Clarity On What Will Be Purchasable With Cartel Coin

[Leggomy]

I think its a little early to be asking for details like this. They just announced this yesterday. Things might not be finalized yet.

[CasperTricks]

I think its a little early to be asking for details like this. They just announced this yesterday. Things might not be finalized yet.

 

And I think you are wrong in thinking its too early to be asking for details like this. I understand your argument that things may not be finalized. But in no way can someone expect to make a game changing announcement and not have paying customers asking valid questions about the information they received. If it is not finalized that is understandable, and should be addressed to the customer as such. If they do however have answers to even the slightest / smallest / easiest to answer questions we / I the paying customer should be able to ask the questions and get the answers regardless of said answers viability due to completeness.

Edited August 1, 2012 by CasperTricks

[ZionHalcyon]

And I think you are wrong in thinking its too early to be asking questions like this. I understand your argument that things may not be finalized. But in no way can someone expect to make a game changing announcement and not have paying customers asking valid questions about the information they received. If it is not finalized that is understandable, and should be addressed to the customer as such. If they do however have answers to even the slightest / smallest / easiest to answer questions we / I the paying customer should be able to ask the questions and get the answers regardless of said answers viability due to completeness.

 

Nows the RIGHT time to ask questions, because if they dont have things finalized yet, theres still a chance our questions will prompt feedback and inspire them to make a better design decision on how best to implement F2P.

[Flyceratops]

What would annoy me is if the stuff they'd be selling aesthetically would be the only available options besides something really plain in-game (for example, Perfect World's thing where you can buy mounts or wings or whatever for money). That sounds like it'd be the only major problem for me - if the gear I look at and go '...MUST. HAVE. SO. PRETTY.' is all in the cash shop, there is a problem.

 

Since BW has stated that the cash shop won't give you a competitive edge I'll trust them on that until details become available.

 

I can support the F2P thing if it doesn't end up with restrictions in content for subscribing players, basically. (Though I do like the idea of Legacy perks being something you have to buy from the cash shop if you're playing for free; that way the free players can get something of a positive edge for themselves without giving them anything blatantly superior to the subscribing ones.).

 

Anyone reading this can probably tell that I am totally for plans that give subscribers awesome stuff and severely limit free players' ability to get stuff. *shrug* I figure it's best if it ends up being a plan where you can save money by subscribing instead of buying whatever you need from the cash shop (for people who spend a lot of time playing / have lots of alts / etc).

 

Also I'm totally for things like paying extra money for character slots ($5 would be doable but I wouldn't pay more than that), but hate the idea of opening more bag space for real-life money if there isn't an alternative way to get it in-game as a subscriber. *shrug*

[NoxiousAlby]

Give it 6 months to a year and in my opinion players will be able to buy BIS weapons & armour, i've seen it happen before.

 

There will always be those attractacted by the prospect of being able to play for free, but in my experience F2P games tend to attract those that have little time but deep pockets. A player may not be able to commit to raiding for 12-16 hrs a week but will have no difficulty paying $50 a week to buy what he/she normally wouldnt be able to obtain. Given EA's greed this is a definate possibility.

 

I believe this to be the gravest mistake made by EA/Bioware to date, and has me even more inclined to soley play Blizzards project "Titan" when released this year.

[Andryah]

And I think you are wrong in thinking its too early to be asking for details like this.

 

It's not too early to be asking questions. It is however TOO EARLY to be expecting answers. You get answers to specifics when they are finalized, same as every other MMO.

 

Besides, the nature of Freemium Shops is they change constantly what the are selling, for how much, and what's on special sale.

 

As for the ever popular predictive rant about P-2-Win in Freemium games, it does not happen. Oh, some people can distort it to look that way but its just distortion. They offer you convenience, quality of life, and vanity items. Now, some people consider convenience and quality of life items to somehow be P-2-W, but that's a pretty biased outlook from people who simply want to rant about Freemium.

 

Now, some TRUE Free-2-Play games do offer P2W, but we are talking about a handful of 3rd tier MMOs scattered around the internet, mostly in Asia, and of course mobile games which are not even MMOs. But Freemium games are careful not to venture into P-2-W because it disrupts their two tier access system of Subscribe/Freemium.

[Achromatis]

It's not too early to be asking questions. It is however TOO EARLY to be expecting answers. You get answers to specifics when they are finalized, same as every other MMO.

 

Besides, the nature of Freemium Shops is they change constantly what the are selling, for how much, and what's on special sale.

 

As for the ever popular predictive rant about P-2-Win in Freemium games, it does not happen. Oh, some people can distort it to look that way but its just distortion. They offer you convenience, quality of life, and vanity items. Now, some people consider convenience and quality of life items to somehow be P-2-W, but that's a pretty biased outlook from people who simply want to rant about Freemium.

