Alright, before I say anything, I haven't played this game in 2yrs. I haven't even kept up with any activity since then, so forgive me if this has been thought about/already shot down.

I was thinking about DAoC, as it usually comes to thought randomly every few months, about what could be done to rescue the game. This thought occurred to me:

EA makes a one-time, multi-million dollar investment into DAoC's production team. They work on a new release (something voted on by the community, so it does ruin the game like some say ToA did) of a new class, quest line, maybe even new crafting, idk something new and excited. Then a few weeks before the release of this, they take some of the invested money and spend it on advertising, tv, internet, etc (huge advertising), and advertise that the game

FREE FOR ONE YEAR! paid for by EA. I feel this would bring in a huge wave of new accounts, that will see just how good this game really is; people who have never even heard of it will start playing, love it, and spread the word. I doubt this would happen, but I think EA should consider it because it would really bring the life back into the game I think.

Opinions, alternative ideas, flames?
Bring it.

a new expansion would be good, but it would have to have complicated, hard and meaningful PvE to attract anyone new or old back to it.

worthless pve like catacombs, darkness rising, and labby wouldnt do it thats for sure.... those expansions are part of the reason so many people left, they didnt have anything to keep them playing when the content can be finished in 1 week... it has to take time and skill and be fun... not a mindly grind you get past in a few days

a free year, paid for by EA would kill the game faster then anything, especialy if EA invested in a new expansion... the object is to make money, not go broke, share holders, and the board of directors would never sign off on such a stupid move...

10-14 days free to come see the new content sure... if you play for more then 3 days and still arent decided if your gunna come back... most likely wont.. so anymore free time is a waste of moeny for EA

 

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I see what you are saying, but the premise (in my mind) wasn't to give them a week or two to decide if they are coming back(aka subscribing) but rather to let them advance to a level for free, where they will pay to continue playing.

you can get to level 50, solo doing task dungeons in less then 24 hrs /played wether you do it in 1 long marathon session or 2hrs a day for 14 day free trial...

the game has been seriously nerfed and dumbed down to the point where if being power leveled by another player you can hit level 50 in 4-6 hrs.

the game is retardedly easy these days.

and thats part of the downfall of the game, most peoples fond memories of the game is the leveling process, grouping with people, making friends, strengthing the community...

now you can solo to 50, and unless your being power leveled, grouping actualy slows you down.

there is no more community, no more bond between the player and the character... its so easy to get to 50 theres no pride in acomplishments, no sense of achievement.

 

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thats the saddest thing I've ever heard

your thread is the saddest thing I've ever heard.

 

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True story.

 

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14 day free trial was enough to get me to play again. A new expansion might get old players in again because a lot don't realize the game still exists.