Curse

Pistachio · Apr 26, 2009, 03:37 PM // 15:37

Quote:

Even though they probably won't change it, something so simple should be accessed by all, not just the people who have credit cards or who'd spend their earnings all on GW. If it was something like a massive dungeon package or access to more creatures/areas, sure, you should pay if you want those extras, but changing your looks? Please.

I actually don't mind the "micro-transactions" that ANet has implemented so far, and I'll tell you why. What they offer at their store is nothing that is required to play the game, and a lot of the time it's things you can earn in game without paying for them. So, you can purchase a single campaign, and be done with it. Their Business Model works for me, and with the absence of any subscription fees I have played this game longer than any other. What I fear is that one day we will be paying for Dungeon packs, Area Access, and Level Caps. It is on that day, I will stop playing Guild Wars.

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I don't know if you're being ironic, but there are ways around that. Xbox Live and Wii Network (whatever it's called) use "points" systems for just that reason. XBL can sell you 400 points for $5, which justifies the card transaction fees, and they can (though do not often, in practice) then put out updates for 50 points ($0.62) or less. Buying 1000 GWPoints for $10 and charging 50 points for one makeover would work just as you describe, leaving you with 950 points left rather than a bunch of makeover credits you'll never use.

I do have XBox Live, and I have to admit I'm not a fan of the points system. Considering most of the purchases on there are over minimum fees you would see elsewhere, they end up being a cheap way to get people to spend more money than they intend to by forcing those kinds of "currency exchanges." On top of that, 90% of the time it leaves you with spare change that is small enough so as not to be good for any purchase. So what do you do? You buy more points to spend the points you have, because why should you let your money go to waste? And the cycle continues...

MithranArkanere · Apr 26, 2009, 06:45 PM // 18:45

Among other reasons, I got GW because I had to pay for new features only once or twice per year, and after paying those features are available for me forever.

Now there are features I can't have access too, because I would have to pay every time I want to have access to them, which is something I can't do.

If it was just once, I could even pay for even more makeovers I would actually want to do, but if I have to pay them 'per uses' I can't.

Now, a great deal of what made me proud of chosing this game over others has vanished with the decision of leaving behind the 'pay once' method, and I can't access the full content of the game anytime anymore.

Now I can help but fear what will be the next step again from the 'pay once' policy.

Pistachio · Apr 26, 2009, 07:00 PM // 19:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by MithranArkanere

Among other reasons, I got GW because I had to pay for new features only once or twice per year, and after paying those features are available for me forever.

Now there are features I can't have access too, because I would have to pay every time I want to have access to them, which is something I can't do.

If it was just once, I could even pay for even more makeovers I would actually want to do, but if I have to pay them 'per uses' I can't.

Now, a great deal of what made me proud of chosing this game over others has vanished with the decision of leaving behind the 'pay once' method, and I can't access the full content of the game anytime anymore.

Now I can help but fear what will be the next step again from the 'pay once' policy.

That's a good point. This is the first time ANet has offered something in the store that does not have some sort of permanence in game in terms of content access.

Operative 14 · Apr 26, 2009, 10:26 PM // 22:26

/Signed.

If nothing else it seems stupid to spend $10 on a new hair-do. I can see why making major changes to your character, like changing the name, face, skin color, or gender, would be relatively permanent changes that you would only do once or twice and be willing to pay for. But hair is something you should be able to change on a whim. Even if it costs a lot of ingame money, you shouldn't incur real life expenses to just change your characters hair. Once.

Joseph Spiritmaster · Apr 26, 2009, 11:32 PM // 23:32

Well
1) no one is forcing you to make over you char, if you dont like how they look now thats your fault, not ANets

2) Paying RL money for the make-over is ANets way of making money... ANet making money means that GW2 comes out faster.

Now i will agree that it is a little unreasonable for the RL price wise, but making the makeover ingame, not worth it, bad idea.

Mangione · Apr 27, 2009, 07:48 AM // 07:48

In other MMOs with monthly fees (I'm thinking WoW now):

- to change a character name you must pay with REAL currency.
- to change a character appearance you must pay with REAL currency.

Only thing you can find with ingame gold is the "barber shop" wich gives your character a different haircut.
But in that game you still have to pay a monthly fee.

/agree with an "Eternal Stylist" itead, but still with a price in REAL currency.

Mordiego · Apr 27, 2009, 09:00 AM // 09:00

not again... just enjoy the game and quit moaning about that some EXTRA features are paid to keep the servers live.

