Discussion: Purchasable Character Respecs
By
Acemace,
Posted on: 2008-07-31 10:40 in News, Events and Announcement Discussion
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I wonder how $10 compares with the cost of buying 50M inf (Respec recipes still cost somewhere in this range right?) from some gold farmer?
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The price for buying stuff from PlayNC offsets the possibility of having one's account banned if he/ she is caught using an RMT service. That's just my 2 cents.
Basically, because it's legit.
Also, what she said.
Buying one respec for one character for $9.99 seems a bit ummmm crazy. Maybe $9.99 wouldn't be so bad if the respec is account wide.
Freedom Bound!!!
It is nothing that I think that I will ever need since the Veteran Respecs are more than adequate for me. However, more options for this is a good thing. Not everyone is a Veteran after all.
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You know what I would love paying for, though?
Character Reset. The ability to bring a character to level 1, re-select powersets, and keep all badges, perhaps even change AT. Admittedly, badges would be the reason to do that, to begin with. There are many onetime only badges I will never get again in some toons I don't truly enjoy, that I would love to have. Like my Stone/Ice tanker, that I would love to reroll as a Elec/Elec tanker once the option becomes available, but wont because I don't want to loose badges.
But since now they are adding ways to pay for earnable in game things, how about to give us a task force that will reward us with payable things like server transfers or renames?
A Portal Corps TF that would allow you to go to another server!!!!
or a simple Identity Crisis that allows you to rename yourself at the end! 
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Genius!
/QFT, all of it.
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You know what I would love paying for, though?
Character Reset. The ability to bring a character to level 1, re-select powersets, and keep all badges, perhaps even change AT. Admittedly, badges would be the reason to do that, to begin with. There are many onetime only badges I will never get again in some toons I don't truly enjoy, that I would love to have. Like my Stone/Ice tanker, that I would love to reroll as a Elec/Elec tanker once the option becomes available, but wont because I don't want to loose badges.
But since now they are adding ways to pay for earnable in game things, how about to give us a task force that will reward us with payable things like server transfers or renames?
A Portal Corps TF that would allow you to go to another server!!!!
or a simple Identity Crisis that allows you to rename yourself at the end!
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Genius!
/QFT, all of it.
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/signed
Guardian
Hot Alix 50 Fire/Kin/Psy:Main
Mora Victory Tri-Ice Tanker
Jasper Stone 50 Emp/ Elec:1st hero
Lady Courage 32 BS/SR
Cleo Cat 50 Ill/Kin
Max Multiplicity 35 MM Thug/Traps
Ripoffs are tacky and taboo. Be original!!
lol Character Reset = City of Fire/Kins!
Freedom Bound!!!
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This seems like a bad idea.
You've just created an income stream where your success doesn't depend on the quality of the game, but rather the reverse. From this point on, every change will be viewed by some as simply trying to drive respec revenue.
"Making Gaussian Unique? Oh, they're just trying to make people buy respecs"
"Eliminating Permadom? Oh, they're just trying to make people buy respecs"
etc...
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I assume by "some," you mean yourself.
Every time they've changed powers in the past, they've given out freespecs. That won't change, as Posi noted.
EDITED FOR CLARITY
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No, by "some", I mean "some." If I meant me, I would have said so. But thanks for implying that I'm trying to hide something :P
And no, they haven't handed out freespecs for *every* power change. For example, they are not handing out a freespec for the Gaussian Unique fix.
A shop for things that can't be gotten otherwise in the game is fine. But once the company has financial incentive to start screwing with the game, you're in trouble. You don't even need there to be conscious motivation.
For example, suppose someone brings up in a meeting that the rate of respec recipe drops seems low. There's bound to be a tendency to say 'well, there's some on the market, and people can buy them anyway, we have better things to do with our time.' Issue tabled.
It doesn't have to happen that way, but it can - and this just enables it.
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If it helps keep this game profitable without having to raise rates to do so, then good deal!
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If it added 'real' value to the game, I'd say good. But this doesn't add anything really that wasn't there that five to ten minutes for one guy to add in a database to make Respec Recipes drop more often.
I'm feeling scammed.
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Scammed? Really? Is having yet another option for Respecs so terrible that you actually feel like you're being abused???
This is silly. Based on your Reg Date, even your newest character should begin the game with 3-4 Respecs straight out of the gate. They will still toss us Free Respecs a couple few times a year and the Respec Trials are pathetically easy. Lastly, if you're just that hard up and have managed to burn somewhere on the order of 7-8 Respecs on your way to 50, you can still earn a drop or buy one from the Market. This optional feature may even devalue the price of the Recipe at Market.
