Legacy Micro-transaction?

[kevlarto]

Microtransactions, is the future of mmo's love them hate them, make all the threats you want to un-sub, it will not be long before all mmo's have some form of MT's, look around folks it is every where compared to just a few years ago, GW2, that whole game is built around MT'S according to the devlopers, I think that model will dominate in the future buy the box play for free and MT's for everything else. Even the dev's at blizzard have stated that as soon as going to F2P becomes more profitable than the current model they will switch, and from the amount of subs that game is losing every quarter it won't be long.

 

I have played games with MT's, guess what I never buy anything, in 99% of MT games it is all fluff and can be obtained in game by playing the game, MT's is for the instant gratification generation than can not control thier wallet.

The standard 14.99 a month sub based mmo is on it's way out, it will come a time to decide if you can not roll with the changes then mmo's will no longer be for you.

 

I don't care either way, if I like the game, F2p P2p, MT's I could care less, I am going to play what I like and enjoy I don't care how I pay for it, but I am a gamer at heart.

[dazednconfuzed]

It is jealously and it is a childs way of thinking.

 

What? No comments about those disadvantages you asked for? Or did you realise we are right, and can't think of an argument against it? Come on, give us an actual post instead of just calling us child-like and jealous.

 

Personally, I might be slightly jealous if someone came along with some legacy unlock they had earned, but I was quite a distance off. Maybe a little jealous depending on what it is. For example, back in the original SWG days, before CU, people were jealous if they saw a Jedi running around. Respectful too, and impressed. Why? Because unlocking you Jedi character slot in that game was a long and difficult process, and if you had a Jedi then, it showed your dedication to the game. Much the same with TOR's legacy unlocks. They are a status symbol. A way of showing that you are an experienced player of the game.

 

But if that same person just bought it, then what is there to be jealous of? They should be jealous of me because I still have a reason to play the game, not to mention I still have the cash in my pocket.

Edited April 26, 2012 by dazednconfuzed

[Celwinn]

What? No comments about those disadvantages you asked for? Or did you realise we are right, and can't think of an argument against it?

 

Personally, I might be slightly jealous if someone came along with some legacy unlock they had earned, but I was quite a distance off. Maybe a little jealous depending on what it is. For example, back in the original SWG days, before CU, people were jealous if they saw a Jedi running around. Respectful too, and impressed. Why? Because unlocking you Jedi character slot in that game was a long and difficult process, and if you had a Jedi then, it showed your dedication to the game. Much the same with TOR's legacy unlocks. They are a status symbol. A way of showing that you are an experienced player of the game.

 

But if that same person just bought it, then what is there to be jealous of? They should be jealous of me because I still have a reason to play the game, not to mention I still have the cash in my pocket.

 

Now I really wished I learned of SWG before

 

I agree. Legacy is something you should be able to boost about and feel proud. You have worked your asz off to unlock all those perks (whether that's through leveling your legacy, or through grinding credits).

[Revenaught]

Be prepared to do that sometime in the future.

 

After all, this is EA we are talking about.

 

Edit: As to the topic on hand, I can see Legacy items turned into a cash shop but will Bioware actually do that and piss off more of their customers?

 

As I have already stated plainly what I will do it should be obvious what I am prepared to do.

 

I will say this, account services are not micro transactions no matter how often others try to lump them in in order to justify their own selfish desires. And for the record the only people acting childish here are those who can't be bothered to play the game as intended and want to pay for shortcuts to get what they want now. .

[Lazzer]

I have a proposal as a happy medium, what if everything someone bought through MT comes with a big green fluorescent unmissable dollar sign on it so we can see the difference between what's been bought and what's been earned?

[dazednconfuzed]

I have a proposal as a happy medium, what if everything someone bought through MT comes with a big green fluorescent unmissable dollar sign on it so we can see the difference between what's been bought and what's been earned?

 

One that hovers above your head and follows you round, so you can tell who plays the game and who bought their way through the game?

 

I like it

[Lazzer]

One that hovers above your head and follows you round, so you can tell who plays the game and who bought their way through the game?

 

I like it

 

Definitely, after all it won't impact game play...

[dazednconfuzed]

Definitely, after all it won't impact game play...

 

Not to mention this is the Star Wars universe, so holograms exist.

