BARBERSHOP Done Right

[Arutar]

So, the OP made a rather long post which essentially boils down to:

 

"Barbershop should be essentially free for subscribers."

 

1. Could have said it shorter.

2. Unlikely to happen.

3. Spending a few CC on cosmetic options as a subscriber is fine with me.

[saremun]

IMO, this is how the Barbershop should be done. It gives subscribers an advantage of immediate access, charges F2P players a small charge for access and increases revenue in the Cartel Market by adding a ton of new stuff to purchase. Check it out for yourself and tell me what you think.

 

First, add Barbershop Vendors to all social locations (Fleet Cantina, VIP Room, Planet Cantinas on Taris, Balmorra, Nar Shaddaa, etc.). These vendors allows access to the Barbershop system. Putting them in social locations encourages actual social activity and will make Cantinas everywhere feel more lively.

The Barbershop system takes the Player Character into the Blue Room (a screen similar to the original character creation screen, but without all the extra background animations).

The Blue Room has all of your normal Character Customization UI minus Body Type and Head Type. I'll talk more about these later along with Gender and Species selections.

 

Standard Use

 

Normal changes using the Barbershop are charged in credits (a new credit sink).

This would include changes to

 

• Complexion (pimples are clearing up) = 500 credits
  
• Scars (minor plastic sugery) = 2500 credits
  
• Skin Color (just got a tan) = 1000 credits
  
• Hair Color (dye job) = 1000 credits
  
• Hair Style (changed my do) = 2500 credits
  
• Eye Color (changed my contacs) = 2500 credits
  
• Cosmetics (make-over) = 2500 credits
  
• Cybernetics (jacked up) = 2500 credits
  
• Jewelry (gotta bling) = 2500 credits
  
• Tattoos (inked) = 2500 credits
  

 

Now you may be asking about these prices. Keeping the credit prices low allows new characters just arriving on fleet to make minor alterations so that they don't have to reroll to fix small problems but when added up the charges can become a larger investment for established characters that make a lot of alterations.

 

Enhance your Experience

 

Now here's where we start charging Cartel Coins.

 

F2P players must buy an Access Card to access the Barbershop.

The Access Card price could be something like 160 CC for the character 320 CC for the Legacy.

 

Purchases of a new option with Cartel Coins would unlock that option for all characters on that Legacy.

This means that any character within that Legacy that has access to the same options (naturally only Cyborgs will get Cybernetics, etc.) can use the CC unlocked option.

This also means that players with multiple Legacies on multiple servers would need to make the purchase again for each Legacy.

 

• New Complexions (boils, blisters, pimples, light beard growth, etc.) = 120 CC
  
• New Scars (pok marks, melted skin, shrapnel, etc.) = 160 CC
  
• New Hair Colors (additional colors) = 90 CC
  
• New Hair Style (we could use some new top buns, spiked, slicked back, ponytails for guys, etc.) = 160 CC
  
• New Eye Color (additional colors) = 90 CC (maybe some glowing eyes in various colors) = 160 CC
  
• New Cosmetics (alternate colors of curent make-ups plus new make-up styles) = 120 CC
  
• New Cybernetics (some more indepth implants are due, wires plugging through skin, chest, arm and leg implants, entire limb replacements) = 120 to 300 CC depending on the piece
  
• New Jewelry (necklaces, earrings and facial piercings in different colors, body piercings, dangle earrings, stuff with bones, little symbols, etc.) = 120 to 300 CC depending on the piece
  
• New Tattoos (new tattoo styles, alternate colors, body tattoos, etc.) = 120 to 300 CC depending on the piece
  

 

Now I know what you might be thinking, what's the point of all this Chest, Arm and Leg stuff you're talking about? Who's going to use that? To that I answer, Role Players. Role Players love this kind of stuff and they will pay for it, even if it is never seen when they wear their preferred armor. Also, if you want to show it off you can since we have Covert Energy Armor and the Relaxed Jumpsuits now. Get a new Cybernetic chest with complete arm replacements? Show it off by wearing the Covert Energy Armor Chest gear. Want to show off your new Chest tattoo? Wear that Relaxed Jumpsuit. They could even add new gear sets specifically to go with and enhance these options. How about a new Cybernetic Armor set that leaves portions of the Chest and Legs open so that the Cybernetics underneath show through?

