(DISCLAIMER: I am not here to tell anyone how to run their game, just to suggest ways on how to improve it. Don’t hate.)
(IMPORTANT: I am also well aware that Nexon has their own client for running games, and not everyone will use the Steam interface. As far as the possibility of trading goes, an in-game trade window is always an option.)
=-=-=-=-=OVERVIEW=-=-=-=-=
A big issue when unboxing a crate or trading up cards is the inconsistency in desirable combinations of weapons, perks, skins, etc. To benefit both developers (by providing more efficient means of income) and players (facilitating an open and diverse market), I’ve drafted a revision of the loadout card system. The main purpose is to allow players to trade their loadouts and essentially cherry pick their desired traits of said cards in the process.
Especially in American culture and anyone else obsessed with leveling their profiles on steam, the purpose of cards in any sense is to trade them. Be it pieces of paper for your favorite sports team or bits of data that enhance your favorite video game, we should be mindful that when you give something “meaningless” value, there are others who will trade other items for said value. In the case of loadout cards, here’s my plan for exercising the possibility of a new market.
=====OPTION A: Unboxing=====
As is the standard, crate unboxings will still remain the primary method of gaining your stock/merchandise. The price of 1,000 credits for low-tier boxes is reasonable, and buying bronze cards for a small fee is a good business model similar to keys in Team Fortress 2 or Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. By allowing players to either earn boxes in-game or purchase them, it creates a new river of income for those looking to bolster their deck so to speak with booster packs if you will (I’ll explore this in the following table). The goal here is to allow the purchase of all types of cases.
I think we can all relate to having a few bucks/quid lying around our Steam wallet after a big sale, and this is a perfect opportunity to put that cash towards something relatively valuable for the price. Liken the process to spending extra change from the grocery on a gumball.
–(NOTE: The current currency-credit rate is 5,000C = $0.99 USD / £0.93 GBP. based on bundle/bronze card prices)
–(NOTE: In order to balance in-game and real currency exchange rates, credit prices will double in ascending order to preserve the authenticity and value of higher-tier crates. This will prevent so called ‘easy exploitation’ of probability and market values of silver+ cards.)
–(NOTE: Standard Case prices will still be reduced by 25% in lieu of a promo event such as the Containment War.)
–Standard Case (1,000 credits | £0.65 GBP / $0.99 USD)–
PROBABILITIES:
Lead - 80%
Iron - 15%
Bronze - 3%
Silver - 1.5%
Gold - 0.4%
Cobalt - 0.1%
–Expert Case (5,000 credits | £1.64 GBP / $2.49 USD)–
PROBABILITIES:
Bronze - 70%
Silver - 20%
Gold - 7%
Cobalt - 3%
–Elite Case (10,000 credits | £3.28 GBP /$4.99 USD)–
PROBABILITIES:
Silver - 80%
Gold - 15%
Cobalt - 5%
–[SUGGESTION] Legendary Case (20,000 credits | £6.56 GBP /$9.99 USD)–
PROBABILITIES:
Gold - 90%
Cobalt - 10%
=====OPTION B: Trade-Ups=====
Self-explanatory with a few revisions (the idea of adding one more card to the process makes things more expensive than they need to be. This )
Lead to Iron - 3 Leads, 500c
Iron to Bronze - 3 Irons, 1,000c
Bronze to Silver - 3 Bronzes, 2,500c
Silver to Gold - 3 Silvers, 5,000c
Gold to Cobalt - 3 Golds, 10,000c
Now that cases and their values have been laid out, onto the next step (OPTION C) of the marketing/trading process.
=====OPTION C: Market Trades=====
If the developers can get in touch with Valve, I recommend adding cards as not only purchasable cosmetics (as is the case of silver+ only having reskins), but practical items that can be used. It’s sounds a bit controversial or even risky considering the rocky state of F2P/P2W discussions, but I’m a firm believer in doing what I believe will work (and hopefully change the market in the long-term). As I mentioned in my first note, I respect Nexon’s independence for their users operating outside of Steam’s community market, and an in-game trade interface is another desirable action to take.
(NOTE: As usual some tax will be taken from Steam and possibly Nexon’s side with every purchase made.)
This process is relatively simple: loadout cards you purchase/unlock will be added to your Steam/Dirty Bomb inventory as feasible items. Using both in-game and/or Steam client trading will facilitate an open market where players can negotiate for more appealing cards. The ability to barter between players stimulates the value of the cards by providing more open measures of obtaining them. Easy stuff really.
What really makes this work is the option of using one’s own Steam wallet, PayPal, credit card, etc. to purchase cards up for sale rather than drop endless amounts of cash opening cases (which I’ll add; the chances of getting the PERFECT cobalt through this method would be incredibly costly.) It makes players more willing to spend, as their possibility of getting the cards they want goes up significantly when chance is more or less discarded. It’s a matter of who has the perfect combination of perks, primary, secondary, and melee that someone wants.
=-=-=-=-=CONCLUSION / TL:DR=-=-=-=-=
In order to promote the longevity and maintain the innovative concept of loadout cards, the ability to exchange these cards is a must. Players have always lumped together the equivalent of three bronzes for a gold or a gold for a gold in other games in order to get something more desirable, and capitalizing on this human desire for commerce would take Dirty Bomb in a positive new direction.
(NOTE: I did not mention the idea of separate cards for perks and weapons as the resulting controversy of P2W concepts would bring negative criticism. Since higher-quality cards beyond bronze only promote cosmetic changes, this maintains the game’s integrity.)
Anyway, as usual feel free to debate in the comments. I prefer constructive criticism so instead of telling me something’s wrong, include steps on how to fix it. I always strive for improvement of my concepts. Thank you all for your time.