Here's the official poll where you can vote for what payment method you prefer. Hopefully, SOE will see this and set up the payment plan that the majority wants.

Also, it might be good to keep all the posts about why microtransactions suck in this thread. Feel free to discuss why you feel the way you do!

Personally, I'd prefer the Guild Wars type of payment--the game and the expansion packs are expensive, but there are no monthly fees whatsoever. I don't know why, but I feel a lot more comfortable with that than spending $10-$15 every month. I think most FPS gamers are used to this type of payment, as most FPS games cost $50 with no monthly fees.

While I don't really like the microtransation route, some games like Albatross18 manage to make their system fair to free players. I'm still against it, but not to a really extreme degree.

A monthly fee to access "velvet rope" areas sounds like a nice idea, because it's like giving free players a trial that's limited in content instead of time. I'd be open to that idea.

Wow. I find it strange that nobody's voted for the standard $10-$15 monthly fee that most MMOs use nowadays...

I wonder if that trend is really dying?

Well barring 'uncomfortable' circumstances, I trust that you'd be familiar with the glut of that eerily similar question as titles in past threads, overdone and over argued at The Pub? And of course I'll be quick to refrain myself from stepping on the touchy 'love or hate SOE' sentimentally sharp anecdotes as evidently it'll be nothing short of a quick topic killer. It should be seen and perceived that monthly subs are no more the guarantee of quality delivery for the long run, based on more busts than booms from titles recollected back in 2007 (and oh that wasn't too far off now is it?..). MMOs aren't supposed to be designed to have a 5 year lifespan (there we go, I've said it. Flame on..) or rather even if it should, the current generation of designers are just mentally and socially (by being prone to misinterpret a general player pop requirements or sucking at trends' settings) ill-equipped at every aspect to achieve that. Another laughable notion is that, f2p tendencies are best used to describe a title made for jobless minors with lesser friends than they have pet dolls. There's ample players with steady careers and businesses who're just aren't stupid enough to bill themselves monthly for something that's gonna piss them off faster than they can count off the quarter of the month.

TA was (unless if we the observers had somehow missed the part) introduced initially strong to include and prioritize the 'casual' streams. I could be wrong but if I'm right, no wise and affluent (heck not even idiots living off their parents) players in this specific category would ever fall prey ever again into paying for something that's formulated as [monthly sub = hours x 30 days average] in their mindset. Nothing personal against SOE, this goes to ALL mainstream or indie devs/publishers with 'massive' intentions these days. That formula sucks by today's standards I know plus it may not make very much sense realistically but unfortunately it's the standard equation based on basic return on investment rule. Fun is still a very hard metric to apply broadly.

I'm hoping TA can be that kind of an MMO (yeah I'm NOT taking the soloist stance. I DO want to play with others and NOT screw their fun...OR they can die if they're on the 'wrong' side of the pond if ya get my drift) that I can actually enjoy in a 15 minutes time frame before logging off with no tie-ups to force me to somewhat set a so called lofty hourly-daily threshold to indulge into unnecessary time investments over actual enjoyment gains.

Shallow and fun IS good even if it's coming from SOE. Which is heck of a lot more than I can say about 'deep' and 'involving' grindvaganzas from others.

So yes I'll only pay when I want extras thank you.

Originally posted by Puffles

Here's the official poll where you can vote for what payment method you prefer. Hopefully, SOE will see this and set up the payment plan that the majority wants.

Also, it might be good to keep all the posts about why microtransactions suck in this thread. Feel free to discuss why you feel the way you do!

Personally, I'd prefer the Guild Wars type of payment--the game and the expansion packs are expensive, but there are no monthly fees whatsoever. I don't know why, but I feel a lot more comfortable with that than spending $10-$15 every month. I think most FPS gamers are used to this type of payment, as most FPS games cost $50 with no monthly fees.

While I don't really like the microtransation route, some games like Albatross18 manage to make their system fair to free players. I'm still against it, but not to a really extreme degree.