Axwind · Apr 27, 2009, 03:59 PM // 15:59

One thing I noticed about the stylist is that we're still limited only to what's available to our primary profession. In other words, you can't give a mesmer an elementalist's face or a ranger's hair, for example. Might be tech issues behind it, I don't know, but it would be a nice feature to add to the stylist later if possible, to allow for even more diversity in character appearance.

Hyper.nl · Apr 28, 2009, 10:39 AM // 10:39

/notsigned

I see this as a valid source of income for ANet. Remember there are no timely fees, so ANet needs other sources of money to keep the game online. There are still many options to customize your char at creation, and if you want to change it afterwards, just pay Anet a little and help to support the world of GW.

shadow ghost · Jun 19, 2009, 08:37 AM // 08:37

pricing each individual change would have been better e.g. £2/$3 for hair style/colour, Face, body scale, skin colour (stated somewhere on thread)
and extreme should be what it's current price now.
in this way Arenanet would make more overall as a know allot of people r willing to change 1 feature of each character in there acc like myslef.

I also think there should be a special offer for name change like half price discount when nearing GW2 release date (around 6 months release would be gd)

AmbientMelody · Jun 19, 2009, 10:51 AM // 10:51

I agree with both.

/signed

Something as basic as haircut should cost in-game gold. Full character creation should be in place as well. It's disheartening that you have to pay for that since it's character creation, not change. To be honest I'm not sure if changing gender or appearance besides haircut fits Guild Wars lore at all ... you can say Asura this or that, but in my opinion it doesn't fit anyway.

MetalMan · Jun 19, 2009, 12:04 PM // 12:04

this doesn't help you play the game.

/notsigned

HuntMaster Avatar · Jun 19, 2009, 12:23 PM // 12:23

/not signed.

Make overs are optional. If you don't like the price, you don't have to buy them. 10 bucks for 5 characters is a really good deal. If you research "Cash Shop" games like Fiesta or Cabal, you will see that makeover options (Beauty Coupons) cost about 3-5 bucks per character and I'm not sure if it changes everything. I think you have to pick between hair style and hair color, or facial features. Premium beauty coupons cost even more.

I myself will never buy a make over since I never create a character if I'm not 100% satisfied with its looks. I know people change and like to keep things fresh, but thats why we have different armors, EoTn accessories and dyes.

As for what another poster said, about additional storage panes and how they should be free. I agree. A net either needs to give us 4 trophy panes, one for each installment of the game, to hold monster trophies like marg masks, demonic relics and icy loadstones and so on. Or they need to make storage panes free and give everyone who purchased them credit in their NCstore.

I also don't like the fact that bonus missions cost money, but I guess I understand it. Just kinda pisses me off that if I purchase anything and then later if something happens to my account or my pc, I won't have a material disc to use on another pc and might have to deal with problems from that.
They should release a character slot package, a bonus mission package and the storage pane upgrade package, either seperately or all together on a disc.

But I still love NCstore a helluva lot more than Cash Shop games. Atleast with guildwars you can't buy EXP boost cards or critical suits or 100,000 hp Potions which make the game unfair to those of us who can't or won't use money to gain an advantage over everyone else. Breaks a game and makes it Money>Skill, which is why Fiesta and all those Cash Shop games are 100% bullshit (pardon my language).

Even though you can buy pvp skill unlock packs, which are using money to cheat and gain skills faster than someone who doesnt buy the skill unlock. Not very fair but I'll leave it at that.

Konig Des Todes · Jun 19, 2009, 02:18 PM // 14:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snow Bunny

Worst answer possible. This game is meant to be F2P, not Korean make-over Wars. Seriously, stop being a fanboy and realized that Anet RED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GOed up big time.

Interesting avatar for that comment, gave me a chuckle. Anyways, Guild Wars is free to play. You don't need the storage, unlock packs, or name/look changes to play the game.

If anything should change regarding the online store - storage panels should be reduced a little. If that.

If anything should be changed with the character looks (creation and stylist) it is that the creation options (hair, color, etc.) shouldn't be limited to location.

Also, if I remember correctly, for the Nightfall beta, Ritualists and Assassins had Elonian faces and hair. If I am remembering correctly, those should be re-added to at least the stylist (overall options if they do the directly above).

AmbientMelody · Jun 19, 2009, 03:25 PM // 15:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by Konig Des Todes

Interesting avatar for that comment, gave me a chuckle. Anyways, Guild Wars is free to play. You don't need the storage, unlock packs, or name/look changes to play the game.

