To Relic -- Ideas to fix DLC mess

Current SEGA DLC/Micro-Transactions Policy:


About my MMO experience with in-game currency & DLC
I was both a top player and later a casual player in one of the most complex MMO game (EVE Online) with in-game currency for almost 10 years from 2003 beta to 2013. I believe I'm qualified enough to know how important it is to fix this mess with DLC and War spoils to improve COH2s longevity.
That is if Relic truly aspire to polish this franchise for competitive multiplayer and the potential of eSport such as its sister studio (CA/Relic owned by SEGA) with the free-to-play Total War: Arena.

ESL; Total War: ARENA Closed Alpha Live Event


I love the COH2 franchise with its “Band of Brothers/The Pacific” HBO TV-series appeal. I also love to play as a semi-casual gamer and watch competitive gamers play. No matter what happens, I'll continue to support it as will others I'm sure. But both COH and DoW franchise has so much more potential, even more so than EvE Online (which is still a niche genre within MMOs) and I'm not saying that lightly.
But with the current DLC policy for COH2 there is just no chance that this game will ever become eSport. Either fix it or forget about it.

Micro-Transactions & competitive multiplayer
The current DLC/Micro-Transactions with its premium commanders and factions is fine for the non-competitive single player, custom games and Co-ops/Theater of War contents. But it's definitely not fine for competitive multiplayer that need an even playing field to thrive. Either make more classic paid expansions + commanders that everyone has to pay-to-play on the same server or make a separate multiplayer only free-to-play version with in-game currency used to pay for premium content. SEGA can't have both.

As example with FTP or paid expansions;
1) Relic/SEGA could easily afford to make at least one free-to-play eastern front faction + all commanders and then make the rest of the western front factions/commanders all premium content paid with in-game currency.
OR
2) With classic paid expansions (no in-game currency) make one eastern front package + western front package and make all commanders within that package free for all to create an even playing field (and all future updates). DLC should then be limited to customization such as skins/faceplates or making separate ladder accounts such as COH1.

In EVE Online what the devs did to make their multiplayer game free-to-play was that they allow the in-game currency to pay for the monthly subscription. That is what they call "plex", paid with in-game currency. The DLC parts are mostly limited to non-competitive-role playing within EvE online and customization. Not using DLC trickery to mess with competitive multiplayer is very important for MMO players. Within EvE online the majority of the MMO players was in protest when the devs tried to get DLC into competitive multiplayer.

‘EVE Online’ Engulfed in Micro-Transaction Controversy
http://gamerant.com/eve-online-controversy-protest-micro-transactions-ryanb-94481/

SEGA DLC trickery will fail
DLC trickery and a failed grinding system are not gonna draw more players to COH2 as it potential could if this mess was actual fixed..
Hopefully, Relic will start to put more work into polishing all in-game content and maybe make a true game grinding system like it's sister studio with Total War: Arena.

War spoils are just "trolling" new players with a luck based system. I'm sure this was not intentional, but War spoils is a bad attempt to reward players for in-game activity and even the playing field point for those that don't want to pay for premium/DLC content.
Grinding war spoils (similar to in-game currency) should, in theory, give players a reason to keep playing for premium content rather than giving up and walking away.
But currently it doesn't work that way at all.

Go to 30:49 and listen to what AngryJoe as a COH reviewer had to say about this DLC trickery. Currently, AngryJoe COH review has 264.549 youtube viewers. So this is the type of bad reputation that COH are getting from new players because SEGA/Relic don't fix this mess. AngryJoe review was fair and balanced and he also gave fair credits as well to Relic.

That new players don't easily understand what War spoils is pretty much sum up why Relic should replace this failed system with a true in-game currency system (one or two in-game currency) that are transparent and more flexible. The Ingame currency could also more easily be used to reward tournament players etc. which some eSport games are already doing.
In-game currency can be saved to pay for future content which give another motivation to keep playing. That can't be done with War spoils either.
A true in-game currency system was also suggested years ago by well known Twitch streamers such as Cataclaw to pay for premium content.

To make the in-game currency work it's important to understand that time is money. Either the player grind by "investing time into the game" or "save in-game time" by investing RL money for extra convenience, customization or varied player experience.
Grinding may be tedious but it even the playing field so a competitive multiplayer game with premium content don't become pay-to-win but rather "free-to-play by grinding".

