124 replies to this topic

[Mr T]

Now that PGI has released some of the details about how purchasing color patterns and such for mechs will work I'd like to know just how many people really want to spend money on a color pattern when its not actually unlocked, forcing you to re-buy the same colors and patterns again in the future if you wish to change it.

I get that "the techs need to repaint it" or whatever, but really, I feel like that's a lame excuse to nickel and dime us. This attitude I feel is making an excuse for this slow build up of a wall requiring some people, like myself, to actually try to enjoy the game, when it should just be something that happens as a result of the game. It's also getting to the point where I'd probably rather just spend 15$ a month, because I want to have some real permanence to my game without it feeling like there's a massive pay wall between me and the MWO I fawned so much over for the past few years, ever since the reboot trailer and following events.

What I feel is a reasonable way to go about purchasing paints:
Whenever a paint color or pattern is purchased, it should be permanently unlocked (at the very least) for that variant or all the variants for that mech (most preferable). Simple, yet satisfying. And in the end, will probably mean more skin purchases for PGI because if we can change between them freely, I know I and others wouldn't mind purchasing multiple patterns and color schemes.
I doubt many people want to purchase more than one skin/set of colors if it means wasting money on all the ones bought before it.


Again, because there are a lot of people that like to make the "techs gotta repaint/get paid/takes time in RL" argument, I feel like I should point out, many of us are here for the realistic (somewhat) mech combat simulation part of the game, I doubt anybody is really psyched out about a realistic technician and engineer simulator type game. Finally, the last thing this game needs is less permanence, especially because so many things currently lack this quality is it stands.

Update: Now theres a nice pool of votes, I've done some nice graphing, since I know money talks and this will help PGI to see the benefit of having permanence to skins.

Basically I made a small chart showing the theoretical MC spent, and average MC spent per player, from the votes of this thread, tallied as though each person who voted for buying a single skin set, bought one, and those who voted multiple bought only 2. Those who voted no of course, spent no MC in this chart.
The average pattern cost of 750 MC was used, averaging the 3 different values from the screenshots shown in the official thread linked above.

As you can see, there is a 409% increase of MC spent by making these skins permanent for at least the variant, while a further 48% or so increase in MC spent when said skins are unlocked across all of a mech's variants, 657% up from the current system.

PGI makes more money. We get a better value. Win Win.

Costco is an effective business because they give you a lot for your dollar spent and make returning items really easy (good customer service), so much so that people pay membership fees just to shop there. Its an excellent example to follow in any consumer based application.

::Updated Chart @ 11/25 8:02pm EST with latest vote #s.

Edited by Mr T, 25 November 2012 - 05:06 PM.

[Ghogiel]

I'll use the free colors for now I reckon.

I am definitely going to try leaving it alone until I see something I must have. Then I may paint a mech. Once.

[Cleverbird]

I don't get it why I would even want to buy camo in the first place... I'm inside the cockpit, its not like I get to enjoy it
I'm sure as hell not going to pay to let others enjoy my shiny mech.

But I will admit that this system seems like a pretty big scam just to make people pay more.

[Gristle]

So wait...If I want Woodland pattern in Green, Brown and Black and ALSO want Woodland in Blue, Grey and White I can't have both at the same time and freely change them out?

[New Breed]

I wont be buying non perm things.

[Ghogiel]

Gristle, on 24 November 2012 - 01:08 PM, said:

So wait...If I want Woodland pattern in Green, Brown and Black and ALSO want Woodland in Blue, Grey and White I can't have both at the same time and freely change them out?

correct. In this instance you do not have to buy the woodland pattern again, because you aren't changing that part of the camospec, but you would have to buy the colors every time you changed them

If you changed the pattern as well you would have to rebuy it back if you wanted to go back to one you have previously.

Edited by Ghogiel, 24 November 2012 - 01:16 PM.

[8Ball-]

If they're not permanent to at least the one variant I buy it for, and interchangeable with other paint jobs I buy for that mech. I'll just stick to the free paint. Maybe there'll be Faction paint jobs and ones for faction merc units(if they're inplimented).

[Trauglodyte]

I like it and it is one of those things that I'd be willing to do if I really really saw something that I liked.

You have to realize that in a lot of games with PvP content (see DAoC), you really only knew who you were fighting when you saw their flag and colors. Then games like WOW came along and for 7 years, everyone looked exactly the same. It wasn't until they put in the mechanic to change the look of your armor to other schemes that differentiation came into play. You could, hypothetically, become the Red Baron of MWO and be known by a color scheme that perhaps nobody else has or uses.

[Sephlock]

I just want a trollface for my chain-firing 4x AC/2 cataphract.

[Durahl]

I'd prefer a System that only charges me once when it comes to MC Skins.

Like this:
"Ooohh! Phranken Skin for 750MC! Must have! NOW""

*PGI just charged you 750MC*

"Meh... Changed my Mind... That single red color costing 300'000CBills I've seen during the last match looked better!"

*PGI just charged you 300'000CBills*

"What have I done?! I want my Phranken back!"

*PGI just charged you 300'000CBills*

"Whew... Lucky me they only charge you once for MC Skins."

Edited by Durahl, 24 November 2012 - 01:26 PM.

