test content
Logo
What is the Arc Client?
Install Arc
A fantastic game, with a seemingly unsustainable flaw.
jakeywunder
Member Posts: 2 Arc User
So I am in absolute love with this game. I love how it takes proper elements from WoW (however few they may be 
) and GW2 and Skyrim, and bundles it all into a super fun game that I could find myself spending many hours on.
I also really like the idea of the online store, it's very similar to GW2's, in that you can /technically/ get everything you need without spending a single irl dollar.
But I think that the concept was taken.. just a little bit!... completely overboard -.-
I was trying to look around, figuring out 'how do I make myself some more bags' only to realize that if I want to get a small bag, that's 6 bucks off the zen store, and then 10 bucks for a decent sized bag. That upset me quite a bit. This is the first MMO I've ever played wherein you have to wait for sooooooo long to get a single bag (excluding the free on you get in the first 5-10 levels.) It is realy quite frustrating. So I thought to myself, 'Oh well I'll just try to buy one off the trading post.' But one bag costs 275,000 Astral Diamonds, or $8.00. The larger bags cost nearly/over $12 from the auction house.
So then I thought, 'Well that sucks, but we have a vault so I'll just go start hoarding in there.'
Double wrong >< To my dismay, I found out that you only start with 18 bank slots, and that to purchase another 18 bank slots is $6.00.
I get what cryptic is trying to do, they're trying to cash out on the influx of people that think F2P cost less money that P2P, by micro-charging for eeeeeeevvvveeerrryyyttthhhiinngg, but this business model is not sustainable!
This game is super fun, but it is /not/ fun enough for them to charge the amount of money for the amount of things that they currently do.
The Zen market is obscenely overpriced right now, and that needs to be changed. What you're going to have, is people that get to max level, and maybe (MAYBE) they've spent $50 on the game, and they'll think to themselves, "For what?" and then they'll leave, with a bitter taste in their mouth, and never come back. $50? That's the equivelant of 3 months and 10 days of a normal subscription fee.
The huge benefit of a subscription fee is that you have people paying a flat every month, and if they take a pause, most of them forget that they're even paying for the game. Why not have a hybrid? 10-15 dollars a month, and that will grant you VIP status which will give you some simple niceties in the game such as, for instance, the ability to craft bags and use them. When you pay, every character has a bank that starts out with 30-40 slots, and then they can put more bags that they've crafted in slots (similar to rift's vault-system.)
With a f2p model that overcharges everything like it does now, you'll definitely make more money in 3 months than you would from a plain p2p model, but I believe that in the long-term you will take a loss, simply because people will start getting fed up with the overcharge.
"It's a courtesy that they're even allowing you bags/vault space/coalescent wards in the first place, you don't need them!"
A lot of people have this misconception that you don't /need/ a lot of things when playing a game. But that's just simply not the case. When playing an MMO, the goal is to have fun. If the game restricts 50% of what should just be included in a game's package already, and then slapping a 5-40 dollar fee on it, that makes it not fun. Looking at your mount, riding it around, and knowing you forked out forty dollars for it? Blegh.
And 2 character slots... really? Ope! No worries, just charge $5 to make more characters, even though people should start with a MINIMUM of 5 character slots.
This isn't a rage-quit, as I like this game too much to stop playing it just yet. But I truly believe that if they don't change their current model, the game will go under in a just a couple years (especially when ESO comes out.)
TLDR:
Online store is too expensive, players need to start with more things at beginning of game, bags should be craft-able, and more bank-slots to start out with.
I miss games where your phat lewts were determined by your copper, silver and gold--not by your irl wallet dollars.
Sheesh.. reading over this... qq much xD
) and GW2 and Skyrim, and bundles it all into a super fun game that I could find myself spending many hours on.I also really like the idea of the online store, it's very similar to GW2's, in that you can /technically/ get everything you need without spending a single irl dollar.
But I think that the concept was taken.. just a little bit!... completely overboard -.-
I was trying to look around, figuring out 'how do I make myself some more bags' only to realize that if I want to get a small bag, that's 6 bucks off the zen store, and then 10 bucks for a decent sized bag. That upset me quite a bit. This is the first MMO I've ever played wherein you have to wait for sooooooo long to get a single bag (excluding the free on you get in the first 5-10 levels.) It is realy quite frustrating. So I thought to myself, 'Oh well I'll just try to buy one off the trading post.' But one bag costs 275,000 Astral Diamonds, or $8.00. The larger bags cost nearly/over $12 from the auction house.
So then I thought, 'Well that sucks, but we have a vault so I'll just go start hoarding in there.'
Double wrong >< To my dismay, I found out that you only start with 18 bank slots, and that to purchase another 18 bank slots is $6.00.
I get what cryptic is trying to do, they're trying to cash out on the influx of people that think F2P cost less money that P2P, by micro-charging for eeeeeeevvvveeerrryyyttthhhiinngg, but this business model is not sustainable!
This game is super fun, but it is /not/ fun enough for them to charge the amount of money for the amount of things that they currently do.
