price of game

[Ir0nman]

Ok so from the fact that Planetside is on EBworld, I get the idea that we have to pay $50 to get the software and THEN pay monthly payments to play online? Is this true??...because that sucks if we have to pay for software too. Paying the monthly payemnts is ok, but we should just be able to download the software.

[Lt AntiSmile]

MMoRpgs run at 50 bucks at the start, so this proble won't be diff

[Ir0nman]

thats not true with all mmorpg's though...I'm not sure if you have heard of it, but 10six was a popular mmorpg that you just downloaded and then had to pay for monthly to play

[Tolvy]

I've seen some games go for around $70 :eek: :doh: :huh: :furious:

[Lt AntiSmile]

never heard of 10six, but Ao, AC1/2, EnB, all worked that way

[�io]

Obviously.

The monthly fee is for server costs(and some profit of course *sigh*) it doesn't cover programmers/artists/etc.

[Hamma]

It covers the upkeep of the servers/community etc. There will probably always be a staff of programmers who add new features and keep everything working.

Its worth it imo, in the longrun :D

[Qanamil_Rafiki]

Being a long time EverQuest player, I've heard all about money woes, and voiced some too.

In this post-EQ, -DAoC, -etc. market, you're going to have to pay an initial price and the monthly because the company knows that you, the customer, are willing to do so.

As for where those monthly fees go, prior posters are correct with server upkeep costs being an important part of it, with a sizeable amount going into pure profits for various uses as well. Running those things 24/7 non-stop requires some serious maintainence... don't even get me started on EQ servers :)

[Snake]

The monthly fee is for server costs(and some profit of course *sigh*)No monthly fee = no server upkeep/maintenance, no content expansion, and no :::lots of other things here:::

Kinda sucks, but we'll all pay and we know it ;)

Snake

[CrazyMike]

Please don't ever use 10sux as a gauge of what the industry is doing. It is not considered a major MMOG.

This issue of money has been bashed around forever. There was a dev on the SWG forums once who posted a wonderfull post on where all the $$ goes. Basically the initial cost of the game goes to pay things like marketing, production, etc.. The monthly fee goes for server maintenance, expansion, and yes profit. They don't make these games as a public service you know. Ultimately where does the profit go? Well for a company like SOE, some of that profit goes into the development of new games. Where do you think they get the scratch to go out on a limb and develop the first true MMOFPS?

My standard response to these threads used to be: "You're right. Paying sucks. YOU shouldn't pay. No one is forcing you to so ultimately I say vote with your dollars." At leas then there would be one less cheap ass trouble maker around.

If that sounds a bit hostile it's because in the two years I've been in the PS forums this topic has come up more than "when's beta?"


CrazyMike

[Hamma]

I'd never even heard of 10six till 2 days ago :lol:

[Unregistered]

Originally posted by Lt AntiSmile
never heard of 10six, but Ao, AC1/2, EnB, all worked that way

AO is a free download now.

On the bright side, what no one has mentioned is that you get you first month or so "free" when you buy the game. That and I really don't see it as that big a deal. There are lot's of things in life that require you to pay a "One Time Set Up Fee", so It's not really that big a deal.

Try and get anything printed, or getting a server for another game set up (I have been looking for a BF1942, or SoF2 host and they all have a $30 set up fee).

[Hamma]

Good point on the setup fee.. There was a setup fee for the PSU servers as well :p

[Ir0nman]

wow...well that was a little crazy crazymike...sry to have brought this issue up again if it has been proposed so many times in these forums, but I just joined the forums.

Anywho, it makes sense that you gotta pay a beginning fee, I guess I was just making an initial "awww i dont want to pay that" reaction...i just hope Planetside will be worth the cash...so far it is looking like a great game

[Hamma]

Originally posted by Ir0nman
sry to have brought this issue up again if it has been proposed so many times in these forums, but I just joined the forums.

Not in these forums. I dont recall seeing a thread yet :eek: Mike has been around forever and has been visiting pretty much every forum thats ever exsited for this game hehehe

[Unregistered]

Don't sweat it Ironman. When I first heard of "Pay to Play" games I was shocked. How can these people sell me a game, and then charge me to play it?

Then someone pointed out to me that the game + a year of play was still cheaper then the Tribes 2 server I was paying for. I think it's a common reaction when you hear about pay to play games, but when you think about where the money is going and how it benifits you it turns out to be a really good thing after all.