Thread: 2.2 Retainers via Microtransactions

Originally Posted by KraggyKor

2002 - FFXI - each character is separately paid for
2014 - FFXIV - each retainer is separately paid for, after the first two 'free' ones

Nothing new here.

Aside from the fact that the two are nearly unrelated, who said anything about it being new?

Originally Posted by Lurkios

Aside from the fact that the two are nearly unrelated, who said anything about it being new?

Most of the folks wailing about microtransactions in a subscription MMO are upset in such a way that it sounds as though they believe that subscription MMOs have never had microtransactions. KraggyKor was pointing out that yes, subscription MMOs DO have microtransactions, and provided one example that is over ten years old. (Heck, the FFXI example is WORSE than a microtransaction - FFXI mules were microSUBSCRIPTIONS, to the tune of a dollar every month.)

Does this justify microtransactions in THIS MMO? I have no opinion on that. It DOES provide a precedent, though, from the very same company that's implementing them now.

Originally Posted by Lurkios

Aside from the fact that the two are nearly unrelated, who said anything about it being new?

LOL, they're totally related but that doesn't fit your agenda so I see why you say they're not .. as for 'new', if you know it's nothing new to SE why the shock horror?

This is probbaly the reason for them blocking mailing things to atls Ppl keep using the ff11 excuse. The 2nd character that u paid for wasent just a bank ppl would have been angry if they had to pay monthly for a mog bag

Originally Posted by KraggyKor

LOL, they're totally related but that doesn't fit your agenda so I see why you say they're not .. as for 'new', if you know it's nothing new to SE why the shock horror?

You're right, playable characters and what amounts to extra inventory space are exactly alike - not sure how could I have missed that. /sarcasm

And what is this "shock and horror" you're referring to? Is that how you take the others opinions?

Just to mention it again, as some people don't seem to have this very clear. Having a precedent about something doesn't mean that we have to accept it and eat it with potatoes without saying a thing. Nor does it make it right.

Moreover, some of us came here exactly because there weren't weird micro-transactions and because the new development team and company direction seemed to be more honest than a lot of the other ones (game reboot instead of F2P, no cash shop with vanity, features or content, new items from the PS4 CE being granted to old CEs too without having to buy the game again as others do, etc.). Somehow, that goodwill seems to be changing to a more greedy stance and we aren't very happy about it. Do I have to say again that the armoire feature is being limited artificially and then they plan to charge extra for more retainers? Or that, theoretically, the game is doing fine and there's no need for those cash grabbers besides to milk your customers?

You can be ok with paying for everything, but we have every right to voice our opinions if we feel that we aren't being treated as valuable customers and start to feel just like walking wallets. On the other hand, they did a nice presentation stating their principles, and it would be fun if they ignored all this after everything that they've been doing right.

Having to pay a sub and then pay extra for quality of life features that are being developed/implemented with said sub is... I don't know what to say, really. What would be next then? Paying for each and every patch that adjusts or improves something (like when the FC bank log was introduced)?

I find microtransactions for convenience like bank space in a subscription based games in poor taste. I see this as double dipping.
Sure, maybe its nothing new but it doesn't mean I have to like it and take it without speaking out against it.

Yoshida: We hope to offer some items for sale, but nothing that will affect game balance.

It seems that a lot of users are interested in sales of Fantasia (the item to change your character model), so how about that?

Yoshida: We're going to be talking about that in the LIVE producer letter on the 21st. Also, we're planning to introduce the ability to purchase an additional service which increases the number of available retainers. It'll be even more valuable with the additional retainer systems available with the patch which will make retainers more useful than ever.

I like how he says they won't sell anything that affects game balance, but then his next answer he says they are selling retainers, and with 2.2 it will be more valuable because they are making them more useful. You start to wonder after a while if he actually hears what he is saying, or if in his mind it's just an endless loop of the Oscar Mayer Weiner song.

Originally Posted by Mcshiggs

^

Yeah well... you know the power of editing and interview direction...

Originally Posted by Dhex

It doesn't say anywhere that the service is purchase via Mogstation in his interview. "Yoshida: We hope to offer some items for sale, but nothing that will affect game balance.

>>It seems that a lot of users are interested in sales of Fantasia (the item to change your character model), so how about that?

Yoshida: We're going to be talking about that in the LIVE producer letter on the 21st. Also, we're planning to introduce the ability to purchase an additional service which increases the number of available retainers. It'll be even more valuable with the additional retainer systems available with the patch which will make retainers more useful than ever.

-----"

The interviewer's question leads into the subject of items - never does he explicitly say that Fantasia or Retainers will be a transaction made via Mogstation.

Retainers are a hired service in-game that you get for free for what you did for the Scions. It could be that the transaction he is discussing in the interview is made in game for gil or tokens - Mog Locker was similar to this in FFXI - you purchased a Locker (additional inventory) for Imperial Coins which you could trade points in to acquire (Grand Company Seals?). Similarly he does not mention Fantasia as a microtransaction - just that they will be talking about them in the next letter.

So I think the micro-transactions arguing and the P2W ridiculousness is premature.

You are being alarmists.


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The irony would be him announcing that Fantasia and additional Retainers are in-game gil transactions and the forum erupting with threads about how "Square is too stupid to charge money for additional services game is going to fail" - because you know that's how people here act. Ever since Beta - P2P will fail! F2P is trash! P2W is lame I will quit!

Keep on coming up with lots of reasons not to play at all; instead you can sit on this forum and argue and pout at each other over things none of you can control.