Runes of Magic US / AU

They can take away gifting if they want. However, unless the prices of diamonds and the stuff they buy drops drastically, I would not buy any diamonds regardless. 2 things have to happen before I buy diamonds again. The game has to work properly and be stable; and prices need to be about 1/4 of what they are now. If those 2 things happen, you can take away gifting. This way, the normal diamond buyers would be buying less because of not selling, but a lot more F2P players would start buying for their own use.

However, if they do not make these changes AND they do take away gifting, then I would quit entirely. BTW, I have not even bought diamonds from a diamond seller in months. I have plenty of plusing stones, all I need is puries and I need a great sale for that. Basically I need those big puri packs back and the price they were before.

Actually, I need gear to stat, but not much appears in AH. For instance, I want the Jenny's Robe and would even take underdura, but they wanted 800million for the only one in game. It was unstatted and unplussed. Now they have it +16 and clean t7 with best yellow mage stats and probable want 2 billion or more for it. I can plus and stat the gear, I just need the gear.

On a side note, I would be fine if they did a ninja patch that cut everyones gold to 1/10 of what it is. If they did it when the game was offline, they could do it to all gold in inventory and in mail. That would cover any items that were sold in AH and not picked up the gold yet. Then it would actually be feasable to farm lower instances for gold again. Right now, dog meat is the only thing a non-endgamer could farm and that needs to become bound.

Ebilone hast fergotten rubies......

Taking away the ability to gift diamonds will drop diamond sales, not increase them.

If a diamond seller is unable to sell diamonds, they will stop buying more than they need.

Those that cannot afford to spend their own money on the game and thus seek out diamond sellers will no longer use diamonds purchased by other players. Frogster's sales aren't dependant on WHO buys the diamonds; they only care that diamonds are purchased.

Quoted from "regentego;508439"

IMO every player at some point should throw the game a little cash, not brag about how they get around the system. I'm frustrated the cost of the game are continually imposed on the most loyal players, the paying ones. So I ask if anyone feels the same way, and how would you place sanctions on the F2P?

Well, if that 'little cash' is not more then other subscribing game, I can see more people buy dias and spend/use them. But let's see what 10 bucks (regular 210 dias) can get you - in most cases not even a good mount.

If prices were reasonable and adjusted over time, not to be more expensive, but to be more obtainable, I would support game, but with game like this (broken and overpriced) I am changing into F2P until they change or I find other interest, what ever comes first.

Wait so they should appreciate the P2p players more by further pushing away and alienate the f2p player base. Makes total sense dude, I am all in..........

"Brag about how they get around the system"???? This is the model, the system. The option for f2p is part of the allure of the game. Making it harder for f2p is far from the solution. Making it harder on the f2p would further diminish server populations. The problem lies within the cash shop and its pricing system not the fact that people, if they put a boat load of time in this game can be f2p and end game. This sounds far more like a personal attack on some rather then any kind of proposed "game solution".

Or you are just posting to troll people. As I remember you posted that most of what you write on the forums is a troll, so I honestly can't take you seriously.

The following was posted by the OP in another thread and hour before he started this thread.
http://forum.us.runesofmagic.com/showthread.php?t=68844
I've highlighted a few things. I like the last one the most.

Quoted

Anyone who has fought me in siege knows you don't become a 187k HP rogue and only play 4-6 hours a week by not using the CS. Frankly RL I'm hardworking but pretty boring I don't have vices so money tends to accumulate. Up until now some of that money went to frogster. But I'm calling corporate greed here, raising CS prices when we can hardly play or get into siege is a terrible business practice. Sure you throw a 120% diamond sale but what happens when you go back to 100% and are then officially paying 20% more. I don't complain ever about crashes or lag ingame, all MMOs have bugs. But greed I will call out any day, yes I've played RoM since 2009 yes I've dropped well over a grand in the game. But NO I'm not addicted, its not a vice and trust me my CS bag us so full I can go till a long time without buying diamonds. And if I see something I like trust me I got the gold to cover it.

You see my account frogster, I have shown my loyalty more then any fanboy with straight cash. You want it? Then stop gouging me and other players everywhere you can.

Most F2P REWARD paying players, not you, you raise CS prices and punish us. Next time you decide to increase sales take some perks from the F2P make it harder for them like every other game does.

