Posted April 01, 2009

Andy_Panthro
Not the Avatar
Registered: Oct 2008
From United Kingdom

Arkose
sunglasses at night
Registered: Dec 2008
From New Zealand
Posted April 01, 2009
Microtransactions are actually worse than DLC, if that can be believed. While rip-offs like Oblivion's Horse Armor and The Godfather's in-game money do exist, DLC tends to lean more towards multiple-item things like a map pack for an FPS or a dozen new cars for a racing game and generally doesn't serve to imbalance the game; MMO-style microtransactions are always for a single weapon or mount or whatever, items which you otherwise have to grind for hours to get or simply can't acquire at all without coughing up some cash.

JonhMan
:D
Registered: Mar 2009
From United States
Posted April 01, 2009
Battlefield: Heroes runs off this system.
Though thank God the only things you can buy are "clothes" which have no effect on the game. Meaning you can't buy "super" weapons and blow the crap out of everyone else.
Though thank God the only things you can buy are "clothes" which have no effect on the game. Meaning you can't buy "super" weapons and blow the crap out of everyone else.

Ois
Mr. Eucalypt
Registered: Sep 2008
From Australia
Posted April 01, 2009
Booo Hiss. Microtransactions are in instant skip... However...
If they are just additional items, that don't effect play, and you can play without them. I may try the game, but without the little purchases.
If, over time, content-pack upgrades are released, I'd be happier, but most likely still skip the thing.
If they are just additional items, that don't effect play, and you can play without them. I may try the game, but without the little purchases.
If, over time, content-pack upgrades are released, I'd be happier, but most likely still skip the thing.

DarrkPhoenix
A1 Antagonist
Registered: Nov 2008
From United States
Posted April 01, 2009
Microtransactions need to be killed then the corpse needs to be beaten until nothing but a bloody smear remains. In case it's not already clear there is no way in hell I'd ever buy or play a game that involves microtransactions.

Shimarenda
Thursday
Registered: Oct 2008
From United States
Posted April 01, 2009
So when they say "microtransactions", they really mean transactions, right? Or do these things really cost a faction of a cent (pence / lire / peso / ruble / whatever)?

JudasIscariot
Thievin' Bastard
Registered: Oct 2008
From Poland

Shimarenda
Thursday
Registered: Oct 2008
From United States
Posted April 02, 2009


I guess I should have used my "/sarcasm" tags. The word "microtransaction" is just annoying marketing-speak for charging people money and trying to make it sound like it's inconsequential.
Anyway, it's time for lunch. The restaurant where we're going has a machine on the counter where I can make a micropayment for a mint patty after the meal.

Rhystic_One
Supporter
Registered: Oct 2008
From United Kingdom
Posted April 06, 2009
I hate microtransactions too. The richest wins.

Aliasalpha
Once Proud
Registered: Dec 2008
From Australia
Posted April 06, 2009
Yeah anything that allows people to pay real money to get ingame benefits is fundamentally flawed and only benefits people who have plenty enough fucking benefits already (I'm a bit more pissed than usual at being poor today, just got knocked back for a sure-thing job that would have solved the sudden money problems that I also got today)
DLC such as map packs are fine, I can't play as many games of gears 2 because I don't have the new map pack? Meh, no drama, I'll get it eventually (also I can't play it because my TV broke a while back and the refresh rate on the old spare CRT makes me sick when I look at it). The point is that the lack of those maps doesn't stop me playing altogether and doesn't mean I can get pwned by any wanker who's bought them (only the fact that I suck can do that!). I haven't got the 2 new levels for Tomb Raider Underworld and the 1 new one for The Force Unleashed but those are the exact types of DLC that I LIKE, they're self contained and non-exclusionary (Being single player games sort of invalidates their inclusion though).
The worst one I've seen that doesn't involve horsey dressups was for Dead Space. So you can't finish the gameon hard & get that achievement, who cares, just pay $5 and download pimped up & overpowered versions of the weapons then mod them to make them even more damaging! They might as well just charge you to unlock the achievement. Ha, that'd be a laugh, have a 100 point achievement called "More Money Than Sense" and the only way to get it is to spend $5 to unlock it. Bet there'd be a fair few people that'd buy it.
DLC such as map packs are fine, I can't play as many games of gears 2 because I don't have the new map pack? Meh, no drama, I'll get it eventually (also I can't play it because my TV broke a while back and the refresh rate on the old spare CRT makes me sick when I look at it). The point is that the lack of those maps doesn't stop me playing altogether and doesn't mean I can get pwned by any wanker who's bought them (only the fact that I suck can do that!). I haven't got the 2 new levels for Tomb Raider Underworld and the 1 new one for The Force Unleashed but those are the exact types of DLC that I LIKE, they're self contained and non-exclusionary (Being single player games sort of invalidates their inclusion though).
The worst one I've seen that doesn't involve horsey dressups was for Dead Space. So you can't finish the gameon hard & get that achievement, who cares, just pay $5 and download pimped up & overpowered versions of the weapons then mod them to make them even more damaging! They might as well just charge you to unlock the achievement. Ha, that'd be a laugh, have a 100 point achievement called "More Money Than Sense" and the only way to get it is to spend $5 to unlock it. Bet there'd be a fair few people that'd buy it.
Post edited April 06, 2009 by Aliasalpha

cogadh
Banned? Never.
Registered: Oct 2008
From United States
Posted April 06, 2009