Comments on: Microtransaction-Based MMO’s: The Future of MMORPGs? http://www.mmocrunch.com/2008/12/10/microtransaction-based-mmos-the-future-of-mmorpgs/ Wed, 17 Mar 2010 23:56:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Tesh http://www.mmocrunch.com/2008/12/10/microtransaction-based-mmos-the-future-of-mmorpgs/comment-page-1/#comment-17385 Tesh Tue, 30 Dec 2008 01:43:04 +0000 http://www.mmocrunch.com/2008/12/10/microtransaction-based-mmos-the-future-of-mmorpgs/#comment-17385 If everything in-game is available to both those who would pay with time (sub) or money (RMT/microtransactions), the only question is whether or not people pay with time or with money. Either should be valid. Neither should be given an edge. If everything in-game is available to both those who would pay with time (sub) or money (RMT/microtransactions), the only question is whether or not people pay with time or with money. Either should be valid. Neither should be given an edge.

]]> By: Channel Massive » Blog Archive » Episode 71 - Different Strokes http://www.mmocrunch.com/2008/12/10/microtransaction-based-mmos-the-future-of-mmorpgs/comment-page-1/#comment-17383 Channel Massive » Blog Archive » Episode 71 - Different Strokes Tue, 30 Dec 2008 00:15:48 +0000 http://www.mmocrunch.com/2008/12/10/microtransaction-based-mmos-the-future-of-mmorpgs/#comment-17383 [...] can buy for ya Zenke has some suggestions for SOE and Blizzard syncaine is all over Blizzard for it Mike (via MMOCrunch.com) wonders if this is the future Tobold thinks it’s a ripoff    Episode 71 - Different Strokes: Play Now | Play in [...] [...] can buy for ya Zenke has some suggestions for SOE and Blizzard syncaine is all over Blizzard for it Mike (via MMOCrunch.com) wonders if this is the future Tobold thinks it’s a ripoff    Episode 71 – Different Strokes: Play Now | Play in [...]

]]> By: Scott http://www.mmocrunch.com/2008/12/10/microtransaction-based-mmos-the-future-of-mmorpgs/comment-page-1/#comment-16600 Scott Thu, 11 Dec 2008 18:53:22 +0000 http://www.mmocrunch.com/2008/12/10/microtransaction-based-mmos-the-future-of-mmorpgs/#comment-16600 I see the same in the couple of F2P games I've looked at, where stuff from the Item Malls are tradeable. Some people will pay real cash for an item then sell it to other players for in-game gold. I see the same in the couple of F2P games I’ve looked at, where stuff from the Item Malls are tradeable. Some people will pay real cash for an item then sell it to other players for in-game gold.

]]> By: Qix http://www.mmocrunch.com/2008/12/10/microtransaction-based-mmos-the-future-of-mmorpgs/comment-page-1/#comment-16598 Qix Thu, 11 Dec 2008 18:41:39 +0000 http://www.mmocrunch.com/2008/12/10/microtransaction-based-mmos-the-future-of-mmorpgs/#comment-16598 There are other way of doig micro transactions. Mythos (canceled when Hellgate brought down Flagship), was going to have a second currency in game. They called them Ingots as an example. You could buy these Ingots with cash. Some items would require ingots as part of the cost to buy, along with in game gold. The trick was, Ingots were also trade-able. So a non-payer, could trade his gold (or whatever) for ingots and still have access to every item in the game without ever paying. So long as somebody paid for an Ingot, it did not matter who used it. I imagine Ingots would be a big seller on an auction house. ... Flagship's theory behind this: The non-payers and payers support each other. Without those that are NOT paying, the game would be too lifeless and no fun for anybody. Without those that were paying for the game in some way, the game could not survive. ... They could do this becasue of the economics of scale. It costs less and less per player to support the game as the number of players rises. The first 100k players cost X dollars to support, but 200k players costs less than the twice as much expected. ... Its not perfect by any means, but its much better than just excluding all the non-payers from a portion of the game. In reality, you could still buy $15 worth of ingots each month and it would give you access to Ingots (and the items bought with them), at the same cost as a normal subscription. There are other way of doig micro transactions. Mythos (canceled when Hellgate brought down Flagship), was going to have a second currency in game. They called them Ingots as an example. You could buy these Ingots with cash. Some items would require ingots as part of the cost to buy, along with in game gold. The trick was, Ingots were also trade-able. So a non-payer, could trade his gold (or whatever) for ingots and still have access to every item in the game without ever paying. So long as somebody paid for an Ingot, it did not matter who used it. I imagine Ingots would be a big seller on an auction house.
…
Flagship’s theory behind this: The non-payers and payers support each other. Without those that are NOT paying, the game would be too lifeless and no fun for anybody. Without those that were paying for the game in some way, the game could not survive.
…
They could do this becasue of the economics of scale. It costs less and less per player to support the game as the number of players rises. The first 100k players cost X dollars to support, but 200k players costs less than the twice as much expected.
…
Its not perfect by any means, but its much better than just excluding all the non-payers from a portion of the game. In reality, you could still buy $15 worth of ingots each month and it would give you access to Ingots (and the items bought with them), at the same cost as a normal subscription.

