Author Topic: Microtransactions Bandwagon  (Read 4509 times)

Zephlar

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Microtransactions Bandwagon
« on: October 18, 2017, 04:47:09 PM »
I've been on this train for a long time, and this seems to be the year lots of gamers are finally jumping on board. Probably largely due to the fact publishers are really pushing the envelope.

I feel like the only one that isn't really upset at Activision for this microtransaction matchmaking patent, or EA for sucking the life out of all these studios, or WB and all of the above for microtransactions and loot boxes in full priced games in general. These publishers have a duty to their shareholders that completely supersedes our feelings about their business practices. The anger comes from ruining our games. Something that is overall relatively new to gaming over the last 6-7 years.

Although I do still hold a grudge against EA for buying the NFL franchise in 2005 when 2K was kicking their ass in the football games department. I have never bought another Madden game since 2005 because I thought that was a seriously bitch move to monopolize the franchise.

My philosophy has always been to just not buy this shit. It's that simple. I am a DIE HARD fan of the Mass Effect franchise, but I refused to purchase Andromeda because I could see the direction EA has been going and knew I was better off waiting to see what people say about it. I honestly don't know if I will ever play the game and yes it saddens me to see Bioware in their current state, but ultimately that's a studio's own fault in the end. Like every studio who gets suckered into these publishers.

Maybe times are different now, where being an indie developer doesn't require publishers as much as it used to with platforms like Steam, but I feel like the Indie genre is blowing up more than ever thanks to this mess over the last few years. I'm actually really optimistic about the future of gaming thanks to this new era of "Attack on Publisher".

What do you guys think?
« Last Edit: October 18, 2017, 04:51:04 PM by Zephlar »

vladgd

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Re: Microtransactions Bandwagon
« Reply #1 on: October 18, 2017, 09:10:48 PM »
My opinion is support the games you want to see more of, and don't support the games you don't.

Mass Effect is one of my favorite fictional universes period, so even if Andromeda was a flawed lukewarm game, I think most of the people bitching about said game would sure NOT want the franchise as a whole to die.

But I mean if you don't want to support microtransactions or dlc and whatnot, you may just have to quit AAA gaming or buy "game of the year editions" because it's not going away. I totally understand your concern, but as scummy as it is, it's not going to make me not enjoy a new mass effect game, or a new street fighter game.

Now if it was "my favorite franchise is now FREE TO PLAY D:" then yeah, I won't bother with it because that business model directly gets in the way of my fun. Plants vs Zombies 2, the puzzle quest games on mobile, I love the games that started those franchises, but I can't even for 20 minutes enjoy them in a f2p form. I WANTED TO LIKE marvel puzzle quest, or the magic the gathering version, but limiting my play behind a paywall...when all I want to do is give them a flat $20-$30 for the damn full game to begin with, is frustrating.

I think f2p ruins games more than micro-transactions do, although, it depends on the severity.

It sucks, but I kinda accepted it years ago. Even Street Fighter 4, the lovechild that spawned a rebirth of fighting game popularity...there's a shit ton of dlc costumes in that bitch, remember when that stuff used to be unlockable or just free? Well we just don't live in those times anymore, it's what it is, and instead of getting mad about it, or protesting games (dude seriously, it doesn't work unless it's a massive shit smear campaign like andromeda received) I just buy what I like, and anything else I don't often waste thoughts on. B BATTLEFRONT 2 MICROT-don't care, not getting it, next.

The games market is so damn bloated now a days that you could never touch a AAA game ever again and still have too many good quality games to play before you die.

*edit*

Now that I think of it, why is Andromeda even on this topic? I can understand the public perception of the game, and it wasn't as quality as the original trilogy, but there was no significant dlc or microtransaction crimes in that game (besides multiplayer which is garbage so don't bother) so I am a wee bit confused. If anything it sucks they didn't expand the game with more DLC because the end of that game sure as hell makes you want more.
« Last Edit: October 18, 2017, 10:14:28 PM by vladgd »

Bobbias

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Re: Microtransactions Bandwagon
« Reply #2 on: October 19, 2017, 08:45:57 AM »
There ARE f2p models that work. Look at Path of Exile. It has microtransactions, but there's no pay to win element to them. The majority of them are visual only, and the microtransactions that aren't are quality of life, and not necessary to buy at all. Some players would argue that extra stash tabs are almost necessary, but honestly, you could beat every piece of endgame content without ever buying an extra tab. They really are purely quality of life, unless you plan on playing the market and treating trading like some people play the market on Eve.

Another thing to consider is the actual cost of their microtransactions. At first, I couldn't believe how expensive some of the stuff is, but after a while it began to make sense. There are really 2 approaches you can use: target casual players as much as possible, or target hardcore players as much as possible. PoE went with the second option, with many visuals costing upwards of $40. It's not that hard to justify throwing that kind of money at a game if you've been playing for say 1000+ hours and got tired of looking at the same visuals...

On the other hand, I'm so fucking sick of basically every mobile game trying to squeeze as much cash out of every player by practically forcing you to pay for shit if you want to play for more than a couple hours... So there's that too. (I've seriously yet to find ANY good f2p game on mobile... Any suggestions?)
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Spectere

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Re: Microtransactions Bandwagon
« Reply #3 on: October 19, 2017, 02:47:07 PM »
The huge problem nowadays is that you end up paying at least $60 for a title (though, if we're being honest, it's generally more like $120 when you factor in all of the deluxe edition crap) and then they have the gall to add heaps of microtransactions on top of that. Then there's EA, who practically made Battlefront 2 pay to win on top of the steep asking price.

