89 replies to this topic

[Lochiel]

This is not a complaint thread. I am fully aware MWO is here to pay someone's bills and all that. In fact, I went to buy some MC because I wanted to support MWO and keep the bills paid. I figured that because I was enjoying the game it deserved my financial support. And I figured I'd spend $15 or so, get a Hero mech I can't get any other way, spend the remainder on paint or something.

So I was fairly surprised when I saw that a Hero Assault mech cost $40. For reference, I rarely spend $30 on a full game. I say this without vitriol, that price tag dissuaded me from buying a mech with real money. I cannot comprehend people who own multiple hero mechs.

So, I ask this out of curiosity; why is any single mech worth spending $40 for? Am I missing another, less expensive, way of acquiring MC? Help me understand this. I'm perfectly willing to only spend MC on paint, mech bays, and premium time; but before I do I'd like to understand why Hero Mechs are priced so high.

[kevin roshak]

Unique paint/camo, 30% more C-bills (in game money) unique hardpoints/loadout options.

and paying is the only way is acquire MC

they also use a MC/tonnage type of formula to get the MC price

Edited by kevin roshak, 20 November 2013 - 04:21 PM.

[WVAnonymous]

Because this game was funded by a bunch of middle aged guys who have more money than they need. This includes me.

[MrEdweird]

Perhaps you will find an answer in the fact that people buy these things no matter how high the price is.

My Cicada X-5 cost 3000 MC ($15) and I found it a sound investment. It's 75 MC per ton for all Hero Mechs.
Technically you're paying for tonnage.

You also get lots of upgrades. In the case of the X-5 you get everything but Artemis and a XL330 which costs as much as any of the other Cicadas alone in C-Bills. The rest of the upgrades come up to more than 2.5 million C-Bills as well so the mech itself, even though it is a small 40-ton mech pushes 9-10 million C-Bills for your $15 and thats not counting custom paint scheme and lifetime 30% C-Bill boost.

Edited by Edweird, 20 November 2013 - 04:26 PM.

[Redshift2k5]

There is no other way to acquire MC.

Having bigger hero mechs cost more has always been controversial. Ideally, all mech classes should have an equal chance and thusly should be much more similar in cost, but that is not the system we have to work with.

Note that there are many other things you can send MC on (Premium time and GXP conversion in particular allow you to spedn money to make the game significantly more convenient, mech bays are a requirement unless you want to stable multiple accounts) and also note that hero mechs go on sale; I bough a Protector for ~$18.

All free to play games offer a range of costs items. Hero mechs are the highest price point cash item. There are many things you can buy with $15 but Heavy or Assault Hero mechs are not one of them.

[TercieI]

I own four heroes (TDK, X-5, IM & DS), expect to buy 1-3 more. I don't play a lot of games, I play a few intensively, so I'm just considering $/hour for entertainment. By that yardstick, it's a cheap game.

[Schrottfrosch]

Last weekend I bought the Dragon Slayer Assault Hero 'Mech - it was 4200 MC, because it was on 30% less - I thought about buying a 3000 MC batch for 14,95$ but went for the 6500 MC for 29,95$.

I think I roughly paid like a little less than 20$ ?

Maybe you are doing something wrong with your timing of buying hero 'Mechs, your timing of buying MC, your math in general or all of it together...

[Void Angel]

I'm in the same boat - I've never bought a Hero 'mech because even given the benefits, the cost seemed too high. I did buy the Phoenix package, however, because the rewards there were clearly worth the 80 bucks. That's a lot to throw down at once, and I did have to think about it, but I estimate that I'll get enough, for long enough, out of playing with these 'mechs that it'll be worth the price tag. On the other hand, the Saber package got a pass, because of the fewer benefits involved. =)

[SpiralFace]

So first off, that price gap is mostly JUST for assault mechs. You will see cheaper prices on other lighter mechs.

Secondly, you don't NEED to spend MC on mechs, most standard designs come with C-bill values you can purchase them for.

The only mechs that require you to spend MC on them are Hero mech's and Champion mechs.

Champion mech's are rarely worth the MC you put into them. But Hero mechs' are an interesting prospect.

Hero mechs usually come with many things that would be premium in any other seance.

They usually come with a Unique paint pattern, colors for the said pattern (Which sadly you can't bring over to other designs.)

They come with unique hardpoints which means you can get unique loadouts with them that you usually wouldn't be able to field on the "standard" designs.

And then there is the REAL reason you buy a hero mech. A permanent 30% cbill bonus with the mech that stacks with Premium time.

These mech's are totally unnecessary to get ahead in the game, they just offer an additional option in how you play, in addition to providing a permanent upgrade for you to help you with grinding.

If you like the chassis and designs, I personally find them worth it. But I would highly advise trying out a trial or a standard c-bill mech before going with premium hero mechs.

Only use them if you like the mech. Otherwise, just spend the MC on more mechbays.

Also note that there are usually a run of sales that see's select hero mechs on usually a 30% discount. You might be waiting awhile, but if you don't think the price point is good enough for you, you can always wait till one of these sales happens.

[Void Angel]

I also considered the Heavy Metal during the recent sale, but I decided that what I'd get out of it still wouldn't be worth the money - ironically, since I already had the Phoenix variants!

[A Man In A Can]

Well, first off you are calculating prices based of low economies of scale. Try buying MC in bulk and the relative prices for mechs start looking a bit more reasonable. Even more when you consider mech sales.

25000 MC for $99.99 ($100) package. Save up to buy these.

7500 MC for 100t mech

7500/25000 = .3 * $100 = $30

$30 * .7 (30% off sales) = $21

See saves you a lot of money eh?

