Guild Wars 2

Pretty much anything that has some effect to it cost an arm and a leg .. i don’t know about everyone else but man .. i sometimes just keep wondering .. why so expensive! lol.

for example: Eir’s Legacy Longbow cost a whooping 600 gems!, that’s some 184 gold easily! è_è and that’s one item. how many hours do one have to play to be in shape to get this one item?!

Not a lot if you do Fractals regularly.

Vesuvius.9874:

Not a lot if you do Fractals regularly.

Oh, i haven’t it done it before. i suppose it’s not that “easy peasy and can’t be done playing with anyone” type of dungeon is it?

imadous.7094:

Vesuvius.9874:

Not a lot if you do Fractals regularly.

Oh, i haven’t it done it before. i suppose it’s not that “easy peasy and can’t be done playing with anyone” type of dungeon is it?

There’s a level 40 farm in fractals that yield like 30G/hr. You’ll have to be one of a couple classes to do it efficiently but there are other groups that aren’t as strict.

Alternatively, 184 gems is $2.30. While $2.30 is expensive to some, its the price of a cup of coffee to others.

Edit: misread OP

Ayrilana.1396:

imadous.7094:

Vesuvius.9874:

Not a lot if you do Fractals regularly.

Oh, i haven’t it done it before. i suppose it’s not that “easy peasy and can’t be done playing with anyone” type of dungeon is it?

There’s a level 40 farm in fractals that yield like 30G/hr. You’ll have to be one of a couple classes to do it efficiently but there are other groups that aren’t as strict.

30G/hr!! holy smock! i must’ve been living under a rock! i’ll check it out and see how it goes! Thanks!

Just a flesh wound.3589:

Alternatively, 184 gems is $2.30. While $2.30 is expensive to some, its the price of a cup of coffee to others.

Edit: misread OP

Pretty sure last time i checked 800 gems cost $10.

imadous.7094:

Just a flesh wound.3589:

Alternatively, 184 gems is $2.30. While $2.30 is expensive to some, its the price of a cup of coffee to others.

Edit: misread OP

Pretty sure last time i checked 800 gems cost $10.

800 gems = 10 $
182 gems = x

x = 2.3 $

Cyninja.2954:

imadous.7094:

Just a flesh wound.3589:

Alternatively, 184 gems is $2.30. While $2.30 is expensive to some, its the price of a cup of coffee to others.

Edit: misread OP

Pretty sure last time i checked 800 gems cost $10.

800 gems = 10 $
182 gems = x

x = 2.3 $

yeah, i just don’t know why he mentioned 182 gems, 182 gems buys nothing in gw2 .. nothing at all.

imadous.7094:

Cyninja.2954:

imadous.7094:

Just a flesh wound.3589:

Alternatively, 184 gems is $2.30. While $2.30 is expensive to some, its the price of a cup of coffee to others.

Edit: misread OP

Pretty sure last time i checked 800 gems cost $10.

800 gems = 10 $
182 gems = x

x = 2.3 $

yeah, i just don’t know why he mentioned 182 gems, 182 gems buys nothing in gw2 .. nothing at all.

Like I said. Misread OP.

/sigh.

imadous.7094:

Ayrilana.1396:

imadous.7094:

Vesuvius.9874:

Not a lot if you do Fractals regularly.

Oh, i haven’t it done it before. i suppose it’s not that “easy peasy and can’t be done playing with anyone” type of dungeon is it?

There’s a level 40 farm in fractals that yield like 30G/hr. You’ll have to be one of a couple classes to do it efficiently but there are other groups that aren’t as strict.

30G/hr!! holy smock! i must’ve been living under a rock! i’ll check it out and see how it goes! Thanks!

https://www.reddit.com/r/Guildwars2/comments/5s88hd/written_guide_to_fractal_40_farm_up_to_3540g_an/

Even so if 800 gems are $10 that makes Eir’s Legacy Longbow $7.50 and I suspect that’s how Anet usually work out prices for gem store items.

Admittedly that also seems expensive to me for 1 weapon skin, even one with flashy effects. No it’s not a lot of money, but if I have the choice between spending that on a longbow skin which IMO isn’t better than ones I can get in-game for free or spending it on pretty much anything else I’m going to pick something else.

