11 replies to this topic

[LordSkippy]

The Idea

I have been playing Star Trek Online, which has a Dilithium Exchange. The Dilithium Exchange allows players to exchange dilithium, which is earned through quests, for Zen, which is bought with real world currency. This allows players to receive Zen through play, rather than through paying. It also allows players to buy dilithium, rather than grinding for it. I believe Mechwarrior Online could benefit from a similar system where C-bills can be exchanged for MCs.

Background

Star Trek Online has several different types of currencies. One could make the argument that it has too many currencies. Due to the number of currencies that STO has, there really isn't an exact match to the two currencies in MWO. Zen and MCs are the closest matching currencies, because both are bought with real world money. C-bills do not have single match, because there are several different in-game currencies in STO. We will concern ourselves with just dilithium, because it is earned as a mission reward, sought after, and the one currency in STO that can be exchanged for Zen.

Outside of the Exchange, the only way to earn dilithium is through quests/missions. Also, outside of the the Exchange, the only way to acquire Zen is to pay for it. Cryptic/Perfect World (the makers and publishers of STO) do have ways to get “free” Zen, through online surveys and third party special offers (switch your auto insurance, sign up for a service, etc.) However, the Zen is not really free, because someone, either the survey sponsor or the 3^rd party, has paid real world money to Cryptic/Perfect World for the Zen.

How The Dilithium Exchange Works

The Dilithium Exchange in STO allows players to do two things. First, it allows players with Zen to post up an amount of Zen they are willing to trade for X amount of dilithium. Second, it allows players with dilithium to post up an amount of dilithium they are willing trade for X amount of Zen. The Exchange then looks for matches of Zen traders to dilithium traders. When a match is found, it then trades the Zen and dilithium between the players.

It is important to note that at no time does a player buy Zen directly from Cryptic/Perfect World with in-game currency. All Zen on the Exchange is from other players, and was paid for with real world currency. The only way to introduce new Zen into the Exchange is for someone to purchase it with real world money from Cryptic/Perfect World.

The MC Exchange

PGI/IGP should implement a similar exchange were players with MC can opt to trade X amount of MC for Y amount of C-bills. Players looking to acquire MCs, but do not have the funds, ability, or desire to purchase it from PGI/IGP, can then trade Y amount of C-bills for X amount of MCs, if available on the Exchange. At no time are players directly purchasing MCs with C-bills from PGI/IGP, and the only way new MC is introduced into the game is by purchasing it using real world money.

Why MWO Will Benefit

There are several ways MWO will benefit from such an exchange, without negatively impacting the real world sales of MCs. In fact, an MC Exchange could stimulate the real world sales of MCs.

It removes, or at least reduces, the accusations of any MC only items being Pay-to-Win. Since there will be a way to acquire MCs through game play, no items available for MC only will be completely out of reach for those that do not wish to pay for it with real world money.

Players will have a mechanism to directly exchange MCs for C-bills. Mechs can be purchased using MCs, but the upgrades and equipment customization require C-bills. Currently, players can by a Mech they have no interest in actually keeping with MCs, and then sell that Mech to get the C-bills they need to customize the Mechs they really want. Since, the optimum MC to C-bill Mech will provide a natural lower bound on the price of MCs for the exchange, players will not only have a way to directly exchange MCs for C-bills, but also get more C-bills for their MCs than they currently can.

Players with sufficient amounts of C-bills, but little or no real world money available to purchase MC from PGI/IGP, or think the price of MC in real world money is too high, will have a means of acquiring MC from other players. This will stimulate the MC store, as these player will gain access to purchase champion Mechs, paint colors and patterns, and cockpit items that they would normally avoid due to real world costs.

PGI/IGP still makes a real world profit from every MC acquired through the exchange, because every MC on the exchange was paid for with real world money. As long as the demand for MC is high enough from players seeking to trade C-bills for it, there will be other players willing to part with MCs for the extra C-bills. With the exchange allowing players that would normally not be in the market to purchase MC from PGI/IGP, PGI/IGP would be expanding the MC market and increasing the demand for MC.

An MC Exchange could help PGI/IGP sell more store items and sell more MCs, thus increasing their real world profits.

[Thomas Dziegielewski]

PLEX passes ruined EVE for me.

[Imagine Dragons]

Thomas Dziegielewski, on 12 May 2013 - 10:00 AM, said:

PLEX passes ruined EVE for me.

:pokerface:

[Zolaz]

Just wondering how PLEX passes ruined EVE for you.

[von Pilsner]

I seem to remember PGI saying no player based economy or auction houses (or something to that effect).

EDIT: Found it...

Quote

NightFallsOnU: Will we (i am hoping with CW or Clans) get to see anything close to an auction house like most MMOs have? I.E. maybe open up the "Blackmarket" for player based selling of mechs and equip?

A: No auction house is planned. We do not intend to support Player to Player transactions.

Edited by von Pilsner, 12 May 2013 - 02:59 PM.

[Neolisk]

As good as it is, will probably never happen, as mentioned by the previous poster.

[Appogee]

Why would PGI give up their main source of actual wages and profits?

I can't see it ever happening.

[Steel Talon]

Its a two-sided sword.
In case of STO it succeded & raised overral profit so Criptic implemented it in Neverwinter aswell.
In bad case, it can serve devs as defense for selling gameplay advantages

[Dishevel]

Appogee, on 15 May 2013 - 10:54 AM, said:

Why would PGI give up their main source of actual wages and profits?

I can't see it ever happening.

The OP stated that all MC traded would still need to be purchased from them. So they still have gotten their money.
But it might stimulate sales of MC a bit as well so that they might get even more money.

von Pilsner, on 12 May 2013 - 02:55 PM, said:

I seem to remember PGI saying no player based economy or auction houses (or something to that effect).

EDIT: Found it...

They also said no 3rd person.
What they say then means not much now.

[Stone Profit]

Dishevel, on 15 May 2013 - 12:05 PM, said:

The OP stated that all MC traded would still need to be purchased from them. So they still have gotten their money.
But it might stimulate sales of MC a bit as well so that they might get even more money.



They also said no 3rd person.
What they say then means not much now.

They repeatedly said they were looking into it. no idea how you think that means they promised it wouldnt be added

[Levi Porphyrogenitus]

Stone Profit, on 08 June 2013 - 03:59 PM, said:

They repeatedly said they were looking into it. no idea how you think that means they promised it wouldnt be added

Only well after they'd already said that there was no way 3rd person was going to go in. PGI changed their stance on that, so there's no reason they couldn't reevaluate a MC/Cbill exchange.

[Stone Profit]

Levi Porphyrogenitus, on 08 June 2013 - 05:03 PM, said:

Only well after they'd already said that there was no way 3rd person was going to go in. PGI changed their stance on that, so there's no reason they couldn't reevaluate a MC/Cbill exchange.

No, they didnt. You are very misinformed. Sorry. The first post in which they called first person a design piller they said they would be looking into 3pv