Well, at he is pushing the borders. This is actually pure genius. I think the reaction from some people on this forum is interesting enough. The concept of games is so damn solid and rooted in our community that anything that breaks from the mold gets ripped on. No, I'm not complaining about peoples opinion, I think it is wonderful that we still manage to be a diverse lot of people.

Ans seriously, 77k on a pick ax sort of silly, but considering that people in my nation can "vaska" 3000 dollar bottles of champagne is way more silly.

cursedseishi:
So...
The entire goal of "Curiosity" is to rip players off in pursuit of something that we will all see anyways

See, you are kinda missing the point here. The idea is whether someone will be willing to pay $70,000+ just to be the first to uncover what is in the cube. It isn't a necessary purchase.

Molyneaux, never change. I for one think this is amazing. Insane and stupid, but wonderful.

Rednog:
The problem is that there won't be anything remotely worth it in the box to blow 77k on. Also who in the blue hell even wants to bother with this, where is the fun just sitting there and pressing a single button to pick away at something that no one knows how many presses it will take to open? Hell I bet people will either data mine the contents, or a group will just unleash a massive wave of scripts/bots and whittle the thing down in a day or two.

This is exactly the point of the whole thing, it's really a social experiment, not a game. Think what £77,000 would buy you, heck that's almost what my house is worth!
Molyneaux just wants to see what happens if he puts up this extortionate price for something that may not even pay off (the person who buys the pick may not even be the one to open it, it only increases their chances of opening the box, not guarantees it)

Will anyone buy the pick, how many people will buy the 99p chisel, will people write botting scripts, will people try and hack the box, how long will it take to chisel out the prize, will anyone participate at all?
Whatever happens it will be an interesting look into how gamers regard scenarios and rewards like this, and more than just gamers, but the internet as a whole if the word gets out about this.

If someone does hack the contents to get it, or create a botting script that hits a billion times a minute and opens the box in 10 seconds that will still be a success for Molyneaux, because he's interested in seeing how people react to this idea, not how well it holds up.

This is second only to Bottled water for the "best way to make money by literally selling nothing to people"

Will be an interesting read mind.

Inside is...the next Fable!

I reckon a sign that just says 'fuck you you hacking shit'.

I'd be real interested to see where this went though.

I know what's in the box. The head of Detective Mills' wife.

This guy's a genius... I'm glad he got out of Microsoft so that his insanity spreads over the gaming industry. And that's a good thing.

Iron Criterion:

cursedseishi:
So...
The entire goal of "Curiosity" is to rip players off in pursuit of something that we will all see anyways

See, you are kinda missing the point here. The idea is whether someone will be willing to pay $70,000+ just to be the first to uncover what is in the cube. It isn't a necessary purchase.

I actually got the point when I read it, not missing it at all.

There is zero question whether someone will actually pay for the diamond pick. I KNOW someone will. Just like how people will spend hundreds of thousands of real dollars to buy an in-game egg or chunk of land in some MMO, or spend close to $500 just for some item in a F2P title.

And I'm sure he knows that as well. He can hide behind the whole artsy ideology he's presenting for this, but first and foremost this is very likely more about just getting some quick and easy cash from the suckers who will pay for "x" clicks, than it is about testing the reaches and boundaries of human curiosity.

If what he says is true, that it's a test and not a money-making bit, I expect whoever buys the diamond chisel (assuming someone does) to get a full refund. I personally am curious to see what happens.

If I got to be the one to see inside the block I would never share it.

And if the person who spent 70 grand doesn't get to be the first to see the inside of the cube due to sheer luck I wonder how annoyed said person would be.

Here's my idea. Start a kickstarter to buy this thing, sit there and live stream until you've uncover whatever the hell it is.

The purpose of this experiment is not to make money.
That's just a bonus.

I think Mr. Molyneux may actually be insane. The Mr. Teatime sort of insane, in that he doesn't see other people in the same way that you or I do.

i'll stick with saints row 3

Just think, If 1000 other people with iron chisels are also playing, the guy with the diamond chisel will only have a 50% chance. Personally I wouldnt waste that much money on what could be less than a 50% chance.

