BuzzerBeater Forums

I wonder whether if the BB guys invested more money into improving this game (more to do, more stats, more games, more everything) but as a consequence increased the options to pay (so perhaps some add-ons would be pay as you go, some you would have as a supporter, and maybe the full package of extras as a premium supporter), in order to reward this investment - would it work?

I would be prepared to pay up to £5 a month for a top basketball management game with a vibrant community, lots more to do, more nice extras (for example a junior and ladies development options for squads would triple the size of the game) etc.

But what do others think?

Lets keep this positive and constructive - im not suggesting something that will exclude the many users that are unable to, or choose not to, pay to be a supporter already, or to reduce the fun to them.

I just think it would be a shame if BB constrains what it is capable of becoming in the future by a pricing structure, and investment structure which leaves all of the managers here less well off than under an alternative pricing approach where those managers who want to pay more to play more/higher quality can do so.

Alternative pricing structures are being used in other manager games for different sports and the best ones cost the most. but the cost and quality game justify each other and they all have vibrant communities of different sizes.

i would not also like to see BB lose out to its competitors as recently i have tried some alternative sports management games that have impressed me A LOT. The extra pull for me here is that i am a basketball player but this isnt necessarily the case for most of the managers here.

i have not included a poll because i think this is touching on the kind of business research that needs to be done carefully to get data and information on which business decisions can be made, but perhaps this could be a useful start.

thanks
mark

i wouldn#t like to split up the supporter package into different supporter classes, and i am not sure if you targeting to it i wouldn't like if you get an ingame advantage through paying to bb.

New or additional comfort or style(i.e. jerseys), would be cool.

You would like to spend more money on BB than for example on FIFA 2012?

im not suggesting an upfront lump cost like you would pay with fifa or another ps3/pc game, although i guess the overall cost per year could be similar.
fifa is all about playing rather than managing (they make an attempt at the management side but it is crap) and the social side is lost beyond your own club team (assuming you have enough mates/can recruit enough likeminded people on to your team).
its not really a comparable game/attraction but i understand your point that there are competing games and that BB would have to offer value for money to justify charging more.

perhaps it is not possible to produce a management game where you can justify a more expensive/extensive supporter package while keeping most of the game free / no disadvantage.

its a shame, but perhaps this is the best standard you can get with this ethos

i was just quickly suggesting a way that pricing could be structured differently.

i wasnt suggesting that paying should give advantages, but for the enjoyment of everyone that plays here the developers could really work on ways to add value within this "no advantage" ethos to get more supporters/more money from supporters/non-supporters to grow and develop the game.

this doesnt need to lead to a game where managers who dont pay are disadvantaged or excluded - i think there could be a way forward where everyone benefits.

jerseys/logos/graphics/easy to use interface all that pretty stuff isnt going to tempt me to pay more as a supporter than a small fixed fee each year. in fact i dont think the extra stuff a supporter gets is worth the price - i just pay knowing that there is a cost to running this game and that what i pay probably just about covers my fair share. i also hope it will encourage future development but am not surprised it doesnt for such a small optional price.

i take it from lack of posts either: managers are happy with the game and rate of progress and/or cant imagine a game like BB where they would be prepared to pay any more than they are already?

i wasnt suggesting that paying should give advantages, but for the enjoyment of everyone that plays here the developers could really work on ways to add value within this "no advantage" ethos to get more supporters/more money from supporters/non-supporters to grow and develop the game.

this doesnt need to lead to a game where managers who dont pay are disadvantaged or excluded - i think there could be a way forward where everyone benefits.

This is exactly the idea of the current Supporter package. I don't think there have been any new Supporter features lately, but the package has evolved over the years.

i am now thinking that he means like this:

Non supporter: like today they pay in seeing ads, and are missing the comfort

First level Pack: press releases, logo/banner

premium pack: bookmarks, PL

if he don' correct me this should eb roughly his idea ;)

Yes, I think so. My point is that the goal of the Supporter package and the developments we have so far seen there are exactly as described by the OP. Only difference is that there is one level of features and price instead of several levels.

Thank you all for replying but I didn't mean to distract from the overall point/question by suggesting there could be 2 levels of supporter!

I wouldn't mind how the pricing worked and whether it not it was bundled into an all or nothing supporter package. I'm just curious if there were a host of improvements paid for by an investor in BB would this be worthwhile?ie supported by us by paying for it?

if not then bb will just have to harness as best it can people power to voluntarily do coding and donations to continue development.

Another way of looking at it - if there was a basketball equivalent of "football manager" online would this attract interest?

Thank you all for replying but I didn't mean to distract from the overall point/question by suggesting there could be 2 levels of supporter!

I wouldn't mind how the pricing worked and whether it not it was bundled into an all or nothing supporter package. I'm just curious if there were a host of improvements paid for by an investor in BB would this be worthwhile?ie supported by us by paying for it?

if not then bb will just have to harness as best it can people power to voluntarily do coding and donations to continue development.

Another way of looking at it - if there was a basketball equivalent of "football manager" online would this attract interest?

FM Online was great (& I was great at it :D)
Paying small amounts to play arcade games vs anyone you choose would be great but you'll never replicate (challenge!) FM Online with what we have here..... they had the foundation of the FM series and if there ever was the chance to play something similar using the early work thats gone on in here then great, but it just aint happening anytime soon.