137 replies to this topic

[Blackscreen]

Joseph Mallan, on 30 April 2014 - 06:58 AM, said:

Its not that PGI wants us to play in public matches they want us to spend money. So give a way to monetize Private matches more and PGI will me more open to allow C-bills for Private matches.

They already have, you need to be on premium time to set a number of private match options, and you need 2 group leaders on premium time to enable all available options. In addition, the premium time requirement is only a stopgap until they implement their already stated "pay per match" framework.

Lostdragon, on 30 April 2014 - 07:04 AM, said:

I think you are wrong on this one, Joseph. PGI definitely wants to monetize private matches, however having a vibrant and active public queue is vital to the long term success of the game since they have chosen a F2P business model. They need that queue up and active and fun in order to attract new players and get them to spend money. If a new player tries to join a public match and fails to find one over and over they will just quit without spending a dime.

If a new player fails to find a public match over and over they should probably switch from an assault to a medium...

[Vyx]

This suggestion might be relevant to the topic when it comes to making C-Bills in private matches.

Edited by Vyx, 30 April 2014 - 07:15 AM.

[Lostdragon]

Blackscreen, on 30 April 2014 - 07:04 AM, said:

You'd still need to play public matches to level up new mechs (I assume PGI will continue their supply of these), and get cbills to upgrade and arm them (unless you're buying MC to do that, which I'm sure PGI would be happy with anyway).

I can guarantee you the increased wait times people experience from here on out will be more often due to players' desire to run anything but a medium mech as opposed to not having enough people available for a game.

All valid points, but after a period of time some players will not be interested in new mechs because honestly there just isn't that much need to own every mech unless you enjoy the collecting aspect. I have three mechs that I really enjoy playing and run them 90% of the time. I am not really interested in new mechs.

[Galenit]

Simple Checkbox and a form to set the number of cbills (from 1 to 100000) for private matches.

Everyone who is in the match has to pay it, winner gets it all.

This way, you can have rewards for the winner, you set the high of it and you lose money if you lose the match.
If you dont want it, just dont check the box.

Simple solution, easy programming, no farming ....

Edit:
Seems its the same solution vyx linked to ...

Edited by Galenit, 30 April 2014 - 07:44 AM.

[Tezcatli]

Mmmm...nooooooo. Because then why would anyone play the normal version? Why would they further screw up their queues? And open the door to win trading for easy C-bills?

Private matches are not meant to be money makers. It's so you can play the way you and your friends want (more or less). Create tournaments and community run leagues.

At least it's not like WoT where you still have to pay for repairs and ammo.

[Joseph Mallan]

Tezcatli, on 30 April 2014 - 07:48 AM, said:

Mmmm...nooooooo. Because then why would anyone play the normal version? Why would they further screw up their queues? And open the door to win trading for easy C-bills?

Private matches are not meant to be money makers. It's so you can play the way you and your friends want (more or less). Create tournaments and community run leagues.

At least it's not like WoT where you still have to pay for repairs and ammo.

Cause maybe someof us actually want to play the Clan invasion and not worry about Epeen matches against rival groups?

Edited by Joseph Mallan, 30 April 2014 - 07:50 AM.

[Novakaine]

Good.
I don't care I now relish the pug free lobbies.
I really hate pugs.

[N Danger]

Why would any fool farm in a game without an economy? How will someone having more C-Bills (10 mill or 100 mill) give you an advantage? You can't trade them.
I can have 1 billion more C-bills than another pilot and still get my butt kicked if his skill is better.

I originally was against rewards in private matches but that was back when there was Repair and Re-Arm in the game forcing a risk vs reward economic decision.

Now there is no real reason to NOT have full C-Bill rewards in a private match.

Note that I am against EXP in Private matches because of farming. THAT would be unfair.

Edited by N Danger, 30 April 2014 - 08:14 AM.

[Prezimonto]

Kyynele, on 30 April 2014 - 06:28 AM, said:

While initially this doesn't sound bad at all (I truly wish we could have that), it's so easy to exploit that it's easy to understand why it won't happen.

Let's say Player X needs C-Bills. He invites 6 friends online, all they have to do is press READY - 1 vs 6 private match. Player X runs around and shoots everyone in the head, easy 60K in a minute. Repeat for an hour and he's got 4 million while his 6 friends browse internet and keep pressing READY every now and then.

If one has more friends available, one makes money faster. If one multiboxes (not sure how feasible), one doesn't even need friends to make that free money.

It's a free to play game, you can make infinite alt accos so you don't even have to risk your precious stats while being farmed by someone.

If there is a way to farm ingame currency, there are people who will do so. Just like if there'd be a possibility to draw a picture on your mechs, we'd see a penis in every match.

Let's assume 8k per player per win.
Let's assume 6 guys get together to power one guy's account up with money.

I don't see how you're going to manage faster than about one match every 3 minutes, between the load screen, running to the enemy, gunning them down, the end of match screen. That's 20 matches an hour, and it wastes 5 people's time.

You're making 48000 a match then, and that's less than 1 million cbills without premium time and less than 1.5million cbills with premium time.

I guess that doesn't seem all that terrible to me. Sure it's faster than I make cash, but not terrible so, and I'm having fun while they've turned 5 peoples time into busy work.

