Gem Store Question
No.
The moment they start selling actual statted max-level gear (which seems to be what you are suggesting?) in the gem-store is the moment they are making the game into a P2W.
Another thing to keep in mind is that the thing in store needs to be interesting to buy.
If they look exactly like something you can already get in game (for less gold no less) why would anyone bother buying it?
Krall Bloodsword – Mesmer
Krall Peterson – Warrior
Piken Square
Krall Peterson – Warrior
Piken Square
No.
The moment they start selling actual statted gear (which seems to be what you are suggesting?) in the gem-store is the moment they are making the game into a P2W.
Another thing to keep in mind is that the thing in store needs to be interesting to buy.
If they look exactly like something you can already get in game (for less gold no less) why would anyone bother buying it?
What your saying is in a round about way is gw2 is p2w because as it stands. People can buy gold directly from Anet using the gem store then convert that gold into armor? I was only trying to eliminate the third party (the Trade Post) so that they would have a reason to add skins into the game instead of the Gem shop.
No they can’t.
They can trade gems to gold with other players and then buy gear crafted by other players (or dropped, but mainly crafted) for said gold.
That is a big difference.
Krall Bloodsword – Mesmer
Krall Peterson – Warrior
Piken Square
Krall Peterson – Warrior
Piken Square
Actually it’s not a big difference at all…
Angel’s point is, buying gems with real money DOES allow you to buy max level gear. (Though I can’t see why anyone would need to do this in GW2)
If we use this example: 10USD = 800 gems = 68 gold = full exotic gear. It is 100% possible to pay real money to buy in-game stats. The only in-game player related variable in this equation is the price of the exotics that are being purchased off the TP. The numbers I used are just examples and not accurate.
When buying gold with gems you are not buying it from other players, you are buying the gold directly from A-net; you are NOT buying gems from other players., the same is true for turning gold into gems.
(edited by Miku.6297)
No.
The moment they start selling actual statted max-level gear (which seems to be what you are suggesting?) in the gem-store is the moment they are making the game into a P2W.
Another thing to keep in mind is that the thing in store needs to be interesting to buy.
If they look exactly like something you can already get in game (for less gold no less) why would anyone bother buying it?
It already is a p2win. Just saying Gems → Gold – > Exotics is technically “P2W”, even if you can’t get the best gear just yet, but some of it you can still with money.
High Warlord Sikari (80 Reaper) / Lord Siekron (80 DH)
Warlord Sikari (80 Scrapper)
Warlord Sikari (80 Scrapper)
No.
The moment they start selling actual statted max-level gear (which seems to be what you are suggesting?) in the gem-store is the moment they are making the game into a P2W.
Another thing to keep in mind is that the thing in store needs to be interesting to buy.
If they look exactly like something you can already get in game (for less gold no less) why would anyone bother buying it?
Did you completely forget about gem to gold conversion? You can literally buy full exotic gear in minutes with real life money. You can buy ascended weapon stats with real life money in the same manner as well.
I thought P2W was when you could only get best gear with real cash, and thus have an advantage over others. I must have been mistaken. Still, the game has been using the same model since launch and hasn’t folded yet; I guess it must be tolerable to a great many players.
I thought P2W was when you could only get best gear with real cash, and thus have an advantage over others. I must have been mistaken. Still, the game has been using the same model since launch and hasn’t folded yet; I guess it must be tolerable to a great many players.
It’s not always that straight forward. What if it cost $20 or 100 hours of in game grinding? In that type of scenario I would still consider it P2W.
Either way, I do not consider GW2 P2W.
The P2W thing, Usually in my opinion P2W means paying will give you an advantage that non-paying customers (is customer the right word for someone who doesn’t pay?) can not obtain. Paying to win in GW2 is like having a who can decorate their house better for the holidays contest with your neighbor. It’s just a graphics ego stroke with both parties looking pretty dumb to any outside viewers.
Back on topic….
