Store getting to big

Anyone else getting a bit worried about the store and housing being sold after release...?

I like to earn and unlock things in game. Get pets by doing quests or building unique houses with gathered materials.

Finding a or building decorations for my house (like say a basket filed with eggs) and other stuff...

but there is no fun or challenge in swiping a credit card.

Good example of a game store done badly. Star Wars the Old Republic. everything, every update and customization is on the store. They spend more time worrying about there store then the community (like most EA games) Old republic suffers for that too.

The store keeps growing and if it stays PAST launch. I must say i will not be happy.

 

SWTOR adds tons of vanity items to the cartel market, but plenty of things can only be unlocked through gameplay.

If you want the most powerful gear, and the rarest items, you earn them.

 

Vanity items are one of the more passive approaches to f2p games. This method keeps it from being to related to pay to win when you gain an advantage over another player. The game needs to be funded somehow if it's not going through a publisher.

 

Why play a game where you earn nothing? People always say that its a good way to make a game free to play. But then no one plays because the game is boring.

They earn nothing, they get nothing, unless they have a credit card.

Carrot on a stick was always one of the main sayings used to describe old mmos and games. Carrot 90% of the time being described as the thing you wanted at the end of your journey. The reward that you constantly pushed for. More and more game company are pouting there carrots on in game stores that people can just buy. Removing the driving force behind games and game play.

Anyone remember unique costumes, Chars or unlock able that you used to play games for hours just to unlock and play again just to play those chars? now they come as DLC or Pre order only items.

What is the biggest complainant behind most games today and why do people walk away from games so easly?

People dont pout things together and simple math of 1 + 1.

Without stuff to earn in game there is no game. In game stores remove substance from a game.

 

But there is going to be a lot to earn in the game... Secret items held in deep dungeons, reciped that only the bravest of the crafters can achieve to complet, legendary weapons that have passed from hero to hero... if you watch the hangouts it's clear that they're creating a big living world with plenty of content.

And, what's in the store? A couple of pets, ok... but we've been told we're going to be able to tame creatures far better than a rabbit. Some starter tools, but to actually craft great gear you'll need to get the really good tools in game. Some vanity capes and yes, houses... most of the store are houses. But are houses really that important? I don't think so. The might be convenient, but not as much a many think. Also, houses will be available through the game as well.

So the really interesting stuff isn't in the store. And I sure hope it remains that way, but until then, I have no problem with the items they offer to be able to fund this game.

 

Backing this game you should have realized the style of approach. A crowd funded game requires contribution for a third party source the gamers. It's pointless to complain about that at this point. They will need to make money for development and upkeep costs. Vanity items do that. It does reduce some accomplishment but there wouldn't be a game without it. There isn't a problem with either style f2p or subscription in my own opinion. The game just has to be good enough to warrant that cost. SOTA chose the kick starter f2p route and these are the things you will have to accept or move on. Personal preference.

Good example I don't view elder scrolls online as a 79.99 purchase and 14.99 a month when I can be 50 in 2 days. There isn't anything to keep me interested. Not worth the investment.

 

Excuses

But in the end when you guys say the game just isent fun. Everyone will gripe but this is the time to make it right. Do something now or sit and be skeptical thinking a dreamy world were nothing will ever go wrong.

 

I don't see what excuses are being made. Economics require that income be generated. You back with what your comfortable with. I'm a Baron 3 now. With what I like and dislike right now I feel the game has promise and good direction for many aspects. All the little goodies are just my return on my investment for the game development.

Whether or not the game turns out to be a spiritual successor is yet to be determined. I just back with what level of risk I was comfortable with. It's all a choice.

 

If that is your personal feeling, then it cannot be wrong for you; that is how you feel. But does that mean it has to be how everyone else must think, too?

I think the answer is that you should earn your items however you see best to do so; and other folk will earn their items in the way that they see best to do so.

 

You think swipping a credit card makes you a better gamer? makes games more entertaining? The home shopping network must be a blast for you then!

 

That's not what I said at all. I simply pointed out that the way you want to do it isn't the way other people might want to do it. My own personal opinion doesn't even come into what I've just said.

My advice: live and let live.

