The business model - Taking cues and learning lessions from other F2Ps

[EngineerSam]

A few things:

 

First, very interesting reading.

 

EngineerSam - That's a brilliant idea, no matter whether or not it's a revenue stream!

 

Schwarzbart & XKrieg - I suspect that if we were to do a subscription model, it would be boosts, not carrying any locked content.

Thanks! Glad you liked it.

[Wellington99]

XKrieg - The gamble box had 10 items in it, and every time you opened it, the item you received was removed from the list. So, the maximum number of times you'd have to open is 10, and very likely less. I got that Ant Man costume.

 

/nerd off

 

Metis - I think it's timers you can buy off. I guess I don't feel like that's P2W, since timers are related to construction, research and travel- these seem like things you can equally validly wait for or purchase, and the end state is the same for everyone. But I play a lot of mobile games myself, so it seems kind of common to me.

 

I like the 'trading post' idea!

Kind of like Kancolle and the construction torches where you can spend one to complete a ship immediately or let it construct normally.

[XKrieg]

XKrieg - The gamble box had 10 items in it, and every time you opened it, the item you received was removed from the list. So, the maximum number of times you'd have to open is 10, and very likely less. I got that Ant Man costume.

 

Ah, I guess that's a bit better. Although I will still avoid RNG boxes. I know my own luck and it's really bad. >.<

[Metis]

Metis - I think it's timers you can buy off. I guess I don't feel like that's P2W, since timers are related to construction, research and travel- these seem like things you can equally validly wait for or purchase, and the end state is the same for everyone. But I play a lot of mobile games myself, so it seems kind of common to me.

 

I like the 'trading post' idea!

I'm a guy who gave up on consoles after the PS2/Gamecube era and never kept a mobile phone past the point where they could do more than, you know, call people. Like they were some kind of phone, only mobile. Hey, 'twas enough of a gimmick way back when. I'm still used to the days when a cheaty purchase was buying a strategy guide, because actual cheat codes didn't cost money. Standards sure sunk to the bottom of Davy Jones' Locker since then, it seems like.

 

The closest/only example in any game I remember playing thereof is, perhaps embarrassingly enough, Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky. There were two sets of special items for each mon and their respective evolutions that did things from giving something +2 Attack (negligible) to giving +2 Evasion stages during Clear weather (ninja Psyduck). Given that there's literally over three-four times as many 'mons in that game than there will be Belles in VB, you can imagine that getting a special item for your mon is less than likely, but there's a swap shop that allows you to swap 2-5 of them for one that the shop has in stock, depending on rarity.

 

I don't know what the deal will be with a Belles' Vestures, but a Kickstarter comment said this: It's not in the Updates, but you acquire [belles] by finding their Vestures. When you have a certain number, you can initiate a battle. If you win...the Belle joins you. I don't know if that means that Vestures are tied to specific Belles, but if so, I imagine that a swap shop would be very much necessary.

[XKrieg]

Swap post isn't really necessary though. Compare this to KanColle or Panzer Waltz, there everyone grind/farm for their own collection and there are no trading. The availability of trading could negatively affect the game:

 

- If drop rate is too high, it'll be too easy to get every belle.

- If drop rate is too low to offset the fact that we can trade it'll also be a nightmare.

[Metis]

I wasn't suggesting trading between players, for that exact reason in fact. I would suggest a swap post as a means to create a cut-off point for grinding, so that eventually you'll have enough to trade for what you want even if you never got a piece of it dropped.

[XKrieg]

Ah you mean swapping it as a feature in-game? and not with other players? if that's the case that's cool.

[Dano]

Technically Panzer Waltz does have a swap post, though it's only for very specific things.

[Legate of Mineta]

I haven't heard of any plans to make available swapping in that sense- I think Vestures are a little difficult to come by, and take some time to acquire. Diplomatic Channels can help with that, though.

 

Still, it's a fun idea for something- will send it along!

[XKrieg]

Technically Panzer Waltz does have a swap post, though it's only for very specific things.

 

You mean the depot where we can exchange 3 lower tier equip for 1 of a higher tier? or are there other swap post in that game that I miss >.<

 

Edit: or did you mean BWMG?

[Metis]

Ah you mean swapping it as a feature in-game? and not with other players? if that's the case that's cool.

Yep .

 

I haven't heard of any plans to make available swapping in that sense- I think Vestures are a little difficult to come by, and take some time to acquire. Diplomatic Channels can help with that, though.

 

Still, it's a fun idea for something- will send it along!

Lootboxes. Whatever they'll be used for, and there's definitely uses for them, they'll be significantly less frustrating when you'll always at least get something you can ultimately trade for the item you want. Say a 1:10 chance of getting lucky with the item you need instead of the trade fodder needed to swap for it. This in contrast to a 1:120+ chance of getting something or else nothing, if you're looking for an item for a specific Belle.

