Purchase More Character Slots!

Excellent... i'm buying 3 for sure. 8pve players (1 each profession) + pvp slot

On a good day at the exhcange tates thats about £5.50 - £6.60 here, which x 4 is only a tiny bit over buying a whole new account.

Now factor in that if you have purchased Factions also, then thats £19.99 for prophecies, + £30 for Factions, thats £50 for 4 new char slots with access to all content that your first account will have, or pay about £25-£30 for 4 new char slots with all that access anyway + skill unlock / item unlock / easy money/ item transfer.

So I wudnt really call this a rip off if you are planning to merge Propheices and Factions, as atleast in the UK, it saves money per character slot rather than is more expensive.

Obviously if you dont want to merg accounts, or your just not getting factions, then this probably isnt worth it.



On the plus side this means I get to make a ritualist without worrying about my chars, and also ressurect some of my fallen characters that I enjoyed playing as.

I'd like to know what Anet's policy will be for future expansions as well.

Will they give one extra slot for each new profession added? (i.e. per chapter, assuming new professions every chapter)

If so then in theory this means you'll only have to buy two slots maximum (one off payment) and you'll always be able to play all the professions, merged into your one account.

If the intention is to release more professions, but add less slots, then that's just being done to make people fork out more money and that I do think is questionable tactics.

Though I think it's a touch on the pricey side, I don't mind paying the one off fee so I can use a merged account for all future chapters. I will mind, however, if this repeats in future.

Running two copies of GW on one Pc is quite easy.

the way I do it is I use two seperate windows user accounts. I copied my GW folder to anohter location and then in the second user account, edited the registry for that user so that it pointed to the new directory. To run two at once I simply use the "switch user" function in windows to switch to another user and run it from there.

Works just fine. No need to edit any game files.

Back on topic:

Buyable slots...great news...for those with only one account.

But what is Anet going to do for those who have already spent $50/£30 on a second account??

Exactly.

<sarcasm>"Waaaah! You mean I've got to pay for Factions...?"</sarcasm>

I love it how when it helps the economy and puts money in our pocket, Capitalism is always considered the One True Way here -- but when it could potentially cost us a little bit of money that we don't really have to spend unless we really want something, then suddenly it's evil.

This was something that wasn't anticipated by A.net and the new slots are designed to prevent future necessities like this. I don't know that there's many ways to fix what's already happened.

If they enabled you to merge two existing Prophecies accounts, likely you'd end up with half the storage of what you're accustomed to. So there's a down-side to that too.

To clarify what I said, the examples in other games were Rez Scrolls, armour etc., these may be needed to remain competitive. A lot of people in GW keep a slot spare for pvp characters. They can delete and create another whenever it suits them. Thus they can play different classes as they see fit. Thats how it stands atm, adding slots will only ease the hassle of constantly rerolling pvp characters, ie its more convenient. I dont see it increasing longevity if you have more slots.

As to adding purchaseable things..... i'd be surprised and disappointed if it happened. Adding slots was something a lot of players asked, even begged for. In no way does it set a precedence (unless of course players ask for changes in appearance etc. to be buyable with real money, which I very much doubt).

Finally! Gonna buy 4 of them! 2 for the new professions, 1 for PvP, and the final one will be my spare slot, in case there will be another preview event for Chapter 3.

<---- happy

Im happy with GW, im happy with Factions, im happy with a chance to get more slots. Im happy that you're so jaded that hopefully you'll leave.

During the debates on this very issue, many players were concerned about "unbalance". I've never understood this. Could someone explain how more slots unbalances the game play? Please note, this is a serious question, not an attempt and bait and flame... I really don't understand the argument.

I'll be purchasing two slots so I can finally play all the professions just from Chapter 1. So I'm very happy about this. /does the happy dance

Hmmm....lets see.

A: 2 x Storage
B: only 1 x storage, all chars on one account, UAX, Only having to buy ONE copy of each expansion...

I know which one I can live with!!

Great idea, Anet! Too bad this didn't come sooner. I and my wife have one account each, and a third shared account between us, so we could experience all of the primary professions without needing to delete characters. This, however, is very inconvenient because we cannot both play the characters on the shared account at the same time. So when she plays her ranger, I can't play my necro, etc.

With the ability to purchase additional slots, this problem is solved, but now we already have this third account, and what to do with it? And, if we abandon it, we will have to re-create the characters on it in our main accounts, yuk!

