Cash Shop - Player Content

ArchivedUser

So, this came up in the discord as a bit of a bare-bones idea.

A Monthly contest where players submit an item. The devs would choose X number of those (with some of there own in reserve if they all suck) which would then be voted on. The winner gets their item placed into the cash shop until the next winner is decided. The winner gets a copy of the item and credit in the shop for creating it.

I am welcome to questions about how this could work (it will help me flesh it out) and friendly debates.

Thanks to @Shirikuryu, for the idea of having the voting system be in the cash shop.

ArchivedUser

I love this idea :)

ArchivedUser

I wonder, would this be strictly designed aspects presented in digital fashion or ideas and guidance on an item description?

ArchivedUser

That sounds like an amazing idea.

ArchivedUser

I would stick to purely design. If you allow the players to add some flavor text like that you will end up with some kind of weird sub-lore. Besides these are cosmetic items so I don't see why they should have flavor text anyway.

Thanks for the support Midnight-shadow and Branegames!

ArchivedUser

Oh, I didnt mean text as in description, but more along the lines of explaining how the object would look for those of us who lack the program knowledge to bring the designs to fruition! Im a digital artist but I do lack the skill to illustrate that type of information very well!

ArchivedUser

I know warframe and a few others do this. Even bdo had a contest a while back. It seems like a healthy way to keep the community active, especially if those not submitting art could help in the voting process.

ArchivedUser

how about even getting some % of the money onto your account for every sold piece.
I mean that person would help intrepid make money :)

ArchivedUser

@Gemiichan: That sounds like an interesting idea, though I think it detracts a bit from the point of something being player designed. If you just describe an item and then make the devs actually build it wouldn't that just be the devs item? Sorry if I missed the point with this.

@McStackerson: Thank You that is the idea:)

@smee86: I would prefer to stay away from monetary compensation. I think that it should be enough that everyone playing knows who you are. Besides, the devs are more likely to go with this if it doesn't hurt their profit.

ArchivedUser

If it isn't too much, I would offer a one time in game currency reward for 1st/2nd/3rd place (persons with the highest votes) like $25/$15/$5 ingame credit to the cash shop along with a copy of their outfit.

You should allow for re-submission of old projects that didn't win last round. Don't want good ideas to be lost due to the cap of winners.

Monthly seems really fast, not that it isn't appreciated, but if the devs can handle that speed, props to them.

I would like if the voting system is integrated in the cash shop or on the main website where the submissions are made (or both, why not?).

It it limited to outfits or can mounts, pets and weapon skins be included? Even cosmetics like hair?

I would suggest a filter to view drawings (like highest votes/new/re-submitted/highest votes per views/highest view) to help aid in viewing the submission. I find it very daunting to go through over 1000 submissions. Maybe even filter it by race/gender/class. If the community is looking for a certain cosmetic, this will help them vote for the ones they want.

ArchivedUser

@Shirikuryu

I, personally, prefer to stay away from monetary compensation. I don't think you should be making money from something that is already rewarding you with exclusives...

Re-submission sounds fine to me. People would just have to be prepared to not be chosen again.

As long as the designs are made in a particular format that is easily portable, I don't think that it would be too much work for a monthly thing. Though I also wouldn't mind if it was quarterly.

I agree. In fact, I like this so much I'm putting it in the main post.

I would probably keep it to weapon and armor skins. That's not really up to me though:P

The idea here is that the DEVS would sort through the thousands of submissions (just a quick glance through and grab what stands out) and narrow that down to around five for the players to then vote on. The devs would probably still have a way to sort them though:P

Thanks for taking the time in the (lengthy) reply!

ArchivedUser

Ooh! I love this idea :D It would certainly be something I would be interested in participating in.

ArchivedUser

I think it would be a nice idea to have something like this in game. Only as a cosmetic tho and disappears in a week. Winners cant be chosen again, but losers can reapply. I dont think you should get a portion of cash income, actually I would say since its community inspired, it could be purchased with in game currency instead of real money. Hard to work it out because if this game goes for many years, imagine the work the developers have to put in to making the designs. Id rather have them focus on game content instead of just weapon skins. Maybe they'll figure out a way to make it work.

