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Respecting the players wallet - Damion Schubert insight into microtransactions
Sevenstar61
Member UncommonPosts: 1,686
I found it very interesting.
Quote:
"The free-to-play microtransaction game model is coming fast now, and it is not inconceivable to imagine a world in the next decade where the majority of games available to users are delivered in this reality. For the time being, though, we are still in a Wild West game design reality, where every design shop is attempting different ways to earn that dollar - some of those bordering on shady and questionable.
Still, game designers need to start by acknowledging that a small number of heavy users will likely subsidize the majority of the efforts in their microtransaction-oriented game. To me, as a game designer, this is a good thing; making a game that earns the love and devotion of players is the right path. Making a great game with a solid design and a respect for your player's wallet is still the best way forward."
See full article:
Sith Warrior - Story of Hate and Love http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxKrlwXt7Ao
Imperial Agent - Rise of Cipher Nine http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBBj3eJWBvU&feature=youtu.be
Imperial Agent - Hunt for the Eagle Part 1http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQqjYYU128E
Comments
Ahnog
Hokey religions are no replacement for a good blaster at your side.
I found the article to be less than informative.
The article has the usual FTP talking points, and Damion Schubert writes as though SWTOR is a FTP game, it's not.
Bioware has even begun calling it the Free To Play Option.
You know and I know that to fully play SWTOR you have to subscribe.
If you were to buy the unlocks to come close to a subscriber experience in SWTOR you would being paying monthly sums that are orders of magnitude above $15; and you still wouldn't get the complete subscriber experince.
SWTOR's FTP Option only does 3 things.
1.) Allows EA to stop announcing subscription numbers.
2.) Does make shrinking servers feel like there is a more vibrant community.
3.) Most importantly, allows the harvesting of Whales in the FTP-excused introduction of a cash shop.
Not only does SWTOR punish FTP players, and introduce a cash shop in a subscription based game, but it even went the full on with gambling packs.
To add insult to injury, SWTOR has also introduced DLC were there was none envisioned at game launch.
To add further insult to injury, the next foreseable months of "new content" will be tied a lot to the cartel shop, via the Cathar and "Customization 2.1"
Bioware (and EA) wants to have their cake and eat it too. To quote a meme, "The cake is a lie."
yup, its wild west alright
and i also know, who is wearing the black hat
hes even admitting, that cash shop is milking the hardcore fans, because its the easiest for him
lets see, when governments wake up, and send a marshal to town
I believe that you can play the whole game as a F2P or prefered player. Not really sure how a game can punish F2P players lol ? What the hell does that mean ? It's not as full on as other MMO's with the gambling packs , no key required , can buy off the GTN and no packs drop in game requiring a key.
Also even though we don't know if "customisation 2.1" will be tied to the cartel store or credits or what yet , assumptions are just that.
One thing that does worry me a little from your post and in any case , is that I don't want just QOL updates from my sub at all , well a little but I also want content ( yes I know some people think or believe QOL updates to be content , but I don't).
Overall that article worries the hell out of me , not really sure about F2P models TBH , but he did describe what type of gamer I am , I haven't spent a penny n the CM , but I do sub. Guess I'm old school.
No pixie dust here. Sorry if there are typos but my pizza is ready.
EDIT - it seems the info on armor dyes and apperance kiosk have appeared on dulfy's site. Subs get up to 50% off apperance changes. So ok you whre right it is real money , not sure how much money yet but we as subs do get the 500 CC per month , so if most changes don't cost too much then it won't be so bad. Species changes are credits or CC.
Cheers,
BadOrb.
PSO 4 years , EQOA 4 months , PSU 7 years , SWTOR launch ongoing , PSO2 SEA launch ongoing , Destiny 360 launch ongoing.
"SWG was not fun. Let it go buddy." quote from iiNoSkillzii 10/18/13
The original propoganda pixie dust villain :[]
Too much fuss about how "bad" the free to play experience in SWTOR is. This comes obviously mostly from people who actually did not even try to get a bit deeper into the game (not you guys who posted here, there's nothing personal against any of you). I've felt the same way when I've read the limitations ("What, i have to unlock skill bars? What the heck?") until i've found that a skill bar unlock takes less than 1 hour of normal play, a character slot unlock takes probably about 3 hours of playing etc. I'm talking about normal playing here, things that you would do anyway: running operations and flahspoints for gear and commendations, dailies for experience, gear, commendations and reputation etc, gathering dead bodies found on the way etc.
