22 replies to this topic

[Zukira]

*Disclaimer*

this is not a complaint about costs; the intent is actually to potentially put more money in hcs' pocket, while also better serving the whole community. 

 

 

With all the HCS games merging into one shared forum it seems like the time has come for a way to make it easier to spend our money on the games and also to do some sorts of transactions between players who don't 'live' in the same worlds within the Hunted Cow universe.  My thought is that a universal currency, governed by and transacted, within the forum would be just the thing.   

 

 

 

Reasons:

 

Most of the graphics community dwells in FS, however, I'm sure there are some 

wonderful artists who don't play FallenSword, or who would rather have the income from their art 

apply elsewhere.   

 

A player from another game might want to hire an artist to do a signature for them, but if they 

don't play the same game(s), they won't have the proper currency to pay.

 

 

Spoiler

These first two points ^ are what initially brought about the general idea, but it didn't feel like enough of a reason, so I slept on it. Then the idea grew.

 

* Reward offers, like the videos etc, usually you can only have them apply in one game,

so you have to pick and choose and realize if you do them on one you'll miss out on it for another. This centralizes them and lets you choose where you want your points going.

 

* One place to update when new offers come available.

 

* One update point for bonus offers and sales within the HCS universe

      

*Localized purchase point - this 'universal currency' could be applied to subscription fees

or micro-transactions.  However, once the 'universal currency' is converted to a particular game's 'point' (fsp, crystals, premium points) it isn't reverse transferable - to avoid abuse.

(mind you, this could be open to debate, See post 2 for some thoughts that have been brainstormed on this. )

 

*Streamlining transactions for HCS?  This is a shot in the dark - just figure it might actually reduce some paperwork. With Paypal it would potentially cut down on service charges on transactions if people make multiple purchases for more than one game they could instead make one purchase of the universal point and then distribute it to different games as they chose.  It is a small thing, but it could lead to more money in your pocket HCS, which never hurts. 

 

*Bonus buy promotion? - Could promote a particular game to others or also remind players that there are still things going on in a game they might have been taking a break from.

 

*Holiday offers?    - Got a forum friend who doesn't share a game with you and you want to include them in the cheer?  Universal tokens.

 

 

*You wouldn't buy points within a game anymore. All monetary transactions could take place through your account for the universal tokens and then you choose where to allocate them.  Since the P.o.P. varies for points in different games conversions would have to take this into account. *(see post 2 for more thoughts on this)

 

*Possibly have a track purchase function that you can view with your HCS account.

[Zukira]

Universal token and Universal token conversions

 

In discussion with a few other players this is what we hashed out for an idea of conversions.

Please bear in mind this is all a brainstorming activity and not a demand or request or complaint. Merely a display of our thought processes on the topic and an attempt to map out what we were thinking while presenting the suggestion. 

 

Base conversion:

 

Universal token --> game token

 

Base the transaction conversion on the lowest current price point without bonus offers factored into the equation.

 

Using FallenSword as the example for a micro transaction, and placing a $1 USD value (for the sake of making an example) on a 'universal cow token' ( a hoofprint ( v ) if you will) 

 

5usd = 25 fsp = 5(V)

therefore 

1 (V) = 5 fsp

 

* Placeholder for similar maths for other games that use microtransactions*

 

* Why use the lowest value for the buck when configuring? 

 -- Any large price point purchase discounts should be applied to the (V) purchase, not to the conversion of the (V) into game specific points

 

* What about players who don't make purchases, or don't have reward offers in their area, how would they get (V)?

 -- The same way they get them in the games now, with one qualifier - if point's are not reverse convertable (which is my preference, at least initially) - some degree of trust will have to be involved with making a transaction in game in exchange for (V) on the account level. This is where things get "interesting" if there is no reverse conversion.

 

* You mentioned 'reverse conversion' what do you mean by that?

 -- Reverse conversion would mean you could convert the special points (such as fsp) into (V)'universal tokens' - This comes with several pros and cons.

 

 

Issue  -  Balance.   

 

  If someone can make a lot of game specific currency (FSP for example) in one game, what is to prevent them from exploiting this in another game via reverse converting premium currency into (V) and then (V) into the premium currency of the second game?

