Oh man you hit this one on the nail if they did this it's going to really hurt the project. They could get around subscriptions with online store(special skins things like that) and they can also do Expansions. I love skins so i would most likely buy any cool skins that come out for my ships anytime. This is how league of legends keeps its profits up and stays so popular even to date years after original release.
[Video] Will Star Citizen push hard for a subscription model?
- Thread starter Montoya
- Start date
Inscriptions ☣
Commander
bacon, scrambled eggs & mushrooms, coffee
[RANT]
I like Eve Online's model where you can fly the smaller ships for free and then pay to go big-time
so we could take our time to learn to fly, FPS, figure out what we like to do in SC
then decide to stay casual or go all in
I stopped playing Eve before they introduced free-to-play
but the cost of subscribing was never the issue for me
I didn't want to shell out for a new computer when the hardware requirements increased but the gameplay was static and stale
I will build a new PC for Star Citizen, and happily pay a subscription if I'm enjoying the game
but if CIG doesn't keep the gameplay fresh I'll quit like I did Eve
I'm optimistic about the way CIG is investing the resources to get their fundamental architecture right
however, I have yet to see anything like the compelling conflict drivers that Eve has
so I have no idea ATM how heavily I will get invested in the game
[/RANT]
[RANT]
I like Eve Online's model where you can fly the smaller ships for free and then pay to go big-time
so we could take our time to learn to fly, FPS, figure out what we like to do in SC
then decide to stay casual or go all in
I stopped playing Eve before they introduced free-to-play
but the cost of subscribing was never the issue for me
I didn't want to shell out for a new computer when the hardware requirements increased but the gameplay was static and stale
I will build a new PC for Star Citizen, and happily pay a subscription if I'm enjoying the game
but if CIG doesn't keep the gameplay fresh I'll quit like I did Eve
I'm optimistic about the way CIG is investing the resources to get their fundamental architecture right
however, I have yet to see anything like the compelling conflict drivers that Eve has
so I have no idea ATM how heavily I will get invested in the game
[/RANT]
Metal-Muffin
Space Marshal
Keep the Centurion/Imperator $10/$20 subscription. Give flair, guns, suit and armor pieces, special skins, crap like that, but make it available to buy, too. Give subscribers discounts on insurance deductibles, medical treatment, landing fees and tariffs, etc. Have Centurion and Imperator restricted clubs so they can get away from the FTP 12yo. There is a lot that CIG can do to encourage optional subscriptions and microtransactions. I understand that DDO has a good model, but I expect SC to stay FTP at it's core so the scrublords have somewhere to play and bitch about all the immoral wallet warriors destroying the game by spending real money for pink camo that ruins immersion.
2018 freakout prediction: Carack and Merchantman canceled!
I think the FTP model would work. Played a bunch of World of Tanks and World of Warships.
Instead of subscription, it is called "premium time" where you earn 50% more XP. A 50% bonus is probably too much for Star Citizen, but a decent earnings boost could work. So with regular time a mission pays 1000 UEC, but with premium you get 1200 UEC or something like that.
The other thing Wargaming does that I liked, is you could by premium time by the day. So if I knew I could only play one day that week, I'd just buy one days worth. If I knew I could game all month, I'd buy a month of premium time. You get discounts if you buy for the longer periods of times.
Oh, the other thing Wargaming does is sell ships. That was back when I though I was crazy for buy a $50 pixel ship. Oh how things change. But with Wargaming the only way to get those ships was to buy them, no way to get them through game play.
I think the FTP model would work. Played a bunch of World of Tanks and World of Warships.
Instead of subscription, it is called "premium time" where you earn 50% more XP. A 50% bonus is probably too much for Star Citizen, but a decent earnings boost could work. So with regular time a mission pays 1000 UEC, but with premium you get 1200 UEC or something like that.
The other thing Wargaming does that I liked, is you could by premium time by the day. So if I knew I could only play one day that week, I'd just buy one days worth. If I knew I could game all month, I'd buy a month of premium time. You get discounts if you buy for the longer periods of times.
Oh, the other thing Wargaming does is sell ships. That was back when I though I was crazy for buy a $50 pixel ship. Oh how things change. But with Wargaming the only way to get those ships was to buy them, no way to get them through game play.
