http://www.starwars.com/eu/news/2003/06/news20030617.html)
This looks like an incredible game but I gotta subcribe to keep playing? :eyeraise: You gotta pay at least $12 bucks a month to keep playing this game after you already shell out $50-$80 to buy it. Wtf?
Now I have no experience with role playing games and this one would be my first which I thought was cool since its Star Wars but is this normal? Do all other role players have subscriptions? I mean youd have to have no life at all and play this game non stop to try to get your moneys worth. After all Its still just a game.
So am I just being ignorant and wierd about this? The truth is Im disapointed and a bit angry :mad:. Now I dont think Im gonna get the game. Its not worth it!
At least Hyperspace is only $20 a year. Thats nothing and I dont even plan to continue it after ep 3 is out. But this Galaxies subscription? :disaprove
get a JOB!!!!!!!! :D $12 a month it NOTHING. trust me, once u have a job and a credit card....^_~
trust me, but most of all, trust wraithy and leemu. this game will be worth it. ^_^
I've played several MMORPG's and yah, all the persistant online games have a montly fee. But its not just a pay-to-play. you're also paying for the team of employees that are constantly adding content to the game, and squashing bugs. Its not quite as simple as a single player rpg like Neverwinter Nights or Morrowind. You get to play with thousands of other people, quest together, or just hang out.
When EQ and UO first came out I also refused to pay to play, but once I gave in a gave it a shot I was hooked. They are a lot of fun.
The "added content" I mentioned includes new missions. It also adds new game systems, such as vehicles you can pilot, player run cities, dark jedi. It will also include new areas on the planets, and eventually new planets to explore. They will probably add new player races. New faction perks to spend your points on, new skill sets, new player craftable items.
I can't just say "it'll be worth it" but I can try to show you that there is more to it than simply paying to play the game you just bought for full price. There is a lot of behind the scenes work that is going on to upgrade and make the game better. They're constanly evolving and improving.
Originally posted by Random
The "added content" I mentioned includes new missions. It also adds new game systems, such as vehicles you can pilot, player run cities, dark jedi. It will also include new areas on the planets, and eventually new planets to explore. They will probably add new player races. New faction perks to spend your points on, new skill sets, new player craftable items. In other words, patches, upgrades, and expansion packs. They get paid to do those anyway. WE dont cut their paychecks. We buy the game and the company gets part of the money to do whatever they want with it. Patches and upgrades are free. If they make an expansion to sell, we buy it and thats that. All other games are free to play and I see no reason why online roleplayers should be any different. And I dont care if this game turns out to be the greatest game of all time, its not right that you should have to pay to play once youve given them your business and purchased their product, especially with the price they want for subscription. :disaprove
I for one will not be going anywhere near SWG. I will not pay a monthly fee to play ANY game. I certainly wouldn't get my moneys worth out of it because I don't have nearly enough time to dedicate to building up a character.
Well if you've made up your mind, its made up. I still feel its worth it, there is a lot of fun to be had.
Lexx, SWG is a little different from EQ in the character development area. They've designed the game to be faster than EQ. A hardcore player is predicted to max out their character's skill points in around 3 months. Casual players in around 6 months. But maxing out your points isn't the point of the game. That's when you become able to do anything you want. Go on journies to the really dangerous planets, or start focusing on joining and participating with the Rebelion or the Empire, or working your way into Jabba's circle of "friends". Or if you're really in for a long directionless journy, becoming a Jedi.
Or you could refocus your character and free up your skill points and spend them on different skills.
They've really spent a lot of time developing the game to the players that *used* to play EQ and had a lot of time. They know that they've all grown up and have jobs now, and have less time to play, so they want the shorter game sessions to be more fulfilling.
But hey, I know what you're saying that you'll "never pay to play" I used to say it too. And $50 is a lot for a 30 day trial period, but thats all it took to get me hooked the first time. Prehaps they'll one day release a free demo or something...
Getting "hooked" isnt always a good thing. I dont think it justifies paying a minimun $12 a month just to play your own game.
I've always been very skeptical of SWG til I got into the beta. I have never played and MMORPG at all before. When I was first playing it, I thought it was terrible.....but that's only because I had no idea what in the hell I was doing, I spent most of my time running around etc. Anyways, I found these other people that helped me build up my exp points and then it started to become fun.
Now I haven't had all that much time to play it, I"ve had a very serious personal issue come up, but still it hasn't taken me that long to build up this character I have. I must say I'm absolutely hooked now. I have joined one of the Player Associations and I have reserved the collector's edition and I'm getting a 6 month subscription. The game is just so much fun, there are so many ways to play it, different things to do/see. You can be anything from a musician to a rifleman, what ever you want to do. :)
I never ever thought this would happen, but it did......here is a screenie of my character for y'all. :D
Seriously dude, this game is going to own. It has been in development for over 3 years, and many of us thought they wouldn't pull off a June Release but they have seriously worked flat out and everything is comming into place. :)
Look here
www.swgalaxies.net) for some tasters, then come on by and visit the swg forums. Which is part of this forum by the way, and if you don't agree with nothing still.
