38 replies to this topic

[BlackSquirrel]

Ok the title reads like some government document, but hey.

Let me start off by saying I understand things can be changed or it's new. (If you don't understand this concept yet I'm not sure what to tell you.) I'm just here to vocalize a concern.

Putting it bluntly the current method is a bit of a gip. You don't get to keep the spec if you decide to change it. Which paying with MC runs you between .50c-70c per color, and .75-1.39 per pattern. (Thanks go to someone else to made a spread sheet and figured out those numbers) Not a lot granted, but you did fork over actual money.

I propose adding to the system in the following ways.

• Add an increase cost of MC that allows you to keep all the colors in a pattern you choose permanently. Essentially you make a pattern choose 1-3 colors, and it's yours forever. If you want to change a color you pay for that, and then keep that pattern forever. Per mech.
  
• For less MC you get a one time deal that lasts until you decide to change it. (What you have now) Per mech.
  
• Add a bundle that allows changes of premium colors for a much much more MC for xyz amount of patterns. From 1 to all. C-bill costs are then accrued per change, but you essentially own a certain amount of colors/patterns. These are interchangeable between mechs or for one mech.
  
• Allow for purchase of patterns to be distributed between groups. ( I want to buy 8 of XYZ patterns, and hand them out to whom I choose)

This is much more robust, gives more options, and you don't feel as cheated because you have more options (And get to keep them). Allows said players to dip their proverbial toe in the water or belly flop into the deep end of mech finger painting.


What the cost increase should be... Well following a pattern of 1,2,5,7 seems to work for most games, and most players seem to be comfortable doling out in those increments as well.

Same should go for decals if they ever release them etc etc.

Thank you for reading. "Just my thoughts"


TL;DR

Let us keep patterns/colors if we decide to pay more, add more options.

Edited by BlackSquirrel, 30 November 2012 - 05:38 PM.

[BlackSquirrel]

Remind to come up with a better topic header...

[Warrax the Chaos Warrior]

I really hope PGI sees this. If purchased camo specs were permanent, I would give you my money. As long as they aren't, I won't. I can't speak for other people but I have a feeling I'm not alone in this. Paying c-bills to switch between patterns purchased with MC would be absolutely fine.

[BlackSquirrel]

Thanks was hoping it would get more attention, but I guess I need to rage more or it's not really that big of a deal.

[skullman86]

Options would be nice (even if it were keeping the pattern and not the colors). They have my $60 from the founders pack, but I have to spend this MC to buy more, and I don't feel one use camo specs are worth the MC.

...then again, maybe the camo spec thing has been a success (I have a hard time imagining that being the case, but I don't have any of PGI's statistics either). There could be a lot of people out there who don't care that they are throwing away money.

Edited by skullman86, 04 December 2012 - 08:24 PM.

[Warrax the Chaos Warrior]

BlackSquirrel, on 04 December 2012 - 08:00 PM, said:

Thanks was hoping it would get more attention, but I guess I need to rage more or it's not really that big of a deal.

Threads get bumped when people argue. Rational, well-reasoned posts don't bring out enough trolls to keep a topic on the front page.

[malibu43]

Liked and bumped.

[Quad Ace]

This is a big issue for me. I LIKE playing around with the colors on my mech, it's fun. But i can't justify opening my wallet every time I want to change it up. I'd pay plenty to just buy the whole pallet if I could keep the colors/patterns and pay cbills to switch them.

[BlackSquirrel]

Quad Ace, on 04 December 2012 - 08:42 PM, said:

This is a big issue for me. I LIKE playing around with the colors on my mech, it's fun. But i can't justify opening my wallet every time I want to change it up. I'd pay plenty to just buy the whole pallet if I could keep the colors/patterns and pay cbills to switch them.

Might be a bigger issue in later stages of the game when fighting over territory (The need to switch back and forth camo between locations.)

[Taryys]

This has been discussed many, many, many times in many different threads.

Yes, I agree. I would like to see a cheaper pay-per-use option like they have right now and a more expensive own color/pattern program.

[Enigmos]

Sorry, but no. The title is not Gov spec. No fantastic 'End of the Day' inferences. No obscure reference to increased 'Functionality'. Even the font is not in compliance with OPM 231-23 (2011).

Sorry. Epic fail.

