Add-on Digital Shop System Thing Feedback

[Robbo]

For a while now I have been working on an Add-on for a client that provides a digital currency to spend on certain features on the website. I keep all rights and will be releasing it. However it will have to undergo a lot of re-factoring and general phrase changes across the board so it is still a few weeks out.

Now I need some feedback in a few areas...

What should I call the add-on?

What kind of things would you like people to spend their digital currency on?
Currently it has: change username, purchase user upgrade from digital funds, buy another member a gift, give another member credits. Things I will be adding: choose a username colour, other custom username styling options

What kind of things will earn them currency (if enabled)?
For this I was thinking along the lines of every 50 posts you get x credits, every 10 likes you get x credits etc etc

This add-on will make you money while increasing activity... how much would you pay?
I generally like to keep my add-ons fairly cheap and was looking around the $50 mark for this.

I have seen other systems like this have users create their own shops etc... would that be what you want?

Here are some restricted screens to show a bit of what it looks like. It is already a fairly nice system but it might be hard to tell from these screenshots. A lot of my design decisions come straight from deviantarts system.

I will show it more when I have re-factored out the stuff I can't show at the moment.

 

[DRE]

See here: http://xenforo.com/community/threads/points-are-useless-without-anything-to-spend-it-on.32802/

Another idea is to let members buy postbit customization so that whenever they post their posts will be in certain format. For instance, buying a font color, font family, font size, bold, indented, underline, strike-through etc.

Glow should also be added as an option.

Integrate the points system with a 'Pokes' type addon so that members can spend their virtual money to spend on not just gifts like your doing but also on pokes.

 

[DRE]

You should also include the option of them spending their points to upload their own smilies that anyone can use can use but only shows to them.

 

[Robbo]

Another idea is to let members buy postbit customization so that whenever they post their posts will be in certain format. For instance, buying a font color, font family, font size, bold, indented, underline, strike-through etc.

Glow should also be added as an option.

I already mentioned I will be adding stuff like this. I think modifying your appearance is one of the main things I should be aiming for.

 

[Robbo]

You should also include the option of them spending their points to upload their own smilies that anyone can use can use but only shows to them.

No. Why would someone want something only they can see? If I was going to do this it would be only so they can use but everyone can see. But I don't really like the idea in general anyway, I see smilies as overused and glorified. Facebook seems to manage without them in anything but chat and with only a few in chat, that to me is done correctly. I also like how it is done here, small a simple.

 

[0xym0r0n]

I can't wait I'd gladly pay for an add-on like this.

 

[DRE]

I already mentioned I will be adding stuff like this. I think modifying your appearance is one of the main things I should be aiming for.

I'm not talking about their account postbit box but inside the actual post. That was not mentioned in your first post.

No. Why would someone want something only they can see? If I was going to do this it would be only so they can use but everyone can see. But I don't really like the idea in general anyway, I see smilies as overused and glorified. Facebook seems to manage without them in anything but chat and with only a few in chat, that to me is done correctly. I also like how it is done here, small a simple.

Everyone can see them. It is successfully done and implemented in vBulletin 4 in TheMayhem's Points Market System addon http://www.vbulletin.org/forum/showthread.php?t=232676

^^^With the exception of pokes, everything I suggested is implemented in that free addon for vb4.

Another addon that lets members upload smilies is Eric's MySmilie's addon: http://www.vbulletin.org/forum/showthread.php?t=264257

 

[Robbo]

I'm not talking about their account postbit box but inside the actual post. That was not mentioned in your first post.
Everyone can see them. It is successfully done and implemented in vBulletin 4 in TheMayhem's Points Market System addon http://www.vbulletin.org/forum/showthread.php?t=232676

You didn't explain it well then... this is a maybe.

^^^With the exception of pokes, everything I suggested is implemented in that free addon for vb4.

Another addon that lets members upload smilies is Eric's MySmilie's addon: http://www.vbulletin.org/forum/showthread.php?t=264257

I'll be taking a look at that add-on a bit more. What is does (minus shops and banks) is what I will mostly likely aim for for 1.0. XenForo allows for me to do some more powerful things though so hopefully this will do a fair bit over time.

 

[Andy.N]

I expect that when you take an action (send a beer to a member like in your screenshot), the recipient will get an alert/email?

 

[Robbo]

I expect that when you take an action (send a beer to a member like in your screenshot), the recipient will get an alert/email?

Yep.

 

[Andy.N]

Do i understand this correctly that
1) members get credits/points/virtual currency by buying or earning it (by posting, getting likes, receiving as gift or automatically/manually assigned by admin/usergroup)?
2) They can upgrade their account if they get enough credits? This mean every account upgrade that we currently have a dollar value will now have a credit points equivalence?

Some ideas that users can use points for:
A) Download digital files from future Resource Manager
B) Post in specific forum and can use specific prefixes
C) Can Promote their post to the home page (using Xenporta)
D) Can create an Event (using Xen Attendo)

 

[Robbo]

Do i understand this correctly that
1) members get credits/points/virtual currency by buying or earning it (by posting, getting likes, receiving as gift or automatically/manually assigned by admin/usergroup)?
2) They can upgrade their account if they get enough credits? This mean every account upgrade that we currently have a dollar value will now have a credit points equivalence?

Some ideas that users can use points for:
A) Download digital files from future Resource Manager
B) Post in specific forum and can use specific prefixes
C) Can Promote their post to the home page (using Xenporta)
D) Can create an Event (using Xen Attendo)

1) yes
2) it is a new currency in the user upgrades section

A) possibly
B) possibly
C) I only support certain 3rd party apps, that isn't one of them
D) See C

 

[Russ]

Keep the name simple:

What should I call the add-on?
Keep the name simple: Merc Shop
What kind of things would you like people to spend their digital currency on?
Signature abilities
Sticky post x amount of time
Username abilities
avatar abilities

What kind of things will earn them currency (if enabled)?
I would offer integration into xfrocks credit's, it's already an extremely well produced credit system on top of whatever you have planned.

This add-on will make you money while increasing activity... how much would you pay?
40-50 seems fair for a well made shop like this.

I have seen other systems like this have users create their own shops etc... would that be what you want?
No use for me so N/A

 

[ArnyVee]

Lookin' good

I'd go with something simple such as Merc Gift Shop for the name. Since 'gifting' a virtual item is a major part of it

Can the virtual items be gifted and purchased for themselves? If not, I'd include that as well.

I'd include an option to display all of their 'gifted/purchased' items in their postbit, signature field and tab on member profile. Maybe even it's own page to display the possible stock of virtual items and members can buy right from there.

An option for members to use PayPal to purchase additional credits would be an awesome feature which would allow for admins/site owners to justify spending money on the add-on as well

 

[Robbo]

I'd go with something simple such as Merc Gift Shop for the name. Since 'gifting' a virtual item is a major part of it

I'm not a fan of the vendor in the name of the add-on. So maybe just Gift Shop or Digital Shop?

Can the virtual items be gifted and purchased for themselves? If not, I'd include that as well.

Yeah that is easily added.

I'd include an option to display all of their 'gifted/purchased' items in their postbit, signature field and tab on member profile. Maybe even it's own page to display the possible stock of virtual items and members can buy right from there.

Currently they show in the bar above the tabs on profiles but things will change a fair bit here to show it all over the place.

An option for members to use PayPal to purchase additional credits would be an awesome feature which would allow for admins/site owners to justify spending money on the add-on as well

Already in.

 

[ArnyVee]

Wow, can't wait to see this one in action