Thoughts after 40+ hours: Certs, Premium, and Station Cash

To start things off here, I have reached rank 19 and have totalled ~1100 Certs. I play on the Waterson server as ADFXOzymandias with the New Conglomerate. At the moment of this post I have 43 hours on Planetside 2 and I think I have played enough to adequately express my thoughts.

I'm making this thread not to complain or cry, but to express my constructive criticisms. It's clearly a fun and immersive game or I wouldn't have this amount of time on it.The gameplay is solid and not where the bulk of my complains rest. While I have many more positive opinions, these criticisms reflect only my negative opinions toward the game. Most of my criticisms are directed to the outrageous prices in terms of real world currency and the insane amount of in-game currency you need to acquire anything new.

Certifications. The driving force behind any new acquisitions in the game. When I started I saw lots of 10, 30, and 50 certification requirements for class upgrades and I thought that was reasonable. However, I looked at gun certifications and I had to do a triple-take. I had played for an entire afternoon and evening and only amassed roughly 150 certs. 1000 certifications for a gun? It must be a really good gun! Nope. Upon further examination 80% of the guns available cost 1000 certs, and the guns at 100, 250, and 500 didn't seem worth it. I have reached the 40 hour mark and just reached 1000 career certs. Of course, I didn't save every one I earned so it will be another 20 hours before I have enough for a gun. 60+ hours for one gun? That seems extreme to me. I saw that you can also purchase guns with "Station Cash". At first I assumed "It's probably somewhere around 500-1000 per dollar". Wrong again. Each dollar is merely 100 SC. I once again had to triple-take. They want me to spend SEVEN whole dollars on one gun? They have to be mad! That's half the cost of Premium! Which leads me to my next point. Premium...

The other day I bought premium because I wanted the enhanced XP and Certs. I paid $15 for +25% passive cert generation, XP, resources, and $5 back in the form of Station Cash. The problem is, most guns cost at least 700 SC, which is once again absolutely outrageous. My attention was then directed to an information panel that told me I need to buy 6 months worth of Premium before I can get a +50% bonus to my certs and XP. I thought it was a joke. You should get 50% automatically with premium. 6 months of Premium, even at their discounted multi-month rates would still run me over $70. Absolutely outrageous. Currently I'm suffering from some pretty intense buyers remorse. I spent $15 for some barely recognizable benefits. But don't forget the $5 Station Cash rebate! Which leads me to my next point. Station Cash...

As with any fremium game, there's of course going to be a cash shop. I used to hate cash shops, but I've come to terms with them and now wholeheartedly embrace the idea. I have a job and can spend a bit of cash on my games. However, to say I'm spending a "bit of cash" on Planetside 2 would be an egregious euphemism. Station Cash is offensively weak. $1 for 100 SC where weapons cost 700 SC? There is no justification for me spending $7 on a gun I use in-game, that only applies to one character, and cannot be transferred between servers or factions. It's almost a giant middle finger to my face. I see people walking around with cool camo and awesome skull helmets, but then I look at the prices and see that it would run me close to $20 for camo on one character, gun included. To make things worse, there is no character customization that can be acquired through certs. You must use real world money. Clearly MMOs aren't for people not willing to spend money. I'm willing to spend money, but not frivolously. Buying a digital gun with very restricted use falls under my definition of frivolous spending.

The Condensed Version
Certs: Far to time consuming and difficult to earn. Takes approximately 60+ hours to acquire 1000 of them, even when saving a good amount. Even with Premium it would take at least 45 hours. Far too many required to purchase anything useful. Cannot purchase character customizations or camo with them.

Premium: Bonuses are barely noticeable. Requires you to pay at least $70 for the full benefit, which reaches it's cap after 6 months. Gives you $500 Station Cash which isn't enough to get you anything useful, kind of like if your grandmother gave you a nickel and telling you not to spend it all at once. A massive rip off.

Station Cash: Extremely underpowered. I read something somewhere where John Smedley boasted that there is roughy $300 of equipment for each faction. If that's supposed to be an incentive to play he's got another thing coming. Most guns cost $7 each plus gun camo, armor, and armor camo would run you close to $20 for ONE class. A just as massive rip off.

