These forums have been archived and are now read-only.

The new forums are live and can be found at https://forums.eveonline.com/

EVE General Discussion

 
  • Topic is locked indefinitely.
 

Microtransactions in EVE
Author
Previous Topic Next Topic
Azahni Vah'nos
Vah'nos Family
#21 - 2011-12-13 03:16:10 UTC
Plyn wrote:
Jade Constantine wrote:
...Sadly I think we have missed an opportunity to be rid of NeX style microtransactions and more future content will be delivered this way due in part to the cowardice of some of our elected representatives.

Ultimately it'll lead either to future riots and renewed unsubs or perhaps a growing sense of apathy as those of us that loathe the concept of this hybrid double-charging system continue to pay by plex rather than reinvesting in a directly paid subscription that is under devaluing threat from aurum content...


Your subscription gives you all the perks and opportunities it gave you before, and thus hasn't been 'devalued' at all.

People should also try to keep in mind that one of CCP's aims with having people use aurum to buy from NEX was to judge how much, if any, content will be released. The people that develop the stuff for NEX are essentially paid directly from the money that the NEX raises, so in essence none of your $ from your sub is being dumped on NEX content at all.

The money made from the NeX would have a small potion of it returned to EVE with the majority going to Dust514 and WoD development as quoted by CCP Soundwave or Zulu in the CSM minutes. This is why I find it amusing when I see someone say that by purchasing NeX items they are paying for additional features in EVE, we have already been told straight up that this is not the case.

Of course the initial development and production of NeX items though was paid for by EVE subscriptions.

Nex (Cash Shop) / Aurum - removing sand from the sandbox since Incarna. Currently the only use for aurum is to buy virtual items in the in-game store, but Cockerill expects to expand its uses in the future.

Jaroslav Unwanted
Brutor Tribe
Minmatar Republic
#22 - 2011-12-13 03:20:05 UTC
I could not care less about what CCP does with money they rightfully earned.
And no there is not as long... / insert your preferences /

EVE is based about player created content, so players are responsible for lack of content.
And no / Hulkagedon / will not safe it...

People from other side of barricade have to harden up and make something similar ..
Just make one action 25k pilots move to null in BS and support... / several fleets

who reinforce more structures in null win *something*

But thats off-topic really.
Khamelean
Bricks in the Sky
#23 - 2011-12-13 03:21:06 UTC
Azahni Vah'nos wrote:
I've seen some quotes from CCP and the CSM regarding Microtransactions saying that this is what the majority of players want, so I have some questions.


1) Should PLEX be the only Microtransaction in EVE? Yes / No

2) What do you as a player want ... more meaningful gamplay options or more NeX (Microtransaction) items? Gameplay / NeX

3) Would you prefer to see ship skins, clothing, etc enter the game via the player economy, LP rewards, etc? Yes / No

4) Would players use PLEX so they could purchase ship skins, clothing, etc that were manufactured by other players through the traditional EVE industry process? Yes / No

5) Was the inclusion of the NeX Store the right move for EVE? Yes / No

6) Would you continue to play EVE if the NeX Store was expanded upon into other areas of the game? Yes / No



1) PLEX still is the only form of micro transaction in eve.

2) They are not nesaccerily mutually exclusive. There is no reason we can't have both. The only thing I don't want is vanity items at the expense of gameplay.

3) Don't care.

4) Your asking if players will buy stuff if it is available to them?

5) Yes

6) Yes
Azahni Vah'nos
Vah'nos Family
#24 - 2011-12-13 04:35:36 UTC
Khamelean wrote:
Azahni Vah'nos wrote:
I've seen some quotes from CCP and the CSM regarding Microtransactions saying that this is what the majority of players want, so I have some questions.


1) Should PLEX be the only Microtransaction in EVE? Yes / No

2) What do you as a player want ... more meaningful gamplay options or more NeX (Microtransaction) items? Gameplay / NeX

3) Would you prefer to see ship skins, clothing, etc enter the game via the player economy, LP rewards, etc? Yes / No

4) Would players use PLEX so they could purchase ship skins, clothing, etc that were manufactured by other players through the traditional EVE industry process? Yes / No

5) Was the inclusion of the NeX Store the right move for EVE? Yes / No

6) Would you continue to play EVE if the NeX Store was expanded upon into other areas of the game? Yes / No



1) PLEX still is the only form of micro transaction in eve.

