For all the people who do not want to pay the thirty dollars, i just thought i would tell you something. Not even taking into account the server costs, making the site has cost randy plenty of money. He was a software engineer at Microsft, and quit after five years to work on warlight full time. While i understand that it is annoying to have to pay $30, it is actually a pittance of money. My neighbors kid makes 50 bucks an hour shoveling and $30 bucks an hour tutoring and if you live in america, this is about a day or two worth of food. I have no clue how non-american economies work, but if you live in america dont act like 30 bucks is a lot of money.

Anyway, i am not saying that you should feel guilty to buy the membership. in fact, i have not bought it myself yet (although thats because i dont have credit cards or paypal). just to make it seem like thirty dollars is an outrageous sum is exactly that, outrageous.

"He was a software engineer at Microsft, and quit after five years to work on warlight full time."

I could have sworn I read several times that WL was a spare time project. Are you sure?

I spent a ridiculous $750 on snow/ice removal and salting in the last 8 weeks (ugh). $30 is a modest meal with tax and tip, not two days worth of food, unless you're eating fast food or pizza. But I don't measure value in the abstrat, it should be measured against competitors, which Fizz gave us the info on and showed why $30 was a superior value.

Same question as Duke, did Randy really quit his job to work on Warlight full time? Where did you see this? If he did, great for him, but that would seem pretty ballsy given the current number of players/members on Warlight.

Whether or not the price point is correct or not (I believe that it is), for a lot of people, $30 is an out of reach number - especially in a lump sum. To make blanket statements or assume that everyone can pay that because "it's a day or two of food" is just stupid. First of all - my weekly budget for food right now is $50 and we do our best to (and regularly do) go under that in order to splurge on a nice dinner a couple times a month. So when you make such a statement it's easy for those of us that wouldn't spend that much on food to discount the rest of the argument. It's similar to the coffee example that was brought up in the other thread.

I also understand indie game designers and the issues they face. Intimately, even, because I am one (a closely related field, at least) and active in several groups & meetups where the issues facing indies comes up frequently. Pricing and the various models is a regular and ongoing discussion/debate. There is no easy answer* and, no matter what choice is made, people are going to bitch. People always bitch when money is involved and the switch to paid membership (even if there is a free tier) is often contentious.

And what makes it contentious, usually, are the passionate voices defending the designer's decision. It's not intentional, but the side effect of that defense is that creates a divide between those willing & able to pay and those unwilling and/or unable to pay. (though most of the unwilling don't really care and will mostly not say anything or, if they do, they'll make some stupid "THIS GAME SUX" statement and then leave). That divide is only enhanced by Randy's decision to give those who have chosen to become members visual acknowledgement. A nice gesture, I suppose, but I'm not sure what we're supposed to take away from it other than a visual cue that there are two types of people on Warlight: M and Not M.

Pretty much everyone here will agree that Randy has made an exceptional game. And, I think (hope!), most would agree that he should get paid for his work on it. Whether or not it's costing him a ton in hard & soft costs or if he can afford to pay for it or not is, in my view, irrelevant. He works hard on it and has made an amazing game, and so he should be able to reap the rewards. But because there are numerous ways for him to capitilize on the venture, it's not fair or right to disparage those who, for whatever reason, favor a method other than the one he's chosen.

It's pretty clear to those following along that I am not paying for a membership and that I'm likely leaving all-together (but that's another issue and here I am back again, so...). For me, it's a practical reason because, despite the various arguments to the contrary, $30 is a significant enough sum and one that I cannot justify (perhaps because, like Randy, I ditched the nice cushy job to live the indie dream). To tell me otherwise, is insulting. I say this as an American living a pretty good life in a nice neighborhood with a nice car and all of that. But also as one who would probably pass out at the grocery store if my bill came to anywhere near $60 ($30x2) for a day or two's worth of food.

(* not an easy answer, but my typically favored solution is to provide full access for any & all but to also host special events/items for a small fee. Not something as crass as, say, Farmville, but more like a special weekly tournament for $5. I'd be likely to spend $50 or more a year on them which is more than the $30 but in smaller & less painful chunks over a period of time.)

I would only pay the fee if Randy would make it possible to put money into the site and bet on games you are playing...I would love to challange people for $2 a game! That would be awesome!!!!

Good post, Pepper. What it boils down to, in my mind is this: you say that you'd likely be willing to spend $50+ a year in smaller increments, but won't pay a $30 lump sum. To me, that just underscores the urgent need to add a monthly payment option.

I just thought of it as a way to show support for the effort. My contribution so far amounts to about a penny or two per hour of use, which in the grand scheme of things is a pretty good bang for the buck, even if I stopped playing today. I won't think any less of people who don't pay, and I don't think they're really missing out on much if they don't. Maybe changing the payment options would result in more revenues, maybe not. But there's no reason for anyone to feel entitled to it.