So we got Roman Pack this week and some new sets in the market

Originally Posted by Arcanaville Samuel_Tow is the only poster that makes me want to punch him in the head more often when I'm agreeing with him than when I'm disagreeing with him.

Plus this, though I guess that's why the set is being added to the store. Then again, the limited availability sorta ruins that.

My Arcs
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Mission Architect Handyman

Do you disagree that is it a marketing ploy?

Are marketing ploys not a form of manipulation?

Personally, I want them to stop manipulating us and just sell us a product at a reasonable price without all the stupid mind games.

You forgot...

"Yea, I always wanted X"

"No, sorry, you can't have X"

"Why is Y OK to sell, but not X?"

"Um..."

You haven't established that this is bad marketing. In fact, as Cathulhu explained, "for a limited time" is very good marketing for Disney, for example, and may prove to be very good marketing for CoH.

As with my previous use of the term "so far," my words were chosen deliberately. In this case I'll point to the word "main," which in this case refers to "primary" or "most numerous," and has never meant, nor been used by me to mean, "only" or "exclusive." There will certainly be people who don't fall into either group. But I believe that, of the people who have a strong opinion on the subject at all, the two groups I mention will be the main ones, and that both will have legitimate cause to be upset about this. I had assumed my use of such a common and basic word as "main" wouldn't have to be explained, but, hey, here I am doing it.

I don't really have a dog in this fight, as I long ago made what's likely to be my only broadsword-wielding character, and my only Roman-themed character. He's had his Roman gear for a few years now; that ship has long-since sailed. I do like to occasionally use the armor pieces, the ones that are a part of this set, on other characters, but the weapons themselves are kind of a moot point to me personally. The one character I have that I'd want them for, already has them. But that doesn't mean I think that the people out there who are a little peeved that they're being asked to pay real money for what they consider to be an incomplete product aren't perfectly justified in feeling that way. Particularly after the precedent set by the Vanguard pack.

As for leaving some parts exclusive to the Imperious Task Force, that's all well and good in theory, but it doesn't make much sense in practice -- it only preserves the "specialness" of having earned the pieces for characters who use a few specific weapon-wielding sets. My invulnerability/super strength tanker and my empathy/psychic blast defender both recently did ITFs and now have "nothing" to show for them, costume-wise, since none of the ITF-exclusive unlocks apply to those specific characters. And again, why drop all the weapons from the pack but leave the shields in? Those are powerset-exclusive costume elements just like the swords are.

Conceptually, the idea a few people have mentioned where the Romulus and/or Nictus sword and shield could remain in-game rewards while the "regular" weapons were purchasable makes more sense to me, particularly since the assumed rationale behind those particular items is that the character took them directly from Romulus himself. So to me, forcing a player to actually defeat Romulus to "take" those items makes perfect sense. Forcing a character who already has access to ancient Roman armor and a huge shield infused with swirling Nictus energy to defeat Romulus in order to gain access to a mundane gladiator's sword, not so much. This idea still suffers from the same problem of powerset-exclusivity that I brought up in my last paragraph, but since that's happening as-is anyway, it would at least be an improvement over the current strategy. And it would spread the "special" around to more than just weapon-wielding powersets by allowing shield users to have a "trophy item" as well.

That's a whole other discussion.

And the items in this pack (except for the bow) are available all year round for free by simply running the ITF. If somethings available for free all year it's hardly limited. (again except for the bow)

And it will be an accurate complaint.

You are right. I didn't mean to imply that it is perhaps a marketing strategy which is bad for the game (and the game's bottom line). It may not be a bad strategy per se, but I am suggesting that it could be in this instance.

No offense but all I'm seeing is the same kind of marketing all businesses use.

This pack is part of a trend of limited time offerings. The convenience, which is largely what they are selling, is a limited time offer.

And your point is?

Also, I believe you have confused "all businesses" with "huge companies that advertise on TV". I got a nice burger joint down the road that does none of this crap.

But there's no *need* to *compromise*. We aren't enemies. They're a business wanting to make money. We're players wanting to throw money at them for a perk to make available customizable options at level 1 for all toons. The free version is still in game. The pay-for version is for those willing to pay. Where is there a need to compromise over this?

So many other exclusive or locked items are available for the right price now. Holding something back is just nonsensical. Even among those who don't mind that something is being held back; they're not demanding that it be held back. I presume, like you, Lothic, don't mind if it wasn't held back.

Let's take "give the players what they want*" and apply it to the Market.


*within reason

The one I think is a bad strategy is the refusal to put the Power Slide power on the market again. Lots of people want to buy it, and certain peoples refusal to allow it to be re-released is costing the company money.

That is not necessarily a good thing.

To appease those who are (how do you say) "inadequate in the pants" who need something to brag about.

The marketing in this case is:

We're giving away lots of stuff for free... if you go through our gruesome physical trials and only if you're 35 or older.

Or, you can just buy it from us right now... BUT NOT ALL OF IT. We still want to give some stuff away from free... if you go through our gruesome physical trial... and only if you're 35 or older.

So, which businesses use this model?

I really don't want you on my side of the argument. Can you please take the other? Thanks.

And I got a nice mom and pop pizza joint down the road from me that does.

Maybe you should have a talk with them about respecting their customers more.