The main discussion here is getting rid of UVT and replacing it with something that has an equal or greater ability to earn revenue for CCP to pay for the 3rd party voice services. I dont know what most of you people dont get about that. If you have better suggestions then make them, but that is the main point of this discussion. I simply feel an ISK booster meets that goal and helps new players.

@ Maken Tosch

Your post will continue to be irrelevant until the following criteria is met.

1.) When you actually become good at the game

2.) Find and play a real role. Not one you just tried to make up

3.) Get off your knees, and come to realization that not everything CCP creates is coated in gold

Anyways, paying for voice chat is kinda silly. Furthermore, UvT doesn't even provide that much of an extended service. Hardly worth 50cents IMO

Anyways, paying for voice chat is kinda silly. Furthermore, UvT doesn't even provide that much of an extended service. Hardly worth 50cents IMO

No. If you want ISK from payment, you just need to wait until the secondary player-controlled market opens up and allow you to sell UVTs to other players for ISK. Please keep in mind that ISK earned this way will vary according to the strict New Eden laws of Supply & Demand.

I get what you mean and I have explained in as much detail as I could as to why we have UVTs and why replacing it with an ISK booster may not be a good idea. Unfortunately, your responses to my response are coming across as a bit... um... how do I say this nicely? Less friendly? I tried to be friendly with you but it seems you're the one who just doesn't want to accept anything but your way only. I'm trying to point out flaws here to help you understand.

Of course, none of my ideas or suggestions are perfect, but at least I accept that and I'm willing to accept constructive criticism. I'm giving you constructive criticism which is good. Be glad I'm not replying to you as a troll.

While UVTs may not be liked by everyone, I'm still ok with them. If CCP can find some other way to pay for the costs, then I'm for it. However, ISK boosters doesn't seem to be a good alternative. If I am to compromise with Recon, I would probably agree with removing UVTs but have them replaced with items that doesn't run the risk of potentially harming an economy. Either that, or increase the price of another already-existing AUR item.

iphone and Android app solves all issues make talking free.

My comment has everything to do with this discussion. Let me point it out.

1. The New Eden economy has never seen any cash-bought item that can boost a player's income like you recommended.

2. Player income, as it stands, is based on the dynamic and somewhat chaotic market forces of the economy. Dumb players lose ISK while smart players gain ISK. It's a no brainer.

3. UVTs are expected to become a very hot commodity in New Eden which will enable players who don't have cash to get a UVT for ISK by simply buying one from a player who already has one and willing to sell it after purchasing it with AUR. It's just like how PLEX works in Eve Online.

4. There are already enough players that I know of who have stockpiled a large sum of UVTs for the reason mentioned in #3.

So basically because you and your buddies bought up a bunch of these items in hopes of making ISK off of them someday far off when player market opens up you are trying to dismiss a discussion that offers a better and more meaningful solution to CCP making money off the game while giving us a core feature that is basically the cornerstone of social gaming on console(VOX) if this was PC yea then 3rd party apps and keyboard become viable.

Given how huge that demand can be individuals can corner a market on something that really shouldnt be cornered on which is large scale in game communication.


Sounds pretty selfish to me. At least the OP wasn't a whiny why do i have to pay for voice types and offered a creative way to ensure we have free voice but still make money for CCP to pay the bills and possible even more so.

@Recon

Not everyone hates UVTs. I'm ok with them and so are a number of players I have encountered both in-game and on the forums. We just see them as a necessary thing for CCP to be able to cover the cost of the voice service. Eve Online players may be able to use free voice comms, but that's because it's part of their subscription payments.

No you are just talking in circles. The OP isn't asking for free voice chat. He's asking for a different way for CCP to monetize the game and use that money to fund the voice service.

ITs like saying we as a company will take money for many things but only this money from this one source will pay for this service. Thats silly. You pool the resources and pay the bills with everything you take in.

Point is if providing free voice without UVT requirement means X revenue loss, the OP's solution needs to at least match that revenue loss to offset it and frankly as everyone here insists people would all pay for this item than it would exceed that revenue loss which could be used to further develop the game or go into CCP's pocket.

Are you against providing a very essential form of communication in a FPS especially a console FPS and don't you want CCP to make money?

I can see your point there about the stockpiling part. It probably is pretty selfish. But then again, selfishness is all part of the game. But you are correct that players shouldn't be able to corner a market on communications. Perhaps I shouldn't have used that example of stockpiling in the first place.

Anyways, any critique on my alternative?

Nah, I'm not against providing this essential form of communication. Like I said, if CCP can figure out a way to pay for the service without UVTs, then we can all be happy.

The OP did suggest ISK boosters as an alternative, but I just think it will have a negative impact in the future in terms of economics. My alternative is more cosmetic which doesn't impact the economy and it's something a lot of people can go with. Of course, it doesn't have to be exactly as I described earlier with the Dust version of PLEX. I'm pretty sure there are better alternatives out there. I just can't think of a better one at the moment. It's late at night and I'm starting to get tired. The bed is starting to call.

IT's not bad. Would have to depnd on the cost of the plex and what you get out of it. Personally i think booster revenue is really the only real revenue CCP can hope to monetize any money off of. Im surprised that there isn't enough money being generated by their weekly promotions and Booster sales to offset the cost of free universal communications.

Well another thing with the boosters is you can always limit their use to PC payouts on the biomass clones which are paid directly to the mercs anyway. We already can tell that the individual merc payouts are going to still not be really enough to offset the cost or a protracted and bloody battle at its current ISK values. It wont be a huge loss but difficult to generate profits as a mercs regularly unless you get bonuses from the corp but that is at corp discretion.

The utility of the ISK booster in this arena offers a good middle ground as its not something you would see running 24/7 and as such wouldnt be a true source of inflation, moreoever since the increased payout is also tied to destroyed(lost) ISK in the form of clones it actually is just getting you a better value on your dollar as opposed to generating money out of thin air.

I don't know. Boosting ISK payouts in PC sounds like something that can be achieved with a simple surface infrastructure upgrade. Kind of like how Eve players in Null-Sec upgrade their I-Hub to bring in better ratting or mining sites.

Yea but again that money goes to the corp not direct to the mercs. This becomes an important distinction if and when mercs can begin to actually take contracts from other organizations, by increasing the payouts they can potentially earn it becomes less of burden on them and less reliant on district income or even Pub/FW income and potentially make a living just mercing in PC with the use of a paid booster however you can also expand this limit to FW as well where outcomes matter and you are likely to see higher level gear used therefore profit margins wont be excessive.

Keep in mind the booster doesn't have to be a 50% greater, even a modest 15-20% bump maybe something ppl would find worthwhile spending money on.

A plex isn't a bad idea either if its 19.99 then that means 1 person can cover 40 30day UVTs at its current cost levels. A 1:40 cost ratio isnt that bad.

A booster at say 7K AUR for 7 days would cover 7 peoples UVT coverage for 1 month. While your has a better ratio the question becomes is it sustainable? Are there enough people willing to purchase a monthly plex for this F2P, its not like EVE where the cost is worth that kind of price. The subscription would have to be pretty awesome and yet simultaneously not cross P2W.

You can already buy isk here. Use aurum gear, lose less isk = buy isk. Isk booster is no different, just an honest way of portraying it.

Also: The UVT is in place because the voice chat is handled by a third party. The UVT profits go to maintaining it.

That couldn't possibly be true.