Station cash vs ingame cash.

[p0intman]

Originally Posted by Knocky

There is nothing to fix yet.

Pretty sure its a reference to fixed conversion rates that simply don't change over time.

[XroW]

Originally Posted by RadarX

Where do you feel the value is in fixed costs? If new items are added should older and less popular items be made cheaper? Could there be "sales" of items in the form of a discount? I'm not indicating any of this is what will transpire, but I'm curious about your position.

Im saying that if a old item cost 100 in game cash and 50 Station Cash

The relationship is 2:1

If you add a new item for 500 in game cash
The Station cash price according to the fixed relationship 2:1 must be 250.

So even if you make a brand new item with a brand new price.
The relative value of the Station Cash is the same.

Do you understand?

[RadarX]

Originally Posted by XroW

Im saying that if a old item cost 100 in game cash and 50 Station Cash

The relationship is 2:1

If you add a new item for 500 in game cash
The Station cash price according to the fixed relationship 2:1 must be 250.

So even if you make a brand new item with a brand new price.
The relative value of the Station Cash is the same.

Do you understand?

One of the key components in a successful marketplace is preparing your users expectations of value and cost. Regularly switching pricing structures (you can call them ratios) confuses things. I'm afraid no one will be able to confirm anything "must" be without any exception, but generally what you are describing is just good economics.

[kaffis]

Originally Posted by RadarX

Where do you feel the value is in fixed costs? If new items are added should older and less popular items be made cheaper? Could there be "sales" of items in the form of a discount? I'm not indicating any of this is what will transpire, but I'm curious about your position.

Sales are a good idea in the sense that they can help "new" players stock up inexpensively (whether that be via in-game resources -- please, just confirm the name the currency one already! -- or Station cash) so they don't feel "behind a power curve" so much.

I think that's a good idea. At a gut level, I'm with the requests that sales be both Auraxium (screw waiting for confirmation, I'm just giong for it!) and Station Cash, but can sympathize with deciding, from a business perspective, that using sales to incentivize Station Cash purchases is a good idea. Perhaps combine the two, so that periodic sales would discount Auraxium prices by 25%, and Station Cash prices by 50% for the duration of the sale.

This is all working on the assumption that we're talking about one-time unlocks, like buying cert unlocks or aesthetic purchases, because I'm working from the assumption that the spawn-to-spawn vehicle and equipment resource costs won't have Station Cash options.

Granted, sales might be a fun event for those, too, to encourage massive themed battles for a weekend. (Log in this weekend to take part in the "Take Back the Skies of Auraxis" Event, where aircraft resource costs are slashed in half!!! The skies of Auraxis have never been a more dangerous, nor more sweetly won asset in the battle for power in Planetside!!!)

[Captain1nsaneo]

One word: Amortization.

Anything that can be bought with in game resources should have stable pricing ratios but the store for things that are station cash only must be treated like they are actual products if you're trying to maximize profits, which you can since you're a monopoly on such things. To capture maximum demand you're going to need to reduce prices over time on such items, not doing so is just silly.

Economics yo.
(ok, technically amortization is more commonly used in accounting but this is still econ related.)

[Legion]

Maybe we should introduce a player run market where players craft the items we need to use with resources, therefore, the players determine the cost of items by supply and demand. If players do not make an item then the only way to get it would be station cash.

/end sarcasm

I think other F2P Micro-transaction games have shown that rates are often not fixed, but vary only slightly. Moreover, there may be sales or bulk discounts. Just some musings. It is also important to remember that it is mutually beneficial for both players and the developers to have station cash be a viable and often used resource. Planetside 2 will not be profitable/sustainable if a large amount of players do not use station cash or buy station cash. I think the recent rumblings at EA about the possible layoff of 500-1000 employees is something we all do not want to see with Planetside 2.

On a side note, it would be nice to be able to buy different UIs, login screens, sprites, etc.

[SgtMookie]

I am very curious to find out if a player will be able to trade ingame cash with other players. If this is allowed then you will have farmers.

But on the other had if player trading is allowed will there be a outfit base bank where outfits can tax members or take donation in order to buy outfit based items or give to members for rewards.

[Bags]

Originally Posted by IDukeNukeml

THE key concept in ANY component in a successful marketplace is fair viablility while offering something substantial.

Switching pricing variables is one way, offering new BUT balanced services on an unheard of level is another.

