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So Champions Online going to have Micropayment system huh?
gadunk
Member UncommonPosts: 164
probably old news, but I had not noticed this before on the gamestop preorder page
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.
Guess I'll be passing this one up. Sigh..
Comments
If it's only for cosmetic items, I won't care much.. I'll just /point and /lol at people I see with $3.99 bat wings.. Actual "exclusive" items with like, stats though? Yah that would be a deal breaker for sure.
i'm guessing it will more then likely be for cosmetic items and powers like CoX already has.
Way of the future? Haha, usually that therm is used for something that is revolutionary and reaps benefits for the consumer, not the other way around.
Way of the future for greedy gaming companies yes (and lazy people who cant be bothered to play a game but just want to get to the end game). Other, more respectable companies, will do just fine with the 50$ per box and 15$ per month and let the players actually PLAY to earn their characters and not buy them.
RMT is garbage!
My gaming blog
As stated before we don't know to what extent the cash shops will play. What I would suspect is they will use it for costume items that normally would be gotten from either hours of play or special occasions. For example a pumpking head on halloween when you complete a mission or something... if you don't complete the mission you can buy it from the cash shop.
I seriously doubt they will put content in the game ONLY accessible via cash shops as Jack was quoted as saying he hates cash shops... but I think atari is the one requiring them.... we'll wait and see at launch I guess.
If RMT was the way of the future you wouldn't see people here complaining about it.
This has been discussed over and over by players on both MMORPG and CO forums, and we are yet to hear an official response about it, or I haven't seen it yet.
Even if it is about cosmetic items, it's still RMT and you will find yourself paying extra money per month to get that nice looking costume that would be otherwise avaiable as a fun quest chain, achievement or something like that, veteran reward or big in-game money sink.
Sorry but being "cosmetic" only doesn't fit when you already have monthly fees AND a retail purchase initial cost.
all signs point to it having 'cosmetic' stuff much like CoX.
so now they have to actually be a better game than DCUO since they are taking a Sony approach to ripping o.... erm.... charging, their customers.
so you buy a game for $50, put down your $15 for the month....... and cant design the exact character you want because you didnt spend the extra $5 for the diamond facemask, to bad you have to use only the square one, despite your money going towards the development of the diamond one.
"Way to future" lol what a crap. I'll definitely won't play champions online now. Thanks god there are better MMO firms than cryptic.
This.
"It is in your nature to do one thing correctly; Before me, you rightfully tremble. But, fear is not what you owe me. You owe me awe." ~Francis Dolarhyde
I wonder if Cryptic will do this with Star Trek Online. USS Enterprise: $10 plx
Better ones then cryptic? Theres nothing wrong with cryptic, and again, this seems to be put on by atari not cryptic, atari was quoted telling the shareholders months before the cryptic bucks even started something about including an item shop for added revenue.... also.. who's better then cryptic? Mythic?, SOE? oh maybe you mean blizzard... oh okay then.... Cryptics not the best..... but in comparison to other companies.. they're pretty on par.
For all we know it could be a Cryptic store that offers character slots, makeovers and alot of materialistic things just like Guild Wars has and if that is the case then it is totally acceptable. It is still a wait and see what it really is going to be.
I have a feeling, sooner or later, it will be "Pay to unlock this and this power!"
Currently restarting World of Warcraft
Honestly, I don't see the big deal about RMT. If you can't afford something, then don't buy it. IF a game offered RMT for items that affect utility or stats, and if that bothers you, don't play the game.
RMT transactions allow more revenue to come in that might not otherwise. As someone with a job, I don't mind paying $10 for an extra storage space in Guild Wars.
Remember, these guys have to remain profitable or they close the game and you have nothing to play.
**Crosses Champions off list of possible games to play**
I don't know what future RMT is the wave of, but I can guarantee it isn't mine.
Tried: LotR, CoH, AoC, WAR, Jumpgate Classic
Played: SWG, Guild Wars, WoW
Playing: Eve Online, Counter-strike
Loved: Star Wars Galaxies
Waiting for: Earthrise, Guild Wars 2, anything sandbox.
Guess I won't play this. Paying a subscription and haveing to worry about keeping up with an item shop? Yeah, that doesn't sound like a ripoff or anything. I'll be waiting for a more quality game anyways from a less mediocre developer (imo of course...).
Maybe it'll be like with the way DDO is gonna work now, you get points every month if you subscribe (except for champion you'll probably have to subscribe) so you get to buy stuff from their shop by just being a subscriber and if you don't want to wait to get more you pay for some extra points.
The big deal is that RMT is largely about greed, not profitability. MMORPGs are extremely profitable, which is why hundreds of them are currently flooding the marketplace. You really think the Blizzards, Biowares, Sonys, and Cryptics of the world are hurting in terms of cash flow? They aren't. Once the development process is done and the servers are turned on, these games require very little in the way of ongoing expense.
I have a job too, hell I'm currently subscribed to four mmorpgs (60 USD a month), so I have the means to buy as much RMT fluff as I want. That said, for me its a matter of principle. Fifteen dollars a month plus 50-60 for a box should provide me with access to every single bit of content in the game. I don't appreciate being nickeled and dimed to death for fluff that could easily be released in a patch or an expansion (and prior to the RMT boom of the last couple of years, WAS released like that). Its the same thing with these content downloads on Xbox Live. That stuff was developed at the same time the original game was developed, they just hold it back so they can charge a few bucks for it after the initial sales rush has worn off.
Its the same sort of scam as an extended warranty at Best Buy, or a managed service contract in IT. The stuff you're paying extra for is stuff that gets done anyway (or in the case of game content, are assets that have already been created, and should be included in the original purchase price since they cost the developer almost nothing in terms of manpower and development cycles).
