tech that has brought graphical and game play improvements, the core reason to play any game is for entertainment.
If you're not willing to spend the money for the game that's fine. You're not entertained enough by the game to pay it's price point. I'm not willing to spend money on other mmos because they're essentially all the same thing and devolve into a grind for items and loot in my opinion. I can and have easily reached cap with what is considered easily obtainable equipment and can continue to hunt successfully. My character can continue to grow stronger post cap through exp gain. Pretty much every other mmo only offers continued character power growth through items once you reach max level.
GS has kept me coming back because it offers something that most modern mmos can't which is real choice in developing your character and actual roleplaying. Being able to use my imagination is the biggest draw for me period.
As I gaze over the horizon, the wind tugs at my cloak and whispers, "Adventure" in my ear.
AIM: Kaight (Matt) GS4
If you're not willing to spend the money for the game that's fine. You're not entertained enough by the game to pay it's price point. I'm not willing to spend money on other mmos because they're essentially all the same thing and devolve into a grind for items and loot in my opinion. I can and have easily reached cap with what is considered easily obtainable equipment and can continue to hunt successfully. My character can continue to grow stronger post cap through exp gain. Pretty much every other mmo only offers continued character power growth through items once you reach max level.
GS has kept me coming back because it offers something that most modern mmos can't which is real choice in developing your character and actual roleplaying. Being able to use my imagination is the biggest draw for me period.
As I gaze over the horizon, the wind tugs at my cloak and whispers, "Adventure" in my ear.
AIM: Kaight (Matt) GS4
JBODARY1
Re: New player locker space =0
01/16/2018 09:49 AM CST
I can understand the frustration - and personally I feel torn about this particular debate. On one hand, I love the game and I love the mechanics and just pretty much everything about it. For me, it is like having a D&D game that evolves constantly and I can play anytime I want (and at that, I am not in general much for roleplaying but that is more a physical issue than lack of desire). And GS is after all, a niche game. Niche anything tends to be more expensive.
That being said - new players is a requirement for any game, not just keeping the current base. And I do think it is difficult for people who grew up with $15 subscriptions to games like Warcraft or Eve or such to turn around and pay the same amount for a game that is entirely text based with front ends that still largely look the same as they did a decade or more ago (I'm looking at you Stormfront and Wizard!). Yes you can make the argument (and I do, frequently) that what you get from GS is a much richer, more engaging environment for the same amount that people pay for other games. But it might help to restructure some things.
For example, F2P really isn't. It is completely implausible to get a character past their 30's. Not impossible, I know it is possible. But the negatives to free to play make it next to impossible. I think the problem there is that F2P is really a free trial, but it is presented as if it is actually Free to Play. So when people sign up thinking they can play for free and then find out that it really is a glorified free trial... it turns them off the game. And the solution is easy, call it what it is. A free trial. Make it plain that it is a limited, trial version of the game to let you see what the the first ~20 levels are like and get the hang of how it works and it isn't really something that is expected to let you play the whole game for free.
Then change the price of Prime. Not by much, personally I think making it something like 9.99 a month and leave the extra character prices as they are. Maybe offer your first month of prime free so they can see what a big difference it makes. Leave Premium pricing as it is, but again offer a free or discounted pricing for the very first month you upgrade from prime to premium. You can tell me that Premium gives me tons of extras a month all you want but telling me I also have to pay $40 a month for something that is strictly a theoretical bonus and I am going to balk. Let me experience Premium for $10 extra for the first month, or free, before it reverts to normal pricing and our theoretical new player is much more likely to bite. Then after they have had a month of all the benefits... well, they are much more likely to stay.