Protip : Grab some perspective, it's free. 
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Reading comprehension failure, I see.
I loved the Valentine Pack. It added new things. I use some of those costumes for brand new characters for 'cool' factor.
It adds real value.
Paying for a respec (which I have no personal need for) is getting close to gouging your customer base.
This is nothing really new. We have many ways to get Respecs. They are even 'buyable' in the Market.
I see no reason (if they really feel we need more respecs) that they could not adjust *one* reward drop rather than saying 'pay us' for that privilege.
And one respec for $9.99 is too expensive.
This is rather like my work, where we offer a product that is less useful by a huge margin for about three times the cost it used to be.
Strangely, most of our customers agree.
Still here, even after all this time!
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I still think this is a dumb idea
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I was laying out why I think its dumb. And not a good business move. This could be that 'slippery' slope that make me look at alternatives to COH.
Still here, even after all this time!
I think its a good idea, but $9.95 per respec seems steep (esp for student players on a shoestring budget).
Any flexibility on pricing it out @ $5.95 or $6.95 per respec instead? That'd justify current and future costume packs @ $9.95 or higher in my book.
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Great idea, but the price is bit out of whack. $10 is simply too much for this.
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I agree. That's a bit steep. How about 3 for that price?
SadysCHICK ALL the Badges! (I can get. 1396)
Full image by David Nakayama
Arc ID 1435: Performing without Annette
Arc ID 7206: Sadystic Tendencies
Arc ID 3864: The Chronicles of (In)FERNIA!
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I still think this is a dumb idea
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I was laying out why I think its dumb. And not a good business move. This could be that 'slippery' slope that make me look at alternatives to COH.
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good luck finding a game that doesn't eventually go this route and offer in game items for purchase. you make it seem like CoH is the only one to do so. have you ever checked out any other MMOs? the more money they can make, the better. all online videogames eventually begin to offer services to increase revenue. it's the way of the world.
Kneejerk character changes without considering the effects use up a lot of respecs. Trying to "game the system" using respecs to recover expensive IOs uses up a bunch more.
Every single one of my toons is sitting on at least 3 and sometimes 4 respecs. I beleive $10 is a perfect price to extract for those who refuse to think ahead or those who persist in the "abuse" of respec-to-recover.
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If it helps keep this game profitable without having to raise rates to do so, then good deal!
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If it added 'real' value to the game, I'd say good. But this doesn't add anything really that wasn't there that five to ten minutes for one guy to add in a database to make Respec Recipes drop more often.
I'm feeling scammed.
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Scammed? Really? Is having yet another option for Respecs so terrible that you actually feel like you're being abused???
This is silly. Based on your Reg Date, even your newest character should begin the game with 3-4 Respecs straight out of the gate. They will still toss us Free Respecs a couple few times a year and the Respec Trials are pathetically easy. Lastly, if you're just that hard up and have managed to burn somewhere on the order of 7-8 Respecs on your way to 50, you can still earn a drop or buy one from the Market. This optional feature may even devalue the price of the Recipe at Market.
Protip : Grab some perspective, it's free.
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Reading comprehension failure, I see.
I loved the Valentine Pack. It added new things. I use some of those costumes for brand new characters for 'cool' factor.
It adds real value.
Paying for a respec (which I have no personal need for) is getting close to gouging your customer base.
This is nothing really new. We have many ways to get Respecs. They are even 'buyable' in the Market.
I see no reason (if they really feel we need more respecs) that they could not adjust *one* reward drop rather than saying 'pay us' for that privilege.
And one respec for $9.99 is too expensive.
This is rather like my work, where we offer a product that is less useful by a huge margin for about three times the cost it used to be.
Strangely, most of our customers agree.
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I admit my first reaction was : Hunh. Neat to have another option but I'll never use it. Also, it seems a little bit on the steep side price-wise.
Still, it's optional. You're not forced to use it and your gameplay is not hindered by it. No, your gameplay isn't enhanced like the Valentine's Pack or other packs but really, how do you feel scammed?
If you had an agenda for Respec Recipies and this "flies in the face" of your desires, suck it up. This additional option takes nothing from you and you are in no way forced or obligated to use it.
Sign It : http://www.change.org/petitions/ncso...city-of-heroes
For some reason, I find it very amusing that there are players who think that the demand for respecs is so high that NCNC set the pricepoint for maximum profit and are actually expecting to earn a significant profit from selling respecs.