But the ability to purchase additional slots makes many things much less of a hassle. With multiple accounts, we need to maintain extra friend's lists, and our friends need to put all of our accounts on their friends lists, filling them up all the more quickly. And the same goes for Guild rosters that also have a maximum limit.

I'm confused about this arguement as well. The only reason I can think of being "unbalanced" is that player have more slots, can play more character, and maybe get more drops??? But this still doesn't make the game unbalanced because they do spend more time in the game and then they deserve it.

I remember someone mentioned if it's possible to merge 2 accounts even with a fee. I second this. Don't know if Anet will listen though.

This is cool, I wonder if I will be able to buy my new slots at walmart? Or will I have to put my credit card information on the internet, Yikes!

Great, we get to buy new slots....but all I want to do is combine my existing two accounts into one. That would solve all my problems.

I am pleased to see the addition of this feature which I personally have been asking for since release, however, I do think that £5.99 is excessive for a single character slot.

As I look at it, I have prophecies and ordered factions. I can merge factions with prophecies but would lose 2 char slots in doing so. Was there not lots of complaints about this and then a lot of justification as to why they were not allowing you to have more slots?

Now they are allowing you more slots, at the very least they should now allow people that are merging accounts, to have the full amount they bought in the first place?

So, I buy prophecies and get 4 slots, I buy factions and get 4 slots. If I want to get the best out of both I need to merge them and by doing so I lose 2 slots? In theory I have already paid for those slots so I should be allowed them if they are to be allowing more slots to be added to an account, shouldn't I?

I'd still end up buying more, since I would need slots for each build I want to try.

I'm hoping Anet would help out the people with this situation, seeing as how many people bought a second (and third) account for slots. Some of my guildmates have multiple accounts and some of them weren't too happy when they found out that you can have the option to purchase slots. Therefore, I'm hoping sooner or later (meaning this summer), Anet would find a way to let them merge their multiple accounts together so they won't have to buy many copies of each chapter.

i'm unhappy because i have 3 accounts. i don't understand why they don't add the merge accounts feature.

Never going to happen. That would undercut the $10/slot model. Reason: When Guild Wars Prophecies is $20 at BestBuy (in a few weeks) you'd be able to go out and get 4 slots at $5/slot. EDIT: Maybe if your account was activated before the release of Factions and this new $10/slot offer they might consider it. Never is a strong word.

You and all the other multi-account players are just going to have to write those extra accounts off... or sell them on eBay. (Yeah, against the EULA, but probably doesn't hurt ANet long term. Buyers of those accounts will also be customers of the new pay-per-slot model.)

Also, I've said this before in this thread, but I'll say it again. The best model ANet could use is to decouple slots from content:

New content with no slots whatsoever: $30
Slot with access to all the content a player has purchased AND 5 extra spaces in storage: $10

With that model everyone would be happy. It's completely devoid of any "fuzzy" marketing mathematics.

I am so so happy now. Thanks ANet!

yay more money to them....

Awesome. I might eventually buy one for each profession, but I haven't been interested in playing them all. Now that I have that option, however...

Great job, ANet, thanks! Unfortunately (and surprisingly), this development apparently hasn't quelled the slots debate.

You guys are all so excited to be paying extra money for something we should have had in the first place.
"Oh, you wan't to play all of the characters AND play PvP? Well that's gonna be another $30. Cha Ching"

How much does ANet get off of each copy of Guild Wars? Best Buy might sell it for $20 to pull you in; they'll bite the bullet in the hopes you buy more stuff from them. Of that, does ANet only get $20? Or does Best Buy still pay ANet the $35-40? My guess is closer to the latter, its more typical of such economics. You're getting that $20 discount from Best Buy more than ANet, to clear shelves, to pull you in and hope you buy more, etc.

I can see a lot of reasons not to merge, but I think they might eventually allow it. Especially for older copies. Otherwise Ebay does look probable for many of them (EULA holding legal weight is quite debatable, ToS in a game is one thing, but how binding a post-shrinkwrap EULA is is another).

The other probability of course for many is one in Europe and one in America. I may be doing as much (for alliance reasons, and for favor reasons for the hard core PvEers).

Unless course they announce merging being possible before they start selling separate slots...

