22 replies to this topic

[Valkyrie Vewas]

Click on link and vote. Just wondering what you all think, since this is the first clan mech NOT to be offered A La Carte how do you feel about it?
http://vote.pollcode.com/39613771

[Bilbo]

It's a reward mech. Can't be bought as part of a package, so why should it be available a la cart?

[UnsafePilot]

It's the carrot at the end of the buy-all-the-mechs stick right now. It seems like they'd be shooting themselves in the foot sale wise to offer it a la cart this early.

[Valkyrie Vewas]

I dont know about that I believe at 55 per pop they would make more money at the end. Like me if this option was up I would most likly get the loki pack because I want the skins and such, but then buy the maddog at 55 or whatever. I personally believe they would make more money then lose. Just wanted to see what the numbers were nothing more.

[Bilbo]

Valkyrie Vewas, on 18 September 2014 - 08:57 AM, said:

I dont know about that I believe at 55 per pop they would make more money at the end. Like me if this option was up I would most likly get the loki pack because I want the skins and such, but then buy the maddog at 55 or whatever. I personally believe they would make more money then lose. Just wanted to see what the numbers were nothing more.

It'll be the first one available for c-bills, which means it will be the first one for MC before that as well. I'd bet they'll get plenty of action at that point anyway.

[Senor Cataclysmo]

Speaking as someone who really wanted to buy the clan packs but just couldn't stretch to it, and whose favourite mech is the Mad Dog, yes. Yes they should.

[Oderint dum Metuant]

Bilbo, on 18 September 2014 - 09:02 AM, said:

It'll be the first one available for c-bills, which means it will be the first one for MC before that as well. I'd bet they'll get plenty of action at that point anyway.

It's MC cost wouldn't be anywhere at the point of $55 though.


I think people appreciate it was intended as a reward mech but in terms of financial gain they would definitely make more for a 55$ Ala Carte option than the current both top end packs.

Heck, they could even restrict the Mad Dog option to only if you buy the $60+ package and then have the option of adding the Mad Dog for $35-55 and they would still get away with it and make more money.

For me, im not buying any of them as i only really want the Hellbringer and Mad Dog but as a single purchase i can wait, but if the Mad Dog was tied as an Ala carte option as above i probably would end up buying the Hellbringer and the Mad Dog tied with it.

Edited by DV McKenna, 18 September 2014 - 09:21 AM.

[Gallowglas]

I think it should be a la carte even IF it's used as a reward. To me it doesn't make sense that the only route to getting it is to buy other mechs I may or may not want. I think it's great to reward people who did by giving it as a reward, but I think it would be more profitable and make people happier if you offered a means to acquiring it directly. Let's face it, this is one of those iconic mechs people love. Give people a direct path to pay for it and you'll make a killing.

I'm not complaining, mind you. I'm just trying to offer constructive advice.

[UnsafePilot]

Gallowglas, on 18 September 2014 - 10:21 AM, said:

I think it should be a la carte even IF it's used as a reward. To me it doesn't make sense that the only route to getting it is to buy other mechs I may or may not want. I think it's great to reward people who did by giving it as a reward, but I think it would be more profitable and make people happier if you offered a means to acquiring it directly. Let's face it, this is one of those iconic mechs people love. Give people a direct path to pay for it and you'll make a killing.

Buying other mechs you don't want isn't the only path to getting the maddog; It's just the only path to getting it ahead of everyone who doesn't buy the packages. We'll all be able to buy them for MC/Cbills in a few months.

[TygerLily]

Of course I want it a la carte...but it's an obvious, sound business move.

Edited by TygerLily, 18 September 2014 - 10:50 AM.

[Mechteric]

Its a calculated risk on their part. There are people, such as myself, who aren't willing to pay $100+ for anything, and am likely to spend $0. But if the Vulture were offered at $55, its possible I'd consider getting just that.


$55 vs. $0.

