Open Letter to Mr. Garriott - the pay to play thing

You are assuming that MMO's that "do not allow" the selling of things are able to control it. You of all people (being highly invested in RMT) should understand that this is not possible and has very little effect on selling and not selling. I could go out and buy ANYTHING in any MMO that I wanted, no?

So why would anything you just said matter at all? Is it because the optics are different? Is it because players that get upset can't yell at the company but have to yell at people performing the RMT instead? If that's the case (and it is) then I find that to be a very short sighted and naive expectation that ultimately punishes the very people that are against it. I'm no fan of RMT, I haven't participated in it here (from a selling stand point) and I've never purchased gold. But the idea that if we just don't sanction it that somehow makes it go away is ridiculus, and on top of that it would force Portalarium to find other methods of financial support that may not exist.

 

I'm not overly bothered by the 'pay for extra shiny deco, furniture, house types, equipment styles and colours' or whatever, though I am very firmly of the view that not enough of these have craftable versions, and several that do have craftable versions that as so ugly I'd rather go without them. As long as nothing fundamental to overall game play is in some way behind a paywall, I'm fairly happy. However ...

When move get in to 'pay to win' argument the definition of 'win' is essential - and to me, in a game, the 'win' is if I find I have fun playing it and want to keep playing more often, or for longer, and that's not proving to be the case with SotA for me. It's slightly odd, I still read the forums a lot, avidly watch the streamed stuff, buy new bits from the store - but play less and less, to the point where I've only been in-game for maybe in total four or five hours since late last year.

It's certainly not 'pay to play', as I understand the term, since I can still do everything that interests me (to a sometimes lesser degree than if I threw more money at it, but it's still pretty much all 'available' to do), but when I also know the things I enjoy doing are only available in their entirity, or options are limited, unless I spend more money or play in a specific way - it doesn't help encourage me to play.

 

I have bought a lot of deco on the add on store, I have bought far more add on store deco from players with hard earned gold farmin'.

What continued to be amazing to me is the robust player market this game has even with our small population of pre-release testers.

 

The phrase "Pay to Play" indicates a required periodic investment in order to access the game.

The addon store does not charge you to access the game each month, it does however sell cosmetic items. Do you "need" these items to play?... No.
I can catagorically inform you that the dragon really does not take into account how fancy your shoes are, or how big your house is when it rolls that 280 hp tail whip crit.

The continued development of this game needs to be funded, and selling cosmetic items really is the absolute fairest method of achieving this.

Question: Why do people who spend money on the addon store get nicer items than I can craft for free?
Answer: Because they are funding the continued development of the game you are playing.

 

I am not assuming anything. I am just stating the difference. Since you stated as a matter of fact all mmo.

A company stance can set the stage for the players. Port stance is they rather endorse rmt then to drive it underground.

Some mmo may choose to ban players that indulge in rmt or bind items such that they cannot be traded. I have played such mmo.

I didn't say rmt is wrong. In fact that's the only game I played in sota. I spent more time on the forum, have more feedback then anyone. It's actually more fun for me then the real game. But even that can't hold my attention anymore. To me not just using cash to buy or sell game items is rmt. Coto and store credit are rmt too. Even your pledge is rmt.

My point is the policy of the company will set the direction for the players. First, it attract farmers to try make a quick buck from the game. This may have game implication like hyper inflation.

Second, it allow players an easy way out to acquire powerful weapons and armors which may not be accessible to low level players.

So if sota wants to be want to be the next entropia or relegate p2w vendoring to players. So be it. But I just feel all this distract them from being great.

Don't take our discussion here so personally. I am not attacking you nor your favorite game. You can disagree with me but there is no need to get mad at me. This is just a game.

 

I would just like to add to this. I believe there are some items that are crafted which are better than what you can buy in the store (especially in the case of furniture).

 

I'm certainly not mad at you. But I do strongly disagree with you on most everything you said.

But rather than go over old territory I'm going to focus on one new point you made. That pledge rewards and COTO's are RMT. They're not. It's ONLY if you cash out that they (or anything else becomes RMT). Otherwise even the purchase of the game would RMT, and that clearly would dilute the reason to have a definition for the phrase Real Money Transactions.

RMT has to have someone cashing out, otherwise the "real money" part of the equation doesn't exist. If you want to say Portalarium is cashing out, ok...but then so is every MMO in the history of gaming.

 

Yes I agree, the carved oak furniture is very nice. Also some of the craftable stone pillars and benches look great too.

 

You are right. I stand corrected.

 

Removing p2w from your argument (regardless of if you think the sky is green and the grass is blue) makes this easier to discuss.

As I already stated before, you're certainly entitled to your opinion about your likes and dislikes. I've never argued otherwise. In this case, you feel SOTA's crafting game would be "stronger" if it didn't have items that could be obtained by players in the add-on store. Well, sure, that's easy to agree with.

If the game only cost $15, it would also be cheaper.
If the game had unlimited housing it would have more available housing.
If the game was perfect it wouldn't have any flaws.

Again, you may dislike that there are items sold in the add-on store that can't be crafted. I agree with you that if that wasn't the case the crafting system would be "stronger" for lack of a better word choice. But I wouldn't say the crafting system is weak or even bad. In fact I'd say it's damn good, and nitpicking the fact that a few items are in the store and can be purchased for cash (or traded between players in-game) is not something to be upset about it. Because it's not a big deal and has very little impact on the game.

