[Dev Blog] Buddy program experiment - Plex for buddy reward

[EchoEpsilon23]

http://www.eveonline.com/devblog.asp?a=blog&bid=907

It's important to you, so it's important to us.

The Buddy Program is one of the most popular ways that players bring new people into the EVE community. It has become so popular that currently a little over a quarter of all new EVE players come in through the program. For CCP and for the community, this is a win-win situation. Players bringing in players makes for a stronger, better EVE. It means a greater likelihood that the new player has someone to turn to, to fly with and to learn from.

The Buddy Program currently offers a reward of one month of game time when that new player subscribes, but that is more of a reward for some than it is for others. This blog is about one of several ways we will be testing to evolve the Buddy Program to make it more rewarding for those players who help to build and expand the EVE Online community.

On May 11th, we will be adding a new reward to the Buddy Program: PLEX. When inviting new players using the Buddy Invite page, you will have a choice of selecting either the standard 30 days of game time or a PLEX as the potential reward for that invitation.

Stand Back, I'm going to try Science.

We are interested in finding out if there is an unmet desire for PLEX instead of game time. We'd also like to see if this gets more players using the Buddy Program, thus increasing the numbers of new players that join already knowing someone in game. This is an experiment. We will be monitoring this change closely, and we are prepared to adjust or abort the program if we find it isn't yielding desirable results.

We've also added a few more features based on feedback from the program and its users.

· The cap on invites has been raised from three (3) per month to ten (10) per month.

· Buddy invitations will remain valid and will no longer expire after a set period of time.

When you're ready to send some invites or if you're interested in reading up on the program, click HERE to head over to the Buddy Program invitation page.



FAQ (Four Apropos Questions)



Aren't you worried about exploits?

A community of 360,000 players will always find interesting loopholes; however, since this involves PLEX, which has its own in-game market, any exploits will be dealt with harshly and rapidly.

This seems too good to be true, is it?

Not at all. This is about giving our players, the best players anywhere, a choice. Have game time? Get PLEX for your effort. Need game time? Do it the old way; it's easy with no redemption of PLEX in your hold. We'll be doing a revamp to the Buddy Program at the end of the year that will add more layers, leaderboards and larger rewards for corporate recruiting and induction. It only gets better.

How long will this last?

We're currently allowing a low number of PLEX to come into the system at one time. This test will be monitored closely to make sure it is working as intended and that it does not negatively impact the economy or balance of EVE Online.

What if I don't like the Buddy Program?

We're working on some more player-driven options like the Buddy Program that will allow passive rather than direct recruiting. Look for more information later this year on alternate ways we'll be rewarding our community for their countless acts of awesome.

We encourage you to ask any additional questions and provide your feedback in the comment thread linked to this blog.



- CCP Loktofeit

[EntroX]

great, lets inject even more isk into the market :V

[depili]

great, lets inject even more isk into the market :V

Ummm, this (as any plex transaction) doesn't inject any isk. Nor does it remove any.

[EchoEpsilon23]

I thought of it more, "Our marketing sucks, let's finally do the new way! And let's give players who find more members, more stuff! For liking this game!"

The only thing I'm going to see is Russian Exploiting, and Americans calling them out on it.

[Dierdra Vaal]

great, lets inject even more isk into the market :V

What depili said. PLEXes either get consumed immediately (giving gametime but no ISK and removing the plex), or sold from one player to another (only moving existing ISK around), or used in a charity drive/other activity which removes the plex from the system for a non-ISK reward.

[whispous]

great, lets inject even more isk into the market :V


DEEEEERP

[Mike deVoid]

So every account can start 10 new alt accounts - each with 51 days training time. That's a lot of suicide ganking alts, cyno alts, spy alts, corp theft alts, etc. I think you can even train a scrub drake alt in that time....

Because they give you 10 PLEX for these accounts, you can buy 1 PLEX from the market. Then activate the first account with that and then chain activate the rest with the PLEX you are given. You only have to sell the final 1 PLEX on the market - which will be practically isk neutral.

So what will you do with your 10 free alt accounts each month?

Edit: and bot accounts... ?

[depili]

Suicide ganking boost!

[EntroX]

great, lets inject even more isk into the market :V

Ummm, this (as any plex transaction) doesn't inject any isk. Nor does it remove any.

getting 370m for getting someone else to play the game is a rather nice way of "buying" isk...

remember, this is CCP "creating" a plex to reward you, giving you the month time means basically nothing but them giving you an item worth money is a different story.

[Mike deVoid]

Still doesn't create any new isk Entrox. Whether a player paid for the PLEX with $ or CCP gives them one for free in lieu of 30 days bonus play time, changes that not.

[Smuggo]

great, lets inject even more isk into the market :V

Ummm, this (as any plex transaction) doesn't inject any isk. Nor does it remove any.

getting 370m for getting someone else to play the game is a rather nice way of "buying" isk...

remember, this is CCP "creating" a plex to reward you, giving you the month time means basically nothing but them giving you an item worth money is a different story.