 

So the giant dollar signs following people round won't break immersion either

[MasterKayote]

Microtransactions, is the future of mmo's love them hate them, make all the threats you want to un-sub, it will not be long before all mmo's have some form of MT's, look around folks it is every where compared to just a few years ago, GW2, that whole game is built around MT'S according to the devlopers, I think that model will dominate in the future buy the box play for free and MT's for everything else. Even the dev's at blizzard have stated that as soon as going to F2P becomes more profitable than the current model they will switch, and from the amount of subs that game is losing every quarter it won't be long.

 

You must read mmorpg.com a lot. They are constantly promoting F2P mmo's and keep calling it the wave of the future or some crap. Well guess what? mmorpg.com gets paid primarily by f2p MMO's ... and theyre not the guaranteed way of the future. Could it happen? Sure! However there is a reason AAA MMO's (minus a few exceptions like GW(2) which ISNT really F2P btw) always start out with a sub model and have only ever gone f2p if the subs dont do well ... and its not because they suddenly realized the error of their ways.

 

F2P MMO's DO NOT actually make more money than the sub-based games. Just like yourself, MOST people dont spend much if any on the MT's and just play for free. However the fact that its free brings in A LOT more players than they ever did with a constant sub ... so whatever little MT's they sell to the increased amount of players nets them a bigger income than before. Selling MT's with a sub is also bad ... as you can see, people dont like it. Blizzard can get away with some minor stuff like pets and mounts because its WoW, an MMO so popular and ahead of its time that people swallow their pride and principles and end up coming back in a few months after quitting anyway. SWTOR doesnt have that same luxury. They throw a cash shop up and they may as well go to the F2P+MT model.

[Andymantium]

Not to mention this is the Star Wars universe, so holograms exist.

 

So the giant dollar signs following people round won't break immersion either

 

The size of the dollar sign should increase proportionally to the amount of money spent on each subsequent MT.

[NasherUK]

We pay a subscription so that we don't have to pay for crappy micro-transations. If they want to put them in then they should scrap or reduce the monthly costs.

 

If you think the populations is dropping now, it will nose dive over-night if they did this...

Edited April 26, 2012 by NasherUK

[dazednconfuzed]

The size of the dollar sign should increase proportionally to the amount of money spent on each subsequent MT.

 

Until eventually, your character is just a giant dollar sign running through the game world?

[White_Silhouette]

Until eventually, your character is just a giant dollar sign running through the game world?

 

Or maybe it's like a pet you can't dismiss. Which as you spend more it gets bigger and bigger. It could get to be the size of a world boss if you paid enough.

 

For the actual on topic point. I wouldn't care if they added MT if they went F2P. Since instead of a monthly sub they get the money from those who are willing to pay to get the items they want. But even that is a double edged sword. Since it would increase the player population but it doesn't mean that the revenue generated would be the same. Also the staying power of a F2P MMO is less when the next MMO hits the market (or at least in my experiences).

[Screaming_Ziva]

Personally, if all the legacy items had an option for real money cash, I'd have every single one of them by now. As it is, I only have the quick travel unlocked and I don't really see myself getting any of the others until the level 10 legacy mount becomes available.

[Revelationjp]

Slippery slope is always a poor argument. It ignores humans most powerful tool, the ability to reason.

 

The slippery slope argument is not a logical fallacy. Reason is humanities most powerful tool, but is often trumped by human nature. People will accept a change in small steps that they would never accept in a single jump. That is the essence of Slippery Slope, and why it is indeed a valid argument. Let's say we accept today that paying for, say, a pet, is acceptable, because it's fluff only. Tommorow, they introduce a piece of orange gear. Well, it's not play to win. It's essentially cosmetic. You still have to put the mods in yourself. Are you still ok with that? And, well, It's really cool gear! and boy that rakata gear is ugly as sin, right? why not pay 1$ a piece for some cool orange gear with maybe augment slots, huh? And why you're at it, instead of just adding the $8 you need for the gear you want to your origin account, you have to add $20, because that's the only increment they let you add in maybe, so you can also buy that neat speeder in the shop that goes 150% instead of your measily 115%. Man, it'd be nice if they put in a speeder that went 200% faster huh? etc.... Slippery Slope

[Jordam]

F2P, MT, cash stores. NO! I havent played a ton of mmo's, but the ones i have played that went F2P went absolutly to pot after they were changed. CoH was fun for a few years, now you can do whatever you want, as long as your rl wallett can take it. LOTRO was my favorite game ever, to the point that i paid for a lifetime subscription. F2P came in, and suddenly i had been hacked on three seperate occasions and, though still considered a "lifer" i had to pay for things like consumables and many of the cosmetic things i had been able to earn in game up to that point. In both games i've used as examples here, i dropped out shortly after cash stores were introduced, and will here as well.

