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Massively Speaking Podcast
Massively Speaking Episode 185: Bree-to-play
Latest episode: Tuesday, February 7th, 2012
Reader Comments (4)
Posted: Jul 20th 2009 1:15PM (Unverified) said
"The vast majority are aesthetic items, such as costume pieces, action figures, emblems, etc."
AKA, if you want the best looking stuff, you better give us more money. Your subscription is only paying for the code behind the game, not the pretty graphics.
"A very few are account-level management tools, such as being able to rename a character."
The problem with this (and WoW's system) is the fact you're no-longer held to the social ties of a server. Being a jackass? Change your name, change servers, and you're free to do what you want.
"Micro-transactions should never limit your ability to enjoy the game or reach the level cap."
What if my enjoyment is the aesthetic items in a game?
"Any micro-transaction that has a game effect can also be earned in the game through play."
This is the most troubling. Shouldn't ALL game effecting items be earned through the game, and not bought with Cryptic Bucks (or whatever they're calling their silly system)?
Posted: Jul 20th 2009 1:28PM Minofan said
Firstly: my enjoyment IS the aesthetic side of a game - I don't care if they sell XP or pew-pew McMegaGuns even, but I don't play subscription games when all I accumulate is numbers and the visual wonders lie behind microtransactions.
Secondly: they still haven't explained to my satisfaction (well, at all) why these Cryptic games are worthy of being the most expensive gaming MMOs around - what's so special about them that they're worth market rates + paying for content that'd be free-updates or end-game loot elsewhere?
Posted: Jul 20th 2009 2:34PM (Unverified) said
I consider Micro-trans with Subscription to be discriminating against me and my fellow "fluff" lovers. They throw all these cool things into the game and charge extra only for the kind of stuff me and my friends like. Sure to the jock gamers out there, its nothing. Who wants to pay 5 bucks for a cool new look? It doesn't help you on the raid, it doesn't get you the new Sword of Gun-fire +4.
So those that play MMO's for the raiding, a fickle crowd that you can lose very easily, get to continue playing like there isn't a microtransaction. Those of us that play for years, accumulating rare and exotic housing items, costumes, and festival goodies get it stuck to us. Because there will NEVER be free fluff again with the direction MMO's are going.
In short. Screw you Cryptic, and all your games you'll be riding down in a blaze of fail. Jock gamers come and go, its the people that enjoy fluff that stick with games.
Posted: Jul 20th 2009 3:33PM Holgranth said
Greedy Basterds
I sure as heck WON'T be touching THIS game unless the idiocy is dropped.