Explanations on monetization thinking on SotA

In my opinion, we should ban the following activities:
1) Selling something for too high of a price (price gauging)
2) Selling something for too low of a price (predatory pricing)
3) Selling something for the same price as other merchants (price fixing)

Wait...something seems wrong with the above but I cant quite figure it out.

 

I am completely emotionally detached in saying that I think tying real world money to item durability can sink the game before it launches.

There is no acceptable balance or tweaking that would make me support this idea. The perception of people who've never played the game will kill potential players, in addition to the people who have already been driven away this past week.

Combine that with power potions, and the perception is pure P2W. It does not matter if the potions are powerful or minor. You are directly selling game power for real world money. That is a line that should not be crossed. All that matters to potential new players is the initial perception. Given the pre-existing criticisms from selling a $12,000 pledge tier, and the negative Steam reviews, you're starting behind in the count when it comes to public perception.

Will you tell potential buyers that they have to spend $45 (or more) to buy the game first and try it to ascertain the balance of the P2W elements before they're allowed to blast the game for being P2W? How well do you think that defense will go over with the general public? You must give us money to prove that we're not greedy?

If this system is still in place at the actual launch, I sincerely worry there will not be an Episode 2.

 

The Prosperity Tools were a mistake, and even some Port devs have said as such.

I maintain that houses are more vanity and not power.

 

Interesting laws & information for real world price fixing, gouging, cartels, etc ("firms that hold a dominant position on a given market to abuse that position, for example by charging unfair prices, by limiting production, or by refusing to innovate to the prejudice of consumers.")

http://www.competitionbureau.gc.ca/eic/site/cb-bc.nsf/eng/h_00112.html
http://ec.europa.eu/competition/antitrust/overview_en.html "
http://www.econlib.org/library/Enc/Cartels.html
https://books.google.ca/books?id=74brGsoymBoC&pg=PA64&lpg=PA64&dq=price gouging&f=false#v=onepage (didn't realize price gouging occurred after Hurricane Katrina)

Not surprising so many nations have laws preventing certain shady business practices.

 

Capitalism is built around the principle that competition and market forces drive the price to the best point. If one person only was allowed to sell the gold crowns in the game at a price that only they dictate then there may be reason to bemoan the price. But when ten thousand or more players each have the right to sell the crowns at whatever price they choose then market value will determine the price not "greedy sellers"

 

This is balanced by the ability to buy exactly the same power from other players using in-game gold obtained by grinding. Fair prices will result from fierce market competition. If real world money was the only way to obtain that power, you would have a much more valid point.

 

Banning these types of practice would be a bit too much of communist ideology.

It's one thing if COTO is monopolized by one group of players that have the power to control the price, but in this case, anyone can buy COTOs and attempt to sell them at whatever price they want.

The buyers do have the power to buy COTOs from the cheapest sellers or buy them directly. Or even bypass this whole debacle altogether and just use new gears instead.

 

what? Consumer protection is not a communist idea... communists take away everything and redistribute it.

Granted i do agree that its not going to be a huge issue.

 

There is some sort of balance, i don't deny it, but only a player that's already in the game with enough insight to evaluate the system as a whole may perceive it. That's why the point about external perception still stands.

We could justify this saying that Time = Money but that equality is imposible to achieve. For monetization to make sense, Money > Time (which means the money earned by spending time at work is worth much more than the time spend playing) but from players perception Money < Time. I personally think that potions can be disregarded, but repair wont.

 

~TL~

 

<gone...>

 

Who exactly is being exploited? you can still get them as drops anyway.

Demand & Supply

 

~The Ability to Marketing Anything, Anywhere is Great~
If and when SOTA notices something that is being sold, then this gives a good comparative pricing for what is offered, "no matter what that item is". Because when actual money is outgoing to some third party, then it is then an opportunity to investigate the situation and then have in game or Add-On Store response to.

People have been selling full accounts and rare items for real cash forever... "because it's actual virtual property of it's owner". To extend anyone's personal morals or limitations on what is out rightly owned by another is a very evil thing to ever do".
Many people in the United States have become less free than they have ever been... "by some local home owners association telling them what they can and cannot do with what the individual owns".
We need to keep police states in the countries they reside in, and not in virtual independent player owned properties where we have freedom... "unless what you purchased is not clearly truly your own", yet brokers serve a good purpose in aiding any selling through reliable services they can offer.

"Get your hands off my property"...
"This is What We Tell Thieves!"
~Time Lord~

 

LOL.
Owait....you are serious?
Nvm then.

 

They only have to take away everything and redistribute because that is the only way to enforce the policy. Prohibiting sellers to set up the price and mandate the pricing from once source is no different than straight up seizure and redistribute, except the authority wouldn't even need to waste time doing all those micro managements in this case.

Also, COTOs would be considered as luxury product, not necessary items. Players do not need to stick the same gear forever and neither they need to use these buff potions to be able to enjoy the game. No one will die from having no access to it. Hence, "consumer protection" would not be applicable and it would also just be an excuse to control the flow in the market. It would be a different story if we're talking about fuels that are used for crafting or something that there are no alternative ways to obtain them.

COTOs price should be dictated by player supply and demand. Don't like the price, then don't buy it. Really need it no matter what circumstance is? Then starve for one meal or skip one round of your usual and buy them through add-on stores. Last time we did a survey on players demographic, most of the people should be at the point where they certain level of fiduciary responsibility to themselves.

A player can buy COTOs and try to sell it for 1 mil G. If no one buys it, then it's worth as much as 0 G if it's just stuck on the vendor and not used for something else.

 

I'm sorry, but i still disagree. I'm not advocating price setting, but consumer protection extends over a number of concerns and still does not equate seizure.

Anyway, the best thing that Port could do to help with this stuff is quite easy.

@Chris @DarkStarr @Berek Why can't we place purchase orders for COTOs?

 

That would be our common ground here

 

~Other Gaming Perspectives on Pay To Win~
I know how some feel here, but here's a perspective that could alter your views on what "very small amount" our SOTA really is, yet also how sense it's not so much pay to win, how that will be effecting our game when it comes to things like computer tech and internet connection, along with many other things that are guild connected issues vs the stand alone player...



Aren't those players with the best computer equipment and better internet connections designed specifically for PvP still going to have a great advantage over other players?
If someone found or made a sward of power, "wouldn't that same sward still be in the game no matter if someone bought it from another player or not?"
Such a thing does cause one to think and consider other perspectives...
I don't think our game has gone near this far...
Anyway, "I hope you enjoyed it"...
~Time Lord~

 

Yup

 

@Time Lord

I can relate to this video, but there are few good comments on dark side of P2W
For example this one:



Recently implemented MAX durability repair with COTO's and new crafting system is one of those grinding models designed to milk money from players.

There is also hardware and fast internet arguments related to P2W.
I really don't get this one
You need a decent computer and fast internet to play any MMO developed in last few years.
Best hardware and fastest internet will not give you advantage over the others. You simply can't run game faster than it has been intended to.
On the other hand speed pads and macro keyboards (such as Razer advertised here in SOTA community) can give you slight advantages.

My question is, why every MMO has to be macro friendly? SOTA's combat deck system suppose to be something new and different, but now it looks and feels same as other competitors.