2.2 Retainers via Microtransactions

**Doo** · 03-20-2014 03:38 AM

Originally Posted by Alwryn

SE could go down the darker path, but I don't believe they will.

I came from DCUO and it started out pretty small. Then came replay badges that totally changed the game. The thinking is that once a company sees what type of ridiculous money they can make by using micro transactions, they aren't going to be able to resist the temptation. That's the reason for cause of concern even though it may seem small now.

**Xellos2099** · 03-20-2014 03:40 AM

Originally Posted by Finuve

good to see that everyone (sans 1) ignored my post about defining pay 2 win

Remember, your definition of winning and someone elses definition of winning could be very different things, as two players can have very different goals in game, AND many players have multiple goals

The benefit of a subscription model is supposed to be that everyone has equal access to everything negating any advantage over ANY play style

Extra mule and the mog sachel was essentially the same thing and no one complain about them; and back in xi, the space are much more valuable as well due to in battle equipment swap.

**Orophin** · 03-20-2014 03:46 AM

Originally Posted by Razzle

Give fantasia as a quest reward? As a seal exchange? As a rare drop? As a treasure hunt? Why pay on top of a monthly fee for that?

Character alteration has always been a service charge in subscription MMOs, as well as other services such as world transfers.

Originally Posted by Valendred

This whole thing wouldn't be an issue if paid retainers were simply ONLY for storage space.

I think we simply don't have enough information yet. We're taking a very loosely translated Japanese article (not done by Reinheart even) and assuming the worst.

In 1.0 they were going to charge an extra $1.00 per month for extra retainers before the development team shifted. People that came from FFXI were willing to pay that because we had to pay for extra characters in that game. This game, however, has a totally different playerbase now with many different backgrounds.

I don't think they will ever degrade the PvE experience by implementing significant paywalls through the Mog Station, but depending on the functionality of paid extra retainers, this could really churn some waters. If it's simply for extra storage then I'm sure most people won't care. If these same retainers can do Ventures or are the only retainers that can do Ventures, it's going to miff a lot of people because game features in a subscription game should not be behind an additional paywall.

**Kayo** · 03-20-2014 03:47 AM

Originally Posted by Starlord

I think that some people (including this post) are over reacting on what most likely be a simple "storage" feature. XI technically had it and it didn't "Evolve" into P2W, this game won't either. Why would they have to? They have 500k+ Subs still.

Ok can we please stop comparing this to FFXI's workaround for extra storage? I didnt play FFXI for much but iirc, you paid for an extra toon, not more bank slots. FFXI has (or at least had a very long time ago, feel free to correct me if im wrong) a cheaper sub fee for one character, then charged a slightly higher sub for more. A different version of what we have now so to speak. That is/was their pay model. Players decided to use it in a different way to have extra storage space. If they offered more space or *gasp* allowed us to make mules for those of us who pay the full $15 in FFXIV, this wouldnt be a problem. But I guess now we know why most other p2p MMO's dont restrict sending mail to alts because of "RMT." In fact, if I had my tinfoil hat on ... id say this has been planned for a while now and both SE and Yoshi have been b/s'ing us about this whole issue.

**Synapse** · 03-20-2014 03:50 AM

If it affects the game in anyway, where as it puts one player in advantage over another because one has more money.... i expect many to quit.

They are milking FFXIII like a mad man. So who knows.

FF

**Gesser** · 03-20-2014 03:51 AM

This' freaking ridiculous. No freaking way is this okay.

**Finuve** · 03-20-2014 03:51 AM

Originally Posted by Orophin

Character alteration has always been a service charge in subscription MMOs, as well as other services such as world transfers.

So since one company started a trend of screwing us, we should continue to just take it

they could at least take me to dinner first

**Amberion** · 03-20-2014 03:52 AM

Originally Posted by Xellos2099

Extra mule and the mog sachel was essentially the same thing and no one complain about them; and back in xi, the space are much more valuable as well due to in battle equipment swap.

That is because the same thing could be done with the delivery box system. I had over 50 items in it I cycled through.

**Faedden** · 03-20-2014 03:55 AM

Lol wut?

Yoshi's stance was that people shouldn't be able to get more things because they have a lot of time on their hands. But if that have a lot of money it's okay.

**LemmingKingXXX** · 03-20-2014 03:55 AM

Originally Posted by Taruranto

I don't remember being able to send my mules to gather ingredients in XI.

You never heard of gardening mules, or crafting mules? In a game where you could only obtain the highest level of crafting in one school + fishing, crafting mules had a significant effect on the economy and I personally made a nice income off of my gardening mules. Sure the start-up costs were more significant (both in terms of real money and gil) but they ended up having a much greater return than what it sounds like the Venture system will have. How long did it take them to get from the add $1 to the subscription fee they had at the start of FFXI to the mog satchel incentive to buy a security token or the tidal amulet 1/24hr Home Point teleport, it was something like 7 years wasn't it? Hell, it even took them the better part of a decade to add in paid server transfers and by the time I quit the game they still hadn't added paid character redesigns. Chances are if these features signifies some descent in to anarchy and madness it'll be long after most of us have moved on to the next generation of games.

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