Selling theme music for use in the game

[mazeebra]

Ok, please hear me out. One of the best things about Witcher 3 and also somewhat Gwent is the music, I have to say, well done!

Anyways, over time it could be possible to get tired of certain tracks. Secondly, Gwent is already selling board designs, although for ingame money, a product which is not extremely attractive, but enough to pay ingame money for and complete reward books for. Music on the other side is an attractive product and it is not unprecedented to sell it.

Basically, there is the standard music, which is great and nice. But some people might wish for more choice. I'm not suggesting to make all music a free to use ingame product that can be switched as one like, but I'm talking about expanding the kind of "theme music" for the factions, leaders and possibly also the main menu. Not that I'm big on Fortnite, and not that the player base it the same, but in that game they actually sell theme music that you can switch in the game (main menu). Gwent is richer in music than that. I really like the themed music too.

I know of some previous music that was in the game which have been removed, thematic faction songs, thematic main menu songs etc. I guess there is also more music available in CDPR libraries, and I assume CDPR from time to time make/design new music somehow.

There is the precedence in Gwent to have leader themes and to sell "themes" for meteorite powder (ornaments etc). What I'm suggesting is a little different. I'm not certain how music and licenses etc work, but I suggest that CDPR sell theme music ingame, for real money, and let the player change appropriate music to appropriate places (as designed by CDPR). Alternatively it can be sold for high meteorite powder prices (if this benefits CDPR in some way). To justify the sales of this music, CDPR can let the user own it outside of the game as well, and use it freely there (but within design restrictions in the game).

Let's say CDPR sits on another song for as a Skellige theme. Let the players buy that song (ingame/outofgame) and be allowed to switch their Skellige theme for the ingame, like they can switch the board or the leader or whatever.

What I am really suggesting is to enrich the game music library and let people choose appropriate music based on their faction and/or leader and in the main menu. I know CDPR switches music in the main menu around themes, but what if someone really liked that theme music better than the standard? Perhaps they can buy that music and possibly also the graphical theme and set it to their main menu default. Whenever CDPR releases new themes they can still override the default for some period of time.

I think such options are attractive enough on their own, but with the new audience on mobile phones it could potentially be even more attractive.

I guess currently there are 4 theme places (categories):
- Main menu
- Deck builder
- Shop
- Ingame/faction (+posssibly leader)

Start sorting the music into those categories and sell it, let the user choose their own themes for the appropriate categories!

 

[4RM3D]

Nope, unfortunately, I have to put my "terrible idea" stamp on this.

First a bit of background. What you are talking about are auditory cosmetics. As with pretty much all cosmetics, no matter how strange the idea, there are always users that are going to buy it. So, I do suspect that some players will actually buy the music. Normally, if you put in some extra premiums (not talking about cards here), that's no big deal because people who don't care about it, can just skip it. However, in this case, the concept might actually be hurting the game more, than the extras the devs (or the players) will gain from it. This all leads to:

TL;DR: Selling music in-game will make the game look bad. Instead, just give the player more control over the music, free of charge and find some other aspect to monetize, like actually selling the soundtrack (online).

PS. I have never had the in-game music on and always used my own music player in the background, which is the most flexible. Incidentally, if I had the Gwent soundtrack, I could just play my favorite tracks.

 

[mazeebra]

Well, I think monetizing the great music is a good idea. Plus, like the boards, it's cosmetic as you say, but way more attractive. And like the boards, it could also affect what the other player hear.

Not big on the idea of listening to other music when playing a game, but I know it is popular. In my book that's like playing the Witcher 3 on mute and listening to techno music for the whole duration of the game. You miss something very important!

I don't think the dev job would be too big on this. They already have the function, they just need to add another function, if player own music x, allow to set to x insead of a. Include whatever available music in the game in a background library in the game, and let them trigger it based on their game rights.

I don't see any arguments in your post supporting your statement that it's a terrible idea.