Let's open Pandora's box and get a bit into details:
1. You cannot play the "full game" without spending. Makeb is part of the game, you need to buy the "expansion" to be able to experience everything. Paying will, however, get you preffered status, which is a whole different deal than pure free to play.
2. Instead of paying 20bucks for Makeb i've chosen to sub for 15 bucks and buy Makeb for 10, spending 25. In the subbed month I was able to unlock everything needed to play the game as close to a sub as possible. I was decided to stay subbed, but after one month I feel I do not need to. There is nothing critical (for me) that I'd get as a sub player which I cannot get as preffered. With the money made at max level in one subbed month with casual play, you can play the full game as preferred, with almost no limitations.
3. How about endgame? I've got operation passes (raid access) for 5 monts now. A pass for a week costs 120k on my server. I make more than that in under 1 hour doing all the dailies on Makeb. I am wearing normal (not hard mode) operations gear (full 69). We have S&V and TFB on farm status. Next week my guild and I will start on hard modes.
4. The most annoying thing a free to play or preffered player experiences is the credits limitation. However, I've found a subbed friend that stores money for me on one new character created in one of the many (12) default slots he's got. Many preffered players are doing this, in fact i think they would get a better deal selling an unlock for lifting the credit cap. I'd rather spend 1min per day to meet with another player (we meet in operations anyway) than pay a sub only for credit limitations removal.
In the end, it's a question of choice. If you want some sick looking new speeder or some insane looking helmet, or some weird color lightsaber, those things will cost you millions and you kinda need to stay subbed and invest the credits you get into those items. If you are like me and do not care extremely much about those things (I actually care a bit and I've got hide helm, unify colors, show titles and show legacy titles unlocked), you can easily invest the millions you make per month into unlocks and passes.
Feel free to question my points above, I'll do my best to explain in more detail if needed.
Disclaimer: I'm speaking exclusively as a PvE player. For those going to SW:TOR hoping for the best PvP experience of their lives, hoping to spend days in the PvP instances, well... good luck to you.
Playing as F2P or preferred does make you lose out, as can only have a credit limit of 200K / 350K and can not unlock the max or higher cap unless sub. Also you can not get some quest rewards unless you sub. Then there is the weekly passes, which even a one time unlock per char would be better.
SWTOR was a better game when it was just P2P - They actually gave out free gifts (tauntaun pet and various stuff for being on a desination server by a certain date), and free content, now since F2P you have to buy the free gifts (anniversary fireworks / Life Day items) and buy the content (makeb)
Star Trek Online - Best Free MMORPG of 2012
Let me start by saying that I am a subscriber of the game. I subscribe, because I like it and I make enough money that the 15 smackers a month doesn't bother me. It doesn't even put a dent in my starbucks habit.
You are looking at this whole thing as a jaded player. Do you know how many friends I have playing this game for free right now? How exactly do you "punish" someone who has invested NOTHING into the game but a download? They are playing the game for free, and regardless of what you chose to believe.. a lot of them are having a good time. Not eveyone needs EVERYTHING in the game to have a good time. Not all players need the most elite gear and all the mounts, etc. Some people just log on, play with friends doing quest and whatnot, socialize and have a good time. In that respect, the FTP option gives them everything they need for FREE. It's all the Wow kids who are use to the uber elite gear that feel like they need every god damned thing in the game to be happy that have an issue with the FTP.
Most of the compaints I hear about the free to play are not from the players actually playing the game for free.. they are from previous players who want all the "bells and whistles" for nothing. Talk about wanting to have your cake and eat it too....
All valid complaints unless.... YOU'RE PLAYING A GAME FOR FREE. I really don't get it. I don't get this sense of entitilement from gamers. It's like someone hands you a free pizza... and you bitch that it doesn't have ALL the toppings you like lol. Just eat your free pizza and enjoy the fact that you didn't pay for it.
The 2nd part of my post was aimed at subbers.
However still none of what I said was after entitlement, as the point is you can not even BUY an unlock for a credit cap increase or to BUY and unlock for the quest rewards. ALL other F2P MMOs grants you the FULL game, even if it means BUYING one time purchase unlocks. SWTOR on the other hand either does not grant a purchase of an unlock making making game not fully available or it is a weekly recurring purchase.
Star Trek Online - Best Free MMORPG of 2012
But the fact remains that it's a complaint about something that is free. I have read countless articles from people who have leveled to 50 spending absolutely no money and working around the credit cap. You still get quest rewards, just not the ones a subscriber would get.. and why should you get what a subscriber gets? Why should someone who's putting nothing into the game but an ass in a seat get what someone is paying to get? I just feel that if you are getting something for free, you should have fun and not complain.
