Do you want a cash shop in FFXIV?

[Preypacer]

This has been an amazingly successful troll post. Kudos OP

I wouldn't say that necessarily...

And if it was intended as a troll, then it's not exactly a "succesful" one in terms of being "so over the top" that anyone giving a moment to think about it would figure it out.

Cash Shops are an increasing element in many MMOS these days, other developers - F2P and P2P alike - are implementing them... even if they've said in the past they never would in existing games (ie. Smedley with EQ2).

Also, SE has been asked about their take on Cash Shops in the past and, as I recall, the answer they gave was basically "if enough people want such a thing we'll consider it".

So.. if it was a troll attempt, then they failed in having not picked a very troll-worthy topic.

The subject of Cash Shops is a very valid and very current one in the genre.

[Hyrist]

Troll Post or not. It's good to bring it up here and shoot it down heavily than to leave any lingering doubt or idea in the eyes of the developers.

This isn't something that's desired by most communities in western audiences. In fact, it has a notorious reputation and is generally regarded with disdain. Bonus items, aesthetic things, they can be done with in-game currencies or for seasonal events (or plot events. I do hope the Seventh Umbra Era plot isn't the only time sensitive, global, plot FFXIV does).

So please no cash shops for FFXIV. Troll OP or not, it should always be shot down seriously. I'd rather there not be any miscommunication on that.

[Dargoth_Draconia]

I would like a cash shop that lets me buy a freaking poster larger than 50x70cm for my wall. Seriously. All I get is a crappy tiny poster framed? What if I wanted something bigger? Why is it so hard to believe that someone wouldn't want a bigger poster than some tiny piece of crap? What if i wanted a fabric one too? I want paraphernalia, without having to resort to crappy ebay knockoffs.

"Cash Store" is referring to buying in game items only for cash. Not what you are talking about buying FFXIV paraphernalia for your wall. Actually they may have something like this already check out the SE store.

The only form of micro-transactions that should be allowed is the normal ones such as paying for a server transfer or a one time only race/sex change kind of thing, but seeing as that is likely coming to us free for a one time use we won't need that option.

[Dalmore]

Cash shop? ... Hell NO that will be the day I Quit...

[weeble]

even though i hate cash shops and things of that nature, if 10bucks can get me a mini expansion with few weeks of quests and handfull of bosses and mini bosses and a nice story line with a piece of gear at the end i might welcome those. granted i think the monthly should be enough but long as i feel like these mini expansions aren't in place of stuff we should of gotten from the game box sale i wouldn't complain.

but rather then having 3 of em near the death of ffxi, add a few between each expansions, spread them out so they are on top of what we already have, that way tons of stuff to do, the storylines and boss battles (cop,zilart,wotg,mini expansions) love that stuff and i don't think they can ever have enough of them in game.

[Kailea_Nagisa]

People automatically thing that cash shop = horrible

Leave out the bad of a cash shop, EXP bonus, high end gear, items, mats

All the cash shop would need (and still be harmless)
new hairstyles
new character creation options (cosmetic only)
costume type outfits
character restyle chance
server transfer
wedding service

things like this would be fine, anything else would break the game and ruin it for anyone who does not want to use it.

[Preypacer]

People automatically thing that cash shop = horrible

Leave out the bad of a cash shop, EXP bonus, high end gear, items, mats

All the cash shop would need (and still be harmless)
new hairstyles
new character creation options (cosmetic only)
costume type outfits
character restyle chance
server transfer
wedding service

things like this would be fine, anything else would break the game and ruin it for anyone who does not want to use it.

But again.. it begs the question... Why charge for any of those things at all?

That's the bigger picture that so few seem to think of. Everyone thinks specifically in terms of "Is it okay to pay for those things or not?", but few seem to stop and think, "Should it even be a decision in the first place?"

What benefit does it bring to the player to arbitrarily sell items in a cash shop that:
A) Are already designed and coded into the game, so the work has already been done. It's even already been patched in and downloaded onto our systems.
B) Could be obtained or acquired via actual gameplay mechanics, turning it into an opportunity for more content in the game - more for players to do - instead of slapping an arbitrary price-tag on it and charging $5, $10, $15 instead.

Those who aren't interested in such content are not a factor in this, because either way they aren't going to bother obtaining those items, etc. They aren't affected. Their gameplay experience remains box + sub, and that's it. Interestingly, those are also the same people who seem to mostly favor the idea... as long as it doesn't affect them.

Those who would be affected, however, are those who would like those items... their experience becomes box + sub + any vanity items they might want. One group's preferred gameplay experience should not cost more than another's simply because one group would like to have items that the other group couldn't care less about. That rather unfair to me.

If we were talking about SE relying on cash shop items as their primary source of revenue.. that's one thing. But they're not. They're getting box sales and they're getting subscriptions.

In a P2P MMORPG, adding items to a cash shop that do not need to be sold in the first place is nothing but a gratuitous cash grab by the developers, the only ones who benefit from it.

We will all have payed SE money to buy the game - some more than others depending on which version and when they bought it. We will all be paying the same sub fee to play the game and getting access to the same content.

For those who enjoy collecting vanity items, pets, etc... such things are a very core part of the gameplay experience for them, just as quests, HNMs and raids are for others. Why should one portion of the player base be required to pay more to get to experience the game as they'd like to, when the other portion doesn't?

I can not see that as being fair... especially when, again, those items could just as well be implemented into the game as rewards for actual quests, crafting recipes, events, etc. etc.

[nibelunc]

If you want to spend your money, i'll give you my bank account information.

[Jennestia]

People automatically thing that cash shop = horrible

Leave out the bad of a cash shop, EXP bonus, high end gear, items, mats

All the cash shop would need (and still be harmless)
new hairstyles
new character creation options (cosmetic only)
costume type outfits
character restyle chance
server transfer
wedding service

things like this would be fine, anything else would break the game and ruin it for anyone who does not want to use it.

Yeah, but what if player a wants that very nice looking hairstyle, but has to pay $2.95 for it instead of it being a defacto option? That's the initial problem with cash-shops, aside game changing items, they generally force you to use it if you really want to customize your character even more. This is why it's bad with a P2P game, because it's just extra money you shouldn't have to spend. I can understand charging for more retainers and characters given all that you gain from it, but charging for customization options is why it's looked down upon.

It's just a quick cash grab, even when SE offered FFXI items to those who bought merchendise they got a lot of heat for it. When they offered a bonus to those who bought all of the add-ons, they got a bonus item, people yelled at SE for it. So it's best to just leave things as in-game obtainable.

[Preypacer]

Yeah, but what if player a wants that very nice looking hairstyle, but has to pay $2.95 for it instead of it being a defacto option? That's the initial problem with cash-shops, aside game changing items, they generally force you to use it if you really want to customize your character even more. This is why it's bad with a P2P game, because it's just extra money you shouldn't have to spend. I can understand charging for more retainers and characters given all that you gain from it, but charging for customization options is why it's looked down upon.

Indeed, especially when you consider that such an option is just as well handled via an in-game "barber" whom you pay for modifications via in-game currency.