[Eaerie]

First no hero mech is REQUIRED to be competitive or to just have fun with depending on how you play, personally I play for the enjoyment.
Opinion wise I dont think any of the hero mechs are "superior" to the standard varients, they just offer slightly different hardpoints and color schemes and the 30% CBill bonus which is nice but not required to play.
I look at hero mechs/MC purchaces like i look at any other form of entertainment, how much enjoyment do you get for that money. I normally compare it to a trip to the movies or a decent dinner. Both those will cost you $30+ easily and only offer an hour or two of enjoyment before they are done. A hero mech or additional mech bays offer months of fun and games for the same price.

[Victor Morson]

C Lochiel, on 20 November 2013 - 04:14 PM, said:

So, I ask this out of curiosity; why is any single mech worth spending $40 for? Am I missing another, less expensive, way of acquiring MC? Help me understand this. I'm perfectly willing to only spend MC on paint, mech bays, and premium time; but before I do I'd like to understand why Hero Mechs are priced so high.

There is a reason the only hero I own I got with Founder MC. The prices are ridiculous, and they'd profit more for slashing them by about 75% I think in the end: Everybody would buy heroes then.

Wait for them to break down and offer a real MC sale. In the meantime, keep in mind that heroes are not P2W as there's no variant that really replaces any of the cbill ones.

I own like $350 worth of stuff for Planetside 2 that I paid about $100 for because they run good sales. MW:O has this Black Friday AND Christmas to redeem itself with a sale better than "20% off the top tier package."

Edited by Victor Morson, 20 November 2013 - 04:56 PM.

[Karyudo ds]

C Lochiel, on 20 November 2013 - 04:14 PM, said:

So, I ask this out of curiosity; why is any single mech worth spending $40 for? Am I missing another, less expensive, way of acquiring MC? Help me understand this. I'm perfectly willing to only spend MC on paint, mech bays, and premium time; but before I do I'd like to understand why Hero Mechs are priced so high.

Because some people will pay them. The price is ridiculous, but I still see Boar's Head's. I guess cutting the grind is that important to some. Though I remember MW4 having far less grind to bypass and far far cheaper per mech, but part of that is the F2P mentality. $5-10 seems far more reasonable to me, but while more people would buy I'm not sure if that would equal what those that currently buy are spending. I'm also guessing the idea isn't to see Hero mechs everywhere as far as the eye can see.

Of course if we're going to ask this question I do remember EVE had something in the area of an $80 monocle you're character could wear, but not around other players or anything so by that comparison being able to use these in a match is a deal for you (forgive me if I'm fuzzy on EVE). Ultimately it just comes down to your income being disposable and it seeming like a good deal. To me, not so much but a medium on sale wasn't so bad.

[DrSlamastika]

No one forced you, to buy anything (except mech bays but it's cheap).

[xMEPHISTOx]

DrSlamastika, on 20 November 2013 - 05:11 PM, said:

No one forced you, to buy anything (except mech bays but it's cheap).

Indeed...all I buy anymore. Promised myself not to spend any more $$$ (aside from mech bay slots) on this game after founder purchase until I see CW's. That is the deciding factor on whether or not I will take this game seriously and start spending money on a consistent basis.

$40/mech prior to seeing how CW is sounds like a bad investment imo.

[Alaskan Nobody]

SpiralFace, on 20 November 2013 - 04:25 PM, said:

Only use them if you like the mech. Otherwise, just spend the MC on more mechbays.

Quoted for Truth.

A lot of people treat Hero mechs in ... well actually a lot of ways - but this one (I think) should be dominant in everyone's mind.

The Hero mechs are there (in my view at the very least ) to help reduce the grind - and add more variety to chassis you already like.

I own 4 - and plan on a 5th, but I saved up and bought the big MC package to do so - which helps reduce the price some.
I also only bought ones for chassis that I already knew I liked.
Exception - Firebrand, but as it let me run the classic Rifleman build....

Having said that - the 5th I plan on getting - the Boar's Head... yeah that one is gonna take a BIG chunk out of my remaining MC - and that is still considering I plan on waiting till it goes on sale...

[Voivode]

Depends on what hero you want. Try a Yen-lo-wang, X5, or Death's Knell if you don't feel like dropping big money. They are all excellent mechs.

[TheCaptainJZ]

Supply and demand. I see hero mechs all the time so there are obviously enough people willing to pay the price of them even though they are expensive.

Could PGI make more money by selling them cheaper? Sure, but I suspect they might believe hero mechs should be something that is uncommon on the battlefield. If they were cheap so that everyone bought them, they woudn't be so special and not as "hero"ish.

They do put things on sale and that is when you should buy them. You really don't need every hero mech, just one or two that you really like.

[Unnatural Growth]

I guess it depends on how you budget for your entertainment, and what you personally find entertaining. There are folks that spend $100 or more for one night's entertainment to go see a major sporting event. You almost can't see a movie in a theater for less than $20 a person, and that only lasts a couple of hours at best. An evening out at a decent restaurant can cost over $100 for a couple... so "it depends".

I've spent just over $250 on this game so far, since I started playing last May. I'm sure to some folks, that is excessive. But I'm also sure there are those who've spent far more than me. As long as each person feels they've received their entertainment value for their money, what's the harm?

I'm just a "casual" player, but I've played this game for hours upon hours, and it has entertained me. Nodding to what another poster said, I'm a middle aged man, with (just a little bit of) disposable income. If this game stops entertaining me, I assure you I will stop spending money on it.