I'm no mind reader, but my crystal ball is telling me that $10 is a price that is just high enough that you'll think twice about buying it; that is, it discourages you from doing so. This fits with the goal of "earn it by playing the game" rather more nicely than it fits with the goal of "scam the players out of a bunch of money".
If you just have no other options or simply cannot wait, then $10 is still priced low enough that you can rationalize it once. "I'll brownbag it for lunch a couple of times."
Seriously, the idea that NCSoft is hoping to turn respecs into a profit center is pretty ridiculous, given that the available supply of them increases the longer you play.
I'm not even going to touch the idea that they'd take respecs out of the game and make them available ONLY by purchasing them.
*edit* Just to be completely unsubtle here - Yes, I am suggesting that NCSoft deliberately priced it "high" to try and discourage you from buying it. If you really, really, really, really have to have one, there it is. Otherwise, find a way to get it for free in the game. At least if you DO break down and buy it, you're paying NCSoft instead of a RMT'er.
I think it is a very nice option to have, even though I will not be using it as I have 24ish? of them stashed at WWs.
Just think of it this way....The option is there if anyone wants it, and for those that DO buy them, that money goes towards funding for Bigger/Better Issues in the future and making the overall CoX experience that much better!
I say to the community....BUY AWAY! Maybe that Moonbase will get here sooner! 
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We have no plans of getting rid of the Veteran Respecs that your account earns.
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I noticed you also specifically did not say that you would additional Vet Respecs as a reward in the future...
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You people are priceless. What about the word EARNS is unclear to you?
It was fun.
I liked the idea.
I am using it? Probably not.
But not everyone is a looooong time VET. And if you are learning the game, it lets you correct stupid mistakes. And for those with the money to burn, to test stupid things...
Respec recipes are too expensive for those who dont farm or market manipulate...
I, talking about myself here, never got more than 10 millions on a toon. I dont manipulate the markets. I dont farm. I just play to have fun. (and yes... i spent tooooo much on making costumes... i am a costume-changing addicted). I have ONE vet respec, and i save it like hell... And its hard to get those pesky trial teams running...
Besides, i want NCSOFT do to get money and to HAVE money to develop the game. They are doing a wonderful work here, and i want it keep going.
((well, that was my 2-cents))
*wanders around, tiny pepsiman in shoulder counting coins to try to buy a respec into a small, or even a medium pepsiman*
** Guardian�s Crazy Catgirl **
************* 22 XxX 10 *************
Yes. I can get lost on a straight-line map.
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And no, they haven't handed out freespecs for *every* power change. For example, they are not handing out a freespec for the Gaussian Unique fix.
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The Gaussian Unique is not a power from a power set. It's not addressed AT ALL with respecs.
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A shop for things that can't be gotten otherwise in the game is fine. But once the company has financial incentive to start screwing with the game, you're in trouble. You don't even need there to be conscious motivation.
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Except this screws with the game in no way at all. All the previous options for getting respecs are still there.
It was fun.
SlickRiptide, that actually makes a lot of sense.
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Except this screws with the game in no way at all. All the previous options for getting respecs are still there.
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Well, I see you completely ignored the fact that I was talking about the decisions the company makes going forward. So this doesn't address my point at all.
QR
I'll never use this, but glad it is available for others.
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But not everyone is a looooong time VET. And if you are learning the game, it lets you correct stupid mistakes. And for those with the money to burn, to test stupid things...
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Yeah, but I seemed to do OK making stupid mistakes back when I first started, and had NO RECOURSE until they introduced the respec trials. Which i did, with friends. Uphill in the snow.
(Honestly, my only complaint with this is it seems like everything's being made available so you never actually have to check out any of the game's non-newspaper grinding. I don't know if you guys know this, but exploring is fun, and actually earning things gives you some pride in it.)
There's also the test server, for testing things out. The hint is in the name.
(I'm not swiping at you specifically -- just wondering why people care this much about an additional, minor revenue stream that affects gameplay not one bit.)
It was fun.
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I make $8 in an hour at McDonalds (or I would if I worked there).
I make $15 in an hour at my sister in law's office.
I make $40 in an hour teaching a piano lesson.
I make about 1 million influence in an hour playing a level 50 toon.
I could probably make somewhat more than that in an hour playing the market.
$10 for a Respec Recipe? Well worth it, comparing time to earn the $10 versus time to earn the inf to purchase the recipe on the market, or to have it drop in normal play.
Heck, just running the respec trial could take an hour or more.
Anyone asking for $5 or $1 hasn't really thought this through.
Wavicle, Energy/Energy Blaster, dinged 50 in Issue 4, summer of 2005.
@Wavicle, mostly on the Justice server.