Curse

Mordakai · Apr 20, 2006, 09:12 PM // 21:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by wheel

EXACTLY. The "merging" of the accounts causing you to lose two character slots is entirely an arbitrary decision by Anet to, as revealed by today's decision, sell you more character slots.

Again, what's wrong with that? You don't want Anet to make money by providing a service people want?

They don't have to give you anything. They could have made merging Factions with no slots, or just one. Instead, they offer 2 slots. Not enough? Buy more. I fail to see the problem.

Quote:

Originally Posted by wheel

At any rate, the issue isn't about my choice. The fact of the matter is, they're offering less for existing customers than they are for new customers. As an existing customer, I feel like I'm getting the raw end of the deal.

Sure it's about your choice! It's not like Anet is holding a gun to your head, telling you what to do! Obviously, Anet is doing this for a reason.

The funny thing is, they could have offered a CE with an additional slot for $20 extra, and people would eat it up! Anet knows this. They do market studies. They feel it's worth the extra money to lose a few customers who feel the slots issue is a make or break deal, because they know, despite all the complaints, most people are going to buy Factions regardless.

And why not? One slot, or four, it still will be a fun game to play. And in the end, that's all that matters.

FrogDevourer · Apr 20, 2006, 09:12 PM // 21:12

I'm glad to see the endless argument was actually useful. Flawless victory. Sacrificing two slots for an access to Cantha for my existing characters is a deal. $10 for extra slots available to play in Cantha or Tyria, or to keep multiple PvP configurations? Sign me up!

Thank you A.Net.

Big Tony · Apr 20, 2006, 09:15 PM // 21:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by wheel

EXACTLY. The "merging" of the accounts causing you to lose two character slots is entirely an arbitrary decision by Anet to, as revealed by today's decision, sell you more character slots.

Haven't players been requesting more slots for awhile now? I doubt that this is all part of Anet's "Corporate Money Machine" just to suck a few more dollars out of gamers pockets. You are getting an advantage by purchasing additional slots. Those who dont buy them, dont get the same advantage. I dont mind paying a couple bucks so Anet can keep me entertained for a another few months. I understand wanting the best of both worlds but I'm happy with the announcement.

SirJackassIII · Apr 20, 2006, 09:17 PM // 21:17

I think I'll hold on to some of my greens if they're gonne nerf the gear/keg trick...

Loviatar · Apr 20, 2006, 09:18 PM // 21:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mercury Angel

For people in need of storage space, the buyable slots are largely useless;

.

WHY?

that equals 2 storage vaults of space available to transfer through your vault between characters.

or did i miss something?

Imaginos · Apr 20, 2006, 09:19 PM // 21:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Katari

Allright, ignoring whatever you may think about the 4+4=6 deal...

Lets say you want more slots, you have two options:
Buy 2x accounts, which would cost 50x4=$200 for 12 slots if you're getting factions. And they're not even linked.

Or you could buy more slots: 50x2+6x10=$160 for 12 slots And you get the benifit of having linked storage faction and fame. Of course most people won't go ahead and purchase 6 slots, so it's like having the option to buy half a game.

If I feel I don't have enough slots, I could spend $200 and not have linked accounts. Or I could spend $130-$160 and have them all on one linked account.

If chapter3 adds two more chars, and two more slots, then it'll look even better. $10 is a little less than I expected per slot personaly, I love the idea.

Linked storage is NOT a bonus. It is a hinderance. IE you LOSE access to another whole storage if you link your accounts, in addition to losing 2 character slots.

So is Anet going to charge us now for the "new" storage "idea" they are kicking around when they finally figure out what they are going to do with it?

Perhaps now they can charge us for new skins and personal character body modifications. Think your char's hair is terrible? 3 bucks to change it. Want a non standard color hair/skin? that'll be 4 dollars please. Oh breast size too big/small? 10 bucks please...

EternalTempest · Apr 20, 2006, 09:19 PM // 21:19

I do like the fact they annouce this now instead of after factions. If you are buying more then one account for storage, you can wait and not get a 2nd account.

Think of the reaction if they annouced it after factions released.

Dj Tano · Apr 20, 2006, 09:19 PM // 21:19

Well its a nice idea even if i think people will kind of get an evil advantage out if it somehow. I would like ANet to give you 10 slots for free but you cant ask for everything can you?

I think im gonna go buy 2 slots but im not shure yet...