 

but yet those people will leave in 2 weeks when they get board and never play again. So who should be listed to? the weekend warrior who gets easily distracted by the new madden game or the alternative?

 

There is room for both in the game. If you don't want to buy stuff (despite buying that Knight Commander title there in your signature... ahem), simply don't buy stuff. Problem solved.

/thread

 

Pledging and then buying stuff from a store is different things.

Plus the point of this thread is to talk about a store, selling homes and pets / items after release (think people forget to read the point of a post)

How much have you pledge? ~winks~

 

I actually do believe the second assertion is true... that it "makes games more entertaining"... not inherently - the card-swiping itself isn't very entertaining - but because it pays the salaries of the developers who make the game more entertaining. The more cards get swiped, the more people they can afford to hire, and the more entertaining and expansive the game will become.

 

But why by the game, then buy the item, just to... not play the game because you think its more entertaining? 90% of people will buy that item, try it then not play. We used to fight for those extras. Now we swipe are cards for them. But we dont play the games like we used to? Why? There is a connection to the down fall of gaming and the way things used to be and the way things are.

Logically it seems so simple of a answer.

As things were removed from games so was the fun.

 

With no subscription there's got to be some kind of ongoing revenue stream besides new accounts

 

I too prefer earning things in-game, but f2p needs some regular source of income, servers don't run themselves, RunUO for example, specifically the biggest UO freeshard, it has a gift shop where people can 'donate' *cough* pay for vanity items and non-vanity items, in fact that shard is p2w but that's beside my point, the point is that particular UO freeshard has been up 10+ years because of those vanity items in the gift shop, when 500 Korean players all bought a polar bear/beetle mount the server operator was so happy he gave away free in-game t-shirts that read 'Korean Players Rock!'. The dude must have made hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years and yes, that is pretty good cash for such a little operation, lots of custom scripts but let's face it, if freeshards can make more than enough to maintain servers and staff why not a real game and a real shard? SOTA deserves the best maintenance so it too can last 10, 20, 30+ years! I personally will restrict myself from buying as many vanity items as possible unless it's a must-have but I'm over the 'limited time only' thing, I really believe in the game and am happy to pledge to support it's existence. There will hopefully be many others less restricted that will buy multiple of each vanity item to support the future of this game. I will play the single player games but I live in the online world.

 

"If Not Sold in Our Store, Then They Will Be Made Available Through Players Listing Them On E-Bay"

This type of thing was mentioned in the RG Bit Coin Interview... his thoughts (if I remember right and not quoting him) were that .....it's going to happen anyway, so why should such profits be made by E-Bay vs the game that they came from....
Something like that... maybe others here saw that same interview and will correct me here for a better picture...

So, I think (in that case and because our game gets better with additional company profits)
the store's too small

I work hard for my money in real life, we're just transposing that effort into the virtual world (which is inevitable anyway)... yet keeping our efforts in-game just as much in virtual worth.

"It's a Very Bit Coin' ish Issue"

Any thoughts?
~TL~

 

I wanted to elaborate on this because I think it's important that we all understand;

"But More Importantly, I Also Wanted to Point Out a Very Controversial Issue that RG Very Bravely Pointed Out"
(which has been eluded to here in some light regard)

With virtual things being sold online (by anyone, everyone and no-one can stop the trend), we are stepping into the issue of;
"Child Labor Laws and Ethics"

If we can't stop online virtual things from being sold (which we can't), then who's to say that this opens up some Children's Sweat Shop in a third world country for the farming of such virtual commodities in our game? Thus, by opening up a more wide variety of products within our online store;
"Is actually saving some child somewhere from falling victim to some dark overlord making real money from them"...

There's no way in stopping it, or policing such a thing as Virtual Commodities (it's like selling a picture of something), so the only way forward is to embrace it...

I agree with the opposite view, from an old world and UO game philosophy, yet I and everyone must embrace the inevitable future of thing to come ...
"And Try our best to Be Virtuous and Ethical About Our Approach to the Un-Stoppable Force that is Striking Any Un-Movable of our Opinions"

So no matter how much this greaves me to say this, I must agree with GR or start talking to Darkstarr about a possible business venture here in Thailand
I do hope this helps... I know it hurt my ears when I first heard it all...
But that's Life... Plato's Republic is dead...
~Time Lord~