That bolsters my point even more. We are willing to spend money, just not by supporting these scummy MTX practices.
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The thing is not enough people actually do. There is decades of marketing data on this. Taking something that is $20 and making it $10 doesn’t mean you get double or more sales. I think it was something like only 15% of people even spend on mtx in f2p games. A game like this that already has a buy in will probably have even less willing to spend, and this game already has a niche playerbase to start with. With so few potential spenders each item sold has to give a big return.
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What a strange thread. This shop design is nothing new, and no response here so far is a new argument for either side. I find this shop design the most ethical for supplemental revenue in this game type, and the prices are simply a business decision considering development cost, market research, etc. If any kind of loot box shows up, though, I take this all back.
Rather than arguing a side, I’m more interested in the FOMO and its addiction implications. If you struggle or think you will struggle to make or avoid recreational purchases to an extent that it creates problems in your life, I’m confident that EHG would be willing to help by introducing a purchase limit or block on accounts who request it. Game and collectible addiction is real and EHG have regularly shown they are real people who care about their players. Everyone can cry “predatory” or “too expensive,” but the problem is not the sales tactics. The problem is the susceptibility to them. If you need help, please ask for it.
I meant the thread yes sorry for confusion lol
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I understand the marketing data and why things cost what they do. That doesn’t make it less predatory nor does it please anyone. The stated goal from EHG from day one was to be different and do things their own way. Is it any wonder that those of us without unlimited wallets were hoping for something better?
Suggested Solution: There is nothing to say you can’t have multiple tiers of cosmetics as well – say a “Working Joe that’s pretty decent” tier and a “My money procreates like rabbits OH WOW THAT’S SICK” tier. And yes, the uper tier’s items will look better, have better animations, more effects, etc. The differences between the two could justify the additional development time needed to create them. The point is that hope and expectation meets reality somewhere in the middle.
Also, cutting the price of something in half rarely results in double sales, we know this to be true. However, I would like to buy enough cosmetics to support the game without taking out a third mortgage.
If I want a single $10.00 cosmetic I have to pay $18.99
True, I can then get another cosmetic - but why should I have to?
And then what happens when I’m left with 55 cosmetic points even after that? Buy another $18.99 pack where I’m guaranteed to again have leftover currency?
The price points of items and of currency are absolutely the scummiest possible.
As someone who was prepared to spend a fair bit of money on cosmetics in this game, if the shop stays at it is I will never purchase cosmetic points. I’ve known cosmetics were coming since I backed in kickstarter, and I’ve been excitedly waiting for it. I absolutely will not engage with the shop as it is now, as it contains all of the worst, scummiest tactics I can think of.
- Conversation rates are not simple, so you have no idea how much cosmetics actually cost at a glance, which gives a huge disconnect from real money and encouraging further spending
- You can only buy cosmetic points at specific values, so you will always have leftover if you buy something, encouraging the player to spend more money
- You get better value for spending more, so you’re strongly encouraged to always make bigger purchases
I know I’m in the minority, but I do not spend money on mtx shops that do this, and typically won’t even consider playing the games at all if they have this kind of system.
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It’s kind of sad a game with an up-front box cost has to resort to predatory/tricky practices in their MTX shop.
It seems like more of these decisions are being mandated by the corporate parasites at TenCent, and less by a small indie development team that cares about the people who have supported their game for the past 4+ years.
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I second this as someone who has bought this game multiple times for people who I knew wouldn’t have themselves, just to further support the fantastic devs. And I was ready to do the same through cosmetics… but with this current iteration? Nah. I’m done with these types of mtx practices and pretty damn disappointed to see it from EHG.
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I genuinely don’t get a single thing about the complaints in this thread. I guess this is also why I genuinely do not empathise with the “struggles” of g*mers either.
Aside from how this particular method of monetisation is really old and hasn’t caused any significant problems with g*mers from other 'doms — the main complaint was always lootboxes AFAIK — if leaving $9 of MTX points on the table to wait for another sale or some other nice MTX down the line that exactly chews it away leaves you so blinded with anger, can you really afford to spend anything on MTX in the first place?
On EHG’s side this also simplifies their cash problems. If a g*mer f*s up and wants a refund on their s*tty MTX, EHG now simply refunds points, not r*l l*fe m*ney from their b*nk account. It should be rare for someone who understands the system well enough and only paid for MTX points after r*tionally thinking through things like a n*mie h*man to actually want to refund the MTX points itself. But then again who am I kidding? The audience here are g*mers, not actual h*mans.
Also about how it makes it difficult to account for the true price of MTX — well make life simple for yourself and always use the worst conversion rate from your perspective as a g*mer, i.e. 12.645/US$, or about 12.5/US$ (100 points per 8US$). Ignore the bonus from purchasing larger quantities of points in one transaction. Sure, this conversion will make MTX look more expensive than it really is, but probably only by like 10 or 20 cents or something, which is completely minor when you are already considering happily dumping upwards of $10 on what is basically pixel art locked into a specific platform that only other g*mers from your tribe can appreciate.
