86 replies to this topic

[Veliah Truard]

I would love for this to be modified and edited and turned into a Creedo, cause you said nothing that I don't agree with.

Well done.

[Mjolnir]

Hikaru, on 20 June 2012 - 03:38 PM, said:

Mjolnir,
By that definition I'm fairly certain that actually does put you in the 1%. Not only are you willing to pay, which puts you in the ~1-5%, but you are willing to pay every single month.

That aside, what are you willing and not willing to pay for? Because it sounds like you're willing to pay for it all: big budget items, plus every monthly content push.

Read his linked definition of the whale - they go beyond regular consumers like myself and talks about "big spenders"; that is, those that spend thousands, have multiple accounts, fly to conventions, etc. I spend on F2P much as I do a "regular" MMO - larger initial outlay (usually for a CE) and then a smaller ($15 - $20) each month. I'm not a whale - I'm their bread and butter, the engine room that helps keep the game running.

Whales are outliers, not a demographic catered explicitly for, and certainly not the target demographic (in part because they're hard to target, but mostly because you'd prefer to have a thousand people giving you $15 a month on average than ten people giving you $500 on average.)

I'm not willing to pay for core elements of the game play. I will never, ever pay for power - I will pay for convenience, for speed and for cosmetic items (within reason in terms of volume and cost... EVE, I'm looking at you and your monocle). I will pay for content, but only at regular, well spaced intervals (ie: expansion packs). I will even pay for the odd lottery/RNG item, because I don't mind the occasional punt.

[Hikaru]

Wait, I'm sorry but I don't see it. Most people who will play this game won't spend $120 on it. We have. This game won't have its own conventions. There is no advantage to multiple accounts because there is no trading. What can you possibly spend on this game? You've already said you're willing to pay for cosmetics, you're willing to pay for speed every month (premium access), and you're willing to gamble (lottery items). I assume you're willing to pay for mechs as they roll out. So by that, you've pretty much said that you will pay for everything they are planning to offer for, as well as things they haven't even mentioned.

You honestly think that that is not only their primary demographic, but that buying literally everything they have said they plan to offer and paying monthly doesn't fit the profile of a whale to them...?

[Hexenhammer]

Mjolnir, on 20 June 2012 - 04:00 PM, said:

I'm not willing to pay for core elements of the game play. I will never, ever pay for power - I will pay for convenience, for speed and for cosmetic items (within reason in terms of volume and cost... EVE, I'm looking at you and your monocle). I will pay for content, but only at regular, well spaced intervals (ie: expansion packs). I will even pay for the odd lottery/RNG item, because I don't mind the occasional punt.

Exactly. I don't mind paying for things that don't affect game play, skins (I'm looking at you DCUO and you're purchasable outfits), toys etc but don't make me pay for power. I don't even mind paying for expansions like I've done for WoW.As much as I love BattleTech, I wont be bled dry just to be competitive. I don't want to play a game where I feel like I am loosing because I didn't shell out $5 for the new modified ultra light gatling PPC that just went on sale.

Edited by Hexenhammer, 20 June 2012 - 04:30 PM.

[Mjolnir]

Hikaru, on 20 June 2012 - 04:09 PM, said:

Wait, I'm sorry but I don't see it. Most people who will play this game won't spend $120 on it. We have. This game won't have its own conventions. There is no advantage to multiple accounts because there is no trading. What can you possibly spend on this game? You've already said you're willing to pay for cosmetics, you're willing to pay for speed every month (premium access), and you're willing to gamble (lottery items). I assume you're willing to pay for mechs as they roll out. So by that, you've pretty much said that you will pay for everything they are planning to offer for, as well as things they haven't even mentioned.

You honestly think that that is not only their primary demographic, but that buying literally everything they have said they plan to offer and paying monthly doesn't fit the profile of a whale to them...?

• I only have the one account. I won't ever have more than that (even without trading, there's multiboxing).
  
• Commenting on what I will or won't buy is academic - we have little information on what the store will actually look like.
  
• I purchase for my own convenience, because I work full time and my time is worth more than the smaller outlay.
  
• I won't purchase everything - to use STO as an example, I buy ships I like the look of and extra slots for characters, ships, crew and the odd lottery item - nothing else. I expect my pattern to be similar in MWO - I won't buy everything, just what appeals.

I suggest you have another read of what constitutes a whale in the link to Raph Koster's website - I've already called myself a part of their target demographic, but a whale? No. I don't consider myself a whale, nor do I consider their target demographic to be a whale.

Edited by Mjolnir, 20 June 2012 - 04:32 PM.

[Saevus]

GHQCommander, on 20 June 2012 - 03:02 PM, said:

..It is a dam shame and a bloody crime what they done with Star Trek Online...

That company developed two games at the same time on the same engine, then raped them into the ground and ripped whatever money they could out of people. Crying shame they crushed two IPs at once.

[Hexenhammer]

Aegis Kleais, on 20 June 2012 - 01:58 PM, said:

Well, I don't think you're their demo, TBH.

It's better to get 1000 people spending $10 than 1 person spending $500.  Usually, sheer numbers are what many companies cater to, but I think PGI also tempers such decisions by what they want out of the game (ie, they don't sell out their vision)

I agree on almost all your points, however I think you under estimate the power of cosmetics.  Players highly value individuality, and the ability for them to purchase skins, patterns, cockpit decor, pilot avatar customizations or even chassis customizations is probably massive.  Look at Team Fortress 2's model.  Hats alone have made some of their designers $40,000 in a 2 week period.

People like cosmetics, and if done right, can be a large cash cow.  Thankfully, since they provide no tangible benefit in game, they don't throw off the game balance; and I HOPE that PGI artists can have a final say on color schemes and what not that can be purchased.  Even though you just know there are people out there ready to rock a bright pink and lime green Mech.

I bought every single style piece in DCUO and guess what? My villain's default appearance can be created for free in the character generator. But why did I spend all that money on cosmetics? Because I wanted them and SoE priced them with in my reach. I bought SoE cash while it was on sale then bought the style pieces while they were on sale. In the end SoE got my money and I got what I wanted.in short. I will play for cosmetic changes that appeal to me.