Pay to Win already? ? (Dev) Replied

I could be shooting from the hip here, but my general feeling is that the majority of those who see all this as P2W are probably people who either haven't backed the game of have backed to one of the lower tiers (nothing wrong with that).

Where I struggle with the logic is where these people seem to think that funding will just magically appear. There has to be a true incentive for people to pledge, increase their pledge and possibly invest more in the game to obtain other desirable items from day 1.

For me, I believe the tiers are just about right (would like to see more options), the addon store is also about right as several items are limited.

 

I'm not a lower teir backer or a non backer and see some of these items as pay advantages. I also said that I understand they need to generate revenue. So thinking one thing does not imply we don't know why it is being done.


It's an unfortunate part of the fund raising system.

Almost makes paying monthly feel like a better overall system.

 

To put it more bluntly....

If you don't back the game or P2W as some people put it.......the game won't happen.......this forum won't even exist.

So to all you who enjoy the whinging, will the last one of you please turn out the light. Failing that you might want to do the right thing and offer the creators a little more support.

 

Right, and people also need to remember that most comparable games are created with 5, 10, 15, 50 times as much money as this game (SWTOR $300 Million). Look at Star Citizen. That game has over 32 Million dollars from Kickstarter compared to SotA's 3 Million. That's 10X as much money to develop a game. Would you rather have $3 to go buy lunch for you and your friends or $30? Portalarium is creating this game with peanuts compared to other AAA games.

 

It's all about level of difficulty to obtain.

If they sell movement in the store even though we can all move in game. It's just people wasting money. As long as we all still move the same speed. - this would be dumb to purchase because we all have it without purchasing it.

Look at the fruit, it's only usable 1 time a day, if there is a healing potion of equal healing potential, it's no different than a healing potion. In fact, it's possibly worse than a healing potion if potions stack, the fruit eats up pack space. It also takes up one crop space in your garden, yet another reason to use in game potions not available in the store.

Having a tool that does not wear is not an advantage if it's never used because it's not the best tool available. Some may use it but using a lesser tool can be a disadvantage.

Paying for something does not mean it gives any advantage.

 

I have to agree with Favonius here. What you're paying for in the prosperity pack is the unlimited durability, which is otherwise unobtainable. This is a clear purchased advantage, albeit a small one. Still, the fact that some items in the store offer functional bonuses isn't a problem. Circumventing gold sinks for cash doesn't undermine the game like selling power does, and that is what everyone is afraid of when people use the term, "P2W". Add-On Store items that offer combat power in-game is where the line appears to be, and Portalarium has avoided crossing it (unless you count the crystal sword, but one hit doesn't have the efficiency required to be useful consistently). I don't think Portalarium will ever cross this line, and as long as they don't, I'm not going to view their P2W elements as bad, but I also have no aversion to acknowledging that certain Add-On Store items do offer economic advantages.

 

All that is true. I also thought if someone already has a prime city lot, they automatically have ways to set up top selling vendors, making a huge jump in prosperity. It's not "pay to win," but surely there are advantages to buying these things, otherwise people wouldn't be buying them.

The game will be starting out with "have" and "have not" divisions. I don't know if a person can get around that, even if no one had extra items in the beginning. But what we earn in the game vs. real life cash does cause a host of problems. Issue being, how will they crowd fund the game if not giving rewards or perks?

 

Only trouble with creating a one hit sword (or other limited items) is dupes. You know there will be dupers, and the fact something exists in the game means it's duplicatable. Of course, that doesn't mean they shouldn't make anything that's exploitable. Maybe the devs are really Super Coders (I hope so) that already know how to keep this from happening. But aside from this far-reaching scenario, most items probably are nothing to worry about, like you say. They will give a slight edge for newbies, hopefully one that won't be too large an advantage.

 

I thought the reward tiers for backing the game were good enough for me pledge funds all founders agreed on that and pledged their money, so why are not more people interested in backing the game is the question, they receive all the benefactor tier goods maybe the shop puts them off giving the F2P or P2W impression.
Or they see a cheap late comers gift handed to them with Land plots and Tools.
They could have grabbed a Village Plot for $160 investment instead of $500
Now a Town plot for $500 instead of $1600
and City Plot for $1100 instead of $3200 to $3800 Baron 3
So Portalarium are throwing away money they could have achieved as the game nears realease.
The lay away plan is now not an option for new Backers they can buy the Plot for less than a tier to get one.

They should set a target for $1000000 and all backers get maximum inventory for life. That's £33 per backer probably a lot cheaper than it will be in the shop after release.

 

I am concerned of the have and have not division as well, we already see it in some of the posts in this very thread and in chat.

 

Great to hear. I haven't seen anything on it so I wouldn't have known that. Having these kinds of items as 'indestructible' can skirt the lines of 'pay-to-win', but it's such a small advantage I dont think it should be considered a P2W item.

I mean really... if if the advantage is 1 or 2 iron saved in repairs per day... I dont think that is a "scale tipper". Ofcourse we have no clue resource rarity and such. I would say to the OP, dont sweat it! We will see how it affect game play soon enough. But it does not sound like its really much of a P2W situation.

 

The item does not give more, it just does not break. Even still, if it's a fall back item due to there being better tools in game the "advantage" is even more nominal.

 

Lets hope not. I would hate to see nasty bugs like this slip through into the final, if it ever exists.

 

Everything is serialized. A clean up process for duped items is certainly going to be active, at least for such a unique item like a one shot sword or a property deed.

 

I always imagined this spree of selling off stuff was about getting some start up money, to be stopped eventually at some point. I am perfectly fine with paying a monthly fee after the game starts, as I am sure many are. I rather pay like that than have an unequal game. My fear is we'll start the game and everyone has a bunch of prizes and nothing is a treasure or special.

 

I think the shops here to stay mate they even have it set up on their Wiki page.

 

Yep, the shop is most likely here to stay, but we have no idea what will be in it once the game launches. Everything would be speculation until they finalize their business model and announce it formally.

 

I think if people want to donate yea donate, but to be honest the Add on store was a big turn off for me as well. All of the harvesting items are very cool but really why do we have to pay for them. If add ons are physical that is one thing, like the * snake pendant, or the coin but I feel like items in game should be crafted or earned. (yes I know you don't HAVE to buy them, but the store comes off as...to be honest Tacky) I figured with core of staff that is building this game, an Add-on Pay for convenience store would be the last thing they would do.

Bad trend in my opinion. The one thing I really liked about early MMOs and Strat games was you had to earn it or make it, now just hit the easy button and buy it. Then there is the argument well its a time saver to just buy it, but doesn't that go against what the game is all about in the first place, meh I don't have time so ill just hurry up and win.


Down with the add on store, same thing for Star Citizen they have like 30 billion dollars and still want to suck you dry for like 5 bucks for a crummy poster or a pointless buggy for like 20 bucks you can put in your hangar.

Add on stores make me a sad panda. And Ill be up front, I am not cheap between this game and Star Citizen im in for like 2k.

I would rather pay 15 bucks a month to keep the game going then wait for the next special of the week to see what item is up next for whoring out.

*edited for language - Koldar

 

It's really simple......if you don't want to use the store then don't.

Play the game, craft your items and enjoy it.

 

This is a valid discussion man, if they want to talk about it I don't see an issue with it. The best thing that can happen from a thread like this is get notice that people don't want a pay shop affecting the game.