Cost of expansions are beyond unreasonable

[The Narc2]

I want a total of 8 UAP so I can get max sprint boost for free every life for zoomy fun. But 4 gets me close to that.

This is likely why this game doesnt draw new players the pay gap for advantage is obviously steep to any new players with half a brain.

Obviously this game isnt pay to win because there is no winning by definition in the game, but 100% there is pay to advance and pay for advantage, these are simply enough of a reason for new players to not come here, especially if you look at the cost just for the 4 tomes you are referring to, and there are so many more other pay for advantage things in the game that tally up to $1000 of dollars.

It is definitely buyer beware, but the game can be enjoyed free to play if you ignore most of the forum posts and play blissfully within your fun level, that is where new players should sit, be carefully of the vets giving advice on what they should be picking up, they are just marketing the cost of operation out to other new players so that the burden doesnt fall in their lap as heavily.

 

[Kimbere]

For me, it's not a question of whether or not I can afford the expansion. I can, easily.

Instead, it's a matter of perceived value for my money and the company's overall attitude towards it's players. If I thought the $130 cost for the ultimate bundle was worth it, I could and would gladly purchase it for 6 accounts.

There's nothing in the new expac that's compelling enough that I can't/won't wait until I can get it for points or I'll grab it when it has a 50%+ discount in the market place.

More importantly, the MD-style rare loot and some other recent design and itemization decisions makes me not want to purchase the basic version even for my main account. I choose not to financially support certain design decisions and anti-customer attitudes and service like they display.

So when I post that I'm not buying it and why, it's not because I care one bit what other forumites here think. I'm simply giving SSG feedback on why they lost multiple sales and what they could do to regain those lost sales.

I'm fully aware that said feedback will almost assuredly be ignored by SSG but I've at least given them the opportunity to improve. They can take or leave the feedback as they wish.

At this point, I'm almost beyond caring and apathy like that should be what scares any retail company the most. When your customers stop caring enough to even provide negative feedback, you've likely lost them for good.

That's the end result of perpetually ignoring customer feedback and I suspect it costs SSG more money than they realize.

 

[Bravgji]

You're correct if you mean same is similar but different. But if you mean same is actually same, that'd be incorrect.

"Is this worth experiencing again, and will my second time be different or just as exciting as the first?"

At least for me, I'm not as excited the second time around. And 'different' is questionable.

 

[Lazuli]

My complaint is that if they want to charge that much money for bundles, they need to have quality extras, and those extras don't justify the cost of the bundles.

The two Turbine expansions included quality extras. The SSG ones didn't. They started relatively well. Ravenloft included two months of VIP, which, of course, they quickly removed. Even when they've tried to make the extras more attractive, like with IoD (no doubt because the mini-pack model didn't do very well for them), they've backed down, horrified that two Otto boxes that don't even cover the entire path from level 1 to the cap could be too much in a game with 216 past lives per character.

Please, devs. You run a digital business. It doesn't cost you anything to create items. Stop being stingy. Greed is your downfall. If you're going to ask for money, make the extras worthwhile. Make players think they're getting a good deal. Happy customers, customers who spend more.

And you should stop giving storage per character. Promote alt play. There's money there for you, damn it. The way you're discouraging people from playing more than one character is stupid.

 

[Greyhawk5]

Is that +20 character bank storage for all your toons or just one? Doesn't seem to specify

 

[Lazuli]

Is that +20 character bank storage for all your toons or just one? Doesn't seem to specify

Just one.

 

[Sturmbb]

It feels weird to defend them at this particular moment in time, but it's not really that bad actually. $130 averaged over 2 years is like $5 a month. It does cost money to keep the infrastructure running; the hamsters do need be fed and watered on the regular.

If you look at the release dates. they actually release an expansion every year, so that $130 is every year, so its just under $11 a month.

Don't get me wrong. I love the fact they release new expansions every year, but i only buy them on discount. The main contributing factor is that they put items in their that can only be claimed by one character. For someone who plays lots of alts. The one character items are worthless and i never claim them. So i wait for the Expansions to go on discount (that way i dont feel completely robbed over not being able to claim all of the items in the bundle)

I'm actually thinking of skipping the chill expansion. I've been told the loot is not much better than Myth Drannor and its not worth the grind. Now that the level cap is increasing, the Chill expansion is going to be quite a lot further behind than the new expasion (Terror).

