Station Cash - Weigh InFollow

What a ridiculous new release! Call it whatever you want; however, the obvious fact remains that SOE is trying to take grasp of an ever growing to avoid the economic disasters of EQ1. This is a just another transparent attempt to get money out of the game. I am certain that some like it and will use it, thus making SOEs ploy semi-succesful.

Flame away,

Gynx
SK

a lot of people on the SOE forums are up in arms about this. A great many of them see the potential for abuse here, and I don't blame them.

I think my problem is that the introduction for this was VERY sudden. As for the statement 'in response to user surveys' ... WHAT surveys? I took the one they just announced, and I don't recall seeing ANYTHING about this...

I guess I'll take the same approach here that I do towards LoN. I didn't ask for it, so I don't play it. If some people do, that's great. If I get a loot card and it's something I think is fun, I'll redeem it. Will I buy boosters? Not likely.

The only thing I DON'T like is the concept of 'gifting' Station Cash... Currently, you can only fund YOUR account, and the items can only be purchased by YOUR characters. Fine. But if you start getting into gifting (especially for gameplay time or game-affecting items) what's to stop people from saying 'help me defeat this epic for my quest and I'll send you 10,0000 Sony Cash' ... THAT'S got me a little concerned. If SOE makes the items NO TRADE, NO VALUE (and preferably non-gameplay affecting) that should help.

Will I be quitting EQ2? No. Now, if they start making gameplay affecting items (other than the current potion offerings) a part of the marketplace, or make it a requirement to use the marketplace in order to access game content, I'll have to rethink that.

With the exception of the "ninja" implementation.. I don't mind the Marketplace in its current form. I understand people's concern about the direction it might go.. But, I'm one of those people that don't worry about something unless its for sure.

Otherwise, its just fluff and another option to get exp pots for people who either haven't received vet rewards yet or used all theirs up. I spent $60 so far and am pretty satisfied with the items I've purchased.

As long as it remains fluff I'll have no problem with SC.

Edited, Dec 11th 2008 4:58pm by SpyderBite

Um. Blizzard is doing it too.

/chuckles

I wish more people would pull their heads out their holes in the sand and realize this too. All games are going RMT.. whether that be Game to Player, Player to Player, or both.. it depends on the game.

Instead of threatening to quit a game.. their threat would have more merit if they threatened to quit gaming.

I know some people may like this. Some people are unsure if its going to be ok and some people don't really care. So I respect all their opinions but here is why I think this will ruin the game.

I play the game to have fun and quest to get stuff thus the name "EVERQUEST". I also am on hard times right now and its nice being able to have everything anyone else has in the game all I have to do is quest.

By introducing the purchasing of stuff into the game it has opened a flood gate to make this like reality by allowing people with extra means to show off and get nice looking stuff that I can't because I can't aford too. This makes me feel a sense of unfairness in a "GAME".

TRUE STORY! I had 5 guys who play WoW at work convenced to come do the free play time to try and bring them back to EQII. They then came up to me and asked about this station cash not even knowing what it was called and all said SOE screwed themselves. I had them convenced to come back with all the new content over the past 3 expansions.

First look at how hard some people have worked at making their houses and guild halls look awesome with quested or in game plat they earned. Now someone will be able to buy something with real cash can get a nicer throne or wall piece that the person who worked hard and can't aford to buy station cash can't buy and touch up thier room? IS THAT FAIR GAMING?

Here is a warning to all that think this is NO BIG DEAL ITS ONLY FLUFF. What is going to happen IF this SOE Experiment works is and you can quote me.
Fluff will turn into items that makes raids go easier or experience move faster or the armor is just as good as raided armor. If you want proof they already have experiance POTs for sale.

I plead to you to consider your actions and your thoughts not on how it affects the game now but how it will in the future when Smedley has been fired and replaced by a Sony robot from Japan. Also the FUTURE of all gaming! If this is a success in EQII it WILL go to ALL games MMO and not MMO. OH how? Say when Call of Duty 6 comes out in a few years if you want the B2 Bomber you need to pay for it. Get the idea?

I now plead to you NOT to use even the free station cash that has been given to you! Don't allow this to change the face of all gaming so those with extra means to have an advantage over you in gaming now. We already have to contend with them having better computers!

Edited, Dec 31st 2008 10:23am by gotoman

Well, because it's not the baby dragon that everyone is worried about. The concern is that the mechanism has been put into place, with 'fluff' items being the initial offerings to placate people and get everyone acclimated to the idea of in-game RMT, and that eventually it will escalate to it's originally intended end-game - game advantage items, usable gear, etc. The problem isn't what was offered now, the problem is what will be offered later once everyone has just accepted RMT as "part of the game". Your right, we're not talking about RL cash for in-game cash or gear or what have you...yet.

They've said that station cash will always be as it is today with similar offerings..but it's still a business. That word only lasts until they see certain metrics or there is a changing of the guard in management.

In-line, in bold.

Price of some of that stuff is nuts. $10 for 50% more AP exp... no thanks.

To me its more then fluff items since I see alot of exp potions in there. Fluff items are lag pets (pets that do nothing but slow down other uses in the area), armor with no stats, house pets, etc.

Pretty crappy IMO. Then SOE wonders why there games are losing people.