Monthly Promotions

Kyrra

Me, actually. Out of all the artifacts I've been buying, I think the only thing I bought when artifacts were discounted, was a greater vault.

Promos happen every month. Sometimes you want stuff, sometimes you don't. Sometimes you get lucky, and sometimes you miss out.

And for what it's worth, my first 2-3 years of playing before I went dormant were relatively poor. I asked for credits for birthdays / Christmas because it's what I was passionate about at the time, and hell, I bribed my father for three times the cost of a lip piercing, to take it out because I figured why not. I didn't have an expendable income while I was in school and not working. So I have been there. I can relate. It can suck. It's still no excuse for outright rudeness and massive hissy fits.

Secos

@Sarapis

I guess it supposes what the company's goal is with the monthly promotions.  What prompts me personally to buy additional credits that I normally wouldn't would be something along the lines of the %25 credit bonus.  I think last month's promotion was great and I rewarded it with my money.

Sarapis

@Secos Yep, generating credit sales is the sole goal with the promotion. Last month (credit bonus) was not a great month though, I should add. Was kind of an average month. Credit bonuses don't seem to be particularly motivating to the playerbase as a whole, compared to say, giftbags, which have been by far the most successful type of promotion we've run.

Echald

The allure of gambling is mighty.

Antonius

@Sarapis: If I didn't have to save at least some money for IronCon/Vegas, then NYC and Washington DC at the end of July, I would have bought considerably more than I did last month (and I think I still bought 3k credits across two purchases). Obviously that's not a factor for everybody, but I doubt I'm the only person who is planning on taking a vacation this summer and is cutting down on other unnecessary purchases as a result.

Also, @Echald is right. The nature of giftbags encourages people to buy them, I think. I was lucky enough to get some really incredible things from my first set, which did prompt me to buy some more credits at the end of the month to see if I could get equally lucky. Also, who doesn't love the crushing disappointment when you get your 100th bag of sigils?

Sylvance

Agreed. Though, my favourite thing about giftbag promos is giftbag rageposts.

Peak

Sarapis said:

Kresslack said:

 I'm more likely to just hang on to the temporary effect items and sell them at an extortionary rate later down the road if anything. 

Yep, that's what I'd do with them. Hold onto them until they're quite rare, and then sell.

There is almost no market for these kind of things though, especially if you don't know how long until the next time they're offered (because they will be).

Similarly, Mayan Crowns can go for anywhere from 18 to 75cr per (depending on what's new/limited in the shop of wonders), but right when you start buying them at 40 per because you know they can potentially be sold for more... BOOM crown sale - crowns are worth 25cr each. 

In short, this isn't that great of a tactic because those two-of-a-kind-super-rare-morphing-weapons-that-will-be-so-special end up being less special because they did -so- well that they will be included in giftbag sales, several more auctions, and make other random appearances.

Sarapis

Difference is that these are consumables, so by definition they won't stick around if they're used. (and the morphing weapon example doesn't make much sense, as those are bound to the character and are not tradeable)

Kyrra

Is there an honours line for stacking 500 of these? >.>

Kyrra

Never any remorse

Sylvance

Peak said:

Sarapis said:

Kresslack said:

 I'm more likely to just hang on to the temporary effect items and sell them at an extortionary rate later down the road if anything. 

Yep, that's what I'd do with them. Hold onto them until they're quite rare, and then sell.

There is almost no market for these kind of things though, especially if you don't know how long until the next time they're offered (because they will be).

Similarly, Mayan Crowns can go for anywhere from 18 to 75cr per (depending on what's new/limited in the shop of wonders), but right when you start buying them at 40 per because you know they can potentially be sold for more... BOOM crown sale - crowns are worth 25cr each. 

In short, this isn't that great of a tactic because those two-of-a-kind-super-rare-morphing-weapons-that-will-be-so-special end up being less special because they did -so- well that they will be included in giftbag sales, several more auctions, and make other random appearances.

Agreed, because having personally tried to play the Game of Crowns this is my experience, to the letter.

Jarrod

If the Game of Crowns has taught us anything, it's that getting too heavily involved and making yourself a main player in the trade is a surefire way to get yourself axed unless you're under 4 feet tall.

Trevize

Peak said:

Best promo was the IG artefact discount. Mayan crown sales are awesome too, because they mean SoW update. Lesson sales seem pretty well accepted too.