[BlackSquirrel]

OriginalTibs, on 05 December 2012 - 11:34 AM, said:

Sorry, but no. The title is not Gov spec. No fantastic 'End of the Day' inferences. No obscure reference to increased 'Functionality'. Even the font is not in compliance with OPM 231-23 (2011).

Sorry. Epic fail.

Damn guess my days in bureaucratic training didnt pay off. OH NOES TAX DOLLARS WASTED!

[Tarman]

Taryys, on 05 December 2012 - 11:29 AM, said:

This has been discussed many, many, many times in many different threads.

Yes, I agree. I would like to see a cheaper pay-per-use option like they have right now and a more expensive own color/pattern program.

This. Planetside 2 does it this way. Lots of selections to buy and ppu, so you could be cheap and just get them when you really need one, or go all Pokemon and catchemall. I jump continents enough there that having at least one of each major camo type (snow, temperate, desert) felt worth the price for a perma camo for vehicles and uniforms. It's technically still wasted money on imaginary war kit, but it feels more valuable on an entertainment level which is the real value people want out of this paint system anyway.

The current system here discourages its own rampant usage, because of the price/impermanence. It needs to be a system that people want to pick at the edges of and/or take an entire plate away, like a cheese or dessert tray. "Give me the Holiday palette, I want to do a Christmas Centurion and I only have two other Palette sets right now, I need moar colours anyway." Right now it's like signing a 25 year contract as far as a vibe. "Are you SURE you want the green and red? Christmas holidays aren't for that long and team colours are getting decided on the 15th."

[Tolkien]

Bump for great justice>

This nickel and dime crap ticked me off enough when it comes to upgrades like FF, ES, and 1.4HS (formerly DHS) where you have to pay every time you change it, not to unlock it. Makes playing with different configs punishing to new players or those that don`t have a copy of BMD10 on their system to figure out how to configure a mech before wasting Cbills on it.

I made a poll on it here> http://mwomercs.com/...ime-you-switch/

Anyway, I just learned from someone posting in that thread that PGI is making you pay to unlock cammo (fine by me it's cosmetic afterall), but making you pay to switch every single time rather than having them as unlocks is bull.

PGI I promise you that if this is your policy then the $100+ I was dumb enough to pay you as a founder will be the last cent you get out of me.

I will advise my friends to stay away from your game and your toxic business culture. The business school flunky who 'adds value' by making recommendations like this should be tarred feathered and fired.

[Shagz]

BlackSquirrel, on 30 November 2012 - 05:34 PM, said:

Ok the title reads like some government document, but hey.

Let me start off by saying I understand things can be changed or it's new. (If you don't understand this concept yet I'm not sure what to tell you.) I'm just here to vocalize a concern.

Putting it bluntly the current method is a bit of a gip. You don't get to keep the spec if you decide to change it. Which paying with MC runs you between .50c-70c per color, and .75-1.39 per pattern. (Thanks go to someone else to made a spread sheet and figured out those numbers) Not a lot granted, but you did fork over actual money.

I propose adding to the system in the following ways.

• Add an increase cost of MC that allows you to keep all the colors in a pattern you choose permanently. Essentially you make a pattern choose 1-3 colors, and it's yours forever. If you want to change a color you pay for that, and then keep that pattern forever. Per mech.
  
• For less MC you get a one time deal that lasts until you decide to change it. (What you have now) Per mech.
  
• Add a bundle that allows changes of premium colors for a much much more MC for xyz amount of patterns. From 1 to all. C-bill costs are then accrued per change, but you essentially own a certain amount of colors/patterns. These are interchangeable between mechs or for one mech.
  
• Allow for purchase of patterns to be distributed between groups. ( I want to buy 8 of XYZ patterns, and hand them out to whom I choose)

This is much more robust, gives more options, and you don't feel as cheated because you have more options (And get to keep them). Allows said players to dip their proverbial toe in the water or belly flop into the deep end of mech finger painting.



What the cost increase should be... Well following a pattern of 1,2,5,7 seems to work for most games, and most players seem to be comfortable doling out in those increments as well.

Same should go for decals if they ever release them etc etc.

