Gem Prices

Prophet Elhanan

Prophet Elhanan

New Member
800G for $10
1600G for $20
2800G for $35
4000G for $50


80 Gems for $1.00

or

0.0125 cents per gem.


What do you think?
 
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Don't think I'll ever pay for gems. Would rather use in-game currency.
 
In general the prices seem very steep to me. I don't have any intent to use the store at the moment. I especially don't understand why someone would pay those prices for the consumable items.

I just hope we don't have server problems. The cost to change is a bit crazy.
 
Keero said:
Don't think I'll ever pay for gems. Would rather use in-game currency.
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QFT

The Gem store is honestly the only thing about GW2 that has rubbed me the wrong way. I know from a business model it's a great move for Anet, but I still hate micro-transactions in-game, even if things are "purely" cosmetic.
 
Wiki has it at 1800 Gems for a world transfer, once every 7 days. So a little over $20 according to Elhanan.
 
Well, playing other MMOs, service fees are pretty standard.

When I played WoW, a server change cost $25 per character (and a month wait before that character could be moved again). So $20 for an entire account transfer seems pretty good actually. More than reasonable by other MMO standards.
 
Honestly, things look pretty cheap.

Bank Tab Ex. $7.50
Instant Repair Canister $0.88
Dye Pack $2.50
Bag Slot Ex. $5.00
Mystic Key $1.57
Mini Random Tri Pack $3.75
 
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If I remember right you can trade gem for gold so if someone would needs hens for something they could just raise enough gold and swap.
 
I'm just curious to see what those cost are translated into gold. Since that will not be a steady price as it's influenced by the player-market. I'm still not convinced that buying gems and trading gems for gold is a smart idea. I understand that Anet wanted to effectively eliminate the middle man (gold farmers) and get their tax in, but tell me how that doesn't A) influence the market and B) give an unfair advantage?
 
I guess I kind of look at it differently. Granted, this is probably a faulty analogy (especially when pressed), but I guess I compare the gem store to tipping in a restaurant.

If I want food and want to avoid tipping, I can get take-out. To me, that's like earning the gold through playing the game.

If I want food in a comfortable restaurant and be waited on at the same time, I am expected to tip the waiter/waitress. To me, that's like the gem store. A little extra comfort.

The objects offered in the gem store expand bank slots, bag slots, and even character slots. They offer town clothes, mini-pets, and all kinds of cosmetic items. If someone else buys these things, that doesn't affect my character in the least.

Now, what about things like XP boosts or food buffs? In cooperative PvE, it has no affect on my character when someone else buys them. The absolutely only advantage they give is doing WvWvW when someone might get to be a higher level than me faster. But the way I see it, I'm going to max out my character. Period. It may take me longer, but its going to happen. And at that point, all those purchases that person made isn't going to amount to anything.

So when someone else buys a ton of stuff in the gem store, its not really a disadvantage to me at all. And the boosts they give, at most, are only temporary as my character levels up (say 2-3 months if I take my time to explore the world). So I don't really see any unfair advantage (not any significant one anyway).
 
Ok, i hate micro-transactions in games. Nothing turns me off from a game faster than seeing a nickel and dime cash shop.

However with that said, I don't have a problem with GW's gem shop. IMO, this is the way a cash shop should be run!! There are no "gotta have's" in the gem shop that ruin the game if you don't have them. I've seen games that stock weapons like "the elite titantium sword of awesomeness" in their cash shops If you didn't buy that sword for the low low price of $1.99 per character then you are not wanted in teams.

GW was already heading that direction with gameplay. How many times have you seen pugs setting up for a speed clear or DOA run. "GLF for 2 more. MUST HAVE CONS!!!!!!" That's fine, but what if consets had only been available in the ingame store for $1 per set? Hmmmm? Fortunately, they weren't, but other games haven't been as nice. I've seen ads like this:

Elite Awesome Guild recruiting!!! Daily Raids! Guild Contests! Join the best of the best!
Requirements:
At least 2 max level characters (Must have bought the add-on to level to 100 ($5)
Must own the Titantium Sword of Awesomeness ($1.99)
Must own the full Titantium Armor of Awesomeness set ($8.99)
Must have at least 10k pulse grenades stockpiled (10 cents each)
Must have at 100 magical heal potions of awesomeness in inventory for raids (10 for $1)

Needless to say, those games are not fun unless you have a deep wallet.

Guild Wars (the current game) already has a gem store, minus the gems, so this is nothing new. We can pay for extra Xunlai tabs, costumes and make-over kits but there is nothing gamebreaking in the store. Just cosmetic fluff. You'll never be turned away from a team ingame because you didn't buy something. GW2's version is much much better because now we won't have to shell out real cash to buy those character slots and bank tabs. We can trade ingame gold to the poor noobs that can't earn it themselves and instead get their gold thru buying gems. :D
 
I think the $20 transfer fee seems so big to me because I can't help but see it in the context of the original cost of the game. 1/3 of the cost of the entire game, just so some data can be trasnfered between servers?

I guess the high cost is to put a chilling effect so that the population isn't two liquid. But yikes, that's some pretty serious change in my world.
 
I'm used to paying $10 - $15 per month for the pay to play games, so I figure if I'm paying less than that at the gem store once in a while, I'm happy.
 
When I bought the normal edition instead of the deluxe collector's edition, a big part of my reasoning was that I was going to need the moolah for character slots and whatnot... (And, the 4 disc soundtrack).

I agree with Raven about the store being only cosmetic... buttttt I have to say after seeing the things in it, it kinda makes the game FEEL cheesy to me. I think that will ease once the game in all its awesomeness is live.

I do agree with Kymeric about the cost of server transfers... I'm hoping they'll give us a freebie as faithful prepurchasers. I know. I'm an optimist.
 
Brydon said:
When I bought the normal edition instead of the deluxe collector's edition, a big part of my reasoning was that I was going to need the moolah for character slots and whatnot... (And, the 4 disc soundtrack).

I agree with Raven about the store being only cosmetic... buttttt I have to say after seeing the things in it, it kinda makes the game FEEL cheesy to me. I think that will ease once the game in all its awesomeness is live.

I do agree with Kymeric about the cost of server transfers... I'm hoping they'll give us a freebie as faithful prepurchasers. I know. I'm an optimist.
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Yeah, I was worried about a sylvari wearing human armor as being immersion breaking. Now we got boxing gloves and aviators... /sigh

Oh well though. Hopefully that stuff is just town clothes.
 
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