Costs

mepbmlist
#1

Hello all

Firstly nothing is set in stone yet - I have put forward what I think is a
fair price for all the turns.

Part of the reason that the new players (from DGE/GSI) take more admin is
that, as with all such cases, players are used to the way things were done
before, and expect it to be done that way in future - most have not read the
house rules (most common query is covered there for example, something I
deal with around 10 times a day). However, I think with Stu's advice, we
have come up with something that is better than either Harlequin or DGE had
(or earlier companies). (Clearly you are welcome to your own opinion here
and some players like one thing, and others another). (Note the earlier
comment in the other email was meant somewhat tongue in cheek, but the
sentiment and state of affairs appears to be correct).

So the quandry is to earn enough money to provide us all with a decent
income, and have a fun time doing it. I think that DGE charged $6.50, BUT
the biggy that most players missed playing with DGE were all the hidden
costs (check out their house rules for all the various costs, for late turns
and other such details I worked it out once and it was around $7-8 a turn
for most players, set-up cost being more expensive for example @$12.50 I
think. [I read this a year ago so please excuse any factual inaccuracies.])

So with using the system of different payment currencies, which I think is
beneficial for the game overall, especially as regards to new players. (I
am still open to informed debate on this as yet I have had little feedback
on this).

I am presently considering dropping the Aussie price BELOW that of the UK
and North America, basically the cost of the turn @$11.70 is considerably
more than the $8-10 that they were used and has a marked affect on the
player base. This is because $11.70 buys less in Australia than it would in
the UK, and even less than that of the USA. (By rights I think that a
decent price for ME is �4.70.) Ie we would earn less for running an Aussie
turn than for a US turn etc. (There are countless examples of different
pricing structures for a product in different countries).

Does anyone else feel that $5.80 is too much?

Thanks

Clint

#2

Nope. Actually, I'd prefer that it be $6.00 US; the
extra $0.20 doesn't mean anything to me and in the
aggregate it helps ensure that you folks stay in
business and keep me entertained. That, plus I like
round numbers...

Joseph

···

--- MiddleEarthGames <me@MiddleEarthGames.com> wrote:

Does anyone else feel that $5.80 is too much?

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#3

Everyone,

I think that $5.80 is a good thing. As players, I personally believe that
we should look at the costs of the game more as an investment in the game.
If Clint and Co. wants to increase prices I am cool with that because I
believe that he is going to use the money to improve the game and the
company.

I am not sure how many players out there remember what is was like when GSI
ran the game. I am not saying it was horrible, but it was different.
There was next to no player / GSI interaction. Deft was better, but still
less than we get now.

What I am saying is that it is a bad comparison the old companies to the
new. Clint and Co. puts more effort into the game, more effort into
keeping us the players happy, and actually tell us what the costs are going
to be. When was the last time GSI asked the players what they thought of
raising prices?

Finally, we have to think of the future of MEPBM. The company that runs it
and the people that work for it need to make enough to live well.
Otherwise they'll quit and you know who gets screwed then? Us.. The players.

Anyway, hate to sound like a company man, but I run my own company and I
tell ya.. Sometimes you just have to make a profit...

Chris

···

At 03:27 AM 1/15/02 -0000, you wrote:

Hello all

Firstly nothing is set in stone yet - I have put forward what I think is a
fair price for all the turns.

Part of the reason that the new players (from DGE/GSI) take more admin is
that, as with all such cases, players are used to the way things were done
before, and expect it to be done that way in future - most have not read the
house rules (most common query is covered there for example, something I
deal with around 10 times a day). However, I think with Stu's advice, we
have come up with something that is better than either Harlequin or DGE had
(or earlier companies). (Clearly you are welcome to your own opinion here
and some players like one thing, and others another). (Note the earlier
comment in the other email was meant somewhat tongue in cheek, but the
sentiment and state of affairs appears to be correct).