Here's why I don't like being able to buy cosmetic items. It takes away from the uniqueness of items in the game. I'm obviously an old EQ fanboy and this is where it's stemming from. If someone had a certain color armor, you knew they worked their ass off for it. Weapon with special effect? Yeah that was months of questing and grinding. You knew just by looking at someone where they have been and what they had to do to get the item. Why take that away an a game like this? I understand it's the future and there's no reason you can't just paint your stuff a certain color, but like unique ship skins for example, I want to have to work for close to a month trying to get something that looks badass, otherwise what's the point? Chris Pledged to make this game with a difficulty on par with Demon Souls and all of this instant gratification is going against that. I want very difficult, but enticing to play. Even though it's hard I want to say fuck you game, I'm going to get better and push further into your depths. My time in this game better mean something, otherwise it won't hold more than a month or two worth of playtime for me no matter how detailed and grand it turns out. What's the point you know?
I feel if the game is quality and well done then subs tend to extend the game and bring about better expansions and content. Not that free to play games are all bad GW2 is very successful these days and some subbed games are horrible. I think it comes down to how well the game is done, I personally feel free to play or pay to win games either offer far to much for people to pass up or not enough to make it worth while. Subbed games puts everyone on the same playing field, no arguments, no fights about paying to win etc.... just my opinion though go subs and if its the high quality game we are looking at and end game is done right EVERYONE will pay even the people who say they wont. :)
I wouldn't have a problem with subscription I've done it before and had games I've played for years.
I don't think they will need to though - they're going to be able to make bazillions licencing the technology they have created in this game to every other games studio in the world.
"Oh your interested in our procedural planet tech for this Elite Dangerous game you made a while back? That'll be £10 million please."
I don't think they will need to though - they're going to be able to make bazillions licencing the technology they have created in this game to every other games studio in the world.
"Oh your interested in our procedural planet tech for this Elite Dangerous game you made a while back? That'll be £10 million please."
I'm sort of with you on this. I honestly think of all the pay for cosmetic things possible Blizzard did a great job with WoW in that you could buy role playing outfits which had no effect on the game or pets.
With this in mind i don't mind them offering hanger flair or even ship decals for cash.
I am also wondering if they will not stick to the idea of concept ship sales through beta and after launch.
MonsterNeal
Captain
i honestly hope they do go the subscription route. i feel they deserve the money and it can help bring more content to the game down the road after launch. I just rather have the subscription base model versus the micro transactions. I feel like it would bring more value to the current donation/micro transaction model during the donation period. We really also do not need kids that cant afford 15 dollars a month for a game... although now thinking about it cheap in game labor would be nice... hmm...(thinking as i write this)
My problem with mandatory subs is how much game time I have. If i was single and lived with my parents i'd probably play 4 hours a day, 8 hours a day on weekends. For $15 a month thats wicked value!
As it is I have a house and there is a lawn to mow and wife-to-be to talk to and car to watch rust, and i'm expecting it to be as bad as 4 hours a month during busy months. $15 for 4 hours? Almost as bad value as going to the cinema.
If you could go to the cinema whenever you wanted for $15 a month, everyone would be doing it. Thats why Netfix has e-x-p-l-o-d-e-d in popularity.
As it is I have a house and there is a lawn to mow and wife-to-be to talk to and car to watch rust, and i'm expecting it to be as bad as 4 hours a month during busy months. $15 for 4 hours? Almost as bad value as going to the cinema.
If you could go to the cinema whenever you wanted for $15 a month, everyone would be doing it. Thats why Netfix has e-x-p-l-o-d-e-d in popularity.
There won’t be a mandatory subscription. Players backed the game with C.R. saying no subs. While I can see them being able to put in an optional one, a mandatory one might just be enough to allow a ton of people to request and receive refunds.
As for licensing their tech, I am not sure they could based on their original license from CT
As for licensing their tech, I am not sure they could based on their original license from CT
You can do a free to play model, with subscriptions for perks. The perks could be anything, I have no issues. Whatever makes this game successful in the long run. I'm a subscriber now anyway, and I've always taken the position that money I am spending now, including buying ships is to support game development - and nothing more. It's because I want to play Star Citizen.
