Suggestion: Free Demo

sigmen4020 · 2019-12-01 13:08:42

Maybe as a way to convince more hesitant buyers you could offer a free demo for the game. My suggestion would be that the “old version server” could be used as this demo. That way they would have to buy the game to get all the content released after that point, while they can also get a feel for the game.

It could be a good use for that server, since it’s currently sitting around collecting dust.

Alec · 2019-12-01 13:46:31

Few players server is attractive enough?
I thought no.
We already have playing videos and streams by streamer.

wondible · 2019-12-01 13:47:18

sigmen4020 wrote:

It could be a good use for that server, since it’s currently sitting around collecting dust.

A free server would probably attract much higher player counts than paid one. It might have to have a low player limit. If it didn't, the solo game is very different from the multiplayer game.

Perhaps running a later version with a very slow life token server for the free players. Having better griefer management in place would be good for trial as well, although if it was mostly new people, they wouldn't know how to curse...

Kinrany · 2019-12-01 14:28:05

OHOL's business model is not f2p or subscription. OHOL's main selling point is that it's a unique experience, not that it keeps you hooked forever. Veteran players provide valuable feedback, but the main audience and source of income that keeps the servers running are the noobs that stop playing after a few hours. So a demo with ~3 lives would already be like 90% of the game.

Kaveh · 2019-12-01 15:05:21

As Kinrany says, I think a free demo like this would prevent people from actually buying the game- especially if it's only limitation is less content or w/e.

A demo would be good if it allows people to do somethin similar to the tutorial; something that feels like it isn't really what the actual game is like, but gives an idea of how things could/would work when buying the full version. Maybe it could even be offline (single player), or maybe you'd only get to play for a short amount of time (a few lives and then you need to buy).

The thing about a demo, though, is that it could convince some hestitant people to buy, but it could also scare some away who would've bought it otherwise...

Spoonwood · 2019-12-01 17:17:37

I don't think that being an Eve out in the wild re-starting from scratch would be as appealing to new players as getting born into a developed or developing town with some semi-experienced to veteran players around. So, a demo might just lessen the player retention rate. Unfortunately, I can't say that a free demo would work out well. Jason did play the game with someone from Kotaku early on, but Jason also knew what he was doing and tried to help that guy along (who kept on dying).

jasonrohrer · 2019-12-02 06:55:53

I have thought about this... One idea was that free demo players can only play as animals, and you get born as a sheep or pig or dog. That would require a lot of work on my end, though...

The main problem is load. Free games attract loads of simultaneous players, and something like 98% of them don't buy the game.

I need to focus my engineering efforts on supporting the customers who actually paid.

sigmen4020 · 2019-12-02 07:20:44

jasonrohrer wrote:

I have thought about this... One idea was that free demo players can only play as animals, and you get born as a sheep or pig or dog. That would require a lot of work on my end, though...
The main problem is load. Free games attract loads of simultaneous players, and something like 98% of them don't buy the game.
I need to focus my engineering efforts on supporting the customers who actually paid.

Understandable. I've come think now that this free demo idea is quite flawed, and it would need more work than I thought when I posted this. Effort that would probably be better spent elsewhere.

Kinrany · 2019-12-02 15:56:48

On the other hand, maybe the game could actually become f2p. So that not only the game is open source, but even the main experience is free. Funded by dopamine addicts, though that's the kind of fun Jason doesn't like :)

95% of OHOL is PvE, so even straight up selling resources should be acceptable in some way

Last edited by Kinrany (2019-12-02 15:59:54)

One Hour One Life Forums

#1 2019-12-01 13:08:42

Suggestion: Free Demo

#2 2019-12-01 13:46:31

Re: Suggestion: Free Demo

#3 2019-12-01 13:47:18

Re: Suggestion: Free Demo

#4 2019-12-01 14:28:05

Re: Suggestion: Free Demo

#5 2019-12-01 15:05:21

Re: Suggestion: Free Demo

#6 2019-12-01 17:17:37

Re: Suggestion: Free Demo

#7 2019-12-02 06:55:53

Re: Suggestion: Free Demo

#8 2019-12-02 07:20:44

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#9 2019-12-02 15:56:48

Re: Suggestion: Free Demo

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