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General: The Best Uses for a Cash Shop
SBFord
Former Associate EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 33,129
The mere mention of 'cash shop' in today's MMOs elicits strong reactions from many people. The old 'pay to play' statement usually comes out fast and furious. In Bill Murphy's The List column today, he takes a look at the best things found in item shops. See if you agree with Bill's thoughts and then add yours to the forums.
Mention the term “Cash Shop” and you’re likely to elicit groans and sharp yelps from any crowd of MMO gamers. Item Shops are mostly known, despite the efforts of more modern incarnations, as “Pay to Win” shops. It is expected that any game which offers a cash shop is either A.) selling the mythical “I Win Button” or B.) selling stuff that should have already been included in the game from the start. To a certain extent, I can understand it when players get miffed that they are being asked to shell out extra money when they’re already paying a subscription.
Read more of Bill Murphy's The List.
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Comments
Oh, that's a rough topic to cover.
You know, I'm personally against cash shops. So, I avoid them. It isn't to say that don't make other people happy though and sure, it's not a bad way for a company to make some more money.
I think most people will agree that it is when those items give other players a clear advantage in game that cash shops, become more of an annoyance to people.
Other than that I am of a mind that content should never be placed in a cash shop, especially in a subscription based game.
To specify, I'd rather not have cash shops at all, but the best use for them, if they have to be, is pure aesthetics. Sure they could have some different looking mounts and things like that in a cash store as long as they aren't functionally different from mounts available in the game.
The only things that really should be permitted to be sold for real money in a game are things that would put a strain on the integrity of the game, such as name or race changes. Which, honestly, I don't think should be included at all. So no, there are no good uses for a cash shop. MAYBE server transfers. But that would be the only exception.
Important facts:
1. Free to Play games are poorly made.
2. Casuals are not all idiots, but idiots call themselves casuals.
3. Great solo and group content are not mutually exclusive, but they suffer when one is shoved into the mold of the other. The same is true of PvP and PvE.
4. Community is more important than you think.
so this s the type of colunist we have in mmorpg ? lol
one that says its right to sell XP and mounts for items, aswell as special content ?
if it was my company that dude would be fired for sure..........
its a shame....
So we should fire someone for having opinions, which he clearly and planily puts forward?
Just because you believe something, doesn't make it the only viable opinion. You don't have to agree, but maybe practice a little bit of respect for someone who thinks differently than you do?
Cheers,
Jon Wood
Managing Editor
MMORPG.com
Maybe I'll agree on the content bit. But that's more like selling "mini-expansions" rather than putting something in a cash shop. However, no sub game should do this. Sub fees are meant to cover not only server costs, but development costs as well. That's why GW2 would be okay in doing this. It's an alternate model to a subscription. Having both is unacceptable.
Important facts:
1. Free to Play games are poorly made.
2. Casuals are not all idiots, but idiots call themselves casuals.
3. Great solo and group content are not mutually exclusive, but they suffer when one is shoved into the mold of the other. The same is true of PvP and PvE.
4. Community is more important than you think.
Playing: Rift, LotRO
Waiting on: GW2, BP
I completely agree. When cash shops first started showing up in P2P games, I honestly assumed people would logically reject them. However, I was unaware I was living in an age of complacent lemmings.
"Mr. Rothstein, your people never will understand... the way it works out here. You're all just our guests. But you act like you're at home. Let me tell you something, partner. You ain't home. But that's where we're gonna send you if it harelips the governor." - Pat Webb
I agree with most of that.
As far as the "mini-expansions" comment, I've found in many games if you take the four or five content DLC they release and pay $10 or $15 for them more often than not you end up paying more money than you would have for a full blown expansion and many times end up with less content to show for it.
And there's no penalty for them over charging for this DLC content. They can price it at $20 and if no one buys it then can have a sale and lower it to $15 and then $10 until they're making the amount of cash they want. When it comes to boxed content they can't do that without losing a ton of money, so box content is typical a more reasonable price for more content. I think DLC really isn't in the favor of the consumer.
A good column covering what is available NOW in cash shops, but think about the following: if the standard payment model is shifting towards this hybrid in the west, and the largest share of revenue is generated by these cash shops, then some of the largest JOBS will be coming up with new and innovative ways to "serve" the customers new product. So how about an article on POTENTIAL new products for these shops, instead of the same stale offerings?
Doc
That list seems pretty in line with the 'Most Popular' tab for most F2P MMOs.