You're not creating the isk though, it comes from some player who got it from mission rewards/bounties at some point. PLEX itself does not create more isk in the economy.

[EntroX]

a) YOUR FRIEND PAYS FOR HIS FIRST MONTH OF THE GAME
b) CCP INSTEAD OF GIVING YOU FREE TIME (taking your money and not giving you anything ~tangible~) IT GIVES YOU A PLEX
c) YOU SELL PLEX ON THE MARKET

[Catari Taga]

a) YOUR FRIEND PAYS FOR HIS FIRST MONTH OF THE GAME
b) CCP INSTEAD OF GIVING YOU FREE TIME (taking your money and not giving you anything ~tangible~) IT GIVES YOU A PLEX
c) YOU SELL PLEX ON THE MARKET
d) YOU GET ISK FROM OTHER PLAYERS AND NOT FROM CCP

[shigsy]

He's trying to make for the "only trollin~" exit.

[Lallante]

Entrox will now :Calmdown: and ban people for calling him out. :P

[Tarminic]

Hey EntroX, did you know that if you mine minerals yourself it's free?

[Raz]

Hey EntroX, did you know that if you mine minerals yourself it's free?

Opportunity cost? In my EVE?

To be fair, I think Entrox's original point was that it's CCP giving away isk to players for nothing a la RMT. He just phrased it in a massive :psyduck: fashion that meant something else.

Either way, I don't really care since I plex my accounts anyway. So one or the other on the occasion when I can convince a friend to start playing (which is rare for an actual sub) or I'm starting a new alt is pretty inconsequential.

[EntroX]

To be fair, I think Entrox's original point was that it's CCP giving away isk to players for nothing a la RMT. He just phrased it in a massive :psyduck: fashion that meant something else.

this.

my point is person X is getting ISK instead of TIME, while both end up as the same at the end of the day, the difference here is that you now can get ISK or TIME, rather than the latter only.

edit: also, i have yet to ban someone for calling me out.

[Skyly]

great, lets inject even more isk into the market :V

Ummm, this (as any plex transaction) doesn't inject any isk. Nor does it remove any.

Transaction tax?

[Catari Taga]

great, lets inject even more isk into the market :V

He's trying to make for the "only trollin~" exit.

my point is person X is getting ISK instead of TIME, while both end up as the same at the end of the day, the difference here is that you now can get ISK or TIME, rather than the latter only.

close enough tbh :obama:

USER WAS BANNED FOR THIS POST

[Helen]

My derp meter was going off the chart but I arrived too late it seems.

[ry ry]

free cloaky/thrasher alt is appealing for mucho faggotry, but does recycling free buddy accounts == an exploit in the same way recycling trial accounts does?

[EntroX]

great, lets inject even more isk into the market :V

He's trying to make for the "only trollin~" exit.

my point is person X is getting ISK instead of TIME, while both end up as the same at the end of the day, the difference here is that you now can get ISK or TIME, rather than the latter only.

close enough tbh :obama:

USER WAS BANNED FOR THIS POST

:obama:

[Catari Taga]

I love it when you do that. <3

[gazab]

Don't forget your free Quafe Zero! :)

I'm mass producing all sorts of alts right now...

[Jelly]

Don't forget your free Quafe Zero! :)

I'm mass producing all sorts of alts right now...
dont tell me this works :psyccp:

[joe space]

Don't forget your free Quafe Zero! :)

I'm mass producing all sorts of alts right now...

wait huh what? new accounts are getting Quafe Zero?

really would like to know whether recycling invite alts is exploit. anythiing in eveO thread?

anyway, makes a lot of sense. CCP are keeping their best lighthouse customers in the game of lighthouse customering, whereas before they'd have no incentive to keep going once they've got years of game time for all their accounts (unless they found a good way of selling the new accounts they found to other players to invite, but :efffort: and :trust:) Very smart move.

[gazab]

Don't forget your free Quafe Zero! :)

I'm mass producing all sorts of alts right now...

wait huh what? new accounts are getting Quafe Zero?

really would like to know whether recycling invite alts is exploit. anythiing in eveO thread?

anyway, makes a lot of sense. CCP are keeping their best lighthouse customers in the game of lighthouse customering, whereas before they'd have no incentive to keep going once they've got years of game time for all their accounts (unless they found a good way of selling the new accounts they found to other players to invite, but :efffort: and :trust:) Very smart move.

Yup, as soon as I extended my game time with a plex (and got a new one in return) I could redeem another six pack of Quafe Zero.

Worst case scenario for CCP is that we just abandon the alt and nothing is lost. Best case we're using the new alt so much that we want to pay for it.

[Jelly]

It doesnt seem to be possible to get an existing plex from a subbed account to a trial account, other than by buying another one from the market. Contracts are blocked out completely, and despite messing with install directories and sandboxes I cant log on a trial account while my subbed account is online, so station trading it isnt possible.

