Discussion: Valentine's Day
By
1_800_Spines,
Posted on: 2008-02-12 15:33 in News, Events and Announcement Discussion
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all i have to say about the price is this... and forgive me if it's been said already
are you willing to pay $9.99 for something as cosmetic as a ... character rename??
if so... what's the problem with this??
I personally have no problem paying this price for amazingly awesome exclusive costume pieces
the emotes are just icing on the cake
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Im not willing to pay 9.99 for a transfer or a rename (except that one miss
named toon, in her 20's before i relized it, didnt have the heart to re-roll)
and yes I've only deleated toons not moved them
Will I buy this yes, but deffinlay very upset with NC-Soft about it (I've already
PMed posi that I'm a unhappy consumer because of this.) 
The volume of free content over the past year has been staggering, and it took place during what were no doubt intense negotiations that eventually led to the transfer of full ownership of the intellectual property to the publisher.
This has absolutely nothing to do with the issue. The wedding pack has to stand or fall on its own merits.
The content of the wedding pack is completely non-essential to gameplay.
This makes no sense. The wedding pack is fluff, which is why it isn't worth money.
Though I have to laugh at the fact that many of the same people who screamed like stuck pigs over having to shell out virtual cash for rare costume recipes practically tripped over themselves in their rush to shell out real cash for costumes. If MMO customers are truly this stupid, we deserve whatever we get.
Current Blog Post: "Why I am an Atheist..."
"And I say now these kittens, they do not get trained/As we did in the days when Victoria reigned!" -- T. S. Eliot, "Gus, the Theatre Cat"
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The content of the wedding pack is completely non-essential to gameplay.
This makes no sense. The wedding pack is fluff, which is why it isn't worth money.
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To you. (And, to be honest, to me.) To others it is. That's how commerce works. If people are willing to pay for it, and charging this price allows NCSoft to develop this kind of stuff without impacting things that are more important to more people, then what's the harm?
Ask yourself this: wouldn't you be more upset if they did make this stuff part of the regular schedule? If it, say, bumped back some bug fix, or new content? If what they're saying is true, (and, at this point, I don't think we have any reason to doubt that it is,) then this strikes a good balance: people who care about this kind of thing can fund it without it affecting the rest of us.
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No badge with it?
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/agreed
The content is nice and all, but there isn't very much of it for my $10.81 (after tax). They could have at least thrown in a badge appropriate to the theme, probably an accolade.
Additionally, this would have been an excellent place to introduce a nicely rendered 3d flower (or two) to place in the jacket lapel as an "over" option for chest details.
::Lookin' at you Jay::
Dear NCsoft, if you go through with this shutdown you've guaranteed you'll not see another dime from me on any project you put out, ever.
http://xx-starhammer-xx.deviantart.com/
Posting what I did in another thread... more likely to get a response here anyway.
So, uh...
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Unfortunately, this item is not available for sale to your region from the PlayNC Store. We suggest you inquire with a local retailer to make your purchase.
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That was bizarre. I didn't have any problems purchasing CoH, CoV, GvE or Guild Wars. Also, local retailer? For a costume pack? 
Hopefully it'll be fixed soon. I'm eager to get those pieces, even though they're a tad overpriced. More options for my character creator? Yes please. 
*moving Typo Faery to the training room now in the hopes he will get invited for the ceremony* XD
Brutes are built to kick @$�, not to save that of yours - Double Electro
My DeviantArt | RobotSouls.com
Wow. Is City of Heroes finally progressing in great patches? =D
SO am I correct in assuming that there are no new badges for the Valentines Day Event?
$9.99 for costumes and emotes? Way to steep and shows signs you guys just maybe in financial troubles and are trying to grab more cash from your dedicated player base.
The more I think about this the more I am thinking that I started playing The Sims again, which for the record I stopped doing because of the cash grab pay as we add more costumes crap they pulled.
I'll buy this for 9.99 because I like to support a game that gives plenty of free content back to me.
I'll also add now that I would gladly pay 25 bucks for an option to roll new characters starting at level 25. On two accounts even.
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This makes no sense. The wedding pack is fluff, which is why it isn't worth money.
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This entire game is fluff. It's entertainment.
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AN NCSoft Gift Card (for purchasing subscription time and/ or additional features) would be dandy.
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Now that is grand idea!
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Agreed.
@Catwhoorg "Rule of Three - Finale" Arc# 1984
@Mr Falkland Islands"A Nation Goes Rogue" Arc# 2369 "Toasters and Pop Tarts" Arc#116617
QR
Have to add my voice to the chorus saying this is not something I'm paying for. But, I stand by the notion that when you withhold money from a business, you should let them know why so they have a chance to earn it in the future...
First, of course, this package is way too light in content for $9.99, as many others have already noted.
