Is FFXI getting a cash shop?

[Dale]

This is essentially what the original hardware security token was.

You paid 10 dollars and doubled your inventory.

It was exceedingly popular, as would be any future paid inventory expansion were they to go that route--which I find very doubtful they would.

I would go so far as to say I'd be willing to pay $1 a month for 80 more Sack/Satchel-like slots versus the money I currently pay for a mule which I don't actually use beyond harvesting login points and mailing junk to.

To reinforce your point the extra money you pay monthly for a mule character isn't much different than the retainers from Final Fantasy 14.

[Raydeus]

Unless they add an HD texture pack and a proper DX9 (preferably 11) client upgrade to the cash shop I have no interest whatsoever in it.

But I wouldn't mind if other players spent more money on XI either. As long as they don't go retarded about it's implementation and don't cut content from the game's updates to sell it in the cash shop I couldn't care less about it.

Edit >
I'm talking exclusively vanity items here, if they ever added something as stupid as Login points, R/M/E weapon items, etc. they better make the game F2P because there's no chance in hell I'd pay a sub on top of that.

[Dale]

Unless they add an HD texture pack and a proper DX9 (preferably 11) client upgrade to the cash shop I have no interest whatsoever in it.

But I wouldn't mind if other players spent more money on XI either. As long as they don't go retarded about it's implementation and don't cut content from the game's updates to sell it in the cash shop I couldn't care less about it.

Edit >
I'm talking exclusively vanity items here, if they ever added something as stupid as Login points, R/M/E weapon items, etc. they better make the game F2P because there's no chance in hell I'd pay a sub on top of that.

I feel close to the same way. Cosmetic items I can live with (though I still wouldn't like it). But if they turn the game into P2W and allow players to start purchasing items that give them advantages in terms of actual gameplay I would have a real problem with it. Because I don't believe this sort of thing belongs in a subscription-based game.

[Pixela]

A cash shop should not exist in a p2p title at all, everything is supposed to be paid for with that subscription. All the wages, all the overheads etc.

If they start adding extra things to buy then it will influence development meetings, cosmetics or not. The point of a cash shop is to sell that new item, they aren't going to make design choices with actual content that hurt sales.

To use an analogy, it's like a company in a small town that makes roads (running the mmo and making it the best they can) and opens another side venture making soft tyres (cash shop). If they realise they can make a lot of money from tyres if the roads are less perfect and more bumpy do you really think they will make those roads as perfect as they can be? or will the boss in charge of everything make the roads less perfect so they can ensure people buy those special tyres and have a softer ride? It's common sense how it works.

That's why I hate cash shops, not for what they are but for how they influence development. There are so many ways a cash shop is negative to a game like this, in terms of lowering the aesthetic of items available ingame (They will have meetings about, will these new ingame items hurt cash shop sales because they look nicer etc), to taking development time away from content to make cash shop items (cause they sure won't take on new staff for that) and finally do hurting lore because they will start adding things like baseball caps and things.. As I said above, the cash shop becomes a factor in all design decisions from that point on and that's not a good thing.

The sad mentality of most mmo players is that cash shops make people spend a huge amount of money and they are easily manipulated by peer pressure.

[Dale]

A cash shop should not exist in a p2p title at all, everything is supposed to be paid for with that subscription. All the wages, all the overheads etc.

If they start adding extra things to buy then it will influence development meetings, cosmetics or not. The point of a cash shop is to sell that new item, they aren't going to make design choices with actual content that hurt sales.

To use an analogy, it's like a company in a small town that makes roads (running the mmo and making it the best they can) and opens another side venture making soft tyres (cash shop). If they realise they can make a lot of money from tyres if the roads are less perfect and more bumpy do you really think they will make those roads as perfect as they can be? or will the boss in charge of everything make the roads less perfect so they can ensure people buy those special tyres and have a softer ride? It's common sense how it works.

That's why I hate cash shops, not for what they are but for how they influence development. There are so many ways a cash shop is negative to a game like this, in terms of lowering the aesthetic of items available ingame (They will have meetings about, will these new ingame items hurt cash shop sales because they look nicer etc), to taking development time away from content to make cash shop items (cause they sure won't take on new staff for that) and finally do hurting lore because they will start adding things like baseball caps and things.. As I said above, the cash shop becomes a factor in all design decisions from that point on and that's not a good thing.

The sad mentality of most mmo players is that cash shops make people spend a huge amount of money and they are easily manipulated by peer pressure.

Agreed. I've never seen a cash shop contribute in a positive way to any game.

