VIP bonus suggestions

[zaboch]

Since you're looking into adding additional benefits to VIP subs, here's a few suggestions:

• Character development
  
  • Weekly 3000-5000 VXP bonus
  • Crafting speed bonus
  • Crafting XP bonus
  • 1-2 additional trait pages available (have 3-4 unlocked on all characters as base)
  • Double favored chest openings
• Account-wide
  
  • 10-25% discount on all items in the LOTRO store
  • 10-25% increased marks/medallions/seals earnings from instances
  • 10% additional VXP earned
  • Additional free self-revives on landscape
  • Monthly 20-50 Mithril Coins
  • No cost for Stable-masters

[Joedangod]

My personal favourite potential VIP reward remains the following:

Accelerated XP gains from the Epic Story quests, enough to ensure that a character following the epic story alone never has to do a quest outside of the epic story until reaching the start of the latest expansion.

[Ayoheynns]

Weekly reward - one of each accelerators of Deeds, Virtues, Marks, Reputations and key for loot box

[PartherFar]

Please make all the above requested crafting XP, Virtue XP and Accelerated Story Line XP consumables so players have an option to not use the bonus xp or have an gameplay option to turn it off.

[YamydeAragon]

Since you're looking into adding additional benefits to VIP subs, here's a few suggestions:

• Character development
  
  • Weekly 3000-5000 VXP bonus
  • Crafting speed bonus
  • Crafting XP bonus
  • 1-2 additional trait pages available (have 3-4 unlocked on all characters as base)
  • Double favored chest openings
• Account-wide
  
  • 10-25% discount on all items in the LOTRO store
  • 10-25% increased marks/medallions/seals earnings from instances
  • 10% additional VXP earned
  • Additional free self-revives on landscape
  • Monthly 20-50 Mithril Coins
  • No cost for Stable-masters

I suggested a few days ago, that SSG revive the use of Destiny Points (DP). This can be done by adding to the existing weekly wrapper quests, a reward of DP, because the DP can be used for that same purpose by VIPs but the DP pool is too small & no way to earn more, other than run more alts. Also suggested that those bonus get updated to nowdays standards by changing them to % instead fixed #. They also could add some new kinds like those you suggested above & some others. Then each player can choose on what bonus & when to use the DP. This will resolve the issue of some players not wanting certain worldwide bonuses.

[Pewpewmidget]

My personal favourite potential VIP reward remains the following:

Accelerated XP gains from the Epic Story quests, enough to ensure that a character following the epic story alone never has to do a quest outside of the epic story until reaching the start of the latest expansion.

That would further keep me from going VIP or doing epic quests.
There are people who enjoy on level or green-blue questing, and seeing mobs on your mini map.
This is why the epic story doesn't level you up faster than normal questing.

[Joedangod]

There are people who enjoy on level or green-blue questing, and seeing mobs on your mini map.

If following the epic story levelled you up in line with the levels of the epic story...you would be doing it all on-level, yes.


Not like you can do every single quest on-level as is, you have to run a stone of the tortoise to do that and this potentially improves that system a bit since you'd be able to lock your level for the entire zone and just unlock and do the story whenever you needed to level up.

[Loox]

I suggested a few days ago, that SSG revive the use of Destiny Points (DP). This can be done by adding to the existing weekly wrapper quests, a reward of DP, because the DP can be used for that same purpose by VIPs but the DP pool is too small & no way to earn more, other than run more alts. Also suggested that those bonus get updated to nowdays standards by changing them to % instead fixed #. They also could add some new kinds like those you suggested above & some others. Then each player can choose on what bonus & when to use the DP. This will resolve the issue of some players not wanting certain worldwide bonuses.

I agree with this 100%. And to make it even more interesting black keys could be added to the DP menu. ^^^^^^^

[wrath247]

Since you're looking into adding additional benefits to VIP subs, here's a few suggestions:

• Character development
  
  • Weekly 3000-5000 VXP bonus
  • Crafting speed bonus
  • Crafting XP bonus
  • 1-2 additional trait pages available (have 3-4 unlocked on all characters as base)
  • Double favored chest openings
• Account-wide
  
  • 10-25% discount on all items in the LOTRO store
  • 10-25% increased marks/medallions/seals earnings from instances
  • 10% additional VXP earned
  • Additional free self-revives on landscape
  • Monthly 20-50 Mithril Coins
  • No cost for Stable-masters

Up this. Could also add monthly cosmetics/furniture free for VIPs. Maybe even increase the LP per month to 800 or 1000.
I think the crafting speed is already there though so could replace it with something else?