FOMO — You know the c*vative meme “Your triggers are your responsibility”? Let me f*ing throw this s*t back at you g*mers. Go f*x your own problems. What, is it also EHG’s fault if your g*lfriend leaves you for paying more attention to your Lich than her?
If you so strongly believe that this s*t is immoral as f*k and EHG should b*n in h*ll for their s*m f*g practices and nothing that anyone can say will stop you from d*ing on the stake with your opinion, simple:
- Boycott the MTX shop. EHG promises that no progress or power will ever be locked behind the shop so milk the s*t out of the entrance fee you already paid and make EHG basically provide you decades of game updates and patches for free.
- Downvote LE on Steam and leave feedback there so that other g*mers from your tribe can stay the h*l away from this s*th*e because of how they priced pixel art that you never wanted to buy anyway.
- Quit LE yourself and encourage your f*nds to quit too. Not even kidding. Tank all their metrics of player engagement and retention. LE may have begun as a passion project but it is above all else now a commercial product. They will thrive or die by market forces.
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I think you misread what I said. My message was not about the mtx being expansive or cheap. And I think what my message was about applies to whatever country one is from.
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That doesn’t fix the issue that this is a rip-off.
Isn’t the idea behind this, is to get us to want to buy things? Someone above said “we want to buy” - this is exactly true. We’re here to support you; not get screwed over trying to do it…
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I guess I should’ve done more research… if I knew TenCent had a stake Id’ve stayed far, far away.
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Not really, they are backed by Tencent and was probably pushed on them and has an entire marketing program already created within Tencent they can just roll out to everygame, the prices are very similair to Torchlight Infinites which is just called ‘Primocryst’ instead of ‘Epoch Points’
Personally think MTX is a giant waste of money, especially when characters look decent and they do in LE
Just as some feedback to devs if they care: Ive bought 3 PoE supporter packs in 10 years and last pack was 5 years ago as by then I had all the ‘account feature stash tabs’ and they switched to Tencent and no longer was the ‘small indie dev’
Torchlight offers a season pass for $15, you get the new class forever, an auto pick up pet (free but picks up even more stuff) and some mtx/pets by playing and extra Tradehouse slots. I actually like to buy it as I get to support the devs ‘cleanly’
If EHG added a loot pet I would buy it…buy instead they will sell ‘ethical’ MTX at $USD, also many people are in a financial crisis currently
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What a self absorbed, arrogant response.
Would you mind - for a minute - climbing down from your high horse to speak to us peasants, milord?
Absolutely obnoxious. From the over 100 posts criticizing the new MTX implementation, your post is bar-none the most irritating and mindnumbing. You missed every single point so spectacularly, and all so you could do a “Gamers suck, Gamers are entitled” spiel.
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Prob just angry dev on an alternate account
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you can do all that with virtual currency without resorting to manipulation by making ‘point’ bundles be setup so that you always have either not enough or too much. just make bundles for the exact prices you have on items.
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I doubt that. From the interactions the Dev’s have had with the community they have presented a fairly respectable and direct approach to the community. Plus, given the rambling nature and incoherent arguments and thoughts (girlfriend…) this is not the work of someone who develops or codes in any way. Now, if there were references to spaghetti (code joke), maybe.
It is a representation of the type of critique and criticism that I mentioned being ignored. BUT it should also be banned. You can work past a troublesome spot but allowing it to remain will sully the entire yield eventually.
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Can you please edit your post so that it’s readable? “f*k” “s*t” “g*mers” etc are not words and honestly, I got about a quarter through your reply before I gave up because it’s particularly unreadable due to how many times you do this.
Thanks!
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i’m still trying to ascertain how anyone thought that scamming the playerbase of bloody math nerds with cheapest ‘virtual currency’ mumbo jumbo will work.
like bruh.
they are applying some local corner crack dealer methodology here, except the customers aint brain dead tweakers but chonky basement dwelling nerds that take pleasure in applying math into their hobbies (like vidya games).
if u make me have to calculate real monetary value of your bs virtual currency this ITSELF creates a barrier between me giving you money - u show me a thing and say 10 bucks i will be more inclined to purchase it - imagine if u go to a pub or whatever and u they asked u to buy ‘beer coins’ that u can then trade for booze - how long do u wager that joint would last eh?
lmao
just show me the money and i’m your huckleberry - don’t toss yet another virtual bullshit coinage at me ffs
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To put things in perspective about your prices, On steam currently, we can find:
Far cry 6 for 15 bucks.
The division2 for 5 bucks.
Day’s gone for 17 bucks
Mortal kombat 11 ultimate + Injustice legendary edition , both for 10 bucks.
Titan fall 2 for 3 bucks.
Etc…
And here a portal for 14 bucks (120 Points = 10 bucks, 165 pts = 13,75 bucks) or a back attachment for 8 bucks.
I’m not sure that a lot of people will chose this to use their money and that you will sell a lot of them with these prices…
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