With the recent confirmation that Champions Online will have RMT, I was curious as to what level of RMT, if any, players find acceptable in their MMOs?    This is only referring to MMOs which have a monthly sub.

I've put together a short list of the possibilities:

1.  No RMT whatsoever.   Everything, absolutely everything, should be included with the monthly fee.

2.  Outside game changes only:   this would include things like server transfers, char name changes, etc.

3.  Vanity items:  a fancy looking hat, or cool looking mount, etc.   Nothing that has any real impact on gameplay.

4.  Small game advantages that could be purchased or earned through gameplay.   These might be small buffs, bonuses to exp, etc.

5.  Exclusive game-affecting items.   A sword or a blaster that you could not otherwise get.

For myself, I'm in the number two category.   I think there's some logic to not offering these services for free, else everyone and his brother would be requesting switches.    The number three category irks me a bit, but I could live with it.

Further question:   do you think this is the future of MMOs?

I find it quite interesting that many Free 2 Play games have a lower level RMT than some of the new Hybrids (P2P + RMT). At this time I am attributing this to the lack of experience in the RMT model, and not fully understanding how things work out in the long run.

A good example of this is Aion China (as this is the only version commercially available). They have a monthly fee, that ends up being hours/month... not unlimited per month. They also sell items as part of thier RMT offerings, that are clearly biased towards PvP... and as such are geared towards the 'I win' type solutions. It does not seem like any ONE thing is the problem, but the sum in total is.

1. No RMT whatsoever. Everything, absolutely everything, should be included with the monthly fee.

I don't mind 2 so much, but would prefer for 1.  If anything for 2 I think they should add epic questlines that are hard as hell to do to be able to alter appearance, or switch factions ala the Betrayal quests in EQ2. 

I hope that this isn't the future of MMO's.  There will never be a truly immersive and vast MMORPG world that we can get lost in with a RMT model.  RMT takes the genre in the exact opposite direction of it's true potential.  That isn't to say that some games can't work with RMT like DDO, but I think it has no place in massive worlds and true deep and immersive MMORPG's. 

The only exception where I would be fine with RMT is with card based mini games ala Magic the gathering, and what SOE has whorishly put into every single MMORPG they run.  SOE of course does it wrong and bases it on greed and milks it for all it's worth, but if done correctly I wouldn't mind this since it is an optional side game for fun and most TCG's constantly release expansions.  If this was tied into a game though I would expect card drops off human mobs, rewards for quests, rewards for defeating npc's at the game, etc. 

** You could turn this into a poll for more defined results.

2, 3 and 4

Only up to level 2, thank you very much.

Future is only about what customers accept, unless you define a line in which after crossed you won't play the game, expect every MMO to become like Second Life. And my line limit is number 2.

No RMT at all for me, I want the old subscription-only model back

Looks like OP mixes RMT (Real Money Trading) with CS (Cash Shop) :D

IMO, if a game has a monthly fee, there should be no cash shop whatsoever *points at SOE scammers*

Oh, and trust me. If you accept current RMTs level 2+ RMTs because "I have money and can benefit from it", you'll see them increasing up to a point you cannot fully benefit from it anymore. That's how capitalism evolves to meet the demand that you show interest in - the item mall. Watch out if you want to be part of that demand, so you won't get backstabed when you least expect it.

synonymously agree.  No RMT with sub.

One through Four... as long as four doesn't include ANYTHING that is unattainable through other means- exp increases and gold increases only effect the time it takes not the possibility of something... and depends on the buffs.

Anything that does not alter the balance of the game in terms of pve/pvp performance (which is why I am iffy on the buffs) or the ability to attain items that effect such should be allowed... if people want to pay to look pretty and allow a company to hire more people to make the game better/support the game better then why not? The fact that your cloak shimmers and mine is blood stained makes no difference to me. Good players are good players regardless of the way their avatar looks :P

I do however think it's hilarious how angry people get when a game moves to this model when it really won't effect them at all. Although some people HAVE to be shiny and since anyone with 5 bucks can be shiny too, they get a complex and don't feel unique.

I think its funny how people think you can buy awesome gear in RMT games. No RMT games that I have seen have ever allowed that. It may exist, but I've never seen it.

Personally, that is where I would draw the line. I doubt any game ever does that, though.

RMT games shouldn't have a sub fee, and I would love to see all games go to RMT. Especially my beloved EQ. It really needs to have a population, and going f2p would grant it one.

2. Outside game changes only: this would include things like server transfers, char name changes, etc.

I don't have a problem with a charge being levied for things that require extra personnel or system resources to handle. I don't like cash shops at all, though, even when they're just selling fluff items. That said, I'm willing to pay a premium subscription fee in order to avoid those cash shops; I certainly wouldn't expect a free-to-play game to go without them. I think there's room for a multitude of payment options, and I hope that continues to be the case. (Richard Aihoshi's articles scare the #$%^ out of me, though).