Right now the subscription is a wash. For a 12 month sub (costing 220 usd with 12th month free), we get a coupon worth up to 100 usd, plus 120 usd in subscriber flair. Add to that some REC, ship of the month, etc...
The 100 usd coupon could become 100k UEC, and the REC could become discounts on insurance deductibles and or claim timers.
But yes, an optional sub is the only way they could do something like that
The 100 usd coupon could become 100k UEC, and the REC could become discounts on insurance deductibles and or claim timers.
But yes, an optional sub is the only way they could do something like that
There are a lot of things I hate about Eve online. Skill points, for one. What a complete and total bullshit mechanic.
But the way Eve does F2P/Subscriptions is actually quite nice. You can play the game 100% free if you want, or you can pay. There is zero difference to how the game treats you. The catch is that to play for free, you're essentially required to spend time every month farming materials to sell on the market. You use the proceeds from that to "pay" (using purely in game currency) for your "Omega" status on your account.
If you don't want to spend your time doing that, or you can't afford to spend that much time, you can pay $10/month (yearly subscription) to get the same Omega status.
SC should seriously consider a model that accomplishes the same - players are equal whether they have extra time or extra money. Neither is better or worse off.
The problem with "you can't pay to save time" is it discriminates against those who are busy yet have a couple extra dollars they don't mind spending.
The problem with "you get real advantages for paying money" is it discriminates against those who don't have or won't spend extra money on a game.
Treat us equally. Let us "pay" with whatever resource we have more of, be it time or money.
But the way Eve does F2P/Subscriptions is actually quite nice. You can play the game 100% free if you want, or you can pay. There is zero difference to how the game treats you. The catch is that to play for free, you're essentially required to spend time every month farming materials to sell on the market. You use the proceeds from that to "pay" (using purely in game currency) for your "Omega" status on your account.
If you don't want to spend your time doing that, or you can't afford to spend that much time, you can pay $10/month (yearly subscription) to get the same Omega status.
SC should seriously consider a model that accomplishes the same - players are equal whether they have extra time or extra money. Neither is better or worse off.
The problem with "you can't pay to save time" is it discriminates against those who are busy yet have a couple extra dollars they don't mind spending.
The problem with "you get real advantages for paying money" is it discriminates against those who don't have or won't spend extra money on a game.
Treat us equally. Let us "pay" with whatever resource we have more of, be it time or money.
The beauty of the EQ system is you can farm to buy subscription time from sellers on the market time (old EVE PLEX). Or, you can buy a subscription. Or, you could not do either and still be able to play.
For example. If I play 3-4 hours a month, I might not want any subscription time. I just want to be able to get on, play a bit, and if I crash my ship, I just file a claim and let the timer expire. It not like I will get to play tomorrow or even next week anyway. I might buy hangar flair, or sell game time for UEC.
I play 10-20 hours a month. I might have one or two weeks I can actually play the game due to me traveling other weeks. I pay the subscription as the shorter claim times really help me make the most out of my time. I might occasionally sell a time card for UEC
I play 60 hours a month. I don’t mind buying my subscription on the auction house because it is only 5-10 percent of what I can make in game in a month. The seller gets in game money (maybe that person who only plays 3-4 hours or the 10-20 hour player that needs just a little more UEC for that Vulcan.), and I get the subscriber perks I want.
For example. If I play 3-4 hours a month, I might not want any subscription time. I just want to be able to get on, play a bit, and if I crash my ship, I just file a claim and let the timer expire. It not like I will get to play tomorrow or even next week anyway. I might buy hangar flair, or sell game time for UEC.
I play 10-20 hours a month. I might have one or two weeks I can actually play the game due to me traveling other weeks. I pay the subscription as the shorter claim times really help me make the most out of my time. I might occasionally sell a time card for UEC
I play 60 hours a month. I don’t mind buying my subscription on the auction house because it is only 5-10 percent of what I can make in game in a month. The seller gets in game money (maybe that person who only plays 3-4 hours or the 10-20 hour player that needs just a little more UEC for that Vulcan.), and I get the subscriber perks I want.