How MC should do things.(Please read MC)

[mr cars 1]

Ok, this is my Idea for PO: MC should make PO free, but charge a small fee for each content pack, which can be used in SP and PO. That way, everyone gets the online experience, and more people will be able to enjoy online play, and afford content packs.

[Rakeesh 0]

And then the servers go to crap because the fees don't cover their tip-top operation so the service becomes lax. Or the packs become much more expensive then a simple monthly fee (under 10$ subbed) because they can't factor in any steady income into their business plans.

Your suggestion benefits only the solo players, not those playing PO and isn't a solid business plan. Sorry. :\

[thecross21 3]

I agree Rakeesh. I don't think the Planet Option should be free... but they should allow the content packs for solo player for like $4.99US (just a random suggestion). Keep the GEM's cheaper for the Planet mode, just like what is previously mentioned on the Cities XL website. I think if MC would allow the content packs for solo players the complainers would be pleased and we wouldn't have nonstop complaining here on Simtropolis.

[pete1061 0]

They should just dump the PO all together. It's not really worth it.

City sims really aren't multi player. Also too much development energy is wasted on online features detracting from improving the core game.

[soltangris 42]

I disagree. The fact that no city-builder has pushed into online gaming so far doesn't mean it could never happen. For me PO trading is great fun and exactly the type of interaction that we needed. Not to mention that it's just a beginning to build upon. Other interactions are possible, like the competitions they promise.

And yes, I don't think PO should be free. I agree, however, that content packs should be available for purchase outside the PO. Those with new core features (mass transit) could cost more, those adding content, like $5.

[Sainty 0]

Eh. People that cant afford a small month fee can play those text based city building games instead. Internet is full of options already.

[ThisIsSka 0]

The PO is very cheap compared to other graphical online games you have to pay to play. At least there is the option not to subscribe if the online trading and city exploration is not your thing.

[mr cars 1]

Another Idea is to have a basic free PO, where you pay for content packs, and a PO where the content packs are included and there's extra features. Both types of PO player will still be able to trade though.

[Ocram's Razr 963]

I think that the current system is optimal. Before they adjust prices, they should fix a few more bugs (and the memory leak).

[site400 12]

I think MC should leave it just the way it is...if it was free, all the free-loaders would clog up the chat window complaining about mass transit, missing charts, graphs and statistics, etc.

Complainers can keep buying their bottled water, satellite radio, cable television and text messaging, while at the same time complaining about how "unbelievable" it is that they have to pay a monthly fee to play a game...welcome to a brave new world!

[USA_Pride 49]

Originally posted by: site400Complainers can keep buying their bottled water, satellite radio, cable television and text messaging, while at the same time complaining about how "unbelievable" it is that they have to pay a monthly fee to play a game...welcome to a brave new world!quote>

But what have you got for your monthly fee?  CXL has been out for a couple months and all I've seen is a couple handful of buildings and some patch fixes that should have been in the game at launch.  The Simtropolis community would be more than happy to make this content for free.

Many people are stuck in the situation I'm in, I love city games, but there's no way that I'm going to pay $40 for a game and then pay a recurring monthly fee to continue playing the game I bought.

Also, if you don't subscribe you're rather limited in what you can do in Solo Mode, because your only trading partner is an unfair Omnicorp.  So you paid $40 for a game that is purposely gimped so that your forced to pay a monthly subscription to make full use of the game you already supposedly own.

I know it's really easy to attack people who are critical of the game, call them whiners, and then make the assumption we all buy bottled water therefore our opinions shouldn't be counted, but perhaps you should discuss the actual topic than attack other posters.

[gyzzzmo 0]

Its rediculous having to pay for A) the game itself, B) for PO and C) GEMs alltogether. MC should have chosen to either charge people for the game+GEM, or Game+PO. Charging people for all 3 makes this game expensive, i dont know any game that does this.

[soltangris 42]

But what have you got for your monthly fee? 

We've got trading. We've got community that could act together. Competitions (yet to come). Interaction with LIVE people. This is much more realistic than planning and building a whole region on your own. And if you actually start to think of it, this is so huge an advantage that it's worth the PO even without the other carrots MC is holding in front of our noses.

