Suggestion Credit Card?

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Undertaker
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Suggestion Credit Card?

Post by Undertaker »

the other day, a new player was looking to buy some stuff from me (pricey things) so the player commented "i wish we had credit cards" ... or even bank loans for newbies... something to help em get started, as the shard grows, its getting a lil bit tougher to help Every new player that joins, ive helped some in the past that ended up leaving without a trace, or giving like 100k to help em get started, an still no sight of them... i dont want to say it but thats a waste of time, an that just messes it up for the rest of the new comers that join an stay permanately... so maybe this could pass? of course no million gold loan lol, but maybe like 100k limit... an maybe make it like you can only get a loan on a 14 day account, or 30 day... you guys are the progammers an would know best how do sort this idea better ...

Rock on! :dance
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+Osiris
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Re: Suggestion Credit Card?

Post by +Osiris »

I'm not convinced, I think what you get as a new player here on Ecelsior is a massive bonus compared to the usall starting gear.

Our population is a growing one and the more new players come in the more the donation area needs filling yes, But as these new players get older, they are more likely to help other new players if they are helped when they started, i.e. a piece off armour is all it takes.

I don't think it's that hard up to start getting the cash and tokens rolling here, if people want everything straight off then this isn't the place for them, Excelsior is a place where you earn your stuff, and it's because off this that our population is getting as big as it is.

People would just get bored too soon and too easliy if things are given to them on a plate.

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Inaotia
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Re: Suggestion Credit Card?

Post by Inaotia »

I agree with you Osiris and yet I don't. Yeah theres all the donations that players give to help young players out but at the same time...If its your first shard to play it can be kinda daunting and difficult to play. It's not often that a brand new UO player might come to us but its not a bad idea. Afterall the real world economy is all ATM cards so maybe its out of character but the concepts are easier to grasp. Again its worth a discussion in the least.

-Inaotia
Undertaker
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Re: Suggestion Credit Card?

Post by Undertaker »

if u look at the real world economy, credit cards are the worst thing to have, i fortunately have it paid off, but at one point it was maxed, so i actully learned to stop using it, an just live off what i make, lol, it was a weird transaction... but back to uo, look at it as a good thing, an the donation room, you dont always get what you want/need, it takes a bit of complaining befor somebody actully makes the person a decent set... an i hear from other players that its starting to get annoying to see/hear other ppl come up an ask for free stuff, first time is ok, after the 50th, you start to ignore new comers, an that is Bad. an not everyone that grows into a vet is going to do the same thing an help the new person that logs in Excelsior, i know everyone here is different, but for me I would perfer to start with 100k, buy what i need, an start hunting... thats how i started actully, i forget the cost of what i borrowed, think 200k, an i paid it off within a week... it was a blast having someone help me out with that, but think if i did it from a credit card, i would have interest.. why not have a credit card, atleast if the new player doesnt stick around, the person that helped that newbie didnt have a complete waste of time an money... another point of view (i just had)

Excelsior is like a secondary life thats not important... for instants, i have bees, and bees need Daily care for about 30 mins (i say 30 mins cuz i have ALOT of them)... so 30 mins out of my day has to be spent on uo to aid my beehives, now i dont have to, but i want to... Having a credit card (or bank loan) would be a similar concept of the secondary life, no diff then paying rent from the vendors at TC, or rent from the appartments, or guild houses, all a credit card is doing is helping the newbie get started an not have to bug the heck out of everyone else for free stuff, or making a Really awesome suit for 10k, atleast with a credit card they can pay the amount its sold on the market, an the newb has something to look forward to repaying debt... plus it gives all the ladies free money to shop, lmao...

"People would just get bored too soon and too easliy if things are given to them on a plate."

i dont fully agree with that, there is actully alot to do... if you stick around champs all day... yes, boredom kicks in, an suddenly uo is boring, and even if you play uo day an night an train your character, you can get bored like that too...
but with the credit card idea, theres more adventure an possibilities that can extend your limits other then the training room... theres alot of flaws that need to be worked out.. and if this doesnt fall thru, its an idea that can be looked at again in the future (if it ever came to that)...

alot of think about... any other comments on how this would flow? or wouldnt flow?
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+Colibri
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Re: Suggestion Credit Card?

Post by +Colibri »

Subprime loans.

Which established player here would want to lend money to newbies that might be here for a week and then you wouldn't have heard from them after a week? Since so many wouldn't pay back, the interests would need to be huge to cover the losses.

Now, if a shard would lend gold (staff), it would have to be automated (we can't give 10 100k loans out every day and then worry about when they will be paid back). If it would be automated:
- There's a nice opportunity to exploit this system - one can create a new account, borrow money, transfer it to your real character and simply forget about the loan. Well the staff could track that but then there's another thing on our hands to worry about.
- So someone doesn't pay back the gold... should we take it on like the mafia and ban the person or nullify their skills? What effect will that have on a person that stopped playing after a week?

There's easy things in life and there's hard things in life. Without the hard things, the easy ones wouldn't be easy :)
I've already been thinking about introducing such more advanced monetary services but there's nothing useful I've thought of so far.

Another thing to reconsider here. If all newbie players start with more gold or can borrow gold, how will that make them richer? All we'll see is prices go up on vendors, more money flowing into the economy, inflation... Having a lot of money is a good thing only if others don't.
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Llexa
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Re: Suggestion Credit Card?

Post by Llexa »

When I first started here, I didn't get ANY hand outs. I did find a player who said, "would you like to make some money?" and of course I was like, sure! (I had used my skill ball on Taming which I always do.) This player would give me BOD's for taming and tell me when I filled it and returned it to him, he would give me gold for each one. (He gave me like, 10k for single 10's and 15k for single 15's, etc). He didn't tell me where to look, I just used stratics, and found spots.

