I would like to start off by saying that I find this subject highly controversial and that I am not sure I would like to see it implemented. In fact as I stared at my blinking cursor that was at the beginning of this sentence, I gave a great deal of thought to not making this suggestion. However, curiosity and the opportunity to discuss the hypothetical has won out.
First off, anyone using this would need someone with a paid account that is say two years old or older to add their names to a list with, "I vouch for this person that they are a regular player with no hidden intent to the best of my knowledge."
(That is to cut back on gold farmers using it.)
Okay, the crux of the suggestion:
Allow people to pay for SL only access per month with a substantial amount of credits.
This can be paid by the org, a benefactor or by a fr00b earning it with just RK content and getting someone to vouch for them. It can only be used for SL only accounts and not to reduce the cost of full ones or to pay for full ones.
Why consider doing this at all?
- It would be a massive credit sink.
- Long time fr00bs are unlikely to upgrade anyway.
- If the credit amount is high enough, (100M?) most people may not want to keep paying it or might not be able to raise those funds each month. So it would be like a trial period.
- ---> It would mean there are more people in areas that fully paid accounts access for them to team with.
- Give some of the SL and XP drug and you might hook some people that would otherwise not subscribe.
- It is one way of giving a friend some trial time in the Shadow Lands when you introduce them to the game with no extra RL$ cost to you.
It is highly likely that I will end up arguing against this and trying to get the thread locked or deleted.