Micro-transaction Shop. Yay or Nay?

[Gharlane]

I vote no. I have played 2 MMOs that added microtransactions (LOTRO and EQ2) and honestly the gaming companies can't resist the temptation to take it too far. That "cosmetic" item like a speeder thats just a reskin...well maybe it doesnt sell much so then add a bit of speed. So now its the fastest mount (if only by 5%). And once you break the "no advantage from cash shop items" promise its all downhill. That new armor set the art department has just finished ? Hey why not give it a nice set bonus sell it and make the new operations drops just a recolor of some existing set? Once it starts the temptation to go farther and farther is irresistible.

[Destronicus]

Nope. I don't believe in double dipping, so to speak. Monthly subscription means no micro transaction shop. Everything should be available in game to everyone that puts in the required effort to get that item. If they want a micro transaction shop, they should go free to play.

[DigitalPrime]

I've seen these mentioned in various threads with many different opinions, so let me ask the question.

 

Do you want a micro-transaction shop added to SWtoR? And Why?

 

I ask "why?" because I'm very much in favour of these kinds of shops and I'm not sure what people's objections are. I'd love to hear from the people who don't like them and find out why.

 

I should say I like them, so long as they don't offer anything you *need*. Just optional extras. Like the costume parts they sell in City of Heroes, or the different looking ships in Startrek online.

 

If there was a zone in the game you could only access if you bought a 'pass' item in the store, I wouldn't be in favour of that.

 

Special colour crystals

Different looking mounts

Maybe different style starships (Same ability as the originals, different look)

Special Companion appearances

 

I think I'd be fine with those and I would actually buy them.

 

This is probably all moot of course, all MMOs have these shops eventually and mugs like me become their customers, but I would like to understand the pros and cons before we get that far.

 

What do you think?

 

These sorts of things should be in the game without the need for money. We pay for this game already. So vanity items or cosmetic should be all gained through playing the game. Not diving into ones wallet.

 

If TOR goes down this route, Im sure many will move on. They get enough money from us each month, asking for more on an item which we should be able to get without the need for more money is just plain and simply greedy.

Edited March 11, 2012 by DigitalPrime

[Gaskarth]

F*ck nay. If you look at most P2P mmos that went with micro transac, they went F2P totally. LIKE DCUO / STO / Champions / CoH

[kevlarto]

To be honest ,I am surprised they don't have one already, EA said a couple of years ago this game would have MT's, it's a trend in gameing industry and a way for a for profit company to make more profit, like it or not, not much we can do about it other than not use it if you don't like it, I have a lifetime account in lotro after it went free to play and they added the store, I looked at it never bought anything, the American version of MT's is mostly fluff and things that are NOT going to be an I win button, i see people saying the play to win store, which is just not true with American made mmo's with MT's at least the ones I have played anyway, might be some obscure game out there I dunno and don't care, if your really against MT's your future in the mmo world is getting limited they will all have them at some point../shrug

 

To answer the OP's question, I don't care one way or the other it will have no effect on my game play.

[Daize]

NAY NAY NAY

Our subscriptions are more than enough to pay for any extras save perhaps certain types of char transfers.

[fungihoujo]

It'll happen, every mmo has it. It'll start with things like appearance change and xfers, then move to mounts, pets, customizations.

 

I'm actually shocked this isn't in game yet, considering this is EA we're talking about, not to mention, WoW has it and as we know from the naysayers, you gotta have everything WoW has for this to be an mmo with the content needed to be an mmo.

[Asroha]

If they add an item mall to this game, I am gone.

[Vorphalack]

I'm not sure what people's objections are.

 

All content developed while the game requieres a subscription fee should be automatically made available to the subscribers. Dosent matter if you dont ''need'' whatever they develop, you payed for it already.

 

Micro transactions work in games like League of Legends becasue they gave us the entire game for free, and there is no way to buy a competative advantage. MT's should NEVER be paired with subscription based games, even for cosmetic options.

[Veluthurk]

neagative

[Vlaxitov]

Just no...

 

Cash shops offend me away from any mmo.

 

To me cash shops in mmos are like signing your kid up for piano lessons, then your kid's piano teacher informs you a couple weeks later that every 3rd class will be dance instruction instead of piano and the dance costs extra even though you're going to be charged for the piano lesson that never happens all the same.

[Nightmarer]

 

I should say I like them, so long as they don't offer anything you *need*. Just optional extras. Like the costume parts they sell in City of Heroes,

 

I think NCSoft (and Cryptic at the time) opened the Pandora box when they realized people were willing to pay 5 euro for a new costume, a few emotes and a pretty much useless (but sometimes fun) power, they realized there was a huge cow to be milked there, in fact, devs even stated they had been able to implement extra content for Issue 12 due to an unexpected income amount from microtransactions (those were the days of Sister Psyche and Manticore's Wedding pack).

 

Microtransactions are also probably what keeps CoH running still today, despite going F2P, they're adding new powersets that have to be purchased even for regular subscribers (via direct cash or veteran point rewards, which are cash nevertheless) so it maybe suits a game like CoH which seems to be heading towards the end of its lifespan.

