The last game i paid subscription for was http://www.weewar.com
The pricing was very good. I think with the nature of the game (or what it sounds like) you should offer a service to purchase your game in this type of model.
free - trial account where you can only play other trial accounts. The features are limited. But you can play as much as you want.
with teh pay for account you get extra gameplay, extra items, you can create games with more people. You can join tournies, etc
1 month - $7.99
3 months - $14.99
6 months - £24.99
(or something like this)
I know for a fact if i liked the game of this genre, i would want to pay a subscription but not be tied to a monthly contract. I can pretty much garuntee that I would look at 1 month, but then see the price of 3 months and go for that because your basically getting a month for free. Most chances I would stop playing after 1 - 2 months, and not worry about loosing $14.99 because I had lots of enjoyment.
With the draw of extra features and updates, as long as you heavily promoted these new up and coming features in game, It would keep me playing, and if i got bored keep me checking back to see what has been added and if it has fixed anythign I didnt like with the game.
Which leads onto another point. Give the users a direct line to the developer. Create a discussion forum where you can offer members the ability to voice what they want to see happen with the game, things that are bad with the game and things that would make it better. Make a big deal of this so people feel like they are plaing a part of the games creation and development.
A person:
"Hey I don't like the fact that when you collect this item and use it in-game, you have to <insert problem here>"..
developer: "hey thats a good idea, i'll impliment it"
Post it on the news, post it on the forums. Post it in-game on a tickertape/newscast.
Said person feels special. Said person recommends game to others
Community feels special, community feels like they have invested their time and money into something that isnt going to die or rip them off.
Hope those ideas help
The pricing was very good. I think with the nature of the game (or what it sounds like) you should offer a service to purchase your game in this type of model.
free - trial account where you can only play other trial accounts. The features are limited. But you can play as much as you want.
with teh pay for account you get extra gameplay, extra items, you can create games with more people. You can join tournies, etc
1 month - $7.99
3 months - $14.99
6 months - £24.99
(or something like this)
I know for a fact if i liked the game of this genre, i would want to pay a subscription but not be tied to a monthly contract. I can pretty much garuntee that I would look at 1 month, but then see the price of 3 months and go for that because your basically getting a month for free. Most chances I would stop playing after 1 - 2 months, and not worry about loosing $14.99 because I had lots of enjoyment.
With the draw of extra features and updates, as long as you heavily promoted these new up and coming features in game, It would keep me playing, and if i got bored keep me checking back to see what has been added and if it has fixed anythign I didnt like with the game.
Which leads onto another point. Give the users a direct line to the developer. Create a discussion forum where you can offer members the ability to voice what they want to see happen with the game, things that are bad with the game and things that would make it better. Make a big deal of this so people feel like they are plaing a part of the games creation and development.
A person:
"Hey I don't like the fact that when you collect this item and use it in-game, you have to <insert problem here>"..
developer: "hey thats a good idea, i'll impliment it"
Post it on the news, post it on the forums. Post it in-game on a tickertape/newscast.
Said person feels special. Said person recommends game to others
Community feels special, community feels like they have invested their time and money into something that isnt going to die or rip them off.
Hope those ideas help