Store getting to big

I agree and this is why I've always preferred the sub model. Your subscription simply unlocks access to the new content. You still earn it in-game. Cash shops defeat the purpose of the game. And I especially dislike vanity items.

I've made the exception with this because these are pre-release items that contribute to development. Once the game is out, I'd much rather pay a subscription or unlock content in premium packs.

 

It only happens if the company lets it happen and sounds more like a coop out

I think it means more to the point of "Why let them make money when we could make all the money!"

I just remember a game where i could find unique stuff like statues, fruite baskets and other hard to find things by playing a game. Those were the days in UO i missed.

Lord british talks about how game makers are on a terrible path but yet if he chooses to go with a store, hes just on that same path he criticizes others for. EA loves the store path too...

 

This.

While I do not agree with having a store, with no subscription I am ok with it as long as they do not take advantage of it. If it is implemented wrong it will definitely be a game killer as we have seen in other games.

 

It's just a revenue stream model. All games with ongoing development need ongoing revenue to pay for that development. The difference between the subscription model and the store model is that the store model maximizes the revenue stream through the "whale, dolphin, minnow" effect.

• Whales are 10% of your player base, but they give you huge chunk of your revenue. They're the players with lots of money who will buy everything at any price point because they can.
• Dolphins are 40% of your player base, but they can only justify purchases up to a certain price point. Say, $10-20 a month on store purchases. They give you a healthy chunk of your revenue. These are the players who would usually be fine with paying a sub.
• Minnows are 50% of your player base, but barely spend anything at all. Still, there's revenue to be had with minnows if you have some low price point options, possibly convenience items and features. (Extra bag slot, consumables, "keys," etc.)

The above is a basic model - there are as many specific models as there are MMOs with stores. You can see the price points in the SotA store already targeting the various types of spenders - maybe they're experimenting with it.

In any case, it's not a bad thing at all - it's smart and it works, although I'd say in five years we'll have a lot more data about how well it works in the long term and what its effects are. Regardless, there is a chunk of the player base that, rightfully, is fearful of the store model.

• Fear that it's "pay to win," i.e. players can buy advantages over other players in any system that is perceived as competitive.
• Fear that it cheapens the value of items earned in the game, especially if you can buy said items.
• Fear that development will focus on revenue and not content.

Those three things can and have happened - but only when the model is used in a way that is dishonest to gaming. That, of course, is where it's up to the developer...

 

you can play this game 100% and not need to buy one thing from the store. It has bee said many many times that everything in the store you can get some kind of variant in game. If you like he druid tree house but you don't want to buy the one in the store, then you can get the in game version of it. The store in no way effects game play other than visuals.

 

A few people in the thread have referred to this game as free-to-play, did I miss an announcement? I thought the game was going to be sold (price TBD) and that was a method of funding. If they sell extra stuff in store for some side cash, that's fine, but my understanding was that wasn't the bulk of the source of their revenue.

For the record, I like the subscription-based gaming model. Unfortunately, I seem to be a dying breed. More people want f2p, and more companies are finding f2p a lot more profitable than a subscription.

 

I think somebody has lost sight of what this game is.
It's not an MMO.
It's designed to be played in episodes.

I buy the game.
I buy lots of store items.
I play the story, and finish happy and satisfied.
A year later, Episode 2 is released.
I remember how much fun I had with Episode 1, so I buy Episode 2.
I visit the online store and buy everything new that's been added.
I play the story, and finish happy and satisfied.

Repeat as necessary.

Now, there is a persistent, MMO-like mode.
There will be items found in adventuring similar to what's available in the store.
For those people, they can sneer and say "You have the white bunny from the store. You didn't EARN it. I have the black bunny from the bowels of the Hilt, because I PLAY the game, and I'm better than you!"

 

Portalarium needs to pay for servers for the online component, as well as patches and maintaining the game between episodes. I don't mind the Add On store. It is completely optional and a reasonable way to raise funds.

 

dont mind the store as it is now. it just sells fluff no boosts or other thing that influences game balance or things that you need to progress...

 

whenever the store starts selling "Potion of Experience! Gain 500% exp for 24hrs!" or "10,000 Iron Ingots" then i will start to complain.

 

You guys know this really isent a Free to play game, its a Buy to play game.

So the store argument is pretty flawed.

 

People frequently say that buying all this stuff is not pay to win. For the little items it probably is not, but for housing we simply do not have nearly enough information about the end state of the game to say it is not. It is undeniable that having a structure in some form is an advantage and you can think of a lot of ways this could be so, the simplest being taking up an available slot such that another cannot have it. Considering there has to be a limited number of structures in the world, its hard to imagine how this is not gaining advantage over others through money.

As far as the fluff is concerned, my only concern is that there will eventually be so much fluff around that nothing is rare or special. That would detract from the enjoyment of the game for many people.

Down the line, this model is unsustainable. Eventually we will have to pay per month surely to keep things going, and when we get there we will not only be paying a monthly fee, but be laden over with fluff and prematurely acquired propertied world.

I would have just preferred to pay a monthly fee from the start and everyone starts with nothing at game start.

 

So i guess if you don't like chocolate ice cream then no one should have chocolate ice cream. Simple fact is, if you do not like it then do not participate in it. But don't condemn those who do.

 

Well this is a sandbox game. So technically there is no "end of the game" using UO as example its mostly going to be dungeon grinding, Crafting, Community building and sim like house living. I Really dont expect much from any main story line or basic quests other then flavor text and kill monster to get prize.

The real end will be dictated on the players.


As for the ice cream thing.... I really dont get your point?

Stores tend to hurt games and make them pointless to play. The hole point of in games stores were created because failing games to re-energizer failing game mechanics with up front prizes.

Why play for 15 hours to earn a mount when i can get all the glory of the mount after swiping a card.

now this works in its way of giving the player a false state of pleasure fro getting something they like. But they are robbed of the achievement and pride of getting it on there own.

Most people dont relies this is happening and feel the game isent living up to standers or just is boring. So in the end they quit and rarely do we see games that are considered worth playing more then 2 weeks to a month at BEST!

EA and other groups blame bad game creation on subscription modules and players for being to fickle. But in reality its just bad game disgn with high budgets but no talent behind the creation of the game (and greedy publishers)

 

Fascinating discussion with good points. Please pardon me, I need to go and buy a hot tub.

 

It isn't a jacuzzi however. You may need to provide your own bubbles.

 

And yet there's GW2, with the same sort of model, absolutely powering along, tossing out new content left and right and showing no sustainability issues at all...

 

Where you can use in game gold to buy all items...

But the biggest problem with GW2 is theres nothing to do but RVR. Its a dying game because theres just no content that people find rewarding. Another comment that proves my point.

 

And your evidence for calling it a "dying game" is...? It's actually just had one of its biggest and most successful story arcs in a long time, that changed the game map forever. It's in EXTREMELY good health.

As for RvR being its main thing to do after you finish the single-player storyline... yes... and? How is that different to any other theme park on the market? You say that like it's somehow strange or unusual. It's neither.

In exactly the same way, things like crafting, PvP, etc, will be among the main things to do in SotA, in between episodes as well.

 

Not to what NC soft wishs or the standards of the MMO community. Everyone's to busy chasing the white rabbit of legendary wow numbers to be considered successful. (somewhat joking)

But really i never see anyone playing unless there rvring. Dont see it being broadcasting much either so its not hitting those numbers. I really dont hear much about the game unless theres "some awesome new patch" then everyone forgets tell the next "awesome new patch"