Caspien promised "a few surprises next week"

Slapshot1188

What could they be?

Kyleran

One thing that's pretty much a sure thing with SBS / COE is there's always yet another sale just around the corner.

DafAtRandom

He drew a map on the corner of a napkin for the past 3 months and people will get to have a sneak preview for only 129.99.

So, a sale, I suppose ?

Albatroes

A real surprise would be that he's quitting this scam and has found a job working for EA or something.

lahnmir

A game?

/Cheers,
Lahnmir

Torrsk

It's 100% going to be another sale. All this "look at this super awesome thing. It can be yours for $59.99!!". Remind me of those dodgy ads on tv super late. You know it's a scam, you know you should just go to bed, but it sounds so bloody awesome.

Or maybe he will just give away from gift to everyone for being such loyal sheep. I doubt they will drop anything massive, right before they go on xmas break either way.

Slapshot1188

My guess is a combo:
A sale
An event (probably tied to the sale)
Announce hiring of new developers that will Make CoE Great Again

Medium odds:
Announce some sort of external funding
Tease the start of limited player testing early next year ( like he did over 2 years ago on these forums)

alkarionlog

he said surprise, never said it was supose to be good soooo

Waan

Xmas sale, or have they already got something like that going on?

Mendel

Albatroes said:

A real surprise would be that he's quitting this scam and has found a job working for EA or something.

That kind of surprise might qualify as "bad news" for both SBS and EA.

Amathe

He is selling his toenail clippings for $25.00 each, calling them Elvish scimitars.

Slapshot1188

Amathe said:

He is selling his toenail clippings for $25.00 each, calling them Elvish scimitars.

That would be an actual tangible product so unlikely.  Their sales seems to all be based on ethereal items that they can just make a jpeg of and promise virtual delivery at some nebulous time in the future.

Amathe

But that might be the surprise! Something tangible, for once. If just a bit grody.

Albatroes

We joke about this and other things, like Ashe, but all this really does is show how bad the mmo scene, let alone the gaming scene, has gotten for stuff like this not to have been weeded out shortly after appearing.

migthefig

Another  new item or pack or f***ing something to buy again in that stupid store?   This is like a new pay to win,  its like pay to dream.

WBadger

I'm thinking a sale and a release date for letting people into alpha.  Except hes going to miss that release date as usual and then blame the players for expecting that alpha will be open at that date.

DafAtRandom

WBadger said:

I'm thinking a sale and a release date for letting people into alpha.  Except hes going to miss that release date as usual and then blame the players for expecting that alpha will be open at that date.

Don't forget blaming his team for it too ! Those bastards cannot do anything right !

goldboyy45

If you guys read through their discord, you would see how excited people are of the advent calendar items dropping in their accounts. I've seen people say they can't wait and can't sleep because of the excitement of what items they will get. Please close your eyes and try to process this. These people literally say they can't sleep, because they can't wait to see the virtual items being dropped in their accounts..which are already filled with pages upon pages of promised virtual goods...for a mmo  that there is no proof of any kind that exists in any form. We do have proof that they are working on some early movement tech demos, which could be put together by a couple of college interns with like 5000$ in cash. Think about that.

AnOldFart

Slapshot1188 said:

Amathe said:

He is selling his toenail clippings for $25.00 each, calling them Elvish scimitars.

That would be an actual tangible product so unlikely.  Their sales seems to all be based on ethereal items that they can just make a jpeg of and promise virtual delivery at some nebulous time in the future.

It's a photograph of the said nail clippings then

Slapshot1188

goldboyy45 said:

If you guys read through their discord, you would see how excited people are of the advent calendar items dropping in their accounts. I've seen people say they can't wait and can't sleep because of the excitement of what items they will get. Please close your eyes and try to process this. These people literally say they can't sleep, because they can't wait to see the virtual items being dropped in their accounts..which are already filled with pages upon pages of promised virtual goods...for a mmo  that there is no proof of any kind that exists in any form. We do have proof that they are working on some early movement tech demos, which could be put together by a couple of college interns with like 5000$ in cash. Think about that.

Caspien's degree is in Psychology.  And I would say he is putting it to good use.

Torrsk

So we can assume the "few surprises", well at least one is this Settlers of Elyria starting. So my guess of a sale is right on the money. Not sure what else could be coming. Unless it's the 6 monthly blog about what has been happening.

RenGinGin

CASPEON: "Since you may have missed out on the loo...advent calendars, how about we give you another chance with this AWESOME SALE!"

WK:"OH BOI!! I can't  wait. Tha k you Caspeon!" You're  so wonderful to us!"

Kyleran

One of the surprises is they let a developer who had never previously posted on the COE forums make the formal announcement late yesterday.

Putting the new hires quickly to work I guess.

Judging from the many posts thanking SBS for this great "opportunity", the base prices apparently were no surprise, nor the fact NPCs would be also bidding so act quickly or one may miss their chance by waiting too long for a better deal.

These base prices are:

• Settlements: $65.00 - $135.00

• Counties: $350.00 to $650.00

• Duchies: $650.00 to $1,350.00

• The Kingdom of Nirath: $3,500.00

Albatroes

Kyleran said:

One of the surprises is they let a developer who had never previously posted on the COE forums make the formal announcement late yesterday.

Putting the new hires quickly to work I guess.

Judging from the many posts thanking SBS for this great "opportunity", the base prices apparently were no surprise, nor the fact NPCs would be also bidding so act quickly or one may miss their chance by waiting too long for a better deal.

These base prices are:

• Settlements: $65.00 - $135.00

• Counties: $350.00 to $650.00

• Duchies: $650.00 to $1,350.00

• The Kingdom of Nirath: $3,500.00

Kyleran

Oh yeah, while these may appear to be "bargins" as I understand it, the above are "upgrade prices."  A player has to have already bought in at the tier below in order to purchase the next level up.

So for example, to buy the Kingdom there seems to be some debate, but some believe a new to the game buyer will see the amount of the previous count pledge added to the total upon checkout. 

Others feel a new joiner will have to first buy up to the count level before being permitted to then purchase the kingdom upgrade.

So confusing at times....

Torrsk

@Kyleran

It was "leaked" months back what the prices would be. Just all subject to change, line was used. It be more interesting to see how they plan to value each title. Will it be based on if the title itself is rich or based on the amount of players around it. 

The NPCs buying titles is nothing short of flat out BS. They may as well not even have a deep sale, because SBS won't let any of the good titles make it that far, that's for sure. While also their flash sales idea is laughable. Changing every 20 minutes.. what.. 
While only having the chance to appear once. That's crazy.