64 replies to this topic

[Erebus Alpha]

In its present state, you can spend $1,000 USD on this game, and you still will not unlock all the MC content.
  
Reduce all MC costs by ~15x - 20x. If the devs really think that a hero mech is worth over $30, I want some of whatever they are smoking. Unlocking every single assault mech in the game, heroes and all, is not even worth $30.
  
Content is not worth that much. Not in any universe. I can buy an ENTIRE GAME for the cost of a battlemech here. It's lazy, it's greedy, it's sleazy, and until prices come down, you cannot have the contents my wallet, PGI.
  
I'll pay $45 for every unlock in the game. Unlimited mechlabs, all colors, all battlemechs, all vanity items, and a year of premium time. Finish community warfare, fix matchmaking, fix the weapon balance, and update all existing mechs with dynamic visual hardpoints, and then we can discuss a full retail $60.

Edited by ABFalcon, 20 September 2013 - 01:49 AM.

[Ghogiel]

I'll pay $45 to unlock all of that too. Sounds good where do I sign up?

[DaZur]

Don't buy anything and the game FREE! ... problem solved.

​Seriously, I'm not about to attempt to challenge your perceived value of any content in MW:O. It's personal and subjective and clearly you've already formed your lasting perception of value and nothing I can say will change that.

All I can say is it's disingenuous to attempt to equate a single-purchase (SP) game with a free-to-play game and I honestly don't have the inclination to detail the differences.

There is a myriad of reasons the gaming industry is turning to the F2P, cloud sourcing and subscription based models over SP... not the least of which being the more granular financial growth potential.

That said... if you think the "complete game" as you outlined is only worth $40 to $60... You're out of your cotton-picking mind.

[MadPanda]

Free2play games don't work that way. You get the core game for free, and can then choose to purchase selected items of your choice. Ideally the game should have so many items for you to attain that purchasing all of them would be an absurd price. If all of the games content in a f2p game would be purchaseable by 40-65$, then either the game has very little content or the marketing guys forgot to add a zero into the prices. Just to put it in a nutshell that you get it; you are not supposed to own all of the content in a f2p game. The game itself is the ice-cream that you get for free, and then you select what toppings (if any) you want to buy on top of it.

edit: but just to add in, I think the mc prices could come down a bit. I think the tonnage based costs is dumb with hero mechs. I shouldn't have to pay 30$ for hero assault mech while the guy who likes to punish himself and plays a commando gets away with it for 10$.

Edited by MadPanda, 20 September 2013 - 07:56 AM.

[Syllogy]

ABFalcon, on 20 September 2013 - 01:44 AM, said:

In its present state, you can spend $1,000 USD on this game, and you still will not unlock all the MC content.

Reduce all MC costs by ~15x - 20x. If the devs really think that a hero mech is worth over $30, I want some of whatever they are smoking. Unlocking every single assault mech in the game, heroes and all, is not even worth $30.

Content is not worth that much. Not in any universe. I can buy an ENTIRE GAME for the cost of a battlemech here. It's lazy, it's greedy, it's sleazy, and until prices come down, you cannot have the contents my wallet, PGI.

I'll pay $45 for every unlock in the game. Unlimited mechlabs, all colors, all battlemechs, all vanity items, and a year of premium time. Finish community warfare, fix matchmaking, fix the weapon balance, and update all existing mechs with dynamic visual hardpoints, and then we can discuss a full retail $60.

And this would be a good business practice, how?

Shelf-bought games have a history of being released, sold, and then abandoned by their developer. Any major bug fixes and additional content come from the sales of an expansion pack.

Furthermore, that $60 shelf-bought game STILL REQUIRES YOU to invest a significant amount of time to work through all of the "unlocks" you can access all of the content.

That particular business model is dying, and there is a good reason for it: It does not work anymore.

You can pick up and play MWO absolutely free. On top of that, someone who doesn't drop a dime on this game can still compete on the same level playing field as someone that spends $100+.

Edited by Syllogy, 20 September 2013 - 08:05 AM.

[Lostdragon]

[DaZur]

MadPanda, on 20 September 2013 - 07:55 AM, said:

Loved the ice cream metaphor... perfect.

​I've vacillated over MW:O pricing and I've come to the conclusion that for the moment the pricing is right and I'll explain why.

In short, there is not enough granular content in MW:O to support it's long-term operational costs. (i.e.. No hats with feathers). This is partially why pricing is front-loaded because if global pricing was reduced, there is not enough content to offset the reduced mark-up.

​That said, purported plans are for more cosmetic, superfluous stuff is in the pipeline available through the store front-end that "should" begin a re-alignment of MW:Os global pricing structure.