]]> By: Beau http://www.mmocrunch.com/2008/12/10/microtransaction-based-mmos-the-future-of-mmorpgs/comment-page-1/#comment-16453 Beau Wed, 10 Dec 2008 19:55:06 +0000 http://www.mmocrunch.com/2008/12/10/microtransaction-based-mmos-the-future-of-mmorpgs/#comment-16453 Yes, they are the future, thank dog. I can't keep track off all my subs...I had 6 going at once. More, technically, if you include the Station Pass. It's just like iTunes: let the player pick out what he/she thinks is valuable. Beau Yes, they are the future, thank dog.

I can’t keep track off all my subs…I had 6 going at once. More, technically, if you include the Station Pass.

It’s just like iTunes: let the player pick out what he/she thinks is valuable.

Beau

]]> By: Scott http://www.mmocrunch.com/2008/12/10/microtransaction-based-mmos-the-future-of-mmorpgs/comment-page-1/#comment-16450 Scott Wed, 10 Dec 2008 19:50:22 +0000 http://www.mmocrunch.com/2008/12/10/microtransaction-based-mmos-the-future-of-mmorpgs/#comment-16450 One thing is we Westerners tend to look at Eastern games with item malls and point fingers. The games themselves are pointless shallow grinds, so we automatically say F2P sucks. Then they add item malls and we assume that means we're buying all our gear and we'll be "gimped" (compared to who?) or we can't "keep up" (compared to who?) or can't "compete" or "win" (the only winning is in PvP) without spending hundreds of dollars. A non-raider might consider himself "gimped" to a raider in a subscription game. Some people refuse to start older subscription games for fear they can never "catch up." So what's the difference in those respects? It's mainly our fear (often based on inaccurate assumptions) that item malls *always* sell gear (armor, weapons, etc.) and we're opposed to that. I had to look for quite a while to find an F2P fantasy MMO that actually sold *gear* in the item malls. What they normally sell are fluff items -- clothing, pets, etc. Other items such as teleportation scrolls sell well, so do +XP potions since the Asian F2P don't have our "rest XP." The only "normal" items I've seen that would give an "advantage" would be stamina-saver potions, so if you're PvPing against someone who bought stamina-savers, you're probably going to lose the fight. But then PvP in a subscription MMO against someone with max-rank PvP gear and you're in lesser gear, and you're going to lose, too. Six of one, half-dozen of the other. The recent (and upcoming) crop of F2P FPS games all use the item shops to buy better guns, armor, etc. but I haven't bothered to try any to see if the new stuff gives a legitimate advantage or if it's more akin to the modern FPS like COD or Battlefield where you can rank up and get new stuff but a first-day noob can still take you out; they offer different advantages but nothing that gives you an auto-win by a longshot. If these FPS item malls *do* make paying members vastly overpowered then... that just sucks. However, look at Guild Wars. MMO or not, it's just about the only Western title that is free to play, and supported by microtransactions done in a way that is completely non-offensive to me. Buy the box. Buy the expansion or new campaigns. Buy new character slots. I'm fine with that way of handling microtransactions. One thing is we Westerners tend to look at Eastern games with item malls and point fingers. The games themselves are pointless shallow grinds, so we automatically say F2P sucks. Then they add item malls and we assume that means we’re buying all our gear and we’ll be “gimped” (compared to who?) or we can’t “keep up” (compared to who?) or can’t “compete” or “win” (the only winning is in PvP) without spending hundreds of dollars. A non-raider might consider himself “gimped” to a raider in a subscription game. Some people refuse to start older subscription games for fear they can never “catch up.” So what’s the difference in those respects? It’s mainly our fear (often based on inaccurate assumptions) that item malls *always* sell gear (armor, weapons, etc.) and we’re opposed to that.

I had to look for quite a while to find an F2P fantasy MMO that actually sold *gear* in the item malls. What they normally sell are fluff items — clothing, pets, etc. Other items such as teleportation scrolls sell well, so do +XP potions since the Asian F2P don’t have our “rest XP.” The only “normal” items I’ve seen that would give an “advantage” would be stamina-saver potions, so if you’re PvPing against someone who bought stamina-savers, you’re probably going to lose the fight. But then PvP in a subscription MMO against someone with max-rank PvP gear and you’re in lesser gear, and you’re going to lose, too. Six of one, half-dozen of the other.

The recent (and upcoming) crop of F2P FPS games all use the item shops to buy better guns, armor, etc. but I haven’t bothered to try any to see if the new stuff gives a legitimate advantage or if it’s more akin to the modern FPS like COD or Battlefield where you can rank up and get new stuff but a first-day noob can still take you out; they offer different advantages but nothing that gives you an auto-win by a longshot. If these FPS item malls *do* make paying members vastly overpowered then… that just sucks.

However, look at Guild Wars. MMO or not, it’s just about the only Western title that is free to play, and supported by microtransactions done in a way that is completely non-offensive to me. Buy the box. Buy the expansion or new campaigns. Buy new character slots. I’m fine with that way of handling microtransactions.

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