[Suggestion/Idea] Introduce a Token System like WoW's

*Please note, I'm only suggesting adding a system similiar to what WoW has, not to turn the game into a carbon of WoW.*

I think XVI should have a Token System similar to WoW's WoW Tokens.
(I'm sure this subject has come up before but I couldn't find a thread to necro-thread.)

I started thinking about this after seeing Miste's Petition thread about making more cash shop items account wide.

Unfamiliar with WoW and/or WoW Tokens?
WoW has what are called "WoW Tokens".
WoW Tokens can be bought in Blizzard/WoW's cash shop with IRL money ($20 NA) and then bought and sold at the in-game auction houses for Gold (WoW's in-game currency).
When buying and/or selling tokens at an auction house, the price is a set amount that changes depending on their current value. This value changes overtime.
Tokens are sold in the order they were listed.
Players can also exchange Tokens for either subscription time (1 token = 30 days) or for Blizzard Balance (Blizzard's digital currency, 1 token = $15 NA) that can be used on ANY Blizzard game's cash shop or subscription.
When you purchase a WoW Token, you have 30 days to use it or put it on the auction house. Tokens cannot be traded or mailed to other players, or stored in the player's bank.
One account can only up to buy 10 Tokens a week, and a character can only carry up to 10 Tokens.

WoW implemented this system so players can safely trade Gold and subscription times (and to deter illicit RMTers and Sub-time sellers).

Link to a video explaining WoW Token

How I think it could work in XIV.
-SE could sell their form of Token on the Mogstation AND SE's Online Store for $20 NA.
I would keep limitation similiar to WoWs, requiring Tokens to be used or sold with in 30 days of purchase, only being able to buy up to 10 per week, and not allowing them to be traded, mailed, or stored in retainers. This would prevent people from hoarding tokens to flood the market with.

-Players could buy and/or sell Tokens on the Market Boards.
SE could follow how WoW did it OR have a set price-range and let players price them the way they want. SE could change the price range when you see fit.

-Players could trade in Tokens for Crysta (SE's digital currency).
I would make the convertion rate 1 Token = 1500 Crysta (That's $15 worth of Crysta, NA. That's the same price as a Standard NA Sub), similiar to WoW. This way, SE could still make a profit from Tokens.
As of now, Crysta can only be used on XIV (Sub, Retainers, and Mog Station Item and services), XI (Sub), and Security Tokens.
I would suggest going further and allow players to use Crysta on other cash shops in SE games, like XV's DLC or Mobile Game in-app purchases.

Why would this be good in XIV?
-It would help curb illicit RMTing as it gives players a legitimate and safe way to buy gil.
-Players now have the option of working towards their sub(s) (both XIV's and/or XI's) and/or cash shop items and services, instead of spending IRL money.
-To go with the above, this could help bring in potential new-players or returning-players who were turned off by the games monthly sub fee.
-This will give Crafters and Gatherers a bigger boon for being the gil-making jobs in the game.
-SE will still be making money. Plus cash shop whales are still going to buy things with IRL money anyway, so they aren't going to loose much.

Okay but what are some of the cons?
-SE would have to be more diligent and pro-active on Gil-farming bots (this is more of a con for SE).
-SE would have to know how to set up a system like this in the game...
-Players could potentially buy the best gear gil-could-buy them (which most of the time, isn't necessarily the best gear for that patch OR really even necessary unless you do harder content).

http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...not-pay-to-win.

I can't speak for everyone, but I know I'd probably balk at paying real money for a sub if there was a "free" alternative through in-game methods, but then I'd also feel pressured to constantly keep up my gil intake to keep buying tokens. Compared to now, where I don't really feel pressured to make/earn gil, so if I want to take a break from crafting, or treasure maps, or playing the market board, I can with no issue.

In the end it'd probably reduce my enjoyment of the game significantly.

I'm surprised SE hasn't gone this way considering how many other ways they're trying to get extra money. This one just lets people who want gil easily to get it from people who are good at earning it and is pretty common in a lot of games. I'd have no problem with it. Probably not something I'd use as now that I have a house I just have no particular need to spend gil on anything, but it wouldn't bother me at all.

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Originally Posted by JackHatchet

http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...not-pay-to-win.