At least that's how it "should" work...

[Joseph Mallan]

Syllogy, on 20 September 2013 - 08:00 AM, said:

And this would be a good business practice, how?

Shelf-bought games have a history of being released, sold, and then abandoned by their developer. Any major bug fixes and additional content come from the sales of an expansion pack.

Furthermore, that $60 shelf-bought game STILL REQUIRES YOU to invest a significant amount of time to work through all of the "unlocks" you can access all of the content.

That particular business model is dying, and there is a good reason for it: It does not work anymore.

You can pick up and play MWO absolutely free. On top of that, someone who doesn't drop a dime on this game can still compete on the same level playing field as someone that spends $100+.

Hero Orion in MWO v A puter Unique Orion with a General Kerensky mini... it's <$14 for the Orion you can hold in your hand.

[Rhaythe]

The ideal free-to-play game has, as mentioned, the core game that remains competitive for paying and non-paying players alike. What keeps the model in business is that conveniences or aesthetic modifications (skin packs) to the game are sold to players willing to pitch in the funds. It's a credit to this game that the core game remains in such a competitive state despite the vast quantity of purchases that are available to the player base.

[Ghogiel]

Only things I think are over priced, even on sales, are heros. The perm chassis camospec unlocks are maybe a tad rich for my liking too. Other than that I can't complain about it.

[Erebus Alpha]

Longevity in non-F2P games exists, so this entire idea that the devs NEED to overprice content isn't really valid. I can buy Skyrim and all of its expansions for $60 - an investment in entertainment that pays dividends for years. Pay $60 here and what do you get? Three, four, maybe five mechs?

Unlimited customization has been a fundamental pillar of every Mechwarrior game since the dawn of time. It is a sickening desecration of the franchise and the intellectual property that ANY part of this experience is made unavailable to players (especially paying ones). http://mwo.smurfy-ne...echlab#modified is a better experience than Mechwarrior Online, because it actually allows customization. No C-bills or MC required.

Perhaps most importantly, if the game isn't in a state of unsupported, unassisted awesomeness upon release, it is not finished. "We'll finish it later" is lazy, and "It will never be finished" is just a lame excuse to never actually deliver a finished product.

[Werewolf486 ScorpS]

DUH, been said a hundred times already. PGI doesn't listen.

[Racklesnack]

Have you guys looked at other F2P games like WoT? MWO is pretty cheep compared to some of those out there....

[Team Leader]

This is part of why it sucks that MWO is f2p.. Another part is the fact that PGI decided to go after every possible casual playerbase and didn't cater towards the core audience (MW fans). They came for the wales, then did a 180 to casuals and here we are. But, for some reason, they still think a "micro" transaction is 6.99...

[Stinkeye]

My problem is premium time. In MMOs you get all the content and some cash for the store. Here you just get a money and xp boost, seems pretty weak to me. For the price of it there should be a little more included, especially with the earnings nerf. If it wasn't for the Mechwarrior licence this game would be out of business.

[Toong]

Why are you judging MC costs by how much money it would take to buy everything? That's just silly.

I think MC costs are fine. It's certainly cheaper than some other games I know.

[Clit Beastwood]

For the love of god, just get a better job and stop complaining.

[Stinkeye]

Fierostetz, on 20 September 2013 - 03:29 PM, said:

For the love of god, just get a better job and stop complaining.

I make great money but there is something called "value". I'm a Founder and an Overlord but I'll call a spade a spade. $30 bucks for one mech is a little silly.

[Corvus Antaka]

everything is free. nothing "requires" MC to compete with others.

[IC Rafe]

DaZur, on 20 September 2013 - 06:45 AM, said:

Don't buy anything and the game FREE! ... problem solved.

​Seriously, I'm not about to attempt to challenge your perceived value of any content in MW:O. It's personal and subjective and clearly you've already formed your lasting perception of value and nothing I can say will change that.

All I can say is it's disingenuous to attempt to equate a single-purchase (SP) game with a free-to-play game and I honestly don't have the inclination to detail the differences.

There is a myriad of reasons the gaming industry is turning to the F2P, cloud sourcing and subscription based models over SP... not the least of which being the more granular financial growth potential.

That said... if you think the "complete game" as you outlined is only worth $40 to $60... You're out of your cotton-picking mind.

Why would he be out of his mind by thinking that? What is the price of GTA5? One of the most hyped games and a heavy duty developer behind it, true, but the game is not this kinda price. Or do you think the MC price of the stuff you can buy is worth it? Even subscription is better value at this moment.

To the guy saying WOT is more expensive? Euhm, no.