My Take On Micro-Transaction

Here's a video I made that represents how I feel regarding them: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuCiPDH00bY

ROFL!! nice Horeon!

I would have to agree...that would blow..

Nice video. I became a bit worried about this myself when I played Dragon Age, where there was basicly an advertisement in your camp to go buy a quest.

Purely cosmetic stuff I would be able to understand, and probably are going to happen.

Baelyrn wrote:

Nice video. I became a bit worried about this myself when I played Dragon Age, where there was basicly an advertisement in your camp to go buy a quest.

Purely cosmetic stuff I would be able to understand, and probably are going to happen.

Even that segregates the community. But, yes, it would be better than the extreme that my video/Dragon Age/DDO demonstrates.

I keep trying to go back to Dragon Age: Origins, I really do. But that advertisement in the camp kicks me out of enjoying the game every time.

I love the video, Horeon.

I'm not a fan of MT, well not in a pay-2-play game. I don't mind them in F2P games...most of the time.

I understand the business model of MT's and it's not a bad one. However, in a game about immersion I can't see them being anything but off-putting. And I would definitely feel it's double dipping if they charge a subscription especially when it comes to MT's for things that are more than cosmetic. That kind of insult may be one of the few things that would be dealbreaker for me.

Godric_Barbarosa wrote:

I understand the business model of MT's and it's not a bad one. However, in a game about immersion I can't see them being anything but off-putting. And I would definitely feel it's double dipping if they charge a subscription especially when it comes to MT's for things that are more than cosmetic. That kind of insult may be one of the few things that would be dealbreaker for me.

Business model is one thing

A good gaming experience is another

I don't want to start up a rumor or crazy speculation but have you guys read the Testing Agreement? There is quite a bit in there about "points" and it even mentions a "Game Store". Not sure what it means but I thought it might suggest some kind of Micro-transaction system.

Check it out for yourselves; http://swtor.com/game-testing-agreement

Quote :

(H) You acknowledge and agree that all points acquired during the Game Program are non-refundable and have no monetary value.

(I) You acknowledge and agree that all items acquired for points during the Game Program are non-refundable and non-tradable.

(J) You acknowledge and agree that BWA reserves the right to add or remove points to your account at any time and without warning.

(K) You acknowledge and agree that BWA reserves the right to change/add/remove points rewarded in the Game store at any time and without warning.

(L) You acknowledge and agree that BWA reserves the right to change/add/remove items collected or updated, modify or remove any items in the Game at any time and without warning.

(M) You acknowledge and agree that points acquired during the Game Program cannot be saved up for or used in the commercial version of the Game.

(N) You acknowledge and agree that all points will be removed from your account before going into the next test phase (if applicable).

(O) You acknowledge and agree that points acquired during the Game Program do not entitle you to any points during any other test stages (if applicable) or for the commercial release of the Game.

Yep. I saw that.

I find it mostly strange that there is no mention of buying points (only that they are non-refundable, but they have no monetary value...) and it's the first time I see that a Game store reward players with "game points" too.

I think it refer to the social points you gain for grouping, you can exchange them for "stuff" in the game.

Might be something good, too. But to be honest: Yes, I am a little afraid they will put MTs in the game. That would not be a deal breaker for TOR - but for many other games it would be for me.

azarhal wrote:

Yep. I saw that.

I find it mostly strange that there is no mention of buying points (only that they are non-refundable, but they have no monetary value...) and it's the first time I see that a Game store reward players with "game points" too.

I think it refer to the social points you gain for grouping, you can exchange them for "stuff" in the game.

That's a good possibility, but then again, in Testing they wouldn't expect the player to buy points for money if it was micro-transaction. I'd like to think that it's not a Micro-transaction system.

MorgonKara wrote:

That's a good possibility, but then again, in Testing they wouldn't expect the player to buy points for money if it was micro-transaction. I'd like to think that it's not a Micro-transaction system.

That's my hope too. It might be something completely unheard of?

No NA developer making a AAA title will ever include that sort of MT in any future game, IMO. One of the reasons Turbine has been successful with their F2P model is that they've figured out what they can and can't get away with, and the first order of business is that the core game must actually be FREE.

Bling mounts? Maybe.
Tools to accelerate XP gains? Perhaps.
Quest packs for certain zones? Possibly.
Items that affect balance? No.
Scenarios where you are pressured or have your arm-twisted to give up money? No.

I like the video, but I just think it anticipates something that's unrealistic, and would lead to catastrophic failure for the game overall.

MorgonKara wrote:

That's a good possibility, but then again, in Testing they wouldn't expect the player to buy points for money if it was micro-transaction. I'd like to think that it's not a Micro-transaction system.

Turbine did it for both DDO and LoTRO beta, but I'm pretty sure people got to keep the points they bought (well what they had left), while here they especially said that they can't be used in the commercial version of the game and are not efundable.

Who the hell would want to buy something that have no value and can't be refunded or used after a certain time?