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Maybe I should of look for more then just "WoW Tokens" or "Token System" in the search... >w>()

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Originally Posted by Tridus

I'm surprised SE hasn't gone this way considering how many other ways they're trying to get extra money. This one just lets people who want gil easily to get it from people who are good at earning it and is pretty common in a lot of games. I'd have no problem with it. Probably not something I'd use as now that I have a house I just have no particular need to spend gil on anything, but it wouldn't bother me at all.

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You could use your gil to pay for your sub, retainers, or cash shop items or services. :D

They already make enough money with micro transactions for Cosmetics, in addition to the sub fee. I don't really see it going over well with the player base if they went with something like this.

I would love it if instead of using game-time tokens they used fantasia tokens. I bet they could make a killing off of that.

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Originally Posted by JackHatchet

I would love it if instead of using game-time tokens they used fantasia tokens. I bet they could make a killing off of that.

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there is also the way of different MMORPG where any or some specific items from cash shop can be sold in AH with some limits. For example, buying edda outfit and then selling it in AH, with limit prices (to avoid some speculation on those)

For the wow system, when you bought the token, you cant sell it back so, no speculation.

And so many other way... To be honest, i really hate the idea of a cash shop in a sub MMORPG, but systems like those is a good way to make the cash shop less scandalous (all cash shop things become possibly free if you dont want to pay RL money for it)

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Originally Posted by NewAgeDoom

They already make enough money with micro transactions for Cosmetics, in addition to the sub fee. I don't really see it going over well with the player base if they went with something like this.

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If that's the case, why come out with a phone app with another subscription? This has already been shown in multiple other MMOs to be something that works and is generally accepted by players. Far more than "pay us another sub on top of your first sub so you can have the option to pay us for another retainer!" has been, that's for sure.

As many people have stated here and here a player obtaining extra gil is not pay to win, so as long as retainers and the app keep the extra advantages I 100% support a sub token. In the end this is just another way for players to financially support SE, and less intrusive than exclusive glamours.

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Originally Posted by Emstidor

I can't speak for everyone, but I know I'd probably balk at paying real money for a sub if there was a "free" alternative through in-game methods, but then I'd also feel pressured to constantly keep up my gil intake to keep buying tokens. Compared to now, where I don't really feel pressured to make/earn gil, so if I want to take a break from crafting, or treasure maps, or playing the market board, I can with no issue.

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I look at it more that I'd continue paying real money for my sub (why not, subscription MMO's are generally great value and a small fee per month for a lot of entertainment). So nothing would change there and I'd have no pressure to slave ingame for my sub. However, the entire mogstation would become available to me for gil.

That would probably enhance my enjoyment of the game significantly.

The token system in WoW was great. You could even buy expansions or other Blizzard games. Definitely support the idea.

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Originally Posted by JackHatchet

I would love it if instead of using game-time tokens they used fantasia tokens. I bet they could make a killing off of that.

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If these were like WoW Tokens, it wouldn't just pay for game time but could be converted to Crysta, which can be used on the Mogstation to buy items and services.

I would love it if I could convert my gil into crystia. Please add this feature.

I'm not sure a system like this would work in XIV with how much more currency is being brought into the economy through means both legit and illicit.

I haven't played WoW for a while, but the flow of gold into economy was pretty slow back when I played due to it mostly coming from daily quests or rare vendor trash items that couldn't really be farmed and were often just a bonus from the aforementioned dailies.

I think if people had a means to get cash shop items by farming gil, it would only make the botting issues even worse then they already are (Though if it kills the RMT, they might consider a worthwhile trade-off). Gathering bots aren't really an issue in WoW because they actually enforce them properly and it's pretty rare for them not get ban-hammered within a day judging from the numerous run-ins I had with them in early Cataclysm.

If they ever implement a gil/crysta conversion method I hope they just get rid of the subscription altogether and go F2P. There are plenty of things in the cash shop to spend your gil on.

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Originally Posted by Reinha

If they ever implement a gil/crysta conversion method I hope they just get rid of the subscription altogether and go F2P. There are plenty of things in the cash shop to spend your gil on.

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Pretty sure the game would become even more stagnant than it already is on a F2P model because for all of the people that want to play "free", you need a consistent flow of money from the other people willing to buy things that support the game and human nature dictates that most people will find a way to avoid paying for something if the word "free" is mentioned. The money made from the cash shop from a small minority of people who spend on luxury items every few months would come no where close towards reaching the overall total amount of money that they make from monthly to quarterly subs every year. In fact, going to a F2P model environment would quite possibly be the dumbest idea that they would ever have done, and yes, even more dumb than Diadem.