Pay to Play Districts!

First off, I would appreciate it if you dont bother flaming this idea, I already understand at least 75% of you wont like it. And thats exactly what Im counting on.

I propose pay to play districts that could only be accessed by accounts who pay a small monthly fee (5$-?) or a one time fee (20$-?). These accounts would gain no benefit save the right to enter a district where 1) An appeal function is available 2) Harassment situations are quickly taken care of, and 3) players are expected to basically behave. These players would still have access to all the normal zones, of course.

This is an effort to avoid all the immature gamers who are making GW much less enjoyable for alot of us. Like I said, Im sure a huge percent of the population will not be for this, because they wont do it. Frankly, I dont care about those people, its those who would pay for this Im looking to hear from.

If you woulnt pay for this, well then it would in no way affect you, so I really cant see why you would argue against it. I would certainly like to hear arguments on how it would affect you if you think it would though.

Aaaagh casts -<(FLAME SHIELD)>- .

Ok, post away...

I saw the thread that inspired this idea for you and I must second it. I would gladly pay a small fee for restricted districts. I'm sure that there're might be plenty of legitimate reasons to go against this idea but on the surface I'm all for it.

While I like the idea of an online game without monthly charges it seems too easy for parents to purchase the game for $50 just to keep their children out of their hair. The problem is that they then up being in ours. This game is so great on so many levels but the maturity aspect, or lack thereof, leaves a lot to be desired.

what the.... NO! Guild wars was meant to be free, and it will stay free! (I hope ) Yeye I know, it will still be free for the rest, but you know why I didn't pick WoW over this game??? exactly, im dutch.

Thanks for reading the original post, your post has no meaning to me, I tried to explain that to you but, apparently you just cant understand. Go troll elsewhere.

I think that your concerns can be addressed in a way that can benifit everyone, not just a few that choose to pay $5 a month or whatever. I wouldn't want to see something like this implimented just for the fact that the monthly paying group will recieve priority over the non-monthly paying group.

Actually, it does affect other gamers since development time will be taken away from other avenues to implement this new functionality.

If it was financially viable in the long run however, I guess it's plausible - although how would you interact with the non-paying community (e.g. a paying guild vs a non-paying guild) unless you're suggesting an apartheid (which would basically segregate Guild Wars into two games)?

Not necessarily as it could be part of the agreement when you sign up for access to pay-for districts that the developers and support staff will treat you equally to those playing in the free districts. No special treatment in favor of either group. Simply a cover charge and nothing more.

It benefits everyone since the developer / producer makes more money, we get our slightly more mature crowd to associate with and those playing in the free districts get a company with greater financial support working on the game.

Implementing a payment system shouldn't be all that difficult, take too long or cost all that much as payment systems for online games have been around quite a while now.

Also, it wouldn't be two different games as much as two different game rooms with two different types of gaming crowds.

EDIT: please don't misconstrued my commenting on this issue as fighting to get a charge implemented as I could easily continue playing as it. However, it's an interesting idea that's worth considering.

Also, if such a thing were to be implemented everyone should be allowed to upgrade or downgrade their account as they wish.

Since I yesterday probably spend more time cursing stupid leavers, map-painters and other idiots I'd really appreciate an idiot-free zone. But all the MMORPGs with monthly fees have proven that idiots don't stay away just because there is a fee

And, as said before: Guild Wars was meant to be free of any fees and not only should it stay this way, I'd also bet all my real life money that Anet won't introduce any monthly-paid features.

But how about an ingame money fee to enter districts - just like FoW or the Underworld? Maybe 1k, maybe 5k... That's of course also no way to make sure that no idiots visit these districts, but I think there would be far less who spoil the game.
Just imagine someone paying 1k to enter the district and start the Elona Reach mission - if he warps back to town during the mission he spent 1k for nothing and has to spend another 1000 to enter the same district again or he just goes to a non paid district. I think that would make a lot of people rather stay with the group to the end instead of dropping out as soon as the first teammate dies...

Better but they also need to add an option so that you can pay a 100K fee to be able to access these special districts for 2 weeks and the game auctomatically sends you to these districts when you enter a town.

Oh, ha ha.

