2003 replies to this topic

[Dirk Le Daring]

I think it will be a case of all things that can be bought will be bought for C-Bills, earning C-Bills means playing , but for those who do not have the time, C-Bills can be bought for real money. I think this would be a lot less cumbersome than thousands of individual credit card purchases.

Just my take on it

[Jerik]

FinnMcKool, on 25 March 2012 - 03:40 PM, said:

One problem with your (imho is good) Idea is the fact this is a world wide game , would we have to all use Canadian dollars

Think about it there are people from Russia,UK ,(and all their commonwealth) Gods Country (Minnesota) all of EU, ect. ect....

This actually wouldnt matter. The same reasoning was used for Microsoft Points for Xbox live, but In the end they tailored the amount of points to each currency anyway instead of using an exchange rate. Meaning $20 American wouldnt buy the same amount as the equivelant amount of Canadian/Russian/ money. So if you had $20 to spend you could go around to several different countries and get different amounts of points with the same amount of cash.(if this makes sense)

But as you said, its simply so that the amount we have and the price of things will seldom match up perfectly.

[Kenyon Burguess]

thankfully this wont be anything like LOL

[Hades Serpent]

T0RC4ED, on 23 March 2012 - 07:51 AM, said:

For the first time ever, I think the devs are going to win the battle against pay to win. They have made several statements that leave me feeling very optomistic.

It seems to me that they have an understanding many game devs (but more publishers) lack: It's best if the customer wants to pay you. I've experienced this only a few times in gaming. Once with Stardock and SoaSE, mostly when I realised it didn't have DRM. That made my head spin and I thought "Hell...I'm not being treated like a criminal! Cool! Take my money!" With the Witcher and Witcher 2 as well. Those games are just such fantastic stories, richly detailed (and refresingly mature) that I actually wanted to throw money at CD ProjectRed.

Make an awesome enough product, and people will gladly pay for it. If it's really great, they might be asking for more ways to give you their money.

As for me, I'm not big on custom animations, and as for as paint jobs go, I expect to be able to paint my mech in whatever colours I deam fit (though probably camo appropriate to the map, to mess with all those hummies trying to shoot at me; if I need to pay for obvious tactical choices like that...I'll be mildly displeased). I'll pay for practical things. If it's mechbay slots...I might grumble if I only start with one but I'd pay for more (especially since the game is already free).

And if I can't find anything I want to spend my money on, I'd settle for a donate button.

[Dirk Le Daring]

An Authenticator. I like that idea for account security.

MW:O Dogtags

Edited by Dirk Le Daring, 02 April 2012 - 02:31 PM.

[Eagyn]

Point systems are unfortunately common in the micro transaction area. This is largely due to point systems being vague at exact pricing for purchases. When you think of points an average joe isn't going to think about the monetary value behind them. LoL was brought up and it's a prime example of two big reasons why a company would use this system.

1. Forces a never-ending cycle of purchasing more points to use your balance.
2. Provides vague pricing information which makes it easier to spend your points.


Now, there are advantages to properly made point system. If it is designed to be a non manipulative system and provides point purchases at exact pricing models it can be used for the better (EX: $2.50 = 25pts, Item1= 25pts, Item2=50pts, Item3=100pts, ect). This would allow you to purchase items and not feel like you have wasted points. The primary advantage to a point system is house allocation of points to the players. If they choose to include tournament brackets, achievements or any other reward based feature they could allocate points. This is a great way to promote the use of the content so long as they do not saturate the market. Another advantage includes purchasing points without a credit card through in-store point cards.

All talk aside I'm pro exact pricing without a point system. I think it's the most straightforward method that doesn't allow the company to hide behind a system for new manipulative marketing concepts.

