Giving incentives to offline players

[DreJaDe]

I've seen this in a lot of games and I think, only AO does the opposite focusing more of multi than Single player.

I think, this game should also include finishing a map in single player, a chance to get daily rewards.

Finishing either a completely new one or even old one. As long as they finish it, they will get a daily reward like normal.

From what I've seen, there are actually quite a lot of people only playing offline. And even most people I've seen in the list of campaign listers are players I've never heard off in multiplayer.

[makazuwr32]

There is a point here. I came back after a couple years where I had 100% unlocked beforehand. Now I'm still working on unlocks after sinking some $20-30 (US dollars, not sure conversion rates) in (not all at once, admittedly). To a new player, there's probably enough to unlock that the best deal, the $42 option (3200 gems) will not unlock everything. And that's assuming they recognize this game is even worth it. (Which it is.)

Campaigns are not enough anymore to get nearly enough gems, even assuming a player is skilled and patient enough to finish them all at 3 stars. Daily login requires multiplayer participation, which can be frustrating if you always lose to players with stuff unlocked you don't have. True, there's the "No upgrades" option, but that locks off 99% of the game and most players aren't likely to bother. It even cuts out what little a new player may have unlocked, removing their rewards for getting the gems to start.

I'd suggest we start with some options between full and no upgrades games. Maybe "no embassy" would be a good one, allowing players with some gems under their belt a competitive option that doesn't cut everything away.

Daily challenges would also help, as detailed in the linked post above. Maybe make the easier ones give spell unlocks rather than gems. This way they aren't free gems so much as a way to make campaigns easier, which are then a more reliable source of gems.

Once per day gems for defeating ai opponents may be an option too. Perhaps 1 gem per 2 allied ai, with a bonus gem if defeating 5 allied ai for a total of 3 gems.

Gems for completed multiplayer games may be even better. Quantity would be based on game length, requiring at least 10-15 turns and needing longer and longer for additional gems past the first. Getting skipped or resigning before the end of the game forfeits the gems, so you'll stick around even if you're losing. I'm not too concerned about abuse because there's really nothing stopping someone from playing bet games against their own fake accounts already.

This will fit well.

[makazuwr32]

Additional idea:
What if we will give for players 1 extra "spell" to use — to unlock any unit of your choice in the gem shop.
Alas these "spells" will be obtainable only via some daily challenges (ideas from above) or via daily gift from multiplayer. You will not be able to buy it.

[b2198]

Those sound like great ideas. I do know the struggle of some friends that started by playing offline in regards to the speed of getting gems to unlock units, so these could make it easier for new players to keep the engagement with the game, leading to a (probably only slightly) bigger playerbase overall.

[Endru1241]

Daily quests/challenges could use achievement system, to make it easier to implement.
Plus maybe testing those settings with dailies it could be easier to later finally make proper achievements too.

I'd advice to make them all quite universal, like kill a number of enemies, deal amount of damage etc. so that it would be doable in multiplier too.