If you're REALLY worried put a hard cap on cbills earned per hour through flat rates... something around 500k to 1000k. Whatever's in line with the per hour earnings rate of the public queue.

In fact, a simple per hour cap might be an easy solution to all of this.

Edited by Prezimonto, 30 April 2014 - 08:01 AM.

[Tezcatli]

Joseph Mallan, on 30 April 2014 - 07:49 AM, said:

Cause maybe someof us actually want to play the Clan invasion and not worry about Epeen matches against rival groups?

Well don't look for the epeen guys. Just get some randoms together. Which would be easier if they added a persistent community channel in-game and player created channels.

I'm not sure how earning C-bills in private matches fixes that o.O

[Gyrok]

Blackscreen, on 30 April 2014 - 06:46 AM, said:

So the question here really is, would those of you who don't want Cbills to be rewarded in private matches be opposed to free consumables in private matches?

I can't see any way this hurts anyone's gameplay experience. If there aren't going to be any rewards given in these matches, then in turn there should be no additional expense, either.

Negative, consumables should still cost money, in fact, they should cost more across the board. I am thinking something like 120k cbills per arty/air/uav.

That far more accurately reflects their value against current modules.

[Joseph Mallan]

Tezcatli, on 30 April 2014 - 08:07 AM, said:

Well don't look for the epeen guys. Just get some randoms together. Which would be easier if they added a persistent community channel in-game and player created channels.

I'm not sure how earning C-bills in private matches fixes that o.O

So the Law will be fine in CW.

[Sprouticus]

Roland, on 29 April 2014 - 02:59 PM, said:

If people are farming to earn money, the solution is not to try and create barriers to farming, but instead to make it such that actual gameplay is more fun and rewarding than farming.

Badd asssumptions here:

1) You assume that people don't think playing is fun.
2) You assume the only time people would farm is the time they would play

Example:

Joe farmer loves the game. He plays every night. But he wants to earn more cash because CB accumulation is limiting factor in the MWO economy. So he sets up a private match farming system with he buddy while they are both at work. Comes home and gets lots of shiny CB to play with when he plays that evening.

[Trauglodyte]

Dozier, on 29 April 2014 - 02:05 PM, said:

I have to say I / we that have played the private match think it is really on point. Really like how it was done not gonna lie.

HOWEVER.... It is really BS to no give cbill rewards in there. Especially since I personally have to carry premium time to setup the desired matches. I totally understand the reasoning that maybe people would go there to farm. But at the moment with group limits in public, and no ability to choose mode I really don't see me in public matches to often.

May I suggest maybe just a flat 80k to the looser, and maybe 120k to the winner? I use consumables just about every match and that seems only fair to offset those cost. Nevermind the fact that the newer guys in our group that are trying to buy mechs or upgrades will benefit NONE by getting to play together just because the rest of the solo world don't want us there.

Private matches are there for bragging rights, fun, and for lore fights. If you don't like it, don't play it. Problem solved.

[Joseph Mallan]

Sprouticus, on 30 April 2014 - 09:02 AM, said:

Badd asssumptions here:

1) You assume that people don't think playing is fun.
2) You assume the only time people would farm is the time they would play

Example:

Joe farmer loves the game. He plays every night. But he wants to earn more cash because CB accumulation is limiting factor in the MWO economy. So he sets up a private match farming system with he buddy while they are both at work. Comes home and gets lots of shiny CB to play with when he plays that evening.

Wait... We have an Economy???

[FupDup]

Joseph Mallan, on 30 April 2014 - 09:18 AM, said:

Wait... We have an Economy???

Yes, we do.

[CMDR Sunset Shimmer]

no.

The moment you open up c-bill gains to private matches... no matter how small the gains. You open up the ability to exploitively gain c-bills though private matches... thus furthering the discrepency between the playerbase.

IE, no because it then becomes too easy to make c-bills in an exploitiative method.

Please try again.

[Joseph Mallan]

FupDup, on 30 April 2014 - 09:19 AM, said:

Yes, we do.

I was there . Do we have a Economy?

Jade Kitsune, on 30 April 2014 - 09:33 AM, said:

no.

The moment you open up c-bill gains to private matches... no matter how small the gains. You open up the ability to exploitively gain c-bills though private matches... thus furthering the discrepency between the playerbase.

IE, no because it then becomes too easy to make c-bills in an exploitiative method.

Please try again.

Do like Star Wars TOR have a seperate currency that can only buy things for Private matches.

[Baltasar]

I'm all for a flat rate with diminishing returns the lower number of people you have a match. Just 2 people against each other then make it where you are earning minimal rewards so over farming can't take place. Since only 16% of the community drops in groups, and probably less in private matches, then it shouldn't affect the public que much since you still have 84% + people dropping in it. Not to mention less groups "pug stomping" so you have more of a PUG only que which is what some people were wanting anyways. PGIGP has shown they really don't care much for teams any ways (ok probably could have gone with out that last statement).

Honestly, love the new lobby system (iffy about the need for premium time but whatever). It's been great just dropping with the people of my unit and has even gotten some of our guys to re-install the game again. However, the lack of any monetary funds can be a drag because you spend the time playing the game but don't have money for a new mech or upgrade (or downgrade for some closed beta build fun).

[IIIuminaughty]

I say at least give the money that you spent on consumables back usually 80k for 2 mods.