Check out the screenshots in the SWG General Discussion thread, you will not be disapointed dude. ;)
Ive seen plenty of SWG already. Lucasarts.com has loads of stuff on it. Still Im not ready to pay to play yet. 3 years is a long time to develope a game and Im sure it will own. Half-Life 2 has been in developement for 5 years hehe. :D Fortunately I wont have to pay to play that asskicker of a game. Anyway I know theyre different games but still I dont think its right what SWG is doin.
Keep in mind that SWG isn't "doing" anything. Its the standard now for this type of game. Blizzard is doing it, Sony is doing it, and over 100 other games out and in development do it too.
I'm planning to buy HL2 and Doom3 as well as several other SW games, but I'll probably still be paying for SWG a year from now.
Originally posted by JediNyt
http://www.starwars.com/eu/news/2003/06/news20030617.html)
This looks like an incredible game but I gotta subcribe to keep playing? :eyeraise: You gotta pay at least $12 bucks a month to keep playing this game after you already shell out $50-$80 to buy it. Wtf?
Now I have no experience with role playing games and this one would be my first which I thought was cool since its Star Wars but is this normal? Do all other role players have subscriptions? I mean youd have to have no life at all and play this game non stop to try to get your moneys worth. After all Its still just a game.
So am I just being ignorant and wierd about this? The truth is Im disapointed and a bit angry :mad:. Now I dont think Im gonna get the game. Its not worth it!
At least Hyperspace is only $20 a year. Thats nothing and I dont even plan to continue it after ep 3 is out. But this Galaxies subscription? :disaprove
:wstupid:
Originally posted by Darth Groovy
:wstupid:
:wstupid: :wstupid:
:p
I don't plan on getting it. I don't have the moeny, but even if I did, I wouldn't buy it. ;)
Blah, its Z. Forgot to log out of my friends account >.<
BUT WHAT ABOUT US KIDS? HUH? ISN"T THAT REALLY WHO'S MAKING UP A GOOD PART OF SW GAMERS?
Seriously, I like the idea of Galaxies, I want to lay Galaxies... but I don't have a credit card and my income is...barely sufficient to cover $15 a month. IF I was to pay it, my monthly incxome would be decreased to a mere 6.25% of what it once was...
Originally posted by boinga1
BUT WHAT ABOUT US KIDS? HUH? ISN"T THAT REALLY WHO'S MAKING UP A GOOD PART OF SW GAMERS?
Seriously, I like the idea of Galaxies, I want to lay Galaxies... but I don't have a credit card and my income is...barely sufficient to cover $15 a month. IF I was to pay it, my monthly incxome would be decreased to a mere 6.25% of what it once was... Thats a damn good point. Do they expect all kids to be spoiled by their parents or something? Make the parents make monthly payments for their kids to play a pc game they already own? :confused:
Well, at the very least you're learning a good Life Lesson. Adults don't give a rats patooty about kids. All that "You're the future of America" stuff is a bunch of hogwash they tell you to get you to stay in school.
Seriously, if you don't have any money, they don't care about you. Do you have any older siblings you can mooch game time off of? Or take up a paper route. I was making about $100/month throwing papers when i was 13. And I had a small route, like 65 houses.
i dont really care for these massivly multiplayer online role playing games where you have to buy the game and then pay to play on line. at least lucas arts is making money and not losing money to piracy as much this way
Originally posted by boinga1
BUT WHAT ABOUT US KIDS? HUH? ISN"T THAT REALLY WHO'S MAKING UP A GOOD PART OF SW GAMERS?
it will shock you to learn that many adults play games as much as kids. And as someone said, if you have no money, they don't care. Mow a lawn or 2 like I do and make 60 bucks a week
Yeah sure but how are you going to pay? put some cash into your comp hoping it will be teleported to LucasArts?
Anyway, it sucks 12 bucks. They better lower it when there's enough people they better lower the price! Sorry for being quite poor I have good money but not enough time to spend it on a game that takes so long to build up a character.
I already have to pay other small things which doesn't leave me much. Now I see why some persons would say it's worth it but some of us don't want to spend the cash on this sort of things.
You already have to upgrade your comp every now and then. If you have someone in your life you'll spend some cash for her/him.
If you're an adult with kids...well don't get me started. If they want us to pay a monthly either lower it or lower the price of the game.