 

[4RM3D]

First of all, your example with the Witcher 3 music does not work. The Witcher 3 and many more games use music as a cinematic experience. Shadow of the Colossus might be the best example of this. In all these games, the music actually adds something to the game, usually to strengthen the atmosphere.. That isn't the case with CCG games, which, inherently, do not profit (pun intended) from music. It's almost like a mandatory filler; pretty much the same way how Bejeweled or Angry Birds doesn't need music.

Secondly, I am fine with adding more music to the game and giving players more control over choosing which piece they want to hear. I just disagree with monetizing this. There are better ways to make money.

Finally, and most importantly, having to pay for music would set the wrong precedence and that's where I draw the line. If CDPR would implement this, it will cause a backlash, similar to how Apple charges you separately for the monitor stand, while it should be included (and at a normal price). And for what? There are so many different cosmetics that can be added to the game. So, why... *this*? It's just not worth the hassle.

 

[mazeebra]

First of all, your example with the Witcher 3 music does not work. The Witcher 3 and many more games use music as a cinematic experience. Shadow of the Colossus might be the best example of this. In all these games, the music actually adds something to the game, usually to strengthen the atmosphere.. That isn't the case with CCG games, which, inherently, do not profit (pun intended) from music. It's almost like a mandatory filler; pretty much the same way how Bejeweled or Angry Birds doesn't need music.

Secondly, I am fine with adding more music to the game and giving players more control over choosing which piece they want to hear. I just disagree with monetizing this. There are better ways to make money.

o, why... *this*? It's just not worth the hassle.

Well, music and sound (premium cards), do add atmosphere to the game actually.

So, you think it is a good idea? Except for the monetization? Why is that? Would it be a case of envy for you? Or completionists anxiety? Or do you have a general argument why it would be bad?

Why "this"?

Well, to be honest I'm a bit fearful of the situation at the moment. I can't think of any other excuse for the game to drop console support than it's not doing well financially. Perhaps the crisis is worse than we think? This console withdrawal situation really made me wonder about the state of this game.

Look at gamefaq, game is more popular on console than on PC. I don't know the actual numbers, but it seems finances is more important than player base. I don't know the player base for each platform either, but I think the player base, on PS4 at least, was relevant.

 

[4RM3D]

The statistics show that only 4% of the profit came from the console, or something like that. Trying to maintain two extra releases, which were also limited by the harsh platform rules, was becoming too problematic to continue, especially with the mobile release. That's the reason the console was dropped.

Back on topic, I cannot say anything about the financial state of the game. However, I can say that it should not be an argument to monetize more aspects of the game. For the record, I usually care little for cosmetics. As such, I have no need to buy it or feel anxious about not having it. Ironically, the boat board was pretty awesome, but now that I own it, every other board has become obsolete.

As for the music, I would never spend money on it and I suspect the majority won't. Anyhow, I have said the same thing twice and I'll end my participation in this thread by saying it one final time: you do not seem to grasp the negative aspect of trying to monetize something that should be given for free in the first place. Selling music is taking it one step too far.

 

[mazeebra]

The statistics show that only 4% of the profit came from the console, or something like that. Trying to maintain two extra releases, which were also limited by the harsh platform rules, was becoming too problematic to continue, especially with the mobile release. That's the reason the console was dropped.

Back on topic, I cannot say anything about the financial state of the game. However, I can say that it should not be an argument to monetize more aspects of the game. For the record, I usually care little for cosmetics. As such, I have no need to buy it or feel anxious about not having it. Ironically, the boat board was pretty awesome, but now that I own it, every other board has become obsolete.

As for the music, I would never spend money on it and I suspect the majority won't. Anyhow, I have said the same thing twice and I'll end my participation in this thread by saying it one final time: you do not seem to grasp the negative aspect of trying to monetize something that should be given for free in the first place. Selling music is taking it one step too far.

The game is free! I don't think if hurts if they monetize on cosmetics, including music. It would just be one additional thing to add to the list of monetized cosmetic stuff. I don't think that's wrong. Nobody needs that stuff, it doesn't affect the game itself.