Simply put, if I can buy a skin and a regulated XP boost in Planetside 2, then that is fine and dandy, but not original.

The marketplace needs to add something to this unforseen genre that no one has offered before. Extra squad members, extra platoon size and this is stepping out on a limb but..... Maybe have an option to have their commander certs allow them to ability ( once paid for ) to speak to everyone in the world.

There are so many fucking options that haven't been talked about. I have hundreds of them. AND they don't dis-balance the game.

How does making organization a lot easier not unbalance the game?

[Carbanu]

It looks like the in game "currency" will be Auraxium.

You can either spend it to acquire grenades and medkits etc., or you can save it and unlock side grades.

The best thing to do is have a trial Station Cash/Auraxium run during BETA.

See how long it takes for players to acquire 20, 30, 40, 50, 60k Auraxium and then figure out what people would pay for that saved time. I for one would rather pay for station cash than play for a whole month before I can unlock ONE damn side grade. We should be seeing these numbers in the 2-2 1/2 week range of 20 - 30 hours of gameplay a week, at minimum. This system also puts you in line with payday. Hey I am a couple thousand short but I just got paid so bring on the Station Cash. Anything more than that and you are forcing your customers to spend money on Station Cash.

I understand you are a business and you need to make money but you can screw over your customers without actually making them feel like you are screwing them.

[cryosin]

Originally Posted by Bags

BFR will never be introduced because of the backlash.

I heard they might add something like BFR's but not until later and in a completely different way.

[Carbanu]

Originally Posted by cryosin

I heard they might add something like BFR's but not until later and in a completely different way.

Obvious Troll is obvious....

[SgtMookie]

Maybe a Idea would be station cash to buy the ingame curreny that is needed.

Here is a few examples

• I have 5,000 of (X) and need 10,000 of (X) to buy the item, so I would go on the station cash site buy a 5,000 of (X) for $.99 then bam I have 10,000 of (X) and can buy the item
• or Say you need 10,000 of (X) and 25,000 of (Y) and 10,000 of (Z) but your empire is always low on (Z) then this could be tracked by SOE to find out what each empire is always needing resource wise so they can make adjustments (possibly)

I bring it up this way so you can buy the ingame resources and not just that item. That way it keeps the market easier to manage and allows the users to spend more time ingame acquiring resources and just subbing in resources they need instead for certain items.

[Ruffdog]

Outfit "tax" will surely be possible by voluntary donations to your Outfit's bank?
I can see an "Auraxium Transfer" button appearing on your HUD for this.

But then, when you first join your Outfit you'll effectively pay to wear their decals which means an outlay of Station Cash or Auraxium. What other Outfit purchases will there be?
Apart from the sky ship concept **drool**

[Bonius]

Originally Posted by SgtMookie

Maybe a Idea would be station cash to buy the ingame curreny that is needed.

Here is a few examples

• I have 5,000 of (X) and need 10,000 of (X) to buy the item, so I would go on the station cash site buy a 5,000 of (X) for $.99 then bam I have 10,000 of (X) and can buy the item
• or Say you need 10,000 of (X) and 25,000 of (Y) and 10,000 of (Z) but your empire is always low on (Z) then this could be tracked by SOE to find out what each empire is always needing resource wise so they can make adjustments (possibly)

I bring it up this way so you can buy the ingame resources and not just that item. That way it keeps the market easier to manage and allows the users to spend more time ingame acquiring resources and just subbing in resources they need instead for certain items.

That would also make every item in-game accessible to anyone, thus they lose their market value and "special feel", resulting in noone (or very few) buying the item.

Having Station Cash as requirement to buy those rare color palettes / camos / taunts are completely fine in my book. As long as they stay on the path they're currently on with a distinct difference between the resources, then all is well in planetside world.

[XroW]

Originally Posted by RadarX

One of the key components in a successful marketplace is preparing your users expectations of value and cost. Regularly switching pricing structures (you can call them ratios) confuses things. I'm afraid no one will be able to confirm anything "must" be without any exception, but generally what you are describing is just good economics.

Well it's good that you feel that way, and I certainly hope it will turn out this way. From my past experience with F2P games, like Heroes of Newerth.
The companies use their pricing as a tool to increase/create demand for station cash. Increasing the in game cost to ridicules prices to force the purchase of station cash.

I don’t have a problem paying for content, but when companies start to take advantage over their players in the same way I just described with Heroes of Newerth, players are going to leave the game for sure.