[MUD-Dev] business models

[Christopher Allen]

william ralph renner wrote:
> Christopher Allen wrote:

>> They also have a "Platinum" service that is $79.95 a month, which
>> gives you access to a private game server only from Premium
>> subscribers. Howevever, this has not been judged a success with
>> only a couple of hundred users in each game.

> On the contrary, I'd say the Platinum Services offered by
> Simutronics for their online games has been an overwhelming success.
> The idea behind this move was to create a smaller, tighter,
> RP-centered community, akin to the old GEnie days of the game.  To
> do this, Simu had to discourage 95% of their players from
> subscribing, and as in the GEnie days the only effective way was
> through pricing.

> Though I personally have not played on these servers, I have several
> friends who have and they are quite pleased with the environment.
> While I don't have the information to say if the server is
> profitable or not, but I can say that the Platinum service has met
> its goals and more.

I'm quoting what I was told by a senior Simutronic's employee in late
1999.  I think one of the factors is insufficient critical mass for
player commodities like healing, trade, etc.

Personally, I feel that the price was too high. $49.95 may have
quadrupled the number of users, and have given the games sufficient
critical mass.

Of course, late 1999 was a long time ago, so circumstances may also
have changed ;-)

-- Christopher Allen

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