I generally have a premium and a prime account, so I fully understand the worth of both. But I grew up playing this game...and I am pretty sure the code has crack built into or something. So I am already a lost, hopelessly addicted cause. But for people who grew up on Warcraft or similar games... shrug Business is a balancing act, gaming businesses even more so. Increasing the player base is going to do a lot more for the financial future of the game in the long run. Just my .2
That being said - new players is a requirement for any game, not just keeping the current base. And I do think it is difficult for people who grew up with $15 subscriptions to games like Warcraft or Eve or such to turn around and pay the same amount for a game that is entirely text based with front ends that still largely look the same as they did a decade or more ago (I'm looking at you Stormfront and Wizard!). Yes you can make the argument (and I do, frequently) that what you get from GS is a much richer, more engaging environment for the same amount that people pay for other games. But it might help to restructure some things.
For example, F2P really isn't. It is completely implausible to get a character past their 30's. Not impossible, I know it is possible. But the negatives to free to play make it next to impossible. I think the problem there is that F2P is really a free trial, but it is presented as if it is actually Free to Play. So when people sign up thinking they can play for free and then find out that it really is a glorified free trial... it turns them off the game. And the solution is easy, call it what it is. A free trial. Make it plain that it is a limited, trial version of the game to let you see what the the first ~20 levels are like and get the hang of how it works and it isn't really something that is expected to let you play the whole game for free.
Then change the price of Prime. Not by much, personally I think making it something like 9.99 a month and leave the extra character prices as they are. Maybe offer your first month of prime free so they can see what a big difference it makes. Leave Premium pricing as it is, but again offer a free or discounted pricing for the very first month you upgrade from prime to premium. You can tell me that Premium gives me tons of extras a month all you want but telling me I also have to pay $40 a month for something that is strictly a theoretical bonus and I am going to balk. Let me experience Premium for $10 extra for the first month, or free, before it reverts to normal pricing and our theoretical new player is much more likely to bite. Then after they have had a month of all the benefits... well, they are much more likely to stay.
I generally have a premium and a prime account, so I fully understand the worth of both. But I grew up playing this game...and I am pretty sure the code has crack built into or something. So I am already a lost, hopelessly addicted cause. But for people who grew up on Warcraft or similar games... shrug Business is a balancing act, gaming businesses even more so. Increasing the player base is going to do a lot more for the financial future of the game in the long run. Just my .2
KRAKII
Re: New player locker space =0
01/16/2018 11:42 AM CST
.02
Good write-up, and phrased constructively, so you already gain "thumbs up" points from me. Well done!
.
The burn-in period on Premium is probably longer than the month that you posit, though, given that you really don't see it until you start experimenting with <this character type>, and then want to try <that character type> and then you want to...
Heck, for a month, I'm still cooking along with just ONE new character, never mind squillions. :)
.
The other thing that always made it a toss-up for people between "getting another Prime" versus "upgrade to Premium" was the ease or difficulty of moving equipment around (sure, you've made friends... but do you TRUST them with your 8x Whizbanger [of Doom!]?), and anybody can now whistle up an F2P account to completely obviate that.
Good write-up, and phrased constructively, so you already gain "thumbs up" points from me. Well done!
.
The burn-in period on Premium is probably longer than the month that you posit, though, given that you really don't see it until you start experimenting with <this character type>, and then want to try <that character type> and then you want to...
Heck, for a month, I'm still cooking along with just ONE new character, never mind squillions. :)
.
The other thing that always made it a toss-up for people between "getting another Prime" versus "upgrade to Premium" was the ease or difficulty of moving equipment around (sure, you've made friends... but do you TRUST them with your 8x Whizbanger [of Doom!]?), and anybody can now whistle up an F2P account to completely obviate that.
OM1E5GA
Re: New player locker space =0
01/16/2018 12:30 PM CST
<and anybody can now whistle up an F2P account to completely obviate that.>
Speaking of which, I really need to get around to doing this. Leaving a backpack full of stuff behind the altar to pass between my characters is going to bite me one of these days. Just that getting an F2P character to RR is prolly a HUGE hassle....