Cross-Platform Grinding within one universe
Star Wars Battlefront: INTRODUCING BASE COMMAND

http://starwars.ea.com/starwars/battlefront/news/connect-with-friends-with-star-wars-battlefront-companion
Quotes:
“Base Command is a fun and accessible way to bring your Star Wars Battlefront Star Cards into another context and play with them there,” Game Designer Tommy Rydling explains. “It’s a snack-sized mobile game, perfect when you’re commuting and want to remain in the Star Wars Battlefront universe.”

Base Command has a strong connection to Star Wars Battlefront. Survive the Sieges and you’ll earn in-game credits, which in turn can be used to unlock Star Cards, weapons, and more in Star Wars Battlefront. Reversely, Star Cards earned in Star Wars Battlefront will automatically be available in Base Command.

“There’s this great symbiosis between the two experiences,” Rydling notes. “If you progress in Star Wars Battlefront it will help you in Base Command, and vice versa. And it doesn´t matter if you use earned credits for your Star Cards in the Companion or directly through Star Wars Battlefront, they’ll automatically and immediately be available in both experiences.”

Now please take a look on the future potential of the cross-platform grinding system within one universe. Several developers are already working to implement this new system, such as StarWars Battlefront with "Base Command" and EvE online (PC) with Dust 514 (EvE online mercenaries on console)/Project legion (PC). That something to strongly consider for a cross-platform franchise with Relic's future multiplayer games.
If you look at how popular casual RTS are on mobile phones/tablets, this has the potential to attract millions of casual players to the cross-platform franchise. True, Relic can't make RTS competitive on cross-platform but what Relic can do is inter-connecting the financial parts and in-game currency of the multiplayer franchise into one universe, one war.

As one example, let's say a DoW3 MMO-spinoff (free to play version) are released as the cross-platform franchise as one universe, one global war type of MMORTS game. So you create a simple MMORTS game a bit similar to "Game of War" or turn based game on tablets as Relic "on the go". Allow players to grind in-game currency on their tablets and use it on all platforms within that franchise.
Another idea is to let mobile RTS players or console players "hire DoW mercs" from competitive multiplayer on PC, to attack their MMO enemies on tablets/console. The competitive multiplayer on PC can then "grind in game currency" by working as mercs for MMO players from another platform. So that would instantly attract many viewers from both platforms to watch each other game as one universe, one war. Either on twitch or VODs.

MMORTS Getting Very Popular
For the naysayers that say MMORTS have no future. Dumbed down MMORTS are getting very popular on mobile phones/tablets for the casual RTS gamer. With the popularity of MOBA/MMO games, Starcraft is abandoning RTS to focus on the MOBA/FPS market with Hearthstone and Heroes of the storm and team based FPS with Overwatch. With Blizzard leaving RTS, CA + Relic (both SEGA owned), could potentially become the leading RTS/MMORTS studios left in the PC market (and console as well).

Current popular on-the-go MMORTS games are Game of War as the big money maker and Clash of Clans (more popular but makes less money).

Game of War - 2015 Super Bowl Commercial "Who I Am" ft. Kate Upt
currently 10+ million youtube views


Clash of Clans: Revenge (Official Super Bowl TV Commercial)
currently 70+ million youtube views


http://www.cnbc.com/2015/08/03/the-shocking-truth-about-mobile-gaming.html


So to all the nay-sayers out there that are saying RTS are dying. No way. Classic C&C RTS on PCs might be dead, but strategy games are still evolving. Thx to the Blizzard's popular command & conquer clones/spin-off, innovative RTS developers has been living in the shadow for more than a decade. Partly due to the popularity of the Starcraft eSport hype in South Korea (which is dying now). Mobile casual RTS games are more popular than ever and casual gamers are the fastest growing community in the gaming industry.
Console RTS = Casual gamer, PC RTS = less casual than the console, Mobile RTS on-the-go = has the potential to attract all gamers if using the cross-platform grinding system.

So yes, interesting times ahead but only if Relic/CA use this RTS "power vacuum" opportunity to get ahead. Stop with nay-saying that COH or The Warhammer franchise can never become eSport.
COH2 MMORTS as a "Band of Brothers/The Pacific" TV Series similar narrative game story have huge market potential on console+mobile for the casual RTS gamer which currently with "Game of War" are a big money maker.


Not to mention Total War: Warhammer (Relic's initial IP Warhammer 40,000 IP that was used to make DoW) that currently have over 4 million views.



Bottom line, SEGA's DLC policy need a serious overhaul to say at least. Hopefully free-to-play Total War: Arena can help to change a few things, but Relic need to do their part also to help fix this mess..
But also a big "thank you" for all the other great things Relic have done to improve the COH franchise that I did not mention but deserve credit for.