Then there should be the 1,000 dollar choice of sealing the cube and not let anyone ever find out what's inside!

I still don't see the motivation for anyone to care for what's inside the cube. Hardly a Golden Ticket into the mysteries of the Willy Wonka factory.

Scars Unseen:
What's inside? I hope it's a dead cat.

Nah, it's gotta be a cat that's EITHER alive or dead, and it only gets determined when someone looks.

i've wondered for years, and now i officially know: this man has gone bonkers.

LOL, there is no social experiment here. Its more of Petes magical hype machine duping people into thinking its something more impressive than it is.

Though, I think we all know whats inside the cube.... Naked pictures of Peter Molyneaux.

I love it..but if someone actually buys the diamond chisel and opens the box..its going to have to be bloody good to stop them from vomiting from the realization that they just wasted 77k

IM CALLING IT HERE: Inside the box will be their money back..and maybe something else

Is anyone else wondering whose idea it was to let Peter Molyneux out of the padded cell and get him making video games?

RJ Dalton:
The purpose of this experiment is not to make money.
That's just a bonus.

I think Mr. Molyneux may actually be insane. The Mr. Teatime sort of insane, in that he doesn't see other people in the same way that you or I do.

Nice Terry Pratchett allusion. He's really just Mr. Teatime if he joined the Accountants Guild rather than the Assassins Guild.

When I heard the name Molyneux I was like Oh boy, what has he done now...but this is actually kind of genius, I'm really intrigued at what will happen. The money really is just a bonus (besides, why shouldn't he make some money off this?) the real objective is to see how people react.

Man I never realized that mr Populous was, in fact, a Bond villain this entire time.

Hookah:

Hevva:
"It's an insane amount of money," says Molyneux. The aim of the diamond chisel is experimental: Can curiosity alone drive one player or a syndicate to spend that much money? "This is not a money-making exercise; it is a test about the psychology of monetization," he added.

Of course not. If it was a money-making exercise then the pick wouldn't have such an enormous price tag now would it.

Oh.

Wait.

If he really cared so much about making money, he would be producing more Fable games. They're not Call of Duty, but he would be making much more than 70k off that.

It's an experiment on how stupid people can be.

If a whole bunch of people chip away, and by a whole bunch i mean >100,000 people, then the odds of the person who bought the diamond chisel getting the final hit is less than 50%.

So. Who's up for spending $80k on less than even odds of potentially seeing a trollface?

I keep on seeing others post on how the goal will not be worth the cash, or that the experiment will be ruined by video uploads, macros, code cracking etc.
I think that they are missing the point of this experiment.
Its not about the reward, but what we will do (or not do) to get it.

The thing that fascinates me most about this experiment though is the fact that any action that you take on this, including inaction, can be considered a a valid response to it.

For example non-participation shows that your decisions are not driven by curiosity.
If the code is cracked or macros are used it shows just what lengths we will go to in order to not spend money, while still satiating our curiosity.
Hell, even talking about it on forum sites could be regarded as a response and thus contribute to the data.

Molyneux and Co. really are brilliant; this experiment cannot break and could have further reaching consequences than we can imagine. You can be sure that advertisers and retailers would be very interested in this experiment...

This is all pointless cause Morgan Freeman will open it and wont tell you cause it's a head of a loved one.

Kenjitsuka:

This is seriously dumb. If your game has 0.000001 percent gameplay call it "an experiment", how brilliant. Biggest DLC cash-in ever, more than anything else.

My new game, circle will feature a circle you can stare at for money. If you watch long enough, something may or may not happen.

This is brilliant, really. Maybe no one will buy the diamond pick, but it's part of the experiment. I sure want to see how this will unfold.

darkbshadow:
This is all pointless cause Morgan Freedman will open it and wont tell you cause it's a head of a loved one.

Or Gordon Freeman, who wouldn't tell you because it would require speaking. >.>

dragongit:
Spoiler: whatever is inside this cube isn't worth 70K.

What if it is a million?