Howdy, Stranger!
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Quick Links
Perfect example of what's wrong with MMO.
Soapys
Member Posts: 33
NCsoft, grats, another one that goes microtransactions without player input at all.
Sigh, lol, I think I'm done with MMO, they're just corporate thieves now.
Comments
The chocolate is a bit odd but I don't see how they are stealing.
NCSoft isn't the first company to offer paid race or gender changes. These things have been requested by the Aion community since it was first there. Aion is one of the better games in terms of character customization so it makes a lot of sense to offer these types of items.
I don't see what the big deal is. I personally think it's a good thing. The player gets what they want and the company gets a profit.
I see no problem with this at all. Now if I saw actual items for sale then I would be quite disturbed over it.
Not at all. The polls for or against microtransactions have always been firmly against microtransactions. There is no love for the playerbase anymore, just companies not living up to their buyer agreements and incorporating extras without consulting the people who play their games. This is going to infuriate lots of players.
Not at all. The polls for or against microtransactions have always been firmly against microtransactions. There is no love for the playerbase anymore, just companies not living up to their buyer agreements and incorporating extras without consulting the people who play their games. This is going to infuriate lots of players.
Then maybe things have changed since I last visited the Aion forums, but I remember when people were preaching "Give us plastic surgery tickets! I'll even pay real money!"
What changed? I don't think anything did.
Cosmetic items #care
When they start pushing Level one +whatever items then complain, for now leave the people who spend money on crap that doesn't matter to spend crap on stuff that doesn't matter.
Not at all. The polls for or against microtransactions have always been firmly against microtransactions. There is no love for the playerbase anymore, just companies not living up to their buyer agreements and incorporating extras without consulting the people who play their games. This is going to infuriate lots of players.
...these atleast to me are not microtransactions. When I think of cash shop / micro transactions I think of selling +1 Uber Sword etc. Name Changes, race changes, etc are pretty standard every MMO has them just about. Not sure what the valentines day packs are.
When they add a real cashshop then I'd see the cause for concern.
They packs inclue XP modifiers too, I hardly see how this is just cosmetic.
Name/race changes, server transfers and recustomizations are NOT microtransactions.
I don't know what the valentine packs give but probably items for people that are couples or want to be couples ingame so nothing game breaking.
Only wow has recustomization that need to pay a small fee ingame gold but with it's little cusomization choice I don't know who would pay to change appearance if they would have been like the other games lol
All those things should be free since you already paid for the client and on top of that you pay a monthly fee in order to play the game but hey if the players really wants to pay and pay again for every little feature added to the game who am I to stop them?
I just won't be fleeced like a stupid sheep anymore.
All those memories will be lost in time, like tears in the rain.
They packs inclue XP modifiers too, I hardly see how this is just cosmetic.
XP bonus items are pretty cosmetic as well. It doesn't make you better in combat or give you a physical advanage over someone in the open pvp areas. Its when you can't compete against a person because it requires extra cash when there should be a concern. Last I looked leveling faster than someone else isn't competition since its proven if you can't play 10 hours a day you'll never level as fast as someone who can.
Not at all. The polls for or against microtransactions have always been firmly against microtransactions. There is no love for the playerbase anymore, just companies not living up to their buyer agreements and incorporating extras without consulting the people who play their games. This is going to infuriate lots of players.
What MMO doesnt have paid services i think that most people that play refer to microtransactions as item shop not paid account services like server transfers, gender changes etc. Microtransactions usually have item shops with xp potions some potions and scrolls for various things some even have gear and weapons mounts etc.
They packs inclue XP modifiers too, I hardly see how this is just cosmetic.
XP bonus items are pretty cosmetic as well.
lol, sigh
All those things should be free since you already paid for the client and on top of that you pay a monthly fee in order to play the game but hey if the players really wants to pay and pay again for every little feature added to the game who am I to stop them?
I just won't be fleeced like a stupid sheep anymore.