Thank you for reading. "Just my thoughts"


TL;DR

Let us keep patterns/colors if we decide to pay more, add more options.

as much as i like this post i dont get why any1 should have to pay real bucks for paint /patterns i get the standing and hanging / mounted cockpit items for mc but paint and patterns should just be C-BILLS i know pgi needs to make money but some of this stuff they bring out like the cockpit item A LUMP OF COAL for 250 mc who is there right mind would buy it and why would u play for colors now since u get 3 for free with the PC GAMER which are black and grey and red i myself would like to paint my mech woodland spec but if i have 30 mechs thats alot of money just to look nice on the battlefield so whats the point in buyin a mech if all u really can do is change the loadout for free mite aswell play trials mechs i know what im sayin my come across as me beening an A$$ but im just tryin to look out for every1 because not every1 can afford the amount of money pgi is askin myself included

[Tolkien]

Shagz, on 09 December 2012 - 10:36 AM, said:

as much as i like this post i dont get why any1 should have to pay real bucks for paint /patterns i get the standing and hanging / mounted cockpit items for mc but paint and patterns should just be C-BILLS i know pgi needs to make money but some of this stuff they bring out like the cockpit item A LUMP OF COAL for 250 mc who is there right mind would buy it and why would u play for colors now since u get 3 for free with the PC GAMER which are black and grey and red i myself would like to paint my mech woodland spec but if i have 30 mechs thats alot of money just to look nice on the battlefield so whats the point in buyin a mech if all u really can do is change the loadout for free mite aswell play trials mechs i know what im sayin my come across as me beening an A$$ but im just tryin to look out for every1 because not every1 can afford the amount of money pgi is askin myself included

It's a good question but people like personalizing their character/mech. It's like skins in League of Legends - a chance to make your character fun/funny. It's also a revenue stream for the company that should be dollars.

In a good 'freemium' game, the things you can spend real money on will NOT give you a combat advantage over another player. They just speed up your progress or in this case give you something fun for your mech or cockpit.

The last thing we want is the opposite where you can spend dollars to get an advantage (golden ammo type crap). At the same time the company needs to make money and one way they can do this without spreading ill will in the community is to offer for sale for dollars things that are purely cosmetic.

So that's why they can't really offer them for Cbills - they have to make their money somewhere. Right now though they are crossing the goodwill line by their craptastic implementation where you have to pay with every switch of cammo.

[Tennex]

camo specs should be like a skin from league of legends. People will actually spend more money this way. Because since they get to keep what they buy they will want to "collect" color patterns for their mechs. Steiner colors, Liao colors Snow camo for snow map, desert camo for desert map etc.


In its current implementation players will be hesitant to buy more than one camo, knowing that their current camo will be erased.

Edited by Tennex, 09 December 2012 - 11:13 AM.

[Derpxes]

Quote

Anyway, I just learned from someone posting in that thread that PGI is making you pay to unlock cammo (fine by me it's cosmetic afterall), but making you pay to switch every single time rather than having them as unlocks is bull.

This 100% has to change. Who did you hire to be your cash shop designer? A middle manager for Bank of America?

If I pay for a skin I expect that skin to be available forever. Even if you had warnings on the purchase screen, I consder this to be sleazy at best.

Quote

PGI I promise you that if this is your policy then the $100+ $30 I was dumb enough to pay you as a founder will be the last cent you get out of me.

I will advise my friends to stay away from your game and your toxic business culture. The business school flunky who 'adds value' by making recommendations like this should be tarred feathered and fired.

This describes exactly how I feel.

Edited by Derpxes, 09 December 2012 - 11:20 AM.

[Tolkien]

Derpxes, on 09 December 2012 - 11:15 AM, said:

This 100% has to change. Who did you hire to be your cash shop designer? A middle manager for Bank of America?

If I pay for a skin I expect that skin to be available forever. Even if you had warnings on the purchase screen, I consder this to be sleazy at best.
...

Lol, similar to how advertising has a saturation point (beyond which shoving more ads in people's face results in them turning away), I worry that PGI is going to step over the edge of the 'monetization cliff' where an attempt to nickel and dime harder will result in people turning away.

It just seems sleazy to have to pay each time you switch, rather than unlock.

[Warrax the Chaos Warrior]

I don't think the devs are stupid or purposely trying to rip us off. I just don't think they know a whole lot about marketing, what makes f2p work, and what our habits and expectations are. Every time they release something new it feels like they had no idea how people would use it before it went live and the only way to get a system looked at is to cause an absolute ****-storm on the forums; ergo we need more ****-storming on this particular topic. We've had no official feedback so there is no way of knowing if they recognize that there might be an issue here.