115422-big-box-price-and-a-subscription-yes-please-and-other-things

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I don't know about anybody else, but I've been giving a lot of free-to-play games a go lately. Shooters, MMORPGS, the works. And you know what I've found? The model is not the one for me. Having to pay a ton of money to roll a single race (looking at you Neverwinter) or to get some potentially better drops (keys and crates, oh my) or whatever is lame.
 
If only there was a model wherein I could pay for the game up front... wait, there is! And yeah, I have to pay monthly as well, but last time I heard, servers, utilities, employees and development time is pricey, so that works. In fact, I prefer it. I can do whatever I want in this game without having to pay cash monies for individual things because I've already given money for all of the things.
 
So what if it's been a rough launch. Frankly, I'm surprised WoW survived its initial release. And other games did OK despite rough launches... almost as if it's a fact of life for games (MMOs in particular). Megasevers are, in my opinion, something that should have been a feature day one (allegedly they wanted to but couldn't swing it). A shortage of holiday events doesn't break my heart, though I do hope to see them later. And hey, while we're at it, the game is fun. I enjoy running around and swinging my template-dropping sword (aw yiss) and crafting stuff and all that jazz.
 
Seriously, guys, keep up the good work. :)	
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I don't know about anybody else, but I've been giving a lot of free-to-play games a go lately. Shooters, MMORPGS, the works. And you know what I've found? The model is not the one for me. Having to pay a ton of money to roll a single race (looking at you Neverwinter) or to get some potentially better drops (keys and crates, oh my) or whatever is lame.
 
If only there was a model wherein I could pay for the game up front... wait, there is! And yeah, I have to pay monthly as well, but last time I heard, servers, utilities, employees and development time is pricey, so that works. In fact, I prefer it. I can do whatever I want in this game without having to pay cash monies for individual things because I've already given money for all of the things.
 
So what if it's been a rough launch. Frankly, I'm surprised WoW survived its initial release. And other games did OK despite rough launches... almost as if it's a fact of life for games (MMOs in particular). Megasevers are, in my opinion, something that should have been a feature day one (allegedly they wanted to but couldn't swing it). A shortage of holiday events doesn't break my heart, though I do hope to see them later. And hey, while we're at it, the game is fun. I enjoy running around and swinging my template-dropping sword (aw yiss) and crafting stuff and all that jazz.
 
Seriously, guys, keep up the good work. :)
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Honestly, between the two, if one was to go, I'm not sure why everyone calls out the subscription.  I wouldn't mind them going total EVE online and just killing the box price, though I don't think they'll do it until they make back the initial development cost.  Still, if either of those is a barrier to playing, the box price seems to be the bigger wall to getting people to play.  Hell, I wouldn't care if that free first month wasn't there, just pay 15 dollars to get into the first month.  You'd probably get a lot more people giving it a shot beyond the free trial period if they didn't have to drop that big up-front sum.
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At some point, perhaps a year from now or so. You'll see the box price down around $15-20 I bet. Most MMO's end up there, effectively making the box free or nearly so when you figure you still get a free month.
 
EVE doesn't seem to box cost. I just looked at the page, and under the "buy EVE" link, it's just various subscription offers, 1 month, 3 months, ect...	
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At some point, perhaps a year from now or so. You'll see the box price down around $15-20 I bet. Most MMO's end up there, effectively making the box free or nearly so when you figure you still get a free month.
 
