Copernicus Pricing

[PsychoticHamster]

I'd like to see a legit exchange rate between money and time, which isn't a total insult to the player. If it takes me 40 hours of playing the game to get a certain sword, and you can buy it in a MT shop for $5, the company is basically saying that their players' time is worth about 12 cents an hour. No wonder things lose all meaning and value when sold in a microtransaction.

They should start with a reasonable time/money conversion. What's the average hour worth to the demographics who play these games? $25? $50? So if you had the exact same shop, but made the prices reflect the actual time spent...the sword I mentioned above would cost $1000. I wouldn't mind that MT shop at all.

I disagree with the common argument that if a game isn't directly competitive (i.e. if it's PvE), then anything and everything can be for sale because it doesn't directly affect other players. This is patently false. In a shared game world, whether it's competitive or cooperative, everything has a value which is determined by the player base as a whole. This "communal value" which is assigned to everything directly affects each player's experience of the game. It's easiest to see in the modern MMORPG's auction house...why are some items more expensive than others? Because of the investment (time, effort, logistics, skill, knowledge, whatever) it takes ANY player in the shared game world to obtain that item.

If one person buys an item using money which is outside of the shared world, they are introducing an unbalancing force to that communal value. When you decrease the value of an item by buying it with a microtransaction, it reduces the value of the item for EVERYONE who shares the world with you, whether it's competitive or not. The same goes for the value of play time. Everyone's experience loses value when one person bypasses or shortcuts the game play.

A couple examples -
There's a sword which requires 50 completed dungeons to aquire. This typically requires about 100 hours of play time. This sword will have an actual in-game monetary value which is commensurate with that 100 hours of play. If the item is not tradeable, it will still have a status value, or perceived value, commensurate with the investment required to get it. "Wow, that guy has the sword of awesome, he did X, Y, and Z...that's impressive!"

Now sell that sword for $10 in a microtransaction shop.

What is the sword worth now, in the context of the game world? Nothing. It's literally worthless. Because the sword can be had without ANY in-game investment, it no longer has any in-game value. It's just some pixels that nobody cares about or would buy in-game. "That guy spent 100 hours getting that sword? Why would he do that? You can get it for $10 in 2 seconds." Now comitting to actually playing the game and investing yourself almost becomes a foolish thing that people ridicule.

The same would be true of an experience within the game. Say completing a particularly difficult quest provides you with a title. With no microtransaction possible, that title will have a whole bunch of memories, play time, and meaning rolled up in it... it has value. Sell it in a cash shop... again, it's worthless in the context of the game, because there's literally no experience associated other than swiping your credit card. Not very memorable.

Shortcutting / bypassing the game does the same thing. You are cheapening the play experience of everyone, and devaluing milestones and achievements within the game. All of the above affect all players in the shared game world, competitive or not.

I completely agree with you, but something that might actually work: if 38 were to institute a MT system, they could make certain servers for players willing to do that. So say there is a F2P option and 15 dollar a month option. You can get servers such as normal(subscription) and normal(free to play). While some people would probably disagree with the segregation of paying players and the free ones, you could always give the option to upgrade to the premium server. That way, anyone that wants to just buy stuff and have the feeling of being in the end game without all the work can, and those who wish to put in the time and effort can share their game world with people looking for the same thing.

[Bossner]

I completely agree with you, but something that might actually work: if 38 were to institute a MT system, they could make certain servers for players willing to do that. So say there is a F2P option and 15 dollar a month option. You can get servers such as normal(subscription) and normal(free to play). While some people would probably disagree with the segregation of paying players and the free ones, you could always give the option to upgrade to the premium server. That way, anyone that wants to just buy stuff and have the feeling of being in the end game without all the work can, and those who wish to put in the time and effort can share their game world with people looking for the same thing.

I'd prefer them to do it similar to how Sony does it with EQ:

If you subscribe, you get access to GM support and the full game, as well as accruing RMT points for every month you're subscribed. If you play for free, you get no GM support, can't send mail, get limited class selections, get placed in the back of queues to log into servers, etc.

[RingX55]

I'd prefer them to do it similar to how Sony does it with EQ:

If you subscribe, you get access to GM support and the full game, as well as accruing RMT points for every month you're subscribed. If you play for free, you get no GM support, can't send mail, get limited class selections, get placed in the back of queues to log into servers, etc.