  Not only is this instance awful for a game, it also hurts HCS in the long run.  There is a dynamic stasis of income, which doesn't do the company any good and in the meanwhile, it hurts the balance in games.

     *Possible Solutions: 

             - Limit how much currency can be reverse converted on a monthly basis.

                        - Static limit?   Based on a money value of (V)

                        - "Taxed" limit?  Based on a money value of (V), with increasing incriments of extra Premium points from game A needing to be supplied to get the same number of (V) 

                        - Combination Static and Taxed? A static maximum value that can be reached for conversion to (V) with a tiered tax system which will remove tokens/premium currency from the system overall.

 

             - Only allow reverse conversion during a special 'event' time, like during a promotion for a game, prompting current players who don't have an account with the new game, who might be interested in trying it to convert some of their wealth on one game to (V) to boost their character up on the promotional game.  

 

 

 

Other thoughts: (just throwing some things out there)

 

No more validating your account in different games when you want to make a purchase for the first time in each game.  Once you're validated for a purchase of the Universal Token it is all done. One shot deal.

 

 

 

A universal currency would allow for easier branding and promotion.  I believe I remember discussion about a FallenSword game card, and how the cost wasn't worth the potential added income.  If there were a universal currency then perhaps this would become a bit more possible?  Cards can act not only as a prepaid P.o.P but also as advertisement.  I don't know about other people but I've actually tried games because of their Game cards on impulse racks catching my eye with the artwork.  

 

 

I'm sure there are more pros and cons that people can see and come up with. So lets have some discussion.

 

I just want to remind people no Flaming - No complaining about current prices on products and keep the TOS in mind when responding in those regards.  

 

Thanks for reading.

 

And remember, use the LIKE button on the post, rather than post +1 to the thread if you don't have a comment to make (unless it needs a bump, but still use the like then too please) - otherwise you make the admins sad because they've very nicely asked us not to do that (and instituted a rule).

[AttorraRu]

Awesome idea, can't wait to see what HCS has to say on the matter.

[AttorraRu]

Bump to the top!

[WarQueen]

no one else has anything to say?

[Veronique]

I like this idea

[Zorg]

Interesting that players actually want this, it's been on the cards for some time.

 

Payment systems and offer walls will be moving to Hunted Cow soon anyway, along with a Hunted Cow shop that will be used to purchase currencies for our games. Just so we can offer all our payment methods and walls across all our sites and centralize our code for improved security and more options.

 

A universal currency may be on the cards shortly after, I'd just need to sit down with Hoofmaster and decide how it is all going to work. To be honest there is lots of cool stuff we can do now this is all in place. Cross site messengers and notifications, just to name a few.

[wil72]

Interesting that players actually want this, it's been on the cards for some time.

 

Payment systems and offer walls will be moving to Hunted Cow soon anyway, along with a Hunted Cow shop that will be used to purchase currencies for our games. Just so we can offer all our payment methods and walls across all our sites and centralize our code for improved security and more options.

 

A universal currency may be on the cards shortly after, I'd just need to sit down with Hoofmaster and decide how it is all going to work. To be honest there is lots of cool stuff we can do now this is all in place. Cross site messengers and notifications, just to name a few.

I wonder how many that have posted and/or voted actually donate?

 

Centralising the donation sytem is fine as long as it doesn't, in any way, effect the Special Offer regularity.

 

A " Universal Currency " I am not so keen on. At the moment if I wish to donate I know exactly what I'm getting from my donation. I don't want to have to convert something into something else when I make a donation. How would Loyalty Tokens be allocated?

 

A " Universal Currency " only benefits a small minority of Hunted Cow members as I see it. Those that wish to sell something across gaming platforms. This being avatars and Signatures. I'm sorry but should a " universal currency " be considered when it benefits so few?

 

I'm sorry, I get rather nervous when there is mention of altenative donation systems and the like and I don't want to appear selfish but I fear the impact any change could have not for me personally but for my Guild. The Special Offer in Fallen Sword is extremely important to me as it means I can invest further in my Guild. If this was no longer available under a new donating system or currency system then it could prove detremental to mine and many other Guilds I would imagine. And I know nothing has been set in stone but I just wanted to put my point across for your consideration.

 

Cheers.