I actually don’t think its all that expensive considering almost all income for Anet right now comes from gem store sales. Would it be nice if stuff were cheaper? Hell yes, I would love it. At the same time, for a game that supports itself entirely through its gem store sales in between expansions, I think the prices are actually pretty fair for most of the items there.

OriOri.8724:

I actually don’t think its all that expensive considering almost all income for Anet right now comes from gem store sales. Would it be nice if stuff were cheaper? Hell yes, I would love it. At the same time, for a game that supports itself entirely through its gem store sales in between expansions, I think the prices are actually pretty fair for most of the items there.

Oh yeah, overall I think the real money prices are reasonable. It’s just that a lot of the gem store stuff is purely cosmetic and that makes its worth highly subjective. Every so often I see things where I almost don’t care what the price is (within reason) because I’m going to buy it anyway. But there’s other things I’d probably never use, even if I unlocked them while playing and sometimes they seem disproportionately expensive to me, but it may be purely because I don’t like them.

Also overall I like that the gem store is almost entirely cosmetic because it means no one needs to buy anything they don’t want. It seems contradictory but I prefer spending money when I know I don’t need to, because it seems more like it’s my choice.

The amount of gold required to purchase gems being high works in ANet’s favor.

• With a higher rate, players purchasing gems to exchange for gold get more gold for their money.
• Thus, a a higher conversion rate makes it more likely that such players will want to spend real money to get gold.
• A higher conversion rate also makes it less cost effective for gold sellers to compete with ANet.
• When you couple higher conversion rates with short-term item availability and short-term sales, it’s more likely players will decide to spend real money to get item X, because they don’t have enough gold and are unlikely to get enough gold to convert before the short-term window ends. Even if players do farm the gold, the increase in gold put into the gold-to-gems exchange makes the rate go up, which again makes buying gems to convert to gold more attractive.

ANet is running a business which depends on gem sales to fund ongoing operations. They are not motivated to make it easier for players to get the gem-store items they want with less gold.

imadous.7094:

Pretty much anything that has some effect to it cost an arm and a leg .. i don’t know about everyone else but man .. i sometimes just keep wondering .. why so expensive! lol.

for example: Eir’s Legacy Longbow cost a whooping 600 gems!, that’s some 184 gold easily! è_è and that’s one item. how many hours do one have to play to be in shape to get this one item?!

u should play black desert ^^

Let’s be honest, Gw2 totally takes the grind for gear and turns it into a grind for cosmetic. Good or Bad it’s the only reward we got. In my opinion, it is bad. Economics in this game so important I betcha a typical player would never get anything done in the game without the market. Bad design that could be fixed if unique skins had separate unique ways of earning them and had achievement titles mixed with them. How cool would it be to earn the sword Infinite light through a collection and add it permanently to your celestial or hellfire armor sets to pull and be put on any skin you want from achievements! I think it’s dumb some credit card pro swiper could come out more glossy and shiny than a 5yr veteran who spends 90% of their time in the game with their friends.

Muy.3170:

Let’s be honest, Gw2 totally takes the grind for gear and turns it into a grind for cosmetic. Good or Bad it’s the only reward we got. In my opinion, it is bad. Economics in this game so important I betcha a typical player would never get anything done in the game without the market. Bad design that could be fixed if unique skins had separate unique ways of earning them and had achievement titles mixed with them. How cool would it be to earn the sword Infinite light through a collection and add it permanently to your celestial or hellfire armor sets to pull and be put on any skin you want from achievements! I think it’s dumb some credit card pro swiper could come out more glossy and shiny than a 5yr veteran who spends 90% of their time in the game with their friends.

While yes this game is a huge grind for cosmetics the overbearing prices are due to massive inflation of the game being out 4 years and change. On top of that there are large amounts of money producers but no actual money sinks.

Part of the reason most MMOs have repair systems, minor upgrade costs and the like is the help regulate the economy. This game needs almost nothing once you’re geared on top of that there is no gear tredmill so once you’re geared you will produce money and not have any legitimate reason to spend it on anything but cosmetics and maybe food?

The bow cost 600 gems which is either $7.50 or around 175 gold (at the time I write this on the custom exchange). The thing is ANet doesn’t care what the gold cost is, only the hard currency price.