[Naduk]

i support a point system , id rather they be P-bills (PGI bills)

so we have C-bills earned by all regular game actions and a real money bank of P-bills along side it

however i would rather see much more malleable purchase amounts than the very ridged and ruthless system that League uses
league of legends system is clearly designed to always leave you with an unusable amount of left overs after any purchase

this way you keep adding to your bank to keep making purchases, while it works very well on the human mind i don't believe we need it

another reason to use it is each country can have its own exchange rates for P-bills and thus make it so Russian players are not getting ripped off paying American prices for the same skin or mech, this way a skin may cost 500 points in every country around the world and still remain a nice cheap item to by for players of any nation as those 500 points will scale to the value of your home currency

also i really am not interested in having to keep an eye on the value of the American dollar so i know what kind of rates im paying when i want a new item in MWO
if i am purchasing P-bills it will say, $20aud = X amount of P-bills and i can decide if its worth it or not
i will also be spared the frustration of thinking i am spending amount Y and seeing amount X leave my account

lastly having a in game currency that is purchased by real world money solves alot of legal issues
for example
if it is illegal to play a game of skill to win money in your country its ok, you are not winning money you are winning points
laws don't give too hats about points, by going down this path you open many doors for the future

[00dlez]

VarietyOfCells, on 25 March 2012 - 07:10 AM, said:

You can have bad AI, but it still takes work to make bad AI) just to get the single player out there. That would upset all the people who would pay for the campaigns.

Would it? I understand that AI mechs running into walls/edge of the map or not shooting back would be awful and upsetting, but even if it is a cake walk vs. bad AI, I am paying and playing for story immersion and canon experiences, not a truly challenging SP experience.

Not since the last Half-Life (yes, it's been 5 years ladies and gents) has a SP experience really been fun in all aspects (story/gameplay), and IMHO a SP mechwarrior experience focused on story could catapult above a lot of games, even if it is released in short, episodic packs.

Focus on some voice acting, scripted in-game style cut scenes, and (if they really want to go nuts) maybe some live action, followed by an easy mission would be aces.

Another point, these easier AI missions could also double as a good experience for new players, plunging them into an immense universe first hand and in a manner where they don't get cored in the first 30 seconds. You want new player attraction/retention don't you?

[VarietyOfCells]

That sounds like a great game you're describing, but that game isn't MechWarrior Online. MechWarrior Online is striving to be the best PvP MechWarrior game there has ever been. Not the best PvP and mediocre single player game. All the things you are describing would be cool but are way out of the scope of this game. If MWO is successful maybe it will show someone with money that there is a market for MechWarrior games and they will fund a single player game.

Do you understand how your suggestion of "Make MWO like Half-Life" doesn't make any sense? That game was built to be a single player game so they put a lot of money and talent into the things that make a good single player game (and they had a lot more money to start with I'm sure, considering those games are direct sequels to an award wining game). MWO has put its money and talent into things that make a good multiplayer game.

It's like trying to reason with a fish to be a car. Even if you convince this fish to ride a skate board it might then have a few features of a car, but fundamentally it's still a fish. And as it rolls further away from what it's good at it's going to start to flop around, suffocate, and die, because it doesn't have the water that it was designed to work in. Instead we should be improving on the fish in its natural environment. For example, giving the fish lasers. Or maybe torpedoes.

[PropagandaWar]

I think cockpit accessories should be trophies along with badges. I would pay for Mechs, Maps, missions, Energy Weapon color mech customization just in case I want to throw horns or shark fins on my hunchback, Planetary invasions, Mech hander and Dropship layout/design .

[Hades Serpent]

After reading another thread, I realized...

I will pay for Solaris VII and Duncan Fisher.

[RotS Targe]

Ya know what I'd pay for, a USB Hula Girl, to sit on my desk, that sways with the 'Mech, and rocks appropriately when my Ride gets hit.

[Ezekial Karn]

I would personally pay for a PVE group content where me and my buddies can group up and go play missions and so forth. Long as they kept commin out with content Id keep payin.

I would also pay for the ability to custom build a mech from the ground up using different parts from various mech types as I have been a designer for a long time and that is half the fun for me.

Id pay for a personal Dropship Mercinary Hall where we could do our own repairs paint jobs inspect mechs and trade/ bank saved salvaged parts and the like as well as sell them on the intergalatic market.

Think thats about it If something dosent change gameplay beyond what I mentioned its not entirely worth buying to be honest decals and stickers are nice but I dont need them to play and have fun.

[Kaemon]

I would pay for integration in the form of match replays being text files that could be exported and played in MW:Tactics.