[gazab]

Well, I bought one from market somewhere where my alt spawned and sold the one I received in Jita with a tiny profit actually. Win win.

[KKassandra]

Passworded GSC?

Edit: yeah, just give the ISK from your main and buy one off the market

[Catari Taga]

Passworded GSC?

Or just jetcan in a safe spot if you want to risk undocking with it. Endless possibilities.

Also if CCP is checking the IP of full and trial accounts, just pipe it through a proxy.

[gazab]

Passworded GSC?

Or just jetcan in a safe spot if you want to risk undocking with it. Endless possibilities.

Also if CCP is checking the IP of full and trial accounts, just pipe it through a proxy.

They don't really seem to care. I've entered the same email, real name and birthday for all my accounts :D

[Mike deVoid]

Don't forget your free Quafe Zero! :)

I'm mass producing all sorts of alts right now...

wait huh what? new accounts are getting Quafe Zero?

really would like to know whether recycling invite alts is exploit. anythiing in eveO thread?

anyway, makes a lot of sense. CCP are keeping their best lighthouse customers in the game of lighthouse customering, whereas before they'd have no incentive to keep going once they've got years of game time for all their accounts (unless they found a good way of selling the new accounts they found to other players to invite, but :efffort: and :trust:) Very smart move.

Yup, as soon as I extended my game time with a plex (and got a new one in return) I could redeem another six pack of Quafe Zero.

Worst case scenario for CCP is that we just abandon the alt and nothing is lost. Best case we're using the new alt so much that we want to pay for it.

Do your activated alt accounts get 10 invites each too?

[gazab]

Do your activated alt accounts get 10 invites each too?

Haha, yup! Just checked. Infinite amount of alts here I come!

[Catari Taga]

Do your activated alt accounts get 10 invites each too?

Haha, yup! Just checked. Infinite amount of alts here I come!

Of course this is intended by CCP because that way they can celebrate a sudden surge of active accounts due to Incarna. :nostradamus:

[Wrack]

So, who's coordinating the multiboxing 3mil SP gank/griefnight ~45 days from now?

[Lana Torrin]

It doesnt seem to be possible to get an existing plex from a subbed account to a trial account, other than by buying another one from the market. Contracts are blocked out completely, and despite messing with install directories and sandboxes I cant log on a trial account while my subbed account is online, so station trading it isnt possible.

It used to work that you could log on the trial account then log on your main account and it would work (but not the other way around). Failing that, 2nd PC?? (I don't believe its the server checking, its a client side thing, or at least it used to be)

[Rakshasa The Cat]

my point is person X is getting ISK instead of TIME, while both end up as the same at the end of the day, the difference here is that you now can get ISK or TIME, rather than the latter only.

edit: also, i have yet to ban someone for calling me out.
Row your boat some more, cause ISK and TIME are interchangeable both ways when in small quantities... It does not matter if you use the PLEX versus selling the PLEX when you have to pay for a month of subscription using ISK or RL money in the latter case.

[Mike deVoid]

I get what Entrox is saying now. Essentially CCP *are* giving you isk now - they 300 mill or so required to buy a PLEX - though rather than it being as isk faucet they give you something of value so that the isk comes from another player.

The important think to remember is that they are still creating a PLEX and so 30 days of free play time goes to *someone* in the game just because a new account started the game. And once that account buys a PLEX for the first time the cycle is essentially complete and CCP have 'given' 30 days to the new account - but only once they have enough income (from isk faucets, lol) to buy one.

[depili]

And actually this change allows one to create unlimited number of 51 day accounts as long as you can buy one plex, as each of the 10 alts you can invite with the starting account can also invite 10 more "buddies", so the real limit of how many suicide-alts you want is just :effort:

[Yankunytjatjara]

It's actually an isk sink: skillbooks.

[depili]

now we just need a good way of activating 8 smartbombs on 50 accounts at the same time and there will be lols at the perimeter gate.

[Jelly]

I wonder if this will make plex prices consistent around the universe? Anything sub-jita price can be snapped up by a new alt and buddy-teleported to jita in no time with 0 transport cost.

[Herschel Yamamoto]

:effort: and transaction taxes say no.

[Xiang Jiao]

Will the new Gank Night be Suicide Night-themed? If we all get temp bans for smartbombing in highsec, who cares?

[Mike deVoid]

So every account can start 10 new alt accounts - each with 51 days training time. That's a lot of suicide ganking alts, cyno alts, spy alts, corp theft alts, etc. I think you can even train a scrub drake alt in that time....

Because they give you 10 PLEX for these accounts, you can buy 1 PLEX from the market. Then activate the first account with that and then chain activate the rest with the PLEX you are given. You only have to sell the final 1 PLEX on the market - which will be practically isk neutral.

So what will you do with your 10 free alt accounts each month?

Edit: and bot accounts... ?

+ As many CSM votes as alt accounts you care to bother to make. Even T'amber won't have to spend billions to not make it into the top 14