@OP: I don’t understand why or how doing this would be in A-net’s best interest. As you said, "The average player now can get full exotics with in a day of hitting max level if not before. " If you take that into consideration the skins are FAR more valuable, thus easier to sell to players.
Your comment about doing something like this allowing A-net to release more skins into the game, allowing for more customization doesn’t make sense to me. Why would A-net release more skins on crafted/droped armor, then they do currently in gem store armor?
(edited by Miku.6297)
O…kay. Not sure what it is I’m winning, as the game seems rather open-ended, but given the choice to pay 20 dollars or enjoy 100 hours of game-play, I think I will opt for game-play. If it wasn’t enjoyable, I would have to ask myself why I am playing in the first place. Lol.
^——- that’s the thing…
In GW2 it’s not like having thousands of gold or gems gives you an advantage over someone who doesn’t. Getting exotics/ascended isn’t much work, and you can’t buy ANYTHING that gives you a playing edge against another player.
That’s why so many people will say GW2 is NOT P2W… It’s more like P2playdressupdoll.
O…kay. Not sure what it is I’m winning, as the game seems rather open-ended, but given the choice to pay 20 dollars or enjoy 100 hours of game-play, I think I will opt for game-play. If it wasn’t enjoyable, I would have to ask myself why I am playing in the first place. Lol.
p2w is a misnomer. In general p2w is seen as someone being able to buy with rl money the best a game has to offer, while the avenue to achieve the same thing from only gameplay takes either generous amounts of time, above average skill of some form, or lots of teamwork.
The power curve being rather shallow and easy to progress down with a generally small amount of time for a mmo, I would say for BIS stats gear the difference between p2w and gameplay is rather slight. If someone would choose to buy their gear over playing for it, I would say that would be a cause for ridicule rather than envy.
Since GW2 is seen as more of a cosmetic endgame by the mmo community at large though, the p2w aspects should come mostly from that. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder here, so anything from starter gear to gem store only outfits could fit the bill. If someone really thinks that gemstore outfit is the best, well then, to that individual GW2 is p2w. For the person who likes a combo of dungeon gear and crafted? Not p2w at all.
There is no right answer. You can get BIS stat gear from the BLTC with real money, but why would you? Some can “win” in their own vanity competition with rl cash, but just as many or more prefer only in game gear.
Is it p2w? not by any current definition.
Why do people keep using the argument: “You can change gems to gold and therefore it is already like selling gear directly in the store”?
It is not even close to that.
Firstly people need to trade the gold for the gems. Gold is not suddenly being created in the gem-transfer.
Secondly the gear you buy have been crafted by people in game, which keeps the market going, it is not something suddenly created by ArenaNet, which gear in the gemstore would be.
Krall Bloodsword – Mesmer
Krall Peterson – Warrior
Piken Square
Krall Peterson – Warrior
Piken Square
Why do people keep using the argument: “You can change gems to gold and therefore it is already like selling gear directly in the store”?
It is not even close to that.
Firstly people need to trade the gold for the gems. Gold is not suddenly being created in the gem-transfer.
People keep making that argument because it is true…
Firstly, you are NOT, I REPEATE YOU ARE NOT trading your gems for someone else’s gold. You are trading your gems for gold that is created when you hit the transfer button. There is NO player to player transaction in a gems to gold transaction.
From what I understand, the gem to gold rates fluctuate higher depending on the current amount of gems purchased with cash.
Bottom line __________________________________________________
Player A buys gems —-> Trades them with A-net for gold (This is how it works)
player A buys gems —--> Trades them with player b for gold (This is NOT how it works)
______________________________________________________________
Yes it’s true that the gear/items are created or found by players and then listed. However, if you buy that gear with gold that was obtained by first purchasing gems; then trading those gems with A-NET (NOT A PLAYER) to gold; then finally using that gold to buy things, you essentially bought the items with cash. It’s similar to buying gold from a gold seller.