2) They are not nesaccerily mutually exclusive. There is no reason we can't have both. The only thing I don't want is vanity items at the expense of gameplay.

3) Don't care.

4) Your asking if players will buy stuff if it is available to them?

5) Yes

6) Yes

Hi CCP Zinfandel, why are you posting on an alt? Outed Perhaps you should stick to WoW and keep your attempt at epeen'ing there with your sparkley tiger and leave the integrity of EVE alone.

Nex (Cash Shop) / Aurum - removing sand from the sandbox since Incarna. Currently the only use for aurum is to buy virtual items in the in-game store, but Cockerill expects to expand its uses in the future.

Khamelean
Bricks in the Sky
#25 - 2011-12-13 04:46:34 UTC
Azahni Vah'nos wrote:

Hi CCP Zinfandel, why are you posting on an alt? Outed Perhaps you should stick to WoW and keep your attempt at epeen'ing there with your sparkley tiger and leave the integrity of EVE alone.



I'm impressed you managed to find a rumer thread from 5 months ago so quickly. But I'm not a dev.
Selinate
#26 - 2011-12-13 05:02:36 UTC
What microtransaction? Here in Eve, we only have macrotransactions....
Psychophantic
#27 - 2011-12-13 06:13:38 UTC
Where are the microtransactions?

I've looked everywhere but I can't seem to find where I can spend my superfluous real life dollars on clothing or anything for eve?

The only thing I've been able to find are plexes, but then I can just buy them with ISK in game. Where is the option to support CCP and show my dedication by buying goodies with real life dollars and setting myself apart from those dirty bots getting the same thing with isk.

So many other MMO's give their loyal subscribers a method to donate for the cause and receive something shiny in exchange, seems to be quite the popular thing. And yet here in eve people are complaining about vanity items that are available for a few hours of grinding?

Buncha skinflints.
Thorn Galen
Bene Gesserit ChapterHouse
The Curatores Veritatis Auxiliary
#28 - 2011-12-13 07:39:53 UTC
Doc Fury wrote:
Azahni Vah'nos wrote:
I've seen some quotes from CCP and the CSM regarding Microtransactions saying that this is what the majority of players want


Citation needed.

I don't think the majority of EVE players want MT in this subscription-based game, and I'd like to see hard data to the contrary..



This^^

Where the heck does such information come from ? Citation needed please.

I also do not think that the majority of EVE players want MT in this subscription-based game, and I to would like to see hard data to the contrary.

COO - Bene Gesserit Chapterhouse  CEO - Sanctuary Pact Alliance
Prince Kobol
#29 - 2011-12-13 07:51:40 UTC  |  Edited by: Prince Kobol
It depends whether you see PLEX as a MT.

You could argue that somebody with a lot of money can purchase a large number of PLEX, then use the PLEX to purchase a Character + ships + mods etc etc

Others will argue that this is not MT as you can only purchase items which have been made by players and not items which have been produced out of thin air.

Myself I do not see using PLEX this way as a form of MT

I class a MT as being able to purchase an items that has not been produced by a player, so that would be converting PLEX to AUR and then buying items from the NEX Store.

People seem to believe that being able to buy PLEX as a form of MT, not sure why.
Jade Constantine
Jericho Fraction
The Star Fraction
#30 - 2011-12-13 10:14:16 UTC  |  Edited by: Jade Constantine
Khamelean wrote:
Azahni Vah'nos wrote:

Hi CCP Zinfandel, why are you posting on an alt? Outed Perhaps you should stick to WoW and keep your attempt at epeen'ing there with your sparkley tiger and leave the integrity of EVE alone.



I'm impressed you managed to find a rumer thread from 5 months ago so quickly. But I'm not a dev.


Anymore?

If not, I guess the Jita Riots managed one rightful lynching then.