F2P is NEVER free
You still do not get the point. I am not saying you should get what a subscriber gets for free, you should be able to BUY it.
Mass Effect 3 is free and more fun than SWTOR. STO as F2P is more fun as F2P, even all SOE games are more fun as F2P than SWTOR is. The only way to play SWTOR is to pay a sub or not play at all, and not spend any money on it at all.
If you like SWTOR enough and willing to pay the monthly fee then fine, but there are many other F2P games that give you the FULL game by paying in some ways. F2P is NEVER free, but you pay more overall than if you pay the $15, if you get it all. The point of playing F2P is you only pay for the aspects that interest you, making it cheaper than the $15. If you are not interetsed in the Operations, Flashpoint, warzones etc then you can ignore them, and paying the $15 is not worth it either.
Star Trek Online - Best Free MMORPG of 2012
You can buy almost everything with ingame cash. If absolutely everything would be available to unlock, then there would be no point for anyone to have a sub. People would keep the cartel coins they've already got, stack some more while subbed for 2-3 more months, buy the unlocks in time and then no one will stay subbed.
SWTOR is totally playable as preferred status, especially endgame SWTOR. Try it, does not sound like you did. If you really did, maybe i do not understand. Please go into details a bit, what are those oh so critical restrictions which someone cannot live without? I can afford a sub, but choose not to pay one, because the only really restrictive thing is the credit cap (there's some other mildly restrictive thing, quick travel being 2 hours instead of 30min).
A sub is worth for someone who wants to have 12 characters, play only single player, for the story and classes etc. Yes, if you play it like you would play a single player game, there you will "feel" the diminished quest XP, the quest rewards restriction, the lack of default flashpoints access. I play it like a MMO, with others. I do dailies with friends (section x? unlocked), I do flashpoints with friends and guild (drops? don't need, never had more than 3 drops per week since start, still can complete the quests for commendations), I do operations with guild (80 Cartel Coins a piece now, discounted, with 10 bucks you get 1050 Cartel Coins, or available in the market for about 120k per piece - one hour of questing, which everyone does anyway).
The people who are punished are probably the ones that forked out a lot of cash for the CE , but if they then left the game then they where partly to blame for it going freemium.
@superniceguy , it seems we might be getting an unlock for those F2P and preferred credit caps , maybe can be bought off the GTN , we will see. Also you obviously haven't checked the prices of the Flashpoint and Operations passes recently have you ? They are about 35 or 50 cartel coins , so if you haven't got that many from the achievements by now or buy them for credits off the GTN then you are surely lacking in gaming prowess.
Cheers,
BadOrb.
PSO 4 years , EQOA 4 months , PSU 7 years , SWTOR launch ongoing , PSO2 SEA launch ongoing , Destiny 360 launch ongoing.
"SWG was not fun. Let it go buddy." quote from iiNoSkillzii 10/18/13
The original propoganda pixie dust villain :[]
The thing is the passes are temporary, and expires. The put off is not the amount they cost, but if you go buy a pass, and then there is no one around to do these things with, and / or something happens in RL taking you away from the game, then it is just wasted CC / money. Therefore I do not buy any of these passes. If they made it so it even unlocked per char even if not per account, then that would be better and get them more sales of it.
Star Trek Online - Best Free MMORPG of 2012
I played it as preferred until got to level 10 or something, and then the quest rewards were blocked, but then I subbed anyway just to get Makeb. Now unsibbed though. May sub again for next double xp events, but the game is not worth it as F2P. I guess I was spoiled by other F2P MMOs.
At the end of the day, other MMOs are more playable as F2P. eg With STO I have one LT account, and one free account after being subbed for a few months, and can not tell the difference with the 2 accounts, so have not bothered to sub the 2nd account at all. The only time to spend money in STO mainly is at max level, but then after a few weeks grinding dilithium missions for about half an hour per day, you do not need to spend much at all.
Star Trek Online - Best Free MMORPG of 2012
I bought SWTOR when it released so that makes me an instant preferred player and I tried the game out again a few weeks ago. Just after the new expansion came out, in fact.
I found the F2P model it's using to be very heavy handed, even as a "preferred player". The issue with the hotbars is one that I particularly dislike, while the inability to toggle off headgear is just pure insanity. I have never seen any game that requires a player to pay money for the ability to toggle their head slot item off/on, other than SWTOR. And you'd think that someone that actually bought the game for the full retail price would be able to access the fully functional UI.
