For those who still consider sending a message that VIP is a good business model for Turbine (I'm undecided on that one), they are offering 12 months for $100, or 17% off the 3-month jumper.
To me it is more of a setback as it illustrates how expensive things actually are. For two accounts that would be 2 * 100 + 2 * 50 for Isengard = $300.
For those $300 I still suffer an increasing stream of things that are not included in VIP, namely the LI construction related items, and the additional outfit slots that I want. This $100 package has no extra turbine points, just the same 500/month that every other VIP gets, although you do get some in the Isengard package.
At the end of those 12 months I would be locked more into VIP instead of premium, having spent the money on VIP fees, not one-time payments to assemble my personal lifetime membership. I don't really think this is a smart move since clearly the VIP benefits relative to the overall game get less and less and I don't see that trend stopping.
I think I'd rather spend 50% more on a "super-VIP" subscription that keeps me permanently away from that slow-as-molasses store and includes a better chunk of the game just for that higher VIP fee. I don't want to have to snoop around the store to find the LI deconstruction gizmo or whatever.
To me it is more of a setback as it illustrates how expensive things actually are. For two accounts that would be 2 * 100 + 2 * 50 for Isengard = $300.
For those $300 I still suffer an increasing stream of things that are not included in VIP, namely the LI construction related items, and the additional outfit slots that I want. This $100 package has no extra turbine points, just the same 500/month that every other VIP gets, although you do get some in the Isengard package.
At the end of those 12 months I would be locked more into VIP instead of premium, having spent the money on VIP fees, not one-time payments to assemble my personal lifetime membership. I don't really think this is a smart move since clearly the VIP benefits relative to the overall game get less and less and I don't see that trend stopping.
I think I'd rather spend 50% more on a "super-VIP" subscription that keeps me permanently away from that slow-as-molasses store and includes a better chunk of the game just for that higher VIP fee. I don't want to have to snoop around the store to find the LI deconstruction gizmo or whatever.