[Rambo Calrissian]

Ghost, on 02 November 2011 - 06:32 AM, said:

My suggestion on cash shop items: Clan tech.

Terrible idea.
Then it wouldn't be free to play at all, since you would never have a chance without paying.

[Gulgari]

I personally agree with the devs, and believe that anything combat related, including even the littlelest things that could give you an edge SHOULD REMAIN FREE OF CHARGE. They promise a gameplay based on skill, and I expect nothing less.

I dont have a full list of things that I would pay for but I would pay for something along the lines of this:

Option to customize your HUD: Being able to not only change the color of the HUD, but how it actually appears; meaning you can move different HUD screens, or resize them and what-not, to meet your personal preference.

[CW Grayson]

Good topic, as they should get money also of this and not only our hoorays for making a good mechgame...

Things i would pay for:
mp3-player in cockpit to hear my own tunes
custom decals so the unit has an unique one
rename mech
char -and mechslots
Natasha Kerensky Hula Girl
Hula Pony

One point that is almost missing, most of this should be permanent. Nothing more hating as when i make a good decal and it vanishes after a month or so. While i write this, i think maybe it's not that bad if it has a limited time, but then make it not THAT expensive to re-activate decals, hulas etc.

Bad things for shop:
Better mechs/weapons/ammo, but that's confirmed by the defs already, so i don't worry

Different laser colours, rounds of ammo or sounds. While it sounds as a cosmetic alteration first it's not that easy i think. I can see what laser a mech uses just by seeing the colour, same goes for weapon sounds. If you hear an AC20 behind you you know it's time to turn and face or run. If you hear a bird chirping (or even no sound at all) that would alter the game, i do not only use my eyes.

EDE calling: IF the game counts your kills and falls then this is bad. Like a killstealer/saver for money. Imagine you have 10 1v1 games against a pilot and everytime you shred him near dead and then he bails out, no kills for you, no loss for him, just because he paid money.

shadowvfx, on 02 November 2011 - 02:16 PM, said:

My idea would be to allow access to certain new mechs, weapons, or equipment a week or month earlier to those who pay for it. Is it unbalanced? Yes, but only initially. After a few weeks it will all balance out again. And, lets be honest here; this method is sure to generate a $hit ton of money for them. Who wouldn't want to be able to buy ER Lasers or Gauss Rifles a week before the crowd?

Bad.
Imagine there is a battle for let's say a planet and one faction can buy clanmechs/weapons while the other cannot. Bad

[Dragux]

So long as it does not turn into a Pay to Win type of scheme, i am fine with Custom lasers, Custom emblems, Custom Paintjobs, hell even Custom Voice coms (if we are not allowed to use our own and it comes down to Quick coms)...

I would be saddened if we had to pay for specific mechs for a time period, most Free to play games online have done that and it sickened me because everyone would drop the money on it first day to get the huge boost advantage and it sort of ruins the fun.

what i would specifically pay for though...
Custom Planet HQ's for Clan Vs Clan battles, where we the Clan Leaders/Founders get to design our own form of HQ or Environment for combat.

Remember the old MW editors? When players would create awesome Clan Vs Clan battles where one side has to enter the base and take the HQ located deep in the fortress?

might be asking too much but hey, it would make every battle different and give players a unique environment to fight in.

[SmoesHammer]

I like the idea of Knick-knacks in-cockpit, such as bobbly heads etc. It would probably work best if it had a library rather than just player uploads. Also it would be good for custom decals to have a viewer so you could see what it looks like before upload/buying. Many times what you see in photoshop etc. is different to in-game so you might want to check before you shell out cash.

[Vexgrave Lars]

Textures for my Mech.

Other than that, Nothing... I want to earn my C-bills and XP.

I'll concede that, that's all I can think of right now, but I wont KNOW until the store opens. I do see lots of potentials in this forum though, just nothing I'd drop additional real funds for.

What would be a bummer is using money to buy C-bills to buy gear. Is it a deal breaker, no.. but I'd rather a monthly subscription than have that come to pass. UNLESS, that gear can be permanently destroyed or salvaged should they lose, which means that those willing to spend are required to RISK as well to use it.