What do you expect? Coh 2 was caught in a shitstorm of THQ going bankrupt and being bought by sega. I'm surprised the game even made it this far, considering what an complete failure it was at launch.


And Sega won't rethink it's DLC policies. Sega is probably one of the worst publishers out there, althought EA might be worse in some regards.


So yeah, i dont much can be done about this.

I realize as long as there is more content to get people are going to want to get it, especially for free, but honestly I think the DLC commander's importance in competitive play is vastly overstated. The core armies are perfectly capable of being used competitively. I've seen enough games where players either don't use any abilities from their doctrine or forget to even pick one to know that. It does open up new playstyles and options which is why I waste money buying them (my penchant for experimentation has likely cost me a lot of money buying those commanders.) but they're hardly the be all end all that people make them out to be. They're a crutch if anything.

Personally, I think the problem with CoH2 was the grubby hands of publishers, namely THQ and Sega. Bulletins are stupid system that exists to merely offer invisible "benefit". They rarely, if ever, make any sort of tangible difference and never make a significant one. They exist only to pad out the old defunct level progression system of the original release and now to populate war spoils with carrot content. The problem is war spoils is so half assed because of duplicate drops and infrequent drops. If you got a drop every game, I don't think people would care nearly as much about how luck based it is.

An ingame currency system would be more satisfying to the playerbase, but first I think we need to asks ourselves: "Is any of this shit worth caring about anyway?". Bulletins have no real important effect (I'd almost prefer they did, like CoH: Online, just to make things more interesting. I think it'd be cool if you couldn't stack bulletins anymore but the effect of all of them was tripled.) and commanders while useful are far from vital to truly play the game competitively.

If it weren't for the psychological carrot on the stick effect, I don't think anyone would care about this shit.

There are many better games already out there and more coming soon.

Some silly people still spend money on coh2 and that gives them the reason not to fix anything, just to sell more stuff.

Just don't waste your money and time on this game.

There are many better games already out there and more coming soon.

Some silly people still spend money on coh2 and that gives them the reason not to fix anything, just to sell more stuff.

Just don't waste your money and time on this game.

Clearly, you weren't around during the CoH1 days when getting a patch was a really big deal. They were quite uncommon. This is because game sales were the only source of income. With things as they are now, we get A LOT of support now.

Will probably get a lot of flak here but I suspect people who bitch and moan about having to pay for additional, mostly optional content - either don't work at all, bit off more than they can chew in life or feel like they should get everything for nothing. Completely ignoring the fact that Relic's employee's wages doesn't grow on trees. I wouldn't change the current setup Relic is going with. Support is far better now than in the past.

There are many better games already out there and more coming soon.

Some silly people still spend money on coh2 and that gives them the reason not to fix anything, just to sell more stuff.

Just don't waste your money and time on this game.

I'd be happy if that was a true but as for RTS games, CoH2 is the best option right now.
Tho still far behind RTS games from 2000-2005. It's silly how current RTS games are a way, way behind the game from golden age of RTS.

Clearly, you weren't around during the CoH1 days when getting a patch was a really big deal. They were quite uncommon. This is because game sales were the only source of income. With things as they are now, we get A LOT of support now.

Will probably get a lot of flak here but I suspect people who bitch and moan about having to pay for additional, mostly optional content - either don't work at all, bit off more than they can chew in life or feel like they should get everything for nothing. Completely ignoring the fact that Relic's employee's wages doesn't grow on trees. I wouldn't change the current setup Relic is going with. Support is far better now than in the past.

Competetive gameplay affecting content sold for money is not a problem, in an RTT ?

The only thing I realy dislike about the dlc system is that pretty much always "new" means op.
Thats not only relics fault it´s also encouraged by all the Allied/Axis-fanboys and keyboardwarriors . Imagine the brits would have been underpowered on release... Especialy the people who preordered would have been " not pleased".

Getting rid of the current warspoil-system to replace it with an ingamecurrency-sytem will cost a lot of ressources and money at the risk of never returning enough profit.
Sure it could be a great addition, but it could also be a horrible failure.

Going partially f2p can be risky too. Lets say I play with that f2p faction and due to the magnificent matchmaking - I get rekt in my first multiplayermatches by guys using the not f2p faction...
"axis op, lelic you nazcho lovers!!!!11!!!! nerf axis , give pershing!!!" "Well you can have a pershing, but you have to pay for it..." "Wtf!!!1!!!1! Paytowin!!!"
( I am not that kind of guy- but there are enough with that attitude )

Well, I am not against those changes tbh, but you have to agree it´s very risky and their current dlc-system seems to work. So why take that risk instead of making money with the current system?