 

[Kimbere]

And you should stop giving storage per character. Promote alt play. There's money there for you, damn it. The way you're discouraging people from playing more than one character is stupid.

100% this. I've never understood why they don't incentivize alts. That's easy money they're leaving on the table.

 

[Greyhawk5]

Is that +20 character bank storage for all your toons or just one? Doesn't seem to specify

Just one.

For over £100? That's facepalm level right there.

 

[Bravgji]

For over £100? That's facepalm level right there.

christhemiss made the math and overall the $130 pack should be more like $100

 

[Greyhawk5]

Looking on steam, for the price of this expansion - ultimate edition, I can buy Pragmata full game, Galactic Civilizations IV full game and some change left over for deal games.

SSG - you need to sweeten the deal guys.

 

[Dude]

Comparing the cost of single player games to the cost of an MMO is disingenuous.

 

[Bravgji]

Then let's compare to other MMOs.

FF 14's complete edition is $60 (all expansions plus latest one). 30 days free game time. Later, $15/30 days for 8 characters per server (you don't need to make multiple characters in this game; you can level all classes in one), or $13/30 days for 1 character per server. So for $130 you'd get all expansions and 5 months of game time, or 6 months for one character ($5 remaining)

WOW: you only need to get the latest expansion, which has a $50 tag for the standart edition. Subscription is $15/30 days, $14 per month for 3 months purchase, $13 per month for 6 months purchase. You can get the latest expansion and 6 months of game time ($2 remaining)

Now, it all depends. You pay DDO VIP? Get the latest expansion? Do you like other styles of games? But when compared to these MMOs, the price is not that great.

 

[Dude]

Then let's compare to other MMOs.

FF 14's complete edition is $60 (all expansions plus latest one). 30 days free game time. Later, $15/30 days for 8 characters per server (you don't need to make multiple characters in this game; you can level all classes in one), or $13/30 days for 1 character per server. So for $130 you'd get all expansions and 5 months of game time, or 6 months for one character ($5 remaining)

WOW: you only need to get the latest expansion, which has a $50 tag for the standart edition. Subscription is $15/30 days, $14 per month for 3 months purchase, $13 per month for 6 months purchase. You can get the latest expansion and 6 months of game time ($2 remaining)

Now, it all depends. You pay DDO VIP? Get the latest expansion? Do you like other styles of games? But when compared to these MMOs, the price is not that great.

If you find those games to be better and a better value, then go play them. I think those games are terrible, so I wouldn't see any value in them at all.

 

[Greatpumpkin]

Was looking forward to the expansion and considering getting something more than the base, but then I saw the cost.
How is it that the developers really think a game that is over 20 years old, warrants a $130 price tag for a fan bundle expansion, or $80 for soupy yay version.
Looking at past expansions, foir the most part those seem less in cost.
Even when I bought MOTU way back in the day, it was base $45 and ultimate being $80. I bought the ultimate and it came with so much, including like $30 of TP points.
I enjoy the game, but $130 is an outrageous amount to ask for a new expansion.
At what point does the new devs realize majority of people are unwilling to pay that much for something that gives so little

Have fun with the existing game, wait 5 years, get it at the Christmas sale for 80% off.

 

[Greatpumpkin]

I guess if you wait a few years the eggs will be cheaper too? Though I think they rot after a couple of months

Stay clear of the fertilizable eggs, or you'll learn just how expensive they can be.

 

[Ying]

Pay as little or as much for DDO as you want. I treat it as an entertainment expense. With annual VIP, ultimate edition and buying $100 in points it's less than $30/month. Compared to my other entertainment expenses, that's cheap. I play Magic the Gathering and buy single cards regularly from TCG Player to make new Commander decks. DDO is way cheaper than MtG.

 

[Greatpumpkin]

... could be too much in a game with 216 past lives per character.

Wow, I am really behind the curve on this.

 

[Guntango]

Pay as little or as much for DDO as you want. I treat it as an entertainment expense. With annual VIP, ultimate edition and buying $100 in points it's less than $30/month. Compared to my other entertainment expenses, that's cheap. I play Magic the Gathering and buy single cards regularly from TCG Player to make new Commander decks. DDO is way cheaper than MtG.

My wife prefers my DDO expenses to strip clubs.

 

[Dude]

My wife prefers my DDO expenses to strip clubs.

Which strip clubs is she going to? Maybe she should upgrade to better clubs.