78 replies to this topic

[DaZur]

Okay...

I'm pretty hip to the financial mechanics of a F2P game. That said, it's also been mentioned numerous times by the devs that there is will be no Mechs and or modules available to paying players that is not available to non-paying players...

All this being said, assuming a player has the time and the patience... Where is the incentive to open their wallets and fund this little project if there is no ancillary incentive to doing so?

Similar F2P games right, wrong or indifferent offer premium content and or other similar dangling carrots. I guess I'm missing the boat if MW:O's premium incentive is based solely on expediting access to various bits and pieces that essentially can be obtained through due diligence...

Mind you... I am completely against golden Mechs, Titanium Ammo and magic fairy dust... I'm just not seeing where MW:O's financial mechanics really kick in?

[Cifu]

Actually no one really know the answer for this (besides the Devs, i hope ).

What they say there are "premium" decals / logos and paints can be obtain, and the extra XP / in-game money what you can buy to IRL money is i believe still a good opportunity.

[Adridos]

Look at LoL. Completely F2P and still lives.

[Mechteric]

Easy: time.


Sure I could spend lets say 10-20 hours working my way to that brand spanking new... BattleMaster (assuming it can ever make it in!)

Or I could spend lets say $5 because its my favorite mech ever. For some that 10-20 hours will be a nothing. For others that might take a few weeks to get in. So I could decide instead of going and getting my favorite $5 sub sammich I could grab a box of ramen and buy my BattleMaster! Or in my case eat both my sub sammich and get my mech.

Edited by CapperDeluxe, 17 May 2012 - 07:02 AM.

[Skwisgaar Skwigelf]

I agree with being able to purchase Cbills and XP (but with a multiplier, XP should be decently expensive to buy outright) and I'm sure they will have camo patterns, logos and such available for purchase.

[MaddMaxx]

As to the "Premium Decal/Logos" etc, if it isn't My Colors or My Logo, sorry "No Sale..." Other stuff.... one could see a Cha-ching now and again perhaps. Gotta do ones part after the Devs revived our beloved Game after-all.

You tell "Freddy Freeloader" for us. We got plenty of Gauss Slugs for his kind... LOL

[Helmer]

I would say this video says more than I ever could ...

http://penny-arcade....crotransactions

There will always be those who do not feel the need to make any purchases , which is fine . To each their own. They serve a purpose as well in the F2P scheme.



Cheers

[Yendorc]

Other F2P games work by the following methods:

a) Hats and other stuff to pimp up your stuff, which does not change the mechanics though)

Multiplyer to XP or money earned can be bought

c) You can buy the XP and money directly.

[Redshift2k5]

LoL is a great example. They're raking in the cash. not as much as big boxed titles (diablo 3 with it's steep up-front cost) or subscription games (with thousands of people paying the cost of a small game each every month for extended periods), but clearly they're making enough.

There will be three kinds of customers, people who pay a LOT(and will end up, over time paying more than the cost of an up-front boxed game), people who pay a little (maybe one big payment or a few top-ups), and people who pay nothing. Even someone who never pays any money is going to make MWO, as a whole, a richer experience for everyone else by being a part of the community, and hopefully they like it enough to spend some money or at least bring their friends along (who might spend some money!)

Crowd-sourced funding without pay to win is clearly a worthwhile model judging from some other games. The more money MWO makes, the more they can fast track updates, their release schedule is going to be flexible enough they can run slow and steady or ramp it up when the money comes in.

Edited by Redshift2k5, 17 May 2012 - 07:08 AM.

[Aelos03]

DaZur, on 17 May 2012 - 06:51 AM, said:

Okay...

I'm pretty hip to the financial mechanics of a F2P game. That said, it's also been mentioned numerous times by the devs that there is will be no Mechs and or modules available to paying players that is not available to non-paying players...

All this being said, assuming a player has the time and the patience... Where is the incentive to open their wallets and fund this little project if there is no ancillary incentive to doing so?

Similar F2P games right, wrong or indifferent offer premium content and or other similar dangling carrots. I guess I'm missing the boat if MW:O's premium incentive is based solely on expediting access to various bits and pieces that essentially can be obtained through due diligence...

Mind you... I am completely against golden Mechs, Titanium Ammo and magic fairy dust... I'm just not seeing where MW:O's financial mechanics really kick in?

it kicks in when mech skins,paint,mech,weapons and all that goes trough MW credits, and if people love game they will give money 100 %

[Nik Van Rhijn]

I'm only an average pilot so I expect to take a while to earn C-Bills in game, especially with repair costs etc. What with a job and family my time is limited these days so I fully ecpect to spend money on mechs and in the Mechlab,

[BenEEeees VAT GROWN BACON]

Surely, the way to go is customised Neurohelmets that are reflected in your portraits.

Special Neurohelms should get released periodically celebrating anniversaries, christmas, valentines day etc... Thematic neurohelms can range from dressing your pilot up as a Milkman to Viking horns.

