I don't know if this topic has been touched, but out of curiosity will there be something like the Steam Workshop in CoT? What this mean is people who are good with 3D rendering tools will create their own costume creations and post it on the Steam page of the game (TF2, Dota 2) Then the community will vote if they want that design after Valve reviews it (the first part is some what unoffical, but it does get the item exposure to be reviewed by Valve.) The actual steps is listed below
http://www.dota2.com/workshop/
Q: What are the steps to making an item?
A: Here are broad steps involved in making a 3D item:
1. Concept: Come up with a good idea in words. Trust us, this is the hardest part.
2. Design: Draw in 2D or 3D what it will actually look like.
3. Model: Using a 3D program, create the clean polygon model that will actually be in the game.
4. Pelt: Unwrap the 3D model like a bearskin rug (UVs) so you can texture map it.
5. Paint: Using your UVs as a guide, pick a color. Paint a color. Repeat.
6. Publish: Upload it to the steam workshop!
Q: How does the item publishing process work?
A: Like this:
1. You create an item that meets the submission requirements.
2. You publish your item to the Steam Workshop.
3. We review your item and potentially select it to be added to the game.
4. If selected we contact you then integrate the item into Dota 2.
5. We test your item.
6. We add it to the game and split the money your item generates in the Dota 2 store with you.
For compensation, you can have a portion of the money generated to the creator or some type of in game currency (or something like that person has exclusive rights to that costume for X amount of time then is release to be sold to the public).
I like this idea, but I am unfamiliar with Steam. If the devs could implement their own version of this without having to integrate it into a third party website or something, sounds good to me. Of course, people might be apt to complain about offensive things, which might get axed for that reason. You'd have to police that.
R.S.O. of Phoenix Rising
How much does Steam take from items sold?
75% of the earning. I don't know how taxes will work either in this case, but basically you give all IP to the Valve and as long your product is online, it will generate cash. 75% may seem alot but keep in mind, many of these sets made by the community sell for $5-20 dollars. There is a story where an Australian modder actually pulled in 6 figures making and selling his creations in the Workshop
http://www.pcgamer.com/2013/01/09/tales-from-the-steam-workshop-we-talk-to-modelers-making-six-figure-sums/
Guess he is a popular modder
Edit: Wrote 25% instead of 75%
There was an incident where a modder did steal from Aion art in Dota2
http://www.pcgamer.com/2012/08/10/dota-2-mace-axed-over-ip-infringement-quibble-24000-customers-offered-replacement/
After that happened they revoked the item and re did the art for something extremely shinny and over the top particle FX to compensate the people who bought the item. Money wise I don't know what happened, but Valve before allowing the item to be shown vets them. For the offensive things, like I posted, the community "brings it to Valve's attention by voting on it" then they will determine whether to put it in or not.
If CoT has its own in game store, they can cut the middle man. Also, I believe they want to minimize the credit cards transaction fees also for them (and you in a way). So, you pay $10 and it gets converted into Store Credits, and you can use it any way you like until it runs out. :)
If it helps, think of those times you had to use an ATM to get some cash. How much do you withdraw...
A) as little as possible
B) a hundred or more?
.. if the withdrawal fee is fixed at $3.50 for each withdrawal, irregardless of the amount you withdrew?
Valve owns the IP of both TF2 and DoTA 2 so they did cut out the middle man (Steam is a Valve servicing platform.) I think 75% is fair. People say you do the work and they get 75% of the credit how it that fair? It is due to the platform they allow you to use the Steam Store to generate that revenue you wouldn't have access to. It's like saying ok you can have more than 25% of the revenue, you just need to create your own game with lots of players, your own in game advertisement, pay for the servers to maintain, etc. For essentially just expressing your creativity then getting a cut for it without having to worry about any infrastructure, I think 25% is a more than fair.
From a business perspective, converting real money to in game money is probably more advantage than just allowing someone to use a credit card tied to the account to buy stuff. Primary reason is as you say, to limit the amount or transaction and just have "bulk" transaction at a given price. hell they can even incise people to buy more in game money by giving them a boost for higher in game purchase (just example numbers, 10 dollars gets 100 in game 20 gets 220 in game etc.) There is also a strange effect when people see they have some money left over, they want to buy something to try and burn it. This means they will need to buy another bulk instead of the exact amount. This is actually the model Valve uses with the Steam Wallet to limit the amount of transaction daily. (For in game trinkets, you still can use a credit card directly to buy games)