[Stompa]

FF14 always felt like a pewpewpew arcade game to me, I filed 14 under the "rpg-themed arcade game" as it never felt I was playing an actual rpg, it was just an arcade game in an rpg-styled world. So I don't have issues with them selling things in that game, as it isn't a realistic rpg world anyway. Any game with "!" over peoples head directing you to the next quest, which will level you up and give you the correct armor for your new lvl, is not an atmospheric rpg it is just a slightly convoluted arcade game. If people want to buy stuff in that game, it matters not to me because I'm only interested in roleplaying games.
FFXI's realism comes from the vast gulf between the gil and gear a lvl one adventurer has, the 100~ gil items that mobs drop for the new players, and the enormous stratified heirarchy that lies ahead/above that new player, with the hugely expensive compulsory-devotion weapons at the end game. This enormous gulf, and crossing it, is what makes the realism of a true RPG. You are not supposed to have Hero Gear, until you have been a Hero for a long time. If you are a new adventurer, you should be proud of being a new adventurer, and enjoy your slow and exciting journey towards the realms of Heroes. That is the core meat and bones of roleplaying 'fighting fantasy' games. If you add an option that turns new adventurers into Heroes using a credit card, the game ceases to be a realistic roleplaying 'fighting fantasy' game, not just for the player who is buying progress, but for everyone else in that virtual world.

[Deirdre]

FF14 always felt like a pewpewpew arcade game to me, I filed 14 under the "rpg-themed arcade game" as it never felt I was playing an actual rpg, it was just an arcade game in an rpg-styled world. So I don't have issues with them selling things in that game, as it isn't a realistic rpg world anyway. Any game with "!" over peoples head directing you to the next quest, which will level you up and give you the correct armor for your new lvl, is not an atmospheric rpg it is just a slightly convoluted arcade game. If people want to buy stuff in that game, it matters not to me because I'm only interested in roleplaying games.
FFXI's realism comes from the vast gulf between the gil and gear a lvl one adventurer has, the 100~ gil items that mobs drop for the new players, and the enormous stratified heirarchy that lies ahead/above that new player, with the hugely expensive compulsory-devotion weapons at the end game. This enormous gulf, and crossing it, is what makes the realism of a true RPG. You are not supposed to have Hero Gear, until you have been a Hero for a long time. If you are a new adventurer, you should be proud of being a new adventurer, and enjoy your slow and exciting journey towards the realms of Heroes. That is the core meat and bones of roleplaying 'fighting fantasy' games. If you add an option that turns new adventurers into Heroes using a credit card, the game ceases to be a realistic roleplaying 'fighting fantasy' game, not just for the player who is buying progress, but for everyone else in that virtual world.

This is really well said. I resubbed in Vana'diel last week, I missed the living world that it is. In the however many years I played previous to Seekers, there was always tons of gear that I never got and knew I never would--and that's ok. If I had wanted it THAT badly I could have sold my soul to a HNMLS or raised gil or whatever. The option should always be in-game, and it should be up to you if you wish to take that or not. No to cash shops. I don't care if they're selling pink starting level 1 RSE or 119 weapons, no cash shops in Vana'diel. This is one of (maybe the only?) Sub based MMO without one; and it's one of the only that feels like a living, breathing world. Let's keep it that way.

[Lsd25]

Hah a living breathing world, some people surely are pathetic but i don't know what to expect after seeing some of the fools that went to final fantasy 14 fan fest truely the dregs of society.

Get used to it, if the shop works well for 14 and im sure it will they will add one to 11 to keep pumping more profit from the game and tbh i don't see the fuss vaniety items who really gives a damn, no one forces you to buy them so stop moaning about it. If you don't want to use the shop don't but i'm sure plenty would.

[Deirdre]

Well it's very simple--the argument of "no one forces you to buy anything" is immaterial. If you SEE someone running around looking like Cloud, you are affected by it. You want it in a 'modern MMO' like XIV, fine. XI is an old style MMO and in general, that's how the playerbase seems to like it. Cause let's be honest, if you are looking for a SE MMO that offers all the modern stuff, ARR is very easy to like. It's much prettier, if nothing else.

[Jeanna]

Wow does it pretty well, all they sell are mounts and pets, and a few plushies, none of which really effect actual game play at all. They also have paid race/gender/faction changes. It's also made them a toooooooooooon of money. Their first store bought mount made them millions in the first couple hours.

Espeically if some of the money goes back into stuff like improving the game, future x-pacs, possibly customer support, something similar would be nice for ffxi.