Legends of Norrath -- A Plea to Allow Choosing Own Archetype

[Ponos]

<p>I spent two hours going through the tutorial, reading up on everything, and was getting pretty excited about Legends of Norrath.  That was until I opened up my Starter Deck and saw that I <i>couldn't choose my own starter deck archetype!</i></p><p>Had I been allowed to choose any of the four archetypes for my starter deck, I would've most likely become a vigorous player, and would've even spent a couple dollars here and there building up my deck, but as it stands now -- I won't ever be playing the game again.</p><p>From a marketing standpoint, it's counterintuitive to limit a player's options right from the very beginning.  A car dealer doesn't say, "We'll sell you this car, but we'll only sell it to you in red.  If you want to change the color, that will cost you extra."  If that were to happen, the customer would simply not purchase the car.</p><p>You say that all EQ2 players can play LoN for FREE, but you don't really mean that.  What you're offering us is more in line with a demo.  And a poor demo at that.  Why?  Because it takes away the freedom of choice.</p><p>SOE, please allow us to choose our own starter deck.  It seems like you put a lot of energy, thought, and love into this trading card game and it would be a pity for you to shoot yourselves in the collective foot so early on.</p><p>Thank you for listening.  </p>

[Hellswrath]

First, it's <i>Legends</i> of Norrath.  <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />Second, you got a free random starter deck.  You can still pick your own archetype by buying a different starter deck.  You could create your own avatar of your preferred archetype and traded for the cards to complete your deck.  You could also trade someone for a different starter deck than the one you got.  You have options.  I'd be happy that they gave you free cards at all.

[Ponos]

<p>It's my understanding that you can't trade starter deck cards.  </p><p>And as to that silliness about being happy that they gave us free cards at all, you're mistaken if you think they're doing us a favor.  They're marketing a product to us in the hopes that we purchase said product.  And anyone who has taken even the most rudimentary business and marketing course in college can tell you -- customers like <i>options.  </i></p><p>The more options the customer has, the more likely he is to spend money.  It's a statistical FACT, plain and simple.  </p><p>Also, by me taking the time to provide constructive feedback, I'm doing SOE a favor (not the other way around); I'm attempting to help improve their product, and I'm paying to do it<i>.</i>  </p>

[Jal]

Ive only ever had the mage starter deck but i have a self made scout avatar and have bought boosters and made my own deck.You're asking to play without paying in my view, the free deck gives you a taster if you want to play more with a different setup then you pay for it.

[Kendricke]

<cite>Ponos@Antonia Bayle wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>And as to that silliness about being happy that they gave us free cards at all, you're mistaken if you think they're doing us a favor.  They're marketing a product to us in the hopes that we purchase said product.  And anyone who has taken even the most rudimentary business and marketing course in college can tell you -- customers like <i>options.  </i></p></blockquote><p><i>Customers</i> have options.  You haven't made any purchases yet, so you're still only a <i>potential</i> customer.  </p><p>The car dealer didn't say you could only buy this car or that color.  The car dealer just GAVE YOU A FREE CAR...and you're complaining you didn't get to choose the color.  </p><p>I wasn't thrilled with my initial mage deck, so I <i>bought</i> (that's a key word there - it means I've become a "customer" by purchasing a product from a company) a new priest deck.  Amazingly, it wasn't difficult to choose the starter deck I wanted to purchase - there were no SOE representatives or game mechanics preventing me from choosing the particular type of deck I wanted.</p><p>P.S. - Legends of Norrath forums are THAT way:  <a href="http://www.legendsofnorrath.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.legendsofnorrath.com</a></p>

[Ponos]

<p>Again, we are paying in a way because we're Everquest II subscribers.  Secondly, I'm not asking for free booster decks, or multiple starter decks from which to build a custom deck.</p><p>Listen to what I'm saying: We are already GIVEN a starter deck.  We can already PLAY.  However, if SOE wants to improve their chances  that we will continue to play and, more importantly, purchase additional packs, they should allow the customer to choose from the outset which starter deck they want.  </p><p>If a customer wants to play, but wants to play with a scout archetype, and you give him a mage archetype, he will most likely <i>not play</i>.  If he doesn't play, he will not spend money on additional game-related products.  </p><p>This is very easy to digest logic, I don't understand the reluctance except to say that you people have already made your purchase and feel resentment toward those who are unwilling to be so easily commercialized.</p>

[Serinde]

If someone offered me a free car... I wouldnt get picky about the color... <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/385970365b8ed7503b4294502a458efa.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" width="15" height="15" />

[Jal]

If you want to play you will play, if you dont want to spend money then you will be happy with what you're given you are still able to play quite happily.  If you do want to play more in depth using non standard parts then you will pay to get them.