[Gristle]

Ghogiel, on 24 November 2012 - 01:15 PM, said:

correct. In this instance you do not have to buy the woodland pattern again, because you aren't changing that part of the camospec, but you would have to buy the colors every time you changed them

If you changed the pattern as well you would have to rebuy it back if you wanted to go back to one you have previously.

Hmmmm...not what I was expecting. I can't really see this working out for PGI financially. My impression is that this is a dissinsentive for me to buy multiple camo patterns for my mechs. I'd be thinking "I already spent 5 bucks on the paint job on this thing, I'm not going to throw that money away."

Edited by Gristle, 24 November 2012 - 01:33 PM.

[SteelJaws]

I have no issue spending MC on the better Camo/skins out there.

What I do have issue with, is that I don't get to keep them, and then have to pay AGAIN for something I already did.

Changing the way you look in an MMO is half the fun, in this game beyond being able to customize your mech is sometimes more fun than dropping. I really hope they put in the ability to make changes/modifications without have to SAVE and SPEND money every time. That was the biggest boon with previous MW titles, is the ability to completely rebuild your mech from the gound up, get to the last part and say YES/NO and go from there.

I don't see the point of paying MC again and again for skins I've already bought, I understand they need to make money, but really, some **** you just gotta let slide.

Stop nickel and dime'ing us on the small stuff.

[Vila deVere]

Anything I buy for MC should be mine.. Or at least "unlocked." any changes after that should be restricted to C-bills. Only charge MC for patterns, or premium color pallets. Changes between items you've paid for with MC could still cost C-Bills to pay the techs.

[BigJim]

Bear in mind though that there's only a finite combination of skins & colours possible, and once most people have settled on one they like (using the preview pane in the pallete screen) they won't bother changing it (since that would cost MCs and threads like this make me think everyone's as tight as a duck's arse around here).

If it were perma-unlocked, you'd need far more stuff to buy in order to get half-decent money coming in, possibly gold Gauss rounds? I hear those are popular.



It's what - £1.60 for 750MCs? That's cheaper than a 300ml bottle of middle-class drinking water from a supermarket, or about one-quarter of a pint of the cheapest pi** lager in a town pub (bar).

If anyone's worrying about that, I don' know how they can afford a broadband internet connection and a PC to play this game, let alone the electricity to run it.

I'm not some consumer anti-warrior, defending the honour of these poor little companies, but seriously, some reality checking needs to go on here; Everyone on these forums like to talk on & on like they're so bloody adult, using well thought out arguments like they're some kind of grown-up, but yet seemingly can't afford the pocket-money (less than that, as a kid I'd have been offended to receive so little pocket money) to apply a silly skin in a FTP computer game?


If you want a range of colours, hell, if you want one for every day of the week, just get another mechbay for 300MC (even cheaper at 90p) and apply the new skin to that. Bish-bash-bosh, job done.

[Gristle]

From day 1 I have had concerns about how they were going to monetize this game. I just don't see there being enough content they can create and sell the players to make a consistent revenue stream. The only option I see PGI has for creating steady revenue would be having everything, mechs, weapons, upgrades, skins, EVERYTHING be on a lease system. You want that shiny new Cataphract in your garage? You can rent it for 7 days for 1,000,000 c-bills or 500 MC. Now that you got your shiny new CTF those AC5's your gonna equip it with are only available for a 7 day lease for 10,000 CB or 75 MC. Oh and the bay your gonna park it in needs to be leased also.

[Ryvucz]

I don't actually have a problem with this, I would complain IF the paint was on a timer. (5 days playing with current paint job)

THAT, is taking money.

[Khavi Vetali]

Hmm...funny. I plan on testing out all my pattern and color purchases on the mechbay preview, and only purchasing something I find I like. After that, it is permanent. It's not like they come and yank the color off of my mech and force me to pay to apply it again. If I want to change it in the future, I should have to pay. Much rather have vanity items cost RM than anything else.

[Mr T]

Gristle, on 24 November 2012 - 01:42 PM, said:

From day 1 I have had concerns about how they were going to monetize this game. I just don't see there being enough content they can create and sell the players to make a consistent revenue stream. The only option I see PGI has for creating steady revenue would be having everything, mechs, weapons, upgrades, skins, EVERYTHING be on a lease system. You want that shiny new Cataphract in your garage? You can rent it for 7 days for 1,000,000 c-bills or 500 MC. Now that you got your shiny new CTF those AC5's your gonna equip it with are only available for a 7 day lease for 10,000 CB or 75 MC. Oh and the bay your gonna park it in needs to be leased also.

Ugh, rentals in games are horrible. I stopped playing Blacklight Retribution after a couple matches after I saw how much of that game was just rental only stuff.

[EXPIDITER]

I would be interested in colors ONLY if once purchased you OWN them. They should apply to your entire inventory, however I would except a lesser charge for adding them to the next weight class if necessary, as a profit must be made somewhere.

[Scratx]

If costs are high enough (and I'm afraid 750MC is well into that range) then most people won't bother grabbing premium anything, especially considering they'd lose it if they switched that part of the paint...

I think, if the prices are going to be like that, they have to work on an unlocking scheme. Sorry, but while I may've been willing to go with this system if the prices were in the 100-200 MCs range, if it's in the 500+ it's just crazy to expect us to feel happy about it.

Edited by Scratx, 24 November 2012 - 02:07 PM.