Slimcea · Apr 20, 2006, 09:19 PM // 21:19

Now that the mechanism for such policies are in place, all I'd like to ask for is the ability to merge 2 accounts. Heck, I'd gladly take a one char slot hit (i.e. going from [4 & 4] to [4 + 3]) to be able to do so.

Doubt that Gaile would respond to my post, but any chances of that coming true?

Markaedw · Apr 20, 2006, 09:20 PM // 21:20

What are we all whinning about, other MMORG charge even more for slots, plus some rtaise the monthly fee.

Me personally I wish they had done this earlier,
new game for mules $39.99
4 slots $40.00

Since I'm going to buy a new game for my brother in law, can I give him my account and just by 4 more slots?

Mercury Angel · Apr 20, 2006, 09:23 PM // 21:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loviatar

WHY?

that equals 2 storage vaults of space available to transfer through your vault between characters.

or did i miss something?

Because if it's just storage space you're after, you get 4 more characters with the additional purchase of Guild Wars Prophecies AND their Storage.

If it's additional characters to play with you want, that doesn't apply, but that's not what I said either.

master_ranger_matt · Apr 20, 2006, 09:26 PM // 21:26

The only advantage to the extra slots is that they add on to your existing account, so you don't have to go through all that trouble just to get a seperate account all set up the way your original one was.

twicky_kid · Apr 20, 2006, 09:27 PM // 21:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by wheel

I love how ArenaNet charges more for repeat customers to get the same utility out of the same product as a new customer. Way to go!!! Seriously Anet, if you want to have your current customer base expand, stuff like this needs to stop happening.

Every company does this with "new customer offers." The new customer offers are always sweeter than the existing customers. That's because the company usually LOSES money to provided those offers to new customers. Then existing customers are mad because they don't get the same deals so they have to give a discount to their existing customers losing MORE money.

In this case no anet will not lose more money but how many slots do you really need? If each chapter adds a slot for each new proffesion how many are you really going to need?

I think this is more of a buy 1-2 slots and be done with it. Upgrade more slots with the future chapters. This is OPTIONAL which means if you don't want the slots or don't need them you don't have to buy them.

master_ranger_matt · Apr 20, 2006, 09:28 PM // 21:28

I'll buy 1 more so I can make a chracter to stay in presear.

Loviatar · Apr 20, 2006, 09:35 PM // 21:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by wheel

Guild Wars Factions: Upgrade Edition

Add 4 character slots to your existing 4!!! 8 total!!!!
Access to Cantha!!
$69.99

Guild Wars Factions: Standard Edition

Get 4 character slots!!
Access to Cantha!!
$49.99

I love how ArenaNet charges more for repeat customers to get the same utility out of the same product as a new customer. Way to go!!! Seriously Anet, if you want to have your current customer base expand, stuff like this needs to stop happening.

WHEEL

look at the figures

regular merged at v49.99 equals 6 slots CLEAR SO FAR?

ADD 2 SLOTS AT 10 dollars each AND YOU HAVE 69.99 THE SAME PRICE EXACTLY.

WHAT IS THE PRICE PENALTY TO A CHAPTER 1 PLAYER?

Former Ruling · Apr 20, 2006, 09:35 PM // 21:35

Slots are fine.

What I dont want happening is what happens to all popular things after time: They start charging you more and more to keep up.

Like the post back in the first pages about charging for this or that using the "no monthly fee" thing as an excuse...

As long as I dont see that. I'm fine.

Ensign · Apr 20, 2006, 09:39 PM // 21:39

I wish people would stop fixating on their own circumstances long enough to get a glimpse of the bigger picture. The hardcore forum-rat with thousands of hours played is not the demographic these decisions are being made around. The limits on character slots are there largely to encourage a different pricing scheme for families - namely, one account per person, not one account per machine.

I don't think they honestly care how many characters you have on your account, but they want them to all be *your* characters. They don't want you to have six characters, plus each of your kids with two, plus one for your wife, plus one for that buddy who comes over every Tuesday. Their financial life is tied to the number of copies sold, not the monthly fees coming in, and they need people to have their own copies.

You want to know why you don't get 8 slots for merging? Exactly the same reasons. They don't want two people who share a machine to each buy one game and merge them to get full, unhindered access to both sets of content. That's why the formula isn't 4 characters per chapter, but 2 characters *per account* plus 2 characters *per chapter*.

