[Kickstarter] What's a fair price to ask non-kickstarter punters for ST:TNG and TZ?

[Pinhead]

While pricing tables is an internal concern/at the sole discretion of Farsight management, I'm going to play "Devil's Advocate". These are questions I've asked myself, and I'd be interested to gauge the feeling of others.

1. Do you feel that you would be less inclined to contribute to other Kickstarters if the table was offered at regular prices for non-backers?
2. OK, so what's a Fair Price to ask non-backers to pay?

Absolutely not. I contributed to the TZ & ST:TNG kickstarters to show my support for FarSight, encourage future development, and, most importantly, make those two tables a reality. At this point, if it was somehow profitable for FarSight to do so, they could they could give TZ away for $1 and I wouldn't care. Maybe I'm reading into things, but sometimes I get the vibe that some are seeking to "punish" non-backers (and maybe even low-end ones).

• 2.50, as part of a pack?
• 2.50, stand alone?
• $5.00, stand alone?
• More than $5.00?

Only FarSight knows what they need to charge, but I like JoshuaKadmon's suggestion of $3.99 standard / $6.99 premium. If the standard price edges too close to $5, FS will need to make a strong case to the avg. customer why this table is worth twice as much as any other TPA or FX2 table.

• Would you be OK with the table being included in a monthly pack, or does that "cheapen" the backer's investment?

Bundling TZ into a monthly pack would work fine, if they were only dealing with Xbox. If I understand correctly, we're getting a MS points voucher rather than a DLC redemption code. We could just apply those spacebucks to the table 2-pack purchase.

• Would you feel better about any of the above if the Kickstarter tables were offered a few months in advance to backers, before they were made available to the general public?

While I don't think that the average customer would know or care about an exclusivity period, I feel FS has enough problems with DLC releases without adding extra complications. And, speaking of exclusivity, Supermans idea of enhanced edition, that's forever unavailable to all but an elite few, would not be in FarSight's best interest. Again the avg. customer wouldn't much care, but I see decision as being deeply divisive of the TPA community. And, more likely to generate resentment than interest in the future kickstarters.

 

[shutyertrap]

Here's my take as someone who hasn't contributed to the kickstarter.

I'd be fine with charging $5 for the premium tables. I recognize they're something special and unique, so to me the cost is justified.

I don't think they should be in a pack, as I think that cheapens what contributors did for the kickstarter.

Pro mode can be exclusive to those donors that qualified, but should eventually be made available to ALL purchasers. After all, wouldn't we like that mode for every table? So let it be something for a future update (lord knows there'll be a ton of bugs to work out in the meantime with that mode).

My hope is after these two tables are released and sales figures can be analyzed, kickstarters will no longer be necessary. It's a big unknown how profitable FS can be with these licensed tables, but after this they'll know more. Maybe down the line 'premium' tables won't need to be sold at a premium.

 

[DarkAkatosh]

You guys need to look at this from the masses perspective. They'll lose a lot of sales if they price one table at 5 bucks. Lots of people don't know that these tables are so popular. If anything I say put them in a pack with another non premium table but charge $6 instead of the usual $5 for the pack.

 

[JoshuaKadmon]

You guys need to look at this from the masses perspective. They'll lose a lot of sales if they price one table at 5 bucks. Lots of people don't know that these tables are so popular. If anything I say put them in a pack with another non premium table but charge $6 instead of the usual $5 for the pack.

Wasn't that a contradiction? If the masses aren't supposed to know how special or popular those tables are, thus not wishing to pay $5 for one versus the standard table at $2 or $3, how does a double pack that includes two of those tables at a higher price than a standard pack help anyone? Not only would the "masses" not understand, FarSight would also be leaving a lot of money on the table by packing two premium tables into a single download.

No, if these tables end up in a pack at all, it only makes sense to include them with a minimally-priced PHoF table.

Optimization of Profit vs. Demand: PHoF = $1.99, Premium = $3.99, PHoF + Premium - 2pack discount = $4.99

 

[DarkAkatosh]

I didn't say to pack two premium tables in a pack. I said to pack one non premium table with a premium table.

 

[JoshuaKadmon]

Sorry, I see that now. Glad we agree

 

[dtown8532]

Assuming that TZ and ST:TNG get released individually (stand alones) on their initial platforms (ios and Android) in November and January respectively, do you guys think that they would be the only tables released that month? Meaning, no other new tables on ios or Android in November and January. Of course, this is not counting PS3, Xbox and other releases of those particular months.

 

[bavelb]

Assuming that TZ and ST:TNG get released individually (stand alones) on their initial platforms (ios and Android) in November and January respectively, do you guys think that they would be the only tables released that month? Meaning, no other new tables on ios or Android in November and January. Of course, this is not counting PS3, Xbox and other releases of those particular months.

No, I don't think they'll put out more tables than those 2 if they are single table packs.

 

[shutyertrap]

I would think the idea would be to spotlight them, so no, I don't think any other tables should be released during a kickstarter table's month.

 

[Supermans]

I know that Farsight will most probably sell the new kickstarter tables as part of an update to both PBA free and regular with the option to test out the table before purchase. Below I describe a different way that might actually work better as it would generate some new product traffic that keeping it within the current PBA simply won't accomplish in the same way.

I think both the STTNG and Twilight zone should be available as a seperate download and install at first. Both marketed together for $10.00 or as separate standalone programs and sold for $5.00 each. That way it shows up as a new product, the kickstarter and how the table was funded can be in the description and it will get mostly positive reviews from all the kickstarter contributors who get to download it on release day. It might even be top 5 game app download for the day which would also gain new users. They would have Star Trek The Next Generation Pinball and Twilight Zone Pinball as their titles in the IOS app store and Android Marketplace for example This is important since most people who haven't downloaded PBA yet will not know the game has been updated. The point is to get free advertising PBA wouldn't get with a routine update. After sales die down in a month or so, Farsight can add those tables to the regular Pinball Arcade and just like the PBA Free tables are avilable purchased in the Regular PBA, the same can go for The Premium Pinball Arcade tables.

Ultimately the goal is to make as much money as possible off of these new tables. My idea above Is a good way to get new users on IOS and Android who are fans of either Star Trek TNG pinball or Twilight Zone pinball to download and play who may not know Those two impeotant tables have been added to PBA. The word pinball in the search would show the games titles in the description which raises awareness. My idea probably won't happen, but at least I got to throw it out there.