Comparison of free vs paid - achieving methods

[Muratus del Mur]

I am interested to have a list of features present in the shop and their equivalent ways of being obtained without spending credits (not free, not nothing). The most common option will be "wait x time (I want at least approximate time needed)"..but there are others that are unachievable without credits, or are via trade, and in that case i need more details on how to initiate or look for such a trade.

 

I want a more userfriendly and easy to understand game flow, this is just one step in many. This list will be presented either step by step (next to each item in the shop) or centralized, to help new players understand what is it they pay for and to decide themselves if they could play without paying.

 

No game actually does that,  you discover what you need to pay for on the way, but you can't see a clear list of methods on how to achieve same thing for free. Even when it is about waiting time, they never prepare you for the amounts of time needed for deeper level of upgrades/items and such.

 

This list will help me understand if "paid" is still balanced with "free" and adjust things as needed....plus, it will be a honest way of presenting things clearly to everyone...i do not think we have anything to hide regarding this, there are no "checkpoints" where you are forced to pay to continue in a decent way, at least none i know about, so why not actually advertise that? All games with micropayments i tried so far did this commercial trick, when you enjoy it most, they ask money, we don;t (we should, its just me that doesn;t want that )

[MRAlyon]

this can be done also for wish shop?

[Muratus del Mur]

yes..ofc
i forgot to mention this will probably require public effort or a team of people to do right. I will reward whoever does it, that is selfunderstood..but i need it done well, because i will base my decisions on it but i won't have the time to double check info in this report

[Burns]

Can you / Chewie / Council provide a list of the stuff in the shop so we can see what goes how deep, too?

 

I mean... I would figure that there are a few people who did buy everything in all branches, but i doubt anybody kept record of how deep exactly stuff was, or where exactly the silver coins are stacked onto, etc. etc.

 

If not in a public post, for obvious reasons, maybe in a PM to the people who are interested in making up that paid vs. free list?

[Chewett]

Can you / Chewie / Council provide a list of the stuff in the shop so we can see what goes how deep, too?
 
I mean... I would figure that there are a few people who did buy everything in all branches, but i doubt anybody kept record of how deep exactly stuff was, or where exactly the silver coins are stacked onto, etc. etc.
 
If not in a public post, for obvious reasons, maybe in a PM to the people who are interested in making up that paid vs. free list?

NOTE TO MUR: dont dump the whole list, some of them are secret. You need to check them through first.

I dont see it needs to be done for wish shop, since Wishs are not bought with cash. Wheras having lots of cash can give you a lot of bonuses in the shop.

Anyone interested in being in a forum group run by me to discuss it, PM me, will make a forum for you to discuss and will post the list of current items. Edited August 28, 2013 by Chewett

[rikstar]

I am also interested in making this, there eas a discussion at GoE about tokens yesterday. How much they made players better and stuff. So I think that there also needs a list that explains it in the correct so that there wont be any misconceptions.
So I am interested in being in that group. :)

Edited August 28, 2013 by rikstar

[Chewett]

I wont be adding those to the group that i consider too young to participate, a couple of the things that are probably going to be discussed should be held private and therefore anyone under 1 year i probably wont add.

[dst]

No for wish shop. Yes for the rest.

 

Add me to the group please. I think I can be helpful when in doubt.

[Chewett]

Added Burns Mur and dst to group.

Its located here: http://magicduel.invisionzone.com/forum/313-item-shop-discussion/

[No one]

Knowledge is priceless. You have to get all items from shop to understand what you can /. cannot do with them.

-------------------------------

 

I don't have the whole list nor I will say anything that should not be told.

Extra features

     ----> this is the only list that has a real long term interest (i.m.o.)

     ----   most of these items cannot be achieved without credits

 - Buddy List +5

     ----> this item can be received for free once every year on Xmas.