Mannic wrote:

No NA developer making a AAA title will ever include that sort of MT in any future game, IMO. One of the reasons Turbine has been successful with their F2P model is that they've figured out what they can and can't get away with, and the first order of business is that the core game must actually be FREE.

Bling mounts? Maybe.
Tools to accelerate XP gains? Perhaps.
Quest packs for certain zones? Possibly.
Items that affect balance? No.
Scenarios where you are pressured or have your arm-twisted to give up money? No.

I like the video, but I just think it anticipates something that's unrealistic, and would lead to catastrophic failure for the game overall.

To me quest packs are something that I would feel like I was being pressured in to giving up money. Any actual quest game content, I want to experience and should be included as non MT, in my humble opinion.

I laughed at that video. And I agree with you. I'm agaisnt ANY kind of microtransaction. Yes I'm including vanity items aswell, I don't think I should have to pay to do one of the things i enjoy most in MMOs, which is to collect vanity items, I also think it's a slap on the face of RPers who use them to compliment their stories and their characters and have to pay extra for it.

Anyway personal rants aside... I'm sure we'll have some kind of MTs in game. I'm secretly hoping it's just for character transfers and stuff like that, but I don't think we'll be that lucky. At the very least, I hope quests, warzones, instances/flashpoints and crafting schematics are out of it. And of course any kind of gear or items that affect balance, but that's a given in my opinion.

For me, MTs are still terrible due to what they do rather then what they offer
No matter what the system they went with under a MT based programme the word of mouth and effect of havign MTs would do more harm then good, the playerbase is filled with misconception, miss belief and anti trust. Even if MTs are the future, it would do more harm then help to TOR because of peoples fear and assumptions

azarhal wrote:

MorgonKara wrote:

That's a good possibility, but then again, in Testing they wouldn't expect the player to buy points for money if it was micro-transaction. I'd like to think that it's not a Micro-transaction system.

Turbine did it for both DDO and LoTRO beta, but I'm pretty sure people got to keep the points they bought (well what they had left), while here they especially said that they can't be used in the commercial version of the game and are not efundable.

Who the hell would want to buy something that have no value and can't be refunded or used after a certain time?

Right, that's what I mean. If these mysterious "points" get erased during the testing period, then they wouldn't expect people to pay for them -even if that is the final plan. There is no evidence either way yet, but it is worth noting the reference in the Testing Agreement to the "Game Store".


Turbine has "Turbine Points" and a "Game Store" for both DDO and Lotro. Apparently it's made them a lot of money, so i wouldn't be all that surprised if SWTOR has something similar.

*shivers after reading the Testing Agreement part about points*

I'm not a praying man, but I'm on my knees for this one. Please, god, let it be something, anything else than MT's... please...

MorgonKara wrote:

Turbine has "Turbine Points" and a "Game Store" for both DDO and Lotro. Apparently it's made them a lot of money, so i wouldn't be all that surprised if SWTOR has something similar.

Both these games are F2P, if you sub you get everything + "free" turbine points every months. I once calculated DDO content cost and it came at about 2 years of subbing (for the time period).

I wouldn't mind TOR to go "à la carte", but it's important to not make the customer feel like he's robbed. Which I doubt will happen with EA in charge. They just added a "game store" to WAR... Nice stuff in there, like buying levels.

azarhal wrote:

Both these games are F2P, if you sub you get everything + "free" turbine points every months. I once calculated DDO content cost and it came at about 2 years of subbing (for the time period).

In the DDO case. Your result was that it was about the same cost as paying a monthly fee in the end?

Grome wrote:

In the DDO case. Your result was that it was about the same cost as paying a monthly fee in the end?

Yes, the total of paying a monthly fee for 2 years will give you enough money to buy the content (at the time I calculated this, about 8 months ago). This include races, classes, quests packs, accounts stuff, but exclude consumables and all other optional stuff that P2Pers also need to buy with Turbine points.

And that didn't include buying the stuff in discount.

azarhal wrote:

Grome wrote:

In the DDO case. Your result was that it was about the same cost as paying a monthly fee in the end?

Yes, the total of paying a monthly fee for 2 years will give you enough money to buy the content (at the time I calculated this, about 8 months ago). This include races, classes, quests packs, accounts stuff, but exclude consumables and all other optional stuff that P2Pers also need to buy with Turbine points.

And that didn't include buying the stuff in discount.

That is sick money for Turbine.

But a horrid ripoff for players :3

I understand using MT 's in a F2P game. It is one of many ways to get some money out of it.
I do not understand using MT 's in a P2P game however, other then a server swap.
WoW has added so many options now including genderswaps, swapping between horde/alliance, looks etc. it is way to much.
If, and i hope not, TOR will be using an MT for any in-game content while i still pay every month to play the game it will be the shortest adventure for me ever.
LOTRO going F2P is one of the main reasons for me having second thoughts about going back when my new pc arrives. I generally dislike the abbility to get items/content/xp by paying instead of playing.