When it comes to a series I like or a AAA game that I want to buy, I determine how egregious the microtransactions are (Cosmetic? Fine. Super long grind unless you pay money? Fuck off) before buying it. If the games in the "fuck off" pile end up getting a deep enough discount I will consider them, but I refuse to purchase them at full price.

This is one of the reasons I've been focusing primarily on indie titles lately. Unless we're talking about one that was scooped up by a AAA publisher (like We Happy Few, with all of its preorder DLC bullshit, not to mention the $50 price tag for what equates to a procedural survival/crafting game) they generally don't treat their customers like garbage.

And as far as free to play goes, yeah...I'm pretty much over that. On mobile, the Apple App Store has a section dedicated to games that have a flat price tag with no DLC (I think they call it "Pay Once and Play"). I find myself getting my mobile game fix primarily from those titles. Not sure if the Play Store has a similar category.
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Zephlar

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Re: Microtransactions Bandwagon
« Reply #4 on: October 19, 2017, 05:26:23 PM »
Now that I think of it, why is Andromeda even on this topic? I can understand the public perception of the game, and it wasn't as quality as the original trilogy, but there was no significant dlc or microtransaction crimes in that game (besides multiplayer which is garbage so don't bother) so I am a wee bit confused. If anything it sucks they didn't expand the game with more DLC because the end of that game sure as hell makes you want more.

Honest to god truth, because I'm still really butt hurt about it. I've already spoiled the entire story with just about every analysis video on Youtube, and it infuriates me my favorite franchise was hacked by EA's greedy floppy cock. Bioware did what they had to do when EA started publishing for them I guess but it still falls on Bioware in the end. Of course it also had a deluxe edition that was just laughable.

I took your review to heart on here, but the more spoilers I read the more and more disheartened I became. Granted some of the dialogue made me laugh genuinely but overall the writing was just sloppy and borderline nonsensical in some areas.

There ARE f2p models that work. Look at Path of Exile. It has microtransactions, but there's no pay to win element to them. The majority of them are visual only, and the microtransactions that aren't are quality of life, and not necessary to buy at all. Some players would argue that extra stash tabs are almost necessary, but honestly, you could beat every piece of endgame content without ever buying an extra tab. They really are purely quality of life, unless you plan on playing the market and treating trading like some people play the market on Eve.

I agree with you here. I've got over 1300 hours in Smite so, I agree there are F2P models that work. In those 1300 hours I've spent probably $100 total which I feel I've gotten my moneys worth at this point. Everything is PURELY cosmetic and nothing more so yeah, it works.

I guess I'm way too casual (1300 hours but casual....) to care about the market stuff. I just want to have some fun and play the damn game. That's all too complicated for my dumb ass.

When it comes to a series I like or a AAA game that I want to buy, I determine how egregious the microtransactions are (Cosmetic? Fine. Super long grind unless you pay money? Fuck off) before buying it. If the games in the "fuck off" pile end up getting a deep enough discount I will consider them, but I refuse to purchase them at full price.

Preach.

Zephlar

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Re: Microtransactions Bandwagon
« Reply #5 on: November 06, 2017, 06:01:30 PM »
Stumbled across this video today. One of the best breakdowns I've ever seen of the reality of "games are too expensive to make"



vladgd

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Re: Microtransactions Bandwagon
« Reply #6 on: November 06, 2017, 07:04:55 PM »
I literally just watched this yesterday, and well consumers can get mad, businesses only purpose is to make money. While it is lame, you can't exactly fault them, it's working VERY well so why stop?

The way I see it, AAA games and mobile games will be bogged down with this junk, but there's a TONNNNNN of games being made for every kind of consumer now a days so even skipping the AAA products, there's literally too many games of my taste to even complete in my lifetime.

The people trying to fight this are just fighting a losing battle, I just accept it, and support what I want to support with my dollars. I think I posted earlier, I'm not going to screw myself over on a great game because the business wants to add some bullshit to it, if the overall experience is great despite that, I'd be doing myself a disservice even if it does support bad business practices. Lets also not forget while the average game with "dlc aka the rest of the game" do add up to over 100 bucks now a days, it also doesn't take more than 2-3 months for that product to half or even go down in price by 75%, which is another factor I think people fail to consider. I want that new South Park game, I will buy it sometime next year when it's under $30.
« Last Edit: November 06, 2017, 07:07:04 PM by vladgd »

Spectere

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Re: Microtransactions Bandwagon
« Reply #7 on: November 13, 2017, 09:12:52 PM »
https://www.reddit.com/r/StarWarsBattlefront/comments/7cff0b/seriously_i_paid_80_to_have_vader_locked/dppum98/

The most downvoted comment on Reddit and it's earning more and more downvotes by the minute. If you haven't done so already, please make your contribution to EA's negative karma! At this time, it's at -547k and falling fast (it dropped 11k in the past 45 minutes!). Let's help get it to one million!

Edit: Speaking of EA, here's a fantastic post on /r/StarWarsBattlefront regarding why they keep making "changes" to BF2: https://www.reddit.com/r/StarWarsBattlefront/comments/7cji8a/i_work_in_electronic_media_pr_ill_tell_you_what/
« Last Edit: November 14, 2017, 05:08:22 PM by Spectere »
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