[UnsafePilot]

CapperDeluxe, on 18 September 2014 - 10:52 AM, said:

Its a calculated risk on their part. There are people, such as myself, who aren't willing to pay $100+ for anything, and am likely to spend $0. But if the Vulture were offered at $55, its possible I'd consider getting just that.


$55 vs. $0.

Won't they just get your money when it comes up for MC? I honestly don't see what they're risking unless people who are willing to buy it a la cart are planning on snubbing the MC sales out of spite or something.

[LauLiao]

It's going to be the first of the new clan mechs available for general purchase through MC/C-Bills, so no, there's really no reason to need a special a la cart offer.

[verybad]

Thiy did, you just have to wait till it's available on CB ior MC, stop crying about it.

[Cerlin]

If you do not want to pay, patience works.

[Bhael Fire]

As mentioned by Bilbo, this is a special reward for those that actually went all out on this game.

If they make it available for direct purchase, that completely undermines that.

[Green Mamba]

As long as there are 30 to 40 year old Whales who are grasping at their Battletech' Youth Playing Days it will work and work well all the way to the end

[D R E A D N A U G H T]

No, absolutely not. You are treading on sacred ground here. How else are the whales supposed get the acknowledgment that they are better than you?

All sarcasm aside, there are a few things that you have to realize.

1. You're fighting nastolgia. It's a powerful sales tool that PGI is using to get people to buy a larger pack than they normally would. Personally I have a problem with this so I'm not going to buy it especially after all other (I) variants were available a-la-cart.

2. Community mind-set. There is a very large group of people that have bought all the packs and that wasn't enough. They need the affirmation from PGI that they are the best and you are an underling. They will defend this point of view no matter what you say.

The issue I take with both of these points is the (I) variant of this mech. It's nothing special that would, based on previous (I) mechs, warrant being a reward. It's a scaling problem as someone else put it in another thread. If it were a special reward variant other than (I) then it would make sense to me. This is the only (I) variant not available a-la-cart. This is because it's a carrot on a stick.

Now, the die hards will argue that I'm insane and entitled when in fact I'm not. I have the money to pay for all the things, but the truth is, I don't want all the things. Does that make me less loyal? Does that mean that I shouldn't have the option to buy an (I) variant mech? Does me buying the (I) variant mech hurt them in any way? No, it doesn't. But the truth is, is that they NEED to feel special. They NEED to be recognized beyond the items they have purchased and were given. It's a mentality that I don't fully understand seeing as how they can provide no other argument against an a-la-cart option other than "I'm special, and I deserve it."

Again, it's a double standard that you can't quite fight here. So, my choice is not to fight it. It doesn't make sense to do so when I can just get the item for free later. And that's the other part of the argument that doesn't make sense to me....I'm saying that if given the option to buy the mech I would. But that's not good enough for PGI or the die hards. It isn't good enough for PGI because they want all of my money, and the die hards have to feel special so they would rather elect to lose $55 that I find to be a reasonable cost for 3 mechs.

Edited by Dread Naught, 18 September 2014 - 11:44 AM.

[Bilbo]

Green Mamba, on 18 September 2014 - 11:05 AM, said:

As long as there are 30 to 40 year old Whales who are grasping at their Battletech' Youth Playing Days it will work and work well all the way to the end

It would probably work anyway. I don't recall ever having played Battletech.

[Mechteric]

UnsafePilot, on 18 September 2014 - 10:54 AM, said:

Won't they just get your money when it comes up for MC? I honestly don't see what they're risking unless people who are willing to buy it a la cart are planning on snubbing the MC sales out of spite or something.

No because by then I'd rather just wait another month for the CBill version by that timeframe. I might be ok with paying a bit for several months advance if its something good (like I did Ryoken a la carte), but won't justify only for a month. I'm at least that patient enough.

Edited by CapperDeluxe, 18 September 2014 - 11:37 AM.