17 replies to this topic

[DaZur]

Perfect execution of the ol' "dangling carrot" enticement methodology...

Reflecting over how this game will eventually lay out and the marketing plan going into it... it's a beautifully planned approach from my assessment. Think about it:

• Free-to Play = Requires no commitment but will build a instant player-base that hopefully will stay-and-pay for the nifty upgrades..
  
• Rolling timeline with pay-out = The longer one plays, the more technology & Mechs get release, creating player who will hang around for the long-haul just to see what the next "surprise package" will be.
  
• Pre-release dev. build-up ( The highly anticipated Wednesday ) = Another example of the wonderfull dangling carrot... What new Mech, what new blog, what new Q&A, What new IS news etc. Always "something" happening.
  
• Interesting subject material & highly fractured / competative player base = The various house, various factions and units not to mention the clan invasion and all sundry of clans therin... All create a very enticing and engrossing soup that effectively has "something for everybody".
  
• Lastly, the "re-boot" of the genre, the updated art direction = We've all seen the passionate debate this has caused. While some may see this debating as caustic, it could not be further from the truth! In the same vein as tabloids and gossip mags keep b-list celebrities in the lime-light (Not that I'm comparing the game to b-list celebs) but these running debates and discussion so long as they stay in the pot and out of the fire... do nothing but build interest, draw out discussion and exchange of ideas that keep this game relevant so early in the development cycle and prior to release...

Kudos to whom ever formed the marketing template for MWO.

Edited by DaZur, 31 January 2012 - 06:02 AM.

[Mason Grimm]

You're welcome.

(also; First)

[Omigir]

As a side note, i would not put it past PGI to put the Centurion out as a test of the water to see how the 'fans' would react to a more ratical redesign to test their limits of what they can get away with. At this point, though, I would wager and say PGI walks on water due to the fact that they are making a new MW game.

Nice post though, I like your anilyzation! gives me much to consider once im done being distracted by a dangling centurion over my computer monitor...

Edited by Omigir, 31 January 2012 - 11:22 AM.

[Nik Van Rhijn]

I think the kudos goes to Pink Thunder Otherwise known as "The Trollmeister"

Edited by Nik Van Rhijn, 31 January 2012 - 07:37 AM.

[Kaemon]

DaZur, on 31 January 2012 - 06:02 AM, said:

Perfect execution of the ol' "dangling carrot" enticement methodology...
Kudos to whom ever formed the marketing template for MWO.

No execution is ever perfect, there are a few things that could (IMO) be fine tuned.

1. Update the freaking trailer - It's brought up at least 1x/day from new forum members, it needs to be 'rebooted' as well, it's inaccurate, outdated and leads to confusion.

2. Stay consistent with the context of the month - This is more of a pet peeve of mine than anything major, if it's information warfare month, we should get a mech that's attuned to that (not that I'm dissing the Cent, it's great).

3. No slipping on the News Updates - Cause if we can't keep an automated feed on time, how are we going to hit our launch date of late summer? (yes I know, but players think this way).

4. More Matt Newman - cause information 'slips' during interviews (Paul's information warfare aside) makes the player base feel as if they found out something they weren't supposed to, and it's funny to hear the other's rail on Matt about it.

5. Be consistent on marketing platform - polls stay on FB, artwork stays on forum, play test after action reports(need more play test AARs) go on NGNG, so when I go to FB or twitter, I know what's going to be there, I don't want to have to hunt through 3 social media sites everyday to see what's going on (and it should all be on the forum, because you centralize your marketing on where the game lives).

Some would disagree.

Edited by Kaemon, 31 January 2012 - 08:18 AM.

[DaZur]

Kaemon, on 31 January 2012 - 08:17 AM, said:

No execution is ever perfect, there are a few things that could (IMO) be fine tuned.

1. Update the freaking trailer - It's brought up at least 1x/day from new forum members, it needs to be 'rebooted' as well, it's inaccurate, outdated and leads to confusion.

2. Stay consistent with the context of the month - This is more of a pet peeve of mine than anything major, if it's information warfare month, we should get a mech that's attuned to that (not that I'm dissing the Cent, it's great).

3. No slipping on the News Updates - Cause if we can't keep an automated feed on time, how are we going to hit our launch date of late summer? (yes I know, but players think this way).

4. More Matt Newman - cause information 'slips' during interviews (Paul's information warfare aside) makes the player base feel as if they found out something they weren't supposed to, and it's funny to hear the other's rail on Matt about it.

5. Be consistent on marketing platform - polls stay on FB, artwork stays on forum, play test after action reports(need more play test AARs) go on NGNG, so when I go to FB or twitter, I know what's going to be there, I don't want to have to hunt through 3 social media sites everyday to see what's going on (and it should all be on the forum, because you centralize your marketing on where the game lives).

Some would disagree.

I actually agree to a degree from a "marketing consistency" standpoint...

