The big discussion on a regional release thread (English/NA/EU/worldwide version)

[Jinketsu]

I like subscription fees because everything in the game is available to everyone that way. Free to play models rub me the wrong way because while the game is free, you still have to pay money for some of the content.

A good example would be I would rather be paying $10 a month as a mandatory contribution towards the game's servers than pay $10 a month for costume packs and other digital weapons and stuff they would release.

I know the Free to play method works well enough for developers to keep their servers going, but I just feel like forcing everyone to pay to keep the servers going while leaving all content available to those that pay is much more secure to keep the servers going strong than hoping everyone wants to buy your digital creations.

But that's just me. I look at PSOBB and PSU and feel like I'm contradicting myself sometimes.

[shiink]

Well, there is really no telling how SEGA will ultimately end up running this business model since they have tried various things in the past. We will just wait and see. I really hope they find a way to combine the best of both worlds. Getting some initial income as well as rolling profit while accommodating its variety of players. Some thing like "Buy-to-Play - Subscription + optional micro-transactions" Hopefully SEGA will do right and have a game with a successful longevity in content in player base.

[Saotome Kaneda]

To compensate for the langauge barrier this was also handled in PSO. The game would translate for you. If you type something to someone that speaks a different language than you when you send the message the would see it in their language. I read you can change the language, can you do this in the middle/while playing the game? If you can if your fluent you can write to the person in their language.

This was done on a second(?) gen-console about a decade ago, isn't that like what a thousand years in computer evolution time? Isn't it possible to do that now but even better?

There were preset chat phrases that were included in the game that were automatically translated to each player's client language setting. These were fairly limited and added the illusion of universal communication, but did not work in the way you think. I wouldn't be surprised if they do it again, but the old system was very unwieldy.

Real time active translation is a long way from happening. Look at Google Translate, Babelfish, and other translation programs, do you really want that in every text box in PSO2 when people are talking?

[Anon_Fire]

There were preset chat phrases that were included in the game that were automatically translated to each player's client language setting. These were fairly limited and added the illusion of universal communication, but did not work in the way you think. I wouldn't be surprised if they do it again, but the old system was very unwieldy.

Real time active translation is a long way from happening. Look at Google Translate, Babelfish, and other translation programs, do you really want that in every text box in PSO2 when people are talking?

Or look at the way FFXI is doing it.

[Komali]

I have no problem with a monthly fee (assuming it's in the common range of $10-$20) nor an initial purchase fee as it would be the same as buying the disc of WoW, for example.
For the amount of time that I will spend on this game, or spend in PSU already, paying such a small fee is nothing compared to the quality service I use regularly.
Regarding those that apparently can't pay: this is not a debate on health care, it's entertainment and is an insignificant cost even on minimum wage.

Now on to the slippery slope of charging real money for advantages in-game on top of that fee...

I understand the concept in all of those Korean MMOs that are free to play; they need to make money and do so with those who want to pay.
However, I'm really not a fan of what PSU is doing by charging additionally for new content on top of said fee. This is the monthly fee we all agreed to pay, give us all the same service!

Though we can compare those extra items to 'server transfers' or 'name changes' that players pay extra for in WoW so it's not anything new at this point.

[Saotome Kaneda]

Or look at the way FFXI is doing it.

How did XI handle it? Was there actual on-the-fly translation happening or was it just *trigger* -> *preset output based on client language*?

[Anon_Fire]

How did XI handle it? Was there actual on-the-fly translation happening or was it just *trigger* -> *preset output based on client language*?

Probably both. Too bad there's no one else who can confirm that.

[Aerionel]

I played XI, It was pre set words/phrases. Usually, you could form a sentence close to what you

meant with the single words. Or a mixture of the pre set phrases. It was alright.

[Uncle_bob]

JP onry.

[Serephim]

There were preset chat phrases that were included in the game that were automatically translated to each player's client language setting. These were fairly limited and added the illusion of universal communication, but did not work in the way you think. I wouldn't be surprised if they do it again, but the old system was very unwieldy.

Real time active translation is a long way from happening. Look at Google Translate, Babelfish, and other translation programs, do you really want that in every text box in PSO2 when people are talking?

It's better than nothing. Any kind of method of translation, other than picking up rosetta stone or spending significant time immersing yourself in a foreign environment, does a bit to encourage players to not mind playing with eachother.




I personally dont see a problem with PSO's system. They just need to drastically rethink its interface, because it was so damn tedious in PSO that anything you wanted to say would probably be redundant by the time you got it out...