1. Pre-printed Fylers with a "Buddy-Code".
Players could give out these to invite Friends and maybe receive a special Title or something similar in return for a certain number of new paid accounts.
These Flyers would have to be printed and send out in batches by SW, with codes that were easy to link to a certain account.
The problem that does present itself here of course is how to keep track of the codes and those who do the inviting.
Any ideas?
Maybe 5 - 10 per already existing account? Or less, to keep the cost low.
If successful, maybe send out more later. A similar idea would be a special item and/or title for the newcomers who use such a code. Of course only one per later paid account/character established.
(I´m not sure if this has been brought up before, if so, maybe we can continue to develop the idea.)
2. A Ryzom Novel, Novelette, or follow up short stories.
(Similar to the Ideas for web-/comics)
Translated to all needed languages and published in Games Magazines and/or on the web, or even as a book, or series of books.
Officially sanctioned by SW, to pique the interest of new players/readers.
(Maybe sooner or later even in collected book form, if successful, to gain a bit more profit.
)What would be needed here is official sanctioning and an outline for a story to follow.
Many new Games are based on more or less successful books nowadays, so why not do it the other way around? It worked with HALO.
(Note from Acridiel: Damn, I´d write it! If I´d get official outline and sanction. Or I could ask a good friend of mine, who´s already an established German fiction writer, living in London atm.)
3. Use the relatively long initial loading time of the Game to display sponsors.
Which needs sponsors first, of course.
4. A viral approach
Print shopping bags for Book-stores to use.
Many folks doing highly visible advertising, for low cost
In addition, there could be paper bookmarks as free giveaways for readers of fantasy novels or just whatnot
Most of her other ideas have already been discussed around here so I´ll refrain from stating them again
But those above are quite clever and would be worth a try in my humble opinion.CU
Acridiel
*Messenger for Carie*