If anything should change regarding the online store - storage panels should be reduced a little. If that.

If anything should be changed with the character looks (creation and stylist) it is that the creation options (hair, color, etc.) shouldn't be limited to location.

Also, if I remember correctly, for the Nightfall beta, Ritualists and Assassins had Elonian faces and hair. If I am remembering correctly, those should be re-added to at least the stylist (overall options if they do the directly above).

It's buy to play and the ones who were buying all campaigns and add-ons when they were released paid good money for that, unlike 50% off promotions like now. Stop applying f2p + item shop logic to b2p games. Google Diablo 2 and stop talking bullshit.

EDIT: I didn't mean to insult you in any way or people who share your view, but think more of this. What Anet is doing is basically a PRECEDENT because people pay not small money for full access to game contents with all additional campaigns and then they are told they can get an advantage (unlock packs) or cosmetic change for real money.

No offense but it's not actual content, like BMP. I can't believe people were so successfully BRAINWASHED into thinking that instead of paying for the game they have the right to expect continuous support and content they SHOULD BE GRATEFUL that game servers are working at all, that bugs are fixed and content added.

Now, they just pushed the line further with this 'aesthetics' pack, where new Zaishen Island was basically a pretext to push microtransactions further and call it a 'big content update promised to players based on their needs and expectations'. People, don't buy that cheap lie! Game is over now, they did it, but it's up to you if they think of another such stupid or even more idiotic idea in the future. You have to draw a line somewhere, you know?

All traditional b2p games, be it singleplayer or multiplayer on dedicated servers didn't resort to such cheap tactic of getting money. They were improving the title all the time to get more sales as well as keeping online servers working to eventually release a sequel later but even then they didn't scrap previous title. Say what you want, but server technology is getting cheaper and cheaper, so don't get fooled to thinking game won't be operational without these transactions. Bullshit, when you make a game businessplan such as GW you acknowledge you pass X number of sales and will have the money for continuous support at least for 10 next years, as well money to make a new title or paid content. It's an investment, not a ****ing charity and it's planned very well. Learn to distinguish greed from real needs of the game.

Btw, since past 2 years I encounter lags in the servers unlike during the launch so I presume money gained from those kits wasn't spend on improving quality service of original game but something else, like premium pay for the boss or development of new title. I'd like an explanation on that, situation didn't improve at all since microtransactions for me. Thus, spare me explanations that additional money will increase quality of service. If anything, it will make content avaible through b2p model even less attractive in the future.

Toxic OnyX · Jun 19, 2009, 03:43 PM // 15:43

Kills me that my fem rit looks so ugly

if they could open the character maps so all faces/hair fit then the makeover would be fantastic, but to remodel my rit with only factions faces/hair is /FTL

Konig Des Todes · Jun 19, 2009, 04:13 PM // 16:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by AmbientMelody

It's buy to play and the ones who were buying all campaigns and add-ons when they were released paid good money for that, unlike 50% off promotions like now. Stop applying f2p + item shop logic to b2p games. Google Diablo 2 and stop talking bullshit.

Free to play is used in the context of monthly fees. And what the RED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GO does Diablo 2 have to do with this? Technically, it is the same damn thing as Guild Wars in terms of finance except D2 doesn't offer add-ons which are not needed to play, thus has no say on the "Free/Buy to Play" concept.

AmbientMelody · Jun 19, 2009, 04:22 PM // 16:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Konig Des Todes

Free to play is used in the context of monthly fees. And what the RED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GO does Diablo 2 have to do with this? Technically, it is the same damn thing as Guild Wars in terms of finance except D2 doesn't offer add-ons which are not needed to play, thus has no say on the "Free/Buy to Play" concept.

Updated previous post, feel free to reply.

MithranArkanere · Jun 20, 2009, 03:27 AM // 03:27

Currently I'm thinking in a way to turn the 'pay per use' system in a 'pay once' one.

The idea would be to pay once... for each 'piece'.
That is, each time you pay for a change, the hair, hair color, face and skin selected would be unlocked for the account.

The ones used upon character creation won't be unlocked, so to get everything unlocked, you'll have to pay several times (and if you are smart, you'll select 4 different parts each time, to unlock the most possible each time).

That way, you'll pay only if you add a piece you don't have unlocked, and if you want to go back to a previous haisrtyle, color or face you already unlocked, you don't pay.

That way, paying for all pieces would cost a lot, but switching every now and them between two hairstyles would take only two payments. One to unlock the new, and another one to unlock the old.