These executives are monetizing everything that they can, which is fine, that's business, but don't mistake greed for survival instinct. MMORPGs were a huge money-making industry before anyone ever thought of RMT or digital distribution. Its simply another way to squeeze money out of people that don't know any better.
The big deal is that RMT is largely about greed, not profitability. MMORPGs are extremely profitable, which is why hundreds of them are currently flooding the marketplace. You really think the Blizzards, Biowares, Sonys, and Cryptics of the world are hurting in terms of cash flow? They aren't. Once the development process is done and the servers are turned on, these games require very little in the way of ongoing expense.
I have a job too, hell I'm currently subscribed to four mmorpgs (60 USD a month), so I have the means to buy as much RMT fluff as I want. That said, for me its a matter of principle. Fifteen dollars a month plus 50-60 for a box should provide me with access to every single bit of content in the game. I don't appreciate being nickeled and dimed to death for fluff that could easily be released in a patch or an expansion (and prior to the RMT boom of the last couple of years, WAS released like that). Its the same thing with these content downloads on Xbox Live. That stuff was developed at the same time the original game was developed, they just hold it back so they can charge a few bucks for it after the initial sales rush has worn off.
Its the same sort of scam as an extended warranty at Best Buy, or a managed service contract in IT. The stuff you're paying extra for is stuff that gets done anyway (or in the case of game content, are assets that have already been created, and should be included in the original purchase price since they cost the developer almost nothing in terms of manpower and development cycles).
These executives are monetizing everything that they can, which is fine, that's business, but don't mistake greed for survival instinct. MMORPGs were a huge money-making industry before anyone ever thought of RMT or digital distribution. Its simply another way to squeeze money out of people that don't know any better.
You raise a good point. I agree with you about greed vs. survival. I just don't think this game is a good case of greed. I worked for a game company and I can tell you the costs of these things are astronomical. And the ISP bill alone would blow your mind.
I am not justifying poor actions by harping about the costs. I am saying that they are not all the cash cow you think they are and that they don't know if they will sink or swim when they are designing the game. And I think this uncertainty is what goes into the decision to "market" more with RMT. For every company that stays afloat, think of the hundreds that flood the market and go under.
Which brings me to my question for you. Let's say for a moment this game is amazing in every aspect. It surpasses your expectations in every way and it is so much fun, you consider taking some sick time to stay home and play it. Now let's assume this same game has an RMT vendor in one of the cities. Are you saying you would forego all of the fun you were having because of it? Would you stop enjoying your hobby because there is an NPC selling a "Super Mega Bastard" power-up for $5?
If they dropped the sub price to say 7 to 10 bucks a month including a RMT I wouldn't have a issue. But don't charge me full box, full sub AND have a RMT store in a game that includes 50% of the fun from creating unique and stylized characters with 100% cosmetic apparels that have no bearing on gameplay.....that IS greed.
Also it's a setup for Cryptic to introduce this game to Xbox LIve and have something to show for marketplace lurkers.
"Small minds talk about people, average minds talk about events, great minds talk about ideas."
And as I said: It is way of the future for greedy companies and clueless customers who bends over for said greedy companies. Just because some companies decide to implement to squeeze more money from customers does not make it "way of the future". That therm is usually a positive one meaning something revolutionary, innovative or other way beneficial. RMT will be beneficial only for greedy companies who are not happy with the millions they are racking in and want more and is certainly not good for the customer who will see other gamers, with thicker wallets, get the upper hand on them.
I for one will boycott any game that has RMT (for real stuff, cosmetic I dont care) and I strongly suggest other gamers who care about the future of MMORPGs to do the same. Or else you might see yourself in games where raiding, PvP achievements are all dependant on how much cash you are willing to shell out to get those better armor/weapons or access to special areas.
And if you want to talk about success of games then the two biggest MMORPGs WoW and Guildwar does not have RMT and most respectable MMORPGs, like LotR, WAR, AoC doesn't have it either.
My gaming blog
Personally, I'd rather pay $20 a month with no RMT. I think most people would agree.
Alltern8 Blog | Star Wars Space Combat and The Old Republic | Cryptic Studios - A Pre Post-Mortem | Klingon Preview, STO's Monster Play
I do. I've said so over on their official forums more than once.
Or they could have some instances for subscription players and others for freebie+MTs.
The hybrid subscription + MT mongrel they seem intent on breeding could lose them a lot of potential customers.
Bottom line is, this is bald faced greed, it's not a wave of the future, it's a wave companies hoping we're stupid enough to buy this crap so they have one more avenue to pump money out of us. Even if it is just "cosmetic" there was a time when it was included in the price of the game, now companies trip over themselves to think of ways to charge you more and more as soon as they release; if it's not for CE crap it's for units, art, freaking hats, you name it. These people are developing games, removing content before release and then charging you extra for it at release.
The MMO companies already made a killing charging full game price for the actual initial purchase of the game, then a monthly fee on top, plus extra money for anything they deem too cool for regular players. They can shove this up their ass sideways. Sure it a small bit of cash, but this is crap that is being developed in the BETA phase of the game it should be included in it's initial release. I'm used to greed as The American Way of Life but I'm getting real sick of this extreme greed where companies nickle and dime you for everything they can and then spin the hell out of it.
Also; I hate Bill Roper. I hope they make a special cancer for him and all the suits who pander this crap. Sad thing is as consumers we're so stupid we'll justify this for them and then kiss their ass to buy more. I just hope people start to punish this greed, it's a sickness that has infected every aspect of corp America.
And for the record, D&D Online is trying something new because they failed. It's not like they thought of this stuff for our benifit.