 

Now I/m going to add something new in here. Since we're talking about what's under the armor showing through. What do you think about this little addition?

 

Under Garments (change) = 1000 credits

 

New Under Garment options

 

Wouldn't you ladies like to change out of those gray athletic bra and granny panties to a lacey black set? Wouldn't you guys like to change from your stained fruit'o'looms to a sexy speedo or some baggy boxers? How about some thermal underalls, complete with buttflap? There are lots of options here and people would pay for them. How much you say?

 

• Lacey Black Bra and Panties = 300 CC
  
• Blue Speedo = 300 CC
  
• White Boxers = 300 CC
  

 

You could make these in multiple colors with or without patterns and charge for each new color option. You could even do special Valentine's underwear covered in hearts or Classic underwear with patterns of astrodroids and blond guys with lightsabers. You could even make special versions to give away as part of other in-game features such as the Collector's Edition, VIP and Security Key vendors. How about a Collector's Edition underwear with little CE monograms? How about a Security Key underwear with a little badge? The boundaries are almost limitless.

 

Finally, I don't know how they have it planned, but changing your Body Type, Head Type, Gender and Species should be a Cartel Market purchase. This makes it available but discourages overuse. Here are the prices I would suggest.

 

• Head Type = 160 CC
  
• Body Type = 360 CC
  
• Gender = 800 CC
  
• Species = 1200 CC
  

 

In conclusion, this kind of Barbershop model makes using a Barbershop feature fun, social, encourages role playing and feels fair to subscribers and free players alike. The players can make all the changes they want with in-game currency, but can buy access to new options to choose from with CC. Really, there are options abound here. BioWare could make a fortune without making it seem like they are cheating us and this stuff could keep their artists busy for years to come.

 

So, Ladies and Gentlemen, Players and Devs, what do you think?

 

i support the System BUT your system is WAY over priced for both CC and credits.

[Blackavaar]

So, the OP made a rather long post which essentially boils down to:

 

"Barbershop should be essentially free for subscribers."

 

1. Could have said it shorter.

2. Unlikely to happen.

3. Spending a few CC on cosmetic options as a subscriber is fine with me.

 

You obviously didn't read it. It's not free.

 

[Cleet_Xia]

Bioware is bad enough with their nickle and dime tactics. Glad you're not on their staff.

 

Yeah.... they're pretty horrible at nickel and dime tactics ~ everyone is able to see exactly what they're doing. And because they see it, they become angry about it.

 

If they were any good at it, you wouldn't even realize what was going on and would be happily throwing your money at them anyway.

 

So, the OP made a rather long post which essentially boils down to:

 

"Barbershop should be essentially free for subscribers."

 

1. Could have said it shorter.

2. Unlikely to happen.

3. Spending a few CC on cosmetic options as a subscriber is fine with me.

 

 

Mission accomplished.

 

You obviously didn't read it. It's not free.

 

 

Shhhhh.

Edited March 25, 2013 by Cleet_Xia

[Immortalelf]

Major changes - Species and if it -has- to be in there, gender change should be CC related. Put more styles to purchase in the market, fine, but making basic changes to your character should cost in-game credits. I support the idea for the most part, until you got down to the breakdown for legacy stuff.

 

Anyway, I'm close to just writing off TOR for good, or at least not investing in it anymore. They're loyalty to subscribers and all really upsets me. Stop shoving all the incoming features that should be free to subs into the freaking store. The store is successful, STOP GOUGING.