ArchivedUser

@Kaira, Thank you:D

@SliceEffect, Thank you! I'll try breaking this down a bit to make the idea's flow better.

First, the items in the contest would definitely be cosmetic only.

Second, I'm not really sure what you mean by the whole disappear in a week thing... If you mean that the item is no longer available in the shop than yeah, I think it should disappear shortly before the next contest is concluded. If you mean that the item itself should disappear... I disagree. I don't think that you should spend money for something and then have it be taken away from you.

I agree that there shouldn't be a monetary compensation for this though at the same time, I understand why some people want it. But I also think that these items would be a great way to provide addition funding for Intrepid (I really want them to be well-funded to avoid p2w) so I would actually prefer it if the currency for these remains real. Also, real currency would make them more rare in game which is nice.

I do not think that you should be punished for winning by being banned from the event. Maybe just being locked out of the next one? Not really sure how to make it so that a single person doesn't win every contest.

As for your last statement. The idea is that the people that design these would make the items in a format that is easily integrated with what Intrepid uses. Though I definitely agree with you on that last bit; Intrepid should definitely focus on the gameplay:P

ArchivedUser

I seem to remember a while back, one of my nieces was playing with something like this for some game or other... a template package that made up all of the pieces for a digital 'costume'.
Much like sewing pattern pieces, you could adjust certain pieces, digitally colour them, played around with certain dimensions etc then 'sew them together' and end up with a completely different looking piece.

Is it not possible for this to have two aspects of this completion:
Part one is with the pure 'ideas or sketches' and results in in game reward (financial or otherwise) or forum props. A custom title would be nice.
Part two has others attempting to put it together, from template pieces for costumes or weapons, saving the devs time and money and results in the second person getting in game rewards too.
You could do both aspects, or just one. Either way, it'd help make the community and game better, take the load off the devs and props would go where they needed to.
Just a thought.

But yeah, all the armor, all the weapons, all the fancy hairdos and amazing mounts!!!

ArchivedUser

Community content for a community game.
I always saw this as a time saver myself.
Why spend 1000s of hours creating stuff you think the players want and then get ridiculed and remake it....
...when you can simply ask them and get it right first time ?

/shrugs
/scratches-head
/thinking

ArchivedUser

[quote quote=18170]Second, I’m not really sure what you mean by the whole disappear in a week thing[/quote]

I was thinking that it could disappear completely if it was purchasable with in game money. If its being purchased with real money then I would probably want it to last.

[quote quote=18170]I agree that there shouldn’t be a monetary compensation for this though at the same time, I understand why some people want it[/quote]

Yea, if people would want to be compensated then that would be a lawsuit waiting to happen eventually. "I didnt get the proper compensation.."

[quote quote=18170]I do not think that you should be punished for winning by being banned from the event.[/quote]

My thinking behind this was: If this contest is held once a month then the # of winners wouldn't be that much in this games lifespan compared to the community size. Winners shouldnt win again so that others can get a chance. If their work is really good tho, then maybe a highlight on the forums would be nice.

[quote quote=18400]Community content for a community game.[/quote]

Definitely a nice way to keep things going.

ArchivedUser

Hi Adissaric,

Thanks for the shoutout. U made me blush :) .

This is somewhat of a tangent to the topic but do you think it would be possible to create guild outfits? Not for this contest because guild outfits should be exclusive to the guild.

Anyways, back on topic. Having the devs select the best ones would be a great way to slim down the submissions.

I think 1 month is too short/quick. I can imagine the process, it should be something like 1-2 weeks for submission. 1 week for the devs to select the top # of submissions. 1 week for players to vote. Follow by 2 weeks to create the outfit. Then after release, 2 weeks or more to purchase the outfit before the next contest.

If it was every 1 month, players might feel rush to produce something nice and end up sacrificing their game time to draw a picture.

I think 2-3 month is something more reasonable.

Also, maybe once a year we can have a Christmas sale of all the winners outfit for sale again? If exclusivity is really the goal then i guess it cant be helped.