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Monetary Model

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Thelesis
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Joined: 01/17/2014 - 22:22
Monetary Model

I didn't know where else to put this as this isn't necessarily an in-game suggestion, but rather an overarching monetary model that I feel represents a system that has proven its efficiency while a "freemium" model has never really seemed to match results.

Free-to-Play with Micro-Transaction

The model starts out with one core rule--Anything that affects gameplay in any way that would grant a distinct advantage and not just a matter of convenience must be available for purchase with in-game currency as well as real world currency.

Using this model, there would be 3 currencies in the game. I will use working names just as examples:

Titan Points - Points purchased with real world currency. These are used in the Store to purchase items quicker or to purchase purely cosmetic or "quality of life"-improving items such as costume pieces or non-essential powers (Summon Team would be an example as it is convenient but non-essential and could be turned off in PvP areas to prevent complete ambushes). These points are account-wide and cannot be traded between players as trading would allow balance issues. These points could be gifted from one player to another.

Fame - Points earned from competing missions or any other measurable feat. These are used in the Store to purchase any non-cosmetic items, such as power sets or enhancements. These points are account-wide and cannot be traded between players as trading would allow balance issues. Fame Boosts could be purchased with Titan Points and Fame Boosts could be gifted from one player to another.

Credits - Points that are used as the actual in-game currency that is used on the in-game market as well as NPC vendors for in-game items such as crafting components or crafted items. These allow you to have an in-game trading system without threatening the balance of Titan Points and Fame.

The importance of this system is to build a large, loyal community. Knowing that you can experience an entire game for free generates loyalty and appreciation. A larger community means more players likely to purchase the occasional Titan Points pack.

My source I use this knowledge from is the popular game League of Legends. While it is a different genre of game, there is no denying the profitability, especially since it is a game where the entirety of the game can be experienced for free. After all, the prize for winning the Season Three championship in League of Legends was $1,000,000. Not a bad offer for a free-to-play game. And all that you have to do is play the game and you are rewarded. This also builds loyalty because the longer you play the game, the more invested you are and people hate letting go of a time investment. Think about when City shut down. People weren't bummed about the loss of money that they had contributed. They were bummed about the loss of all of the hard work they put into it.

One commitment to the profitability of this system is constantly adding new content. Not necessarily end-game content, but content exclusive to the rules of Titan Points. League of Legends puts out new skins for their champions on a regular basis. The clear analogy here is costume pieces/sets. If you keep releasing new costumes, people will find new and creative ways to use them and will purchase them.

As a clear example of the system, here is a list of items and what currencies they would be used to purchase them. As I am unfamiliar with how exactly City of Titans will be set up, I will use stock examples:

- Costume pieces (and costume bundles at a discount for the whole bundle) - Titan Points

- Power set - Titan Points or Fame

- New classes when released - Titan Points or Fame

- Social Powers (powers for quality of life improvements such as Summon Team or special effects powers) - Titan Points

- Fame or XP Boosts - Titan Points

- Emotes - Titan Points

- Enhancements - Fame or Credits if crafted by another player (The analogy to Runes in League of Legends. These are so game-changing that allowing people to purchase them with Titan Points offers a distinct advantage)

- Paint palettes for costumes - Titan Points (The base version would have a standard paint palette but for finer nuanced colors they would purchase. This example was taken from Warframe.)

- New Power Customization Effects (i.e. Allowing Water Blast effects look like lava and be colored as such) - Titan Points

Regular sales and bundles are important to the system. Bundling Water Blast with the lava effect for a discount would lead to more sales. Putting costume pieces or sets on sale would encourage sales as well and would likely lead people who wouldn't normally purchase it to spend the money.

There's also the option of in-game advertising from advertisers. Since it takes place in a city, billboards could have real world advertisers placed on them. Pretty self-explanatory but much better than putting advertisements in loading screens.

I realize the monetary model is already in place and isn't likely to change, but I would feel terrible if I didn't at least try to contribute and help when I believe I could. I just thought I'd throw it out there.

oOStaticOo
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This has already been hashed

This has already been hashed over and is currently still somewhat under talks, but so far a Red Name has come forth and already said this will be a Hybrid Model with Subscriptions and Free to Play with Micro-Transactions.

I got chills! They're multiplyin'. And I'm losin' control. Cuz the power, I'm supplyin'. Why it's ELECTRIFYIN'!!

Gangrel
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oOStaticOo wrote:
oOStaticOo wrote:

This has already been hashed over and is currently still somewhat under talks, but so far a Red Name has come forth and already said this will be a Hybrid Model with Subscriptions and Free to Play with Micro-Transactions.