 

Incidentally, will there be a Belles compendium ingame with an info tab? If so, the info for Belles you haven't acquired yet is something you can definitely milk for drops/unlocks.

[Dano]

 

You mean the depot where we can exchange 3 lower tier equip for 1 of a higher tier? or are there other swap post in that game that I miss >.<

 

Edit: or did you mean BWMG?

I mean the ability to trade BWMG materials for research materials:

[FrozenAoD]

I never much minded the paying for convenience form of micro-transition, since it never really affects game play and it was always more of an optional kind of thing. Like when I play Panzer Waltz, I dont mind waiting 4-5 days for my HQ to build up. I mean the biggest thing with micro-transactions I believe as long as there are parallel paths to get Belles, equipment or resources speeding up the the ability to get the resources isnt too P2W.

 

Though for RNG I dont think that Belles should be gated off my RNG, but themes and other cosmetics items arent a bad idea if a RNG system is put into place.

[Legate of Mineta]

Metis;

 

Yeah, there's a gallery page, with all your unlocks.

 

Dano;

 

Understood- will show this screen to the them.

 

FrozenAoD;

 

Yep: no Belles or their Stories are gated. You can earn and play them all in game. We think that's really important, actually....having played Avengers Academy.

[XKrieg]

I mean the ability to trade BWMG materials for research materials:

Oh, that. Yeah, that one I have no problem with. In fact I really don't have any qualms with Panzer Waltz's business model.

[FrozenAoD]

Oh, that. Yeah, that one I have no problem with. In fact I really don't have any qualms with Panzer Waltz's business model.

XKrieg- I have to agree with you on this one, its one of the rare mobile games I still managed to play consistently. As well as the fact that I dont mind paying for M-Supply from time to time just to support the company.

[XKrieg]

They give out so much that I actually question whether they actually make money or not. Much respect to the Panzer Waltz team. Interesting tidbit: their twitter account(PanzerWaltz) actually follows BCSGames' twitter. Perhaps someone in their dev team help backed VB?

[Legate of Mineta]

Do they really? I didn't know that!

We should probably follow them back.

[Metis]

Like when I play Panzer Waltz, I dont mind waiting 4-5 days for my HQ to build up.

That gives a whole new meaning to the phrase "playing the waiting game". Yikes. The most I've ever waited for a game that I can remember is 2-5 minutes, because an old man demand that I stare blankly at him for that long before nodding my head at his old man speech. In fact, come to think of it, in a lot of instances where there's forced waiting periods in games I find a way to cheat past it. PMD: EoS, in fact? I made myself an Instantly Hatch Eggs cheat, so I didn't have to mess with the Dojo until enough days "passed".

 

Now I'm not sure if this mobile market is entirely off it's rockers or if I'm just impatient. I guess at least a bit of both?

[Legate of Mineta]

Metis;

 

It's really a different experience- you need a lot of patience to play these games, that's for sure. Not like focused experiences that you have PC.

[XKrieg]

These mobile games for me are games to play when you have some spare time. And by spare time I mean like lunch break or even toilet break. You don't need to dedicate hours per day to progress but of course you can't progress like you would in a dedicated full-time game. There are of course exceptions.

 

And of course you can dedicate more time to progress faster, but it is by design a slower paced gaming experience compared to the standard gaming experience as it should act as a side dish and not the main dish.

[Metis]

I suppose it's a difficult concept to grasp for someone who got out of the cellphone market before they were advanced enough to play Tic-Tac-Toe.

[FrozenAoD]

These mobile games for me are games to play when you have some spare time. And by spare time I mean like lunch break or even toilet break. You don't need to dedicate hours per day to progress but of course you can't progress like you would in a dedicated full-time game. There are of course exceptions.

 

And of course you can dedicate more time to progress faster, but it is by design a slower paced gaming experience compared to the standard gaming experience as it should act as a side dish and not the main dish.

Exactly, mobile games are really nice for the fact that when I have school work or full time work I dont have to dedicate the full time or attention that a full game would require. The easiest way to describe it is as a time killer?

[Dano]

Dano;

 

Understood- will show this screen to the them.

 

Well, if you're going to do that I should probably explain what the different items do:

Fate Pin = marriage ring, allows you to level up a 1 or 2 star tank girl(or metal maidens, as the game calls them) so she's as strong as a 3 star one

Dogtags = collecting them will allow you to develop tanks that were originally released during events

Wreck/Secret Plan/Processor/Test Doll = allows you to research technology (better ammo, chassis, armour, and engines) and new metal maidens

Codon - also needed for research along with upgrading metal maidens

Food = used to level up metal maidens

And the items you're trading in for them are IRID, TRIT and DEXT, which is used for crafting equipment and metal maidens.

 

(I think I got all that right, the other PW players here can chime in if I got anything wrong)

[Legate of Mineta]

Test Doll!

 

Thanks for the explanation, though.