Khamelean wrote:
already bought 4 plex, bought a monocle, trolled official forum with monocle to see who i could aggravate, sold monocle for isk, used profit to buy 5 plex.
I Love Eve.
Still have 2000 Aurum to spare for when they bring in some cheaper stuff.


Cool story bro.

(by which I mean you pretty much managed to prove at least some of the few dozen monocles that Hilmar was boasting about selling were bought by ccp marketing alts and that downfall video from the time was cuttingly accurate.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4YHvtEJgBc

NeX(t) time you get a job trying to mess up an existing MMO I suggest you don't completely misunderstand the posting knowledge, deductive skills and general social smarts of its player base when using your alt marketing scams to support your official persona.

The True Knowledge is that nothing matters that does not matter to you, might does make right and power makes freedom
Jaroslav Unwanted
Brutor Tribe
Minmatar Republic
#31 - 2011-12-13 10:16:30 UTC  |  Edited by: Jaroslav Unwanted
Prince Kobol wrote:
It depends whether you see PLEX as a MT.

You could argue that somebody with a lot of money can purchase a large number of PLEX, then use the PLEX to purchase a Character + ships + mods etc etc

Others will argue that this is not MT as you can only purchase items which have been made by players and not items which have been produced out of thin air.

Myself I do not see using PLEX this way as a form of MT

I class a MT as being able to purchase an items that has not been produced by a player, so that would be converting PLEX to AUR and then buying items from the NEX Store.

People seem to believe that being able to buy PLEX as a form of MT, not sure why.


MT or not. As i see it its non-issue. There is nothing to be won. If someone do that well good but he effectively lose ties to the game as he just bought progress without experiencing it ...

one of my real life bullshit follows

Its like you are born, you get money, you buy gun, you shot yourself dead... you won the game/life.
Azahni Vah'nos
Vah'nos Family
#32 - 2011-12-13 10:26:19 UTC
Thorn Galen wrote:
Doc Fury wrote:
Azahni Vah'nos wrote:
I've seen some quotes from CCP and the CSM regarding Microtransactions saying that this is what the majority of players want


Citation needed.

I don't think the majority of EVE players want MT in this subscription-based game, and I'd like to see hard data to the contrary..



This^^

Where the heck does such information come from ? Citation needed please.

I also do not think that the majority of EVE players want MT in this subscription-based game, and I to would like to see hard data to the contrary.


I could turn the tables on you and ask you to prove that people don't want microtransactions in EVE after seeing comments from some people. Who is the minority.

Have a look at the post above your own, this person is perfectly fine with removing potential gameplay elements and instead have CCP deliver them via a one off purchased meaningless shiny. And they are not the only one, with others willing to pay Aurum for virtually anything including skill points, ships, ammo, LP, standings and more.

I can't help but feel currently that between the poor CCP management decisions and the instant gratification a-holes trying to influence things that EVE will be headed down a path to mediocrity by the dilution of it's core integrity as a player run sandbox.

Nex (Cash Shop) / Aurum - removing sand from the sandbox since Incarna. Currently the only use for aurum is to buy virtual items in the in-game store, but Cockerill expects to expand its uses in the future.

Zevina
Atomic Core Industries and Science
#33 - 2011-12-13 10:31:58 UTC
1) Should PLEX be the only Microtransaction in EVE? Yes / No

It would be better if you cold buy Aurum directly via credit card, paypal and so on. Plex as an additional feature is nice

2) What do you as a player want ... more meaningful gamplay options or more NeX (Microtransaction) items? Gameplay / NeX

NEX items can be a nice thing, but gameplay is of course WAY more important

3) Would you prefer to see ship skins, clothing, etc enter the game via the player economy, LP rewards, etc? Yes / No

I would like to see these items from other sources in the game. Like some special admirals uniform received via a quest you only get on reaching true 10.0 standing with a faction (like getting the Raven Navy Issue BPCs now)
But only for quite special occations to show off what you achieved in this game
I dont care much for random playermade stuff etc

4) Would players use PLEX so they could purchase ship skins, clothing, etc that were manufactured by other players through the traditional EVE industry process? Yes / No

