SE Please implement a Chonoscroll/PLEX system in FFXIV: ARR

[Hart]

Cui bono

I think instead of actually legitimizing this whole thing, we should look at the people defending it.

Oh look, Abriael has been playing since launch and doesn't have a crafting or gathering job to 50. By reading his lodestone blog, I see that he might have an issue with gil. Also by looking at his start date and his current job levels, I now see where hes coming from when he says

If anything, it levels the playing field further by giving those that don't have as much time to spend into the game a way not to be left behind the curve.

• axemtitanium - No crafting what-so-ever and no gathering job either.
• Ahmera Mae - Little to no crafting and no Gathering.

Makes me wonder, might you three have some extra pocket change you might want to convert to gil? Hmmm...

[AhmeraMae]

Ahmera Mae - Little to no crafting and no Gathering.

Dude, i started playing exactly one month prior to the last save of XIV. Check dates on pads.
http://xivpads.com/?14935390

[Aenarion]

Cui bono

I think instead of actually legitimizing this whole thing, we should look at the people defending it.

Oh look, Abriael has been playing since launch and doesn't have a crafting or gathering job to 50. By reading his lodestone blog, I see that he might have an issue with gil. Also by looking at his start date and his current job levels, I now see where hes coming from when he says

• axemtitanium - No crafting what-so-ever and no gathering job either.
• Ahmera Mae - Little to no crafting and no Gathering.

Makes me wonder, might you three have some extra pocket change you might want to convert to gil? Hmmm...

Nothing is more pathetic than ad hominem attacks when you lack the faculties to intelligently debate the issue

How's this one, I've been playing since launch (albeit with a 5 months long break awhile back), I've maxed out every DoH/L a LONG time ago, and while I'm hardly amongst the richest players, I do have a bit of pocket change.

Go ahead, stereotype me

[Abriael]

Cui bono

I think instead of actually legitimizing this whole thing, we should look at the people defending it.

Oh look, Abriael has been playing since launch and doesn't have a crafting or gathering job to 50. By reading his lodestone blog, I see that he might have an issue with gil. Also by looking at his start date and his current job levels, I now see where hes coming from when he says

• axemtitanium - No crafting what-so-ever and no gathering job either.
• Ahmera Mae - Little to no crafting and no Gathering.

Makes me wonder, might you three have some extra pocket change you might want to convert to gil? Hmmm...

So, since you have absolutely no solid argument, now you're resorting to personal attacks and assumptions (not that you didn't before, anyway)?

Unfortunately, they don't give you any ammo. I simply had to leave the game for an extended period of time. Sorry to burst a bubble.

Besides, no one should feel forced to gather or craft in order to prosper in a MMORPG. It ain't a job.
Try harder

[Hart]

Hardly a personal attack, just pointing out what is readily available information. I don't need ammo anymore, you just said exactly what I wanted to hear.

Besides, no one should feel forced to gather or craft in order to prosper in a MMORPG. It ain't a job.

You can't take the good without the bad. I'm sorry you feel forced to make money, don't worry, you're not alone, everyone has to work for what they have. I don't care if you flipped burgers for an extra hour this week. Your money outside of XIV doesn't equate to money in game. Maybe if you focused on one game, you might not feel the need to buy gil. Or in an even better scenario (imo) you could go play EVE or Tera full time and abandon XIV all together.

[Aenarion]

Hardly a personal attack, just pointing out what is readily available information. I don't need ammo anymore, you just said exactly what I wanted to hear.



You can't take the good without the bad. I'm sorry you feel forced to make money, don't worry, you're not alone, everyone has to work for what they have. I don't care if you flipped burgers for an extra hour this week. Your money outside of XIV doesn't equate to money in game. Maybe if you focused on one game, you might not feel the need to buy gil. Or in an even better scenario (imo) you could go play EVE or Tera full time and abandon XIV all together.

You're just getting more pathetic now. His statement is indeed correct, if the only method of financial advancement in an MMO is through crafting or gathering, as your original post was implying, then the game balance is out of whack.

