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Cash Shop
GeezerGamer
Member EpicPosts: 8,855
Now that we are starting to see some stabilization in the BLTC, What are your initial impressions about the Cash Shop and it's offerings? Not counting the services like Character and inventory slot expansions, What do you think of what is actually being offered to the players? Anything useful or desireable? I am asking because, I look at what's available and I really don't see anything even remotely apealing to me or at least anything I'd want to spend real money on. So what does everyone else think?
I ask, because I have a little concern down the road as the CS will evelolve to try to maintain it's targeted sales and they will have to find items that appeal to players. Realistically, what could those items be that would allow ANET to maintain their stated goals about not selling anything "Evil" or that gives any "Unfair Advantage"
Comments
Gold.
to be honest - it looks no worse than the EQ2 store
the EQ2 store only sells cosmetic gear, exp potions, and mounts
maybe ANET will try what SOE recently announced
- letting players design cosmetic gear to sell on the GW2 Store
http://www.mmorpg.com/discussion2.cfm/thread/364161/EverQuest-SOE-Announces-Player-Studio.html
EQ2 fan sites
1. For god's sake mmo gamers, enough with the analogies. They're unnecessary and your comparisons are terrible, dissimilar, and illogical.
2. To posters feeling the need to state how f2p really isn't f2p: Players understand the concept. You aren't privy to some secret the rest are missing. You're embarrassing yourself.
3. Yes, Cpt. Obvious, we're not industry experts. Now run along and let the big people use the forums for their purpose.
Again, this revolves around Gems actually having value. And currently, I just don't see it.
One thing I found irritating was the armor skins.
500 Gems. Sure gets a nice looking piece of armor. Too bad it alters the pieces you wear. Better not get rid of that piece of armor you just applied your expensive skin to. So what if your newly aquired drop is better, it doesn't look as cool.
Bank slots and character slots definitely have value...
Are you team Azeroth, team Tyria, or team Jacob?
Last time I was messing around in EQ2 you had to pay to unlock races/class combinations.
Personally, I prefer a cash shop that doesn't limit the game and for me there is nothing in the GW2 shop that is necessary in any way. Get xp so fast at high levels I'd feel ripped off buying the boosters.
If that's the way it works, then I completely agree...should be permanent kind of like how SWTOR worked where you had the armor that people saw, and the armor that affected your stats.
Are you team Azeroth, team Tyria, or team Jacob?
EQ2 is the absolute last game I want Anet taking notes from. They restrict you from legendary and fabled weapons unless you either sub or buy unlocks. That is THE definition of pay to win. You cannot equip the best gear in the game without paying for the privilege. There is no functional difference between what they do and simply selling fabled weapons in he cash shop.
SOE has the absolute worst free to play model in the entire industry.
All die, so die well.
You can just use transmutation stones on it as many times as you want, you dont ever lose it as long as you have onto the piece that has the look. I have 30+ trans stones still in my bank just from finishing zones.
My Guild Wars 2 Vids
Then you know what you do? you use another transmutation stone to transfer the skin again. You can keep moving your favorite look to what ever cool item you pick up.
All die, so die well.
Agreed, but they are one time purchases. Most successful cash shops make money of consumables or resaleables. But nothing in GW2 CS is resaleable, so it has to be gems. but as time wears on, I just don't see players needing or even wanting the CS.
Put it this way. I got a $50 gift card as a B-Day gift right before GW2 launched. Before I realized there were issues, I dropped that 50 bucks into my account on day 1.
I still have 4000 Gems. I was going to immidiately buy more slots. And spend the rest on crafting mats. But once it was appearant there were issues with BLTC, I held off. And now, I have no need to spend any yet. I'm looking for a reason to spend them. But right now, I'm happy with my main. I have plenty of inventory space atm.
You know what irritates me?
People who make statements that are completely false based out of ignorance. No, that is not the way it works.
(1) You buy the armor skin for 500 gems.
(2) You apply the skins to your existing pieces of armor, or any armor piece of that type (light/med or heavy) that you wish the skins to be applied to.
(3) You get an item that is an upgrade over your existing (skinned) pieces.
(4) You use a transmutation stone to transfer the skin from your current piece onto the new piece.
Considering most players are playing a main and at least two alts, the majority will have access to well over 40 transmutation stones from map completion, personal story, and achievement rewards, by the time there main character is only into the 30s. By the time you are upwards of 60 you will have double the amount of stones, all gained completely free by doing nothing more than playing the game.
You never lose the skin unless you are a complete simpleton who buys it, applies it, and then deletes the item the skin is applied to as soon as you get an upgrade, due to a poor assumption that the skinned item is now worthless. It is not.
Those skins are worth every gem of the 500 they are asking, they are very well done and easily transferable from piece to piece as you upgrade your gear.
fair enough - my statement applies to players who are subbed to EQ2
EQ2 fan sites
It's rather difficult to say what will happen down the road in the way of the CS.
Personally I'm enjoying my time now,that's all that matters. I don't choose to have fears for the future because that will effect my fun in the now.
So far I haven't seen anything in the cash shop that makes me worry. there is really nothing that is so useful that you can't do without. Yet, there is a lot of fun stuff if you just have the cash to blow. You want to have a huge collection of dyes to choose from, then buy the random dye packs. or buy the random pet packs and collect them all like baseball cards. buy a costume. buy an armor skin. most is cosmetic or convenience based.