While I don't have as much free time to devote to games as I once did, I still like the concept of spending time rather than money when I'm playing. I know I'll probably never get the raid content in any mmo, but I also know that my $14.95 (or whatever the price is) gives me access to it if I change my mind. I'm just wired in a way where I like unlimited access. I have an unlimited calling plan on my cellphone, but some people prefer to go with limited minutes because they just want to buy what they know they'll use. There's nothing wrong with that, but it's not the way my brain works. I want to buy a ticket and have access to every ride in the park, I don't want to go to a park and pay for the rides individually.

" There will never be a truly immersive and vast MMORPG world that we can get lost in with a RMT model."

Agree.

At least I don't think I could ever get past it - the thought thtat the game designers and makers were trying to milk me would bug too much.

In a F2P game my personal limit isn't that much lower. I could handle a game where say, the free bit was one race and some basic classes e.g human fighter, mage, healer, rogue and you paid to unlock cooler ones - that might indirectly have the exact same effects e.g the othe races had better or just better looking gear that only those races could use - but they'd still have to actually play the game to get it and a human player might still loot the gear just not be able to use it. But that would only be in a F2P game that was designed and marketed as an immersive world and I don't think that's likely with the CS/RMT model.

I'm probably a niche of one though.

Originally posted by SwampRob

With the recent confirmation that Champions Online will have RMT, I was curious as to what level of RMT, if any, players find acceptable in their MMOs?    This is only referring to MMOs which have a monthly sub.

I've put together a short list of the possibilities:

1.  No RMT whatsoever.   Everything, absolutely everything, should be included with the monthly fee.

2.  Outside game changes only:   this would include things like server transfers, char name changes, etc.

3.  Vanity items:  a fancy looking hat, or cool looking mount, etc.   Nothing that has any real impact on gameplay.

4.  Small game advantages that could be purchased or earned through gameplay.   These might be small buffs, bonuses to exp, etc.

5.  Exclusive game-affecting items.   A sword or a blaster that you could not otherwise get.

 

For myself, I'm in the number two category.   I think there's some logic to not offering these services for free, else everyone and his brother would be requesting switches.    The number three category irks me a bit, but I could live with it.

Further question:   do you think this is the future of MMOs?

 

cosmetic items, things like cosmetic pets and name change, server transfers, etc.

Gear should never be purchased. same with levels.

As long as there is no buyable zones/gear or special buyable buffpotions it's all fine.

Fluff items or accessable items through quests/drops that can be bought means nothing to me. If people want to buy what you can get through PLAYING THE GAME, let them. I really don t see it as big deal. I d rather earn it the right way. If someone buys an item that is gainable through quests/drops there should be a $ above their head so everyone can /laugh at them. Seriously though if it doesn t effect my gameplay, ie I can get it without buying it who cares.

if there is a subscription - zero RMT

if there is a subscription - that should include transfers, name changes and whatever else they can come up with to nickel and dime (or $10 & $20) you to death

Anything above 1 puts me off subscribing to a game to some extent.

Anything above 3 will stop me subscribing without any further consideration.

Pretty much the way WoW does this kinda stuff if it's a pay to play game.

Collector editions comes with in-game pets.
Going to Blizzcon gets you an in-game pet or some kind of fluff.
The trading card game get loot cards, for fun fluff stuff.
Paid server transfers and name changes (This is really there just to keep that kinda thing to a minium)

I don't really like that some Pre-orders come with XP boost potions, but I let that kinda thing slide.
An extra 10% xp for 2 hours is hardly game breaking.
As long as you can't buy potions like that with real moneys I'm fine.

I don't like the idea of buying comestic items for real cash either if you are paying a monthly fee.
(Kinda like what CO is doing)

I kinda don't like the fact that the Wings that for CE in Aion get an extra 30 second of flight time...

For one or two months of game play, any level of RMT might be ok.

For longer than that, ZERO rmt.

Originally posted by Ihmotepp

For one or two months of game play, any level of RMT might be ok.

For longer than that, ZERO rmt.

excuse me

what???

anything out of game im fine with

anything in game im not.

I am not bothered with cosmetic items, nothing in game that gives you any... ANY... advantage over some one who can not afford to pay Real Money.  Note: I am not going to spend money on fluff but I do understand that some people think they need to stand out from the crowd and will spend Real Money to do it.

Cosmetic Items or out-of-game services like name changes, maybe char transfers if its a PvE game. Anything else, I wont even touch it.

Originally posted by gatheris

Originally posted by Ihmotepp

For one or two months of game play, any level of RMT might be ok.

For longer than that, ZERO rmt.

 

excuse me

 

what???

 

IMO, RMT of any sort will not make a lot of difference in the early game, the first month or two.

However, the descrepancies it causes will get worse and worse over time, until it is quickly intolerable.

For example, leveling from 1 to 2 might take 30 minutes with no xp potion, 15 with an xp potion. No big deal really and not enough to upset me that people are using RMT.

But by level 30 to level 31, we have two weeks with xp potions, two months without potions, hardly worth playing at that point, IMO.

Same with items. You buy a hat that gives you plus one. Ok, kinda sucks at level 1-10, but whatever.

By the time we get up in levels to 30 or 40, that hat has gotten you quite a bit extra xp, loot, levels, etc. and wrecked the game.