EVE doesn't seem to box cost. I just looked at the page, and under the "buy EVE" link, it's just various subscription offers, 1 month, 3 months, ect...
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I don't recall having to pay the box price either, but I'm not against being proven wrong.  I thought I just paid my first months' subscription fee and I was good to go.
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Chua found on EvE Site: http://community.eveonline.com/support/knowledge-base/article.aspx?articleId=787
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Honestly, between the two, if one was to go, I'm not sure why everyone calls out the subscription.  I wouldn't mind them going total EVE online and just killing the box price, though I don't think they'll do it until they make back the initial development cost.  Still, if either of those is a barrier to playing, the box price seems to be the bigger wall to getting people to play.  Hell, I wouldn't care if that free first month wasn't there, just pay 15 dollars to get into the first month.  You'd probably get a lot more people giving it a shot beyond the free trial period if they didn't have to drop that big up-front sum.
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With this relaunch of Wildstar it would be foolish for NCsoft to think drop 3 alone is going to make a dent, even mega servers based off the idea that drop3 is going to have such a huge boost in population is confusing when you can fit this whole community in 1-2 servers.
 
 I expect we will hear a change of some sort to the existing model.  A lowered box price b2p model and cash shop wouldn't surprise me, and I'm sure they had this back up plan from the start w/some of the features like boomboxes for example.	
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I don't know about anybody else, but I've been giving a lot of free-to-play games a go lately. Shooters, MMORPGS, the works. And you know what I've found? The model is not the one for me. Having to pay a ton of money to roll a single race (looking at you Neverwinter) or to get some potentially better drops (keys and crates, oh my) or whatever is lame.
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For the record, I am 100% against this game going F2P. Those games almost always have a huge disparity between paying players and non. I would rather everybody pays the same end gets everything the same. PLEASE do not listen so closely to the grumbles of a vocal minority that the game finds itself stripped of credibility.
 
Thanks!	
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			I agree, I prefer the subscription model. I think a major complaint is the box price is too high for those who are spoiled by Steam sales. I am hoping a holiday special for Black Friday/Christmas will entice people to give this game a shot :D	
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			this, i don't mind paying .50¢ a day to play a killer game, i do mind when i log in and have to wait 40+ minutes for a bg	
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I'm a bit conflicted over the issue of funds for Carbine, I hear every one of you and agree heartily with the sentiment that f2p breeds toxic communities and yet I remember CoH maintained a relatively good community before NCSoft closed its servers.
 
(yes i am still bitter about that, though i can see myself and laugh nowadays.)
 
few points:
-EvE uses PLEX to bolster its income, allowing some to play for free by paying ingame currency to people selling the PLEX, PLEX costs more than a normal sub by a not insubstantial margin.  Carbine have adopted this approach.
-WoW operates under the sub model, but have a cash shop for (last i bothered to look) limited offer vanities and utility items as well as real world items such as plush toys, apparel, keychains, etc.
-Coh operated at a loss for many years, till they changed to a dual option f2p or sub with bonuses (mostly cosmetic), and shortly before that they opened a cash shop mirroring Wow's.  Coh was actually turning a profit when it was shut down, (according to leaked documents...i'll stop really i will... :D )
-ESO runs off of a sub model, and yet still at times has an amazingly toxic community.
 
 
I think that Carbine should be looking towards introducing a utility/vanity cash shop at some point in the future when things settle down a bit , the community will support the game if they love it, and the PR opportunities of fridge magnets, t-shirts, caps and hoodies as conversation pieces will go along way, (though i'd suggest starting with digital content first in order to get players used to the idea... costumes and costume weapons, vanity [limited offer] mounts, etc).  The store doesnt have to be huge...
Another incentive to keep people subbed is to hand out vanity gear and utility items (runes, crafting materials, boosters) based off of time subbed, it only has to be minimal on the monthly basis, but as an account hits major points (3 months, 6 months 12 months, etc) the rewards should be worth the time and money the account holder has invested into the game.
 