I'd be happy if that was a true but as for RTS games, CoH2 is the best option right now.
Tho still far behind RTS games from 2000-2005. It's silly how current RTS games are a way, way behind the game from golden age of RTS.

The best option if you are willing to dish out extra cash for commanders and thus abilities that give you a bigger chance to win.

This game will eventually die if there`s no change of course. DLC policy being the biggest issue. Other things are lack of mods and no LAN modus.

The best option if you are willing to dish out extra cash for commanders and thus abilities that give you a bigger chance to win.

I did not pay for ANY OKW commander, yet I have them all

i was trying to figure out how the dozen Polish player we have are going to make relic money. then i realized you are talking about polish.

I did not pay for ANY OKW commander, yet I have them all

Oh yes there is a chance for you to get them, but the OKW commanders aren't really the commanders that give you a very big advantage over your enemies. What I meant is, you either pay for them to have a huge advantage, or wait until some rng drop decides if you get it or not. I have mates that have played the game since launch like I have, through the launch of War Spoils up onto this very moment, and haven't had Rifle Company or Scavange Doctrine dropped via war spoils.

The point is, making this dlc purchasable, will create situations where people buy themselves an easy victory, for example with Rifle Company, which can overwhelm OKW and Ostheer in the early game. All the goodies for a nice price.

Lol Lelic does't read lol

Yep I mostly agree. COH2 is very inaccessible compared to other games. For example if you take a look at the CS:GO steam store page there is only ONE game that you can buy - CS:GO for 15$.

Show Spoiler
Meanwhile if I was new to COH2 and interested in the game, there is just a flood of content and people don't know what to buy.

Show Spoiler
So if you want the full multiplayer experience, you have to spend 67,97€. And on top of that, there is additional content locked away. I don't mind consmetics as microtransactions, but commanders which are an essential part of the game shouldn't be. So roughly you have to spend another ~20€ on them to stay competetive, which means you almost reach 100€! And this is just for the multiplayer. I really suggest making the base game (Soviets and Ostheer) free to play and add some kind of "Full Multiplayer Access version". While the DLC system certainly makes a lot of money, I doubt it will be worth it in the long run because of the amount of players which turned away from the coh franchise.

COH 2 Ostheer and Soviets being free to play factions would solve the "playerbase too low" crisis.

Remember free weekends and the 9500 players active in game? And they were genuinely playing in automatch games(horrifying when you play randoms tho).

I hate content which is locked behind random or Cash. I know Relic needs money ( and they are doing great Work atm ) but that's possible without ruining competetive. Just look at csgo, they make a shitton of money just from fucking weapons skins. Add good skins for vehicles,infantry, soundpacks, base, nameplates, the possibilitys to Milk money are endless without going down this commander bullshit.
You know how painful it was to play 2v2 AT with both not having a Tiger doctrin Were the Meta was all about heavy tanks? You dont even need to tryhard

I'd be happy if that was a true but as for RTS games, CoH2 is the best option right now.
Tho still far behind RTS games from 2000-2005. It's silly how current RTS games are a way, way behind the game from golden age of RTS.

OMG OMG OMG!!





Goodbye CoH2 once and for all


_________
Still Relic/SEGA are far behind EA/Dice.

Just look at Battlefront. DLC already availbe at the launch, 100euro for full game at start (and think about DLC in future which will come for sure) So it's not that bad for CoH2 but it's also not that good.

There are many better games already out there and more coming soon.

Some silly people still spend money on coh2 and that gives them the reason not to fix anything, just to sell more stuff.

Just don't waste your money and time on this game.

If you dont want to buy then dont buy em. All commanders yo uneed to buy is:

1. soviets - NONE . Theyir best commader are core ones.

2. ostheer combine mobile defence and SCAS + tiger doctrine (all you need to is buy 1 commader for 1 E at chirsmas when are discounts)

3. USA those cores are good , but if you really want you can buy only rifle company on chrismas.

4. OKW , as other faction cores are best (breaktrought , luftwaffe , special ops) . If you wanna something different , try scavenege , only one worth to buy


5. Brits - playable only with avre and commandons commader but all you need to buy is vanguard if you want to have more options.


Other thinks you dont need to buy.


So all in all you need to pay max 4 Euros on chrismas if you want to have more options , other commaders are trash , i dont think 4 earus are big P2W , when the game is playable with core ones
(i go 75 % of all my 1 vs 1 games basic commaders if im not experimanting)