 

Now, some TRUE Free-2-Play games do offer P2W, but we are talking about a handful of 3rd tier MMOs scattered around the internet, mostly in Asia, and of course mobile games which are not even MMOs. But Freemium games are careful not to venture into P-2-W because it disrupts their two tier access system of Subscribe/Freemium.

 

Lord of the Rings Online, where you can buy healing/cure potions from the store that are better than anything you can obtain otherwise even if youre a subscriber. Or how the best relics(item mods) are also bought from the store too. Granted I think the advantages those items give you are negligible, but they ARE advantages and I wouldnt classify LotRO as a 3rd rate Asian mmo.

 

People are putting way too much faith in EA here if you ask me, because thats whose calling the shots for this - not the remnants of Bioware.

[Leggomy]

And I think you are wrong in thinking its too early to be asking for details like this. I understand your argument that things may not be finalized. But in no way can someone expect to make a game changing announcement and not have paying customers asking valid questions about the information they received. If it is not finalized that is understandable, and should be addressed to the customer as such. If they do however have answers to even the slightest / smallest / easiest to answer questions we / I the paying customer should be able to ask the questions and get the answers regardless of said answers viability due to completeness.

 

You can ask all you want. Obviously they do not have answers for you. When they do they will announce it. You are not entitled to anything else.

[Leggomy]

Lord of the Rings Online, where you can buy healing/cure potions from the store that are better than anything you can obtain otherwise even if youre a subscriber. Or how the best relics(item mods) are also bought from the store too. Granted I think the advantages those items give you are negligible, but they ARE advantages and I wouldnt classify LotRO as a 3rd rate Asian mmo.

 

People are putting way too much faith in EA here if you ask me, because thats whose calling the shots for this - not the remnants of Bioware.

 

This while true when the potions came out is no longer true. The best relics are not available in the store and only are available througn the melding process. So now that you know you are wrong on both counts maybe you could try lotro out.

[NoxiousAlby]

As for the ever popular predictive rant about P-2-Win in Freemium games, it does not happen. Oh, some people can distort it to look that way but its just distortion. They offer you convenience, quality of life, and vanity items. Now, some people consider convenience and quality of life items to somehow be P-2-W, but that's a pretty biased outlook from people who simply want to rant about Freemium.

Ever played "World of Tanks"?, its a Russian F2P armoued warfare MMO

 

When a player can buy T8 tank (max is T10) that has advatages over other T8's and gains the benefit of battlefied groupings this is definately P2W. Did I mention that you can also buy gold ammo with greater penetration & damage?

 

Or try playing Silkroad Online, where most purchases give advantages over players who dont purchase, fact remain games that start as F2P will eventually gravitate to P2W because money is the motivation. And there are plenty of people who lack the time & are willing to P2W.

[Valkirus]

You can ask all you want. Obviously they do not have answers for you. When they do they will announce it. You are not entitled to anything else.

 

I think they should have had more details on what the FTP model would entail rather than the lackluster post about FTP and a vague outline of what the CC coins could buy. They left too many questions unanswered and should have known there would be lots of them. Entitled? Not from a legal stance, but from a good customer relations it would have been the smart thing to do.

[Sauska]

I'm guessing the cartel coins will give us useless fluff. The cool stuff will cost real money.

[Leggomy]

I'm guessing the cartel coins will give us useless fluff. The cool stuff will cost real money.

 

The cartel coins cost real life money...

[Sauska]

The cartel coins cost real life money...

Seeing that subscribers will get a certain amount of cartel coins, the cool stuff will cost more real life money. Happy now?

[Leggomy]

Seeing that subscribers will get a certain amount of cartel coins, the cool stuff will cost more real life money. Happy now?

 

No because you still are not making sense. If you spend rl money the only thing you can buy is points. Then you use those points to pay for items. So any way it goes you get the points (or coins whatever) and then spend them.

[Sauska]

No because you still are not making sense. If you spend rl money the only thing you can buy is points. Then you use those points to pay for items. So any way it goes you get the points (or coins whatever) and then spend them.

Oh, you will be able to buy more than just points with real life money, eventually.

[Andryah]

Lord of the Rings Online, where you can buy healing/cure potions from the store that are better than anything you can obtain otherwise even if youre a subscriber. Or how the best relics(item mods) are also bought from the store too. Granted I think the advantages those items give you are negligible, but they ARE advantages

 

You said it best yourself..... Granted I think the advantages those items give you are negligible

 

By any rational measrue, that's not P-2-W. It's pay for convenience and quality of life, which frankly is what Freemium is all about for most people in the end. Only real die hard free players will grind everything out in game rather then gobble up some quality of life and convenience items.