^This is blatantly untrue. https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/game/bltc/Who-sets-Gem-prices/page/6#post705345
I would MUCH RATHER have the items drop in-game instead of being a must purchase with gems to have the sense of being rewarded for the effort put into the game = Effort Vs Reward.
Mud Bone – Sylvari Ranger
^This is blatantly untrue. https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/game/bltc/Who-sets-Gem-prices/page/6#post705345
That simply states the exchange rate is set by the current demand of gems. The post is a discussion about the current price of gems and the algorithm used to determine it, VS having a free market.
If you are actually trading one players gems for another players gold my apologies for the inaccuracy. (If it is actually based solely on players, wouldn’t it be possible to literally run out of gems or gold?)
(edited by Miku.6297)
I am not looking to start a fire storm just get a base for people opinions and why they feel that way.
How would people feel if ANET removed all the skins from the gem store and added them into game?
Then added generic looking exotic sets of armor for 800 gem’s. They could leave out the trinkets and accessories.
Personally the more I think about this the more I am like why don’t they? When the game first launched it wouldn’t have made since sure exotics where hard to get. The average player now can get full exotics with in a day of hitting max level if not before. There is always the option now to get full exotics from the trade post with gold.
I really can’t think of a reason this is a bad idea special with the introduction of ascended armor. That way Anet can release more skins into the game giving us more options for customization.
No, I do not think this is a good idea. Enough with the T3 skin debacle already, thank you. There’s already a 39 page thread about this. There is nothing to see here… move along… move along.
Isle of Janthir – Knights of the Rose (KoR)
If you are actually trading one players gems for another players gold my apologies for the inaccuracy. (If it is actually based solely on players, wouldn’t it be possible to literally run out of gems or gold?)
When the gem/gold exchange was created, Anet “stocked” it with a large supply of gems and a smaller supply of gold. When someone buys gems with gold, the gems come from the gem reserve and the gold goes into the gold reserve. When someone sells gems for gold the gems go into the gem reserve and the gold is removed from the gold reserve. Players can only withdraw as much of either currency as is held in the reserves. Neither gems nor gold is created by the exchange, only moved between player and reserve.
As a simplified example, if there were 10 gold and 1000 gems in the reserve, you could exchange say 10 gold for 100 gems, leaving the exchange with 20 gold and 900 gems. Someone else could put back the 100 gems in exchange for 10 gold and leave the exchange as it started. There’s more to it than this but that is the general idea.
Over time, the exchange rate has changed drastically because most players only exchange in one direction, pumping gold into the reserve to withdraw gems. Because neither is created, gems are becoming more scarce and therefore it takes more gold per gem because demand is high. In theory, eventually it will become so expensive that people will not want to trade gold for gems, but instead they will buy gems with real money and exchange them for gold because it will be much more attractive to do this than to farm gold in the game.
TLDR: The exchange does not create gold out of thin air, it takes gold from players buying gems and gives it back for selling gems. There is a specific amount of each in the exchange and it is possible to run out, though unlikely. Apology accepted.
Well that makes sense, and thanks for the clarification.
Still curious OP; how would your suggestion allow A-net to release more skins into the game?
If you are actually trading one players gems for another players gold my apologies for the inaccuracy. (If it is actually based solely on players, wouldn’t it be possible to literally run out of gems or gold?)
When the gem/gold exchange was created, Anet “stocked” it with a large supply of gems and a smaller supply of gold. When someone buys gems with gold, the gems come from the gem reserve and the gold goes into the gold reserve. When someone sells gems for gold the gems go into the gem reserve and the gold is removed from the gold reserve. Players can only withdraw as much of either currency as is held in the reserves. Neither gems nor gold is created by the exchange, only moved between player and reserve.
As a simplified example, if there were 10 gold and 1000 gems in the reserve, you could exchange say 10 gold for 100 gems, leaving the exchange with 20 gold and 900 gems. Someone else could put back the 100 gems in exchange for 10 gold and leave the exchange as it started. There’s more to it than this but that is the general idea.
