RMT in CO... Oh no

nickelpat

Okay, I was looking on Gamestop today, for GTR Evolution and RACE 07 actually, but saw the Champions preview and clicked on it. Included are some nice things, beta access, flight from level 1, etc. Then I saw it.... It included 30 days of free time, normal right? Right below it... "5 Cryptic Bucks for premium in-game items". My heart sunk, my stomach took it's place. I feel to my kness (while sitting down nonetheless) and yelled, and screamed.

Here's the link to the page and a copy and paste of the text:

 

http://www.gamestop.com/Catalog/ProductDetails.aspx?sku=647548

 

Reserve Champions Online and receive :

* A 30-Day Free Trial.

* 5 Cryptic Bucks which can be used to purchase a variety of premium in-game goods.

* GameStop exclusive Insesctoid Airfoil which flaps up to 90 times per second and is ideal for the high-flying hero.

* Level 0 Flight. GameStop customers can utilize the awesome power of flight right at the beginning of Champions Online – something that normally takes users 5 levels to earn!

* Guaranteed access to the Champions Online Open Beta Test, set to start 2 weeks prior to the game's release.

Available for online and in-store customers only while supplies last.

Online / In-Store Pickup Customers: A code giving you access to the beta will be emailed to you prior to the beta's launch.

Store Customers: A pre-order card giving you instant access to the beta will be available in-store prior to the beta's launch.

EricDanie

 "Premium in-game goods", HAHAHA.

I hope they explain that, will we see the first MMO with monthly fees and item malls? Way to rape people's pockets and generate money, it's sad to see MMOs going the make-the-most-money-out-of-players route instead of sticking to the service monthly fee or innovating with the asian hour plans.

Fadedbomb

Fun, I can check champions online off my list of games "looking forward to". Now I don't have to waste my money on trying it ! Unless of course, those "premium in-game items" are simply things like bonus content City of Heroes is doing. Other than that, a big ol'Middle Finger towards CO.

nickelpat

Originally posted by Fadedbomb


Fun, I can check champions online off my list of games "looking forward to". Now I don't have to waste my money on trying it ! Unless of course, those "premium in-game items" are simply things like bonus content City of Heroes is doing. Other than that, a big ol'Middle Finger towards CO.

 

If it was content packs like CoH, which are more like expansion packs, I would expect them to use USD. Not carnival money.

I know EQ/EQ2 have RMT, but I don't believe they're really an item mall, I believe they are player-to-player.

Kyleran

Better get used to it.  RMT is the future of all MMO's, they are becoming too expensive to not try and maximize revenues

Senadina

I know it sounds awful, but we don't really know what "Cryptic Bucks" are. If it is RMT, why use some fictitious form of currency?  I am dubious but....I need more info.

zaylin

Originally posted by nickelpat


Okay, I was looking on Gamestop today, for GTR Evolution and RACE 07 actually, but saw the Champions preview and clicked on it. Included are some nice things, beta access, flight from level 1, etc. Then I saw it.... It included 30 days of free time, normal right? Right below it... "5 Cryptic Bucks for premium in-game items". My heart sunk, my stomach took it's place. I feel to my kness (while sitting down nonetheless) and yelled, and screamed.
Here's the link to the page and a copy and paste of the text:
 
http://www.gamestop.com/Catalog/ProductDetails.aspx?sku=647548
 
Reserve Champions Online and receive :
* A 30-Day Free Trial.

* 5 Cryptic Bucks which can be used to purchase a variety of premium in-game goods.

* GameStop exclusive Insesctoid Airfoil which flaps up to 90 times per second and is ideal for the high-flying hero.

* Level 0 Flight. GameStop customers can utilize the awesome power of flight right at the beginning of Champions Online – something that normally takes users 5 levels to earn!

* Guaranteed access to the Champions Online Open Beta Test, set to start 2 weeks prior to the game's release.
Available for online and in-store customers only while supplies last.
Online / In-Store Pickup Customers: A code giving you access to the beta will be emailed to you prior to the beta's launch.
Store Customers: A pre-order card giving you instant access to the beta will be available in-store prior to the beta's launch.
 

I would watch out for game stop IMO, I have heard quite a bit about the PRe order card scandle,and had it actuall happen to me once. "ohh Im sorry we are all out". but  behind the scense they are giving them to there friends and such,now Im not saying that this is true for every game stop, but just be mindfull...Just a heads up/fyi. and ya that sucks about the $5 Cryptic Bucks. I dont like micro transactions in games...lol lets charge you $15 a month and than add a premium service that makes you pay for the better items in-game

arctarus

Originally posted by Senadina


I know it sounds awful, but we don't really know what "Cryptic Bucks" are. If it is RMT, why use some fictitious form of currency?  I am dubious but....I need more info.

 

Maybe its like, 1usd for 200 Cryptic bucks....

Senadina

ok, but if something costs 200 Cryptic bucks, why not just charge $1.00?

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Hahhns

lol i worked ata  game stop like 4 years ago and thats what we used to do is give them to friends lol

 

but also each store gets a certain ammount of pre order cards and a few stores may not have that many pre orders so they can do whatever they want, to this day if there is a pre order for a game for beta i just head to my local gamestop and get it just for being friends with the manager.

nickelpat

Yes, RMT seems to be the future. But not RMT AND a subscription... I hope.

 

My GameStop around here is a very awesome place, few issues. Although I know as a chain they have issues. Due to that, Amazon also backs this up:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Champions-Online-Pc/dp/B0024FA6EY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1246940376&sr=8-1

 

Pre-order Bonus Items

Pre-order today and receive three in-game goods (Harlequin Headpiece, Grenade Chest Strap, and Black Knight Helmet) and five Cryptic Bucks. Directions will be sent within 10 days after the game releases. Offer good while supplies last. Must be sold and shipped by Amazon.com to be eligible. Limit one per customer.