This. Selected artefacts for less credits, Mayan crowns, and %extra credits have always been my favorites. And the only ones that convince me to buy credits when I otherwise would wait.

Trevize

Sarapis said:

@Secos Yep, generating credit sales is the sole goal with the promotion. Last month (credit bonus) was not a great month though, I should add. Was kind of an average month. Credit bonuses don't seem to be particularly motivating to the playerbase as a whole, compared to say, giftbags, which have been by far the most successful type of promotion we've run.

Work kept me way too busy last month to pay much attention to Achaea. Sorry!

Verily

Yes! Artefact discounts, that would be grand. I say this selfishly, of course, because the only one I'd really seen was when I had first started playing and was reticent to purchase many credits.

Otherwise, I don't personally much care for things like these shrouds or the heron feathers. They're neat little trinkets, but I won't buy credits during those months. I personally (so far) favour waiting for sales, purchasing small amounts during giftbags, and so on.

Sultani

The lottery sounds intriguing. It'd be cool to see a smaller-scale payout one with tickets obtained from hunting. Didn't they do this quite awhile ago?

Achimrst

Must...buy....tickets....

Eld

Sultani said:

The lottery sounds intriguing. It'd be cool to see a smaller-scale payout one with tickets obtained from hunting. Didn't they do this quite awhile ago?

Yes, that's been done as a monthly promo a few times. For one day each week there's a chance to for tickets to drop from corpses, or to find them buried, and then a drawing for credit prizes.

Sasiya

I'm a bit uncertain about this promotion. My first reaction was that this is a 'the rich getting richer' promotion, but I could be wrong. Also, the chance of one person (possibly even from another game) walking away with the entire prize sum makes me feel like I'd just be better off waiting for another promotion.

On the other hand, I could very much be wrong in my assumption. I guess I'll just wait and see how things unfold.

Kyrra

Kind of wish I'd waited before buying 2k credits a few days ago

Katzchen

I got the idea that the lottery is an on-going thing, not a monthly promotion?

@Kyrra what happened to no regrets?!

Korben

Speaking as a credits newbie (only bought them once, a long time ago), does Iron Elite count for promotions ?

IE, if someone buys Cr100 with Iron Elite, do they get one shroud ?

Antonius

Iron Elite is generally separate from the monthly promotions, it's only actual credit purchases that count.

Trevize

I believe it did count for the giftbags? I wasn't really paying attention though. (I can let you know in a few days though!)

Antonius

I don't recall getting any giftbags for my Iron Elite being renewed, but I think I may have gotten giftbags for the 10% bonus credits due to having Iron Elite on my first purchase (when the amount of giftbags was adjusted).

Tecton

Iron Elite renewals do not normally count, but the 10% credit bonus you get when you make a normal purchase does for most promotions. So say you buy 1000cr, with the credit bonus, you'll get 1100cr and 19 shrouds (1100 cr = 11 shrouds, 4 bonus for 500cr, 4 bonus for 1000cr)

Sylvance

Sasiya said:

I'm a bit uncertain about this promotion. My first reaction was that this is a 'the rich getting richer' promotion, but I could be wrong. Also, the chance of one person (possibly even from another game) walking away with the entire prize sum makes me feel like I'd just be better off waiting for another promotion.

On the other hand, I could very much be wrong in my assumption. I guess I'll just wait and see how things unfold.

QFT.

If I pay for tickets in this thing and see somebody from another game walk with the bounty, it's just gonna leave me feeling butthurt. I specifically don't like that you have to use unbound credits on it; again, as I've previously said I get that it's a good way for IRE to make money, so more power to them, but I personally would only spend membership credits on this, so guess I'm SOL this month.

ETA: I do really like this business of thinking outside of the box and trying out interesting promos such as this, so kudos, Admin folks.

ETA: @Tecton - quick question on the lottery and Seconds Abuse. Because there are two routes into the lottery is it safe to assume that you can freely transfer any winnings between alts?

Antonius

The Announce post said unbound credits for the lottery, whereas HELP IRE LOTTERY says bound credits if you're buying tickets for yourself. I'd hope/assume that the HELP file is correct.

Kyrra

@Katzchen, there's always next week

Achimrst

I am sure it says your tickets carry over as long as you don't win each month so....