You guys have a pricing model that is completely out of whack for this type of game. Charging an exorbitant amount to merely change colors or patterns is going to earn you nothing, because players want a great deal of tiny (MICRO!) transactions that are too small for a player to consider a serious investment. If you set all of the skins to be some 50 MC a pop, and made each color/theme for the skin another 10 mc, and let players change from skin to skin any time they wanted for free, you would get a LOT more purchases and see a lot more diversity in the playerbase regarding what they buy and how much they're willing to spend.
The black friday promotion wasn't good primarily because it was too small of a bonus on in-game currency that doesn't have enough uses as of yet, as well as only being on the most expensive of the packages. You would've gotten a great deal more money from halving all of the MC prices for friday and saturday instead of providing a small bonus on only expensive packages as well.
Simply put you guys are trying to charge too much for too little when you should be trying to sell a great many seperate little things for a small amount of money. I want to see the game succeed, but it won't with this kind of pricing model. I don't know if you've got your hands tied by corporate to set prices a certain way but this is practically the definition of how not to price a free to play game.
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On F2P Pricing Model: Skins
Started by Xenogfan43, Nov 23 2012 05:56 PM
16 replies to this topic
#2
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Posted 23 November 2012 - 06:09 PM
Yeah, If I lose the old paint job every time I buy a new one I just won't buy any new ones. :I
#3
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- 133 posts
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Posted 23 November 2012 - 11:37 PM
League of Legends seems to have nice business model and it looks like it is working out for them. Tons of people buy tons skins and they are coming out with new one all the time. There are even a bunch of fan made skins that are for sale. That brings in comunity involvement.
People buy lots of inexpensive things and the spent money builds up. Just imagine the last time you ate most or all of a bag of potato chips. It is the same concept. You only realize that you ate the bag after you are done. What usually compounds that is the fact that you are going to be doing something else that will distract you from paying attention to your eating, like watching TV or playing a video game. Your model should run on the same concept. Lots of things of little things build up.
Your current business model for the paint and camo isn't very good isn't very good in my opinion. You might make money off of each mech people have at most once or twice. That is going to be it. Some people may buy more if they have a larger disposable income. You could instead be making money multiple times off of every mech. The way it is now is going to discourage that.
The way I can picture things going with the current business model is that people are going to find a camo or paint that they like for each mech and stick with it. Once this happens, you are only going to be making money off of each new mech you release. As the new mechs come out, people will buy a paint job for it and stick with it. You are going to be making money based on mech releases and money spent on the development of extra paint jobs will be wasted. You are wasting potential here and, that isn't good for your long run.
What I would like to see is a model more like this.
1. Each mech is separate and you can't swap camo between them.
2. Each camo has separate colors and you can't swap colors between them.
3. Each camo costs MC and each color for it cost MCs as well.
4. Each purchase is permanent. People have to feel like they are getting something for what they pay for.
5. The pricing for the camo and colors needs to be small enough to entice people into buying more of them and even attempting to collect them. Give people something to work towards
6. The price of camos needs to be higher than the price of colors to offset development costs.
7. Special skins that cost more than regular camo, for example holidays, promotions, events. It would be nice to see modifications for some special skins, for example, a jack-o-lantern skin with customizable colors. Others can be sold as an unmodifiable skin. Collectors will jump at the chance to buy special items.
8. Community involvement. Having the ability to submit designs will bring in more community involvement. Anyone playing this game is going to want 100 ton death machines painted in their own designs.
A model like the one above has the potential to make money off of every every mech someone owns. If someone has twenty mechs and you release a new camo, you have the potential to make money twenty times. If you have five camos for each mech and you release a new color, that guy has twenty mechs, you have the potential to make money one hundred times. Every time you release a mech, color, or camo, you increase that potential to make money.
The way it looks like it is going, I am going to be missing out, you are going to be missing out, everyone is going to be missing out. Don't you want our money?
People buy lots of inexpensive things and the spent money builds up. Just imagine the last time you ate most or all of a bag of potato chips. It is the same concept. You only realize that you ate the bag after you are done. What usually compounds that is the fact that you are going to be doing something else that will distract you from paying attention to your eating, like watching TV or playing a video game. Your model should run on the same concept. Lots of things of little things build up.
Your current business model for the paint and camo isn't very good isn't very good in my opinion. You might make money off of each mech people have at most once or twice. That is going to be it. Some people may buy more if they have a larger disposable income. You could instead be making money multiple times off of every mech. The way it is now is going to discourage that.
The way I can picture things going with the current business model is that people are going to find a camo or paint that they like for each mech and stick with it. Once this happens, you are only going to be making money off of each new mech you release. As the new mechs come out, people will buy a paint job for it and stick with it. You are going to be making money based on mech releases and money spent on the development of extra paint jobs will be wasted. You are wasting potential here and, that isn't good for your long run.
What I would like to see is a model more like this.