Edit: I'm not one those who feels I deserve more than what I paid for initially. I paid for four slots knowing there were six professions, and bought a second account because I wasn't patient enough to wait for slots since I had no idea when they were coming. I'm happy I'll be able to buy extra slots now.

You can also play in both America and Europe territories if you have two accounts. Different community and almost 24/7 access to FoW/UW

It is crystal clear which one I will live with.

The world is a sad enough place full of killing, death and suffering. You are pissed over a $50 game which just offered more slots for $10 each. A feature which WE ASKED FOR. Maybe you are the one who's head is buried in the sand.

You remind me of this guy in random arena.

He was complaining that Anet was full of crap because they wouldnt answer his question. That question being "Why is there a curse filter if cursing breaks the EULA in the first place?"

I just cant stop laughing. Its a very valid question. But he was angry because he never got a personal response or what not (Automated emails SUCK).

I tried to tell him to chill, because its not really that big of a question to stress about.

---------

I always considered the two new slots from a merged account to be bonuses.

You lost all 4 of those slots when you merged.

Well, you see, that's an opinion, not fact.

There are those of us who feel this is a great deal and we're saving money on slots (opinion). And then there are those of us who feel they are entitled to 8 slots because 4 come with each chapter (opinion).

But, hey, it's fun to rehash the same old debate over and over, ad infinitum, eh?

Yeah, me too.

ah, good, I was hoping I wouldn't have to delete more characters

I will probably be quite fine with six all access slots. Most likely I won't need more. If I do... this is a great add.

Well done ANet.

I only have two. I opened the second one in order to not have to delete any toons on my main account (storage was not my main issue). But I do agree that it is sort of a pain to have to use two accounts and two computers to play the game the way I want.

I was going to have to buy a second copy of Factions to install on my second account (where my Monk and Ele reside) in order for them to have access to Cantha. I still might, but at least now I have the option of just purchasing a couple additional slots on my main instead. Granted, I will have to re-level those characters out if I do it that way, but for me that is not such a big deal.

Good on ya Anet...I applaude this upgrade. Just wish it had come a bit sooner! heheh. No biggie though.

So far the response looks mostly positive. I am suprised as I figured tons of folks would be complaining about having to fork over 10 smackers for a new slot. I personnally don't have a problem at all with that, but figured some would.

Anyhow....WTG Anet...good decision. Can't wait until next Thursday for the "pre" release period. Ahhh...more sleepless nights.

WTF??? World suffering? Poverty? Killing? How did you make that great leap?

You know why you asked for that feature?

Because ANet limits you amount of character slots to begin with.
Because ANet has a pathetic amount of storage per account.
Because ANet underhandly is milking people who have 2 accounts.
Because ANet likes to make a pitch about 'no monthly fee.'


If you bought the idea, then everything ANet does makes perfect sense.


And regarding that dude in Random Arena - who cares. Your analogy is rather oblique

I think MelechRic had it right a few pages back: simply dissassociate content from character slots.

Example:

Let's say I'm new to guild wars. A.net doesn't care which continent I start in, i.e. cantha, tyria, who-cares-aria, etc. It's $50 which gets me continent 1 and 4 slots.

Next, I want to expand. Each new continent is $30, period. No more slots, just the continent. (and doesn't $30 feel more like an expansion set or 'chapter' as they call it, anyway?)

Want more char slots? $10 a piece. Every char you have travels everywhere your account has access to. (more char slots mean more HDD space, which mean more cost to A.net, thus the cost)

Can anyone honestly shoot holes through this? It appears tight to me. Of course every new customer gets the "bonus" of 2 extra char slots, but what company doesn't give some sort of sign-up deal to new customers?

Ya, it is an opinion. But I believe your opinion was manipulated by Anet's marketing tactics. They have a habit of promising a product that is far below the requirements to fully enjoy the game. Then when they meet you half way you're so relieved you fail to notice that you still are getting jipped. Some examples.

What a reasonable person would expect to get: 7 slots (1 for each primary character + 1 so you can take part in PvP)
What you're promised: 4 slots
What you get: 4 slots plus the option to buy more
Reaction: Oh joy, we're not stuck with 4 slots
Oversight: We have to pay double to get what we should reasonably expect to have to fully appreciate the game

What a reasonable person would expect to get: Prophesy owners to get the same number of slots as new purchasers of Factions (4 more slots)
What you're promised: 1 slot
What you get: 2 slots
Reaction: Oh joy, we're not stuck with 1 slot
Oversight: We still get less for the same amount of money.

