[dahalb]

Multi-char accounts might be nice but i agree with most of the sentiments expressed. They are "unnecessary". If they were to be implemented then having them appear as alts in a published/linked way would defeat the purpose of having a discrete 2nd. Most of the ppl i know that had/have 2nds had them to explore a 2nd RP, an "alter ego". Theres nothing wrong with that so long as the two are separated. If they want to do that then i think if the price is reasonable, then they can pay to have them.

Personally i could go for a similar system to some other RPGs where upon login to a single sign on "account", the player could then choose which char they wanted to play. They could also purchase alts and have them available within this initial area. The ability to switch chars, without totally logging out and back in would be a nice advantage of this too. Each "account" is then billed according to how many chars the account has active for each month.

[TexMurphy]

Rarely does any good come from multiple characters but let at least ND make some money of it so that something good happens...

Tex

[Lordopic]

I have 3 accounts one in each faction I have no problem with 3 accounts off one paying account as it would save me a few bob.

No really I think one character per acc, If when I want to try out the new Oct or Quant ships ill send lordo on his summer hols and sign up a fresh account. Depending on the cost of Jumpgate-V depends on how many I have running at one given time. But saying that im paying the same for 3 separate accounts in Jumpgate-C than I’m for one account in Eve with 3 multiple characters off which I’m using 2, one for fighting one for hauling and mining. Ok so now im confused .

As for publishing people alt accounts your joking of course ?

[Tim]

I'm for one pilot per account.

And since i'm not even close to being an Ub3r Powzer Gam3r, i've never had dual accounts. But I can certainly see the draw.


Tho one would have to be awfully naive to think that those multiple accounts aren't being used to support the main account.

Edit: I should mention that the reason i like one pilot/account is because this is a fairly vital element to a self-policing community. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that one can do all sorts of not-nice things with one account, then log in with another and make money/stock a POS/etc. Since the alt is free of any 'policing' action from the community, both accounts would effectively be free of said action.

Course, these statements do not reflect the views of the network or it's affiliates.

[Duodecimal]

Well, having played an online game that allowed upwards of 40-50 alternate characters on each account, having the freedom to easily (instantly) create new characters and try different paths is extremely attractive. So long as two characters on the same account can't be logged in at the same time, I don't see much downside in someone using multiple characters to support their main compared to the upside in letting newcomers experiment.

I suggested that all characters on an account be linked so that people with a proclivity to attempt anonymous griefing can be tracked, since that's what the major concern seems to be.

For those who want untrackable alts, you have the option of doing what you have to do now: open a separate account.

I am positive that not limiting people to one character per account will do wonders for player retention. It is simply not an option for most people to open more and more accounts. Not everyone will want to pay an extra amount to try out something different, nor is everyone willing to zero out the character they've built up to reset onto another path.

[sentinels]

ya know, i was just thinking about this the other day. i must say, i'd probably be against it because i'm 100% certain that someone will find some way to exploit this. i think there are way too many negative downsides and too less positive upsides to balance things out. heck, people can just create another character (and pay the additional $9.95/month) to create a carebear account or a money making account to support their other character(s). duo's idea on publishing all the alts is good, but i can see some major whining involved on that one as well.

[Pyrophred]

Originally Posted by Duodecimal

I am positive that not limiting people to one character per account will do wonders for player retention. It is simply not an option for most people to open more and more accounts. Not everyone will want to pay an extra amount to try out something different, nor is everyone willing to zero out the character they've built up to reset onto another path.

Im not sure what you mean by this. If in Jumpgate I feel like hauling, I hop into a hauling ship and do so. If i fell like shooting things, I hop into a fighter and go shooting. If I fell like mining, I strap on some mining lasers and head out.

In other games, changing your role is next to impossible which is why they need several chars per account. In WoW i cant tank with my warlock(very well), i cant heal with my rogue, and I cant nuke with my warrior. its physically impossible. Thus the multiple characters option.

Its just not necessary in Jumpgate

[Cpt_Blood]

Style of play is more than the ship you're flying. If you playing a hauler, then you want to be friends with as many people as possible so they can help you if you get into trouble, but as a fighter you can be very factional. Your pilot is more than just a ship and equipment, he also has a reputation.

[Lordopic]

Originally Posted by Cpt_Blood

Style of play is more than the ship you're flying. If you playing a hauler, then you want to be friends with as many people as possible so they can help you if you get into trouble, but as a fighter you can be very factional. Your pilot is more than just a ship and equipment, he also has a reputation.

Agreed, one of the reason why I have 3 acc’s Lordo is the jack of all trades -Melkor- is a pure fluxer and lepluie is a miner/ artie hunter.

[Montaugh]

I like the idea of multiple characters on one account. Multiple accounts allow you to try different aspects of the game. This is very important in the life of a game. The more ways you can play a game the longer people will end up playing.

Having only one account you end up getting tossed into the realm of pvp or pve. Once you cross that pvp line chances are high you won't be left alone when you decide to haul something or mine for a change of pace. You don't have that downtime time. Rollio would have been a good example of this.. what if for a change of pace Rollio wanted to mine? How many would have just outright killed him? If I recall correctly Rollio used to enjoy mining once long ago but because of his rep was unable to mine anymore.

Cost wise as a consumer its a steep investment. If jumgate stays at 10 bucks the cost per character is more expensive then other mmos. This is something to keep in mind concerning the current MMO trend of allowing multiple characters on a single account. Jumpgate is no longer the only space MMO in the water it does have to compete against games like Eve Online and SWG.

Another thing to keep in mind is that once someone does get up to the level cap chances are they will just leave the game. Not everyone wants to delete a character they put so much time into and after a while they do want to try out something else to keep the game fresh and new which mean in essence resetting means. At that point they might as well have created a new account and abandonded the old account.

I'm not saying a lot of characters.. I'd say for jumpgate a max of 3-4 characters. Enough so you could try different factions and styles of play.

If someone does try and hide behind another character chances are that they will just be a target for someone elses alt so it would balance out.

(thunder storm coming will try to edit later if I missed anything.)

[Aphelion]

Originally Posted by Pyrophred

The only reason for multiple characters on 1 account in EQ SWG or WoW is because sometimes you feel like playing a melee, sometimes a healer, sometimes DPS.

In Jumpgate if I feel like killing something I hop in a fighter and go flux. if I want to make some cash, I hop in a tow or HM and go do that. there are no equip restrictions, or class distinctions. we are all pilots. unless that changes, the 1 account, 1 pilot concept works just fine

Originally Posted by Duodecimal

Multiple characters on a single account, with all characters published (and day/week wait for a character deletion to finalize).

The first part is a reason WoW has the retention that it has. The second is to address the hysteria in this thread.

Jumpgate is different from WoW in that if you'd like to change roles you can do so instantly by switching ships versus level grinding a second character. This is one of the qualities of Jumpgate that is considered special by it's players.

However, there might be a class of gamer that is actually interested in level grinding and not much else. While rare, this type of player would hit level 50 with one character, then start a new one. Hours played = dollars earned for ND, so would it be beneficial to cater to this playstyle or is the cost (ie exploitation of 2nds) too great? Or perhaps there simply won't be enough of these level-grinding-carebears around to worry about this question.