Is it a game breaker? No, not at all. Does it indicate to me a level of contempt for the playerbase never seen before in an MMO? Yeah, big time.
This just comes across as the worst hypocrisy, coming from a company with no respect at all for the player's wallet, or the player.
But then, this is nothing I wouldn't expect from EA, a company I've fallen foul of several times before when it comes to MMO's and the companies they've bought out and ruined in the past.
So 4 free hotbars isn't enough for you ? Weird thought that would be plenty , the hood toggle thing is a bit odd on the flip side.
Cheers,
BadOrb.
PSO 4 years , EQOA 4 months , PSU 7 years , SWTOR launch ongoing , PSO2 SEA launch ongoing , Destiny 360 launch ongoing.
"SWG was not fun. Let it go buddy." quote from iiNoSkillzii 10/18/13
The original propoganda pixie dust villain :[]
If 4 is plenty, then why do subbers have 6?
That is another barrier, as if you want to have 6 you can not, you can not even unlock the extra hotbars with CC.
Star Trek Online - Best Free MMORPG of 2012
It's not so much the 4 hotbars, but the inability to have them set up the way I want them. Even at release I found the 2 hotbars at the bottom of the screen distracting/intrusive so I only used 1 of them, plus the side bars.
My ability to configure them in that way as a preferred player is missing. It's all or nothing, 4 or 2. Hence my complaint about not having a fully functioning UI. I mean really, hotbars. It's a basic part of the UI and it isn't something I would associate with F2P. Again, I can't think of any other F2P game that has required hotbars to be unlocked with cash.
It's as if they all sat in a room trying to figure out what they could get a way with charging us for. The inventory stuff, the access to certain content are pretty standard fare for F2P, but the hotbars and the head slot toggle is just going too far. It makes the whole thing feel like a cash grab. Worse, it makes me feel like they have no respect for the players. I just think it's pretty contemptable that they would charge for such pissant little things.
But as I said, that's EA for you.
And before anyone says it, no I won't re-sub to the game to get all those features. I left because I didn't feel like the game was worth the sub. There are better games to play out there, in my opinion. As A F2P it may have been worth looking at just to finish the IA story but I hate what they've done.
It's not even like the game is unplayable but I just can't bring myself to play it, given the level of contempt and disrespect I feel is shown to the players. Those 2 inconsequential things is enough to put me off completely, purely as a matter of principle.
No offence to anyone that does sub is intended. If you like the game and you sub then I'm happy for you, it's just not for me.
That's EA for you, cha ching!
He only mentions 2 types of customers- people that want to pay $60 and never spend again, and people that want free to play with microtransactions. So every sub based game never happened I guess? WoW was a total fluke of a game, but it pretty well destroys the idea that people won't pay subs. As does all the initial buyers of swtor, and all the people subbing to eve, etc etc.
I guess its just easier to blame failure on a business model than to admit you made some terrible design choices and didn't give your customers what they wanted.
edit: when he talks about not hitting players up for money to soon he totally ignores that that's exactly what they did. All the people that didn't like swtor enough to sub but came back for f2p got slapped in the face with it right away with the UI, credit limits, gear, and appearence options. They changed some of it I know, but that was their chance to make a second first impression and they failed pretty hard. He reminds me of the swg nge so much- clearly the only players he's thinking about are the ones he never had at all.
QFT
Within this thread you can spot the rabid fanboys of SWTOR who will not budge from the idea that their game is the best even when the general concensus is that SWTOR was shite when it was a subscription game and is still shite as a F2P game, hence why it is F2P after a year when they said it would be the WoW killer it failed to be.
Now the problem is that the greedy EA try and make out they are on the side of the players when it is obvious they are not therefore alienating even more possible cash cows ie players from playing their game when they nickel and dime you and their game to death.
EA need to get over their greed and give a little in order to gain, which has worked very well for other smaller games companies who run very successfull F2P MMO's without the need to scrape the last scent of a bank note from your wallet, then maybe SWTOR will become that little bit more successfull.
Maybe SWTOR is just a bad game that doesn't have enough to give a player the encouragement to invest some time and cash into the game, maybe it is but EA don't give the player that incentive to invest the time.
Who know's, but we all know this game will not last unless something changes, fast.
I like SWTOR as a game to play though the story but hate the end game. Having said that this game has probably one of the most annoying Free 2 Play cash shops I have ever seen. It's not P2W but instead annoy at every turn which is probably 10 times worse in many ways.