Sony, CCP Figuring Out Real Currency Exchange in Dust 514

[Greg Tito]

Sony, CCP Figuring Out Real Currency Exchange in Dust 514

Working out microtransaction details might pave the way for real world currency trading over the PlayStation Network.

So far, microtransactions haven't really invaded console game titles. Sure, you can purchase stuff for your Xbox avatar or for PlayStation Home, but buying specific items and outfits for characters in game have generally been relegated to MMOs on PCs. That will change when CCP's Dust 514 releases on the Sony platform because of how it interacts with the massive and completely player-run economy of EVE Online. CEO Hilmar Pétursson is busy negotiating how exactly Sony can work on blending accounts between PC players of EVE and console players of the FPS spinoff Dust 514. The culmination of these deals may just change how PlayStation works forever.

"[Sony] hasn't done anything like this before. We're having many meetings with them to ensure they have solid policies on virtual currency," said Pétursson. "Given the amount of back and forth there, we can definitely see us breaking new ground."

"These meetings with Sony have been fantastic. We are both trailblazing together," newly hired David Reid to head up marketing Dust 514. "CCP and Sony are right there in the same room figuring all this out together."

CCP is really attempting to make both games feel like part of a whole. "I would rather think of Dust as an integrated experience with Eve," Pétursson said. "There are so many people who are naturally intimidated by getting started on Eve, and that's what Dust is for. It allows people to participate in this massive world by just picking up a controller."

From what I've heard, the confluence between these two games will not only change the way PlayStation Network works, but all possible interactions between games set in the same universe. I'm glad that CCP continues to set the bar high for innovation in its games.

Also, maybe Dust will be the thing that finally gets me earning isk when it launches this year on the PS3.

Source: Develop [http://www.develop-online.net/features/1528/The-oldest-republic]





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[Jack and Calumon]

You know, I really like this. Sony is doing a lot of good with the PSN, merging it with other things like Steam and it's doing things with EVE as we can see. If they can expand on this further, we could have some very interesting times online that's not just cross platform play.

I think Yahtzee came up with a game idea in one of his Extra Punctuation articles of a Just Cause 2 style map, but one person is controlling armies like an RTS while the other person is basically Rico Rodriguez. Imagine the PC users, commanding the armies, attacking the console super soldier bad-ass. I think this would be beautiful, and lead to unity among gamers.

If the majority of the mainstream population will get off COD for 5 fucking minutes.

Calumon: Wait, why did I miss the other 513 Dust things? They work fast. :S

 

[Art Axiv]

The only issue I have is that they are leaving me - the 360 user - out of the goodness..

 

[Kopikatsu]

Before anyone gets started on the whole 'Microtransactions in console games? PRECEDEEEEEEEENT!', this isn't new. The only game I can remember by name is Tales of Vesperia, but there have been console games where you can buy levels and junk. (I don't mean DLC like extra costumes or something, I mean like '50 levels; 1200 microsoft points')

 

[Fiz_The_Toaster]

Now this will be interesting, and I really hope this works out pretty well.

I kinda forgot about this game though, and I really really hope this game turns out as good as they've been showing it, and not making the microtransactions stupid and game breaking.

 

[Korten12]

The only issue I have is that they are leaving me - the 360 user - out of the goodness..

Microsoft wouldn't let Dust 514 be on live, without all of their servers running through Live. Sony allowed them to run their servers through the servers CCP runs.

 

[Art Axiv]

The only issue I have is that they are leaving me - the 360 user - out of the goodness..

Microsoft wouldn't let Dust 514 be on live, without all of their servers running through Live. Sony allowed them to run their servers through the servers CCP runs.

While this explanation is completely legitimate - they STILL could have settle an agreement. We are all human. (I'd like to be positive about these things.)

 

[Korten12]

The only issue I have is that they are leaving me - the 360 user - out of the goodness..

Microsoft wouldn't let Dust 514 be on live, without all of their servers running through Live. Sony allowed them to run their servers through the servers CCP runs.

While this explanation is completely legitimate - they STILL could have settle an agreement. We are all human. (I'd like to be positive about these things.)

They did try. In fact it was originally a 360 exclusive I believe. But after Microsoft refused to budge. They went with Sony.

 

[Gather]

Huh... I hope it isn't a "pay to win" mechanic. What would be nice is if you could get contracts from players (Or NPC's) that can be converted to "Game credits" to buy the same thing. Of course, the price should be a lot higher.

Not to mention brand new research projects for Eve Online to give as a "reward" to their soldiers

The only issue I have is that they are leaving me - the 360 user - out of the goodness..

I actually thought it was because of the way X-Box 360's interact with computers which is why Valve loves PS3's a whole lot more than X-Box's at the moment. Steam integration!

 

[Frizzle]

Huh... I hope it isn't a "pay to win" mechanic. What would be nice is if you could get contracts from players (Or NPC's) that can be converted to "Game credits" to buy the same thing. Of course, the price should be a lot higher.

Not to mention brand new research projects for Eve Online to give as a "reward" to their soldiers

The only issue I have is that they are leaving me - the 360 user - out of the goodness..

I actually thought it was because of the way X-Box 360's interact with computers which is why Valve loves PS3's a whole lot more than X-Box's at the moment. Steam integration!

CCP is pretty good at finding things that break gameplay. I doubt they'd let you pay to win with real money. They're a small-ish developer thats been smart and methodical about that stuff in the past.

As for being on the 360: CCP puts out free expansions about twice a year for EVE Online. They wouldn't be able to do that on Microsoft's servers because MSFT for some reason won't let anyone put something on Live for free. If CCP tends to Dust even half as much as they do EVE, then there will be a lot of updates, and daily downtime to keep everything straightened out. That's way too much to go through a 3rd party with. (in my opinion)

As for me, I'd almost forgotten about this game, but really do want to try it out. I think it has a LOT of potential.

 

[skorpion352]

The only issue I have is that they are leaving me - the 360 user - out of the goodness..

Microsoft wouldn't let Dust 514 be on live, without all of their servers running through Live. Sony allowed them to run their servers through the servers CCP runs.

While this explanation is completely legitimate - they STILL could have settle an agreement. We are all human. (I'd like to be positive about these things.)

They did try. In fact it was originally a 360 exclusive I believe. But after Microsoft refused to budge. They went with Sony.

i think it was originally planned for both consoles. i know there was an xbox360 version at one point, because the devs played it at fanfest one year, but i dont think it was goign to be xbox360 exclusive.

and yeah, microsoft werent willing to work with ccp the way sony is, sony have basically let ccp run it the way they want and have been actively working with ccp to make sure it all works properly