 

Short version, if you think F2P will "enhance" this game in any way, i urge you to go to LOTRO and travel to the high level areas, and say hi to the player you'd be lucky to see there. That one guy. And the two of you can have fun playing a two-player mmo. I won't be there, and i won't be here if it goes F2P.

[Fiachsidhe]

Hell, I would rather spend another 100 dollars to unlock all legacy items account wide than grind/pay for them one by one.

 

But then again I have a real job and know how to work my finances.

 

Not if you're using those finances to buy slightly faster cooldowns on quick travel items, in a video game, to avoid doing a few dozen scattered hours of dailies, over the course of how many years of playing a video game you already pay fifteen bucks a month for.

 

Really, absolutely the worst ad hominem fallacy made this thread. Congratulations.

[Screaming_Ziva]

Not if you're using those finances to buy slightly faster cooldowns on quick travel items, in a video game, to avoid doing a few dozen scattered hours of dailies, over the course of how many years of playing a video game you already pay fifteen bucks a month for.

 

Really, absolutely the worst ad hominem fallacy made this thread. Congratulations.

Really? $100 to you might be like $10 to him. If you have an entertainment budget, as long as you don't go over your budget, you can use it for whatever entertainment purposes you like.

[Fiachsidhe]

-Micro-transactions increase revenue.

-Increased revenue = increased content for everyone.

 

1. Done correctly micro-transactions can have no impact on the non-purchasers game experience beyond jealously.

 

2. start understanding that Bioware runs a business. The more revenue they bring in the faster content is developed for all players. And trust me, the extra revenue they bring in will more than make up for the few that leave the game out of "principle". Because most people are all talk when making threats on forums.

 

1. Jealous of what exactly? Please explain what I'm jealous of. Your money? your lack of patience?

2. Oh the old they're a business fallacy. A classic. If you knew anything about business beyond "make money a lot" you'd realize how naive such a statement is. You're also a fool if you think more money = better product.

 

This game makes enough money as is. After a certain point, it doesn't matter how much money a company makes. EA is not a company that see more money and puts it into their games. Look at DA 2 compared to DA:O.

 

In fact, the way EA works is to exploit and rush future games when the older ones make tons of money. you think the added income would make a difference?

 

 

right, and micro-transactions are anything from name changes and paid server transfers to purchasing new skins for your companions or character make overs.

 

The poster you quoted has a VERY short lifespan in any MMO.

 

Wow same guy. You're on a roll.

Actually there is a huge difference between a paid SERVICE, like transfers. and paid products, like virtual clothes.

 

The transfer fee exists, to avoid people constantly changing servers, which would lead to people doing whatever they want, and simply jumping servers to avoid a negative reputation.

Edited April 26, 2012 by Fiachsidhe

[Fiachsidhe]

Really? $100 to you might be like $10 to him. If you have an entertainment budget, as long as you don't go over your budget, you can use it for whatever entertainment purposes you like.

 

Spending $100 on something stupid, is still stupid even when you're wiping your *** with the change. Having the money in your wallet doesn't mean a purchase is wise.

I mean I can spend maybe 50-100 bucks a month on entertainment, but if I'm going to do that, I may as well buy two entire games, rather than unlocking a handful of completely unnecessary, slight conveniences in one, just because I want it all today.

Edited April 26, 2012 by Fiachsidhe

[Drakinor]

Am I the only one that looks at the legacy system and see that it screams that it would be perfect for micro-transactions to buy the unlocks?

 

Seriously how many of us would rather drop $5-$10 in a micro-transaction for the GTN on our ship rather than plop down $5million credits??

 

Dare we start a petition asking for EA to graciously take more of our money?

 

 

Edit: I mean micro transactions in addition to the current ways of unlocking not as a replacement.