---

I'm also getting really bloody tired of people arguing about character slots as though the slot is the ultimate determinant of value. What is the value of a character slot that you can't access content with? Exactly, nothing. The only reason you care about a character slot at all is because it can be used to access the game world, find loot, interact with other players, and otherwise *play the game*. Why are people talking about things like how big the game world is, what the new items are, and generally how much content there is in the expansion? Because that's what they're paying for. If there isn't much for them to play through, character slots become worth effectively nothing.

What's the value of a character slot that can never leave pre-searing?

A character slot that only has access to a single chapter costs around $12. Character slots with access to two chapters cost $16 for starters. Is a character with access to twice the content worth 33% more? Not if you listen to the arguments here, where the slot is the *only* measure of value. What about when chapter 3 comes out, and you get slots with triple the content for $18 - 50% more money for triple the content!

A.Net does everyone a huge favor and offers additional slots for those of us with way too many hours logged and not enough space - and actually offers them at an awesome value. Merged account slots are worth $16 but you can buy them for $10? Awesome. It keeps getting better as you add more chapters as well.

If you're worshipping the slots and not the content, you just got a fat offer from A.Net to *double* the content for each of your character slots for the low price of $20. Complaints? Naturally. Unhindered access to content should be free, because slots are the only thing with value.

I'm going to be interested to see what these people's reaction is when the bundles start coming out. Haven't thought about it? You know they're coming. Chapter 1+2 together for the price of one, Christmas special!

But perhaps more interesting, would be how those reactions would change if that bundle only gave four character slots, instead of six.

Peace,
-CxE

Mordakai · Apr 20, 2006, 09:40 PM // 21:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by twicky_kid

I think this is more of a buy 1-2 slots and be done with it. Upgrade more slots with the future chapters. This is OPTIONAL which means if you don't want the slots or don't need them you don't have to buy them.

Great point, twicky. If Anet offered 4 slots with every chapter, that would quickly become a LOT of slots to manage - 40 by Chapter 10.

From the game and dev thread:

http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/n...eply&p=1279626

Quote:

Originally Posted by PieXags

Thanks for all your feedback. We're really happy to offer you this option, and of course, those character slots you purchase remain yours; no monthly fees, no yearly subscriptions or annual memberships or whatevers. If you merge your Campaign 3 account with your merged Prophecies/Factions account, those characters will have access to three--count 'em, 3!--continents of the world.

As they say, it's all good!

Now excuse me while I plot a session of fiendish cookie baking to gently encourage the Powers That Be™ to offer the purchase of storage space or larger backpacks.

http://forums.gwonline.net/showthrea...02#post4035602

lyra_song · Apr 20, 2006, 09:42 PM // 21:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by wheel

EXACTLY. The "merging" of the accounts causing you to lose two character slots is entirely an arbitrary decision by Anet to, as revealed by today's decision, sell you more character slots.

It was never a loss of 2. Its a gain of 2.

OOOH!! I thought of a great analogy.

I live in NJ. We have a theme park called Six Flags Great Adventure. Next to Great Adventure is a water park called Hurricane Harbor and a drive through safari called...well the Safari.

ANYWAYS......I go with a group of friends. Theres a total of 4 of us. We pay for access to the theme park (Great Adventure) for 4. Now the next day, we pay to go to Hurricane Harbor. Thats a price of admission for 4.

We have access to everything in the theme park for 4 people. But we cant go to Hurricane Harbor. The next day we have access to Hurrican Harbor, but no rollercoasters there.

So the 3rd day, we decide to go to both. We buy 2 sets of admission for 4. Theres only 4 People who can go, but theres 8 tickets. But all 4 of us have access to either the theme park or the water park. We decide to do rollercoasters in the morning, then jump to the waterpark in the afternoon.

You get it? Even though theres 8 tickets and we paid for 2 parks. THERES STILL ONLY 4 OF US WHO CAN GO.

(Now no one bring up the fact that we can have 4 other people go to the other park, cause they stamp your hand..and that wouldnt be the analogy to a merged account :P)

I dont believe Anet's decision to sell more slots was the reason that we only gain 2 slots for merging. I feel that its a reaction to the massive complaints from the people who either A) Dont get it or B) Dont agree with it.

Soul Torn · Apr 20, 2006, 09:45 PM // 21:45

Well put as always Ensign. *clap