[Blackavaar]

Major changes - Species and if it -has- to be in there, gender change should be CC related. Put more styles to purchase in the market, fine, but making basic changes to your character should cost in-game credits. I support the idea for the most part, until you got down to the breakdown for legacy stuff.

 

Anyway, I'm close to just writing off TOR for good, or at least not investing in it anymore. They're loyalty to subscribers and all really upsets me. Stop shoving all the incoming features that should be free to subs into the freaking store. The store is successful, STOP GOUGING.

 

If you read my other posts on the subject you know I completely agree with you. That's why I made this post to suggest a more reasonable way to do the Barbershop.

 

I think the best thing about my version is that it helps the game in numerous ways. It brings in more advanced customization, makes it more of a social Point of Interest, livening up social areas and expands upon our customization options, instead of just charging to change to options that already exist.

 

And to those who said that this level of customization doesn't matter. Maybe it doesn't matter to you, but to a lot of us it does matter, otherwise there would be no reason to add this feature in the first place.

 

Edited March 27, 2013 by Blackavaar

[Drudenfusz]

So much I would like to see that changes cost just credits, and only new options cost cartel coins, I doubt BioWare will make it that reasonable.

[DarthZak]

Note: Prices are obviously adjustable. They could be lower here, higher there. What I put down was just what I thought would be fair.

 

 

Its an excellent system, the prices I think could be higher since it would have to be a credit sink for them and they have to make the CM a "OMG NEED HAIRCHANGE NAOW" option for which I cant blame them

[saremun]

if they keep it on CM only that would be a real poor way to milk money from Subs.

[Jacen_Starsolo]

About the OP's post:

Sounds good. I've never been big into barbershop to begin with, but, sure!

 

 

Translation:

Going from Pureblood Sith to Twi'lek - okay!

 

Going from Male to Female - no!

 

???

 

In this game, I think neither should be an option. But because more is tied to gender such as companion affection (not just romance), gender change is bad in this game. Play a SI. One companion is almost impossible to level her affection if you play a female SI because she takes only 3 gifts and all only give low affection points. Play a male and you can throw 5 or 6 and the courting gift at her for higher numbers. That brings it to P2W status since you get presence with maxing a companion affection. Then go to an open area PvP with companion and attack another with a companion. That can help you win the fight.

 

So that's why I say reset ALL companions affection to 0 if they do gender change.

 

As for race change, I am not a fan of that either but at least it has less impact on the story flags a person gets going through the game.

 

Now if you want to turn this into a politically correct/incorrect subject, let's make a new thread and not go off topic in this one.

Edited March 27, 2013 by Jacen_Starsolo

[Ghostbacon]

Barbershop (or a barbershop droid) on the ship as a Legacy item .

[Arutar]

You obviously didn't read it. It's not free.

 

 

 

essentially

 

essentially (comparative more essentially, superlative most essentially)

1.in an essential manner; in essence.

 

Synonyms

actually, at bottom, at heart, basically, centrally, characteristically, factually, fundamentally, in essence, in the main, inherently, intrinsically, naturally, substantially

[Drebs]

I would say that those ingame credit prices should be increased by AT LEAST a factor of a 10.

 

So a hair color change would cost more than a first-tier legacy XP unlock?

 

I don't think so.

 

This is something that even new players should be able to enjoy and have fun playing around with.

[Aelther]

You could even do special Valentine's underwear covered in hearts

 

NO real world stuff!

[DarthZak]

essentially

 

essentially (comparative more essentially, superlative most essentially)

1.in an essential manner; in essence.

 

Synonyms

actually, at bottom, at heart, basically, centrally, characteristically, factually, fundamentally, in essence, in the main, inherently, intrinsically, naturally, substantially

 

Yes you can google, want a cookie? And it isnt actually free, fundamentally you still have to pay in-game credits for it. At heart it is a system of different currency

(cur·ren·cy

/ˈkərənsē/

Noun

A system of money in general use in a particular country.