I tried to decide if Regentego was a hypocrite or a troll. I'm not sure, perhaps he's a bit of both.
As for me, I spent $200+ a month on this game for the first year and a half I played it, but not any more. I'm not going to continue to support a company that wont take care of it's customers or it's product.

...But Regentego, you go right ahead and spend all that easy money of yours on your 187k HP siege rogue... BTW, how's siege lately?

Quoted from "brogue;508452"

Wait so they should appreciate the P2p players more by further pushing away and alienate the f2p player base. Makes total sense dude, I am all in..........

"Brag about how they get around the system"???? This is the model, the system. The option for f2p is part of the allure of the game. Making it harder for f2p is far from the solution. Making it harder on the f2p would further diminish server populations. The problem lies within the cash shop and its pricing system not the fact that people, if they put a boat load of time in this game can be f2p and end game. This sounds far more like a personal attack on some rather then any kind of proposed "game solution".

Or you are just posting to troll people. As I remember you posted that most of what you write on the forums is a troll, so I honestly can't take you seriously.

what happened to 15th best r/k?? so many hae come after and surpassed th master. Teach me your ways of the r/k.

Quoted from "regentego;508439"

I touched on this in another post, but it seems to me Frogsters only business model to increase revenue is to impose more costs overall on the paying player base. Given the actual percentage of paying players is roughly 10%, I don't see continual increases as a sustainable way to keep that 10%, its a plan that has gradual negative affects and will change the habits of those of us who buy diamonds.

This is true, except for maybe the percentages... Since Frogster doesn't release that kind of statistical data, I don't make any assumptions about it. I know a ton of people that buy diamonds, but just refuse to sell them to others, so I'm not sure if the amount has really gone as low as 10%. But regardless of what the percentage is, obviously increasing prices on those who are buying will have detrimental effects as time goes on. Somehow they have to rethink their sales plans and find a better solution to the problem.

Quoted from "regentego;508439"

It seems those who are F2P Are quite comfortable and have methods to stay that way. They often brag about it without taking into consideration that someone had to pay for those diamonds they so easily attain for now. Now every other F2P rewards those who financially support their game, while limiting f2p to some extent.

Semi-true? I think this was the case like last year or some time way back when. In over the past 6 months or more, I have yet to meet a f2p that considers diamonds easy to attain, since the buyers now have to use just about every diamond they purchase for themselves. The CS doesn't really leave much room for "sharing" anymore. Even if you get 5k or 6k diamonds you could blow through all of them in one weekend and still not finish tweaking out your gear. @_@

Quoted from "regentego;508439"

Now looking forward Frogster is known to go to extremes, mark my words if sales drop you will see the ability to gift diamonds disappear. Do I Think we need that, absolutely not, but Frogster should begin rewarding its small paying player base rather then simply relying on us with no reciprocation. And at the same time need to make things a bit more difficult for the f2p to continue to abuse a very giving f2p model.

Didn't the reverse of this already happen? Around the time the player base started seeing diamond buyers decrease, Frogster unlocked diamonds to make gifting easier, in what I assume was a strategy to encourage buyers and boost sales. Why would they decide to rescind that if sales drop even lower? >.> It sounds counter-productive to the direction they've already set out on.
I think this game needs to be more fair to buyers, even if it is a pay-to-win model. That being said, this game IS pay-to-win and borderline pay-to-progress. How does that translate into an easy free-to-play game? XD It's more or less free-to-play in name only.

Quoted from "regentego;508439"

IMO every player at some point should throw the game a little cash, not brag about how they get around the system. I'm frustrated the cost of the game are continually imposed on the most loyal players, the paying ones. So I ask if anyone feels the same way, and how would you place sanctions on the F2P?

I think it's a good idea to toss a good gaming company a "donation," so to speak, if you truly enjoy it and have played a long time. I have even done this in the past. It's about the same way that I feel about muscians; you can hear their music on the radio and it's free for you to listen, but if you really love the music they make, you go out and buy the CD (or purchase from iTunes or whatever) to support the artist.

