TOG - The Older Gamers

Pure Mongrel · 8th February 2010, 02:30 PM

Microsoft Apologises For Points System, May Move To Real Money | Gizmodo Australia

Please God ... make this happen ... I hate MS Points!

Ancient_One · 8th February 2010, 10:58 PM

Do you want it posted as a cheque or direct debited to your account mate.

All joking aside, I'm not so sure it's a good thing. If you buy a game in Australia it's worth far more then a game purchased overseas so when they convert the points your currently have over to money will Aussie's get more.?

Pure Mongrel · 9th February 2010, 09:50 AM

Australians pay more for MS points than Americans do and the cost of things (in MS points) is more expensive (I am led to believe). We get hit twice. At least if people could see a dollar value they could make a more educated choice in regards to purchases.

It costs (RRP) $49.95 AUS for 3000 points (about 1.6c a point) so when you look at the price of some things you start to understand why M$ don't want dollar values shown.

A "Jedi" costume for your Avatar is 400 points or roughly $6.40. This costume does ... well nothing but look cool.

A premium theme is around the 250 point mark. Due to the size of the menu system, they are mostly pointless too, but set you back about $4.00 AUS

An expansion pack or map pack averages around 800 points or $12.80 AUS.

An Arcade game is around the 1200 points mark or $25.60 AUS.

I will have to double check but I am sure the prices are not that high on the PSN for the same things.

If an American TOGer could work out the value of M$ points in US Dollars and give some examples of costs that would rock!

Actually while I am on my soap box ...

Does it annoy anyone else that you have to pay money for themes, avatar pictures and avatar "costumes"?

IMHO these things should be free as what you are effectively doing is promoting the game they represent. At the very least they should be free if you have purchased the game.

Getting people to pay for the privilege of advertising a game or company is the biggest con job ever!

Ancient_One · 9th February 2010, 08:30 PM

Get a PS3 mate. Oh you already have.

mettleking · 17th February 2010, 09:39 AM

Oops ... double posted

mettleking · 17th February 2010, 09:45 AM

A very interesting table I found on Wikipedia :

Sovereignty

100

500

1000

2000

5000

United States $1.25 $6.25 $12.50 $25.00 $62.50
Canada $1.45 $7.25 $14.50 $29.00 $72.00
United Kingdom £0.85 £4.25 £8.50 £17.00 £42.50
El Salvador $1.25 $6.25 $12.50 $25.00 $62.50
Australia $1.65 $8.25 $16.50 $33.00 $82.50
Europe €1.20 €6.00 €12.00 €24.00 €60.00
Japan ¥148 ¥740 ¥1480 ¥2960 ¥7400
Mexico $14 $69 $138 $275 $687
Singapore $2.20 $11.00 $22.00 $44.00 $110.00
Taiwan $42 $210 $420 $840 $2100
India Rs68 Rs340 Rs680 Rs1360 Rs3400

It appears this was made at approximately the end of October 2009, but it gives yoou an idea as to what different points are worth across a number of differening world regions.