More carry-alls too would be nice

[Ethrildar]

Since you're looking into adding additional benefits to VIP subs, here's a few suggestions:

• Character development
  
  • Weekly 3000-5000 VXP bonus
  • Crafting speed bonus
  • Crafting XP bonus
  • 1-2 additional trait pages available (have 3-4 unlocked on all characters as base)
  • Double favored chest openings
  
  
• Account-wide
  
  • 10-25% discount on all items in the LOTRO store
  • 10-25% increased marks/medallions/seals earnings from instances
  • 10% additional VXP earned
  • Additional free self-revives on landscape
  • Monthly 20-50 Mithril Coins
  • No cost for Stable-masters

Pretty good suggestions for the most part, I think where it falls down is giving people expensive store items for free on an interval. 50 MC a month is pretty huge, I barely ever use mine so I'd end up with thousands and would never need to buy LP again. Things like LP Store discounts, though, area very good ideas, they'd take the prices down from "insane" to "slightly less insane" and get people spending, the mark-up on pixels is unlimited percent so there's nothing to lose here. Case in point: Valar packages being 75% off, I know of at least 20 people who purchased numerous packages that day, I bought 5, but I'd never buy one at full price.

I think the single best suggestion you have though that would gain masses of VIPs is doubling the no. of favoured chest locks VIPs have. Chest locks were implemented so we'd have to keep logging on consistently and not spam it all out in one hit, that sort of runs counter to that but if it's only doable when forcing people to subscribe monthly anyway.... It kinda makes it a win-win for everyone.

Edit: Also, they need to stop making VIP buffs a pain in the rear. Why do I have to run to the Boar Fountain every day or so to collect a new redundant quest which I then immediately hand in for two items, one which is a buff that should just auto-bestow for the entire duration of my VIP sub, and one which is an item that should be a skill provided, again, for the duration of my VIP buff.

[DavidmeetHal]

.

Edit: Also, they need to stop making VIP buffs a pain in the rear. Why do I have to run to the Boar Fountain every day or so to collect a new redundant quest which I then immediately hand in for two items, one which is a buff that should just auto-bestow for the entire duration of my VIP sub, and one which is an item that should be a skill provided, again, for the duration of my VIP buff.

I remember reading from a blue name when it first came out that there was a technical reason for that, I cannot remember for the life of me what it was.

[Ethrildar]

I remember reading from a blue name when it first came out that there was a technical reason for that, I cannot remember for the life of me what it was.

I mean, even if it was a buff that lasted a week or two it'd be less irritating, I play five 130s at the moment which effectively means 5 trips to the Boar Fountain every day or two, or more often than not I jump online, get into an instance and then realise I don't have it and start taking gear damage, or need to use the AH with my nice subscriber buffs that I pay for? but can't.

[Once_of_Bree]

I mean, even if it was a buff that lasted a week or two it'd be less irritating, I play five 130s at the moment which effectively means 5 trips to the Boar Fountain every day or two, or more often than not I jump online, get into an instance and then realise I don't have it and start taking gear damage, or need to use the AH with my nice subscriber buffs that I pay for? but can't.

You do know it's not just the boar fountain? All the starter areas and housing neighbourhoods have the quest giver too.
All my houses are close to centres but I deliberately chose my Rohan house to be as close as possible and I have to say it's brilliant! As the map point is in the square with the VIP quest giver. So map to Rohan, get VIP, run up slope and use housing map item to get to Missions Hall, job done. Which has the added bonus of leaving my map home skill free to be set as Echad Uial (?) for the MM weeklies.

Personally I think there is far too much complaining about the VIP bonuses, they are the single best thing to be added to LOTRO in years, yet still players whine about them being too much effort.

[MourneBlade]

Personally I think there is far too much complaining about the VIP bonuses, they are the single best thing to be added to LOTRO in years, yet still players whine about them being too much effort.

Agreed 100%

[Ethrildar]

You do know it's not just the boar fountain? All the starter areas and housing neighbourhoods have the quest giver too.

I didn't know they were in different locations, but honestly as a level 130 why on earth would them being at "starter locations" be of use to me, or frankly the majority of this very old game who are in fact playing at level cap? Why do I have to collect a quest? There already exists several "VIP only" buffs you can log in and receive (automatically) for extended periods of time. Hell, even just an auto-bestow-anywhere (or w.e they're called) quest that doesn't need me to interact with an NPC would be fine...

I don't have a house, I never really saw the need and in most cases this would still require me to map somewhere, run to an NPC that isn't that near to where I mapped, and interact with them (twice). Also, I really dislike how clunky the housing areas are, being unable to port into instances or receive summons etc makes using your home as an actual main base of travel/storage etc. totally non-viable for end-game. Housing areas are extremely slow to load as well as taking literally 60 seconds to load in all the assets of your (or someone else's) home while you slide around sideways... Poorly implemented and unfinished.

All that being said, are there "starter locations" that are more easily accessible than the Boar Fountain? I.e. a quest giver that's right next to a stable master?

RE the complaints about a nice buff, I think when you pay for something that is meant to be a convenience, but to acquire it on rotation is the definition of an inconvenience, you have the right to complain. If it were free I'd not have said a word, but it's one of the already very very limited perks of being a VIP in a game that could clearly use all of the Quality of Life improvements it can scrape together for VIPs to perhaps get some income going.

[TheArtilleryman]

Great ideas all in the OP. These would all be great perks that would not be too P2W, but also reward those who show their dedication with a sub.