Muy.3170:

Let’s be honest, Gw2 totally takes the grind for gear and turns it into a grind for cosmetic. Good or Bad it’s the only reward we got. In my opinion, it is bad. Economics in this game so important I betcha a typical player would never get anything done in the game without the market. Bad design that could be fixed if unique skins had separate unique ways of earning them and had achievement titles mixed with them. How cool would it be to earn the sword Infinite light through a collection and add it permanently to your celestial or hellfire armor sets to pull and be put on any skin you want from achievements! I think it’s dumb some credit card pro swiper could come out more glossy and shiny than a 5yr veteran who spends 90% of their time in the game with their friends.

True but i dought it felt as good or had as much fun getting there than the 5 y veteran. In my year of making a kittentone of expensive stuff by doing the content with my friends i had way more fun than any credit card could ever buy me. And in the end since the endgame focus of gw2 is cosmetics it doesnt hurt anyone since money wont make you a better player. It sure can buy you prestigious stuff but it wont buy you the skills to prove it if needed or the fun and the satisfaction someone who did it legit got.

Muy.3170:

Let’s be honest, Gw2 totally takes the grind for gear and turns it into a grind for cosmetic. Good or Bad it’s the only reward we got. In my opinion, it is bad. Economics in this game so important I betcha a typical player would never get anything done in the game without the market. Bad design that could be fixed if unique skins had separate unique ways of earning them and had achievement titles mixed with them. How cool would it be to earn the sword Infinite light through a collection and add it permanently to your celestial or hellfire armor sets to pull and be put on any skin you want from achievements! I think it’s dumb some credit card pro swiper could come out more glossy and shiny than a 5yr veteran who spends 90% of their time in the game with their friends.

Vet here since 3 day early release and I have to seriously counter what you have said here.

Early on in the game I would spend real money to buy things that I felt I needed/wanted. Such as extra char slots, max out all bag slots for those chars, endless tools, and maybe the odd skin here and there. At the time I had no issues spending that cash as I thought/felt that I was supporting the game as well as giving me some nice convenient items to help me play the game.

Fast forward to today and I don’t need to spend any REAL money in game any more. No I don’t farm in any traditional way. Heck I don’t even play much anymore. It’s just fact that when I do play I make gold without trying. So if I see something new I like I can usually transfer gold for the gems I need. Actually I am somewhat smarter than that now. I save my gold and when I reach a certain amount I check the gold to gem rate, if it is lower than 100 gold for 400 gems I will make the trade and save them for when I need them. I have also got a fair few from Achievement chests too.

My point is, real vet’s get to the point you don’t need anything from the gem store anymore or if a glossy new skin that is worth it does come along you can usually cover that with what you have. I am sure there are many players like me.

So to counter your argument this game is “grind for cosmetic”. I would say only if you make it so. That or you don’t play a heck of a lot or as much as you may think you do. That or you may waste your time standing around chatting (in a city) or doing things that are not productive at all in anyway shape or form. Again I say that I don’t FARM to make money so no I am not saying you should be either. There are many variables to this game however with how one can spend their time (possibly waste it) ,but there are also plenty of ways to make cash while having fun as well. So who knows how you play differently to me or others…

Okay back on point now, this game needs players that buy gems with real money. Vets need these players to keep the game running if we do stop purchasing things with real money ourselves. I don’t know why you have issue with players who spend real money for skins. It is far better than anything similar to “pay to win” or a subscription model.

Muy.3170:

Let’s be honest, Gw2 totally takes the grind for gear and turns it into a grind for cosmetic. Good or Bad it’s the only reward we got. In my opinion, it is bad. Economics in this game so important I betcha a typical player would never get anything done in the game without the market. Bad design that could be fixed if unique skins had separate unique ways of earning them and had achievement titles mixed with them. How cool would it be to earn the sword Infinite light through a collection and add it permanently to your celestial or hellfire armor sets to pull and be put on any skin you want from achievements! I think it’s dumb some credit card pro swiper could come out more glossy and shiny than a 5yr veteran who spends 90% of their time in the game with their friends.

If you want skins which can’t be bought there are plenty to choose from. All of the dungeon armour and weapons for a start, the Mistward set, Carapace and Luminescent (which requires a lot of achievements to get), the new weapon sets added in HoT and I’m sure there’s lots more I’m forgetting.