The fact or quality of being generally accepted or in use.

Synonyms

money - circulation - cash)

Basically you have to work in-game for something that is a minor thing for some but major for others.

Ok.. I ran out of effort to use every single synonym.

 

Oh wait, in essence in-game credits are just another form of currency

[Alavastre]

Like the idea. This would be a hybrid of the two scenarios which works well and would straddle that large chasm which is the feeling subs have about the cartel market. I would support a sliding scale though, make it more of a credit sink later on. Not crazy, but the prices would be 80,0000 instead of 2,500. Something like that.

[Arutar]

Yes you can google, want a cookie? And it isnt actually free, fundamentally you still have to pay in-game credits for it.

 

According to the OP you have to pay 500 to 2.500 credits for it.

 

Which means it is at least in the main or basicially free.

 

ba·si·cal·ly (bs-k-l, -kl)

adv.

1. In a basic way; fundamentally or essentially: Throughout the ordeal, he remained basically the same.

2. For the most part; chiefly: They basically do what they are supposed to.

 

Also, which cookies do you have? I like the ones with macadamia...

[Themanthatisi]

GREAT POST!

 

I just wold not allow the gender or species changes at all, at any price...

[Blackavaar]

According to the OP you have to pay 500 to 2.500 credits for it.

 

Dude, as I said above the prices are obviously up for debate. I would also agree to a sliding scale that increases as you level, so for low level players it would be inexpensive enough to make changes to avoid rerolling but at higher levels it would be a more significant credit sink.

 

And also, you are completely ignoring the part about adding New items for the system which would be charged for in CC.

 

So, either way, it's not free at all. It just charges for different things in different ways and has the capability to actually make BioWare a lot more money than just charging for all basic changes in CC.

 

[Vildiil]

Well written post, hopefully Bioware actually takes a look at it.

[Arutar]

Dude, as I said above the prices are obviously up for debate.

 

Sure they are. But the prices you suggested mean that it would be basically, essentially, whatever free for subscribers.

 

Which is all I was saying.

Edited March 27, 2013 by Arutar

[I-Win-Button]

This is far better than the system BW is wanting to use at the moment. Other than perhaps some tweaking with the prices, there is little that seems wrong with it.

 

Full support from me.

[TaoAlchemist]

I support the OP's idea for a barber shop.

[Blackavaar]

Sure they are. But the prices you suggested mean that it would be basically, essentially, whatever free for subscribers.

 

Which is all I was saying.

 

Did you even look at the prices for NEW customization options?

 

You're ignoring more than half of the post.

 

[Emencie]

Avoiding P2W does not equal every single cosmetic update being automatically dumped into the Cartel Market. Yes some cosmetic stuff, like the ridiculous speeders, totally belong there (though as I sub I'd LOVE to see some of them available also through sub-only channels, ie raiding). But there are some cosmetic things that I (and many others) think should be a baseline part of the game and available to subs (only) without the need for any additional purchases.

 

I'd say the ability to tweak a character's appearance (not race or gender) falls into the baseline content that my monthly sub should be covering.

The problem with that is this is your opinion. do you remember when the CM first released and everyone was ranting about social gear shouldn't be in there because it should be available to subs for free? You are saying the same thing just about this. There is a group of people for every cosmetic anything that don't want it in the CM... and check out this little tidbit.

Anyway, I'm close to just writing off TOR for good, or at least not investing in it anymore. They're loyalty to subscribers and all really upsets me. Stop shoving all the incoming features that should be free to subs into the freaking store. The store is successful, STOP GOUGING.

So to take things further some people don't want any cosmetic Items in the CM. This is a F2P game, this is how they make their money, this is how they keep giving you content like the last major update that none of us had to pay for, 2.0 in a few weeks that none of us have to pay for. Remember those? cosmetic items in the CM like character customizations are how they pay for that.

 

They drew a line and were completely forward about it. Get used to all cosmetic items being in the CM.