Not sure what you consider "getting around the system," but if you're refering to f2p buying from diamond sellers then I think you're mistaken. You can't say it's "getting around" something, when the system promotes it (gifting ability, unlocking previously locked diamonds, etc). Now if someone were buying from a gold seller or cheating/duping currency, then yes that would be considered "getting around the system." Anyway, semantics... X_X

Imo, the paying customers are getting ripped off at current exchange rates and CS prices. I would be in favor of altering those things in order to solve the problem. I don't think that trying to place sanctions on f2p solves your problem... How does making it harder on the f2p make things more fair or cheaper for paying customers? It doesn't. I'm not sure what the affect would be except to drive more players away, and as we all know there's no game if there's no players. If you're looking for a solution for those who are p2p, you need to look at what is directly influencing your situation (CS prices, exchange rates, sales, accessibility to purchasing methods, the kinds of purchasing methods, etc etc).

If you're looking for a reward program based on loyalty then I would suggest 2 things.
The first is that a reward system could be implemented based on amount of money spent over x-amount of time. Say you spend $300 on this game every month for 3-5 months. At that point, as you are a paying customer that most likely intends to stick with the game, you could maybe get price reductions in the CS (like a permanent sale, everything 10% off?). Or create a point system like reward cards in real life; the more you buy, the more you save? xD
The second is bringing the Score For More promotion to the US servers -.- It's great on EU and it rewards you for time spent in game, playing. So the longer you playing the game and the more time you spend in the game, the more rewards you can earn. It's kinda like Phirius Tokens (rewarding you for logging in daily), but with diamonds and other rare CS items. When you start out, you can't get too much, just small items. But if you play a LONG time and are really a dedicated player, you can get some rare items that aren't available anywhere else + a monthly diamond "allowance" (for every active month you play, you receive x-amount of free diamonds). Would Frogster bring that to US servers? Probably not, knowing them... but the point is they could implement a reward system based on the time spent in-game playing.

Sorry for writing a short novel X_X;

I am pure free to play. There is no reason for me to pay for the game. Reasons are simple. The amount of diamonds you get for the amount of real life money is a rip off to me. The game also has many small things that RW does not even care to fix.

Feel free to let them take away gifting, but i bet you that will kill the game more. You might not understand how important free players are. If no gifting, less diamonds would be bought because players can no longer sell them to make quick cash. So much less demand for diamonds means much less money. The reason why some players buy so many diamonds in the first place is to sell to us free players so they can get ahead. Without Us who buy diamonds with gold they lose a reason to buy so much diamonds.

You want more people buying diamonds? Fix small problems, set better prices for item shop items or better yet amount of diamonds you get for real life money.

Right now i think anyone who buys diamonds when not 100%+ sale is a total (not nice word)

Quoted from "regentego;508479"

What would you all think of this

$4.99 per month sub.
You receive 400 diamonds
1 adventure pack

Now those with the sub will have the ability to Send gold via mail, and COD.

Those without the Sub cannot send gold or COD, but they still can receive gold and trade it. Its an annoyance, but with a steady stream of revenue frogster can drop their CS prices.

Just an idea...

I'd leave the game if that were implemented, as many other f2p's would, I'm sure.
Your idea hinders the diamond buying process and leaves f2p and p2p diamond sellers alike extremely inconvenienced in the diamond for gold exchange. Leave diamond sellers no way to sell dia's without meeting up with someone and I guarantee you sales will go down, not up.

Quoted from "regentego;508479"

What would you all think of this

$4.99 per month sub.
You receive 400 diamonds
1 adventure pack

Now those with the sub will have the ability to Send gold via mail, and COD.

Those without the Sub cannot send gold or COD, but they still can receive gold and trade it. Its an annoyance, but with a steady stream of revenue frogster can drop their CS prices.

Just an idea...

I don't think that would work Ebi. The current model is too ingrained in the game already.

I do have an idea that may be feasible though...Why not 2 different prices for CS items - One price for the purchaser of diamonds for their own use, and a different price for the gift of item to f2p? Example: Transport runes.. 36 diamonds for 10 Transport Runes for the buyer of the diamonds, 45 diamonds for 10 Transport Runes runes to gift.

The very foundation of the f2p model is choice--the choice if, when, and how much money to spend at any given point in time. Choice is almost the only thing still going for RoM. If RoM didn't give me a choice, I wouldn't give RoM a chance. End of story. If you prefer people to forcibly take your money without giving you a choice, go play a subscription game.

Additionally, you're trying to frame it as if you're bearing the entire population on your shoulders, and making sacrifices for others, which is absolute nonsense. You get what you pay for, and you know what you're getting before you pay. F2p get what they pay for, and know what they're getting. If you don't like what you get, you can't blame anyone else for that, because it was your decision. Accept responsibility for what you have or have not spent, and deal with it. You have the same choice we all have. It is a sad day indeed when people complain about freedom.