Personally, I have always thought that the ability to set your level of XP gain as a toggle would be great. i.e. give VIPs three "always on" options:

1. Zero XP gain
2. Normal XP gain
3. Double XP gain

Then, VIPs would have the choice of how to play. I feel this would be far simpler, and would also free up the pocket slot for tortoise players.

[LadySelene]

I don't quite understand why VIPs have 24/7 access to a mobile mailbox but cannot have access to the bank from the same menu.

[DavidmeetHal]

I don't quite understand why VIPs have 24/7 access to a mobile mailbox but cannot have access to the bank from the same menu.

I never thought of that, that's a good point.

[wrath247]

Personally I think there is far too much complaining about the VIP bonuses, they are the single best thing to be added to LOTRO in years, yet still players whine about them being too much effort.

They could be better though. Espeially considering how they gave away the quest code away for free during the free months which indirectly removed one of the biggest benefits VIPs get.

It needs an update to make it more attractive outside of just being an unlocker with a slight convenience factor. Not because they're bad but basically to incentivize more players to sub.

[ZepherZane]

That would further keep me from going VIP or doing epic quests.
There are people who enjoy on level or green-blue questing, and seeing mobs on your mini map.
This is why the epic story doesn't level you up faster than normal questing.

wait so let me get this right your not paying any money into the game yet are complaining about a vip reward you would never get anyway?
why?

[ZepherZane]

They could be better though. Espeially considering how they gave away the quest code away for free during the free months which indirectly removed one of the biggest benefits VIPs get.

It needs an update to make it more attractive outside of just being an unlocker with a slight convenience factor. Not because they're bad but basically to incentivize more players to sub.

agreed

[kudurru1]

All that being said, are there "starter locations" that are more easily accessible than the Boar Fountain? I.e. a quest giver that's right next to a stable master?

The one in Thorin's Gate, by the Silver Deep Guard House is very close to the stable master.

[ZepherZane]

I don't quite understand why VIPs have 24/7 access to a mobile mailbox but cannot have access to the bank from the same menu.

very good point and also they could just change the mailbox icon to a different icon they could just use a smaller version of the icon they used for the item in the bag as the icon for the services. and make it access the town services area and add mailbox as a selection in the list because truly a mailbox is a town service. anything that you have to go to town to get or have or is offered by the town is a service and that is why I see that not all town services are offered when you are given town services because crafting anywhere is not offered, buying stuff from your town services is not offered which it should offer you the ability to buy anything that you can buy in a town including items from craft Items all types, class items all types, potions all types, food all types(this includes all drinks as well), trophies, Kinship Charters all types, Guild Recipes all types, Crafting recipes, Crafting tools, scrolls, tomes, Armour all types(includes cloaks), Weapons all types(includes runes), Jewellery all types, Fishing Rods, Forgotten Boxes, Decoration items, Cosmetic Items, Mounts.
(please note all item levels of weapons and armour and jewellery would have to have their item level adjust based off the player using the town service to buy things otherwise you would end up with some items being useless and class items would have to show up dependent on the class otherwise that would cause the same issue.)

bartering for items is also not offered all barter items should be able to be gotten via bartering service this would include all skirmish barter items and all items offered in Lalia's Market.

and as for the jug, it could have what it grants turned into a passive just like the ones they give us they every once in a while that are for only VIP players that have no expiration date on them just when the week is over so it is a perk that last while your vip and for a week long so why not do the same thing yet make it say lasts until your subscription is over or the date your vip ends.

benefits to both are it shows your VIP when you have a subscription active, it saves space by not taking up slots in your bag.
and save unnecessary travel to town.
and offers you all town services.

basically, there is no need for an extra quest to get what is ours because we pay VIP they could just bestow it on us.

[wrath247]

bartering for items is also not offered all barter items should be able to be gotten via bartering service this would include all skirmish barter items and all items offered in Lalia's Market.

and as for the jug, it could have what it grants turned into a passive just like the ones they give us they every once in a while that are for only VIP players that have no expiration date on them just when the week is over so it is a perk that last while your vip and for a week long so why not do the same thing yet make it say lasts until your subscription is over or the date your vip ends.

benefits to both are it shows your VIP when you have a subscription active, it saves space by not taking up slots in your bag.
and save unnecessary travel to town.
and offers you all town services.

basically, there is no need for an extra quest to get what is ours because we pay VIP they could just bestow it on us.

Ok not really sure on the tech reasons behind it, but could be just that they give it via an auto-bestow quest that activates if the account is detected to have a subscription? The VIP Npc could instead contain various VIP upgrades or other benefits aside so she isn't entirely worthless (or just get rid of her?) but that would require new VIP benefit such as those suggested.

[thinx]

wait so let me get this right your not paying any money into the game yet are complaining about a vip reward you would never get anyway?
why?

I guess you got that wrong. The other poster brought a reason why people that go VIP would not do that. This reason could as well apply to people that *are* VIP.

The problem could be solved by giving VIPs a free stone of the tortoise. On the other hands many players do not like to have a blocked slot, especially when doing onlevel raids. This could be solved by having a new slot that is restricted to XP modifier items.