For a minute, I thought my right to relatively decent gameplay came standard with the box. Didn't realize I had to purchase extra to secure it.

No. If you find someone annoying, then just ignore him or switch districts. This game is entirely instanced, so it's easy to stop people who bother you. Plus, I don't want to be forced to pay a monthly fee in order to find mature players. Let's not stratify the player base.

My ignore list is FULL with leavers - and I can't add anymore... I add people who leave a mission at the first sign of trouble and those idiots that don't use the trade channel but instead spam the normal chat... As you all know there's a limit to the ignore list and even if you ignore someone you're not safe from him being in a group you join. But I really think that most of these people wouldn't join a paid district. - Well, on second thought maybe this wouldn't prevent chat spammers from entering the districts, but I still believe that leavers wouldn't join a paid team or (the other way around) wouldn't leave if they first paid to be in this team...

While I do see the merits of this idea, I'd ask that you explain more how those who possibly can't afford a monthly fee, but consider themselves compitent, mature players will not be abandoned with those that this very system attempts to striate away from? I wouldn't be able to afford these districts, which means there are even less compitent people for me to actually play with, which in the end, lessens my experience because I'm not paying as much, thus, coming back to the basic of Guild Wars and "Free to play."

Not sure you'd get more maturity. What's 5$ a month for a kid living at home?Especially if parents don't want him to bug them, they'll pay the bill and worry not. Also, like the collector's edition, it would start another petty "me's paying you not, u stupid noob"... or whatever. Getting the exact opposite result. And then the first immature monkey getting in the pay-districts would claim he found the almighty godly sword of planetary devastation there, and tadah! two gazillion monkeys in there. "but it's the same area!" - but you're _paying_, dawg. No, isolation is an ineffective way of dealing with this problem, me thinks.

I'd rather use something like a "Consensus"-driven access: take 100 players (dev/a-net selected, doesn't take more than 2 hours). Let no one access the district if they don't have an invitation approved by at least 5 other members of the consensus district. Let the invitation be removed if at least 10 people vote so. Let no one invite more than one person a day. That would make it more like you want it... but it would still create a difference between A-series and B-series players, which I'd rather avoid.

I consider myself mature enough and I make use of one very fine feature the devs have added to GW: "ignore list". Not to mention that the fact GW is instanced is enough to avoid most immature behaviours. What are you going to do, steal my kills or drops? Good luck. You can't even drop stuff in town!!

I haven't read the thread that brought you to this idea - can someone sum up the reason? I might get more insight. Actually I'd seriously like to know what kind of abusive behaviour might trigger such a harsh decision - 5$ a month means you buy the game again every year, AND you still have 2 chapters a year to buy. Not much, I know... but still much more than the ignore list.

Just my .02 - but seriously: why?
Calimar

Sidenote: I think Rhombus was trying to be funny, not trollish.

A different idea on your same lines: a "consensus

That ingore list isn't long enough. It needs to be able to hold at least 1000 people. Perferably more.

Unfortunately, there is no good answer I can figure out to your dilema. It sucks, and I feel for you for sure.

I am just really tired of the immature community, so much that I would gladly PAY for a better shot at a decent one. I feel many are with me.

This is a brilliant idea. At an absolute minimum of 200 people paying 5 bucks a month, that's 1000 bucks a month. Surely that will be enough of a salary to take care of someone whose job it is to play policeman in the district... that's the only extra that's really needed. Pay a small fee and the devs make extra money (that benefits EVERYONE) and the pay-play district gets tighter monitoring for bots, abusers and other violations/harrassments.

Great idea...

although I could never use it... payment options severely limited

What you really need is a system like most IM's where you need to authorise any new users that wish to add you to their list. And when you delete people from your list, then you sever any contact with that person. Although, that'd probably need a whole re-write of the current in-game messaging system...

I would have to disagree, pay to play. Why, there are not that many infantiles on the server, and you dont have to listern / team with them.
Personally I would not pay for a district, and I very very much doubt anybody else would. If anything Just for a guild and have guild only chat enabled 24/7 problem solveed, with no extra fee.
If i was going to pay a monthly fee, then I'd be playing a really MMORPG not GW.