I cant see how this would work. There is an open market of NEX items right now and that works fine. If anyone wants to sell his plex to get clothing go ahead

5) Was the inclusion of the NeX Store the right move for EVE? Yes / No

Probably yes, but the way it was done was really really poor. Items way to expansive (only macro transactions) and bad design and advertisement
They need to cut the prices by A LOT and redesign this thing

6) Would you continue to play EVE if the NeX Store was expanded upon into other areas of the game? Yes / No

Probably not. Its the worst thing in every competitive online game if there are real currency items that will make you fight/play better or more efficient than others. Maybe at first you will pay the price but soon you realize to stay competitive you eventually pay 20-30 dollar instead of 10 every month but the game in itself didnt change. That just makes you feel sad and angry, because when you dont pay the additional price others who do get an unfair advantage and the whole game balance is destroyed.

I know its tempting, but everything else than vanity items will kill Eve Online. Slowly more and more players would drop out and those who stayed despite pay-to-win will leave the game because friends and corp mates left and space begins to feel empty.
Mara Rinn
Cosmic Goo Convertor
#34 - 2011-12-13 10:40:51 UTC
Tippia wrote:
1) Mu. There should be no microtransactions in EVE; PLEX are not MT.


Here's where we get to the nub of the argument: what is a micro transaction?

To me, it is simply any transaction where one can spend a small amount of real money to buy stuff (in a game, in a real store such as a prepaid phone system, whatever). To people like Tippia, a micro transaction is any transaction where players can buy stuff into the game.

My perspective is that there are three overlapping concepts here:

  • Microtransactions (spending small amounts of money)
  • Virtual Goods Store (buying things into the game)
  • Real Money Trading (exchanging real money for virtual money or items)


From my observation the main concern of most people is the idea of buying things into the game using real money instead of real time. The perception is that players with lots of real money will have an advantage over players with limited real money, while people with lots of real time to spend on the game are not begrudged their advantage over players with limited real time. Being present in space running missions and interacting with nobody is perceived to be contributing more to the game than only appearing from time to time, but enthusiastically seeking combat with other players for the time that you do play is not perceived as adding any value to the game those other players are playing. It seems that EVE is actually a solo PvE game, not a multiplayer PvP game.

1) EVE Online has had micro transactions since GTC were introduced: this was a mechanism to allow players to make many small transactions for far less than the real cost of a single credit card transaction. The NeX is not a micro transaction store, it is a virtual goods store (i.e.: players simply buy items into existence as opposed to toiling for real world hours to explode items into existence). The various LP stores are also virtual goods stores, but they use currency that measure real world hours sunk into the game, rather than currency which measure real world currency sunk into the game.

2) The positioning of Gameplay vs NeX as an either/or situation is a false dichotomy. We can have more gameplay and more NeX items. Regardless of what mechanism is used to introduce items into the game, the work still needs to be done to build the assets. How long did it take CCP to build the four new battlecruisers? Would that duration have been any different if the new battlecruisers were going to be NeX items only?

3) There is no reason the NeX can't operate the same way as any LP store: the main difference is the use of Aurum instead of LP (calculate the cost of a Raven Navy Issue if Aurum were directly substituted for LP).

This raises the issue of mindlessly grinding in a game being worth more to the community than introducing new shiny ships to blow up. This is because the gaming community is silly. My opinion is that if someone wants to spend $3500-odd on a CNR BPC (600k LP for a faction battleship BPC), I'm not going to stop them. Since Aurum can be purchased with ISK, I have no problems with the Aurum-as-LP economy: those who are immensely space-rich can simply purchase the Aurum to buy the item, the same way we can purchase LP for ISK by paying someone to run missions for us. Those who are immensely real-world rich can already fund entire alliances by converting dollars to ISK through PLEX.

4) I already do buy heaps of stuff manufactured by other players. Why would the NeX be any different?

5) Yes. It has been sadly misunderstood though. It has also been sadly mis-implemented.

