EVE General Discussion

I don't really see why paying an additional subscription fee or PLEX per month for each additional character that's training on a single account would be a bad idea.
It accomplishes the exact same thing as having two separate accounts training at the same time.

Hypothetically, it might also increase revenue, since at the moment it's really expensive to produce a 1-3 month skilled alt, and therefore relatively few people do because they're deterred by that +2 PLEX overhead. I think a lot of people would jump at the chance to pay 1-2 PLEX for 30-60 days alt training, even if it was something that you could only do once per character.

I certainly would have taken advantage of such an offer earlier in my EVE career; I don't really need it now, but it would have been really useful in 2007.

I would have used it too.

But I think this is more about the reduction in subscription numbers, it could bring. I guess a reduction in those figures, wouldn't look good for CCP.

That's one monthly fee to play *either* character, one at a time.

Having 2 accounts gives benefits other than training, and subscriptions are cheaper than PLEX, so if it is PLEX-only there is a built-in additional margin for CCP.

You're kidding right?

It was like that way back and removed. Wanna train, you gotta get another account...

Besides I find it hard to believe you haven't figured it out for youself. It's about money to CCP...

So that's a “no” then.

Of course not. If there is evidence there is no absence of evidence. That was a silly truism.
Did you mean to say “the absence of evidence is not evidence of absence”? If so, then sure, but it's still up to you to produce said evidence or your claim is completely baseless.

No-one is saying that you did. What you claimed without any evidence to support it is that CCP is pushing multiple accounts to cover up poor player retention.

It's only a bad idea in the sense that alts are a bad idea: ideally, people would clique together to solve the issues that we now use alts to fix. The actual bad idea is that it should come at a significant discount (presumably based on the logic that you can only play one at a time). Dilution of the character pool and disconnecting yourself from other players should come at the same cost regardless of how you do it.

Basically, to make it work without breaking things, it would have to come with such restrictions and costs that you might as well get a second account and get the whole “play a second character” bit thrown in for free, at which point you have to wonder what the point of adding parallel training would be.

Thank you for clarifying a few things here. I would also like to point out that no other game allowed you to train skills or level up while you were logged out. That was an "industry standard" and generally excepted to be the norm. EVE Online is proof that the standard can change.


@RubyPorto
Here is the post of someone else making the claim and then kindly read ISD TYPE40's post. I was incorrect in thinking that CCP allowed it but it was a bug and was fixed.

@Tippia
I went and found the online version of the EULA.

Now there are 3 main paragraphs here that shows what I am paying for when I purchase a subscription.

"Thank you for your interest in EVE, interactive online game ("EVE" or the "Game"). EVE is offered by CCP hf. ("CCP"), a company based in Reykjavik, Iceland dedicated to the creation of next generation games. EVE is a multiplayer role playing game that allows the simultaneous participation of players around the world, interacting in the same game environment. You may play EVE using CCP's proprietary software (the "Software"). Using the Software allows you to log into CCP’s client system (the “System”) and interact within the game environment created by CCP. To play EVE, CCP requires that you review and agree to the following terms and conditions of this End User License Agreement (“EULA”).

This EULA describes the terms and conditions under which you may (i) use the Software; (ii) subscribe to, access and use EVE Online, and (iii) access the System CCP may amend this EULA from time to time by posting an amended version at http://www.eveonline.com/pnp/eula.asp. If you accept this EULA, the then-current version of this EULA shall apply each time you access the System or play EVE."

And the 3rd paragraph under section 9, article B.

"Upon establishing a valid Account, and subject to your continued compliance with the EULA, CCP grants you a limited, non-exclusive, revocable license to access the System, and to access and use the Game Content and User Content (each as defined below), in order to play EVE online. You may download (and, to the extent permitted by the System, make a single copy for your own purposes in playing the Game) and exchange Game Content and User Content exclusively via a valid Account, solely to play the Game, for purposes permitted by, and in a manner consistent with, the EULA."


Based on this, I am entitled to access the game when I purchase a sub for a valid account. Not train one character as everyone implies. As a matter of fact, there is nothing in the EULA about character training. Why is that? Simple really, the EULA is a contract between a company and the user to outline the use and restrictions of the license for a particular software.

CCP does retain the right to change the EULA at any given time. If they feel they need to include this so there is no further confusion they I think they should. I would recommend a section explaining what is included with an account and how many characters are allowed to train at a time for legality purposes. I know everyone here is screaming "you're an idiot for even stating all of this and it doesn't need to be done". That's fine, but at least we can get this settled for once and for all and have a legal documentation you can site right off the bat without injecting personal opinions.

…but why would it since what you're asking for is to give away their main money-maker for free?

…and as mentioned numerous times now, your sub includes the ability to train one character, as dictated by the functionality of the game. Same as everywhere else. I'm quite frankly surprised that anyone is surprised by this.

There already is.
§11: “The Software, System, Game and all Game Content, and all other services and material provided in connection therewith, are provided "AS IS," with all faults, and without warranty of any kind. ”

AS IS means you accept the functionality offered by the game — viz. training one character per account. Hell, you accept that you might not even be able to train one character due to the server being down when you try. When you started your trial account, you found out this functionality. When you then upgraded to a paying account, you accepted that this is what you pay for.

Yes, but that's kind of my point: it would work out the same in terms of costs, rather than be what people who propose this often ask for, i.e. that it would be free or heavily discounted. Hence the question: is the gain in convenience worth the effort of implementing such a system when you can already do the same thing for the same cost using the existing mechanics?

Correct... on most of it. I honestly don't care about CCP making money. Wat?? Oh no he didn't!!!! What I do care about is the actual number of players who play and not subscribed accounts that makes CCP look good. By giving away the extra character slots to train for free on the same account, it causes people to consider dropping their alt accounts because it looks better and no real need to have the alt account. Now CCP will loose revenue and profits if they don't go out and actual get new players to make up for the losses. They should advertise more or whatever and actively try to get new players instead of throwing deals out to the same old players. This game has been around since 2003 right? How come I never heard of it until 2009? I found it doing a search for space MMORPG. Tried a trial and said this is the most boring thing I have ever played in my life. I didn't even hear about it again until last August from a friend. Hell, I even forgotten it existed. In fact, I have never seen a commercial outside of links to youtube from EVE websites. I'm sure I can find more now because I'm actively looking for them. I can understand that you don't want "stupid" people in the game but the learning curve will take care of them.

…and that is why your idea is stillborn.

Trying to justify its necessity and denounce any objections to it by appeal to tinfoil doesn't improve things.

You weren't paying attention.

Fair enough. I'd still argue that it's not particularly good for the game to provide such impulse purchases. If it holds people back from getting those alts, then all the better.