Clearly, the PGI team is slightly fractured in it's marketing implementation but I believe this is more a result of the diversity of PGI's team, and their functions therein. Not a bad thing... as I believe the game has already drawn enough interest to be self-propagating and as a result kind'a autonomous. Consistency in content would be the polish to their rough stone... That said, even the old promotional video accomplishes what it should... drawing interest to the game, which unless the recipient is blind and or just dense, there is plenty of FAQ's on this website to educate most in correcting any preconceived ideas in short-order...

Edited by DaZur, 31 January 2012 - 08:35 AM.

[Masterrix]

screenshots and videos please !

can t believe that this game will be released in 2012.
2009s trailer (which is obsolete) is still the only ingame stuff we got during the last 3 years, a shame..... no one knows how this game looks now (in the year of release, lol)

[Omigir]

Masterrix, on 31 January 2012 - 08:34 AM, said:

screenshots and videos please !

can t believe that this game will be released in 2012.
2009s trailer (which is obsolete) is still the only ingame stuff we got during the last 3 years, a shame..... no one knows how this game looks now (in the year of release, lol)

Any one here who has stuck it out this long knows how it looks..

like the best MW game we have ever imagined that could exist! *puts on his thinking cap*

[Kaemon]

The Hype Wave™ needs to be ready to get going full tilt after the GDC, and slipping the release date (since it's in print in multiple places now) would be bad.

I assume we'll get a new trailer (or actual gameplay) during/after the GDC (of course then I would argue that the trailer shoudl've come out before GDC, and that after it's too late if we're getting into beta within 60ish days).

there's a pretty set standard release pattern for online games

trailer *drool drool drool*
dev blog/info on game *drool* *drool* *drool*
gamesite review reciting same dev blog/info as above *see drool above*
concept artwork *drool**speculate wildly*
game info on payment model/inital thoughts *freak out* *drool*
game info on metagame *wait impatiently for Beta annoucement*
game info on mechanics *panic* *drool**wait for Beta*
alpha testing *cry about not being invited*
closed beta testing *cry about not being invited*
closed beta testing vid leak *drool**speculate wildly*
Open Beta *freak out**drool*
Go Live *freak out about server wipe*
Profit *complain about lack of Clans on launch*

[phelanjkell]

Or they could have just said 'no information, beta, pictures, video until release, enjoy.'

I like the community approach, even if it is week by week.

[Omigir]

Kaemon, on 31 January 2012 - 10:36 AM, said:

The Hype Wave™ needs to be ready to get going full tilt after the GDC, and slipping the release date (since it's in print in multiple places now) would be bad. I assume we'll get a new trailer (or actual gameplay) during/after the GDC (of course then I would argue that the trailer shoudl've come out before GDC, and that after it's too late if we're getting into beta within 60ish days). there's a pretty set standard release pattern for online games trailer *drool drool drool* dev blog/info on game *drool* *drool* *drool* gamesite review reciting same dev blog/info as above *see drool above* concept artwork *drool**speculate wildly* game info on payment model/inital thoughts *freak out* *drool* game info on metagame *wait impatiently for Beta annoucement* game info on mechanics *panic* *drool**wait for Beta* alpha testing *cry about not being invited* closed beta testing *cry about not being invited* closed beta testing vid leak *drool**speculate wildly* Open Beta *freak out**drool* Go Live *freak out about server wipe* Profit *complain about lack of Clans on launch*

they probably are prepping up something for GDC.. not just game play... its rare you see anything go to a convention with just game play to show and there not be some kind of trailor already out or ready for release.

[Chuckie]

Omigir, on 31 January 2012 - 06:08 AM, said:

I like your analization! gives me much to consider once im done being distracted by a dangling centurion over my computer monitor...

Hey !! This is a friendly forum..

[Mason Grimm]

Omigir, on 31 January 2012 - 06:08 AM, said:

Nice post though, I like your analization analysis! gives me much to consider once im done being distracted by a dangling centurion over my computer monitor...

Corrected for (coughs) unintentional adult content?!?!?

Unfortunately mods do not (yet) have the right to go in and edit the main post. Perhaps we never will but we can sure cross lines through words like a boss in our quotes!

[Omigir]

XD no need to a***yze my post..

er analyze..


Fixed it! sometimes I get lazy and neglect the use of MSW to spell check myself..

Edited by Omigir, 31 January 2012 - 11:21 AM.

[Kaemon]

Thankfully he doesn't have analyst/therapist skills.

/tobias funke

[Tsen Shang]

Omigir, on 31 January 2012 - 06:08 AM, said:

Nice post though, I like your anilyzation! gives me much to consider once im done being distracted by a dangling centurion over my computer monitor...

At first it was a little...sketchy (cough) in here, but now I just picture you as a kitten batting at a dangling Centurion model.

Dangle is such a tantalizing word.

[Omigir]

*Sits there and bats at the dangling beafy mech, then looks over at Tsen* Oh here you go *offers a Halls then goes back to pawing at the centurion!*

[Tsen Shang]

Oh Omigir...you're so catty.