The Solution
Weapons should cost (at the very least) half the price that they do currently. 500 certs is still a lot in my eyes, but at least you can earn 500 in a few afternoons. Certifications should be earned somewhat fast. Currently it costs 250 XP to get a cert. That should be lowered to 125-200 XP, or just on a kill by kill basis. I understand that this may take away incentive to cap a base, which brings up another point. To remedy that base capping should award 5 automatic certs, and 10 for the larger bases. Premium should be made worthwhile. 1500 SC should be given each month to justify the purchase. Instead of spending $15 on SC they could get premium. Premium should offer several free camos and customizables each month. If I buy Premium I shouldn't have to still buy everything from the cash shop. Station Cash should be much cheaper and more powerful. Guns should be no more than $1. The current prices are insulting.

This game's mechanics and gameplay are solid and fun, but it pains me to see SOE grubbing for money so intensely. This game is good, but it's not good enough to be charging these kinds of prices. The games bugs and problems aside, the Premium features are non-existent and the cash shop is insultingly expensive.

I completely agree with your analysis of premium, it's pretty underwhelming so I unsubbed. I don't mind buying station cash, but having to sub monthly AND buy station cash just to be effective? That's pushing it. So I'd rather just pick up SC on sales and not deal with premium, the cert gain is incredibly slow with or without a premium boost.

This is the only month of Premium I'm going to pay for unless they seriously increase the benefits.

This game got so many huge flaws its depressing. From the cash shop to the base layout going by air balance. I bough for 50$ of SC already, I bough a total of 4 guns with it, tons of camo and helmets. That doesn't change the fact that I paid way too much for something that doesn't even exist in the real world. I wanted it and I have the money, so I bough all that crap.

That being said, the thing they dont understand is that if they lowered the price they would actually make more money. Your solution is overkill, but a VIRTUAL gun 3.5$ is, in my opinion, resonnable. Things like vehicules weapon, depending on which could be around 5. Flavor of the month(whatever is OP) should be 10$ for the duration, then nerf it to oblivion ahahahaha...

Anyway, Im glad I didn't subscribe because bonus are plain bad and seriusly I never cared for this kind of bonus in any previous game I dont see why I would pay for them.(You can apply the same thinking to continent lock bonuses). Alpha squad is a joke, the skins aren't that bad but still not worth it... better off buying SC so I can get exactly what I want.

I noticed the pricing earlier today, and had the same reaction you did.

As far as certs, Smedley has said that the intention of the game is to get players playing for years. However, simple things like +2% to reload speed for 1000 certs? It feels like a chore for minor benefits. However, in contrast I thoroughly enjoyed buying the one time purchase of side-armor for my Prowler. I felt the time had invested into earning the certs was worth the reward I got.

I believe there should be less leveling up of particular certs, and in its place make players have more tradeoffs. In the end, there will be less of newer players can't compete with veterans, and more customization to a player's particular play style.

Something like 2% reload speed is literally worthless and in no way worth 1000 certs. Say it takes 4 seconds to reload. 4 seconds with a 2% reduction = 8 hundredths of a second time reduction. In other words, not noticeable. In Borderlands 2 I have a 10% reduction in reload speed, and even then it's barely noticeable. I'm pretty sure 8 hundredths of a second isn't humanly possible to notice.

And Daedrick. I would say $3.50 is still a little more than I'd be willing to spend considering that the item you buy is permanently locked to that character in that faction on that server forever. Though I am glad to see I'm not the only one who thinks things are too pricey.

Do not feel bad. I blew $150, plus $40 on 12 month premium, Alpha Squad & 2500SC.
Intense buyers remorse. Very intense.

Dear God... I have never and would never spend that much money on a video game. Between car insurance, school, gasoline, phone, and women I hardly have enough for myself as it is.

I wholeheartedly agree with that. I want to give SOE my money, but.... when i look at those prices the little voice in my head tells me that i am supposed to be a "responsible adult" and not to spend my money carelessly like that.

I really, really hope they take another look at their cash shop. They would make much more money if it would cost less. I am obviously not the only one that can't just go ahead and pay those prices, even though he wanted to spend money on it.