 

If you start a petition for that I am willing to bet that an airplane (movie) style line forms at your front door with people angry that you even considered the idea. No no and more no. If you want microtransactions go play DDO or LTORO.

[Screaming_Ziva]

Spending $100 on something stupid, is still stupid even when you're wiping your *** with the change. Having the money in your wallet doesn't mean a purchase is wise.

I mean I can spend maybe 50-100 bucks a month on entertainment, but if I'm going to do that, I may as well buy two entire games, rather than unlocking a handful of completely unnecessary, slight conveniences in one, just because I want it all today.

Just because it's stupid to you, doesn't mean it's stupid to someone else. If I think your user name is stupid, does that automatically make you think it's stupid as well?

 

Again, it's all relative and based on, ready for this ... PERSONAL CHOICE. If someone wants to spend $100 on something that you don't want to spend it on, that is their PERSONAL CHOICE.

[Urael]

Am I the only one that looks at the legacy system and see that it screams that it would be perfect for micro-transactions to buy the unlocks?

 

Seriously how many of us would rather drop $5-$10 in a micro-transaction for the GTN on our ship rather than plop down $5million credits??

 

Dare we start a petition asking for EA to graciously take more of our money?

 

 

Edit: I mean micro transactions in addition to the current ways of unlocking not as a replacement.

 

Please no. It could become a launch point for pay to win.

[Fornix]

Maybe, if you're completely thoughtless, and willfully ignore all the staggering examples of cash shops that started off innocuous and gradually got worse. Say what you will about slippery slopes, but this is one slippery slope that has been proven so many times it's amazing people still believe it won't happen. It's exactly like saying a new new oil company, may not be as greedy as all the others, but it probably will.

 

You may not see anything wrong with it, but anyone with actual experience in games with cash shops, knows that when game publishers see a gold mine, they'll strip it dry. This is EA for Christ sake!

 

This is EA/BIOWARE.

The company that went from Mass Effect 1 DLC later - To Mass Effect 2 Day one DLC, but free for all new purchases - to Mass Effect 3 Day one DLC, free for CE pre-orders only.

 

The problem with your five dollar 'purchase and forget' method, is the message it sends to EA. Anyone who knows ANYTHING about business, will tell you corporations will continue to increase the amount they screw you, until you refuse to take it. Bioware themselves have been reaching the bottom of the DLC slippery slope as we speak. You really think they'll stick with simple crap in a cash shop?

 

That's not even naivety at this point.

 

Look at Blizzard's cash shop. Every good mount model they put real effort into, is in the cash shop, ditto small pets. They charge ten bucks for the Panda Monk with it's unique animations and better model, and stick the cheap recolored snake, or cat, in the game for players.

 

Cash shops are for games with no other means of income.

Choose one or the other, if you don't have time for the various parts of an mmorpg, then find another hobby, or go without.

 

And Blizzard's cash shop is the prime example of a cash shop which doesn't hurt anybody, considering as to how it are just vanity items. It's been like that for years, never did it get turned into a pay 2 win situation.

 

As for DLC, keep in mind that game development changed in the course of the years. Development became more expensive as development teams increased in size, the scope of the projects in general increased and the level of standard expected from today's games skyrocketed through the roof.

 

Sure, a 2 million dollar project doesn't really need much additional income anymore after 500k copies are sold. However, times changed. Project costs increased exponentially, whilst sales figures did not. If for every 20 million AAA title they'd be selling 5 million copies, then sure no biggie. But they often tend to struggle selling 3 - 4 million.

 

That entails an entirely different perspective on income for people handling finances. How do you battle this? Well, in the old days of gaming running even to relatively high production costs was achieved by high game pricing. Cartridges going around for the equivalent of about 90 - 100 Eur these days. An alternative is to offer additional content seperately for those willing to put down some extra money.

 

It doesn't matter whether that's DLC in SP games, or cash shops in MMO's.

 

In the end of the day, employees working at BioWare and EA want to be able to feed their families and children as well. That doesn't work if people keep on expecting high budget titles handed out for practically nothing.

[Ruuprect]

If we are going to do MT's, I would like to purchase invincibility. I would be willing to pay $10 for it. I would also like to have an instant teleport to any coordinates in game. Some gear that is better than top tier raid/pvp gear would be ok too. I have the money why not allow me to buy this stuff.