The Zen market is obscenely overpriced right now, and that needs to be changed. What you're going to have, is people that get to max level, and maybe (MAYBE) they've spent $50 on the game, and they'll think to themselves, "For what?" and then they'll leave, with a bitter taste in their mouth, and never come back. $50? That's the equivelant of 3 months and 10 days of a normal subscription fee.
The huge benefit of a subscription fee is that you have people paying a flat every month, and if they take a pause, most of them forget that they're even paying for the game. Why not have a hybrid? 10-15 dollars a month, and that will grant you VIP status which will give you some simple niceties in the game such as, for instance, the ability to craft bags and use them. When you pay, every character has a bank that starts out with 30-40 slots, and then they can put more bags that they've crafted in slots (similar to rift's vault-system.)
With a f2p model that overcharges everything like it does now, you'll definitely make more money in 3 months than you would from a plain p2p model, but I believe that in the long-term you will take a loss, simply because people will start getting fed up with the overcharge.
"It's a courtesy that they're even allowing you bags/vault space/coalescent wards in the first place, you don't need them!"
A lot of people have this misconception that you don't /need/ a lot of things when playing a game. But that's just simply not the case. When playing an MMO, the goal is to have fun. If the game restricts 50% of what should just be included in a game's package already, and then slapping a 5-40 dollar fee on it, that makes it not fun. Looking at your mount, riding it around, and knowing you forked out forty dollars for it? Blegh.
And 2 character slots... really? Ope! No worries, just charge $5 to make more characters, even though people should start with a MINIMUM of 5 character slots.
This isn't a rage-quit, as I like this game too much to stop playing it just yet. But I truly believe that if they don't change their current model, the game will go under in a just a couple years (especially when ESO comes out.)
TLDR:
Online store is too expensive, players need to start with more things at beginning of game, bags should be craft-able, and more bank-slots to start out with.
I miss games where your phat lewts were determined by your copper, silver and gold--not by your irl wallet dollars.
Sheesh.. reading over this... qq much xD
Post edited by jakeywunder on
0
Comments
True, in this game if your character wants to HAMSTER he/she's gotta cough a fistful of dough.
Centurion maximus92
12th Legion, Romulan Republic
12th Fleet
=\/= ================================ =\/=
That there are so many threads on same subject indicate there's a problem.
Anyway, I'd give you thumbsup for effort for the long post. I don't think I could do it, it's easier just to leave.
Maybe one day people will learn that the default answer to criticism about the game they're playing isn't 'just quit, lol'. It just makes you look like a jerk.
--Part 1: Spells and Coin (NW-DHM3XQVQK)
--Part 2: A Blind Eye (NW-DI3QTHZGJ)
--Part 3: Dodo's Dinner (NW-DHPA8O253)
-One Shots
--The Wizard of Eldeur (NW-DRKQNE4S7)
The thing that makes me laugh is the couple quests where one step is "go visit the zen store merchant".
Look at the cash shop! LOOK AT IT! *shoves it in your face*
Additionally, in the case of bags, you are given 2 bags during the course of the game, (on top of your main initial storage). IMO, this limitation is kinda good - you can't be a hoarder and it makes you have to fight those pack-rat tendencies.
Personally, I think they should make the current bag prices be account unlocks, and offer per-character bags at a cheaper price.
"Is it better to be feared or respected? I say, is it too much to ask for both?" -Tony Stark
Official NW_Legit_Community Forums
and white knights. ****loads of white knights.
well, so do I. I've seen far too many topics apologizing for PWE's tactics and proving them right that no matter how much people rage, someones stupid enough to buy a 50 dollar mount every second.
Because that $60 (plus monthly sub, if there is one) covers everything. That same amount in a f2p game covers maybe the bare basics, plus playable content in f2p games is rarely expanded upon while the real money shop gets the overwhelming majority of the development attention. Game design is based around what makes things sell, instead of what makes the game fun to play.
f2p is not a good deal for consumers, but consumers are apparently stupid. What it does do, is allow companies to milk more out of less.
For $60 (Guardian Founder's Pack), you can have a Rank 3 mount and epic companion on every character you create, plus a good chunk of ADs to buy other stuff you want. Sounds like you get the "bare basics" there within the $60 limit you gave.
As far as the other generalities about F2P games and the model itself, if this game is slower than you'd like about adding new content, then you are welcome to complain at that time, but until then, it's not a very good argument. Can I borrow your crystal ball to look into the future to see this weekend's Powerball numbers since you seem to be able to see the future?
As far as consumers being stupid, I'm intelligent enough to do some basic math and see how much I would be spending on a sub game and realize that you can get as much, if not, more out of this model if you have self-control and carefully consider what is worth money to you and what isn't. The F2P model certainly isn't for those with no self-control or who don't want to have more control over what they are spending money on, but I like the fact that I can control exactly what I buy and what my money goes to. So instead of being a "stupid" consumer, I'd argue that people who like the F2P model are more intelligent and informed consumers.
http://nw-forum.perfectworld.com/showthread.php?150641-Poll-How-many-lockboxes-did-you-open-before/page10
suddenly this becomes a sub game with a fairly enjoyable grind.
Problem solved.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]