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gaming $45 Microtransactions : WAY too far?


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There once was a time when Bungie came out and said to the Destiny players "There will be microtransactions in the game, but only emotes and other cosmetic items will be available; none of these said microtransactions will give players an advantage."

 

Well as of recently, on the PSN store, you can now purchase boosts in Destiny which will take a new character of your choice straight to level 25. In theory, this isnt a bad thing; the game's been out for a while and it allows new players to catch up to their friends quicker.

 

However, charging $45 for said boosters is slightly ridiculous when you think the BASE GAME is cheaper.

 

Thoughts?

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While it does represent much of what is wrong with the gaming industry today the fact is that this wouldn't be happening if people weren't buying these "micro transactions" so for those of you complaining about them the best way to make a statement is to do what I do vote with your wallet and don't buys them. I am not saying all micro transactions are bad but the way they are shamelessly overused to simply arbitrarily slap on content which should have been available and being used as excuse to release incomplete games loaded with problems clearly are negative trends.

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The "micro transactions" in question is more "Pay-to-skip" then "Pay-to-Win". For $29.99 US, all it get you is have one character up to level 25 out of 40 and fill up one subclass tree (there three for each class). And don't give you any gear that give you any advantage in any thing (No exotic or legendary, just blue quality gear). For existing player see its more of a waste of money. But it save time for someone who have the people who don't have the passion to do it.

 

The Legendary Edition (That includes: the base game, the first two expansion, and the Taken King expansion plus a character boost minus the subclass.) cost about $32.99 on Amazon.

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Destiny in its entirety is a platform for Activision to include more and more of these ridiculous purchases. to me, Destiny is a perfect example of what can happen when an incredibly greedy company just doesn't care about gaming. 

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Remember, this is the gaming industry we are talking about, they will come up with  pointless microtransactions that fools would want to buy. This is the exact reason I play games that are not revolved around TONS of microtransactions.


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But it save time for someone who have the people who don't have the passion to do it.

 

This seems counter-intuitive. If a player doesn't feel passionate about a game, I'd think they'd be LESS inclined to spend $45 on microtransactions than a player who loves the game and plays every day.

 

So I think that this specific example is a stupid move, if only because those who need it are unlikely to care enough about the game to justify its price.

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This seems counter-intuitive. If a player doesn't feel passionate about a game, I'd think they'd be LESS inclined to spend $45 on microtransactions than a player who loves the game and plays every day.

 

So I think that this specific example is a stupid move, if only because those who need it are unlikely to care enough about the game to justify its price.

 

Destiny take a lot of time and time is important to it. The game runs on timers that help you progress and loot. For example, Nightfall and raids can only complete once a week per character. And time to create will take a lot of time. For someone who don't have the time to make a second (or third) character and can only to play a limited time to play.


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 "What I wouldn't give to play some games. I would hunt a monster with my sword, I would protect a city with my burning Light, challenge an army of aliens to personal combat and scatter them, I... I've been playing too many video games lately." - Self

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Destiny take a lot of time and time is important to it. The game runs on timers that help you progress and loot. For example, Nightfall and raids can only complete once a week per character. And time to create will take a lot of time. For someone who don't have the time to make a second (or third) character and can only to play a limited time to play.

 

It's not the booster itself thats the problem; its the price.

 

Battlefield offers boosters on a similar level for only $10. But here, you're effectively paying for the game twice just to get to a higher level.


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It's not the booster itself thats the problem; its the price.

I will agree that the price is ridiculous. And if the price have to be like this can it at least boost up level 40.


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 "What I wouldn't give to play some games. I would hunt a monster with my sword, I would protect a city with my burning Light, challenge an army of aliens to personal combat and scatter them, I... I've been playing too many video games lately." - Self

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Yep. Freaking called it that companies would start pulling this crap.

 

In theory, there's no problem. It's giving players the ability to play the way they want. On the other hand though, this could lead to some pretty slimy practices in the long run where developers could be encouraged to make the leveling process a soulless, lengthy experience.