[Xelphneigh]

/grumbles a little something about a gifthorse in the mouth..Honestly, I see your point, however they did give you a free deck with a value of $9.99.  Now taking this into consideration how many people do you think would have purchased a deck, or two, if they had just released the game without any free decks?  100? 1000?  OK you do the math how much revenue they just lost by giving us something for free.  The start deck is an intro into getting you into the game, determining if you like it, then possibly throwing more cash at the store for additional decks/boosters if you so choose to do so.I think it was a great thing they did and even tho I got the same deck as I had in beta, Fighter, I wanted to see the other decks and purchased a Priest starter and 10 boosters.  Now my options are greatly expanded in creating a specialty deck that suits my playstyle.  Without the free deck I might have just passed on the game completely.While I don't disagree with options, a freebie is a freebie and we should be thankful they gave us something for nothing.  Think of that $9.99 as a part of your monthly sub so now you really only are paying $5 this month for all the content in the original game.

[Kendricke]

<cite>Ponos@Antonia Bayle wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>Again, we are paying in a way because we're Everquest II subscribers.  Secondly, I'm not asking for free booster decks, or multiple starter decks from which to build a custom deck.</p><p>Listen to what I'm saying: We are already GIVEN a starter deck.  We can already PLAY.  However, if SOE wants to improve their chances  that we will continue to play and, more importantly, purchase additional packs, they should allow the customer to choose from the outset which starter deck they want.  </p><p>If a customer wants to play, but wants to play with a scout archetype, and you give him a mage archetype, he will most likely <i>not play</i>.  If he doesn't play, he will not spend money on additional game-related products.  </p><p>This is very easy to digest logic, I don't understand the reluctance except to say that you people have already made your purchase and feel resentment toward those who are unwilling to be so easily commercialized.</p></blockquote><p>If you're trying to convince SOE, you might want to stop using tactics which seem to treat them as if they've never taken any marketing classes.  If you're trying to convince myself or other players, you might want to stop using verbiage which indicates we can't grasp logic or that we're only disagreeing with you because we feel resentment.  If it's really a logical argument you're trying to build, try cutting out the personal insinuations and emotional edge.  </p><p>Fact is we're customers of Everquest II.  For that purpose, we've been given a free random starter deck.  When the standalone version of the game launches, new customers who did not have an Everquest/Everquest II account will likely not be receiving any such free starter deck.  </p><p>Your argument indicates that being able to choose a starter deck would somehow lead to more players paying more money.  You offer no factual basis for this assertion except your own personal experience wherein you state you would have spent more money to build a deck if you'd been given a choice of your initial starter.  That's not empirical evidence, but anecdotal observation.</p><p>Further, my own experience varies greatly from your example.  When I did not receive the archetype I personally thought I'd enjoy, I then decided to make a new purchase to acquire the archetype I wanted.  Had SOE provided me a choice of the starter I wanted, I likely would not have repurchased the same deck, so therefore my own "evidence" indicates that by providing random decks, customers are more likely to purchase the deck they want.</p><p>If you want a specific Archetype, you can do what 99% of CCG players already do - you can purchase a specific starter deck.  </p><p>(and again, the Legends of Norrath forums are THAT way:  <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.legendsofnorrath.com/" target="_blank">www.legendsofnorrath.com</a>)</p>

[Aurumn]

<cite>Ponos@Antonia Bayle wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>If a customer wants to play, but wants to play with a scout archetype, and you give him a mage archetype, he will most likely <i>not play</i>.  If he doesn't play, he will not spend money on additional game-related products.  </p></blockquote><p>Just for giggles I'll throw in that I got stuck with a mage deck. Would've preferred scout or even priest, but meh. Tried it out (seeing as how it's FREE and all *ducks*) and I actually like it. If you can't trade the unopened starter deck for one of your preference then you have 3 (well 4) options:</p><ol><li>Play with the cards they dealt ya.</li><li>Buy the cards you want</li><li>Kill, kill, kill until the cards you want drop (again, FREE)</li><li>Don't play</li></ol><p>I'm sorry you're disappointed but it seems like a minor thing to get so worked up over. </p>

[liveja]

<cite>Ponos@Antonia Bayle wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>Had I been allowed to choose any of the four archetypes for my starter deck, I would've most likely become a vigorous player, and would've even spent a couple dollars here and there building up my deck, but as it stands now -- I won't ever be playing the game again.</p></blockquote><p>That all sounds a bit extreme, to me. You're saying that if you had that ONE card, you'd be a vigorous player & even spend real money on more cards, but since you don't have it, you'll never ever ever play LoN again?</p><p><img src="http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/images/smilies/2786c5c8e1a8be796fb2f726cca5a0fe.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" width="15" height="15" /></p><p>I'm not playing at all, but not because I was given a Mage deck when I would have preferred a Scout. I'm not playing because I have far too many things in EQ2 that I want to accomplish, & playing LoN keeps me from accomplishing them.</p>

[Echgar]

This topic is really one that is better suited to the <a href="http://forums.station.sony.com/strategygames/forums/list.m?category_id=7" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Legends of Norrath Forums</a> as it does not really pertain to EverQuest II gameplay.  Please take your issue there.