 

It has also been confirmed by Cryptic they will be there, beta testers have reported seeing a button for a "Champion Store" and an error message saying something about microtransactions. The article was actually posted on MMORPG.com.

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Xasapis

Disappointing news. I was interested in checking this game, sadly not any more.

Thradar

This may or may not indicate an RMT model.

Lots of games give pre-order people special items.  Perhaps Cryptic bucks are just funny money allowing pre-order peeps to choose from some cool starting items.

Turbine recently did this with the Mines of Moria expansion, but they were tokens that you exchanged at an NPC.

Or it could just be RMT..which would suck.

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EricDanie

 Could you please point me where they have an official post regarding these Cryptic Coins?

Beta testers can't really talk about it because of the NDA, and the official forums have hundreds of posts in different topics asking what the heck are these microtransactions about (lots of drama), but I didn't find an official answer, so can't really blame them for the drama.

Gives a really bad impression to me even though I don't know what they are about, especially because they seem to be hiding the information while the preorders already confirm their existence and we already know this is a monthly fee P2P game.

First we see F2P games with hidden monthly fees and MT, then the F2P games appear with necessary monthly fees to advance after a certain content while also featuring MT, now we will finally see a P2P game that has MT? What a sad "evolution" for the consumer.

cukimunga

RMT will happen no matter what.   If the company its self isn't doing it there will be 3rd party companies doing it.  The reason why companies are doing it themselves is so they can make more money.

Now the thing is will more people do RMT if the game company does it and its legal? Some may but as for me it just doesn't make sense to me to do RMT.  It takes the fun out of the game because games today already hand you stuff on a silver platter why make the game even easier by using RMT.

EricDanie

Originally posted by cukimunga


RMT will happen no matter what.   If the company its self isn't doing it there will be 3rd party companies doing it.  The reason why companies are doing it themselves is so they can make more money.
Now the thing is will more people do RMT if the game company does it and its legal? Some may but as for me it just doesn't make sense to me to do RMT.  It takes the fun out of the game because games today already hand you stuff on a silver platter why make the game even easier by using RMT.

 

When the developers themselves handle the RMT, you may see things one may never accomplish without RMT (EVE's Plexes are the only exception I know for this rule, but you are merely selling in-game time cards). You may be lazy and buy the in-game currency you need for that epic mount, while there will be those that make the money by themselves without RMT, in the end both get the mount.

We already have a damn monthly fee in there, what else do they want?

cukimunga

Originally posted by EricDanie

Originally posted by cukimunga


RMT will happen no matter what.   If the company its self isn't doing it there will be 3rd party companies doing it.  The reason why companies are doing it themselves is so they can make more money.
Now the thing is will more people do RMT if the game company does it and its legal? Some may but as for me it just doesn't make sense to me to do RMT.  It takes the fun out of the game because games today already hand you stuff on a silver platter why make the game even easier by using RMT.

 

When the developers themselves handle the RMT, you may see things one may never accomplish without RMT (EVE's Plexes are the only exception I know for this rule, but you are merely selling in-game time cards). You may be lazy and buy the in-game currency you need for that epic mount, while there will be those that make the money by themselves without RMT, in the end both get the mount.

We already have a damn monthly fee in there, what else do they want?

Yeah it sucks that RMT happens at all but games that give you items you can only get by doing RMT is even worse. 

LOL yeah IDK what else they want, but they ain't getting anything else from be but the sub fee.

Xasapis

To templarga:

I'm not writing the game completely off. I first need to verify the validity of this thread claim via some official source. However, if the news check out to be correct, I refuse to P2P Pay to Play a game that also contains an item mall. I recently returned to EQ2 and quit soon after for this very reason. As far as I'm concerned, they can take my money via model A or model B, not both. Companies that opt for both take none.

To cukimunga:

RMT on top of a regular subscription will not happen no matter what. It will happen only when/if the customers of these companies tolerate it. Personally I'm not willing to tolerate it. As I said in other posts, they can bill me a subscription fee, which can be higher than todays standards (like EVE is doing) or they can release the game with no subscription fee and an item mall. Not both.

Elikal

Originally posted by Senadina


I know it sounds awful, but we don't really know what "Cryptic Bucks" are. If it is RMT, why use some fictitious form of currency?  I am dubious but....I need more info.

 

Yes, let us wait for detailled info before we say anything.

nickelpat

Yes, it is vague. The reason I jumped right to RMT is because of the name actually.

In LOTRO the coins had an in game name, one that follows the lore (which I have now forgotten). They were also advertised to 'unlock' a special item in game.

Cryptic Bucks sounds much more like RMT currency. Like Aeria Points or GCoins. They are advertised to 'buy premium in-game items' as well. That sounds like a great definition of RMT itself. It may be the simple fact Cryptic typed it up badly and it is like LOTROs tokens.

There WAS an official forum post about this, I saw a thread pointing to it but apprently it has been deleted

Cryptic needs to stop being so... cryptic about thic Cryptic Buck.

 

PS. Yes, I had to use a pun, I mean look, it's right there. It wants to be used.

ProfRed

If RMT is the future it is a very sad future.  Players should never be allowed to spend more money to advance anything in an MMORPG.  It's just wrong, and makes for a very shallow and lame game.  I refuse to play any game with RMT that isn't simply fluff items.

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Bureyku

Haha I dabble in the Sims some also.  I agree 100% with Prof on this one as well.  A truly great immersive MMORPG with a massive world... the type of MMORPG that we dream of getting lost in will never be created with a RMT model.