There are two subs running from my household, if Carbine can make it to the 5 year mark with content releases, optimisation, expansions and what-not then i'll have been happy to have helped out.	
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			I prefer box price + sub model but face it we are on the same train SWTOR was on.  We are currently at the merger stop ... the next stop is a cash shop for those "vanity items" ... with F2P the final stop after that.  I don't care what Carbine is saying.  Bioware also said they would never go F2P and well look where SWTOR is.  I don't fault a company for wanting to pay their employees.  I do however absolutely detest a company blowing smoke ... and then eventually having to issue that Press release about how they tried to fight it but, they caved ( we know these decisions are not made short term ... they take planning ) so, just come out and tell us when Carbine is going to make Wildstar a Hybrid model a la SWTOR and get all the kerfuffle over with so we can get back to playing the game!!!11!!! :P	
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I prefer box price + sub model but face it we are on the same train SWTOR was on.  We are currently at the merger stop ... the next stop is a cash shop for those "vanity items" ... with F2P the final stop after that.  I don't care what Carbine is saying.  Bioware also said they would never go F2P and well look where SWTOR is.  I don't fault a company for wanting to pay their employees.  I do however absolutely detest a company blowing smoke ... and then eventually having to issue that Press release about how they tried to fight it but, they caved ( we know these decisions are not made short term ... they take planning ) so, just come out and tell us when Carbine is going to make Wildstar a Hybrid model a la SWTOR and get all the kerfuffle over with so we can get back to playing the game!!!11!!! :P
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			This might get some hate but I hope the box price remains high. It's a gate to prevent people from making throwaway accounts.	
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well if wildstar does go f2p/sub there is only one thing i ask:
make housing sub only, so there is at least one nice place to escape any trollish (yes yes generalisations... i KNOW...) 13 year olds looking to cause havok for giggles...
 
other than that, you always seem to be bagging the game Kytar, or are my age addled brains packing it in again? >.<  EvE managed to survive just fine on a handful of subs for many years, ups and downs with the player uprisings and all, if a game is worth it, people stick around.
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			i like the idea of a lowered box price and sub, it was a hard decision for me to drop the 60 bucks to buy this game, credd makes up for it though, so i can see folks not willing to drop that much for a game	
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@WolfSongEcho,
 
Yeah, I bag on Carbine a lot.  But, I also defend Carbine too.  I know many of my "defenses" may seem "back handed" but, I DO WANT WILDSTAR TO SUCCED.  I absolutely enjoy playing this game.  It is my hope that this game will develop into a full IP with books, comics, movies, spin offs etc.
 
I just don't want Carbine to make the same mistakes as many have in the MMORPG game developing industry.  I hope they find a way to break the log jam that is involved in bringing a successful MMORPG to market theses days.  Not so much to "compete with World of Warcraft" but, to be their own identity in the glut of MMORPGS on the market these days.
 
I hope they can find the formula to break through the ennui of today's gamers.
 
I hope this makes sense. :)	
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I have no real opinions on Carbine's possible business decisions. I like the game, more than most that i've played.  Of the things likely to drive me away, toxic community is not the biggest, a broken game takes that spot, and Wildstar is not broken, its a balanced (balancing) game system at this point in time.  It is an MMO though, so low population can affect it adversely, that being said, with a good story/lore, enjoyable content that bears up to repeat playthroughs (specifically group content) and noly a few thousand subs, a game is still very playable, perhaps not entirely profitable, but playable.
 
However, as a oft times Pvp'er, sitting in a queue of 80minutes at this very time, with the promised ETA being 17 minutes for the last 40 minutes (9minutes ETA when i entered the queue over an hour ago), I might want to change my mind over that last sentence in the paragraph above :/... I have a sneaky suspician though that my queue woes are actually a broken queue system and nothing to do with population.... else the ETA would be going up and not sitting static...*hint hint*
 
edit :
-.-  BG ETA just went down to 14:49, I'm sitting on 85 minute time in queue.... /le_sigh.. time to alt out and get Something / Anything done that is more productive than waiting for something that isnt going to happen... well at least i got some farming in ... :( .... also sorry to be a negative nancy ... just thought i'd slip in a big *hint* about something that needs looking at IMHO ... 88 minutes now... :P	
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The best you can hope for is they don't go SWoTR's route and go more with Rift or GW2's methods.
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