 

The even bigger problem of course, is the price. $45 for a level boost!? Does leveling suck that much in that game!?

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Just another piece of evidence that the gaming industry is in the toilet right now. They release games that are incomplete or have content removed from a previous version, and then make us pay for the rest, but after we have paid $60 upfront.

 

Worst part is that people are buying them, enabling publishers to keep doing it.


 

 

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If people want to waste their money like that, that's their problem, yo.

 

That's not just their problem. It's a problem for other gamers who play fair. It gives these players and unfair advantage to skip the first 25 levels (which is essentially the first few hours) of the game.

 

 

 

While it does represent much of what is wrong with the gaming industry today the fact is that this wouldn't be happening if people weren't buying these "micro transactions" so for those of you complaining about them the best way to make a statement is to do what I do vote with your wallet and don't buys them.

 

That alone won't work. Microtransactions are more complex than that. The fact remains that people with high amounts of disposable income will still buy them and make it unfair for others who can't afford them. It basically makes it so those with more money in real life will always have an unfair advantage even in the game world. Even if all of us vote with our wallets, there will always be enough people who have the disposable income to invalidate it. And all that really creates in those of us who want to play fair and not throw our cash away get to play at a disadvantage forever.

 

 

 

The "micro transactions" in question is more "Pay-to-skip" then "Pay-to-Win". For $29.99 US, all it get you is have one character up to level 25 out of 40 and fill up one subclass tree (there three for each class). And don't give you any gear that give you any advantage in any thing (No exotic or legendary, just blue quality gear). For existing player see its more of a waste of money. But it save time for someone who have the people who don't have the passion to do it.   The Legendary Edition (That includes: the base game, the first two expansion, and the Taken King expansion plus a character boost minus the subclass.) cost about $32.99 on Amazon.

 

The issue is that being able to skip the entire game more or less is an advantage. You basically get to breeze through the game at that point, and it makes joining parties with you at lower levels unfun because you have such a huge head start.

 

 Not to mention games are meant to entertain. If you lack the passion to play, then why the hell are you playing games? If it's just a chore then you shouldn't be playing.

 

And I'm sorry I am not going to accept the whole "It takes a long time to get a second character to 40" excuse. No excuses for people being able to buy max level characters in a game that is BUILT AROUND MULTIPLAYER. It ruins the experience for other players who don't have the cash to burn. It's a big slap in the face to people who EARN their characters and it makes their hardwork feel far less. If you want to have that crap in single player games because you're too lazy then go ahead because you're only ruining your own experience there, but not where other people are PAYING to have an online experience that is being hindered because richer than you kids can circumvent the game.

 

No. There is no excuse for giving anyone any kind of advantage in online play unless they earned it.

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That's not just their problem. It's a problem for other gamers who play fair. It gives these players and unfair advantage to skip the first 25 levels (which is essentially the first few hours) of the game.

If it were hard to climb from 1 to 40, I'd agree with you, but it's really not. Especially as monotonous as leveling is in Destiny.

I got a 1-25 boost with TTK, and I used it in a heartbeat. I wasn't grinding through that crap story again. If somebody wants to blow their cash to do the same, who cares? It's not like they're running around the worlds PK-ing, it only has an effect on how fast you hit 40, and not even a very big one. It's entirely possible to hit 40 in a day. With that boost? Half a day. If you do or don't have the time, and you do or don't have the money, it's got nothing to do with anyone else.

Now, you tell me they spend $45, get a boost to the maximum level, and get super weapons that can only be gained that way, and ruin the game balance, that's another story entirely, and that screws everyone who plays. But that isn't the case here. The case is half a day of grinding. This "unfairness" you're claiming doesn't even come in to play.

 

Additionally, the OP isn't asking about fairness, he's asking for opinions on the ridiculousness of $45 for half a day of your life. To which I re-state: "If people want to waste their money like that, that's their problem, yo."

Half of my day is worth about $130, according to my paystubs. Teehee.