Why don't you admit that what you really don't like is the monthly subscription? That you're one of the guys that think city-building is a solitary exercise? That you shouldn't pay anything beyond the initial price?

When are you gonna realise that this is a different game than SC4? It's not likely that your moaning (if you prefer to whining) is gonna make MC drop the MMO concept, they might adjust it but at the end there's gonna be a monthly fee as there is now.

If you don't wanna pay, just go back to SC4. And don't tell me what are MC supposed to do and what do people expect and all that crap? - they've decided to try out this concept and if it fails, they fail as a company, period.

By the way I'm seeing a lot of new people on the PO, that is, people that weren't city-builders before. They enjoy the experience and they don't have prejudices against what should there be and what is and how things are and so on.

[littlesquare.dot 0]

Originally posted by: USA_Pride

Also, if you don't subscribe you're rather limited in what you can do in Solo Mode, because your only trading partner is an unfair Omnicorp.  So you paid $40 for a game that is purposely gimped so that your forced to pay a monthly subscription to make full use of the game you already supposedly own.

I know it's really easy to attack people who are critical of the game, call them whiners, and then make the assumption we all buy bottled water therefore our opinions shouldn't be counted, but perhaps you should discuss the actual topic than attack other posters.quote>

Yeah, I've received angry private messages from fan-girls/boys for complaining about certain aspects of the game, as though any sort of negativity towards MC and CXL is somehow invalid and awful.

Simple fact: the single player game is limited in an attempt to get us to subscribe to PO, full stop.  

Restricting special buildings, mass transit etc. is one thing, and we can't really complain about much beyond broken promises in this regard, although the plethora of broken promises are a HUGE issue for me, but placing such drastic limitations on the fundamental aspects of the game, ie:  trading exclusively with an unfair monopoly in a game in which trading is an absolute requirement, is clearly a dirty pressure tactic.  Anyone who disagrees with this is woefully ignorant.

[USA_Pride 49]

Originally posted by: soltangris

But what have you got for your monthly fee? 

We've got trading. We've got community that could act together. Competitions (yet to come). Interaction with LIVE people. This is much more realistic than planning and building a whole region on your own. And if you actually start to think of it, this is so huge an advantage that it's worth the PO even without the other carrots MC is holding in front of our noses.

Why don't you admit that what you really don't like is the monthly subscription? That you're one of the guys that think city-building is a solitary exercise? That you shouldn't pay anything beyond the initial price?

When are you gonna realise that this is a different game than SC4? It's not likely that your moaning (if you prefer to whining) is gonna make MC drop the MMO concept, they might adjust it but at the end there's gonna be a monthly fee as there is now.

If you don't wanna pay, just go back to SC4. And don't tell me what are MC supposed to do and what do people expect and all that crap? - they've decided to try out this concept and if it fails, they fail as a company, period.

By the way I'm seeing a lot of new people on the PO, that is, people that weren't city-builders before. They enjoy the experience and they don't have prejudices against what should there be and what is and how things are and so on.quote>

Once again, stop attacking the people and instead debate the subject at hand.

LittleSquare.dot,

I have also recieved angry PMs from people in support of the game that feel that any negative talk about the game is bad.

This is the forum where Monte Cristo is going to be looking for feedback.  They need to know that they are losing some of the fanbase because of the pricing model.

No, I don't want to pay $9.25 a month.  However, I now have a game that doesn't work!  Yes, I can build cities, but I can't build big ones because in Solo Mode I can only trade with the unfair Omnicorp monopoly.

It purposely limits the game that people paid for!  It's like spending 40 bucks and finding out that you've bought a limited demo.

I can understanding having the chat-box, visit other cities, and trading with other players features in the subscription based "Planet Offer".  However, having the Solo Mode resource limited is just bogus.  You can't sell people a demo for $40!

Now of course I'm sure I'm about to get flamed by a bunch of people, but before you flame me, please keep in mind that I haven't flamed anyone.  All I have done is expressed my opinioin about the game I have and am stuck with.  I haven't commented on people that choose to spend their money on the PO, it doesn't bother me.  If you like the game, that's fine with me, but please stop flaming people that disagree with you!