     ----- very useful from "questing" to keeping in touch with friends and even to follow ppl

 - Extra Creature Slot

    ----> this cannot be achieved in any way without credits,

    ----   the increase in amount of creature slots is the only way to experience a decent game play (from my point of view) a.k.a. a must have

 - Joker (colored), Pimp, Imperial Aramor

    ----> at this moment are very very cheap (1-2 sc, smallest gifts for random quests and are even given for free)

    ----  they are "priceless" for the new comers but a burden for those that have them

 - Bronze Avatar

    ----> you cannot have it without credits

    ----   after having it bought 3-4 times (a bug), i currently avoid it in shop, it is useless in gameplay a.k.a. a burden in shop

 

Bosters ...

    ----> you most of them you can achieve without credits

    ----   you have to pass at least once through the entire list to know what you can do with those items

 

Powerups & recharges

    ----> you can get them without credits

    ----   but it will cost you time, lots of it

 

Timed Boosters

    ----> some can be achieved in game without credits

    ----   these are temporary boosters, there is nothing permanent here and thus they can be avoided

    ----   there are some items like "rust drachorn", "rein drachorn" are given in this section. These creatures can also be obtained without credits from quests or gifts of payment for tasks

 

 

 

In the end, you still have to remember that credits can be bought in game for coins (silver & gold) and that those coins can be worked for and thus anything in shop is achievable without any kind of payment from one "determined" player.

Edited August 28, 2013 by No one

[Muratus del Mur]

ummmm...i realised things in wish shop are not intended to be achievable any way else...getting wishpoints is part of how md is intended to be, has nothing to do with payments that coyld offer unfair advantages

(i just saw your replies after i posted mine, so yes, without wish shop) Also younger players could simply post about one or the other item they managed to buy, telling how else could it be achieved, no need for a single person to do everything (unless you aim for a fat reward all for yourself :))

ps, can tokens be achieved anyway else than shop? my initial intention was to have them presebt in sone other form too, but i cant remember if it was done or not

[dst]

Tokens can ONLY be gained from the shop.

 

Unless...you get them by getting a crit who already has them (so by trading tokened crits).

I don't trust younger players.

[Nimrodel]

I can help too if you want. Also, i think tokens should remain as a shop only thing. Getting free creds is not a big thing. If people are committed enough or interested enough in the game, its easy to handle tokening or get tokens.

[Maebius]

One way I can see to research this is set a 'hacked' alt with [arbitrary] 9999 credits and just burn through the Shop marking down what is listed where.  :)

Then, lock that alt, sacrifice their tokened crits, etc, to prevent Abuses and unearned benefit,.  :D  (or just reset Mur's account?!  :P )

[dst]

It will not help.

You need loyalty and honor and ADs to buy stuff in the shop.

[DarkRaptor]

I'm currently 1kAD and recently used the shop for the first time so here is my opinion about some of the items.
But first i would like to say that in 3 years i felt absolutly no need of using the shop other than in the Extra Features branch.. wich is easy to get only with free credits.

I'm a subscriber because it's my opinion that if i play the game every day and i can then i Must Support It.


Powerups and Rechargers
I think all the powerup's (Concoction's of True Self,Regeneration Ritual's,etc) have a very easy equivalent form of being achieved the same result by waiting some time or by the help of a player (givevital,heal,orbs..)
The creatures that can be bought in this branch are not uncommon and will also be not very hard to get by playing some realm quests.


Permanent boosters
statsbooster's like Vitality Elixir's, Bottle of Learning, Metal Orb can be very easily replaced by sacrificing one or two creatures
boosters associated percentage defense and attack increase are not possible to achieve through a known other method.

Extra Features
Most this features are not possible to get without the shop, exception to creature, heat slot and friend list(on xmas tree).

Timed boosters
All this tempbooster's are easy replaceable either by time or spells from other players.
The creatures that exist in this branch are not hard to get by winning some quests or by trading.

Creature Tokens
There is no known method of getting Creature Tokens out of the shop, but that is easy to bypass with trading and participating in quests.

Unique MD Avatars
Avatars can be bought/traded directly from players

Coins are possible to get by trading or participating in quests.

Notes:
1. I've always considered the list of shop items and their position a spoiler.
2. Free Credits will give 50+ Credits per year, so a player can buy a full branch of the shop only with free credits