Originally posted by StarWarsPhreak
it will shock you to learn that many adults play games as much as kids. And as someone said, if you have no money, they don't care. Mow a lawn or 2 like I do and make 60 bucks a week
I agree that many adults play games (indeed, I expect most of the Galaxies population will be adults). However, I believe that the majority of people playing most games are kids- that is, those under 18. I don't mean stupid 12 yr olds- I refer, at least partly, to teenagers like myself.
And I could afford it now, in theory, but I don't exactly have a credit card.
And- 60 bucks for a lawn?!!? Holy Cow!
It's actually 15 dollars a month, but $144 for a long-term, 12 month subscription (hence, $12 a month). Personally, I say raise the orginal cost (maybe even make it $100; I'll wait til my b-day!) rather than the monthly costs. Anyway, I bet there are thousands of people out there now, who have just bought Galaxies and are only now realizing they have to pay over $100 a year to play it, in addition to the 50 they just paid. What's a little kid gonna do, spent half his cash for it, but now can't do anything with it 'cuz his Mom won't pay his subsciption (not her fault, she shouldn't have to pay for it.)
yeah, hopefully they have it stated on the box that it cost $15 a month to play (they will probably come with a card to get the first month free though
Originally posted by boinga1
I agree that many adults play games (indeed, I expect most of the Galaxies population will be adults). However, I believe that the majority of people playing most games are kids- that is, those under 18. I don't mean stupid 12 yr olds- I refer, at least partly, to teenagers like myself.
And I could afford it now, in theory, but I don't exactly have a credit card.
And- 60 bucks for a lawn?!!? Holy Cow!
It's actually 15 dollars a month, but $144 for a long-term, 12 month subscription (hence, $12 a month). Personally, I say raise the orginal cost (maybe even make it $100; I'll wait til my b-day!) rather than the monthly costs. Anyway, I bet there are thousands of people out there now, who have just bought Galaxies and are only now realizing they have to pay over $100 a year to play it, in addition to the 50 they just paid. What's a little kid gonna do, spent half his cash for it, but now can't do anything with it 'cuz his Mom won't pay his subsciption (not her fault, she shouldn't have to pay for it.)
Too much moneh, I could almost afford a wireless phone or a second internet connection for that. Those people must be out of there minds.
sorry but those questions...pay to play my game are a little ridiculous (not wanting to insult anyone) they show a not MMORPG gamer...
You don' pay the owned game but the new quests, the stories the DM shall make, the new places that will come out....It's like paying montly for you home in reallife. You just pay 12 bucks for a life in the net...
For me...this is a whole dream game...hope it is good. And the only game that even if i don't play it occasionaly shall pay every month to have it in my computer always :)
This is special.....
Well, I've been playing since Friday, and I have to admit...Its worth every cent! It was amazing to be able to walk around in Mos Espa. Seeing Shuttles and Tie Fighters fly by every now and then. Jawas scurrying around the outskirts of town, Droids going about their duties. There are even some womp rats skulking around the allyways.
I've already been in a blaster fight in the streets. People were ducking for cover while we were ducking into byways to get a better angle. Blaster bolts were flying all over the place.
I ran into a herd of banthas in the desert, some of them were actually lying down resting, and when i got too close they all stood up and watched me as I skirted around them.
I'm planning to head to Mos Eisley to rough up some of the Lady Valarian's thugs to gain good faction standing with Jabba.
I'm having too much fun. Time for bed.
Has anyone wondered why half of the forum seems to be not into MMORPGs? While almost 99% of us are gamers who like video games in general. It's because of the monthly cost!
And besides I've done some math and came to seriously strange conclusions:
Right now LA is sure to sell at least 500 000 copies of the game.
So every month, everyone pays like 15$ (annual fee seems a little bit for starters).
500 000 X 15= 7 500 000$ every month
now let's say everyone of those guys plays 12 months
7 500 000$ X 12= 90 000 000$
Ok now don'T tell me that's not a lot of money!
I mean what the hell are they feeding those guys?!
And this is only the money they're gonna make per month not even the money they're gonna make for the game only!
I know Galaxies been in the works for 3 years but Half-Life 2 has been for 5 I think. Does this mean they're gonna sell a copy of Half-Life 2 for 200$????
Monthly fee hmmm.....
I don't know about that. $50 + $12 = no child support for a few months. For that price I could just buy a cloak and pretend I'm a Jedi (like I do in public). :D
Orginally said by Mujahid
Here's a stab at the cost breakdown. I'm a professional software developer, so this is an educated guess (and, by the way, is just the TIP of the iceberg):
*Note: Game has been under development for 5+ years with no income (obviously). So right off the TOP, the investors need to recoup their investment...and like a poster mentioned above, they are NOT investing in SWG to break even. Would you?
Let's be conservative and say there were only 15 full time software developers. Each of these guys is making a salary between $60k per year and $150k per year, depending upon their position in the team.
