Problem with "Optional" Items in the Cash Shop

[Yallaid]

adding to post because I hit cap...


But they aren't in the cash shop. If we are still playing the "what if' game then sure.... but I was replying to the "...because that's what cash shops are all about" when it is clear that is *not* all they are about since that doesn't happen now.

Gotcha -- lemme try from another angle then cause from my PoV this is already happening now:

Take the Big Moogle balloon mount, that thing is totally awesome and I swear it has as many fancy touches and attentions to the details that the Extreme Primal mounts and really rare ones like the Zu does.

But there's nothing in-game that rewards that mount. I get that it's cool and they want people who desire it to be able to have it, but why is it only available in the cash shop? If it were a reward for something I don't do in-game, say Verminion, it would be a big incentive for me to play more of that. It would liven up a part of the game that I'm sure at least some people wish was more lively.


Instead, SE has made the conscious decision to not use every single cosmetic reward as a draw for players to old or under-utilized content. I'm not saying that's wrong of them, just that it has to be seen as a trade-off. If SE wanted to get the most people playing their game and get them to spend their time on the biggest variety of content available, they would not have created a cash shop. By setting up Mogstation it's apparent that they are OK letting some content wither, either temporarily or forever, in order to meet the immediate demand for these rewards.

With the amount of stuff they've put the in Mogstation and the frankly shocking demand that people have for it I don't think my ideas are even feasible anymore, and I am not asking SE to change anything at this point. But I won't budge on this, having a cash shop absolutely impacts the game that the cash shop is tied to, it's inescapable.

[Burningskull]

My main point was, what's the difference between the Thavnarian gear in the game that you can get by crafting recipes, and the Fuga gear on the cash shop? Why is it ok to charge for one when they put the other one in the game? What is so different about them that they can't put all the glamour items in the game?

[Yallaid]

My main point was, what's the difference between the Thavnarian gear in the game that you can get by crafting recipes, and the Fuga gear on the cash shop? Why is it ok to charge for one when they put the other one in the game? What is so different about them that they can't put all the glamour items in the game?

To play devil's advocate against myself, can you imagine the insanity if all these great cosmetic outfits were tied to end-game crafting in-game, the way the Thavnarian set was originally?

I'm all for incentivizing people to play the game, but even I would balk when there were 10 different awesome looking sets available for every last cent of your hard earned gil or locked behind 200 hours of omnicrafter leveling.

I just don't think cash shop is the only way out of this bind, that's all.

[Claviusnex]

My main point was, what's the difference between the Thavnarian gear in the game that you can get by crafting recipes, and the Fuga gear on the cash shop? Why is it ok to charge for one when they put the other one in the game? What is so different about them that they can't put all the glamour items in the game?

They need to recover the cost of the new items that many players could care less about. Even something simple costs money. Would you rather have them increase the monthly sub to cover the costs? If SE does they run the risk of losing players who don't want to pay for extras they didn't ask for. The cash shop lets SE take the middle ground by offering additional items to those that are interested without impacting those that aren't.

[Cynfael]

My main point was, what's the difference between the Thavnarian gear in the game that you can get by crafting recipes, and the Fuga gear on the cash shop? Why is it ok to charge for one when they put the other one in the game? What is so different about them that they can't put all the glamour items in the game?

Again, I would guess that the payroll hours it takes to design and implement some of this additional content are funded at least partially by the cash shop's revenue.

Personally I don't mind this cash shop because it's purely cosmetic, offers nothing that's of substantially better quality than what you can already find in the game, and supplements a game I enjoy and pay a piddly base monthly fee to access. I kind of look at it as SE's tip jar tbh.

[Belhi]

The production of most Mog store items is authorised taking into account the cost of production vs the returns on the mog store. If it wasn't on the mog store it likely wouldn't be in game anyway because they wouldn't have authorised additional resources for its production. This is why we haven't gotten a Krile coat yet. They were uncertain that the returns from sales would justify the development costs.

