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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
3-24-2009 @ 3:58PM
mbw said...
I posted this in another WoW insider article discussing this topic so I"ll repeat it here:
My idea to fix this issue:
1. Blizzard adds a pricing model for accounts using addons. It might be an extra $1 per month per account, or $10 anually per account. Something small enough that people would whine about it at first (as usual), but a month later nobody would really care.
2. Addon developers register their addons with blizzard so that blizz can keep a tally of what addons are available and with step 1, could keep track of who is using what addon in-game.
3. Addon developers get the money generated from step 1 based off how many users are using that addon. In other words, the developers for really popular addons (auctioneer, quest helper, recount, atlas loot, etc) would get the most money.
This way addon developers don't have to take the time (and ultimately money) to set up donation requests both on their sites and in-game - blizzard does all the work, addon developers get paid, and people using the addon pay a VERY SMALL monthly or yearly fee instead of MOOCHING off the addon developers.
I for one wouldn't mind this pricing model. I'm very grateful for the mods I use and would hate to see them go away, yet I've never donated a single penny to the cause.
Reply
3-24-2009 @ 4:40PM
Rihlsul said...
Hua... .that's... like an intelligent response to a post.
Sir, I like your moxy! (And your idea.)
3-24-2009 @ 4:56PM
Eisengel said...
I like what your model is attempting, however the problem is one of starvation. If this happened, then it would be in any addon-maker's advantage to make their addon take up as much of of the share as possible. You'd start to see mega-addons (why download and separately maintain Blork, Flaffle and Gabing when you can use my addon that gives you all of them at once!) and poorly-made mashups that would try to gobble up more and more of the market. I think in general this would make for a lot of very bad addons.
This could also choke out new people. Since they just don't have the name visibility and current capital intake that a big-name addon would have, they would be discouraged against putting any real time into their addon to make it good, since they're competing with people have have possibly millions of subscribers and substantial cash coming in to support development.
Not to mention the fact that addons could become big money overnight. Even a thin slice of 11 million WoW subscriptions is some huge cash if all you have to do is keep a popular addon updated. People would immediately try to obfuscate their addon code and a lot of helpful mod sites would likely close their doors. Since there would be actual money on the line, fewer people would be likely hand out coding tips, especially those people with the best addons, who arguably are the ones that know the best coding practices.
I like the spirit in which your idea came about, but I think offering actual money paid from WoW user subscriptions based on popularity may be a very bad thing to do for the addon community. However, please do keep making suggestions, we may just come up with something.
3-24-2009 @ 5:20PM
konoo said...
I love this idea, Hell Blizz could even turn it into a profit center and split the profits with the authors 50/50. Lets give blizz a reason to make it happen.
3-25-2009 @ 9:03AM
JDM said...
As an addon author myself, I must say this is horrible. Why would I pay an extra $10/month to have the right to use the addons I created myself?
No, I like the wide-open situation we have now in which I can use, edit and distribute my addons free of charge.