I'm a f2p player myself, and as BJHawk said i like the choice if i want to pay or not.

I have the occasional disposible income to buy diamonds, however I have no desire to do so with the current stat of the game. After seeing so many people with problems buying diamonds on the forums that take forever to get responded to, why would I want to sink my cash into something that I'm not even sure will come to me? (I realize that this may or may not be the typical case as only the people with problems post, but the fact that there are such sever problems is an issue)

Also, with the case of pvp in this game...what am I building up to? Sure I can run instances and enjoy the pve. But if I'm going to enjoy the pve (which I'm planning on doing) why would I want to buy diamonds and get myself beastly op gear that the environment cant even keep up with? Whats the challenge then? Why not just take my time, work through the game and enjoy it?

Hopefully that made some sort of sense...

I originally joined this game as an alternative to WoW, for several reasons that inluded finances as one of them. I have spent money from time to time for diamonds - usually for mounts for my toon, and a few gear enhancements.

Having said that, I got the to the point where I realised that if I was not willing to shell out hundreds of dollars a month, I was probably not going get too far in the game. I didn't really like that. Over time, seeing the broken nature of the game, and the utter failure of developer or host to do anything about it, and I decided that my money was probably better spent anywhere. I kept playing though, running with my wife's toons and in general making some attempt to progress.

In the end I just could not take the fail from devs / host any longer, and so I've moved back to subscription games.

In that time I have levelled 3 old characters to the level cap of that game's newest expansion, and rolled 2 more from scratch. I have maxed professions on 4 out of those 5, and have 2 more in the works. All of my toons are geared appropriately and have good gear modifications, and can run at least normal max level dungeons. 3 of them are heroic geared, 1 of them is raid geared.

What is the point? I went a month or so without any game after I left RoM... that means I've been playing my old sub game for about 3 months...

3 months, 5 max level toons, 4 maxed professions, 3 heroic geared, 1 raid geared... in 3 months. That's $45. Tell me, how much that would cost me to do in RoM?

Sorry RW/Frog - but until I can get at least equal bang-for-my-buck in this game, I ain't interested. No amount of gouging and raping the game structure to force P2P is going to get my money. I'll just go elsewhere. Easy.

Not only that, but my $45 over these past 3 months have also availed to me: a game that actually works; stable servers; prompt (almost instant) customer service; access to any and every aspect of the game with no extra cost; plenty of fun...

Oh, and I got to hook back up with a couple of old guildies/friends from years ago who still played. Win!

In short, fiddling with the game's financial model in the way you describe would be suicide in my opinion. I believe RoM does need some drastic changes, but not necessarily the way you describe. I suggested probably a year ago that they add a CoD diamond gifting function... I suggested that they remove "obsolete" item enhancement gear from the cash shop and sell it for gold, as well as drastically dropping the prices in the CS.

There are a lot of different things that keep players from buying diamonds, and not just cost. Trust is another big issue - just look at the housemaid/chest debacle, or the anniversary fiasco. Perceived value for money is another, and budget is another. Some people just cannot afford to buy diamonds. Period. Their lack of finances is probably one of the main reasons they play F2P games... Putting a compulsion on them to use the cash shop is just going to alienate them, not because the won't buy diamonds, but because they can't!

Anyways... that's my wall of text for you. Hope your eyes don't bleed too much.

Quoted from "BJHawk;508510"

The very foundation of the f2p model is choice--the choice if, when, and how much money to spend at any given point in time. Choice is almost the only thing still going for RoM. If RoM didn't give me a choice, I wouldn't give RoM a chance. End of story. If you prefer people to forcibly take your money without giving you a choice, go play a subscription game.

Additionally, you're trying to frame it as if you're bearing the entire population on your shoulders, and making sacrifices for others, which is absolute nonsense. You get what you pay for, and you know what you're getting before you pay. F2p get what they pay for, and know what they're getting. If you don't like what you get, you can't blame anyone else for that, because it was your decision. Accept responsibility for what you have or have not spent, and deal with it. You have the same choice we all have. It is a sad day indeed when people complain about freedom.

^This.

I play f2p games because I do not want to be forced to pay to play a game.