Curse

Ravious · Apr 13, 2010, 02:02 PM // 14:02

With the 5th Anniversary upcoming, I think it is a strong possibility that we will get more options to give ArenaNet money, whether that is through new costumes or other features. Since there is no donate money button to Linsey and Co., this is the next best way to support a game where we bought the box and game play forever.

Recently, Turbine (a notable MMO company) added a Super Rewards program to their F2P game, Dungeons and Dragons Online. Players can receive Turbine Points in exchange for doing things like [incoming sensationalist rant] installing malware on their computer, giving out personal information for spam, and applying to draconian DVD-a-month clubs, which will make buying your DVDs more expensive [/rant]. To say Turbine has tainted their good will is a conservative estimate.

The point of this thread is that I want to thank ArenaNet for being honest and true when it comes to giving us ways to support their game. As long as we are all honest, let's be honest in that we are not giving them a subscription for the game we play months on end. This, as far as we are told, will be the case with GW2 as well. They still have to make money for their ever growing studio. So for things like $10 costumes, $15 gender changes, and what not I am incredibly happy to pay for the option if I want it.

Thank you also for not making us buy in to a ridiculous point system where we pay $20 for 4567 points and then the costumes cost 1973 points and gender change costs 2117 points and we are left over with 477 points, which can't buy anything. Hopefully even if GW2 has a point system it is simple and clear and tries to give the consumer the most bang for the buck (i.e., least amount of wasted points).

The "worst" promotion on some arbitrary shadiness scale ArenaNet has had involved getting a free pdf MMO magazone for a miniature. Incredibly tame in comparison to what has been out there.

Hopefully you guys can keep walking the good path, but I just want you to know that I really appreciate the way you make me feel as a customer.

Voodoo Rage · Apr 13, 2010, 02:49 PM // 14:49

I'd pay for an extra hero slot.

FoxBat · Apr 13, 2010, 03:05 PM // 15:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ravious

Thank you also for not making us buy in to a ridiculous point system where we pay $20 for 4567 points and then the costumes cost 1973 points and gender change costs 2117 points and we are left over with 477 points, which can't buy anything.

While point systems have many issues, GW seems to have some constraint that they can't sell things less than $10 at a time, which turns many of the features into overpriced luxury items. (Extra storage page for $10? Really?) At a lower price point they might get more buy-in, but that isn't an option for them. With a points system they'd have more flexibility in pricing.

tripplesix · Apr 13, 2010, 03:34 PM // 15:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Voodoo Rage

I'd pay for an extra hero slot.

I would pay 50 euros for 4 extra slots.

KZaske · Apr 13, 2010, 03:39 PM // 15:39

I fully agree with Ravious concerning how ArenaNet has acted with one execption.
[Begin Rant] That execption is this statement: "The "worst" promotion on some arbitrary shadiness scale ArenaNet has had involved getting a free pdf MMO magazone for a miniature." I have no problem with the promotion itself as it did serve a purpose. It provided a second rate online gaming rag a gateway to be a legimate online rag and it provided a modicom of press for ArenaNet's new product (Eye of the North). That rag was one of the first to use Adobe's new (at the time it was new) DRM laden 'interactive' content. That promotion is also the only time I have downloaded that POS rag. I still get monthly notices of a new issue from them. [/end rant]

upier · Apr 13, 2010, 03:58 PM // 15:58

Abedeus · Apr 13, 2010, 04:01 PM // 16:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by tripplesix

I would pay 50 euros for 4 extra slots.

Buying a new account and full unlock with all 3 campaigns + EotN would be a lot cheaper.

Ravious · Apr 13, 2010, 04:05 PM // 16:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by FoxBat

While point systems have many issues, GW seems to have some constraint that they can't sell things less than $10 at a time, which turns many of the features into overpriced luxury items. (Extra storage page for $10? Really?) At a lower price point they might get more buy-in, but that isn't an option for them. With a points system they'd have more flexibility in pricing.

Like the individual costumes?

I do admit that some things are a bit pricy, but they are all luxury items. Sure, I wish storage pages were $5 or less, and then I might buy some... but ANet [obviously] likes their price point.

Cuilan · Apr 13, 2010, 04:08 PM // 16:08

I'm fine with weapon skins, costumes, and various fun things in the store. I am or was disappointed by the little selection of stuff. If you're going to have an online store, use it.

Rekliss · Apr 13, 2010, 04:11 PM // 16:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Abedeus

Buying a new account and full unlock with all 3 campaigns + EotN would be a lot cheaper.

......

That just wasnt smart. He's talking about heroes.

And heroes ruined the game in the first place. I do however think that panes should be like $2 instead of $10 anyhow. If we pay for something... why not be something customizable - i'd pay $10 to be able to make my own customized weapon/outfit. Give a base model, then add what you want (gothic sword with chaos glow/crystalline translucency/air wand animation/etc) but any model/any skin. I'm not sure how that would impact the economy, but it couldn't mess it up any worse (by allowing them to be tradeable)

Stuff like that I think people may favor more and buy more of; not stuff like hero slots.

Regulus X · Apr 13, 2010, 04:22 PM // 16:22

I would buy new maps for PvP, or new skills introduced, if they'd follow through with it because I know that time equals money, and in order for GW1 to recieve any such thing, they'd need that funding to support them. Many players would buy heroes, too. If players are fricking capable of buying costumes that took a weekend to create, I don't see what's holding them back from creating new PvP maps, new objectives, new skills, new PvE content, new heroes, etc... I'd totally buy into it if they did that. Time = Money, and Anet needs to come out with more enticing and noteworthy offers for us consumers to buy into it, and I think my above suggestions would totally work nicely in their favor.