Please list a popular AAA style MMO that gives you race, gender, server changes, or name changes for free. I'm pretty sure you can't since those pratices have been around since the Dawn of Time....even UO charged for that stuff. Its not fleecing since those serves are NOT covered by the normal game play it is a database change.
Your paying to play the game not to have access to the database and change data at will.
Thing is... when players ask for things like that, they want them to be free, or reasonably priced.
Now you may say to yourself that $10-15 US isn't all that much money, it's reasonable for those services.
The problem I have with it, is that working in the IT industry and dealing with similar "services" on a day to day basis, I can say with certainty that for the cost it took to make that service available and the cost of each individual transaction of said service, let's just say the profit margin is well over 95%. So while it may have a "perceived" value that is worth it for some people to pay the price they are being charged, the actual worth of the service is infinitely less because the cost to produce it is negligible on a per transaction basis.
In other words, it can be strongly argued that these services are by no means reasonably priced.
Thing is... when players ask for things like that, they want them to be free, or reasonably priced.
Now you may say to yourself that $10-15 US isn't all that much money, it's reasonable for those services.
The problem I have with it, is that working in the IT industry and dealing with similar "services" on a day to day basis, I can say with certainty that for the cost it took to make that service available and the cost of each individual transaction of said service, let's just say the profit margin is well over 95%. So while it may have a "perceived" value that is worth it for some people to pay the price they are being charged, the actual worth of the service is infinitely less because the cost to produce it is negligible on a per transaction basis.
In other words, it can be strongly argued that these services are by no means reasonably priced.
The value of something; whether virtual or real is always determined by the consumer. If something isn't fair, they won't buy it. Obviously, people are buying these things so people must think them fair.
There will always be that odd ball that wants things done differently. Reminds me too much like people complaining about the gasoline a few years back when it was $4 a gallon.
Thing is... when players ask for things like that, they want them to be free, or reasonably priced.
Now you may say to yourself that $10-15 US isn't all that much money, it's reasonable for those services.
The problem I have with it, is that working in the IT industry and dealing with similar "services" on a day to day basis, I can say with certainty that for the cost it took to make that service available and the cost of each individual transaction of said service, let's just say the profit margin is well over 95%. So while it may have a "perceived" value that is worth it for some people to pay the price they are being charged, the actual worth of the service is infinitely less because the cost to produce it is negligible on a per transaction basis.
In other words, it can be strongly argued that these services are by no means reasonably priced.
Of course not, being a good business means making as much money as possible while putting in the least amount of effort.
Thing is... when players ask for things like that, they want them to be free, or reasonably priced.
Now you may say to yourself that $10-15 US isn't all that much money, it's reasonable for those services.
The problem I have with it, is that working in the IT industry and dealing with similar "services" on a day to day basis, I can say with certainty that for the cost it took to make that service available and the cost of each individual transaction of said service, let's just say the profit margin is well over 95%. So while it may have a "perceived" value that is worth it for some people to pay the price they are being charged, the actual worth of the service is infinitely less because the cost to produce it is negligible on a per transaction basis.
In other words, it can be strongly argued that these services are by no means reasonably priced.
No offense but maybe you shouldn't play MMOs then...these prices are pretty standard. I'm not saying they're particularly fair but since when has fair ever been a part of pricing for anything?
I see nothing wrong with those as well. If it doesn't give any player an advantage for paying more then let people spend money those kinds of things. It makes the company more money to develop the game better or at least I hope that's where the money goes.
Thing is... when players ask for things like that, they want them to be free, or reasonably priced.
Now you may say to yourself that $10-15 US isn't all that much money, it's reasonable for those services.
The problem I have with it, is that working in the IT industry and dealing with similar "services" on a day to day basis, I can say with certainty that for the cost it took to make that service available and the cost of each individual transaction of said service, let's just say the profit margin is well over 95%. So while it may have a "perceived" value that is worth it for some people to pay the price they are being charged, the actual worth of the service is infinitely less because the cost to produce it is negligible on a per transaction basis.