 

This game has a standard monthly fee that should cover for any new content plus the box is expensive enough for what's been delivered so far. I'm not a doomsayer but 55 euro for a game missing key features any MMO out there already has (and yeah, I know WoW at launch didn't have all the features it has now, but SWTOR is trying to compete with WoW today, not 7 years ago) is a lot of cash and I don't want any extra expenses added into an expensive enough game so nay to microtransactions.

 

There are quite a few things SWTOR could adopt from CoH (and other games), specially to increase social interaction among players, but microtransaction system is not one of them.

Edited March 11, 2012 by Nightmarer

[Fardarter]

I think there would be a PR mess if EA was seen as trying to squeeze more money from customers when the game itself has so many problems. I don't think you will see anything like this until the game is performing at a level the developers and players are happy with.

[Daekarus]

Freakin super Nay

[Game-Hermit]

If they added microtransactions I'd quit the game. I'm already paying a subscription. I'm not going to pay twice. Microtransactions are only okay in free to play games, but even then they usually end up costing far more than a sub for you to still get less than you would with a subscription game. TLDR: F2P can go back to Korea and subscription games shouldn't double dip.

 

I think there would be a PR mess if EA was seen as trying to squeeze more money from customers when the game itself has so many problems. I don't think you will see anything like this until the game is performing at a level the developers and players are happy with.

And Bioware has enough PR problems already with that ME3 DLC controversy.

Edited March 11, 2012 by Game-Hermit

[FallenValkyrja]

Nay. once CoH went with their micromall i was out of there and I would do the same here.

 

~FV~

[Vlaxitov]

Microtransactions are also probably what keeps CoH running still today, despite going F2P, they're adding new powersets that have to be purchased even for regular subscribers (via direct cash or veteran point rewards, which are cash nevertheless) so it maybe suits a game like CoH which seems to heading towards the end of its lifespan.

 

How many subs do you think you need to keep the lights on in a mmo once the investment has already been made? Game companies take MMORPGs F2P as a greedy excuse to tax their most loyal playerbase once their game is irreversable decline and they aren't satisfied with the monthly stipend subcriptions are bringing in anymore. F2P is codeword for "you're going to pay more than the sub for the full game now." Nothing good ever comes from F2P in this genre.

[Revan-the-knight]

Nay, No ,Nein, Nej! Wont happen! not on my watch! as long as this game is Pay to Play they shouldnt add them at all!

[Nightmarer]

How many subs do you think you need to keep the lights on in a mmo once the investment has already been made? Game companies take MMORPGs F2P as a greedy excuse to tax their most loyal playerbase once their game is irreversable decline and they aren't satisfied with the monthly stipend subcriptions are bringing in anymore. F2P is codeword for "you're going to pay more than the sub for the full game now." Nothing good ever comes from F2P in this genre.

 

True, but CoH already had plenty of microtransactions long before they went F2P, The good vs. evil upgrade one with that jump power (although that one gave access to villains), the wedding pack, valkyrie pack, cyborg pack, magic pack, mutant pack and lots more I can't remember right now tbh, hence why it probably took them longer to go F2P since they got cash from both models.-

[Apache]

Nay!

 

No Way. Especially in a subscription based game like this.

 

My subscription fee should cover access to ALL content in the game wether it be simply cosmetic items or the hardest end game instances.

 

Edit: I dont want to Pay them to upkeep and develop content for the game just to have them want to Charge me for items/content in the game that I Paid them to be able to develop for the game... Lame!

 

Adding MTs to a subscription based MMO is a slap in the face to the player base imo, and just makes the company look greedy and not very respectfull to thier paying customers.

Edited March 11, 2012 by Apache

[Daidalus]

Nay!

Absolutely not.

If they implement micro transaction, I'm leaving.

[xRydisx]

No, if I am paying a subscription cost, part of that cost should go into development of the game im invested in. It is very stupid to charge people a sub..then charge people for the content that sub goes into. It is one or the other. Not both.

[illgot]

If they add an item mall to this game, I am gone.

 

Even if that is true, which it isn't, I'll spend more in a month than you would in 1 year of subscriptions. The few that actually leave due to micro-transactions will not have an impact on the game.

 

As long as Bioware sells only fluff items, it won't impact the non payers game. Except for the jealousy they have at not having enough money to buy pets and unique mounts.

 

I'll list some of the most common and usually first micro-transactions:

 

-Name Changes

 

-Server Transfers

 

-Character Appearance Changes

 

Those are micro-transactions.

 

 

Additional micro-transactions are:

 

-Unique Pets

 

-Unique Mounts

 

-Unique Outfits

 

-Unique Character Appearances

 

-Unique Weapon Models

 

 

If you are going to quit over any of the above being introduced into TOR, bye. You won't be missed because those of us with disposable income will more than make up for the few that cancel their subscriptions.

Edited March 11, 2012 by illgot

[Kanshan]

Nay... I already pay for the game no reason to pay more.

[Rotny]

**** no.