If it was 4 years ago when I was just a kid in high school working at a grocery store without a single financial obligation, I would have gladly dropped money on this game. But times have changed and I have a general concept of the value of a dollar.

I've spent money on this game.

It was a waste, honestly.

I don't really need any of the stuff I bought to be effective.

The free version is good enough. You can get all you want for around $15 (basically, 1 infantry gun you like and 1 vehicle weapon you like).

Instead I spent $15 on Premium and got nothing at all.

my only real complaint with costs for infantry weapons is with most being 1k certs or 7 bucks. we were being sold the idea that weapons would be no more than a sidegrade, yet there is only a fraction that are 500 certs or lower. If they were all truly sidegrades then there wouldn't be a discrepancy in pricing.

DEVs you better be reading this. You are going to get a lot of unsatisfied players if your pricing and half-heated premium package persists.

Suggestion:

Lower the cost of weapons to $3-5 max

Give premium members a free item every month for subscribing

More variation in weapon models, kits, armor etc etc. Almost all your current weapon models are identical, give more an incentive for players to want a gun.

Fortunately somethings can not be 'bought'.
Like upgrades to the weapons.
Feels like major grind though.

This is where SOE catch out the people who really like to be the winner and rob them of their money for expensive rocket pods or whatever sure win 1000cert weapons are for sale.

I would like to see more cosmetic options like ridiculous spoilers for my tank . Maybe even a blowoff valve or new muffler for greater effect

yeah Cert gain does suck for players that are more casual player and maybe dont have that FPS skill.

But you really dont need to get a 1000 cert weapon to be honest.. you can even try them out btw.. click "unlock" then "trial"
You will see that they are only sidegrade meaning

faster rate of fire = either lower damage or less accuarcy
more damage = slower rate of fire
etc etc

Well premium does offer membership queues, which obviously were only an issue that first week. So thats a wasted benefit.

The XP bonus is weak off the bat but increases, forgot how many months untill it caps out but when it does its very nice...again kind of wasted benefit since the first month is meh XP.

And you get $5 worth of SC ever months while auto renewal is active...which...is ok.

Yeah it seems like membership is very...meh....when that $15 a month could go towards a few items.

If the XP wasnt lame untill 6 months in it would be a great deal.


I dont think the cert value of guns and their benefit is bad, i like it this way...i want something to work and save up for, im not an ADD kid who needs it all now or i panic. I dont think $7 is too much for a permanent gun either. Theres got to be something more to memberships however. Leave the rest as is. In the long run 1k certs for a cash shop gun (permanent) is nothing...hell its like a week worth of certs as it is...dont want to be maxed out with all my guns before my first month is over (not that i will)

Once you get it all and certs start to stockpile a huge portion of motivation will be removed....

Once a month or at almost every two SC goes on sale for 2x. I have a suspicion that this is behind the prices you see on those guns. That and waiting for things to go on sale and they can knock what you see now for half price. It is a scheme. No way around that.. but It happens in the rest of the world and these guys playing seem to go for it.

Personally I skipped any sub, alpha package or the rest. When I began on the first day I went the free route because I have played these games before. You never buy the gold package. It never pays out and is a front loading scheme.

I missed the 3x October sale. The one with the Walmart deal that gave you 6k SC for 15 bucks. I warned many in beta and have posted numerous times on this forum about.. all I could do. When Black Friday hit with the 2x sale I bought 4k for 20 bucks. Everything I have bought in the game with that SC has been from a sale on that intro screen for a further saving. Usually it is halved. Some I paid for full but I was in Beta and know what is what and which weapons to skip. I also know that this weapon scheme past a handful are just side grades and tested them. So right now I am sitting with almost all the weapons I need for my play style and still sitting with 1k SC in the bank.

So My MBT, my Lightning, My Engie and my HA are all set and I am just working on certs. For the cost of 15 bucks.

Nowhere am I saying this is good. All I am saying is that it can be gamed. Just like my aunt games a grocery store walking out paying 2 bucks for 200 dollars of groceries. Using those coupons at the correct time and knowing the pseudo sales from the true ones.

I did not spend a dime, and I am enjoying the game with no reservations whatsoever