In other words, it can be strongly argued that these services are by no means reasonably priced.
The value of something; whether virtual or real is always determined by the consumer. If something isn't fair, they won't buy it. Obviously, people are buying these things so people must think them fair.
There will always be that odd ball that wants things done differently. Reminds me too much like people complaining about the gasoline a few years back when it was $4 a gallon.
You're absolutely right in the first thing you said... and they you contradict yourself directly after.
If customers feels that the cost of said service is too much, they won't buy it. If they want that service but feel it is too expensive, they will complain about it. Which is perfectly reasonable, and honestly better for businesses if they listen to their consumers. They could potentially be locking themselves out of exponentially more sales if they were to simply charge less for a service that literally costs pennies to reproduce.
The developers can charge whatever they want for these services. They can charge what they think will make them the most money. That does not preclude the notion that they are ripping people off though. A large reason why they can get away with charging so much for something that costs extremely little to produce is because they have a monopoly on that service. That does not mean it's fair, or even correct from a business perspective consider they are likely closing themselves off from more profit from exponential sales per lowering prices.
It has actually been proven that digital goods are overpriced to the point where companies are locking themselves out of more profit by charging too much.
So I shouldn't play MMOs because I think their optional services are overpriced?
I find it much easier to just not buy said optional service, and have fun playing the game. If I want to take advantage of said service but feel it's too expensive, why is it wrong to state that I think it's too expensive? Disagreeing with the price of a good or service is the basis of haggling, which has existed since basic commerce began thousands of years ago. It's also apparently something that many people have simply forgotten, in favor of supporting having to pay more money themselves.
Sure companies are in it to charge as much as possible, yet why is it wrong for a consumer to disagree with a price and want to pay the least amount possible? I simply don't understand the mindset of giving all of the power to the seller, and away from the purchaser.
I've been feeling the same way lately but my emotions have run the opposite instead of feeling done with the genre I'm starting to feel like I'm done with the community <sigh>. Only in mmo's can every single little thing be blown up by some person to be the worse thing possile in mmo's. I pay a standard fee,plus premiums for cable television plus on demad content that costs extra, maybe we should label them all thieves and go to the internet to cry about how badly we are getting robbed?
The craziest thing to me is how mundane these items people cry over are, in STO it's two half lame races that can basically be created anyway and as I've seen on here it's frickin chocolate candies??!!! Are you serious? Do you even want that stuff for the price of in game time if you could get it? If the answer is yes then I can more easily see why what others do that have no effect on you seem to have, well such an effect on you.
This is simply an issue that is too meaningless for me to consider why? Well I don't buy into cash shops unless of course store points are included in my sub (which some do). Now I'm starting to wonder how this community can swing so wildly from one extreme to the next on one hand you have a bunch of folks that will constantly drop 200+ for lifetime subs to games they have yet to see and on the other end you have people who cry like they just got felt up over lame vanity items that will do no more than take up inventory space, enough already why don't we play our game and not let what other people are doing effect us (wether it's the company or other players). Enough with the constant wars of "you like to solo, you're polluting the genre!", "If I wanted to be forced to group with people I'd stick with real life!".
Let's all just realize that most if not all of the features and options we are given are wanted a vast majority of the times by someone in the community who enjoys the game just as much as us, and if some girl/boy/player out there working 10 hours a day wants to spend some of that money on a damn virtual box of chocolates well then give it a rest.
but yeah, to call this game Fantastic is like calling Twilight the Godfather of vampire movies....
lol chocolate
I can't say I care much if NCSoft are selling virtual chocolates and gender changes but it is a symptom of the way in which commercial influence has spread insidiously throughout the video game industry over the last few years.
Developers and publishers deserve to make a lot of money when they produce great games but it is hard to produce great games when business managers are sitting in on every development meeting advising how to extract as much cash as possible from the consumer.
Bah!
Who cares about a nogood game full of bots & goldsellers. LoL.
Make us care MORE about our faction & world pvp!