A fully mature Paragon Market

What would that look like?

What would be in it?

There will of course be the ever-expanding list of new items, which we've never had access to before the Paragon Market existed. New enhancements, inspirations, costume sets, pets, temp powers, etc. These are great. New stuff is good and while we argue about price, no one's complaining that we're getting these items.

However, I'm going to ignore those for the moment and just focus on game "rewards" that existed prior to the market, because I see a trend building along with a wave of complaints.

I've come to the conclusion that everything you can get by playing the game will eventually be sold for Paragon Points, with the possible exception of actual levels. (I'm speaking from the point of view of a VIP player, not Free or Premium) If you look at what's been released to the Paragon Market over the past 6 months, you can see more and more of the game's rewards being unlocked and sold via Paragon Points. In a Mature Paragon Market, anything you currently must play the game to unlock will also be sold to unlock. We're most of the way there now, it's just a matter of time.

-What we always had to buy (could not earn in game):
Extra character slots
Extra AE story arc slots
Character transfers
Character renames

-What we can buy now (may earn in game now):
Costume Slot unlocks
Cape unlocks
Aura unlocks
Epic AT unlocks
Enhancement sets (including rares and uniques)
XP Boosters
Prestige Boosters
Inf/Reward Boosters
Respecs
Tailor tokens
Temporary powers
Alignment switches
(some) Costume set unlocks

-What I expect to be able to buy in the future (must earn in game now):
Zone unlocks
(all) Costume unlocks
Weapon/Shield customization unlocks
Badges
Accolade powers
Incarnate unlocks
Very rare enhancements
/edit: Salvage- although I would expect it to be upgraded salvage in the same way we got upgraded inspirations

I'm sure there's more I've missed or haven't thought of, but that's why I'm posting, to get more group-think on this matter. I'm also sure that when each of the items in the red category comes to market there will be a noticeable segment of the player base complaining- but those complaints won't stop the sale.

Personally, I consider ALL cosmetics to be fair game for both in-game unlocks and store purchases.To me, City of Heroes is unique among MMOs in that it's primarily about expression, and the more access you give to everyone to the tools of cosmetic expression, the more everybody gains. And when I say everyone, I mean literally everyone - both the people willing to pay and the people willing to play. I don't believe there should be any store-exclusive cosmetics, nor that there should be any earn-exclusive cosmetics. All cosmetics should be earnable through both. It should, instead, be a trade-off between time and money.

The reason I say this ONLY about cosmetics and power, levels and so forth is that cosmetics are not, in and of themselves, a game element. They have no impact on the gameplay, they are not born of gameplay. Everything else but cosmetics has strings attached to it above and beyond pure appeal. Cosmetics are the only thing the merit of which is based solely on appeal.

Quote:

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.

You know what pisses me off?

Cure Lost/Rescue Percy.

ON EVERY CHARACTER. Why why WHY must I do this mission on any char I ever want to run the ITF or Cim mishs on?

Give me the ability to see my veteran-earned free costume tokens and I'll be a happy camper.

And as for the Cure Lost/Rescue Percy thing OFW? It's just like every other Accolade...if you want the perk you gotta run the content at least once per character. Honestly I do it as soon as I hit lvl 12ish because I've had pre-Cim toons where I forgot to do it and couldn't join an ITF.