The cash shop

Forum for suggesting changes to Salem.

The cash shop

Postby MisterTuggles » Thu Aug 23, 2012 4:14 am

I am not sure of what the plans for the cash shop are, but this is just an idea that will detract from the "selling currency" stigma that seems to be surrounding the game, or at very least, ease them. It will also make the cash shop more appealing to people. As it stands, it is good for getting started, but that is about it since silver is very easy to come by after you get into the game a bit.

Now, what could be done is to change the cash shop currency from silver and call it gold. Now the gold can be exchanged into silver directly at whatever exchange rate you decide, or it can be used in a special cash shop for vanity items. These items would not be something that would give any large benefit or advantage. They would mostly be cosmetic. This would require programming to actually code the new apparel. You could also sell slightly larger backpacks or back inventory with different graphics, and general quality of life items. Again, nothing that would affect the balance of the game vs the current items that can be gotten. Things like the plague doctor's mask, other special clothing that generally looks better or goes with a theme.

As I said, right now there is really no reason to purchase silver after your first few days other than wanting to support the game. You get set up and you can either spam crickets or search for arrow heads. Once you have smelters you can sell the iron to others, etc, etc, etc. This would just give more incentive for people to pay, or at very least, give me more reason to funnel my money to you :-)
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Re: The cash shop

Postby Sevenless » Thu Aug 23, 2012 4:21 am

Not that I necessarily disagree that a seperate cash currency is worth considering (I see a lot of benefits, some of which you suggested), but lets play devil's advocate. Right now silver ratios were between 20s per $ and 50s per $. Would we be having this discussion if you got 1000s per $? No, because at that point, it's a fair amount of work to earn it and paying real cash is definitely an option. Granted in that case it would be Pay 2 Win, but the point stands it would be worthwhile.

Edited: So it's mostly a balancing issue really.
Last edited by Sevenless on Thu Aug 23, 2012 6:54 am, edited 1 time in total.
It's been neat to see the evolution of a game. Salem has come so far, and still has far to go. Although frustrating, I think it's been an experience worth the effort.
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Re: The cash shop

Postby MisterTuggles » Thu Aug 23, 2012 5:48 am

Sevenless wrote:Not that I necessarily disagree that a seperate cash currency is worth considering (I see a lot of benefits, some of which you suggested), but lets play devil's advocate. Right now silver ratios were between 20s per $ and 50s per $. Would we be having this discussion if you got 1000s per $? No, because at that point, it's a fair amount of work to earn it and paying real cash is definitely an option. Granted in that case it would be Pay 2 Win, but the point stands it would be worthwhile.

The one issue here is that if someone wants silver for things like nails and whatever, the gold currency doesn't satisfy their need nearly as well and they likely won't buy. If the gold currency is vanity only, it would be difficult to convert into silver quickly.

Anyway, done being devil's advocate. Solved via direct gold to silver conversion option in game obviously.



I already covered that problem. Have NPC stalls buy the "gold" at x amount per. If someone wants to directly transfer gold to silver they can with no issue.


I am just suggesting this because as it stands there is no reason for me to invest any more money into the game. I put some in when I first started to help support the game and give me a little head start. Now I have three smelters running, 4 tanning tubs, foraged items, hides, etc. I have no need for using RL $ to buy silver. I would like to further support the game, but as it stands silver isn't something I need.
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Re: The cash shop

Postby MagicManICT » Thu Aug 23, 2012 6:49 am

This has been suggested several times (at least once by myself). I've thought more on it, and in the end it doesn't matter which way you do it as long as you have enough sinks in the game for the currency. The game will reach a balance of the amount of money circulating per player if so; inflation occurs if not. Having the premium currency does increase some spending in the game, but with the current items available, there's no reason players would buy the premium currency, anyway, as items are available via the in-game mechanics (with a few exceptions).
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Re: The cash shop

Postby Sevenless » Thu Aug 23, 2012 6:53 am

Premium currency has the major advantage of being free from inflation. The currency floats above the NPC price as needed when players start trading. All vanity items (like plague mask) would be only purchaseable with premium currency to give a reason to exist.

Basically it's just less maintenance than selling the in game currency itself. You don't have to be as crucially on top of your in game inflation when adding and removing ingame features because the premium currency protects you from ripping off paying customers.

But yeah this isn't in the control of Jorbtar far as I know. I think there's a financing division in Paradox that deals with it so we might be preaching to mostly deaf ears.

Apologies Tug, I misread and must be tired.
It's been neat to see the evolution of a game. Salem has come so far, and still has far to go. Although frustrating, I think it's been an experience worth the effort.
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Re: The cash shop

Postby MisterTuggles » Thu Aug 23, 2012 8:16 am

Like I said my main concern with the current system is after my initial bit of money I put in (which I didn't really even need to do) I have absolutely no reason to spend anymore. I mean none whatsoever other than helping the company out. While I would like to do that I don't feel there is any benefit to me for doing so, and it would be a waste of money per-say.

If it is out of their hands maybe they could pass these concerns along. I love the game, would love to spend more money, but like I said I have 0 reason to do so at this point.
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Re: The cash shop

Postby ElCapitan1701 » Thu Aug 23, 2012 8:50 am

Sevenless wrote:Premium currency has the major advantage of being free from inflation.


That`s fine. But it intensifies the danger to get an inflation with the currency we all have to work with. The devs have made quite a good job, there are a lot of points in game mechanics where money is leaving the system - so I really believe, currency could be stable.

On the other hand I agree with the OP. Cash shop won`t work until you put items in there, which bring a significant advantage - which we all don`t want.

Sevenless wrote:Pr
But yeah this isn't in the control of Jorbtar far as I know. I think there's a financing division in Paradox that deals with it so we might be preaching to mostly deaf ears.


Do you have information about the relationship to paradox. I wonder, why we left paradox-forums, and why this forum still isn`t layouted by them? Is everything OK?
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Re: The cash shop

Postby MisterTuggles » Thu Aug 23, 2012 5:09 pm

ElCapitan1701 wrote:
On the other hand I agree with the OP. Cash shop won`t work until you put items in there, which bring a significant advantage - which we all don`t want.



I don't want items that give an advantage at all. I would say MAYBE give larger inventory slot backpacks and things like that in the cash shop, but that would be it. The cash shop would work wonders if A) it was separate from silver and B) has a ton of cosmetic items.

There are a lot of "fashion *****" in games. Cosmetic items would be a huge money bringer.
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Re: The cash shop

Postby TotalyMoo » Fri Aug 24, 2012 1:21 pm

ElCapitan1701 wrote:Do you have information about the relationship to paradox. I wonder, why we left paradox-forums, and why this forum still isn`t layouted by them? Is everything OK?


Since I work for Paradox you should probably direct that question towards me.

We 'left' the PDX forums since the Salem users needed other rules and regulations on their forum, something that does not work with the way we run Paradoxplaza. We decided that it's easier to simply make another forum (this one is still Paradox's, mind you).

What do you mean it's still not "layouted" by us?
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Re: The cash shop

Postby ElCapitan1701 » Sat Aug 25, 2012 9:12 am

TotalyMoo wrote:
ElCapitan1701 wrote:What do you mean it's still not "layouted" by us?


I don`t have the quote, but I think you had written, that the guys from paradox promissed to layout this forums. And well, it took them two weeks or so which seems to me a strange way of doing business together... But hey, now everything is fine. :)
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