EPTEdit: Stop with the personal insults, jesus. I buy DLC because I like to and because I can afford it. This doesn't make me a "typical gamer who sits at home all weekend" or "stupid" because I spend money on entertainment. It makes me sad that this doesn't go without saying.
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On August 17 2010 05:49 ROFLChicken wrote:
On the contrary, it is exactly because my money is worth something to me that I don't see a problem here. I am willing and able to pay for the things that give me entertainment and make me happy. Value for value. You believe I'm bending over and taking it from Blizzard. I think it's the exact opposite. I don't have to debase myself by begging or whining about the little things that don't affect the substance of the game. There are times for complaints, but this probably isn't one of them. Do you really think it's more dignified to have a fit until the company gives you something for free, something that you didn't really care about to begin with? When the game is no longer worth the money I spend on it, I will stop buying it. Until then, I am perfectly happy to pay for the things that entertain me.
On the contrary, it is exactly because my money is worth something to me that I don't see a problem here. I am willing and able to pay for the things that give me entertainment and make me happy. Value for value. You believe I'm bending over and taking it from Blizzard. I think it's the exact opposite. I don't have to debase myself by begging or whining about the little things that don't affect the substance of the game. There are times for complaints, but this probably isn't one of them. Do you really think it's more dignified to have a fit until the company gives you something for free, something that you didn't really care about to begin with? When the game is no longer worth the money I spend on it, I will stop buying it. Until then, I am perfectly happy to pay for the things that entertain me.
A recent thread discussed name changes. If you don't feel like reading it, essentially, everyone gets a free name change in the bank to use whenever they want, and then have to pay for future name changes. This isn't multiple characters, but rather just customization, for better or for worse. Edit: Stop throwing around numbers like $10 for future name changes- this is completely unfounded and, at this point in time, nobody even knows if they'll be less or more. I'll be the first to jump on the rage train if they think they can charge that much, but I doubt it.
![[image loading]](http://www.67250.com/nokarot/Game_Related/StarCraft2/noimhuk.jpg)
The top 200 players of the world really must hate money. Also wow fail photoshop from me.
Microtransactions, you say? That's heresy! Only Korean games and Activision do th-- oh wait.
What is really so wrong with Microtransactions, though, in a game where you are not forced to spend money to be competitive, let alone microtransactions that are purely cosmetic? Do we just hate Bobby Kotick for being a a rich businessman, or is there a real problem with it?
![[image loading]](http://mirrimage.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/thor.jpg)
Not sure if this is a comparison between a Thor and the Odin, or collectors edition, but surely you get the idea. This prospect already exists, and half of you bought in to it!.
This already exists- one purely cosmetic, un-gamechanging thing that people have spent extra money for. Maybe they wanted the Art book or sound track and this was simply a nice bonus, but they paid for it pure and simple. What's the harm to me, other than being envious of having too thin a wallet?
![[image loading]](http://clgaming.net/images/news/10094/Lich_Splash_2.jpg)
Instead of a Robed Skeletor, I roll out as an undead symbol of Patriotism for my team.
I've paid $40 for Hero skins (at about $5 each) on League of Legends just to blow people up in style, and maybe I shouldn't have in hindsight because now I'm poorer than I'd like to be, but that's my choice and it effects nobody- they are purely cosmetic.
For those who don't play League of Legends, it is a free game. You can pay money to buy out-of-game experience point boosts and whatnot, which will get you to a higher out-of-game level faster (too unrelated to explain but, for simplicity sake, lets just say its not a big deal in-game) and buy custom skins to make your heroes look awesome.
The business model of league of legends is that "Its free, so if you want to buy our stuff, sweet. If not, you wont be at any disadvantages, so just sit back and enjoy." Does this business model make us so easy to accept microtransactions? Why can't a paid-for game enjoy the same customization without thinking people are money hungry, and thus, its "only logical" to boycott the idea?
I know, I know. This isn't Dawn of War or Second Life. This is Starcraft, land of all that is holy. But what's wrong with the option to customize? I'm not suggesting anything too complex, but I'd love some custom skins- something realistic to the StarCraft Universe. Something like..
![[image loading]](http://www.67250.com/nokarot/Game_Related/StarCraft2/asdf.jpg)
Frozen Zerg Retexture by RandomUser12, with a little quick 2-minute photoshop by me.
Isn't that goddamn awesome? I would pay for it. I know you can install it manually for yourself, but I want to be styling in public, not just locally.
The right kinds of microtransactions hurt nobody. Cosmetic, name changes, profile avatars, a shiny name, whatever. Buying the Frozen Zerg or any other custom race skin won't make your units camouflage on the map, if designed properly, and you'll still show up as a shining player-color beacon on the minimap. A female ghost model, similar enough to the old model but new enough to be special, won't provide confusion for your enemy. Changing your name to HuK for fun won't make you a better player- you'll just get stomped in fashion.
Sure, you'll be sending Bobby Koticks' kids to college. But so long as you arent locked out of any features for not buying in to microtransactions or a "premium subscription" versus the normal 'freemium", whats the problem?
Now that's all cosmetic. But what about the real microtransactions?
But I want to play on the Korea server!!! I want to view replays with friends!! I want chat rooms!! If you're going to expand the story with extra missions, we should get that for free! I want all this AND I dont want to pay for it, and surely Blizzard will eventually charge us for it!!
So if all that stuff comes in Heart of the Swarm, will you boycott? Isn't an expansion kind of just.. a large amount of DLC, except on a Disc? I've never understood the concept of people complaining that they have to buy more content. If you can justify buying an expansion pack, you are buying extra content. They didn't say that you had to pay $1 to use Dark Archons and $1 to use Valkyries when they released Brood War, but haven't you done that?
I've spent $20-30 buying DLC for Mass Effect 2, and maybe $10 on Dragon Age (with more to come shortly) on top of paying $60 each for both Collectors editions. I forget the exact prices, but for each game I managed to log 30+ hours for a single playthrough, and a good 2-3+ hours for each piece of DLC, a price and length which beats out the average movie ticket nowadays. People say I'm a sucker, but why? All I've done is bought mini-expansions to the games- a new array of weapons and units to use, as well as additions to the campaign story itself.
I'd be the first person to buy Starcraft 2 DLC that adds additional missions- something that adds an extra story arch (aka Artifact missions, Rebellion Missions, Prophecy missions, etc) based on a new character you meet somewhere down the line. Optional missions, which ultimately don't affect the end of the story (aka Dr. Hanson.)
In regards to such things like cross-realm play, chat rooms, etc, we'll just have to see what comes. I seriously doubt, and there is no evidence to suggest, that they will open these options to those willing to drop extra dough. "But with name changing costing money they're obviously greedy--" no, shut up.
In closing, I feel that to suggest , by buying the box copy of the game, you are entitled to all further developments by Blizzard labeled under StarCraft 2: Wings of Liberty, is absurd. You pay your initial $60 to cover all development costs and so that the company can turn a profit, as all businesses attempt. What's the incentive for them to add more content if they've already gotten your $60? For World of Warcraft, they add content to keep you interested and thus keep your subscription. For StarCraft? Well, time will tell.
Edit again: Also, to all you saying that cosmetic DLC may shift their focus away from important things like game balance, that's kind of silly. The art department, who would be responsible for such things, is not sitting in the conference room discussing the finer details of TvZ. They're making 3D models and brochures or whatever.
Edit: Removed some pictures because the e-police would rather critique the inclusion of jpegs rather than comment on the topic at hand.
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