Hmmm....another $30.00. Ouch. Not. Let's do some easy math.

Guild Wars: $50.00 (or so) for retail copy of game.

GW Monthly Fee: $0.00

All Other MMORPG's: $50.00 (or so) for retail copy of the game.

All Other Monthly fees: $13-$15.00 per month = $156.00 - $180.00 per year.

So, in one year, I have bought GW @ $50, Factions @ $50 and 3 additional slots @ $10 per. Total is investment is $130 smackers.

Compare that to "Other Game".....$50 retail and (minimum here) $156.00 for subscription = $206.00 for one year. Not to mention expansion packs which DO NOT equal a stand alone product and usually cost between $15 and $30 bucks or more.

Guild Wars has provided continually evolving content. A very nice expansion in the form of Sorrows Furnace and Grenths. A very popular update to the standard Tombs. Good (if not great) servers. How much downtime do we get here? I can remember only about 2-3 days total in a year. If that.

My whole point is that as an overall value and package, I don't think that anyone can or has beaten Guild Wars. As far as actual dollars spent to play the game we are WAY ahead of the competition. And I believe it is only gonna get better.

Now I have something new to complain about, TOO MUCH DAMN MONEY. Just kidding...

muuuahhaha!

It only shows the power of whinning! I remember reading posts telling us (the customers) to stop whinning about character slots because A-net's mind was set and it wasn't going to change. Well, ha!

Power to the people! The voices that never stopped!

I think $10 is a reasonable price. If it were $5 people would not give a second thought about buying character slots. At $10 a slot, it makes you think twice about getting an extra 10 slots of mules. If you have Prophecies and Factions, you only need to fork another $20 to get to play all primaries. If you can't find enough storage in 8 character slots then you are the one that has a problem.

A welcome change would be less storage with the character and more storage with Xuntai. I normally have 10 slots in character storage that is only there because there isn't room with Xuntai and it is a pain to move then around in between charcters to sell. But, that is off topic...

I'm happy with the new slots and will get 2 extra ones after Factions.

If you try to compare GW to MMORPG , please don't exlcude the bigger size of the game and the free content update they get.
Sorrows Furnace is the only compareable free update GW ever added. The rest are minor when compared to other MMORPG.

I'm going to fill my account up. No more rerolling!

No, the unmerged 40$ account would also have the storage, so you actually get less new space. Not to mention that prophecies can be picked up for much less than $40. Basically this option is good to cover the lack of slots given for the # of characters possible, BUT if one is only concerned with more storage, then it's cheaper to buy another game and keep it unmerged.

I brought up the "world is a bigger place" because you seem to think that "my head is buried in the sand".

Guild Wars is my escape, yes id rather bury my head in it and not worry about the business model end, because i enjoy the game.

I edited your quote slightly, with the characters in BOLD what i added in to help my reply.

(Point A) Anet limited the original amount to 4 when theres 6 primaries. That sucks. You are limited to 6 chars, plus a PVP slot. Agreed. But wait...you get what you paid 4....go to point D

(Point B) I agree. But then again, the game isnt about collecting items. Sure you can collect armor (which i do) or weapons, or what not. But the game isnt really designed like that...or havent you noticed we dont have quests like this:

"oh go kill bandits and bring me back 50 hats. BTW, only 1 out of 50 drop the hat. So good friggin luck. "

"If you want to use Apply poison, you have to collect 1 empty bottle, 5 poison spores, 1 poison fang, 1 poison needle, 1 poisonous chemical, etc, etc. And btw, you need 250 poison bottles because they dont last a long time."

"If you want to shoot arrows you gotta make arrows...you have to collect (Fill it in here)"

So tell me why you need so much storage when the game doesnt function like that?

(Point C) Milking players with 2 accounts....hmn...this i have to be neutral about.

(Point D) No monthly fees, Barely any downtime, we get feedback from devs, we get lots of updates to fix things that break (eventually)



The reason i compared you to the Random Arena guy...is because Random Arena is full of angry people...If something makes you angry, why stay with it and let it aggravate you? Why bother stay in the game and just rant randomly. Stop playing the game and chill. Get some kaluha, watch TV, or what not. Buy a hammock. Go for a drive.

The game is only $50. Im pretty sure you squeezed the RPG out of the game already.