ottos box? Come on now people...

[krimsonrane]

To buy an otto's box cost the equivalent of 45 dollars. And it's some tricky **** to boot. if you have no points you have to buy either the 8850 package for $60 or the $35 and $20 package together.
It's a hustle, its ridiculously overpriced and it's deviously manipulative.

I feel used just looking at it.

From my experience a lot of the regular long time players are unemployed, students, the disabled, retired and the young.
Basically people with time on their hands for whatever reasons and a love of D&D or DDO with all the loyalty that provides. But looking at what you are doing with ottos boxes is personally insulting and predatory.

yea yea yea... you get this that and three other things with the experience stone and that makes it worth the cost. Or at least i suspect that to be the argument and justification. I also suspect people don't care about any of that and just want the XP stone.

I've been playing and paying for nearly a decade. Like most of the people I run with I'd like to have the xp stone to save time from the rat maze grind. Approximately 2-4 days of effort. For the price you are asking I could buy another new game or several older games and just find something else to do with my time for the next 3 to 6 months.

Don't get me wrong. I love the game. I just don't like being treated like I can't count and hustled for what little expendable income I have. How about you just take the stone out and sell that for $10? Or even $5? Instead of one payment every 6 months you'd have people buying them by the dozens or as needed. It's a digital product after all isn't it? Easily mass produced.

And lastly this may not matter much but whats with the 999 everywhere you look? Aren't we past that point yet? Just put the proper zero on the end and call it done. Saving a single turbine point isn't that appealing and if the 1st number is a 4 instead of a 5 because of one turbine point at the end that is not an impressive saving.

[Qhualor]

I think Ottos Boxes should be even more expensive, but I'm also against P2W so its not like I buy them anyways.

the 999 instead of just rounding off is an old marketing scheme used by most businesses. it makes the price appear cheaper even though that 1 point (1 cent) doesn't matter.

[Enoach]

Otto's Box is a convenience. I don't agree with Qhualor that it should cost more than it does.

I think you mischaracterize the population

From my experience a lot of the regular long time players are unemployed, students, the disabled, retired and the young.

This may be effected by the groups you run with, but the vast majority I meet are between 30 and 50, steadily employed or closing in on retirement.

I would say each person needs to weigh the cost vs benefits. Personally I like the +20 Hearts much more.

[legendkilleroll]

Lets not make it cheaper for people to advance their character without playing.

[Enderoc]

Let's do create a way you don't have to ever log on more than twice for a stable connection

[Memnir]

Never bought one, but I think the price is reasonable.

[cdbd3rd]

Can't sign on to this ... suggestion?

I'm not addicted to the level rush / TR train thing, and have only bought one once just to 'try it out'. However, some folks are willing to pay for them, and those purchases are part of what keeps the lights on for everyone. So, most especially for that last point, I'm okay with them being around.

Some folks buy cosmetic stuff. Some buy levels. Neither one are required to play and enjoy the game. Both pay Turbine's bills. And that's okay.

...

Qhualor already covered the "999" thing. Sadly, marketing analysis over the years shows that that gimmick still works.

[Jetrule]

The players that can level heroic or epic in 2-4 days of rat maze grinding are amazing to me. I work full time and have kids a wife ect.. 2-4 months is more my speed. I find the boxes tempting with a points sale going on. I guess the grass is always greener on the other side since I think if I leveled that quickly I would feel no desire to buy a box.

[Ykt]

I never bought one. I already spent too much on this game with all the premium stuff to buy + expansion preorders.

[sirgog]

Otto's Box is a paid exploit, nothing more.


No different to paying some poor guy in China to level your character, back when gold spammers were still a thing.


I pretty much stopped spending money on the game when the paid cheating hit that level. Still own the content so still log in occasionally, but I can tell from my guild roster that Otto's Cheat Box lost Turbine a lot of players.

[Chilldude]

Otto's Box is a paid exploit, nothing more.


No different to paying some poor guy in China to level your character, back when gold spammers were still a thing.


I pretty much stopped spending money on the game when the paid cheating hit that level. Still own the content so still log in occasionally, but I can tell from my guild roster that Otto's Cheat Box lost Turbine a lot of players.

What an interesting point of view. Paying cash for 2 million XP is cheating but window farming shadow crypt EHNHx2NX3 is earning it? What about having a hireling straight up solo to cap on casual? What about grouping up with a party of MIN/MAXers that just clump up and run with their mouse buttons held down from start to finish?

I think the real exploit is awarding character power for something that requires nothing more than an investment of time. The only thing wrong with paying to skip that meaningless time sync is they simply charge way too much for it.

What about buying adventure packs? Is that cheating? Shouldn't you earn the TP to buy backs through farming favor?

Just as I happily pay for adventure packs rather than farming TP through favor rewards, I'd happily purchase XP if it weren't prohibitively expensive. In fact, I gladly purchased a tome of greater learning, and would gladly purchase XP pots if they simply lasted a single day and then went away. The way they are now they put too much pressure on always maintaining a 100% optimal zerg which is very unfriendly to new/causual players. The only time I ever feel frustrated by a new/casual player is when I'm sitting there watching my pot tick down while I'm waiting on them.

No, I have to completely disagree with you. Otto boxes didn't ruin the game. Awarding character power for sinking massive amounts of time ruined the game in my opinion.

[slarden]

I pretty much stopped spending money on the game when the paid cheating hit that level. Still own the content so still log in occasionally, but I can tell from my guild roster that Otto's Cheat Box lost Turbine a lot of players.

I know people that use boxes and I know people that hate the fact that they exist. I don't know anyone that left because of boxes.

I suspect, but don't know for certain, that boxes, lesser +20 and some of the other premium items keep the game going which makes me happy.

I would love to see a hardcore world where tr, etr etc isn't allowed, xp potions and boxes aren't allowed. Characters can only start at 1. Difficulty turned up.

This would be the world of fully untainted achievements.