Over time, the exchange rate has changed drastically because most players only exchange in one direction, pumping gold into the reserve to withdraw gems. Because neither is created, gems are becoming more scarce and therefore it takes more gold per gem because demand is high. In theory, eventually it will become so expensive that people will not want to trade gold for gems, but instead they will buy gems with real money and exchange them for gold because it will be much more attractive to do this than to farm gold in the game.
TLDR: The exchange does not create gold out of thin air, it takes gold from players buying gems and gives it back for selling gems. There is a specific amount of each in the exchange and it is possible to run out, though unlikely. Apology accepted.
There is zero actual proof that there is a finite limit on either gems or gold in the system. Source?
There is zero actual proof that there is a finite limit on either gems or gold in the system. Source?
John Smith.
There is zero actual proof that there is a finite limit on either gems or gold in the system. Source?
John Smith.
Will Smith. A name doesn’t mean anything if you don’t back it up.
There is zero actual proof that there is a finite limit on either gems or gold in the system. Source?
John Smith.
He never said there was a finite amount….just an amount. So…….Source?
I am not looking to start a fire storm just get a base for people opinions and why they feel that way.
How would people feel if ANET removed all the skins from the gem store and added them into game?
Then added generic looking exotic sets of armor for 800 gem’s. They could leave out the trinkets and accessories.
Personally the more I think about this the more I am like why don’t they? When the game first launched it wouldn’t have made since sure exotics where hard to get. The average player now can get full exotics with in a day of hitting max level if not before. There is always the option now to get full exotics from the trade post with gold.
I really can’t think of a reason this is a bad idea special with the introduction of ascended armor. That way Anet can release more skins into the game giving us more options for customization.
With the looking for group tool, you can level from 35 to 80 doing AC exp and use the tokens for gear. There is no need to buy anything, unless you want diffrent statted gear.
So in short, your idea is flawed.
i5 4690K @ 3.5Mhz|8GB HyperX Savage 1600mHz|MSI H81M-E34|MSI GTX 960 Gaming 2GB|
|Seasonic S12G 650W|Win10 Pro X64| Corsair Spec 03 Case|
|Seasonic S12G 650W|Win10 Pro X64| Corsair Spec 03 Case|
There is zero actual proof that there is a finite limit on either gems or gold in the system. Source?
John Smith.
He never said there was a finite amount….just an amount. So…….Source?
John Smith.4610:
As a quick aside. Gems in the currency exchange are finite. You may buy gems with real money to your hearts content, but if you don’t put any of them gems into the currency exchange the currency exchange’s stock of gems never changes.
lol anyone who suggests that GW2 is pay to win, needs to go play a pay to win game:
Where you buy entry into dungeons, or for class unlocks, max gear, new classes.
or conversely if you do not pay you can’t gain xp, mounts, perks, post on forums, have a cool down on way-points etc.
Oh and sometimes you even pay a sub on top of all that.
This game really spoils people- so we have some skins in the gems store- wow, what a shocker.
What do you want them to sell in the store?
Don’t give me 80 gear with stats nonsense.
Gunnar’s Hold
In a way all the gem store items are in the game you just got to take gold from in game and convert them to gems. So its not so much that they items are in the gem store its that the gold to gem changes as more ppl put there gold into gems. Your problem is more with the other ppl moving the price of the items higher for you welcome to a free market economically.
Main : Jski Imaginary ELE (Necromancer)
Guild : OBEY (The Legacy) I call it Obay , TLC (WvW) , UNIV (other)
Server : FA
Guild : OBEY (The Legacy) I call it Obay , TLC (WvW) , UNIV (other)
Server : FA
There is zero actual proof that there is a finite limit on either gems or gold in the system. Source?
John Smith.
He never said there was a finite amount….just an amount. So…….Source?
John Smith.4610:
As a quick aside. Gems in the currency exchange are finite. You may buy gems with real money to your hearts content, but if you don’t put any of them gems into the currency exchange the currency exchange’s stock of gems never changes.
Thanks.