Second, the cynical part of me is afraid that some office weasel is rubbing his hands and saying, "If we can get a few thousand suckers to shell out ten bucks for this pile of crap, imagine what we can charge for a real pack!"
Note: I should point out in my example above that it's an evil office weasel calling the new stuff a pile of crap, and only in the context of it being a $10 expansion pack. For myself, it seems nice enough on its artistic merits, just not $10 worth of nice.
I happily paid my $10 for the GvE upgrade to support the game and found the new material worth it. Can't do it here. Maybe $3-$5. I would happily pay for substantial goods or services, like extra server slots.
And for those who may wish me not to post this... well, if my opinion is worth no more than anyone else's, it's also worth no less.
I purchased the code without blinking because I'm a completist, much like I dropped influence for all the wings and boots back in the day to add those to my main.
I did feel kinda awkward though when a sg leader and myself were throwing confetti and the rest of the team just shuffled uncomfortably...consider this a guilty pleasure for myself then.
That said, the people I talked to were split. A few of them said they wouldn't spend $10 on a few emotes and costumes, others wanted a series of badges (Betrothed, Jilted, Newlywed) added in while others thought it was just more money for the Devs so dove in.
On a personal note...I don't mind fluff items or items through the PlayNC Store, but gauge the price by its content. This item may have been palatable for some at $5, at $10 it seems a bit much. The Gvs.E pack cost me around $10 and it came with access to Tiki Room, a teleporter, badge, jump pack and some costumes too.
Either way, nice work 
Questions about the game, either side? /t @Neuronia or @Neuronium, with your queries!
168760: A Death in the Gish. 3 missions, 1-14. Easy to solo.
Infinity Villains
Champion, Pinnacle, Virtue Heroes
So, has anyone attended the Wedding yet? What sig. characters were there?
If people are willing to pay for it, and charging this price allows NCSoft to develop this kind of stuff without impacting things that are more important to more people, then what's the harm?
Do you honestly think they're going to take the cash they pull in from this and use it to hire another costume artist so they can develop for-pay and for-issue costumes simultaneously? Or that we'll get the same number of costume elements per year that we've always gotten, only (if this goes over well) an increasingly-large number of them will find their way into "packs"?
Ask yourself this: wouldn't you be more upset if they did make this stuff part of the regular schedule? If it, say, bumped back some bug fix, or new content?
How would costumes impact bug fixes? And again, do you think it didn't impact production? Quoting Arcanaville from upthread:
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I'd write a check to Jay and BaB for custom animations and costumes right now, if that's the way it worked. But I have a feeling that the art department didn't burn the midnight oil and get a bonus for these extras: they would have worked just as hard - but on something else everyone would have gotten access to - if they didn't work on these.
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Current Blog Post: "Why I am an Atheist..."
"And I say now these kittens, they do not get trained/As we did in the days when Victoria reigned!" -- T. S. Eliot, "Gus, the Theatre Cat"
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"Cool! I dont' mind paying for specialty, decorative content" [...]
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That's me. I bought the wedding pack BEFORE getting the email - I read about it on the forums, and was *WHOOOSH* off to the store. My Emp/Archery defender Medi-Lad, within his own story, is already marginally connected to Manticore (see avatar to the left, o rthis cropped-to-size screenshot). How can I *not* do my part to dress the boy up right, and have him attend the wedding?
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If people are willing to pay for it, and charging this price allows NCSoft to develop this kind of stuff without impacting things that are more important to more people, then what's the harm?
Do you honestly think they're going to take the cash they pull in from this and use it to hire another costume artist so they can develop for-pay and for-issue costumes simultaneously? Or that we'll get the same number of costume elements per year that we've always gotten, only (if this goes over well) an increasingly-large number of them will find their way into "packs"?
Ask yourself this: wouldn't you be more upset if they did make this stuff part of the regular schedule? If it, say, bumped back some bug fix, or new content?
How would costumes impact bug fixes? And again, do you think it didn't impact production? Quoting Arcanaville from upthread:
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I'd write a check to Jay and BaB for custom animations and costumes right now, if that's the way it worked. But I have a feeling that the art department didn't burn the midnight oil and get a bonus for these extras: they would have worked just as hard - but on something else everyone would have gotten access to - if they didn't work on these.
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Buh-buh-but the team worked on their OWN TIME to bring us these... things we have to PAY for. Because that makes ABSOLOUTE SENSE.
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So, has anyone attended the Wedding yet? What sig. characters were there?
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... the wedding is not until tomorrow.
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My problem aside from the cost is that you can only buy it with a credit card. I use timecards, I won't be able to get this, or any other online option like this in the future if I continue with timecards.
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I'll tell you what; this friday's drawing for MEga Millions is up to ~$180,000,000. If I win, I'll take home, after taxes and cash-option penalty, about sixty million.
So, if I win ... I'll pay NC^2 three million dollars, cash money on the barrelhead, to simply add the Wedding Pack to every single non-Trial account, active or not.