 

wil72

[Pardoux]

I'm concerned about 1 issue potentially

 

Will this universal currency be only a "higher" level currency ? - i.e. players donate and get, say, 460 game credits which they can then allocate all into 1 HCS game or spread across multiple games ?

 

OR

 

Will this currency be transferable between players of different games - as in the graphic artist in FS sells an avatar to a player in a different game ?

 

If the latter, I feel quite worried ... After all, there is a rule about multies - what is to stop someone in this scenario from creating characters in all HCS games and then funnelling all the income back to one main account ?

 

I know they are seperate games, but otherwise, that's exactly what we're trying to STOP isn't it, not encourage ??

[watagashi]

I voted other and will explain here,,

 

First off my biggest problem is this should have always been the case. But that aside I got back into SS2 for a bit earlier this year and needed a set. The game is still going but not many people selling anything. I asked because it would have helped me a lot if I could offer to buy the set in FSP instead of FC and was shot down and told we cant transfer things between games. Changing now after I broke down, bought FC and made my own set is a pretty big slap to the face.

 

I havent tried all their games but it doesnt seem to me that te economys are compatable in all of them and terefore will cause issues. Not only how the conversion can be done but also how to prevent someone from using say a titan secure from here to unfairly get an advantage in another game? Would you really like to start Eldevin against someone with 150k gold on their character?? Then you have the avi sale thing,, do we really want avi makers advertising  ALL DAY in other games they accept FSP for their work??

 

Finally the one thing that seems to be the curse of HCS,, anything they do for us gets screwed up by multis,,, do we really want the ability to make infinite multis in all the games to pool wealth in one character here?? Imagine a guy with time on his ads to watch vids on 10 accounts say for 10 sharts each and for 6 games? Theres 6 FSP an account a vid. Gonna see guys with names like johndoe14 with 1000s of points in upgrades and "I ave never donated" on their bio if they add this with no restrictions.

 

So in the end I got to say no to this.

[duktayp]

brilliant idea

Edited by duktayp, 17 August 2014 - 03:05.

[Noeni]

How would this affect people from other countries that uses pesos .It should be taken into consideration that these people don't use euros.US dollar, or british Pound.or is it that none of thee people support the game.this is a game that is played by many from different countries.And in some of these country'. dollars and euro's exchange rate is very costly

[Larcen]

I selected other. This is why:

 

First of all, In order to get FSP or any type of IG currency, you have to earn it or buy it.

Converting it into Universal Currency then converting back into another game means that the game you earned the currency in will not have that currency; The game that you transferred it to will.

So this means that you earned/bought currency for multiple games.

Though this is loss of money on HC's part, if people get a better playing experience, they might give positive reviews in the future which will get more players onto HC's network.

And on the multiple types of currency topic, why not make the standard method of payment Paypal?

Paypal allows you to use multiple types of currency to pay for the donated currency.

 

After this, I have to say this is possibile, but needs many restrictions.

[duktayp]

worth a bump

[duktayp]

Interesting that players actually want this, it's been on the cards for some time.

 

Payment systems and offer walls will be moving to Hunted Cow soon anyway, along with a Hunted Cow shop that will be used to purchase currencies for our games. Just so we can offer all our payment methods and walls across all our sites and centralize our code for improved security and more options.

 

A universal currency may be on the cards shortly after, I'd just need to sit down with Hoofmaster and decide how it is all going to work. To be honest there is lots of cool stuff we can do now this is all in place. Cross site messengers and notifications, just to name a few.

[TreeFrog]

Still waiting for some news on this...

[Kijjum]

Great Idea!   Hope to see this soon! Would be very useful for the graphics community and multiple game players.

[TreeFrog]

Lol we started this idea in the graphics community, glad someone outside has seen the merit of it for those of us playing more than one game.

[blacqmath]

HCS used to have these gift vouchers they sold in $5 increments.  They were good in any game.  My buddy in Gothador, Frankestien, had a bunch of them.  Guess what happened in the last update... HCS removed it from the pay option and now he's screwed.  HCS tried it once and failed.  I don't see it happening again.

 

edit. I've reported people for trading FSPs-FCs.  I've also traded USPs for FSPs to finagle payment for an artist that only accepted FSPs

Edited by blacqmath, 21 August 2014 - 20:04.

[onray24]

good ideal