It was nice b/c I actually earned money for myself. I wasn't getting hand outs, loans, nothing. I was working towards something that was helping me and him. If i would turn them in myself, i would get maybe 1-2k for each bod and it wouldnt be worth it. He needed to fill large bods, so giving me misc. small ones to do and paying me well was a great way to earn money. After doing probably 50 bods or so, he said he had a couple tougher ones to do, and if I did these 2 BOD's that took aggro animals, he would make me a really good suit of armor. And he def did. It gave me a goal and something to do that would give me money. I wasn't just aimlessly wandering around. AND it helped me work my skill some more!

I don't like the loan idea. IRL, you dont pay it, you can have your stuff taken away. If it came down to staff taking away players items, or deleting whole chars for payment not being made, we would have a lot of p/o'ed players. And there is no way in the world that players should get these loans and then "forget" about it and not have to pay it back, lol.

We should just work our skills of determining which new players are deserving of some start up help and give these newer players a goal to reach, something to do to get some money/equipment and also feel accomplished. And if new players want instant gratification (aka too lazy) then too bad, lol.(I have heard people say, "man i have looked everywhere and there's no way to make money on this shard" and then you mention like 5 things, and for each one they are like "yeah but i dont want to do that" lol. Drives me nuts!)

Also, best to probably give items not gold. They could spend that money on things that wont really help them off the bat. Maybe even just take them shopping in TC so they get feedback. Yeah it might take 20 minutes, but eh, if each of us took just 20 minutes out of game play to help a new player over the course of a few days, that is like.... probably 800 minutes of time from accounts atleast 2 weeks old who can help new players. :nod:

love,
Llexa :woot:
"We push and we push away,
For fear of facing our mistakes.
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And watch our friends, our world, ourselves... go comatose, inside."
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Sorgon
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Re: Suggestion Credit Card?

Post by Sorgon »

Well I agree with Llexa I dont and never have begged for handout's. A very nice person who wishes to remain nameless took me under thier wing my first day here. Got me some armor. Told me what to kill. Let me learn and play on my own.
When I was looking for a certin item they helped me get it. But I have vowed to myself to re-pay as i can. Also I believe I have made a good friend even tho we dont see alot of eachother when I am on and he needs help I drop everyting to run and help.
But also have noticed alot of vets dont do that...So far since i have been here 30 days now. I can say I have made 2 real freinds. My guild is always nice. But I seem to get in game when not many are on.
I think handing New players more then what the shard already does would be over-kill. I also think when a vet is not busy and or is bored they may want to take a newbie or newer player and show em the ropes or take em hunting. The best feeling I had so far was about a week ago i ran by MoA being done by a newer player (dieing alot) So even tho i knew baracoon was up and I need PS's bad I stopped and helped him down MoA. I packed all the gold and ps's and met them in cove. I gave them all the ps's and gold (even tho i was broke). And by the time i got to baracoon it was 3/4 way done by someone else....and i felt good. even tho i lost my chance at a solo baracoon. I felt like i gave a bit back. Its a good feeling and Everyone should try it!!!!

ok *Wall of text off*
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Llexa
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Re: Suggestion Credit Card?

Post by Llexa »

Aww! Go you!

Yeah I try to tell new players, when I am not rushing around, that the items I give them, if they ever choose to leave, they should give those items to another new player and spread it around. :D It's such a nice way to help someone, and then see them helping someone else.

I am glad you made some friends here and i'm sure you will make many more to come :wink:

I also thing "handouts" so to speak do players a disservice. I am not talking about building a friendship with someone and giving them some start up gear, i am talking about the 'paying you off' kinda way, where you dont get to invest any time helping, but just throw 50k at them and run off, lol. (i think all of us have been guilty of this at times when we are busy, lol)
If you want to help, go shopping in TC with them or take them to your house and go through your equipment. That's how 50% of my guildies became guildies, since we don't believe in advertising.

love,
Llexa
"We push and we push away,
For fear of facing our mistakes.
So we call it judgment,
And watch our friends, our world, ourselves... go comatose, inside."
Undertaker
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Re: Suggestion Credit Card?

Post by Undertaker »

Nice feedback! and thank you :D



an i was hoping one of the programmers here would respond, ty colibri for that feedback

and consider this case/topic closed :nod:

(if something like this should ever resurface an actully take play, it better be a good auto system)
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1987-2009 R.I.P David, my dear sweet Brother (in-law)
For those who knew him don't need an explanation. For those who didn't, an explination would be impossible
Llexa
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Re: Suggestion Credit Card?

Post by Llexa »

Closed????? Nevah!! :woot:

But in all seriousness, good topic, and good discussion :nod:

love,
Llexa
"We push and we push away,
For fear of facing our mistakes.
So we call it judgment,
And watch our friends, our world, ourselves... go comatose, inside."
Undertaker
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Re: Suggestion Credit Card?

Post by Undertaker »

hehe, thanks :)
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For those who knew him don't need an explanation. For those who didn't, an explination would be impossible
Lyandrin
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Re: Suggestion Credit Card?

Post by Lyandrin »

I just need to vent a bit here aswell, And I know that my ramblings on forums usually tends to not be on topic in the end, nor do they usually make any sense whatsoever, But I'm gonna try again :P

In my mind handouts are totally wrong, I dont usually help newcomers that much, I choose a few lucky ones whom I take under my wings. This was how I was treated when I first joined, I didnt get a single piece of armor or gold for that matter.

A Player named B0l0 took me under her wings instead, she took me to MoA and Barracoon and helped me take those down a few times, made me work for my gold so to speak :) This made me want to progress when I saw her go through those champs like butter.
I now have the knowledge, skills and gear to do the same thing and thus I try to help a few people when I can :)
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