14 replies to this topic

[Dark Jackal]

For a Free to Play title like MechWarrior Online, there isn't a healthy thriving market place around. In fact, the Store page NEEDS a lot of work and looks like an after thought than a place for folks to browse and shop for things.

One is probably going to wonder how this works in reality seeing that real experience probably is going to outweigh whatever logical arguments are put forth. So, one example we can use to see how such an in-game market is run is Star Wars: The Old Republic's Cartel Market.

http://swtor.wikia.c...i/Cartel_Market

Essentially, from the quoted wiki text, the Cartel Market is "the virtual in-game market where exclusive items, unlocks and more in-game content is available for purchase."

This translate into a way for MW Online to work like it does with Amazon by connecting sellers and purchasers of content together much like Uber does with car services. This also means that sellers themselves can also be purchasers within the same common market place for items trading most things for c-bills.

The benefits to such things should immediately obvious as it provides a means for folks that have certain assets in the game an opportunity to re-sell things they may have purchased to folks that are looking to trade a certain amount of c-bills for the item. The worth of these items is largely determined by the supply and demand economics done largely by the player base themselves. It should largely come across as a win-win for the players themselves and for more interaction.

Estimated Revenue from Cartel Market:
http://www.swtorstra...rs-in-2013.html

But, that is not all MechWarrior Online has to offer. Next we have is Forza's Store Front. With a little bit of twist, you can have folks trade customized variants of 'Mechs on the same market for profit. This provides a 'Mech Title like MechWarrior Online a unique opportunity to buck the trend a little and provide more ways for the player base to interact with one another.

Also, this may inspire some folks a creative edge as had with Forza when IGN did a "must see" feature on their web page.
http://www.ign.com/a...ns-you-must-see

So, the possibilities are limitless.

[Mechteric]

[Kira Onime]

CapperDeluxe, on 20 May 2015 - 11:52 AM, said:

+1 because spaceballs.

[Dark Jackal]

No love for the Mech Market?

[SuomiWarder]

There really isn't much that is unique or special, hard to find in MWO. Just some Mech chassis that are locked that we can't sell. If individual players somehow earned special perks to buy/build lasers with 5% extra damage, jump jets that worked at one level higher or some other special ability not everyone had they would have something to sell player to player. But this is not like the old super hero games where you needed to collect several different pieces to make something so you would go to the market to get rid of stuff you didn't need for stuff you did need.

[Kristov Kerensky]

What, exactly, are we, the players, supposed to sell in this market?

We have nothing you find ingame from just playing the game, everything is either purchased with real cash or with cbills, so what's the point?

[Alistair Winter]

I'd love it.

Kristov Kerensky, on 21 May 2015 - 02:21 PM, said:

What, exactly, are we, the players, supposed to sell in this market?
We have nothing you find ingame from just playing the game, everything is either purchased with real cash or with cbills, so what's the point?

Well...

• You could sell limited edition mechs, like the (P), (F), (I) or (L) variants that are otherwise unavailable. Even (G) variants.
  
• You could sell regular mechs with custom builds, like a Raven 3L with an XL295 engine instead of the stock engine.
  
• You could sell stripped mechs.
  
• You could sell cockpit items you won in a challenge or tournament.

All these things would provide a new income for PGI, provided that the market worked properly. PGI would need to set a dollar price for each item, to avoid losing profits from old veterans just basically giving away their stuff to new players when they quit the game.

[Mirkk Defwode]

Kristov Kerensky, on 21 May 2015 - 02:21 PM, said:

What, exactly, are we, the players, supposed to sell in this market?

We have nothing you find ingame from just playing the game, everything is either purchased with real cash or with cbills, so what's the point?

I have Multiple of the make-good items. I really don't need 2 King Crabs, or 2 AS7-S, or 2 of the CNT-AH.

Why sell back to the cold dead market at a flat value of less than half the cost of the mech when I could sell it to another player who may not have received those.

[TLBFestus]

PGI will never have a market for players to sell stuff.

Why? Because it will undermine the c-bill economy for their products. Players will dump unwanted mechs below PGIs "MSRP" (that's Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price for the uninformed) and weaken the grind in a way they do not want to see. Even if they take a cut of the sale prices (assuming they were to allow MC purchases) I doubt it's going to make up for the hit they'd take in other areas.

Now if you were talking about a PGI Store.....there's a puzzler. Yes they have a Store, but it's such a craptastic piece of work you have to wonder if they actually WANT players to buy things. It's poorly designed and does nothing to create an environment that makes people want to push the "buy" button

Edited by TLBFestus, 22 May 2015 - 08:46 AM.

[El Bandito]

I want to sell some cockpit items, that I am never gonna use.

Even 500K C-Bills per item is fine.

[Apnu]

Kristov Kerensky, on 21 May 2015 - 02:21 PM, said:

What, exactly, are we, the players, supposed to sell in this market?

We have nothing you find ingame from just playing the game, everything is either purchased with real cash or with cbills, so what's the point?

If we had real faction specific mechs and variants, plus a chance at salvaging a mech after a victory, they could build a player auction house / black market thing. Think on it, Liaos could be making mad bank selling Ravens and Cataphracts because those are their signature mechs. Davions making bank selling Jagermechs and Black Jacks. Hell I have two of each (L) mech that I have no use for. I have some cockpit items I earned that I have no use for. I'd love to toss those things up in a c-bill market just to unclutter my screen.

[Joseph Mallan]

I have seen the good and the bad of in game markets. Depending on how it is managed, I like some of the Pro market ideas. Looking at you Al!

[Mister Blastman]

Back when I was younger people modded games and added in stuff like character models and maps for free--to get exposure in the industry, earn cred and eventually get a nice paying job.

[sycocys]

Hacked accounts and people waking up to their 150+ mechbays empty, all their spare components and cockpit items cleared out.

Other than that there's really nothing to sell that isn't readily available. You can't sell MC items for c-bills to other people or you trash the actual store's revenue. Same with selling 'won' items, if people aren't playing to earn them then they aren't around to take advantage of the sales that happen when the events are on.

[PaeuxP22]

Hacked accounts is a risk in all other games with a marketplace, dont see why MWO is more at risk.

I dont see why there couldnt be a mechanic for getting items rather than pure Cbills as a reward for performance. then instead of anyone being able to buy anything for a fixed price a player driven marketplace would reflect real changes in item prices. Some weapons are a lot more popular than others and the pricing should reflect that, who here has honestly bought a Clan AC2 for example.

Im not suggesting the items are taken from a defeated player or anything like that but it would just add a little more variety into the mix.

Also since items have value and as such "rarity" it allows for "special promotion" events eg Higher chance of an UAC5 drop for this weekend only type thing that you see in a lot of other games.

With regard to a "player creation" store I know that there are some great artists on here and I would happily pay MC for some player designed camos or decals with the MC going to that player and redeemable as normal. It would at the very least redistribute MC and probably generate more money for PGI as the MC couldnt be redeemable for cash so would have to be spent with PGI eventually

Edited by PaeuxP22, 22 May 2015 - 10:00 AM.