The Mog station has been with us for several years now and hasn't crossed the line into selling things it shouldn't. If it did we should most definitely kick up a stink. However people have been raising these concerns and saying 'how long until' since it opened and they have shown no sign of changing.

Let me reiterate. You most likely wouldn't get these things in game anyway if they weren't on the mogstation because they are developed outside the budget your sub pays for. All removing the Mogstation would do would be to remove those items completely from being developed. The only exception is the seasonal event gear and some arguments could be made on that front (though technically if you weren't subbed at the time of the event when they were free you sub wasn't paying for them either) but that isn't what people are currently up in arms over.

[Burningskull]

To play devil's advocate against myself, can you imagine the insanity if all these great cosmetic outfits were tied to end-game crafting in-game, the way the Thavnarian set was originally?

I'm all for incentivizing people to play the game, but even I would balk when there were 10 different awesome looking sets available for every last cent of your hard earned gil or locked behind 200 hours of omnicrafter leveling.

I just don't think cash shop is the only way out of this bind, that's all.

Again I'm just wanting, preferably someone from SE, to say why one set of cometic gear is worth paying for. 18 bucks at that. When another set of cosmetic gear they put in the game, either as a recipe or a reward or w/e. The question applies to all the cash shop stuff. Like Mounts and emotes.

[Yallaid]

The production of most Mog store items is authorised taking into account the cost of production vs the returns on the mog store. If it wasn't on the mog store it likely wouldn't be in game anyway because they wouldn't have authorised additional resources for its production. This is why we haven't gotten a Krile coat yet. They were uncertain that the returns from sales would justify the development costs.

The Mog station has been with us for several years now and hasn't crossed the line into selling things it shouldn't. If it did we should most definitely kick up a stink. However people have been raising these concerns and saying 'how long until' since it opened and they have shown no sign of changing.

Let me reiterate. You most likely wouldn't get these things in game anyway if they weren't on the mogstation because they are developed outside the budget your sub pays for. All removing the Mogstation would do would be to remove those items completely from being developed. The only exception is the seasonal event gear and some arguments could be made on that front (though technically if you weren't subbed at the time of the event when they were free you sub wasn't paying for them either) but that isn't what people are currently up in arms over.

just to defend myself, it is sort of what I am up in arms over.

I'm just busy imagining the game that might have existed without a cash shop. I think there'd definitely be a lot fewer of these types of items, period. There's no argument against that. But of the stuff that would exist, I think it would be far better utilized in-game. imo.

[Claviusnex]

just to defend myself, it is sort of what I am up in arms over.

I'm just busy imagining the game that might have existed without a cash shop. I think there'd definitely be a lot fewer of these types of items, period. There's no argument against that. But of the stuff that would exist, I think it would be far better utilized in-game. imo.

I doubt any of it would exist. Would you be willing to see your subscription go up to cover them? Someone has to pay for the work as it isn't free.

[Yallaid]

Again I'm just wanting, preferably someone from SE, to say why one set of cometic gear is worth paying for. 18 bucks at that. When another set of cosmetic gear they put in the game, either as a recipe or a reward or w/e. The question applies to all the cash shop stuff. Like Mounts and emotes.

I think the sad truth is, it comes down to exactly what Belhi is talking about: business. Likely the Thavnarian sets and some of the other things like it (Kirimu Coat) were going to be created already, because there was some content they'd been designed for or an NPC that needed to wear it first or something. Basically, the stuff that's cheap to produce or was already going to exist can just go right in game, no questions asked.

But the second they start spending time and resources to make something cool, just because they've heard people want it, now they have to start doing cost analysis. And it's exactly like has been said, most of this stuff flat out wouldn't exist if they didn't have a cash shop. They'd decide the effort creating these items would not be worth the pay-off of simply extending some players subs. They need a more direct stream of income in order to support that level of development.


Now why one set ends up on one side of the fence and another on the other side? I guess it's just called fate or something, right?