80 replies to this topic

[An Ax Murderer]

I'm a F2P, and up until a week ago, I hadn't put a single dime into this game. I filled up my 4 mech bays, had to make some sacrafices in order to get new chassis, but I finally hit the wall. I couldn't advance any further without additional 'Mech Bays.

This got me thinking about the prices of MC, and how PGI could cut a deal with the F2P players.

Here's my thinking: What if you gave a MC bonus, say, 150 MC per day? Every game you win, you get 25 or 50 MC (Or whatever amount you wanted), up to a total of 150 for the day. You could even make this 150 per 2 days. This would allow F2P players to purchase a new 'Mech Bay, without having to throw money into a game that isn't costing them anything.

Now before you founders jump on your soapbox and start ranting about "It isn't that much to pay" and "Just man up and throw down a few dollars", here are some variables that PGI can control.

• Total amount of MC to be earned in a week (Maximum of 450 or something)
  
• Amount earned per day (If they wanted you to only earn 50, so be it)
  
• The requirements to earn it (Winning, doing x amount of damage)
  
• The cap on the amount of "free" MC you can have, (preventing you from saving up and buying a mech with it). 1000 maybe? This would allow you to save up, unlock a pattern for your mech, paint it, but not enough to buy yourself a spider.

This is just my thoughts, and I don't think it is an unreasonable thing to consider.

"I've never learned anything from a man who agreed with me"

Feel free to tell me your thoughts, and why you feel that way. "No" doesn't tell me why you think it isn't a good idea. If you don't agree, explain why, and put some logic behind it.

I don't want to hear you whine about how "unfair" it is because you're a founder and how PGI is stealing your "rights"

Flame away. (:

[Livewyr]

Not going to flame you, but I am going to say- if they're going to give away currency- it should be through contests and events, not everyday menial things.

[Redshift2k5]

Many other free to play games sprinkle you with their flavour of paid currency. But this is a very hard concept for many to grasp- from their point of view, it's bad enough you're giving the game away from free, but now you want the few cash-only items to be free as well, this is a business not a charity.


now, I have seen FTP games that give away their cash currency in small dollops still be successful, But, I don't think MWO needs to give away any MC. The only item I think they need to adjust is the mechbays, while leaving Hero Mechs and premium time and most of the premium camo as cash-only items.

I do expect that, as we see Factions become a part of the game, we will see some cosmetic items be a part of your chosen faction, as rewards for ranking up or however they define the system. Perhaps mechbaps could also be a reward item one can earn instead of only purchase.

[fil5000]

Yeah, contests or something is a good idea. I honestly can't see why PGI would just handing out free cash to people just for playing though - I mean, if you're not paying for the game then (as far as a business plan goes) you're not a customer, you're content for paying customers, and you can be that well enough with four mech bays.

I'm curious as to your use of the word "compromise" in the thread title though. What about your proposal is a compromise? It looks more like wanting PGI to make a concession.

[Tarman]

Redshift2k5, on 16 February 2013 - 06:30 AM, said:

Many other free to play games sprinkle you with their flavour of paid currency. But this is a very hard concept for many to grasp- from their point of view, it's bad enough you're giving the game away from free, but now you want the few cash-only items to be free as well, this is a business not a charity.


now, I have seen FTP games that give away their cash currency in small dollops still be successful, But, I don't think MWO needs to give away any MC. The only item I think they need to adjust is the mechbays, while leaving Hero Mechs and premium time and most of the premium camo as cash-only items.

I do expect that, as we see Factions become a part of the game, we will see some cosmetic items be a part of your chosen faction, as rewards for ranking up or however they define the system. Perhaps mechbaps could also be a reward item one can earn instead of only purchase.

I do believe there are plans in the works for achievable mechbays.

[Throat Punch]

You know I go to a steak house every day and sit at th bar. I just go in to smell the delicious food cooking. Until a week ago I've never spent a dime or tasted the delicious food. I think that because I go to this steak house every day and help give the appearance that the restaurant is full that they should maybe give give me a coupon for a small baked potato every day i come in. Maybe if I don't spend the coupons I could save them up and maybe buy a steak. That way, without spending money like the actual customers, I still could get a decent meal too just by showing up and sitting at the bar. I think that sounds fair that I should get something other people have to pay for just by showing up like I usually do anyway.

[Cybermech]

Right now I'm looking for a reason to hit that add premium time button.

What your posting does not make sense, free players are allowed to play.
Its quite sane to have the mech bays the way they are, its a way to get some money out of players.

I think maybe those who have premium can enter competitions for MC.
Free players should not be allowed to, they contribute to the population count and get to play for free.
Ways of making them pay but feel like they got some nice stuff out of it is more important then anything else.

[SI The Joker]

Tarman, on 16 February 2013 - 06:34 AM, said:

I do believe there are plans in the works for achievable mechbays.

Source?

Dear OP,

$6.95 = 4 mech bays.

[Eric darkstar Marr]

Wait for it.....


Wait for it....

[REDACTED]

NO!

Edited by Viterbi, 16 February 2013 - 10:34 AM.
Removed large space

[Tarman]

SI The Joker, on 16 February 2013 - 06:49 AM, said:

Source?

Dear OP,

$6.95 = 4 mech bays.