That in no way means they're looking to "buy gil" as you say here, that's just your strawman.

Still waiting for you to give your divine revelation on why I'm not piling on the PLEX system though, go ahead, we can barely contain our excitement at what you're going to say.

[Heavens]

I started writing a really long reply about how this idea should not be implemented. Then I decided to save myself some time. Everyone is just trying to 1up each other anyway at this point.

The Taru, Duuude, is correct. A system like this seems like it might work on paper, but it's more like an excuse to reduce the responsibility of actually fixing an issue.

Reasons people RMT:
Time investment too large:
Derives from requirement of monetary gains through large amount of dailies, crafting, etc.

Price of entry too high:
If the game does not pace income appropriately the need for quick gain rises. If I'm leveling up and hit the highest level, but everything costs x57 what I have, well then sir (or mam), we have a problem.

Consistency of game rewards lacks:
If you constantly complete content and are not moderately rewarded. How about those endless runs for Darklight gear? I'm not saying they should be easy to get, but COME ON. Also, remember Diablo 3 at launch? I forgot that game was supposed to be about loot until they reminded me on a forum.

Furthermore, if I'm constantly receiving really good gear from completing crafting milestones, quests, or instances, why would I need to purchase in-game currency?

Staying competitive:
There are no systems in place to catch newcomers or casuals up to current content. Why do tier 1 content when the tier 3 patch is out? "Wait, I haven't done tier 1 or 2, so how can I do tier 3? .... Guys?..."

Your game isn't fun:
Read the title. People want to beat it fast and experience what it has to offer. They also want to get out quickly.

In conclusion, fix your game. Don't implement a lame feature for extra income because no one wants to actually pay a subscription. This is a pointless system for users - why do we need it when everything we want is obtainable through moderate play? I actually think this game may already be trying to address this issue with its crafting, gathering, and battle systems. Each can generate items that are good for selling or using. Don't have time to run raids? Go weave yourself a new shirt, brotatoe.

Be careful though and don't make the game one linear tier of content and rewards. World of Warcraft has done a superb job implementing rewards for all play styles. You want the best loot? Well go wipe on bosses and rerun content over and over until your guild breaks up for that highest bracket gear. Want a similar piece of gear, but with less stats? Well go run into a wall while your party kills the boss for you. Either way the different play styles are rewarded.

Using the "But Mom, it worked for EVE and her friend TERA down the street!" mentality - Why not do something a bit more interesting, more Final Fantasy? Why not implement a system like the digital store in Guild Wars 2 (minus the boosting items)? Maybe do it via the Gold Saucer. Spend Gil or real money (which has a controlled and moderated conversion rate) on tokens to play mini-games for character cosmetics or a new rug for your house. Now the developers have more money and I have a badass Mithra rug.

If you're more worried about revenue stream for the developer, well then, the above would suit them better. Knock out a mount skin asset in the afternoon and sell it for $25 starting Friday. Little work for an unforeseeable income over the game's lifetime. Not only that, but the cosmetic addition to the game's store introduces zero balance issues.

Unless, of course, it's unfair to be a badass.

[Abriael]

In conclusion, fix your game.

There are plenty games that are "fixed", but are still ridden with RMT. The game being fixed has nothing to do with it.

This is a pointless system for users - why do we need it when everything we want is obtainable through moderate play?

Yep, completely pointless to allow people with more revenue to pay the monthly for people with less.

Oh wait...

Using the "But Mom, it worked for EVE and her friend TERA down the street!" mentality - Why not do something a bit more interesting, more Final Fantasy? Why not implement a system like the digital store in Guild Wars 2 (minus the boosting items)? Maybe do it via the Gold Saucer. Spend Gil or real money (which has a controlled and moderated conversion rate) on tokens to play mini-games for character cosmetics or a new rug for your house. Now the developers have more money and I have a badass Mithra rug.

Completely different system with completely different objectives. A cosmetic store simply serves to generate additional revenue (and it's an extremely annoying way to do so, as the developer needs to dedicate plenty development and design resources to keep the store full with items, instead of creating the same cosmetic items, but allowing everyone already paying a monthly fee to enjoy them). Chronoscrolls/PLEX combats RMT and helps retaining more accounts without the slightest expense from the developer.