[site400 12]

Originally posted by: USA_Pride

I know it's really easy to attack people who are critical of the game, call them whiners, and then make the assumption we all buy bottled water therefore our opinions shouldn't be counted, but perhaps you should discuss the actual topic than attack other posters.quote>

I guess my point is, if you would have told me, or pretty much anybody else, 15 years ago that we would be shelling out hundreds of dollars each year on water, the most abundant resource (besides air) on our planet, we all would have said you're crazy "cause I ain't paying money for water!" 

 

The fact of the matter is, MC invested a large amount of time & money into building a game for a very small proportion of gamers. Consequently, they have, and deserve, the right to impose a pay structure that they feel makes the effort worthwhile. 

 

To make it worthwhile to their customers, the promise of continual updates, enhancements, and expansions is promised. Assuming that this business model remains profitable, a paying subscriber can expect a constantly evolving game play experience…that’s what the planet offer is.

 

Ultimately, what MC is doing is very similar to what this site Simtropolis does regarding the STEX Collector’s Edition DVD’s. I quote: “As always, there will be a few bonus items never before seen on the STEX that some of our favorite contributors have kindly provided just for this disc.”

 

So, I guess it’s not okay for MC to only give bonus content to monthly subscribers but it is okay for Simtropolis to only give bonus content to donators?

 

Ultimately, I think a lot of people, me included, are just tired of having to wade through the same topics of discussion and hijacked threads day after day after day. It is what it is, and we all just need to let our wallets do the talking (either by paying or not paying for PO).

 

P.S. No hard feelings to anyone, we all have a genuine love for this genre, let’s just talk about city building and not the political/economical underpinnings!

[site400 12]

Originally posted by: USA_Pride

No, I don't want to pay $9.25 a month.  However, I now have a game that doesn't work!  Yes, I can build cities, but I can't build big ones because in Solo Mode I can only trade with the unfair Omnicorp monopoly.

It purposely limits the game that people paid for!  It's like spending 40 bucks and finding out that you've bought a limited demo.

I can understanding having the chat-box, visit other cities, and trading with other players features in the subscription based "Planet Offer".  However, having the Solo Mode resource limited is just bogus.  You can't sell people a demo for $40!

Now of course I'm sure I'm about to get flamed by a bunch of people, but before you flame me, please keep in mind that I haven't flamed anyone.  All I have done is expressed my opinioin about the game I have and am stuck with.  I haven't commented on people that choose to spend their money on the PO, it doesn't bother me.  If you like the game, that's fine with me, but please stop flaming people that disagree with you!quote>

Hey USA_Pride...I'm an equal opportunity flamer

I don't agree that PO is a waste, but I also don't think MC is doing everything right either.  For one, i'm 100% with you regarding solo trade...its completely ridiculous that a solo player has to pay 150 tokes for 1 unit of oil when the going rate on PO is about 25. 

I saw the post by MC_Mathew where he said they were going to decrease the price by 20%...still way to high in my opinion.  We shouldn't be hampered in solo mode by ridiculous trading prices.  Based on my experience with the PO trading system, a good price to buy & sell each resource would be about 30-50 tokens each (office, heavy industry, manufacturing, high-tech at 30 and fuel, electricity, water, etc at 50).

flame-on brother!

[USA_Pride 49]

Site400,

I agree with a lot of what you say. I don't like that the game isn't open up to modding, but like you said, it's there game. I do understand that MC needs to recoup the development costs, but I think that a $40 game purchase should get you the unlimited ability to build cities.

LOL, equal opportunity flamer. Your last two posts here are very constructive and don't flame! Not that calling me a "bottled water" drinker is that offenseive, lol.

Take care my city building brutha!

[bobrobertsnz 0]

I like the way MC released a 1st content pack that have features for everyone, such as

New buildings, Farms,

and then specific features for PO players as well like the Old England Buildings pack, new maps and megastructures, and the upcoming buses (yipee!)

Bug fixes -schools ,polution, interface changes etc are released to everyone.

I think this caters for both Solo and Planet offer players well, given value added content to Planet players and also a little bit to the solo players.