The convenience items are things like repair kits so you can repair anywhere in the world. It also saves you some in game cash but you have to decide is that is worth the gem price. You can also buy items to let you call a trade broker or a merchant so you can sell your greys and get harvesting tools.
You can also get boosts for exp, karma, and drops. But the leveling is already pretty brisk and hitting level 80 is hardly "Winning" the game. The only benefit I can see from leveling quickly would be if you want to catch up with your friends and join them in the dungeons and zones they are in. But the other way to do that would be to have them join you where you are at and wait until you can all get into a particular place.
But honestly I haven't had much desire to buy anything beyond vault and bag slots. Those are really the only items that are useful enough to even close to being called necessary.
All die, so die well.
I think it's hard to strike a balance between a CS that is profitable and a CS that doesn't harm the game. Right now, I feel like everything in the CS in exception of gold buying does not harm the game. I really don't want them to start adding more things with actual power that could damage the game.
My hope is that folks want that cosmetic stuff enough to make the game profitable. Also...I don't agree about the consumables thing. If I spend money on something in a game CS, it damn well better be permanent lol
.
Are you team Azeroth, team Tyria, or team Jacob?
More unique armor skins will be made. Some dyes will probably only be avaible at the gem store. Down the road you'll likely be able to give your character a make over (Its sad to say, but I want that already lol).
There will probably be "adventure packs" or "expansion" only avaible on the gem store. It will be the level and quality of a normal expansion or adventure update, but instead of spending the money to publish it in stores, ANET will likely just offer through the gem store. It will probably be an odd amount, like $25 dollars when the only way to get it will be buying 30 dollars worth of gems. Yes, its shady but I wouldn't be surprised. ANET isn't known of being shady, but every company does this
EDIT:
Gold buying isn't hurting the game because its not being created out of thin air. All gold being bought with gems is created by players playing the game. Its simply another transfer from one player to another. If anything, its only done to prevent gold sellers.
Games:
Currently playing:Nothing
Will play: Darkfall: Unholy Wars
Past games:
Guild Wars 2 - Xpiher Duminous
Xpiher's GW2
GW 1 - Xpiher Duminous
Darkfall - Xpiher Duminous (NA) retired
AoC - Xpiher (Tyranny) retired
Warhammer - Xpiher
This is actually what my concern is. That overall, there is little in the shop to draw players in. So will it meet it's expected sales target, and if not, what then?
ANET doesn't need the cash shop. Their business is based on selling content. You know how most MMOs have content patches every 4-6 months? Well ANET has had massive content updates every 6-9 months on the level of being almost an entirely new game when producing GW1. Why would GW2 be any different? In fact, the GEM store might save them money by giving them an outlet to already sell the items instead of having to go through vendors like they did in GW1
Games:
Currently playing:Nothing
Will play: Darkfall: Unholy Wars
Past games:
Guild Wars 2 - Xpiher Duminous
Xpiher's GW2
GW 1 - Xpiher Duminous
Darkfall - Xpiher Duminous (NA) retired
AoC - Xpiher (Tyranny) retired
Warhammer - Xpiher
I havnt bought anything from the cash shop yet.
I'm supporting Arenanet by buying and playing they're game. I'll probably buy some more bank space and a bag slot when I need them and thats fair enough. I will be happy to purchase additional content when they release it, as from what I have experianced so far, it will be well worth the purchase price and I dont expect it for free, unlike a sub game where charging for an Xpac is milking you subscriber's plain and simple.
I respect Arenanet's business model as it stands right now, it's delivered great value for the money I have spent so far.
"Be water my friend" - Bruce Lee
I have to agree. One of the worst cash shop designs I have seen in a game that made the transition.
1. For god's sake mmo gamers, enough with the analogies. They're unnecessary and your comparisons are terrible, dissimilar, and illogical.
2. To posters feeling the need to state how f2p really isn't f2p: Players understand the concept. You aren't privy to some secret the rest are missing. You're embarrassing yourself.
3. Yes, Cpt. Obvious, we're not industry experts. Now run along and let the big people use the forums for their purpose.
Guild Wars also was like this. You go and buy some extra bank tabs. maybe a costume to make your character look cool and then that was it. Unlike f2p games there is nothing that really makes you wanto to continue spending week after week. I think this really throws a lot of people off because they expected this cash shop to be just like the f2p games but it is not. It doesn't have to be. Anet gets the bulk of its ROI off box sales. They don't need to sell stuff constantly out of the cash shop to be profitable. The cash shop sales are gravy. But there are a lot of people who will buy cosmetic junk so there will be no shortage of gravy for Anet.
And don't doubt that there will be a paid expansion within a year. Possibly even 6 months. There was a year between the first two Guild Wars campaigns and another 6 before they released the third. Then it was less than a year before they released the EotN Expansion. The only reason they stopped was because they realized that what they wanted to do next was really a whole new game and that is when development on this game started.
And with a new paid box coming out every year at least they will have no trouble keeping the game funded without an aggressive and annoying cash shop.
All die, so die well.
Has Anet made any statements on Boxed expansions. Specifically, Will they allow players to use gems to buy them?