Revamp of Donation System

[thedestro]

I think it's admirable that admin has chosen to never make this game pay-for-play, and that's something I think we can all appreciate.

However, I'm interested in a reform of the donation system; which I believe will be more successful than the current one.

So currently, when you donate, you get a set of in-game bonuses. Such as extra infra, tech, and money. The bonuses obtained from donations aren't gargantuan at all, but they do provide a notable advantage for the bigger nations.

Instead of rewarding donors with in-game bonuses, how about rewarding them with unique features and accessibilities in the game that enrich the players' experience; and ultimately are more valuable than an in-game bonus anyway.

The main purpose of the game is to have fun, and players would appreciate the newer benefits of the game because they contribute to a better, and funner gaming experience- which is what we all want anyway.

It is a big step. But a change such as this could be very fruitful IMO.

I don't think anything like this could possibly be added anytime soon, since admin is probably busy trying to implement the navy.

However, we can discuss/speculate any possible new benefits donors could get, or even if this idea would be good the game overall.

But please don't post if you don't have anything constructive to contribute.

Edited June 18, 2008 by thedestro

[Delta1212]

I have played games that work like that. Notice the past tense. The sort of "premium" experience that they use is just annoying and tends to create a rift between those who donate and those who do not. Why should admin add new content that makes the game more fun, even if it's just minor stuff, and then withhold it from anyone who doesn't pay? I have always loved the fact that CN donations are rather unobtrusive in that they provide nothing unique or difficult to obtain and in just the right quantities to make it worthwhile but not overpowering.

[Otto Verteidiger]

I do not agree with what you're trying to suggest. When donating currently, you get extra of what people can already get, just with their own CN money and time that donation cuts the need for. The items are accessible for all, equality.

What you're suggesting is that - people that have donated get features and accessibilites that non-donors do not get, thus creating an un-equality situation. I don't like the sound of that because I fear it will create a "well you have to donate to get this feature, that feature, blah, so donate, or you're just stuck with what you're given".

At least with the current system of doing things, you just get extra of whatever that everyone can get.

edit: also the above

Edited June 18, 2008 by Highbuzz

[thedestro]

Why should admin add new content that makes the game more fun, even if it's just minor stuff, and then withhold it from anyone who doesn't pay?

So donors get a funner experience, thus making donating attractive.

I have always loved the fact that CN donations are rather unobtrusive in that they provide nothing unique or difficult to obtain and in just the right quantities to make it worthwhile but not overpowering.

It doesn't have to be obtrusive. You're taking it too much into the extreme. The point of this is to provide donors with a simple, special "time"; that doesn't give any in-game advantages.

What you're suggesting is that - people that have donated get features and accessibilites that non-donors do not get, thus creating an un-equality situation. I don't like the sound of that because I fear it will create a "well you have to donate to get this feature, that feature, blah, so donate, or you're just stuck with what you're given".

By accessibilities, I mean something like donors having access to a page where they can edit their own ethnicities or something.

There should be no necessity to get a feature at all, since they're just perks, and not in-game advantages.

Actually this form of donations would be more equal than the current one, since all players have equal footing in the game regardless of their donor status.

[kswiss2783]

I do donation deals for the infra, that is all. I would stop doing them for something else.

[Bob Sanders]

Umm yea, I quit Tribal Wars exactly because of what you suggested. CE has raised the level of "donating" to the point of extortion which has killed the game. Making the game less functional to people who don't donate is incredibly stupid.

Edited June 18, 2008 by Bob Sanders

[thedestro]

Umm yea, I quit Tribal Wars exactly because of what you suggested. CE has raised the level of "donating" to the point of extortion which has killed the game. Making the game less functional to people who don't donate is incredibly stupid.

What do you mean by functional? And I don't understand your post/

Edited June 19, 2008 by thedestro

[kswiss2783]

What do you mean by functional? And I don't understand your post/

In CE, you have to donate so super-special in game advisors tell you when you need to buy things (schools, police, etc). You have no way of knowing what to buy if you don't donate and then your city sucks.

Edited June 19, 2008 by kswiss2783

[thedestro]

In CE, you have to donate so super-special in game advisors tell you when you need to buy things (schools, police, etc). You have no way of knowing what to buy if you don't donate and then your city sucks.

That's something completely different from what I'm discussing. The donation benefit you mentioned is an actual in-game advantage, I'm talking about benefits that provide no in-game advantage, just funner gameplay.

[Tibet]

That's something completely different from what I'm discussing. The donation benefit you mentioned is an actual in-game advantage, I'm talking about benefits that provide no in-game advantage, just funner gameplay.

Can you give some examples of what you are suggesting then since you think an advantage is different than a benefit, that's a perception issues, some people see different things to those terms, so please provide something as an example.

[thedestro]

Can you give some examples of what you are suggesting then since you think an advantage is different than a benefit, that's a perception issues, some people see different things to those terms, so please provide something as an example.

Well this thread is about coming up with examples like that. But one I can think of is uploading your own flag (yes I know it's not going to happen, but it's an example that would fit for this).

Or making up your own ethnicities.

I'm not very creative at the moment

[kswiss2783]

Well this thread is about coming up with examples like that. But one I can think of is uploading your own flag (yes I know it's not going to happen, but it's an example that would fit for this).

Or making up your own ethnicities.

I'm not very creative at the moment

If you wish to garner support for an idea, come up with one yourself. My own flag would not be worth donating, but infra is.

[cookieking]

If it's not broke, don't fix it.

[thedestro]

If you wish to garner support for an idea, come up with one yourself. My own flag would not be worth donating, but infra is.

Well it's various benefits. Not just a select thing. And you're not being constructive.

[Adolf Von Sippycup]

Isn't this pretty much what Runescape did? >_>

Also, I donate for the infra, tech, and land bonuses. I'd probably stop donating if they changed it from that to something else.

[admin]

First, this belongs in the suggestion box. Second, to make this happen there would have to be a lot of new additions to the game that players don't already expect to have in the game. (restricting existing features would not work) So, say we come up with a lot of really neat additions to add to the game for this revamped donation system. I'm afraid that I'd get so excited about a particular new feature that I would want everyone to enjoy it as well, not just those with a little RL money. In short, I agree with cookieking.... it isn't broken, so why fix it?