Said on the basis of nine forum posts...Originally Posted by Vega
Did I miss an apocalypse?
Said on the basis of nine forum posts...
Did I miss an apocalypse?
The truth is, when micro transactions are put into a game, most of the time the hottest "items" are ones that allow access to higher level or tier gear/items/etc at a lower level, xp boosts, consumable items that restore your health/energy/etc, and "gamble packs" where you spend x amount of money for a chance at a random item. Dont get me wrong, I seldomly ever stick with a game with that kind of market strategy, because the next step is a "VIP" status, based on how much you spend.
Based on the variety of opinions posted here and in similer threads, there's not alot of options for our wonderful creative devs and all the staff that make this game and show possible, to make ANY money. Most item mall ideas are scrapped, except for things that are rarely purchased. Subscriptions have been met with a resounding "no" by alot of people. So what else is left?
GW2 model: you dont ever have to pay anything except for the retail value of the game, BUT there are "premium" items you can get through playing the game and rarish "drops" to get (the black chest keys I think), to open some of the locked chests. Most of the time those chests have vials of dye for visual customization, but also sometimes have actual items. You cannot purchse the chests using real world money, but you can open them using real world money.
SWTOR model: (I logged in to check) yes you are limited to 2 quick bars unless you purchase them (subscribers get full access to ALL locked things), you dont get titles, legacy names, or the option to hide head slot items, you can purchase cosmetic gear (that can be modified with real stats for effective gear), xp boosts, as well as content areas. Essentially, you can purchase what interests you, but you cannot purchase the best end game gear. The closest thing you can do is purchase light crystals of equal stat value to raid level gear, and it's a unique (altho ugly imo) color.
WoW model: Subscription, subscription and more subscriptions
Eve model: I like this one. It's a subscription, but, you can purchase GTC (Game Time Codes) using in game currency, and not just player to player, the game company "seeds" (plants the items into the market) the GTCs at high price. In game currency, for the average player, takes almost a month of casually playing to make the needed money to buy a code. Alternativly, player owned structures, corperations, alliances, etc, COST in game currency to maintain, so many organizations will buy the GTCs and then sell them, effectivly eliminating "gold sellers" by making their services redundant.
If we are allowed guild housing, territory, etc, I could see us having a very viable option with adopting some of the eve model. I would WANT guild housing to be expensive to maintain, especially if we are allowed multiple territories.
I would be perfectly happy with a hybrid model, using a sub (between 4.95 and 9.95 per month, not a full 14.95), and being able to purchase certain in game items with real world currency, that can be traded to other players, like the GTC, or treasure keys found in GW2, etc. In addition, I could live with paying for expansions, as long as they are within reason. (Would expect an expansion with each season of the show).
Lastly, I would NOT want a premium currency in the game, if people purchase things with real world money, then sell the items in game, the only tradeable currency should be the one that everyone uses. No mall points, no cartel coins, etc
If it bleeds, we've killed it
Product placement and in-game advertising.
The way advertising works is the more people you subject it to, the more money you make. The lower the cost of the game to players, the more players / advertising consumers you'll have.
If they could organise enough advertising then the most profitable model for them might be one that has neither subscription nor cash shop.
I doubt that's what we'll see though. For them to have even made the 'hybrid' comment suggests some cost to players.
I honestly couldnt see many people throwing a fit over a $5/month sub fee. Let's face it, F2P has a very bad reputation that alot of people stay away from, simply because of the type of player base that gravitates to it. You make an investment, and when you break the rules, you have a risk to lose that investment. F2P you simply change your IP and MAC address, then make a new account and all you've wasted is time, and you can go about your business being a numbnut. With a sub, you can still get around being a jerk, but you would have to change your credit card info as well, or at least pay for a sub. A sub also has more "policing" of bad behaving players, as a general rule, with providing a service the PLAYERS pay for, the PLAYERS hold the power over commerce, and when a few stand up an make playing the game un-enjoyable for the rest, the PAYING players get listened to and things happen quicker.
I'm not saying that Trion wont listen to it's playerbase, even if the game doesnt cost us even a penny. I'm pretty convinced that Trion would listen to us even if they paid for our internet and services. However, alot of player made complaints are only a fraction of of how many players were actually affected, and when you pay for your time in game, each player has more of a tendancy to speak up and say "hey, this guy is being a total (colorful adjective here) and is violating normal conduct as outlined in the EULA"
If it bleeds, we've killed it
If there is a payment fee, I hope there are options for it like pay once for 10 years or something like that.
The expieriencer.
Ye, free to play, buy to play, fee or no fee?
I do not know what will be the path that they are going to choose, i will play the game anyway.
I just whant to suggest this.
If: full free to play - dont make it buy to win, dont sell UI parts, dont make us having to buy a key to open loot.
If: Just buy to play - same as in the free to play ...
If: you go with a fee - dont put a game store.
What i suggest:
- go the guild wars 1 way.
As we can already guess that the game will certainly get big updates with the beginning of each season of the TV show, you should then, make the game buy to play and make the updates or expantions, as you will call them, to be paid. And have no monthly fee. Of course you may have a convenience store with some premium currency. But as I said before dont go the route of the buy to win of any kind.
- What i would see in the store:
.. XP boost
.. rename
.. some dyes for the Quad
.. mabe some fun armors
.. effects changer, (ex: make explosions pink or blue)
.. etc...
If the game is good if the store is appeling, players will spend money.
Keep up the good work TRION, i am loving the game.
After playing Star Trek Online for the last three years, and seeing the differences in a game under different pay models. I can say that I would prefer a game with a regular subscription to one that is free to play.
When STO launched there was a 15 dollar sub fee and a small cash shop that sold mostly cosmetic upgrades. Under that model the game got regular Story content updates, and new missions. Once the game went free to play, story content and new mission development ground to a hault. The developers now are more interested in releasing new cash shop items.
Under a pay to play model the developers are forced to pump out content that people want to play. Without something to do folks will cancel their subs. Under a free to play model Developers have to devote their time to pumping out those new shinies to get you to keep spending.
It doesn't really matter to me if it's F2P or pay to play. I agree with Shadinaxx in that with the pay to play models, even it's just a 5$ sub, then people tend to behave a little better and tend to be more mature (there are always exceptions to the rule). This also eliminates the banned players from doing what Shadinaxx said, which is to change IP/MAC and create a new account.
I completely agree with this. I know other games that do something similar to this and it seems to work for themThen its agreed by all then. The game should not charge a monthly fee but should offer a special member service in which you pay to have access to really awesome in game bonus content which includes stuff like unique armour, unique weapons, access to rare missions, bonus storyline, maybe a ingame house, special contests to win cool Defiance gear(real), as well as access to upcoming previews of all thing Defiance show/game.I'd buy that for a dollar or 20 a month
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