I dont mind paying for quality games

[corky]

I've always believed Magic the card game was not exactly appealing to the masses due to it's learning curve and complexity. Herein lies the strength of Elements. It has all the fun and addictive qualities of Magic without the intimidation of a difficult ruleset to learn. The game play in Elements is faster, smoother and more intuitive while still retaining a great deal of strategy on the playing field and deck building.

Getting to my point, there are lots of free flash games on the internet. Most are garbage, many are good but only a handful are exceptional. Elements falls into the latter category. While I love the fact that Elements is free, I believe it is not getting it's due following. I would bet the farm that giving Elements exposure to other platforms, namely mobile devices and perhaps the ipad, offered for a modest fee, Elements could clean up house.

Hope I don't get slammed for this thread, but put me in the category of those who say, hire those developers. Expand the content. Charge a modest fee(while keeping the free version perhaps?) and take the chance on making a small fortune for yourselves. The card game genre right now is starving for a development like this to come along.

Good luck in whichever direction Elements takes you!

Signed..

One who doesn't mind paying for quality games.

[wavedash]

Option 1: Use ad revenue and donations for funds. Maximizes number of people who play.

Option 2: Make paying optional. More revenue. Some people get pissed and leave because they can't access all content, or they can't get it as quickly or easily.

Option 3: Make paying required. Unknown amount of revenue. Large portion of playerbase leaves because they either cannot afford to pay or do not have the means to do so.

I'd be perfectly fine with option 3. Elements is a fantastic game, and I would not mind supporting it. But when you consider how much of the playerbase is composed of pre-teens or teenagers who simply cannot use stuff like Paypal, you have a slight problem.
Option 2, while appealing, usually pisses off people for some reason. I dunno why.

[corky]

Making a pay version of Elements does not have to sacrifice the free game. It could still continue along the way it is with new cards now and then. The pay for version would of course get the most attention: More cards, expanded game modes, multiple deck saves, etc.

I long for the day of downloading an Elements app to play on the go with my phone. 

[Demut]

There are plenty of card games you have to pay for already of various learning curves. I work for Legend as an independent contractor, I know. Legend is the company that does all the card games from Pokemon, to Yu-gi-oh, to Magic, to Sport Cards, to Naruto, to Chaos, to Card-Jitsu.

If you want to a pay to play game with a low learnin curve, there are plenty out there.

BUT THERE ARE NO FREE CARD GAMES.

This is literally the only full playing card game on the net that is free. Right now the only alternative is Fantasy Cards Trading Card Game which is still in Open Alpha.

[corky]

If we were talking console development then I would totally agree. I think the place to be for small independent programmers right now is iphone/ipad/droid where development is relatively cheap and interest is peaking.

Also, last time I checked apples app store there were ZERO fantasy card games. I would image the droid store would show the same. Considering the average app in this market is only $3, it is not a true comparison to the traditional retail gaming market anyway.

Elements could literally be the first in it's genre to hit the app market. It's simple interface control would work really well on touch screen I think.

[wavedash]

Eh, maybe.

[guolin]

ZERO fantasy card games.

Dungeon Solitaire + Arena 9. Got them both free thanks to FAAD. Of course, the way you play them is different from Magic and Elements.

Anyways, there is a high chance I may quit should either Option 2 or 3 be implemented. Actually, Option 2 is kinda in-game already - you get stuff for donating. But I hope that Elements stays this way: the only rewards you get from paying are things that you can get without paying (excluding Chimera art), except you save yourself quite a bit of grinding. I've always liked the idea of Elements being cross-platform: you can have people pay for the app and people will probably still buy it. (even existing Elements players: I cannot stress how much I've always wanted to play Elements on the go)

@wavedash: Yeah, if Elements hit the App Store, it would have to be reprogrammed using a different language.

[wizelsnarf]

I greatly appreciate that Zanz does not offer any advantage to those with money.

Frankly I am more likely to donate regularly with his current system than pay a 1 time fee. I HATE games that allow people who play to have an advantage, it just creates a tiered system where the richest always wins.

Every time money is involved in an equation, things go wrong. Look at hospitals and health insurance as one of the worst examples where people literally are left to die because of money.

Others have tossed ideas out in the past and I like the special art idea best.

In fact if Zanz said he couldn't spare any time to elements anymore unless he got X amount of money, but only allowed donations I am sure he could get the money no problem. I would chip in. But the point is he wouldn't be charging those who can't.

[Kurohami]

Paying to get an advantage on other players is unacceptable for me. It creates an imbalance.

[smuglapse]

Every time money is involved in an equation, things go wrong. Look at hospitals and health insurance as one of the worst examples where people literally are left to die because of money.

Without money, Billions more would be dead.  Money is the foundation for the division of labor, mass production, and an advanced society.  But this has nothing to do with the original post, so I'll stop now before I get myself worked up.

[wizelsnarf]

Every time money is involved in an equation, things go wrong. Look at hospitals and health insurance as one of the worst examples where people literally are left to die because of money.

Without money, Billions more would be dead.  Money is the foundation for the division of labor, mass production, and an advanced society.  But this has nothing to do with the original post, so I'll stop now before I get myself worked up.

Let me rephrase. I am not saying money shouldn't exist. I am not attacking currency.

To be more specific I am saying that when profit becomes your main goal, things start going wrong. People and institutions make decisions that are harmful to individuals and society when profit is their sole motive

Back to Elements, Zanz is like god because he created the elements world and gave it to us for free. If profit became a major motive I have a feeling the game would sacrifice some of its quality for profit.

[corky]

I wasnt suggesting for a second that Elements should adopt some sucky pay scheme for buying cards or anything else that gives an advantage to people who pay. I merely suggest developing Elements on the booming mobile platform that is purchased with a one time $2 or $3 download. Hell, I think many would pay for the current version of Elements without any improvements just for having it ported to our mobile phones.