So the quandry is to earn enough money to provide us all with a decent
income, and have a fun time doing it. I think that DGE charged $6.50, BUT
the biggy that most players missed playing with DGE were all the hidden
costs (check out their house rules for all the various costs, for late turns
and other such details I worked it out once and it was around $7-8 a turn
for most players, set-up cost being more expensive for example @$12.50 I
think. [I read this a year ago so please excuse any factual inaccuracies.])

So with using the system of different payment currencies, which I think is
beneficial for the game overall, especially as regards to new players. (I
am still open to informed debate on this as yet I have had little feedback
on this).

I am presently considering dropping the Aussie price BELOW that of the UK
and North America, basically the cost of the turn @$11.70 is considerably
more than the $8-10 that they were used and has a marked affect on the
player base. This is because $11.70 buys less in Australia than it would in
the UK, and even less than that of the USA. (By rights I think that a
decent price for ME is £4.70.) Ie we would earn less for running an Aussie
turn than for a US turn etc. (There are countless examples of different
pricing structures for a product in different countries).

Does anyone else feel that $5.80 is too much?

Thanks

Clint

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#4

Clint:

As I mentioned before... $5.80 is fine.

It is quite unusual for a company to "ask" their customers whether a
price increase is fair. Kudos to Clint & Co.

Having never played with GSI or Harly... I can't compare.

However, I believe Clint and Stu have gone out of their way to be
responsive to us players (especially a whining U.S. player :wink: like
myself... ahh so that is why it costs more!).

Anyhow, it nice to have a company that personally interacts with its
customer base. It is great marketing (word of mouth goes a long way)
and smart business sense. Sorta the goodwill of the company... i.e.,
a happy customer base increases the overall value of the company.

Keep up the good work folks. Hey, a New Year so lets give 'em a
raise... they deserve it.

(how convenient that all this patting on the back and gratuitous
praise is presented immediately before I submit my next turn) :sunglasses:

Chris Montgomery
- apparently the all the Chris players concur!

--- In mepbmlist@y..., "MiddleEarthGames" <me@M...> wrote:

Hello all

Firstly nothing is set in stone yet - I have put forward what I

think is a

fair price for all the turns.

Part of the reason that the new players (from DGE/GSI) take more

admin is

that, as with all such cases, players are used to the way things

were done

before, and expect it to be done that way in future - most have not

read the

house rules (most common query is covered there for example,

something I

deal with around 10 times a day). However, I think with Stu's

advice, we

have come up with something that is better than either Harlequin or

DGE had

(or earlier companies). (Clearly you are welcome to your own

opinion here

and some players like one thing, and others another). (Note the

earlier

comment in the other email was meant somewhat tongue in cheek, but

the

sentiment and state of affairs appears to be correct).

So the quandry is to earn enough money to provide us all with a

decent

income, and have a fun time doing it. I think that DGE charged

$6.50, BUT

the biggy that most players missed playing with DGE were all the

hidden

costs (check out their house rules for all the various costs, for

late turns

and other such details I worked it out once and it was around $7-8

a turn

for most players, set-up cost being more expensive for example

@$12.50 I

think. [I read this a year ago so please excuse any factual

inaccuracies.])

So with using the system of different payment currencies, which I

think is

beneficial for the game overall, especially as regards to new

players. (I

am still open to informed debate on this as yet I have had little

feedback

on this).

I am presently considering dropping the Aussie price BELOW that of

the UK

and North America, basically the cost of the turn @$11.70 is

considerably

more than the $8-10 that they were used and has a marked affect on

the

player base. This is because $11.70 buys less in Australia than it

would in

the UK, and even less than that of the USA. (By rights I think

that a

decent price for ME is £4.70.) Ie we would earn less for running

an Aussie

turn than for a US turn etc. (There are countless examples of

different

···

pricing structures for a product in different countries).

Does anyone else feel that $5.80 is too much?

Thanks

Clint