6) Yes, I believe the NeX (if implemented correctly rather than its current broken omnipresent form) could complement LP stores perfectly, while simultaneously stimulating PLEX sales to the stupidly rich people who think that buying a ship is going to give them an advantage in a game where the penalty for losing a fight is the destruction of the ship you lost the fight with. How many people would choose to take a RNI into PvP combat, if they'd just spent four thousand dollars buying the ship and fitting it out? There are some people to whom four thousand dollars is merely a good night out on the town with quality call girls or gigolos. If they want to spend that money on a game, they're going to spend it regardless of whether there is a Noble Exchange or not.



The sooner people clear up the confusion in their minds about micro transactions, virtual goods stores and RMT, the sooner we can get into a sensible discussion about this issue. Everyone loves loot piñatas, and the MT system that EVE currently has allows for wonderfully laden loot piñatas to exist. A properly implemented NeX would make this better.

Day 0 Advice for New Players
Jade Constantine
Jericho Fraction
The Star Fraction
#35 - 2011-12-13 10:54:36 UTC  |  Edited by: Jade Constantine
Plyn wrote:
Jade Constantine wrote:
...Sadly I think we have missed an opportunity to be rid of NeX style microtransactions and more future content will be delivered this way due in part to the cowardice of some of our elected representatives.

Ultimately it'll lead either to future riots and renewed unsubs or perhaps a growing sense of apathy as those of us that loathe the concept of this hybrid double-charging system continue to pay by plex rather than reinvesting in a directly paid subscription that is under devaluing threat from aurum content...


Your subscription gives you all the perks and opportunities it gave you before, and thus hasn't been 'devalued' at all.

People should also try to keep in mind that one of CCP's aims with having people use aurum to buy from NEX was to judge how much, if any, content will be released. The people that develop the stuff for NEX are essentially paid directly from the money that the NEX raises, so in essence none of your $ from your sub is being dumped on NEX content at all.


Let me give you one obvious example of how you are wrong here. When the new character designer was released we were told it was the first "iteration" of content and the various and many complaints about the limited racial clothing design and customization options were addressed with the promise that CCP would continue to develop content to go into the designer until we reached the variety and thematic richness of the old one.

Then NeX happened and suddenly all new avatar customization options were a paid MT item that is considered "optional/vanity" and not part of ordinary client content. The character generation options for eve default were locked and we looked at a new wave of $1000 pants style clothing options through NeX to milk people that wanted to customize their avatar. This is a solid example of content we were promised was going to be part of the subscription client being moved behind a $ paywall for NeX microtransactions.

There are no perks and opportunities from the acquisition, manufacture, sale and resale of these items. No player industry to support or interdict, no customization or storefront, no business, no gameplay.

And of course the worry is that all kinds of graphic content will also go this way.

If NeX/Carna had been a wild success and the MT store had made CCP Zinfandel a rising star in the company we'd be seeing Aurum for engine trails (only the rich can augment their exhaust trails) Aurum for new Nebulas (you need monocles to perceive the majesty of the heavens!) Aurum for extra fittings, for corp bookmark storage, for tier 3 battlecruisers (supplied complete by the magic MT fairies.)

You might consider this far-fetched but I'm pretty much reading from the Zinfandel playbook.

And onto the final claim that our subs money IS NOT used to develop the graphic content used to produce the NeX store and the things in it I say rubbish. I simply do not believe it in the least. Of the two of us I suspect I've been the one to have a look around CCP head offices and see the campus-style environment and high integration between various teams there. I do not believe any of the existing NeX content was produced out of house - and I find it extremely hard to believe that a clear "none of your subs money will ever be used in the production of NeX content X" promise could ever be issued (truthfully) by CCP.

And back to the present.

Our subs money is paying for the V3 graphic makeover of all the player ships in the game right? You would presumably acknoweledge that fact.

I'm also presuming (for the sake of argument) that you would support the sale of ship skins through the NeX store.

That would mean that NeX definitely drew on our subs money to prepare the ground for itself to make additional $ profit. It has been comfirmed many times by CCP Soundwave that V3 conversion of the ships models is a neccessary step before ship skin customization can be enabled.

Seems a pretty clear cut point to me.

