Did you do your part?

[Lost]

The gurus at Blizzard need another gold plated Ferrari.

http://us.blizzard.com/store/details.xml?id=1100000942

How many of you bought it or are going to buy it?

[GenghisTron]

I feel sorry for blizzard

[Bridget]

What has this world come to when developers offer optional downloads to make a little extra money for all the hard work they put into the rest of the game. It's almost like these people are trying to make money like everyone else. That's odd.

[GenghisTron]

woah, hard work and world of warcraft

be careful with that irony, bridget

[KubeDawg]

Buying extra items like that is just as pointless as paying a monthly charge to play a game. But hey who am I to judge.

[Lost]

Apparently Bridget has never played an MMO. These things are not optional because, in fact, you are forced to buy them due to the societal pressure within the gameworld to "fit in." If you don't, then you are exiled and not allowed into the accepted cliques and you end up raiding with the level 60's who can't buy the expansions and thus can't get the new mount. It's a vicious cycle.

[stray kitten]

Originally Posted by Lost

Apparently Bridget has never played an MMO. These things are not optional because, in fact, you are forced to buy them due to the societal pressure within the gameworld to "fit in." If you don't, then you are exiled and not allowed into the accepted cliques and you end up raiding with the level 60's who can't buy the expansions and thus can't get the new mount. It's a vicious cycle.

What's the point of escaping to a game world when it mimicks real life?

[Lost]

Originally Posted by stray kitten

What's the point of escaping to a game world when it mimicks real life?

Because with pixels you can be something! But only if someone else says you are.

[Desyphur]

Originally Posted by Lost

Apparently Bridget has never played an MMO. These things are not optional because, in fact, you are forced to buy them due to the societal pressure within the gameworld to "fit in." If you don't, then you are exiled and not allowed into the accepted cliques and you end up raiding with the level 60's who can't buy the expansions and thus can't get the new mount. It's a vicious cycle.

Except everyone hates this new mount and you actually become an outcast for buying it. Sure, 2 million people bought it in the first hour, but they're everywhere and therefore not special.

[Crazycarl]

Instead of $25 it should cost a week's work--why lower the price?

[Lost]

Originally Posted by Desyphur

Except everyone hates this new mount and you actually become an outcast for buying it. Sure, 2 million people bought it in the first hour, but they're everywhere and therefore not special.

Hahaha, I know! Now the only cool peeps are those who didn't buy it, lol.

Those bastards know how to make some bank though. You should have seen the rush to buy the little pets when they first came out. Some people even believed themselves when they said they did it to donate to a good cause.

I'd pay money for the blue protodrake though...

[Sh4x]

Here's a system I'd like to see implemented in the future:

You pay for the time you play. And I don't mean "pay X a month" like the current WoW system".

I think there would be lots of benefits from having to pay for every minute of use of a game. Those who play alot will pay more than those not playing so much. Wouldn't that be more fair in every aspect?

If the cost/minute is well balanced, I think it could work. It wouldn't have to be a fixed ratio anyways, the more you play, the less it costs you per minute, etc...

Is that a stupid idea? If so, why?

[Innoc]

No I did not do my part. I'd far rather invest that time in real life things...like the cruise I'm taking shortly. The gaming I do nowadays happens in one to two minute intervals on my phone...and the occasional fps on a PC...

[stray kitten]

50 million dollars in 2 hours? For a 3d model? Shit I am in the wrong business.

[Etzell]

Originally Posted by Sh4x

Here's a system I'd like to see implemented in the future:

You pay for the time you play. And I don't mean "pay X a month" like the current WoW system".

I think there would be lots of benefits from having to pay for every minute of use of a game. Those who play alot will pay more than those not playing so much. Wouldn't that be more fair in every aspect?

If the cost/minute is well balanced, I think it could work. It wouldn't have to be a fixed ratio anyways, the more you play, the less it costs you per minute, etc...

Is that a stupid idea? If so, why?

If it's a flat rate (5 cents a minute), people will bitch that the company is fucking over their most hardcore and beloved of fans. If it's a "play more to play less", you'll get lawsuits from people who claim that Blizzard is incentivizing people playing 30 hours a week.

[GenghisTron]

Originally Posted by stray kitten

50 million dollars in 2 hours? For a 3d model? Shit I am in the wrong business.

But then you'd be actively contributing to the degradation of the video game industry.

[stray kitten]

Originally Posted by GenghisTron

But then you'd be actively contributing to the degradation of the video game industry.

oh damn.

[Sh4x]

Originally Posted by Etzell

If it's a flat rate (5 cents a minute), people will bitch that the company is fucking over their most hardcore and beloved of fans. If it's a "play more to play less", you'll get lawsuits from people who claim that Blizzard is incentivizing people playing 30 hours a week.

Well, you wouldn't pay less if you play more obviously, maybe I didn't make myself clear on that one. I meant that the cost per minute would be a little less if you play like you have no life so in the end you would still pay more than normal but not an insane amount.

It's kinda how cell phones work anyways so... maybe it could be applied to games that require an internet connexion to play, like WoW for instance.

All I know is that it would be great for trying out games for a while without having to pay 60 bucks just to finally play a couple hours.

[Crazycarl]

They don't want you to play a couple hours. Paying by the hour/minute would be a disincentive to play more, and would make it much easier to gradually quit. Whereas once the player agrees to the monthly fee, they feel like they have made an investment, and they should play as much as possible to get their money's worth.

There are some MMOs that are free to play--you just pay piecemeal for the good items and content.

Innoc: Where ya going? On yer cruise?

[Mooga]

Originally Posted by Bridget

What has this world come to when developers offer optional downloads to make a little extra money for all the hard work they put into the rest of the game. It's almost like these people are trying to make money like everyone else. That's odd.

$25 is a "little extra money?"
That cost them 20 bucks to make and they get $25 every time someone buys it.
Yes, that's VERY fair.

However, it's costs a few hundred thousand dollars to run a single WoW server for a day so...