Would that satisfy your sense of entitlement ...?
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I'll tell you what; this friday's drawing for MEga Millions is up to ~$180,000,000. If I win, I'll take home, after taxes and cash-option penalty, about sixty million.
So, if I win ... I'll pay NC^2 three million dollars, cash money on the barrelhead, to simply add the Wedding Pack to every single non-Trial account, active or not.
Would that satisfy your sense of entitlement ...?
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Hey, pay that amount for some development time into brand new costumes for everyone, maybe a powerset or two. Better investment in the long run for your hypothetically earned millions.
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My problem aside from the cost is that you can only buy it with a credit card. I use timecards, I won't be able to get this, or any other online option like this in the future if I continue with timecards.
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I'll tell you what; this friday's drawing for MEga Millions is up to ~$180,000,000. If I win, I'll take home, after taxes and cash-option penalty, about sixty million.
So, if I win ... I'll pay NC^2 three million dollars, cash money on the barrelhead, to simply add the Wedding Pack to every single non-Trial account, active or not.
Would that satisfy your sense of entitlement ...?
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You can't retort to a reasonable voice of dissent with that kind of ridiculous snark. There should be ways to get this content in to -every- players hands regardless of how they pay for it, all talk of pricing and value aside.
It's a poor business model to deny customers product due to shortsightedness such as this, albeit this is more to do with NCSoft in general than CoX.
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If people are willing to pay for it, and charging this price allows NCSoft to develop this kind of stuff without impacting things that are more important to more people, then what's the harm?
Do you honestly think they're going to take the cash they pull in from this and use it to hire another costume artist so they can develop for-pay and for-issue costumes simultaneously? Or that we'll get the same number of costume elements per year that we've always gotten, only (if this goes over well) an increasingly-large number of them will find their way into "packs"?
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Honestly? At this point, yes. What reason have they given us to suspect otherwise?
Now, if the next couple issues seem light on these kind of things, then yes, I, as a consumer, will be upset, and make my dissatisfaction known to NCSoft.
However, until we have some kind of evidence that they're planning to scale back or eliminate the free offerings, I don't think it's fair to automatically assume the worst. A drop of rain might mean a hurricane is coming, but I'm not going to board up my windows for every passing shower.
Does anyone have any *real* information on the event? I was hoping to find info about new holiday missions and badges, and I'd rather not plow through a zillion pages of debate over the wedding pack.
"Home is where, when you have to go there, they have to let you in."
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However, please keep in mind that Sean Fish and his wife Jen will actually be at the keyboards running Manticore and Sister Psyche respectively. Matt "Positron" Miller will actually be playing Positron in the event, as will all the rest of the dev team. ing. More details will follow. Thanks in advance for your understanding.
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OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo
*** ACTUALLY *** at their keyboards?
What in the heck. Are we supposed to swoon like these are rock stars or something? We know they are going to be firing off macros or slamming in scripted text. It isn't like there will be meaningful RP or anything actually interesting happening.
Watching two strangers get married is about as special as watching paint dry. Foisting this on us like it is "special" is insulting to our intelligence.
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Although Cambios is entitled both to his opinions and the free right to express those opinions, I'd like to go on record as saying I completely and totally disagree with everything he has stated in this thread.
The volume of free content over the past year has been staggering, and it took place during what were no doubt intense negotiations that eventually led to the transfer of full ownership of the intellectual property to the publisher. Anyone who imagines that the past year has been easy or simple for either the folks at Cryptic or those at NC Soft has no real knowledge of how the world of business works. It has been a brutal year for both teams, but now it's over, and the future looks very bright indeed.
The content of the wedding pack is completely non-essential to gameplay. It has no bearing on anything that would normally be associated with how the game world functions. It is all pure fluff. Yes, if it had been free that certainly would have been nicer, but to claim loss of value as a subscribing customer because the company provides a 100% non-essential option to anyone willing to pay for it is, at the very least, disingenious.
Provided the content of future for-pay micropackages remains 100% non-essential to game play, I applaud and salute NC Soft for coming up with a brilliant means to increase revenue in a time when the industry as a whole has been suffering record losses across the board (largely due to the bloated, unreasonable monolith that World of Warcraft has become). I hope we see more of them, as many as two or three per year. I, for one, will buy as many of them as I can justify.
As for the ingame wedding of Manticore and Sister Psyche...
It's disappointing that I will not be able to attend. I understand the limits of the event and I agree that they are reasonable and realistic. I hope someone (better yet, a lot of someones!) takes the time and goes to the extra effort to produce some truly stunning videos.
Whatever else you do, make sure Samuraiko is there! Even if you have to make a special place for her!
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AE Story Arc #536752: Torn Asunder
An army from far, far away has been driven from their homeland and landed on Earth. They desperately need a new home and they're liking the look of ours.
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