The True Knowledge is that nothing matters that does not matter to you, might does make right and power makes freedom
My Postman
Royal Amarr Institute
Amarr Empire
#36 - 2011-12-13 11:03:29 UTC
If "they" are assuming that the majority of the playerbase want microtransactions, they are doing something HORRIBLY wrong.

Nuff said.
Rixiu
PonyTek
#37 - 2011-12-13 11:11:10 UTC
Every item added in the nex-store is a lost gameplay opportunity. If they add paintjobs as gameplay it could be implemented as anything from something gas-related to special BPCs drops from missions/plexes/sites/whatever to comet mining to PI to moon mining etc. Putting it in the nex-store is the lazy way out.

More different gameplay = better sandbox = better game = more players.

No one will start playing a game because it has microtransactions (unless it's free to play), isn't it better to have more players paying 13€ a month every month than the same amount of players where some of them are paying a few extra € tops?
Mara Rinn
Cosmic Goo Convertor
#38 - 2011-12-13 11:41:26 UTC
Rixiu wrote:
Every item added in the nex-store is a lost gameplay opportunity. If they add paintjobs as gameplay it could be implemented as anything from something gas-related to special BPCs drops from missions/plexes/sites/whatever to comet mining to PI to moon mining etc. Putting it in the nex-store is the lazy way out.


Indeed. It's supposed to be a player-built economy. There's no reason the NeX can't exist as a Aurum-based LP store though. Some players will grind missions for eternity to buy CNRs and high grade implant sets. Others will plough money into Aurum to make their ISK a different way.

Flair items such as paint jobs should be accessible through clearly defined mechanisms: on one hand we have the Noble Exchange which can act as a NPC corporation with its own LP store, on the other hand we have existing LP stores (thus you could buy an Angel Cartel paint job through the Angel Cartel LP store), and there are still options for rare paint job scematics to be dropped by officers or handed out as rewards by future Supply Caravans.

The clothes themselves should be supplied as schematics, allowing capsuleers to send those schematics to planets, so that the masses of mortals planet side can convert polytextiles into really expensive clothing :)

Schematics for PI goods (in fact, I'd suggest that all schematics should be bought rather than being magicked into existence when a factory is built), blueprints for space-manufactured goods — there is huge scope for the future.

What it boils down to is that CCP can have their PLEX sink, without ruining the spirit of the player-built universe.

Day 0 Advice for New Players
Khamelean
Bricks in the Sky
#39 - 2011-12-13 11:44:45 UTC
Jade Constantine wrote:
Khamelean wrote:
Azahni Vah'nos wrote:

Hi CCP Zinfandel, why are you posting on an alt? Outed Perhaps you should stick to WoW and keep your attempt at epeen'ing there with your sparkley tiger and leave the integrity of EVE alone.



I'm impressed you managed to find a rumer thread from 5 months ago so quickly. But I'm not a dev.


Anymore?

If not, I guess the Jita Riots managed one rightful lynching then.

Khamelean wrote:
already bought 4 plex, bought a monocle, trolled official forum with monocle to see who i could aggravate, sold monocle for isk, used profit to buy 5 plex.
I Love Eve.
Still have 2000 Aurum to spare for when they bring in some cheaper stuff.


Cool story bro.

(by which I mean you pretty much managed to prove at least some of the few dozen monocles that Hilmar was boasting about selling were bought by ccp marketing alts and that downfall video from the time was cuttingly accurate.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4YHvtEJgBc

NeX(t) time you get a job trying to mess up an existing MMO I suggest you don't completely misunderstand the posting knowledge, deductive skills and general social smarts of its player base when using your alt marketing scams to support your official persona.


Not a dev, never have been a dev. Just a player that is capable of making my own decisions rather than following mob mentality in to a hysterical panic.
Azahni Vah'nos
Vah'nos Family
#40 - 2011-12-13 11:49:55 UTC
Mara Rinn wrote:
Tippia wrote:
1) Mu. There should be no microtransactions in EVE; PLEX are not MT.


Here's where we get to the nub of the argument: what is a micro transaction?