A monthly fee to access "velvet rope" areas sounds like a nice idea, because it's like giving free players a trial that's limited in content instead of time. I'd be open to that idea.

PERSONALLY, I would prefer they paid me to play.

Next question ....

Originally posted by Puffles

Wow. I find it strange that nobody's voted for the standard $10-$15 monthly fee that most MMOs use nowadays...

I wonder if that trend is really dying?

Since forum posters on a website don't make decisions for games and the $$ companies make do - this is really not that important.

Funny you call it a trend like we all chose that method in the first place lol.

Really?

they will do what they can get away with. that is currently $15 a month.

I didn't mean it was a trend in that we want it. I meant it was a trend in that most of us pay that way.

If most of us don't want to pay $15 a month, maybe we'll eventually stop and stick to games with better pricing.

In a podcast that I listen to weekly, it was brought up that limiting players to only paying $15 per month was sort of bad business.  That maybe companies will see this and micro-transactions will become popular among MMO's.

Originally posted by Puffles

If most of us don't want to pay $15 a month, maybe we'll eventually stop and stick to games with better pricing.

Better pricing is a very tricky territory to say the least. It's been discussed that a figure in the regions between $7-$9 makes a better proposition for seasoned MMO players to consider these days and not to mention that it represents as a somewhat low cost barrier of entry for newer players. Whether or not it makes realistic economical sense for both players and industry's side remains arguable in light of today's $100+- per barrel oil prices' environs, rising MMOs' development and operational costs along with the rising profitabilities in the MMO market as an own segment in the whole entertainment biz.

That being said, it still boils down to product designs slash delivery on top of quality versus time investment requirements and chosen platforms. In TA's case if SOE plans to go all out on both PS3 and PC, I'd imagine a very hard sale if they are pushed to educate our console peers to cough up monthly subs for something that tags itself with that "fun now, no waiting" concept. By that PR laced tact alone, SOE has already sealed the initial pre-release expectations for incumbent players even if by rough definitions. The "no waiting" part clearly suggests that SOE aims for minimal time sinks in delivering TA.

But of course it's in their final and exclusive discretions to reserve that right to change course.

taking away the monthly payments definately will increase the number of players, as when I was growing up in HS with no job, my parents wouldn't pay for a monthly fee to play a game. They had no problem getting a game for me that I could play but the thought of paying every month bugged them. I also have many friends now in college that don't feel like spending all this money every month regardless if they play much or not.

This will open up opportunity for more people to get involved than before, and having micro transactions for a map pack here, a new area there, etc might be with trying out. It's a gamble either way really, but regardless, nothing is going to stop me from playing this game and seeing how it all turns out :P

Originally posted by j1flaw

taking away the monthly payments definately will increase the number of players, as when I was growing up in HS with no job, my parents wouldn't pay for a monthly fee to play a game. They had no problem getting a game for me that I could play but the thought of paying every month bugged them. I also have many friends now in college that don't feel like spending all this money every month regardless if they play much or not.

This will open up opportunity for more people to get involved than before, and having micro transactions for a map pack here, a new area there, etc might be with trying out. It's a gamble either way really, but regardless, nothing is going to stop me from playing this game and seeing how it all turns out :P

It would be great if the microtransactions were for new maps or areas, or anything else that didn't unbalance the game. What worries me is that the microtransactions might be for things like special guns, special ammunition, special equips, overpowered operatives, etc.

Originally posted by Puffles

It would be great if the microtransactions were for new maps or areas, or anything else that didn't unbalance the game. What worries me is that the microtransactions might be for things like special guns, special ammunition, special equips, overpowered operatives, etc.

Trust me when I say that the majority of TA's observers harbors the same anxiety. Visualize the upcoming closed beta. Should even for a second if SOE even hint at game boosters for sale, watch for 90% of the early testers' batch scramble to ultimately KILL TA's public image (early entrants and SOE haters alike will definitely unite at this..). It's not really hard to do. Likewise for SOE to really learn the bust ups circa 2007 to learn that game boosters for profits are the fastest route to ruins.

We still need to wait and see how it's gonna play out.