Online Store is Getting Worse!

[Iyrnthota]

If the designers were independent artists selling the stuff themselves that would make more sense but this is a huge company selling what the workers there have produced. There is also no question of supplying materials, it's digital. The supply is infinite.

Notably, they're paid a wage, not on commission.

Imagine how much the expansions would cost otherwise.

[LianaThorne]

If the designers were independent artists selling the stuff themselves that would make more sense but this is a huge company selling what the workers there have produced. There is also no question of supplying materials, it's digital. The supply is infinite.

Yeah, and you're paying for the work they put into it....? Regardless of whether or not it's a huge company that doesn't negate the labor put in by the creator. So to me we're paying for the model itself + the labor they put into making and refitting it.

I feel like this is going to become a debate on the value and price of art which is one I refuse to entertain. Pay your artists. That's all.

[Silverbane]

Notably, they're paid a wage, not on commission.

Are you sure? The rights of creators vary in different countries.

For example, n Japan, employees have a right to "reasonable remuneration" for inventions that wind up owned by their employer; I'm aware of one Japanese inventor, Shuji Nakamura, who won a judgement for 20 billion yen (around $200 million) from the company who employed him at the time of his invention (a blue LED).

Copyright law is totally different, of course, and really really complicated. I'm not sure what rights a salaried employee who designs a copyrightable work (as these outfits probably are) has in them in the US, much less in Japan. And it's not just economic rights; there's "moral rights" as well, such as the right to not have your work destroyed (which can get really awkward when a building that is to be demolished includes a mural). Moral rights are pretty big in Europe if I recall correctly, but I am not a copyright lawyer.

The TL;DR is, unless you are familiar with Japanese copyright law and SE's employment contracts, or unless you get a statement from SE, the creators, or someone else with direct knowledge on the matter, you can't know whether the designers of the Mog Station outfits are getting a royalty or not.

[Iyrnthota]

Are you sure? The rights of creators vary in different countries.

For example, n Japan, employees have a right to "reasonable remuneration" for inventions that wind up owned by their employer; I'm aware of one Japanese inventor, Shuji Nakamura, who won a judgement for 20 billion yen (around $200 million) from the company who employed him at the time of his invention (a blue LED).

Copyright law is totally different, of course, and really really complicated. I'm not sure what rights a salaried employee who designs a copyrightable work (as these outfits probably are) has in them in the US, much less in Japan. And it's not just economic rights; there's "moral rights" as well, such as the right to not have your work destroyed (which can get really awkward when a building that is to be demolished includes a mural). Moral rights are pretty big in Europe if I recall correctly, but I am not a copyright lawyer.

The TL;DR is, unless you are familiar with Japanese copyright law and SE's employment contracts, or unless you get a statement from SE, the creators, or someone else with direct knowledge on the matter, you can't know whether the designers of the Mog Station outfits are getting a royalty or not.

I'm sorry, but I find this to just be an absolutely incredible stretch. While obviously you're right we can't "know", I am fully confident that the Mog Station creations are not considered "inventions" of the designers. They will almost certainly be considered regular work.

[Silverbane]

I'm sorry, but I find this to just be an absolutely incredible stretch. While obviously you're right we can't "know", I am fully confident that the Mog Station creations are not considered "inventions" of the designers. They will almost certainly be considered regular work.

Of course they aren't inventors - that term is used in patent law, not copyright law.

What they are is creators of original art, and employee or no, that gives them rights under international treaties and national copyright laws, and those rights vary from country to country. For example, if there are moral rights to the work of art, in some country those rights cannot be assigned, and therefore always remain with the creator.

As I said, though, copyright law is incredibly complicated: you might be amazed at how many different copyrights may be associated with a single song you hear on the radio, and how many people may own those copyrights. Things like movies and video games, which have small armies of creators contributing art to them, is even more complicated. Complicated enough that only lawyers specializing in copyright law should handle them, IMO.

P.S.: Japan's IP laws are different from the US: that $200 million dollar win by an inventor against his employer that I mentioned would never have happened in the US. That inventor later won the Nobel Prize in Physics BTW.

[Sotaris]

$22 for the latest set which is a freaking pajama hoodie...



It's never enough for Squeenix. Even during a sale store items are insanely overpriced. I couldn't buy anything this year because the prices are just too damned high for my meager budget. How do they justify these outrageously high prices? How do people justify paying them? $42 dollars for a mount? Who has that kind of money!?

Give us a break, Squeenix.

insert obligatory, it's optional. You don't have gun pointed to your head for your wallet.

How do people justify paying them? $42 dollars for a mount? Who has that kind of money!?

For me? It's pennies.
I work and have a disposable income.

[Iyrnthota]

insert obligatory, it's optional. You don't have gun pointed to your head for your wallet.


For me? It's pennies.
I work and have a disposable income.

Strictly speaking, the expansions are optional as well, but if they jacked the price to triple the cost for 7.0, I don't think this same argument would fly with a lot of people.

[kaynide]

That would make sense in a standard marketplace. In this one, Squeenix is the only seller and thus they overcharge because you can't go buy it from anyone else.

And it’s also not necessary to own the items; we are talking the Gucci of FFXIV. It’d be different if we were talking items necessary to play. Moreover, a majority of the items simply wouldn’t exist if there wasn’t a cash shop. The devs aren’t going to go out of their way making excess frivolous items for the players out of the kindness of their hearts.

[kaynide]

I'm sorry, but I find this to just be an absolutely incredible stretch. While obviously you're right we can't "know", I am fully confident that the Mog Station creations are not considered "inventions" of the designers. They will almost certainly be considered regular work.

Japanese law works like that though; another thing you will notice is how Yoshi-P will say that certain devs went out of their way on their own free time to do things like make Doman Mahjong or work on hats for Hrothgar/Viera. This is likely part he’s happy they are devoted and part a “we are definitely not pushing our workers to do free overtime work in case someone is sniffing around”.

[Sotaris]

Strictly speaking, the expansions are optional as well, but if they jacked the price to triple the cost for 7.0, I don't think this same argument would fly with a lot of people.

Probably won’t be 100 euro or more for base edition, so no need to worry.