Retaining accounts isn't just a matter of additional revenue, but also a matter of keeping population stable and/or growing.

People in the game aren't just paying customers, they're also effectively a form of content for the other players to play with. A cosmetic store does nothing in this direction (other that annoying a lot of people).

Unfortunately the P2P market is going in that direction, but I won't sure suggest it, when there are better solutions that have additional perks on top of additional revenue.

1) Pay my monthly fee of $10 or $15 USD.

2) Farm enough gil in-game to buy a Flex Pass: Price unknown but let's say 150,000 gil (could be 1-2 mil though)

3) Pay an RMT $10.00 USD for 1 mil gil, buy Flex Pass for 150,000 and still have 850,000 gil left over.
3a) or Pay RMT $5.00 USD for 500,000 gil and still have 350,000 gil left over.

You assume that RMT gil would automatically cost a lot less, which is not realistic, because the price of this kind of things adjusts between demand and offer.

[Heavens]

There are plenty games that are "fixed", but are still ridden with RMT. The game being fixed has nothing to do with it.

It's adorable how close to the chest you're taking all of these comments.

Features like these were invented to keep interest in a game, because they introduce new ways of play. If you actually solve the problem and introduce true forms of new play, these systems become irrelevant. You are arguing for something that should be irrelevant to begin with.

Yep, completely pointless to allow people with more revenue to pay the monthly for people with less.

This sounds like a bad political tagline. It also contributes zero points to your tally of introducing a game feature that makes sense. What happens the next month when these generous high revenue having individuals raise the price or become no shows? The little guy loses and the amount of active accounts lowers anyway. If your theory of others "helping" out the lower class as a possible scenario is applicable, well then the possibility of them not existing can exist as well.

People in the game aren't just paying customers, they're also effectively a form of content for the other players to play with. A cosmetic store does nothing in this direction (other that annoying a lot of people).

If this system works so well then why are EVE and TERA's numbers so low? A monthly $15 is a minor cost to any individual who spends their time playing games. It is $15 for a reason: consistent content. It makes buying games on a weekly or monthly basis irrelevant because you have something that evolves each month. Something that gives you new content, gameplay, entertainment every week. Something you could never fully beat. This system is a cop out, a mask, a cancer to actually fixing the real problem: make your game something worth the cost.

My remarks regarding the digital store were to service the developing company, which you claim this does as well. This doesn't as much. It requires support, operation costs, and constant testing, just like everything else. This is not a set it and forget it system. This is something that will have side effects on the economy, which will require more balancing. It doesn't matter how many infographs you show me - it's on the AH, it's for sale, it's going to affect it. If you truly want to fight currency selling then maybe you should really analyze the failed designs they are taking advantage of.

The digital store may require a bit more in operation costs and maintenance, but the extra revenue gained in comparison would be dramatic.

[Abriael]

Hardly a personal attack, just pointing out what is readily available information. I don't need ammo anymore, you just said exactly what I wanted to hear.

It's called libel. And it doesn't work in your favor.

You can't take the good without the bad. I'm sorry you feel forced to make money, don't worry, you're not alone, everyone has to work for what they have. I don't care if you flipped burgers for an extra hour this week. Your money outside of XIV doesn't equate to money in game. Maybe if you focused on one game, you might not feel the need to buy gil. Or in an even better scenario (imo) you could go play EVE or Tera full time and abandon XIV all together.

Do go on with your libelous assumptions, as they do nothing else than proving me right. You have absolutely no argument.

I make plenty gil in game to sustain the only two jobs I care about. For all your alleged experience, if you think crafting or gathering are the only two ways to have a good flow of gil, you know nothing about this game.

Those that "focus on one game", normally don't have the slightest idea on how to improve that game and how to help it succeed, because they know nothing of the MMORPG market (as you demonstrated plenty) as a whole.

Your affliction is called "tunnel vision". Luckily enough, I don't suffer from it.