Wish I had a source, I saw someone else with a list of devtalk in one of the 50 other threads like this, it was mentioned in one of those. I don't think it was a hard plan with a timeline or anything, I believe it was more of a "yes we want to do that in future" kind of a thing, in a list of other interesting features they may or may not implement.

[fil5000]

Morsdraco, on 16 February 2013 - 06:43 AM, said:

You know I go to a steak house every day and sit at th bar. I just go in to smell the delicious food cooking. Until a week ago I've never spent a dime or tasted the delicious food. I think that because I go to this steak house every day and help give the appearance that the restaurant is full that they should maybe give give me a coupon for a small baked potato every day i come in. Maybe if I don't spend the coupons I could save them up and maybe buy a steak. That way, without spending money like the actual customers, I still could get a decent meal too just by showing up and sitting at the bar. I think that sounds fair that I should get something other people have to pay for just by showing up like I usually do anyway.

I think to perfect this you should change it just a little to say that the wait staff actually bring you a starter dish each day for free. Then your analogy would be as awesome as a steak.

[SI The Joker]

Tarman, on 16 February 2013 - 06:53 AM, said:

Wish I had a source, I saw someone else with a list of devtalk in one of the 50 other threads like this, it was mentioned in one of those. I don't think it was a hard plan with a timeline or anything, I believe it was more of a "yes we want to do that in future" kind of a thing, in a list of other interesting features they may or may not implement.

I haven't read anything to that effect one way or the other... so I won't comment further. If you do find it though, I'd be interested in what the devs have said.

Still though... it's $6.95 (Just call it $7) for 4 mech bays. With the lowest MC package it's $1.75 per mechbay, on the high end of MC packages... it's like $1.04 or something.

Spend a few bucks and support the game.

[An Ax Murderer]

Key word: Consider

Lots of things to control, I just don't want to drop $7 into the game every time I want to buy another 'Mech with C-bills.

[Solomon Ward]

Wait for a 20% MC deal.

Invest 49.95$

Own 52 Mechbays.

Never spend a dime again.



This whole F2P business thing is still kinda weired to me.

But i just remember myself that I payed 10-15 each month for MMO´s for the last 8/9 years.
And now they bore me and i invest that money in MWO instead as long as i enjoy it.

[Throat Punch]

SI The Joker, on 16 February 2013 - 06:59 AM, said:

Spend a few bucks and support the game.

This! 1000 times this!!! If you enjoy playing the game enough that you feel you need more 'Mechs/'Mech bays, support it!

[fil5000]

Solomon Ward, on 16 February 2013 - 07:00 AM, said:

Wait for a 20% MC deal.

Invest 49.95$

Own 52 Mechbays.

Never spend a dime again.



This whole F2P business thing is still kinda weired to me.

But i just remember myself that I payed 10-15 each month for MMO´s for the last 8/9 years.
And now they bore me and i invest that money in MWO instead as long as i enjoy it.

I don't really get it either, but I'm sitting here with 25 mechbays, a founders mech, two heroes and a whole lot of paint so I guess it works.

[Eric darkstar Marr]

Okay OP wanted something more constructive then no.

We will start with they are a smaller company so they are already working on margin or below.
So lets look at it like this you open an McDonalds you buy the franchise rights but only the rights, you have a nice pile of cash to cover your head.
Now you need to hire a contractor to build your store, once it is near completion you have to hire and train your team.(fast time logic). Now this whole time we will say it is 3 years you have not made a single dime, and whats even worse you didn't read the fine print on page 38 that says you have to pay the franchise fees every month. While this is an extreme example it is almost the same as the game took inception 5-6 years ago and they may have had some side projects here and there some one needs to get their investments back of paying for this to happen in the first place.


Do you really think the devs just came to work every day in and out for 0 pay? If you say well they have been working on it since mid 2010 that is fine and true under the MWO line but not overall, I digress though The put founders packages out back in what July I think so mid 2012. So 2 years, say it with me 2 years someone was giving them the money to continue work.

It will take a while overall to reach a solid profitable state.


And that is why NO! not going to happen. We may see a MC price change though around the time the game is considered "live" over open beta and that would only happen if it lands in that magic spot of made not to much money (causing greed in the upper levels) and not to little that it will take a couple of more years for the initial investment.

I feel peoples pain but really how hard is it to not spend 1 meal out or cut back on the starbucks for a week. You can not be that strapped for cash if you were you would be grateful for such a great F2P game.

[fil5000]

An Ax Murderer, on 16 February 2013 - 06:59 AM, said:

Key word: Consider

Lots of things to control, I just don't want to drop $7 into the game every time I want to buy another 'Mech with C-bills.

Again, could you clarify how PGI giving away free money represents a compromise?

[Tarman]

SI The Joker, on 16 February 2013 - 06:59 AM, said:

I haven't read anything to that effect one way or the other... so I won't comment further. If you do find it though, I'd be interested in what the devs have said.

Still though... it's $6.95 (Just call it $7) for 4 mech bays. With the lowest MC package it's $1.75 per mechbay, on the high end of MC packages... it's like $1.04 or something.

Spend a few bucks and support the game.

Oh yeah, personally I think a single burger meal is a decent tradeoff to add to the functionality of a game you're playing enough to need said extra functionality. A contest or achievement-get method for mechbays doesn't bother me though. Mechbays could make a nice prize for anyone, not just a freeplayer.

[Vassago Rain]

Surely, you aren't this cheap?