1. Each mech is separate and you can't swap camo between them.
2. Each camo has separate colors and you can't swap colors between them.
3. Each camo costs MC and each color for it cost MCs as well.
4. Each purchase is permanent. People have to feel like they are getting something for what they pay for.
5. The pricing for the camo and colors needs to be small enough to entice people into buying more of them and even attempting to collect them. Give people something to work towards
6. The price of camos needs to be higher than the price of colors to offset development costs.
7. Special skins that cost more than regular camo, for example holidays, promotions, events. It would be nice to see modifications for some special skins, for example, a jack-o-lantern skin with customizable colors. Others can be sold as an unmodifiable skin. Collectors will jump at the chance to buy special items.
8. Community involvement. Having the ability to submit designs will bring in more community involvement. Anyone playing this game is going to want 100 ton death machines painted in their own designs.
A model like the one above has the potential to make money off of every every mech someone owns. If someone has twenty mechs and you release a new camo, you have the potential to make money twenty times. If you have five camos for each mech and you release a new color, that guy has twenty mechs, you have the potential to make money one hundred times. Every time you release a mech, color, or camo, you increase that potential to make money.
The way it looks like it is going, I am going to be missing out, you are going to be missing out, everyone is going to be missing out. Don't you want our money?
#4
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- Moderate Giver
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Posted 24 November 2012 - 01:13 AM
I don't particularly agree with the per mech plan, unless skins were dirt cheap I'm wouldn't be buying them for any but my most used ones. Especially since I fully intend to at have each variant set in my mechbay - probably with doubles for variant load-outs on some of them.
Skins can't be outlandishly priced either, people will buy them just to buy them and run around in giant pink atlases of doom.
Skins can't be outlandishly priced either, people will buy them just to buy them and run around in giant pink atlases of doom.
#5
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- 133 posts
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Posted 24 November 2012 - 01:37 PM
Who cares if there are a ton of giant pink Atlases, at least that is money in PGI's pocket for each one.
#6
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- Moderate Giver
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Posted 24 November 2012 - 02:25 PM
I'm not at all opposed to it. But the pricing is going to be a major issue if skins are not universal. If it would end up being per mech you'll see a sale drop.
Edited by sycocys, 24 November 2012 - 02:26 PM.
#7
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Posted 24 November 2012 - 02:48 PM
I don't mind if they are universal or not. I just want to see a better system then the one they are going for.
#8
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- Elite Founder
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Posted 24 November 2012 - 02:54 PM
I think the skins and items are priced well. Is only 70 cents for a skin color. A cockpit item is only 2 bucks.
Edited by RiceyFighter, 24 November 2012 - 03:10 PM.
#9
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Posted 24 November 2012 - 04:44 PM
Personally I find the whole F2P model downright offensive. I can't believe people would actually buy $100 worth of MC, even for a polished game, much less one in it's current state.
The whole F2P system makes me feel like I'm dealing with the guys from the movie Used Cars.
Give me a finished product and I will pay you for said product. The fact that PGI even had the audacity to put an option for a $100 MC purchase on the site amazes me. But it sounds like there are people who are paying those (IMO) ridiculous amounts of money.
The whole F2P system makes me feel like I'm dealing with the guys from the movie Used Cars.
Give me a finished product and I will pay you for said product. The fact that PGI even had the audacity to put an option for a $100 MC purchase on the site amazes me. But it sounds like there are people who are paying those (IMO) ridiculous amounts of money.
#10
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Posted 24 November 2012 - 04:47 PM
Greyfyl, on 24 November 2012 - 04:44 PM, said:
Personally I find the whole F2P model downright offensive. I can't believe people would actually buy $100 worth of MC, even for a polished game, much less one in it's current state.
The whole F2P system makes me feel like I'm dealing with the guys from the movie Used Cars.
Give me a finished product and I will pay you for said product. The fact that PGI even had the audacity to put an option for a $100 MC purchase on the site amazes me. But it sounds like there are people who are paying those (IMO) ridiculous amounts of money.
The whole F2P system makes me feel like I'm dealing with the guys from the movie Used Cars.
Give me a finished product and I will pay you for said product. The fact that PGI even had the audacity to put an option for a $100 MC purchase on the site amazes me. But it sounds like there are people who are paying those (IMO) ridiculous amounts of money.
offensive ... lol ok. Its $100 for some people thats nothing. If its too much for you then dont buy it. Play for free.
As far as the item pricing, it does seem pretty reasonable however once bought it should be able to be applied at any time for no additional charge.
Edited by Jadel Blade, 24 November 2012 - 04:48 PM.
#11
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Posted 24 November 2012 - 05:09 PM
$100 in a f2p in a year is still less than you'd pay for the average monthly mmo. Most people don't buy the large packs, but it is nice to have that option should you want to have a great jump start into the game. I'm on the $7 every to every other month plan just for buying mechbays to add all the variants in as I move along to them.
Waiting for more things to get - heroes are out of my value range right now, but who knows if they are still available once I have all variants purchased that will likely be how I move to support the game further.
Waiting for more things to get - heroes are out of my value range right now, but who knows if they are still available once I have all variants purchased that will likely be how I move to support the game further.