I have to agree with you they have a great model going on. I also enjoy EQ2's model (pretty much the same).

[Dash]

Are you certain that Sony's model is so damn flawless? The skeptic in me is screaming warnings in the empty air filled pocket betwixt me ears.

[RingX55]

Are you certain that Sony's model is so damn flawless? The skeptic in me is screaming warnings in the empty air filled pocket betwixt me ears.

I don't think there is any system that is flawless. But it really does a great job at combining F2P as well as the Subscription model.

[Kurik Lein]

My ideal model would be, box purchase $50-$60, subscription $15, cosmetic shop, and free to play up to like level 15-20 if there are around 50 levels total.

[Bossner]

Are you certain that Sony's model is so damn flawless? The skeptic in me is screaming warnings in the empty air filled pocket betwixt me ears.

Nope. I just enjoy it because I don't feel like I'm forced to shell out money this month if I don't really feel like playing. It's a nice hybrid approach.

It essentially forces people to subscribe if they want the full experience. They get no GM support, mailbox, etc. if they don't subscribe, but they can still play and offer 38 money through the RMT shop. In addition, it'll bring in more people for the game to at least give it a shot because it's technically not a demo.

If you subscribe, you get the full game - GMs, auction house, mailbox, all races and classes, whatever. And, subscribing nets you tokens for the RMT place - so the max you'll ever spend is $15 a month. You can then save those RMT tokens for expansions when they come out so you'll only ever need to buy the base game. Maybe they tack something onto that - to buy expansions you need to buy a 6 month subscription or something? I dunno.

I wouldn't say that Sony's model is flawless, but I certainly think it's a good system to look at. Does it work for a brand new MMO? I have absolutely no idea.

[Malikai]

Cant buy expansions with tokens until well after release. It was cheated too many times and people where banking station cash on triple cash weekends and getting the expac for 10 bucks. Not much of an issue for new players, 40 bucks will usually buy the complete game. Which you could still use the same method and get it for cheap once they are out a few weeks to a month.

Payment model as a stand alone isnt a big issue on the surface unless you are a returning veteran and find your toons, bags, inventory and items locked behind that subscription fee. You have no chance to pick up where you left off unless you resubscribe, which may or may not be what the intent is behind the model.


http://www.everquest.com/free/ for reference and I can go over a few other major flaws.

Spell rank 1 only for both ftp and silver. Only an issue at higher levels, but there are 3 ranks with the 3rd being raid loot.
I could understand blocking them along with the prestige items (in theory) but why block the group attained rk2s in obsolete expansions that they claim you have full access to?

Along the same line the prestige gear or *raid gear* seems ligit on the surface but why block it at all? You are already playing in obsolete content, at best you will be 1 expac behind the curve why not allow full access to what you are supposedly given access to? Same deal more or less for the raid rank spells they are older and less powerful but they block them anyway.

Eq is very much a raid game, seems counter intuitive to introduce people to your game and not give them access to the bulk of the rewards from that content, which the latest and greatest is still blocked.

AA limitations, 250? seriously? Ignoring that that is a drop in the bucket and anyone that knows what they are doing can get that in an hour of serious play, and even the silver limit of 1000 can be done in a day. Now aa are all expansion specific in order to have them available you must buy the expansion, fine you wont have access to the last expac nor those aa...but wait what does it say at the top of the page...you have full access to 17 of them. LIES.

Plat limitations are a joke, the few k they allow wont buy much of anything in the current economy, nor will it let you farm and trade regularly enough for tradeskills. If anything it will create a subset of the economy for low income players and alienate them even further.


Now in the other direction, one thing I dont get is the loyalty points for ftp, silver I can accept. The loyalty system was put in place to reward PAYING subscribers. The one thing no one would of argued against blocking behind a sub and they give it out freely?


Anyway enough nitpicking for today. Like I said the model itself is not all bad, but as usual soe screws players on both sides with how they implemented it.

[PsychoticHamster]

should be like this
$15 subscription
No MT(shortcuts are stupid and all cosmetics should be purchased with in game currency)
free but to level x, with a few restrictions.(allows people to play and see if they truly like the game)

[Solkanis]

The typical $15 a month really isnt that bad. Think of it this way...You go to a movie, buy snacks and your looking at $15+ for 1.5 to 2.5 hours of entertainment. Or you pay $15 a month for a game that you can play as often as you like and or have time to play. That works out to be a great investment for my $15 a month IMO