Coverticus · Apr 13, 2010, 04:29 PM // 16:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rekliss

......

That just wasnt smart. He's talking about heroes.

And so is he believe it or not but just involves effort to get the 2nd account up and running.

I also agree with the OP - at least ANet have been up front with what they have given us/charged us for extras. Turbine (having played DnD and LotRO) are a pain in the proverbials in comparison, certainly there are even worse ones out there too.

Anyway, if ANet were to come up with a better pricing model for hero slots (charging £5.99/$9.99 would be too much) then this would be such a bad thing for many. I still think the 3 hero option should stay as (outside of elite areas) there is nothing that cannot be done H/HH....

Whatever they choose to do, many people will still pay for it of course .

Rocky Raccoon · Apr 13, 2010, 05:01 PM // 17:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by upier

Additional hero slots are THE thing I want most for PvE.
Yet I wouldn't dream of paying for them - unless of course they release another expansion and that is part of it.
I do not NEED additional hero slots.
The same way that I do not NEED to continue playing GW.
Or the same way that I do not NEED to buy GW2.

Giving us more hero slots would be a huge step for me to keep interest in GW and the GW franchise.

That almost sounds a little bit like extortion, lol.

Ariovist Lynxkind · Apr 13, 2010, 06:26 PM // 18:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cuilan

I'm fine with weapon skins, costumes, and various fun things in the store. I am or was disappointed by the little selection of stuff. If you're going to have an online store, use it.

I think the idea is that Anet dont want to abuse the feature exactly. If you notice the store was really originally set up to buy the games, PvP pack and skill unlock pack. It wasn't really until last year that they started the whole extras thing, and I have noticed they have been limiting it so they have enough to get by whilst not making us really have to pay that much extra. yeah, a couple of items at US$5 might be preferable to one at US$10, but the way I see it they arent going the all out abusive route that most F2P (ie those that you dont have to pay for in the first place) tend to go. I give props to Anet for that restraint

Eragon Zarroc · Apr 13, 2010, 06:40 PM // 18:40

your gratitude has been noted...lol

NerfHerder · Apr 13, 2010, 06:46 PM // 18:46

I would love to have more heros. I enjoy pugs sometimes, but it is getting harder to get a pug in many areas. I don't think Anet would make us pay for them, IF they made them available. I noticed the luxury items we pay for dont give you a huge advantage(minus the skill packs and even still it is obtainable w/o pay). I would be happy if you could add another Hero for each expansion completed per character, your legendary accomplishments encourage more people to fight with you(just a thought). On a similar note, it would be nice if we could take the henchmen in our guild hall into PvE. I dont see how that would give us a huge advantage. And it would be a nice alternative.

I encourage the microtransactions. I understand nothing is free. Unless you want a popup advertisment when u logon or worse during gameplay, its the only way for F2P to make money. I even bought the makeover pack, eventhough I havent used all of it. I realize the more we buy the more Anet can afford to give us fun stuff. And honestly, most of the stuff Anet offers is affordable, even for the younger players on an allowance.

Im glad they never used a point system. In other games it seems like they always overprice the value of what you actually get. Anet is pretty straight foward. You give us $10 we give you this.

I tip my hat to Anet for continuing a reasonable and affordable business model.

mage767 · Apr 13, 2010, 07:17 PM // 19:17

Additional hero slots, and an additional rit hero....since rits are so awesome these days.

FoxBat · Apr 13, 2010, 08:16 PM // 20:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ravious

I do admit that some things are a bit pricy, but they are all luxury items. Sure, I wish storage pages were $5 or less, and then I might buy some... but ANet [obviously] likes their price point.

By "luxury" I mean, "so expensive only a handful will buy... many more would buy at a lower price." They may or may not be happy with their pricepoints, they have said as much that the transaction service they use requires them to charge $10 per transaction to make significant profit. It's possible they would more than double their customers at $5 and therefore make more money, but it is not an option with their current transaction scheme. Enter store points....

Meridon · Apr 13, 2010, 08:16 PM // 20:16

You're making it sound like micro-transactions are the only way to fund updates and support for this game.

It's not. The fact that this game has no subscriptions doesn't mean it can't generate revenue without players paying for new assets.

Something as simple as an external advertisement added to the login and character selection screen can probably generate the funds to support the servers.
There's also the option of ranked server lease. For the concept, see Battlefield 2/2142. Private servers could be made for free, without trading, Exp, loot, or rewards, for training, mod use and private PvP play. Licensed servers could be leased from official server hosts for a profit, so guilds can host their own GW standard-issue server, which is just a private district for all of the game in which the leader and officers can kick/temporarily ban people from their server.

Of course, the obvious way of getting funds and income will be GW2. BY keeping the GW1 servers live, Anet caters the dedicated people, which is neccesary to get them to cross over to GW2. So in the end, micro-transactions or not, maintaining the servers is a viable thing. And if there really is the need for added funds from GW1, micro-transactions is definitely not a necessity because it's not the only way to get money off GW1.

Smarty · Apr 13, 2010, 08:22 PM // 20:22

I don't particularly like paying for extra stuff for a game after I've bought it, but I do understand that ANet needs the cashflow and I really appreciate that the stuff that's being offered is cosmetic rather than anything which gives richer (irl) players an edge over others in either PvP or PvE. As long as ANet sticks to only offering pretties (costumes/BMP) and things which make life easier (extra storage, name/appearance changes rather than remakes) I'm happy. Extra hero slots in the party for people who are prepared to cough up is getting too close to non-cosmetic for my liking, though. I hope that's one suggestion that isn't implemented.