 

I apologise if my use of the term "pay2win" offended you. If you looked at the context I was using it in, perhaps it'll be easier to understand why , to me, "winning and advantage" is gaining access to more decorative options. It wasn't my intention to, as you claim, twist facts.

The combat crafting and reliance on player crafted weapons and armor is not bad. It's a little bland cosmetically and the rng system has received its fair share of complaints but with the relatively recent addition of in-game patterns it is helping it out in the looks and variety department. The economy for weapons is a little odd as well but I think that's not solely due to the crafting system.

The social crafting aspect (for clothes, decorations, non combat stuff) is pretty weak in my opinion. While looks can be subjective. Some of the rough rustic looking furniture looks great and is hard to quantify which is better rough vs. ornate due to the context of the decoration. For example, if I wanted to make a nice rustic inn, most of the rough stuff will be superior to store bought assets in general. But if I wanted to create a different scene, an expensive store front e.g. I'm pretty much out of luck. I hope it is easy to understand why, for social crafting, more options is definitely way better than less options.

My wish (not a demand) is in the future, the add-on store will not contain things that could be crafted by players and stick to categories that are out of the domains of player crafting.

 

I will prove beyond reasonable doubt this game is not pay to win: I have paid more into this game than (likely) anyone else, and my avatar is not close to powerful. I am not level 100. I do not have dozens of GM's. Do I have a nice house? I think so. Do I have nice gear? I think so. But neither may prove attractive to other players. I play my way, and I have fun. Lots of fun, honestly. But my investment into this game of thousands of dollars have not made me super avatar! And trust me, were it possible to buy something to make my avatar the avatar of steel, I would buy it. Just to be able to fly, if nothing else.

 

I think that's a fair ask. But perhaps not a realistic one.

The other suggestion I've made in the past to Portlarium is that for every 1 item they put in the add-on store they work hard to put 2 or 3 items into the game that can be crafted. This creates an environment where the ratio of crafted goods far outweighs the ratio of add-on store goods. I think we've done better in some areas than others on this front, but it could still improve. Part of that is probably still wishful thinking on my part and the reality is that the developers don't have a large enough staff to support the ratio that I'm talking about. If that's the case, I'm ok with that even though it's not the ideal.

 

Exclusivity, has most likely done more harm then good for the future, if it continues to run the show, then you might as well plan on pay2win as the consensus opinion. When marketing starts it is the broader audience
who get to decide or recognize if there is a level playing field to be had or not.

Pay to establish economy, housing, frustration levels in every part of the game will be measured, and, a label stuck on the game. To me this is a very real concern .. I want this game to succeed.

 

Also, add on store item especially high ticket value items are desirable, example ornate moondial, Pallas cat, tax free deeds. These items can be easily converted to in game gold or high level artifact like dolus hood, lich ring, or any high end weapons. This can be an indirect p2w.

 

I agree with you that the communication will need to be crisp when we reach a wider audience. I also agree that the reality is that some people look at the add-on store and immediately think "p2w". They're wrong, but that doesn't change what they think or what their impression is. So I agree, it's a valid concern.

 

Yes, of course.

And playing 24 hours a day to level a character can be rightfully considered a grind.

Yet you don't have to do either to succeed here, nor is this different than any other MMO.

 

Unfortunately, I believe we have pay2win running the show at this time.

 

I fully understand the unrealism. Hence earlier my statement to @majoria70 that it is an area that I've mostly given up on actively pursuing. However, if a discussion comes up about it or if I'm asked about it I will share my opinions about it . The company has to decide what is best in their own interest just as I will decide when the time comes for me to choose whether to play the game or not. There isn't any anger involved.

 

I think everyone needs to accept RMT in SOTA or move on because it is what it is and it is not going to change.
But when you say that, to someone like myself who finds RMT distasteful, it reads as "Cheating has always occurred in MMOs, so it legitimizes the decision to embrace cheating in this game." So, it is what it is and we all need to get over it if we want to enjoy this game, but trying to justify it by saying 'it would happen anyway' is not going to gain any traction with people like me. I've never RMT'd in any MMO's previously and everyone I played with in those games did not accept those who did. If you feel the way I do about it, you have to like SOTA more than you disdain RMT. But really, at this point, there's not much to discuss.

 

I like beyond reasonable doubt

Just a few questions,

1. Would someone who doesn't pay anything would be able to grind to acquire the items (aside from out of print rares) that you have?
2. If yes, How long do you think that would realistically take?
3. Do you think the money you have spent has given you an advantage (in time spent) vs the non paying players in acquiring the items?

This (and the discussion I had with @Baron Drocis Fondorlatos) has got me thinking. Aside from levels, is there anything else in game item that can't be legally (legal meaning: sanctioned by the company in this context) acquired with cash? I mean RMT does exist in other games as well but users will usually have to go out of their way (to a separate non-sanctioned forum etc.) to facilitate the trade.

I feel that in general, money doesn't really give an obvious time advantage to the advancement of skills (except for crafting). Since RMTs is sanctioned by Port... there is a ummm... a grey area where people could see this as P2W if P2W is also defined as the ability to pay for expedited achievement. What do you guys think?

edit: I'm not typing this to anger people, change minds or drag port's name into the mud. I would like to see some of the community's view on this since it pertains to the OT's issue.