ITT- Crowdforge the Cash Shop

[Caedryan]

I haven't really been able to be up to date concerning different models that were to evaluate by GW. But still, any ingame-cashshop and "free to play" idea is inherently bad in my opinion and the classic subscription model is infinitely better.

1.) A subscription is only expensive on first look. Say we pay 10 dollars a month - sounds like a lot, but actually isn't, especially if you are a core-player. Casual players definitely will not be bothered by a free-to-play-model, but a core-player that wants to gain as much fun as possible out of his game will find himself throwing money out the window for things he doesn't really need (well, as long as it's not pay-to-win-stuff). On the long haul, a free-to-play-model is, I suggest, a lot more expensive. Of course that also depends on the pricing, but from what I've seen, those tiny bits of content you pay for with your hard earned money aren't worth 2 dollars, they're maybe worth a quarter, and probably not even that.

2.) A micro-transaction-model is complicated and always smells like a money-grab. Look at your average iPhone game and you know what I mean. I'm really put-off by those systems, because I don't think I should pay for contents in the game, I'd rather pay for being able to play. It's just that the math behind cash-shops is always totally intransparent and the pricing is just a construct and not even remotely based on any "real economy".

Ryan Dancey said wrote:

There will be some form of free play, that's a requirement in today's market where people want to try an MMO before they put in any money.

So there's only the free-to-play and any subscription model is inherently bad? What about simply enabling players to play one or two weeks for free? If people are compelled by the game, they will pay for a subscription, if they're not compelled they will not pay for a subscription but they won't either pay for stuff in a cash-shop.

[Bluddwolf]

I have two hopes:

1. Nothing that can be acquired in game, should be in the cash shop.

2. Nothing acquired in the game, should require something from the cash shop. (Main example: Keys for Lock boxes!!!)

[neodac]

@ Uthreth ok just wanted to make sure

@caedryan enabling players to feel one or two weeks for free would count as a form of free to play and may well be what they are suggesting they are going to do making mountains out of molehills with that for the moment till they settle on what they plan.

I agree the average iphone game has a cash shop thats just retardedly expensive i've played a couple card games on there (even bought some cards) till i realized i was paying more for a single electronic card i couldnt do much with than i would pay for a booster pack of a real life card game where i might actually be able to trade and sell the cards again.

that being said a well done cash shop in an mmo can be quite fun and even if its just a money grab do you really begrudge goblinworks profit? i've dropped quite a bit in the cash shop in the old republic for shiny objects that i dont really need but they are fun shiny objects (that being said random boxes kind of suck never get what you want)