I've never had a use for XP Boosts, but I can see why they are one of the hottest sellers. Inventory and 'slot' expansions are pretty high up there, and I'd say they'd be above mounts and expansion content.
I commend you, Bill, on being willing to suffer through SUN, btw.
There isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to play, if you want to use a screwdriver to put nails into wood, have at it, simply don't complain when the guy next to you with the hammer is doing it much better and easier. - Allein
"Graphics are often supplied by Engines that (some) MMORPG's are built in" - Spuffyre
As an addendum to my previous post regarding the future of these cash shops, consider this: As today is a day for voicing our opinions through the use of a vote, so too are these forums a way to voice your opinion on what YOU'D like to see in these cash shops for the developers to hear. Maybe not every idea will be seen and heard, probably only a very small portion, but that's the way things are changed.
Doc
Stradden, I love you.
On that note, I completely disagree with this author and demand his firing! J/k, j/k...but I do disagree. I don't think mounts should be allowed into the Cash Shop unless they're not physically better than what is acquirable in-game. And I don't mean some mount that needs so much to get it takes like a YEAR of work to acquire, but then putting it in the cash shop as an easy way out. No, that's not right. I mean...your super saiyin tiger is prettier than my lame brown horse yes, but we can still keep up with each other when teaming. That, I'm okay with.
Potions I do NOT mind so long as it's not the ones in PW games. Their potions heal like hundreds of thousands, and you just click it whenever you're down a bit of hp/mp and poof you're at full, until it's used up. That makes PvP endless, and very expensive. If they're just regular stacks of potions for people too lazy to craft them then yep, go for it. Those are great when you have some left over money in the cash shop, are about to go into an instance and realize CRAP...forgot to buy potions!
Actual content should be in the cash shop, absolutely, so long as that doesn't mean the devs stop bothering to update the actual game for those that don't buy that content. But sure, I'd rather pay for pieces of an expansion I plan to participate in than $40 for the whole thing whether I like all of it or not.
EXP boosts I have issues with, but not enough to rage about. The author writes that it's a good way to keep up with his friends, but is it really? Has he considered that it might just make it harder, in case one of his friends decides to play with them and he does not? So now you are obligated to buy those exp boosts to keep up with your friend, and if he plays more than you do (read: has no life) you're still SoL. So, exp boosts aren't actually going to make you better off than you actually were. But whatev'
"Forums aren't for intelligent discussion; they're for blow-hards with unwavering opinions."
I’m surprised it is not your company; you seem so wise and literate.
Best cash shop item ever is game time card.
I saw every single item on that list being borderline abused to sell power, unfortunately.
In the same vein even most controversial cash shop items can be tuned down to become non-issue (DDO gear and I would argue DDO stat tomes too).
You might not realize it but a columnist usually creates pieces, editorials, that are based on opinion. There could be columnists that encompass two diverse view points in an organization or someone who just has a particular take on a subject, states that opinion and then invites discussion.
Godfred's Tomb Trailer: https://youtu.be/-nsXGddj_4w
Original Skyrim: https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/109547
Serph toze kindly has started a walk-through. https://youtu.be/UIelCK-lldo
The only good use for a cash shop is to add extra content. And by that I mean real extra content and not a single zone for a small level span.
Any other use is detrimental to game play as it is nothing short of cheating.
You want that special mount? Great, then do the quest or achievement in game to get it.
Want those potions? Awesome, then craft it or buy them from a friendly crafter.
Want to change your looks? Very well, then do the quest or pay the IG currency to do it.
You see, all cash shops do is to take away from the game and let people get perks by opening their wallets. Great for gaming companies as they get more money, bad for player who wants to actually play for perks and dont enjoy others get them handed to them for $$.
My gaming blog
Ahem you keep talking about lotro, then you were talking about content. Well I got news for you. 9 months until we went free to play with a small zone added.
Lotro has been sadly missing content as in playable content for a good year.
All I have seen in the form of content lately from a lot of games, has been the store. Lots of store items to buy and new ones always on the way.
I have to ask the op where is your meat and potato content you talking about with lotro. We had a few tidbits since Moria but nothing like the good old days.
Honestly, the more I play F2P games these days, the more and more annoyed I become by the cash shops. Even games that start out relatively fair and balanced seem to turn into playthings for greedy, money-grubbing corporates who couldn't comprehend fun if a clown came and jizzed on their head.