To me, it is simply any transaction where one can spend a small amount of real money to buy stuff (in a game, in a real store such as a prepaid phone system, whatever). To people like Tippia, a micro transaction is any transaction where players can buy stuff into the game.

My perspective is that there are three overlapping concepts here:

  • Microtransactions (spending small amounts of money)
  • Virtual Goods Store (buying things into the game)
  • Real Money Trading (exchanging real money for virtual money or items)


From my observation the main concern of most people is the idea of buying things into the game using real money instead of real time. The perception is that players with lots of real money will have an advantage over players with limited real money, while people with lots of real time to spend on the game are not begrudged their advantage over players with limited real time. Being present in space running missions and interacting with nobody is perceived to be contributing more to the game than only appearing from time to time, but enthusiastically seeking combat with other players for the time that you do play is not perceived as adding any value to the game those other players are playing. It seems that EVE is actually a solo PvE game, not a multiplayer PvP game.

1) EVE Online has had micro transactions since GTC were introduced: this was a mechanism to allow players to make many small transactions for far less than the real cost of a single credit card transaction. The NeX is not a micro transaction store, it is a virtual goods store (i.e.: players simply buy items into existence as opposed to toiling for real world hours to explode items into existence). The various LP stores are also virtual goods stores, but they use currency that measure real world hours sunk into the game, rather than currency which measure real world currency sunk into the game.

2) The positioning of Gameplay vs NeX as an either/or situation is a false dichotomy. We can have more gameplay and more NeX items. Regardless of what mechanism is used to introduce items into the game, the work still needs to be done to build the assets. How long did it take CCP to build the four new battlecruisers? Would that duration have been any different if the new battlecruisers were going to be NeX items only?

3) There is no reason the NeX can't operate the same way as any LP store: the main difference is the use of Aurum instead of LP (calculate the cost of a Raven Navy Issue if Aurum were directly substituted for LP).

This raises the issue of mindlessly grinding in a game being worth more to the community than introducing new shiny ships to blow up. This is because the gaming community is silly. My opinion is that if someone wants to spend $3500-odd on a CNR BPC (600k LP for a faction battleship BPC), I'm not going to stop them. Since Aurum can be purchased with ISK, I have no problems with the Aurum-as-LP economy: those who are immensely space-rich can simply purchase the Aurum to buy the item, the same way we can purchase LP for ISK by paying someone to run missions for us. Those who are immensely real-world rich can already fund entire alliances by converting dollars to ISK through PLEX.

4) I already do buy heaps of stuff manufactured by other players. Why would the NeX be any different?

5) Yes. It has been sadly misunderstood though. It has also been sadly mis-implemented.

6) Yes, I believe the NeX (if implemented correctly rather than its current broken omnipresent form) could complement LP stores perfectly, while simultaneously stimulating PLEX sales to the stupidly rich people who think that buying a ship is going to give them an advantage in a game where the penalty for losing a fight is the destruction of the ship you lost the fight with. How many people would choose to take a RNI into PvP combat, if they'd just spent four thousand dollars buying the ship and fitting it out? There are some people to whom four thousand dollars is merely a good night out on the town with quality call girls or gigolos. If they want to spend that money on a game, they're going to spend it regardless of whether there is a Noble Exchange or not.



The sooner people clear up the confusion in their minds about micro transactions, virtual goods stores and RMT, the sooner we can get into a sensible discussion about this issue. Everyone loves loot piñatas, and the MT system that EVE currently has allows for wonderfully laden loot piñatas to exist. A properly implemented NeX would make this better.

Do you know what the interesting thing about your post is, it's that you have explained why there was no requirement for the NeX Store in the first place.

So breaking down your post there were already mechanics in the game pre-Nex that could have been used to deliver those items in the NeX and wouldn't have removed additional gameplay elements and they still would have been an Isk/PLEX sink gaining CCP additional revenue. Seems like a win win for both the players and CCP to me. Or do you believe items should preferably be delivered to players via the NeX.

Nex (Cash Shop) / Aurum - removing sand from the sandbox since Incarna. Currently the only use for aurum is to buy virtual items in the in-game store, but Cockerill expects to expand its uses in the future.