Hybrid is "F2P with optional subscription". However, F2P at least has the general impression that there would be no initial outlay for the game.

I have always been under the impression that it was going to be "Buy to Play with optional subscription fee" (Similar to The Secret World model). So this would mean that you would have to *buy* the game initially, and then you choose to subscribe or not (subscription right now gives some unknown benefits compared to not subscribing). They have also said that they plan to have a cash store as well (similar to the Paragon Market, C-Store in Champions Online etc etc)aa

At least that is what I got from the Kickstarter.

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Mystik Hippie
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With that being said, here

With that being said, here are what I think the benefits of being a sub vs F2P should be (if any of this has been previously covered, I do apologize):

1) More options for costume sets. You pay, you get 100-200 more options than if you were F2P. And then have "premium sets" in a C-Store for purchase only, but discounted to subs. This worked for CO. And while I subbed and did get some sets for free, I DID also buy off the C-Store for those unquie pieces that would make my concept be exactly how I imagined.

2) More options for archetypes & power sets. F2P should be limited. Let's say there are a total of 12 archetypes, F2P would have access to 6-8 of them, and the others reserved for subs only. To go even further on this, and to base off the CO model...if you sub, you can mix & match your power set from any of the archetypes. If you're F2P, pick an archetype and select from the powers in that type's tree ONLY. So, if you sub...your toon can have BOTH fire and ice power, but F2P is one or the other. And any new archetypes released with expansions/DLC, would only be obtainable through subscriptions, or purchasing the DLC.

3) Limits on cash & broker house. In the DCUO model, unless you sub, the amount of cash you can accumulate is limited. As well as broker house slots. For a F2P, there should be a cap of 5-10K on the amount of cash your toon can have. This also solves the broker house issues...if you put an item for sale in the house, it's going to have a fee. If the fee is more than the cash your toon has, then you'll have to sell for a lower cost. One of the things that I liked the most about CoH, was the crafting & selling. And I didn't charge outrages prices...and I bought from the house as much as I sold, so I kept the money flowing in game. F2P should also have a limited number of broker house slots in which to sell items.

4) Expansions/DLC...ALL content assoicated with updates and expansions (powers, archetypes, costumes, new crafting options, base items) would be given to subs, and placed in the C-Store for purchase by F2P.

5) Supergroups/Guilds free to create by subs, unlimited number of memebers. Tokens can be bought by F2P to form SGs with a limit on members...with increase in SG memebers available through the purchase of more tokens.

6) Bases...every player, whether F2P or sub needs to have a place to retreat. So bases personal or SG) should be given to all with these limitations: Subs get the option to design their bases...room placement & size, more theme options, wider selection of textures,and more ptions for color scheme. F2P would get to choose from a stock set of bases that cannot be altered except for basic colors, textures and themes. As for base items...both F2P and subs would have the same stock items, but subs would get more variations of the items, as well as additonal items not available for F2P.

7) Custom emblems/costumes made through crafting. Subs get in-game editors & tools to design. F2P, craft items with pre-set margins & options and a smaller catalouge for crafting blueprints.

8) If CoT goes with the "secret identity" option...then have more "day job" options available for subs.

9) If CoT includes the "create your own adventure" option, this should be a sub only perk. Anyone can play user-created content, but only subs can create said content.

10) PLENTY of solo content. Which is what DCUO lacks...after level 30, the majority of content is for DUOs or RAIDS. I mostly play solo, unless I find a unique and good SG to join.

11) DEDICATED SERVER FOR SUBS ONLY.

Segev
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You can find much longer

You can find much longer conversations on this in "the Game Store" subforum. I do appreciate the ideas for what subscriptions should get you. Knowing what our customers want helps immensely with providing it!

That said, I do not think we are likely to have a "subber-only" server. We might, but the issues with such things tend to outweigh the benefits. It creates a "stratified society" and splits the player base in a way that can lead to a sense of "ghost towns" on one hand and a lack of paying players on the "Free" servers on the other. The first is a problem because it makes the game look dead, and the second is a problem because - frankly - having paying customers next to freemium ones tends to serve as the best advertisement to get freemium players to start helping support the game. They see things they want in use by others, and thus are enticed to throw a little money at it.

I do expect we'll be taking great pains to keep spammers and such under control, if that's your concern over wanting a separate server, though. Whitelists and blacklists for your chat experience are planned, so you can control who talks to you.

If you have other concerns you believe a dedicated subscription server would resolve, I am interested in hearing them; maybe we can find a good solution.

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