The Effects Of 2 Weeks Free Gold
 

While other servers have different circumstances which may make any statistical data or personal interpretation appear relatively insignificant, compared to the previous 2 months on Classic there were far more genuinely new players participating within what once more became regular/semi regular events, plus a lot more getting into the Trading Card Game (as it's impossible to enjoy when entering observer mode every 10 - 15 minutes).

If it wasn't for their presence the upgraded players would have had no reason to stick around, but then there were also about half a dozen newer players who said they were contemplating upgrading, and several asked about whether it's possible to purchase event prizes with real money.

I'm curious as to what effect this has had elsewhere, I don't really see how it was a celebration of V6's release considering V6 doesn't offer many new features, and you can't even implement most of them until V5 is removed.

I would like to see Gold permanently free and encourage players to buy aesthetic/micro-transaction related items instead. Playercount is healthy for any server, and to have a playercount you need players. Players will not find a server appealing if no one is playing it, and so they will not upgrade or buy items for that server or possibly even the game.

The smart thing would be to leave Classic-style servers (UN, Classic) completely F2P while servers like Zodiac and possibly Era (I don't know how they're doing) reel in gralats from micro-transactions. iClassic and iEra bring in good money from micro-transactions.

Valikorlia would also benefit from no observer-mode (has that been implemented yet???) because people can't roleplay if they get knocked into observer mode in the middle of everything. I know there's a small audience for Valikorlia, but it's almost impossible for a newbie to get into it without upgrading. And then we go back to square one, which is why upgrade for a server that lacks players and requires you to upgrade to fully enjoy?

UN's player count has seem a definite increase. Went from averaging like 30-40 player at peek times to 50+. Seeing new faces for the first time in a while. Has been pleasant.

I would...

1. Remove Observer Mode.
2. Put trials on same level as classic accounts.
3. Add a one-time 'Developer' item to purchase so you can be hired and use RC on servers.
4. Add a one-time 'Customization' item so people can change their head.
5. Give Lifetime Classic accounts the Developer and Customization items.
6. Have servers create incentives for gold subscriptions.

Then change developing servers to a concurrent user slot system so you can only have X amount of players on your RC.

It would also be cool to see cheaper 'Micro Server' slots that someone could buy to allow one-two people on RC and keep it locked to people on the staff list.

On Graal Kingdoms the playercount is normally sporadic with a few peak times, during the 2 weeks of free gold we saw a more regular playercount. However, there was a number of holiday events, an update to the event shop and the release of a new event... so it's hard to say which contributed the most.

I personally noticed some new players and a few oldbies returning.

I fully support a transition from P2P to F2P with microtransactions. I feel that any server should have the option to host an in-game shop for microtransactions and should also be rewarded based on sales, this way there is a constant incentive to improve server shops AND a sense of competition amongst servers.

As long as microtransactions don't have any effect on the competetive aspects of the game I'm all for it.

I think this was an excellent testing period that verifies that Gold for free is the best option. Would love to see it implemented in the future.

why...

It has been suggested countless times before. Nothing is different now that'll change his mind.

It simply won't happens because Stefan requires to have control over micro transactions on all the playerworlds, and it wouldn't match the income generated currently with monthly gold subscriptions.

That's his reasoning on not introducing micro transactions to Graal PC.

You're not wrong but considering 2 weeks free gold was the first good thing to happen to PC Graal in a very long time, it makes no less sense to beat that horse again now than the period beforehand.
Although my guess is that V6 is hardly a big deal to most players and so the free gold was intended to make it be received better.

I agree that micro-transactions would not be able to match the income of subscriptions alone in PC Graal's current state, however much of the concern around the subscription policy and trial restrictions is that they are prohibitive towards playercount, development and professional staffing, which the game is dependent on.

What I think needs to happen is for micro-transactions to be eased in to compensate a gradual reduction in the price of Gold. Remove hard-coded trial restrictions and agree on a set of scripted restrictions, which limit players but do not ruin/disrupt gameplay or render the design of a server obsolete.
But ofcourse like you say, for this Stefan would have to show some trust in the people who you know, actually develop and used to play the game.

I would like to see graal go with micro-transactions and windows 8 app.

Yes, look at other MMOG's in this kind of style, what they offer and how the payments works there. For this kind of game, it's almost always microtransactions and F2P, and most other games of this type has more to offer (playerwise).

Windows 8 app, for pc? YES!! would be awesome. Especially if it supports ARM processors as well and can work on Surface tablet without the need to buy the PRO version.

I agree. With a lowering of the price of gold, more players may play. I think a trial period for the new subscription would help ease any concern's whether it would actually work, maybe a few months of new pricing? With more players, we may have more transactions. I personally know that on GK alone, back in the days of 80+ players there was alot of "USD trading".. players were paying $0.10 all the way up to and exceeding $100 per transactions for just 1 item alone.

I would like to see Graal in a number of those app stores. Someone mentioned the Steam app store but I am sure there are more, like the Apple App Store (for computers).