[Andryah]

Ever played "World of Tanks"?, its a Russian F2P armoued warfare MMO

 

When a player can buy T8 tank (max is T10) that has advatages over other T8's and gains the benefit of battlefied groupings this is definately P2W. Did I mention that you can also buy gold ammo with greater penetration & damage?

 

Or try playing Silkroad Online, where most purchases give advantages over players who dont purchase, fact remain games that start as F2P will eventually gravitate to P2W because money is the motivation. And there are plenty of people who lack the time & are willing to P2W.

 

3rd tier actual free to play games, with a deliberate pay to win component AND were designed that way from day 1 because they are not dual access models.

 

NOT Freemiums. If you want to compare SWTORs new two access model, compare it to LoTRO, or one of the oher tier 1 Freemiums. Then at least you will be on the same page context wise.

Edited August 1, 2012 by Andryah

[MindSpore]

The aritcle lists stuff including "boosts". What's, in context, the definition of a "boost"?

 

Make your characters physically taller, likely in the form of stylish platform shoes.

[Andryah]

Make your characters physically taller, likely in the form of stylish platform shoes.

 

I was thinking more along the line of backside implants, to help boost the backside of the robes better.

Edited August 1, 2012 by Andryah

[Blackavaar]

No because you still are not making sense. If you spend rl money the only thing you can buy is points. Then you use those points to pay for items. So any way it goes you get the points (or coins whatever) and then spend them.

 

I think what he's saying is that because you spend Real Life money the cost in points is going to be high. You remember how they gave us that 25 Black Hole Commendations stipend for transferring? You know how that 25 BH coms isn't enough to buy anything? Same deal here. We get a stipend of Cartel Coins, sure. But that stipend won't be enough to buy anything worth while, meaning even subscribers will be paying real money to get more CC to buy the stuff they want.

 

Edited August 1, 2012 by Blackavaar

[Andryah]

We get a stipend of Cartel Coins, sure. But that stipend won't be enough to buy anything worth while, meaning even subscriber will be paying real money to get more points to buy the stuff they want.

 

Well, you can do like you do with your allowance and save up, since your stipend carries over an acculates. But if you are one of the instant gratification crowd that needs the new Jawa Beanie Hat NAO.... buy some points and have at it.

[Blackavaar]

Well, you can do like you do with your allowance and save up, since your stipend carries over an acculates. But if you are one of the instant gratification crowd that needs the new Jawa Beanie Hat NAO.... buy some points and have at it.

 

I'm not that type. I have the patience of an oak. But there are many many others that do not, and that's what EA is counting on.

 

It doesn't really matter to me. As long as they don't start putting all of the kool stuff in lock boxes we have to buy keys for that only give us a chance to get something good, I'll be fine with it.

 

[Andryah]

I'm not that type. I have the patience of an oak. But there are many many others that do not, and that's what EA is counting on.

 

You are absolutely correct. The very same mindset that makes people complain about paying a sub and wanting free is the same mindset that will impulse gobble points for real money to buy shinies in the cash shop. They don't want to make regular payements for access, but they will impulse indulge (sometimes to extremes). It's a transactional mindset (which is sort of the common state of our society).

 

It's a very smart business move by the company, and they don't have to blaze the trail on the model since it's been done successfully now by a number of MMOs. So there is little risk and lots of upside. And face it, upside is good because the more revenue they earn the more staff they can maintain for content updates (and not just fluff either, as Turbine has demonstrated on their two Freemium MMOs.).

[PlagaNerezza]

You are absolutely correct. The very same mindset that makes people complain about paying a sub and wanting free is the same mindset that will impulse gobble points for real money to buy shinies in the cash shop. They don't want to make regular payements for access, but they will impulse indulge (sometimes to extremes). It's a transactional mindset (which is sort of the common state of our society).

 

It's a very smart business move by the company, and they don't have to blaze the trail on the model since it's been done successfully now by a number of MMOs. So there is little risk and lots of upside. And face it, upside is good because the more revenue they earn the more staff they can maintain for content updates (and not just fluff either, as Turbine has demonstrated on their two Freemium MMOs.).

 

You have no idea if they are going to implement a good f2p model. The information released on the topic was grossly insufficient to make that determination and has generated a ton of questions. It speaks volumes to the prep work done to add a f2p component to the game. I'm concerned, but I am on a count down already because other another issue with the game. I probably am done with the game for a while so I don't really care enough to get involved, beyond this f2p announcement sucks in terms of content and planning! F2P Coming Soon, Details to follow is absurd. Free money handed out. Details to follow!

 

I think they didn't really detail much specifically.