Paulytnz.7619:

Muy.3170:

Let’s be honest, Gw2 totally takes the grind for gear and turns it into a grind for cosmetic. Good or Bad it’s the only reward we got. In my opinion, it is bad. Economics in this game so important I betcha a typical player would never get anything done in the game without the market. Bad design that could be fixed if unique skins had separate unique ways of earning them and had achievement titles mixed with them. How cool would it be to earn the sword Infinite light through a collection and add it permanently to your celestial or hellfire armor sets to pull and be put on any skin you want from achievements! I think it’s dumb some credit card pro swiper could come out more glossy and shiny than a 5yr veteran who spends 90% of their time in the game with their friends.

Vet here since 3 day early release and I have to seriously counter what you have said here.

Early on in the game I would spend real money to buy things that I felt I needed/wanted. Such as extra char slots, max out all bag slots for those chars, endless tools, and maybe the odd skin here and there. At the time I had no issues spending that cash as I thought/felt that I was supporting the game as well as giving me some nice convenient items to help me play the game.

Fast forward to today and I don’t need to spend any REAL money in game any more. No I don’t farm in any traditional way. Heck I don’t even play much anymore. It’s just fact that when I do play I make gold without trying. So if I see something new I like I can usually transfer gold for the gems I need. Actually I am somewhat smarter than that now. I save my gold and when I reach a certain amount I check the gold to gem rate, if it is lower than 100 gold for 400 gems I will make the trade and save them for when I need them. I have also got a fair few from Achievement chests too.

My point is, real vet’s get to the point you don’t need anything from the gem store anymore or if a glossy new skin that is worth it does come along you can usually cover that with what you have. I am sure there are many players like me.

So to counter your argument this game is “grind for cosmetic”. I would say only if you make it so. That or you don’t play a heck of a lot or as much as you may think you do. That or you may waste your time standing around chatting (in a city) or doing things that are not productive at all in anyway shape or form. Again I say that I don’t FARM to make money so no I am not saying you should be either. There are many variables to this game however with how one can spend their time (possibly waste it) ,but there are also plenty of ways to make cash while having fun as well. So who knows how you play differently to me or others…

Okay back on point now, this game needs players that buy gems with real money. Vets need these players to keep the game running if we do stop purchasing things with real money ourselves. I don’t know why you have issue with players who spend real money for skins. It is far better than anything similar to “pay to win” or a subscription model.

Similar situation to you – I haven’t spent real money since year 1 besides HoT.

The problem that really drives lack of my own spending (I’m lucky that I could but don’t need to) is directly correlated to lack of new content. If content was coming in super fast (like it was year 1), there isn’t enough time to do that new released content with your play time and also farm the gold (or get through trading post) for every new shiny. If the content is all raids or all fractals or all PvP, that also pushes people (especially newcomers) to skip that content too and they focus on gold generation/fun activities.

The GW2 gemstore model works as long as the gas pedal keeps being pushed on new content everywhere and that model would work even for veterans.

zealex.9410:

imadous.7094:

Pretty much anything that has some effect to it cost an arm and a leg .. i don’t know about everyone else but man .. i sometimes just keep wondering .. why so expensive! lol.

for example: Eir’s Legacy Longbow cost a whooping 600 gems!, that’s some 184 gold easily! è_è and that’s one item. how many hours do one have to play to be in shape to get this one item?!

u should play black desert ^^

25 euro for a soulbounded outfit yah.

zealex.9410:

imadous.7094:

Pretty much anything that has some effect to it cost an arm and a leg .. i don’t know about everyone else but man .. i sometimes just keep wondering .. why so expensive! lol.

for example: Eir’s Legacy Longbow cost a whooping 600 gems!, that’s some 184 gold easily! è_è and that’s one item. how many hours do one have to play to be in shape to get this one item?!

u should play black desert ^^

u should play Chinese version of any MMO!

Since I play black desert right now, I’ve come to know exactly how expensive a cash shop can get. It really stinks!

Offair.2563:

zealex.9410:

imadous.7094:

Pretty much anything that has some effect to it cost an arm and a leg .. i don’t know about everyone else but man .. i sometimes just keep wondering .. why so expensive! lol.

for example: Eir’s Legacy Longbow cost a whooping 600 gems!, that’s some 184 gold easily! è_è and that’s one item. how many hours do one have to play to be in shape to get this one item?!

u should play black desert ^^

25 euro for a soulbounded outfit yah.

Yeah, it is about $40 canadian for one of those outfit/weapon sets. And it is just for one character.