Posted by MattKan

Tbh, I don't think that the free version is enough to save it.

Plenty of people have bought the app, and most of them hardly play anymore. The fact that so few of the people who purchased the app are playing it is not promising. This is especially true when you consider that the people who have purchased it were fairly interested in the game and Graal altogether, and even they are quickly losing interest in the server.

When the free version comes out, the people that will be downloading it are the people who have very little interest in the server because they haven't purchased it today. Granted, there's a few people who are holding off because either they can't purchase it or don't want to pay for it, but I think you'll agree that that's just a small minority.

My point is that the playercount is low, (far lower than iEra's ever was) and releasing a free version is not going to magically fix that. The people really interested and excited about iZone have already purchased it and many of them have already lost interest. In order to successfully take advantage of the free version, you'll have to capture the attention of a large population of uninterested people and somehow get them to stay on the server. Free alone will not solve all the problems. Only the staff team can do that, and I'm worried because most of the staff team thinks that the only issue Zone faces is the lack of the free version.

Erhmmm, no....  

Posted by MattKan

Tbh, I don't think that the free version is enough to save it.

Plenty of people have bought the app, and most of them hardly play anymore. The fact that so few of the people who purchased the app are playing it is not promising. This is especially true when you consider that the people who have purchased it were fairly interested in the game and Graal altogether, and even they are quickly losing interest in the server.

When the free version comes out, the people that will be downloading it are the people who have very little interest in the server because they haven't purchased it today. Granted, there's a few people who are holding off because either they can't purchase it or don't want to pay for it, but I think you'll agree that that's just a small minority.

My point is that the playercount is low, (far lower than iEra's ever was) and releasing a free version is not going to magically fix that. The people really interested and excited about iZone have already purchased it and many of them have already lost interest. In order to successfully take advantage of the free version, you'll have to capture the attention of a large population of uninterested people and somehow get them to stay on the server. Free alone will not solve all the problems. Only the staff team can do that, and I'm worried because most of the staff team thinks that the only issue Zone faces is the lack of the free version.

Totally agree.  

Posted by MattKan

post

Actually, when you look at how iera played out, it attracted -not people that were already from graal- but an entirely new and separate community. The reason zone is dying so fast is because all the people that purchased the game were from iera and iclassic. And what are they doing? Going back to iera and iclassic. A free version encourages more people that are just aimlessly browsing the app store to buy the game when they come across it. And i have faith that they will do the same with zone. Does that mean it will eventually get thousands of players like iera and iclassic? Of course not. The playercount will definitley increase substantially though, considering era had very little content upon release and never really broke the 600 player mark for almost 6 months after the free version came out.. You can't really talk about iclassic in this situation because it's main appeal was: "A Link To The Past: MMO Edition!"

"In order to successfully take advantage of the free version, you'll have to capture the attention of a large population of uninterested people and somehow get them to stay on the server."

Isn't that what happened with.. well... almost the entire iphone community? I don't find that unlikely. Of course they need to flesh out the game more so that it attracts new people and keeps them staying.  

Posted by Pimpsy G.

Actually, when you look at how iera played out, it attracted -not people that were already from graal- but an entirely new and separate community. The reason zone is dying so fast is because all the people that purchased the game were from iera and iclassic. And what are they doing? Going back to iera and iclassic. A free version encourages more people that are just aimlessly browsing the app store to buy the game when they come across it. And i have faith that they will do the same with zone. Does that mean it will eventually get thousands of players like iera and iclassic? Of course not. The playercount will definitley increase substantially though, considering era had very little content upon release and never really broke the 600 player mark for almost 6 months after the free version came out.. You can't really talk about iclassic in this situation because it's main appeal was: "A Link To The Past: MMO Edition!"

"In order to successfully take advantage of the free version, you'll have to capture the attention of a large population of uninterested people and somehow get them to stay on the server."

Isn't that what happened with.. well... almost the entire iphone community? I don't find that unlikely. Of course they need to flesh out the game more so that it attracts new people and keeps them staying.

The only way it will develop its own community like Era did is if it gets very popular and up in the App Store. (It's so similar to Era as it is, though, so we'll see.)

But the staff team needs to realize that just releasing the free version isn't going to magically solve all of their problems. All I've heard from the staff team is that "the playercount is low because there's no free version" which is a pretty self-destructive mindset if you ask me.  

Posted by MattKan

All I've heard from the staff team is that "the playercount is low because there's no free version" which is a pretty self-destructive mindset if you ask me.

I want to hear what they say after the f2p version's released. I'm pretty sure some of them are admitting to the lack in content as a cause, they can't all be incredibly oblivious....  

Posted by MrSimons

Before Zone came out: OMG WHEN ZONE COMES OUT I WILL QUIT ERA BECAUSE IT SUX AND I WILL ONLY PLAY ZONE CUZ IT IS GONNA BE THE BEST GRAAL EVER!!!!!

Now: YOU GUYS ARE AWFUL I KNEW ZONE WOOD SUX AN THAT U WOOD PUT NO EFFORT IN IS ERA IS SO BETTER!!!!!

.__.

Yep.
Most of them are from iEra too lol.

Also Pimpsy is right a free version would help. But I agree with Mattkan as well, I don't think it will make a big of an impact as people think. But yeah if I randomly saw Graal for the first time I wouldn't blindly pay 2.99 or whatever for it, I would try the free version first. Right now Classic and Era have the advantage over iZone when it comes to random people browsing the App Store.

iZone is just a reskinned iEra.
A truly unique and fresh server like Delteria will move the masses ;)  

Posted by *Matt

Soon enough. ;) We have ALOT in store for January, and February.

Thats what you're always telling us and we still have ****.  

Free version will help but I think zone needs to find a way to really push itself away from connections to iEra so it develops its own community/has a different pool of players.  

Posted by iHot

Thats what you're always telling us and we still have ****.

OH! Snap!
 

Posted by iHot

Thats what you're always telling us and we still have ****.

Lul that's gotta hurt  

Posted by Rexx

iZone is just a reskinned iEra.

No. Era has jobs,different gameplay and it has bases which is a huge factor to keep players pking.

And MattKan is totally right,only time will tell for you to see.Oh just right now Izone had 36 players.  

Zone needs more varied game play and more content to allow players to do more things. The game play needs content that is enjoyable for the players. It can't be all in one area. Showdown is fun, but now the regular game mode of capturing bases seems so empty and deserted.

With era you have events, sparring, basing, and... socializing. Players can choose between them and prefer some over others. There are plenty of guns which can set goals for some players. With games, you have goals, and overall, have fun.

In zone, once you have all guns, and become one of the best players in the server, it's as if you beat the game so quickly. Content and updates is what keeps the server going. The problem now with zone is that the game play is better with more players. Earning money in zone is fun with pking and that's what zone seems to be focused on. The major problem now is that zone is dying quickly with lack of players online. This makes the game play much more boring leading up to only doing missions.

Before releasing the free version, make sure you have some interesting content that can keep the server going to give a good first impression to the players. If the first impression turns out to be negative, that player probably won't be touching iZone again. iZone right now seems in a sticky situation.