I'm ready for a F2P game that's supported by in-game advertising. I wouldn't mind having to drink a pepsi instead of a health potion.
My blog:
http://www.mmorpg.com/blogs/Strayfe/
Shoved up the ass?
Purely aesthetic gear, I can definitely agree with. Content, I can also agree with (unless its a sub game... but then again, even sub games have "expansion packs" you still need to buy that everyone is still okay with purchasing...).
Exp? I can see where you are coming from... it is more fun to play with your friends... but this one I'm on the fence with... yes, PvE is essentially non-competitive, so seeing my neighbor as a level higher than me and being jealous is really just childish, but paying to skip over portions of the game to rush toward the end... although advantageous to the game makers, I feel is just screwing yourself over as a player to enjoy the game for what it is... overall... meh... its different playstyles, and I'm never one to knock the way somebody else plays different than I do... so yeah, overall, I don't mind them, you just won't see me buying them.
Special reward mounts? No. The whole reason these mounts are special is because of the amount of in-game effort it took to acquire them. If you can just buy them, it basically is a big middle finger to those that worked hard to get them in the first place. Basic, non-special, dime-a-dozen or purely cash shop mounts? Sure, go ahead... don't mind them. But part of the reason people play is to show off their hard work to those around them with special items, and you shouldn't mess with that.
And finally... health potions, resurrect consumables, etc... no. If there ever was an "easy mode", this is it. It just makes the game face-rolling easy. Where is the difficulty or challenge in playing a game when you can just pay to have unlimited health, etc? Where is the price of failure? People play games for the challenge of them, not because they are face-rollingly easy. You take away the challenge, you cheapen the whole experience.
Just my opinion...
The reason we see MMOs employing so many revenue models is because they want to cater to everyone's cravings. In the end, at least for me, it ends up messing with what I don't want to see messed, especially considering the implications. Anyway, here is my opinion on each of the "best uses" for a cash shop.
Experience potions - You can not advance as fast as your friends, so you go and spend money in that game's cash shop in order to advance faster so you can reach your friends. What if your friends also spend money in the cash shop? And why the hell are you paying a developer in the first place instead of asking for a "sidekicking" system? A flaw in the level mechanic that ends up generating extra revenue for developers. Amazing.
Consumables - Yet more money being spent to overcome difficulties and inconveniences. Not to mention hurting the in-game work of alchemists, by having the developers competing with them with an endless stock at a fixed price.
Purely Aesthetic Gear - Seems to be the least controversial one. Not for me. You're taking an animated model and charging the price of a game DLC (which is already overpriced comparing to a retail game price) for it. Why not give them as rewards for special quest chains and other things? Oh right, people only want things with extra numbers otherwise they will complain. Just add them to the cash shop so you don't get this kind of complaints and to make it even better you make extra revenue from it!
Special Mounts - Pretty much the same as above. Even worse if it is already available in game and you can skip a level requirement or a quest chain to get it. Such is the example of LOTRO's reputation mounts being available for money and you being able to ride mounts at a lower level than the default requirement considering you pay enough. But this is such a wonderful thing, cool looking mounts instantly acquired (instant gratification mind, anyone?)! Shouldn't look anywhere that viable IMO when the developers themselves are setting these caps and restrictions and letting you bypass them.
Real extra content - Indeed this should be the only thing available for sale. It's what developers work to deliver and should contain all of the above. There is no instant gratification here, you will be unlocking access to the areas that will provide you the stuff. Quests/dungeons/whatever to get the mounts and aesthetic items. Gathering nodes to get the herbs or whatever is used to make the consumables. Maybe vendors with experience boosters (not real money but in-game money) for that area.
The "winning" when it comes to the leveling process is experience. It'd be a lonely existence to be level capped but not know how to play your character well.
I think the delay was caused by their change to free to play.
Since downloadable content = money I believe we wil start seeing more content going forth. Still, your point is valid as it does feel a long time since we had anything substantial to sink our teeth into.
Godfred's Tomb Trailer: https://youtu.be/-nsXGddj_4w
Original Skyrim: https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/109547
Serph toze kindly has started a walk-through. https://youtu.be/UIelCK-lldo
The best use for cashshops should be for meta-game services, such as character renames, character transfers, etc.
Selling ingame items or anything that gives advantages, "aesthetic only" or not, destroys immersion by cheapening the concept that said MMO is a virtual world in of itself.
there is a small mistake in the article - GW2 devs didn't confirm item shop dungeons, this is only a PC Gamer speculation