I'm not sure if this has been done before in a F2P or a game that was P2P but converted F2P, but I think it's a good idea!

[Mechteric]

Harping on my previous post, I think it might be easier to swallow the idea of monetized things in MWO if you think of how the cost of that thing compares to the cost of a sandwich.

So if I can suggest the price of a sandwich is around $3-5, then it would appear that most likely the purchases will be around the equivalent value of 1 to 2 sandwiches, depending on what it is.

[MaddMaxx]

CapperDeluxe, on 17 May 2012 - 07:09 AM, said:

Harping on my previous post, I think it might be easier to swallow the idea of monetized things in MWO if you think of how the cost of that thing compares to the cost of a sandwich.

So if I can suggest the price of a sandwich is around $3-5, then it would appear that most likely the purchases will be around the equivalent value of 1 to 2 sandwiches, depending on what it is.

What kind of GUN do you shoot them Sandwiches out of?

Is that like a TT thing or something?

[AlanEsh]

F2P doesn't ask or require everyone to pay. If it did, then it would just be a subscription model. This model depends on the truly deranged player who spends $2000 per year

[DaZur]

Fair thoughts guys...

I'm just painfully aware of the growing trend in the PC gaming industry where too many people have this entitlement mentality and I fear there will be a lot of people who will be more than willing to do the grind and by doing so... limit the success.

Maybe it's just me... I always hope for the best and plan for the worst.

[SquareSphere]

CapperDeluxe, on 17 May 2012 - 07:01 AM, said:

Easy: time.

Sure I could spend lets say 10-20 hours working my way to that brand spanking new... BattleMaster (assuming it can ever make it in!)

Or I could spend lets say $5 because its my favorite mech ever. For some that 10-20 hours will be a nothing. For others that might take a few weeks to get in. So I could decide instead of going and getting my favorite $5 sub sammich I could grab a box of ramen and buy my BattleMaster! Or in my case eat both my sub sammich and get my mech.

This is exactly right, look at Tribes Ascend for a good example. In order to buy the MIRV launcher it takes 100,000 exp.

To put that into context I earn about 1,000~2,000 exp per match I play. So even if i'm hitting the top of my average range, that's 50 match!

Lets say each match is 15 mins, so that's 750 mins total or 12 and half hours!

Another calculation to consider is how many matches I actually play per day/week. For me it's about 2 matches a day (if i played every day, that's 25 days), but as a weekly measure 8 matchs is the norm (i'm looking at about a little over 6 weeks of time spent!)

So sure, if i didn't have a job (ie i'm a student and it's now summer, woot woot!) yeah grinding the exp makes sense. BUT I have a normal 8 to 5 cublical job plus social stuff I do after work. I just don't have TIME to grind it out. So as Capper says, it makes sense for me to "pack a lunch" for work a few time a week (saving ~$10-15) and buy the MWO things I want NOW!

[Felicitatem Parco]

BenEEeee's VAT GROWN: BACON, on 17 May 2012 - 07:09 AM, said:

Surely, the way to go is customised Neurohelmets that are reflected in your portraits.

Special Neurohelms should get released periodically celebrating anniversaries, christmas, valentines day etc... Thematic neurohelms can range from dressing your pilot up as a Milkman to Viking horns.

I'm not sure if this has been done before in a F2P or a game that was P2P but converted F2P, but I think it's a good idea!

I am not buying your Bacon-Themed Neurohelmet.

I may, however, be convinced to "purchase" a neurohelmet that comes with a HUD than can be customized more thoroughly than a standard Neurohelmet, or a neurohelmet that trades-off attributes such as improved aim stability while running at the expense of recuced turning radius while running at full speed... or other trade-offs regarding Mech Balance.

However, the standard equipment should be fine, and I would encourage Freddy Freeloaders to play because that means more Lancemates, more battles, and more targets.

Edited by Prosperity Park, 17 May 2012 - 07:19 AM.

[AlanEsh]

DaZur, on 17 May 2012 - 07:16 AM, said:

Fair thoughts guys...

I'm just painfully aware of the growing trend in the PC gaming industry where too many people have this entitlement mentality and I fear there will be a lot of people who will be more than willing to do the grind and by doing so... limit the success.

Maybe it's just me... I always hope for the best and plan for the worst.

I think considering this part of an "entitlement mentality" is a misnomer.
Aside from being a ridiculously overused and often incorrectly used term, it can go both ways in the case of F2P. One side will claim that "he won't pay, he wants it for free, because he feels entitled!". While others will make the case that "those guys who want to buy their way to success (shortcutting the grind) are just exhibiting their entitlement complexes!"

Sorry, pet peeve

[DaZur]

MaddMaxx, on 17 May 2012 - 07:11 AM, said:

What kind of GUN do you shoot them Sandwiches out of?

Is that like a TT thing or something?

I've eaten a few sandwiches that the post digestion results could be considered weaponized gas?