Let's break it down like this:
1 Development Team Lead @ $150k per year.
1 QA Team lead @ $100k per year
5 developers @ $85k per year (total $425k per year)
8 developers @ $60k per year (total $480k per year)
This is a total *salary payout* of $1,155,000 per year.
Now, to determine an organization's *cost* to have those employees (medical insurance, disability, dental, vision, 401k, vacation, floating days, sick leave, bereavement leave, overhead breakdown per employee, etc) you need to take your salary payout (per person) and approximately multiply it by 2. So the figure above becomes $2,310,000 per year. [If you make $50k a year, it costs your employer nearly $100k just to look at your sorry self every day ]
Figure 5 years of development. I'm going to be SO conservative, I'm not even going to give the developers a miniscule cost-of-living raise each year. So 5 x the figure above equals: $11,550,000
I haven't even discussed management, folks. And, this is just the personnel cost. And, the total development staff is probably MUCH larger than 15 developers! I've personally developed smaller projects and needed more developers than that! (I once made AMPLE use of 22 developers on a simple e-commerce site that took 1 year to develop and field). The above figures are a *cartoon picture* of what must be the reality of SWG development.
Now, let's look at equipment: You need a server "farm" to handle this kind of game. One "server" might actually be as many as 10 physical server machines (it's more than that in EQ, and SWG has much more data).
Last time I priced an average server (at government cost), I was looking at (depending upon features) between $6k - $15k per box (not including racks, UPSs, tape farm, etc).
A message from a while back also hinted at the fact they are using Oracle as the underlying "back end" database. Have you ever priced an Oracle license? The cheapest license I have personally purchased, for an average application with limited use, was $100k just to get in the door. You don't go down to Comp USA and pick up a copy of Oracle, my friend Their enterprise-class license must be running close to a mil alone.
The developers had to develop the software SOMEWHERE, right? Ok, how much rent did the office space cost for 5 years? I don't know either, but it's a helluva lot more than your house/apartment payment, I can guarantee it. You can place the rent alone at close to a million dollars for a 5-year period. That's conservative for a modern office building. Ok, the building needs electricity now.... phones....HVAC....maintenance....
Now let's talk bandwidth. It's not free. Depending upon their pipeline, they could easily be looking at $10k per month over the span of that 5 year period. That ALONE would add up to approx $600k over that 5 year period. They're not developing this on a RoadRunner connection
Publicity: They don't get a booth at E3 for free, you know. They don't get ads in PC Gamer for free either.
We've spoken about development. How about marketting? How about business development? Those are two teams unto themselves that could *easily* cost more than the development team!
When you add it all up, a CONSERVATIVE estimate is that development of the game alone cost in the vicinity of $20mil
Now you have ongoing costs to take into consideration:
1. bandwidth
2. salary of CSRs and Live Team devs
3. salary of management
4. salary of continued marketting efforts (even EverQuest still advertises)
5. overhead of facilities and office
6. countless other costs I haven't even considered
Conclusion: Do I really have to offer one?
Here's a hint: $32 million is NOT a lot of money. All you have to do is spend ONE year managing a $30+ mil budget and you'll be bald from trying to make it spread over all the things you need to cover.
This is professional software development. They didn't ask "Jim Bob" down the street to throw this together on his Amiga
I just wish people would quit complaining about the monthly fee...
Still, I calculated that they would make 90 millions in one year without the price of the game itself.
and 32 million is a LOT of money. Nobody should dare say that it's not a lot to the common people with a salary of 30 000$ per year.
Originally posted by Random
Well if you've made up your mind, its made up. I still feel its worth it, there is a lot of fun to be had.
Lexx, SWG is a little different from EQ in the character development area. They've designed the game to be faster than EQ. A hardcore player is predicted to max out their character's skill points in around 3 months. Casual players in around 6 months. But maxing out your points isn't the point of the game. That's when you become able to do anything you want. Go on journies to the really dangerous planets, or start focusing on joining and participating with the Rebelion or the Empire, or working your way into Jabba's circle of "friends". Or if you're really in for a long directionless journy, becoming a Jedi.
Or you could refocus your character and free up your skill points and spend them on different skills.
They've really spent a lot of time developing the game to the players that *used* to play EQ and had a lot of time. They know that they've all grown up and have jobs now, and have less time to play, so they want the shorter game sessions to be more fulfilling.
But hey, I know what you're saying that you'll "never pay to play" I used to say it too. And $50 is a lot for a 30 day trial period, but thats all it took to get me hooked the first time. Prehaps they'll one day release a free demo or something...
Unfortunately, you can only have one character, unless you want to pay double. Three characters make triple. Limitless possiblities? x.o
Anyways: I have a brother who was going to share the cost, and get the game, but that's obviously impossible now :(
You can only have one charcter per server. You can have other characters on a different server. You just can't play together on the same server, but you could take turns....