#12
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Posted 24 November 2012 - 05:34 PM
An initial investment in a pattern which can then be applied to the rest of the owned mechs for a reduced amount would be more apt to hook me - make it seem cheap to skin my 'mechs all the same not realizing that in the long run I'm spending a lot.
Again, like weapon load-outs and 'mech customization I'd like to see a pattern/schematic/blueprint/etc system that allows me to save favorites for a higher upfront cost and use later on other 'mechs at a lower cost. Seems like a simple method to allow me to spend more money a little bit at a time again and again over a longer time frame.
Again, like weapon load-outs and 'mech customization I'd like to see a pattern/schematic/blueprint/etc system that allows me to save favorites for a higher upfront cost and use later on other 'mechs at a lower cost. Seems like a simple method to allow me to spend more money a little bit at a time again and again over a longer time frame.
#13
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- Giant Helper
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Posted 24 November 2012 - 05:51 PM
XenomorphZZ, on 24 November 2012 - 05:29 PM, said:
... this just happens... to be another feature from WoT, same idea, permament camo's cost hard currency and stuff you bought is lost if you decide to repaint the tank.
It wasn't very popular at first in WoT, nobody wanted to spend money on paint, just to have to buy it again, for every tank none-the-less, and you were not allowed to have multiple tanks unlike here in MWO...
Except, WoT then added gameplay improvements if you painted your tank, a small reduction in your tank's visibilty rating. Now almost every tank you see is painted.
I wonder what might happen in MWO...
Edited by XenomorphZZ, 24 November 2012 - 05:52 PM.
#14
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Posted 24 November 2012 - 06:42 PM
Jadel Blade, on 24 November 2012 - 04:47 PM, said:
offensive ... lol ok. Its $100 for some people thats nothing. If its too much for you then dont buy it. Play for free.
And some people would spend a $1000 on a bottle of champagne....what's your point? You do realize that high quality pc games like Guild Wars 2 are around $60 right? And don't worry - at this point I won't buy it, and I've seen plenty of others that think the pricing is ludicrous. I'm a huge BT and MW fan and I'm not willing to pay for the game....what does that say about the chances that an average pc gamer is going to pay for the stuff? You do realize they need more than just a few people actually paying for the game to continue right?
Jadel Blade, on 24 November 2012 - 04:47 PM, said:
As far as the item pricing, it does seem pretty reasonable however once bought it should be able to be applied at any time for no additional charge.
So it seems reasonable except for the part that's not reasonable. Good logic there.
#15
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- 999 posts
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Posted 24 November 2012 - 07:58 PM
You really have let your rage overtake your logic haven't you.
Firstly you are the one that brought up the $100 trying to suggest its a lot of money. I was simply pointing out that it's not.
Gw2. Personally the 60 I spent on that game is the biggest waste of money I have had on any game ever.
Secondly. The PRICING seems reasonable. If they make you pay each time then the model is not.
The fact that you are too tight to pay for your entertainment is of no interest to me. I think you need to take a breath and calm down before you burst something.
Firstly you are the one that brought up the $100 trying to suggest its a lot of money. I was simply pointing out that it's not.
Gw2. Personally the 60 I spent on that game is the biggest waste of money I have had on any game ever.
Secondly. The PRICING seems reasonable. If they make you pay each time then the model is not.
The fact that you are too tight to pay for your entertainment is of no interest to me. I think you need to take a breath and calm down before you burst something.
#16
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Posted 24 November 2012 - 07:58 PM
i would pay real money for unlocks of patterns / camos / colours etc. if you could then swap them about for cbills
paying real money and then losing that camo if you change it and need to re-buy it each time = no from me (which seems to be the consensus in the main thread in the discussion area)
paying real money and then losing that camo if you change it and need to re-buy it each time = no from me (which seems to be the consensus in the main thread in the discussion area)
#17
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Posted 24 November 2012 - 09:16 PM
I'm not a huge fan of either BT or MW, just a casual fan that enjoys mech combat and I happen to think this game has enough value to put a few bucks here and there into. I personally decided to put my first purchase in after trying for a bit and seeing that they were keeping to the design of having the game be skill based rather than money based - and they will suck at least enough out of me for mechbays to hold every variant and probably some doubles.
If skins provide some variation to things and a little bit more fun (ie watching pink atlases storm the field) then I'll probably get in on that action as well, unless they are true camo and able to set to a particular drop the value of a skin it really not much in my opinon as far as a price point. I'd buy a lot if they were super cheap, or a few if they were in the $1 range and applicable to all my mechs.
Have to say that I do agree that they should have a c-bill cost to swap/equip after you purchase though.
If skins provide some variation to things and a little bit more fun (ie watching pink atlases storm the field) then I'll probably get in on that action as well, unless they are true camo and able to set to a particular drop the value of a skin it really not much in my opinon as far as a price point. I'd buy a lot if they were super cheap, or a few if they were in the $1 range and applicable to all my mechs.
Have to say that I do agree that they should have a c-bill cost to swap/equip after you purchase though.
Edited by sycocys, 24 November 2012 - 09:17 PM.
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