Starchitin
A severed gnomish hand crawls in on its fingertips and makes a rude gesture before quickly decaying and rotting into dust. A gust of wind quickly scatters the dust.
Speaking of which, I really need to get around to doing this. Leaving a backpack full of stuff behind the altar to pass between my characters is going to bite me one of these days. Just that getting an F2P character to RR is prolly a HUGE hassle....
Starchitin
A severed gnomish hand crawls in on its fingertips and makes a rude gesture before quickly decaying and rotting into dust. A gust of wind quickly scatters the dust.
KRAKII
Re: New player locker space =0
01/16/2018 01:40 PM CST
"Just that getting an F2P character to RR is prolly a HUGE hassle...." -- Starchitin
Well, you could just have him meet you(rself) up on Four Winds Isl-- <cough>
:)
Well, you could just have him meet you(rself) up on Four Winds Isl-- <cough>
:)
OM1E5GA
Re: New player locker space =0
01/16/2018 06:00 PM CST
mmmhhhmmm.... Go ahead and let me know how that works for you when you try it.
Starchitin
A severed gnomish hand crawls in on its fingertips and makes a rude gesture before quickly decaying and rotting into dust. A gust of wind quickly scatters the dust.
Starchitin
A severed gnomish hand crawls in on its fingertips and makes a rude gesture before quickly decaying and rotting into dust. A gust of wind quickly scatters the dust.
ZHOUY1
Re: New player locker space =0
01/17/2018 09:13 PM CST
Debates about cost structure aside, F2P characters should be given at least a basic 50-item locker, since as mentioned it's already possible to create mule characters for the same purpose and the latter creates more hassle and overhead.
KRAKII
Re: New player locker space =0
01/17/2018 10:09 PM CST
Basic locker size is actually 10, in the town hall.
+10 for a Web account.
+30 for joining a House.
+20 if that House happens to be Arcane.
+30 more, I think it was, for <something or other in the mid-2000s??, maybe Premium? or another Web benefit?>
.
I'm totally alright with F2P having a single 10-spot locker in the town hall, same as the Good Ol' Days (tm).
+10 for a Web account.
+30 for joining a House.
+20 if that House happens to be Arcane.
+30 more, I think it was, for <something or other in the mid-2000s??, maybe Premium? or another Web benefit?>
.
I'm totally alright with F2P having a single 10-spot locker in the town hall, same as the Good Ol' Days (tm).
LUXELLE
Re: New player locker space =0
01/18/2018 12:02 AM CST
You could be playing GS2 ... where there were no lockers and 10 item inventory limits...
That was living on the edge, I tell you!
---
Rohese: "... the TownCrier (tune in if you haven’t, it’s without doubt the best thing to ever happen on LNet)"
;tune towncrier
TownCrier News Submission link: http://bit.ly/TownCrierNews
TownCrier News Dailies via Email: http://bit.ly/2ivAJfw
That was living on the edge, I tell you!
---
Rohese: "... the TownCrier (tune in if you haven’t, it’s without doubt the best thing to ever happen on LNet)"
;tune towncrier
TownCrier News Submission link: http://bit.ly/TownCrierNews
TownCrier News Dailies via Email: http://bit.ly/2ivAJfw
KRAKII
Re: New player locker space =0
01/18/2018 08:50 AM CST
Hey, I don't need your old-timey tales in here! I'm talking about this new-fangled MODERN stuff, all the way up GSIII! (From 1992... :)
OM1E5GA
Re: New player locker space =0
01/18/2018 12:57 PM CST
Aaawww.... are they making you feel young, Krakii? I know that can be disorienting at first, but you really should try to enjoy the feeling.
Starchitin
A severed gnomish hand crawls in on its fingertips and makes a rude gesture before quickly decaying and rotting into dust. A gust of wind quickly scatters the dust.
Starchitin
A severed gnomish hand crawls in on its fingertips and makes a rude gesture before quickly decaying and rotting into dust. A gust of wind quickly scatters the dust.