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That's not just their problem. It's a problem for other gamers who play fair. It gives these players and unfair advantage to skip the first 25 levels (which is essentially the first few hours) of the game.

 

 

 

 

That alone won't work. Microtransactions are more complex than that. The fact remains that people with high amounts of disposable income will still buy them and make it unfair for others who can't afford them. It basically makes it so those with more money in real life will always have an unfair advantage even in the game world. Even if all of us vote with our wallets, there will always be enough people who have the disposable income to invalidate it. And all that really creates in those of us who want to play fair and not throw our cash away get to play at a disadvantage forever.

 

 

 

 

The issue is that being able to skip the entire game more or less is an advantage. You basically get to breeze through the game at that point, and it makes joining parties with you at lower levels unfun because you have such a huge head start.

 

 Not to mention games are meant to entertain. If you lack the passion to play, then why the hell are you playing games? If it's just a chore then you shouldn't be playing.

 

And I'm sorry I am not going to accept the whole "It takes a long time to get a second character to 40" excuse. No excuses for people being able to buy max level characters in a game that is BUILT AROUND MULTIPLAYER. It ruins the experience for other players who don't have the cash to burn. It's a big slap in the face to people who EARN their characters and it makes their hardwork feel far less. If you want to have that crap in single player games because you're too lazy then go ahead because you're only ruining your own experience there, but not where other people are PAYING to have an online experience that is being hindered because richer than you kids can circumvent the game.

 

No. There is no excuse for giving anyone any kind of advantage in online play unless they earned it.

Pretty sure there's some skill level thing in match making so a level 5 won't play against a way higher level player and if so it has more problems then microtransaction, i'm cool with people buying into higher levels just when it gives you exclusive items I have a problem. There are people who simply don't have a lot of free time we're not all kids or unemployed 30 year olds. 


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This is why I play the classic games I grew up with. Most of the games this generation except a few (Outlast & Dying Light for example) have been garbage in my opinion. If stuff like this keeps up, I'm just going to walk away from the modern games for good.

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The fact that we're expected to pay money in order to pay more money is sickening.

 

I can understand some little things like cosmetics and such, but $45? It's insulting to think that there are corporate suits who think I'm that idiotic.


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I have over 1100 hours in Destiny, and I have loved every second of that. But this is just ridiculous and a part of me wants to believe this is all activision's doing and not on Bungie. But that is most likely not the case. And all this is going to do is take advantage of new players who don't know how insignificant level 25 really is.


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If it were hard to climb from 1 to 40, I'd agree with you, but it's really not. Especially as monotonous as leveling is in Destiny.

I got a 1-25 boost with TTK, and I used it in a heartbeat. I wasn't grinding through that crap story again. If somebody wants to blow their cash to do the same, who cares? It's not like they're running around the worlds PK-ing, it only has an effect on how fast you hit 40, and not even a very big one. It's entirely possible to hit 40 in a day. With that boost? Half a day. If you do or don't have the time, and you do or don't have the money, it's got nothing to do with anyone else.

Now, you tell me they spend $45, get a boost to the maximum level, and get super weapons that can only be gained that way, and ruin the game balance, that's another story entirely, and that screws everyone who plays. But that isn't the case here. The case is half a day of grinding. This "unfairness" you're claiming doesn't even come in to play.

 

Additionally, the OP isn't asking about fairness, he's asking for opinions on the ridiculousness of $45 for half a day of your life. To which I re-state: "If people want to waste their money like that, that's their problem, yo."

Half of my day is worth about $130, according to my paystubs. Teehee.

I disagree for two reasons:

 

  1. Someone can buy this boost right after getting the game. So it doesn't just let people who have played before skip the boring story, it allows newbies to instantly skip a majority of the game. That's kind of stupid because it gives people the option to not even play the game.
  2. This basically makes levels 1-25 worthless. If you don't buy that boost you basically can't play because everyone is going to be 25+ because they can just buy it. This makes it more mandatory to buy that boost because almost all newcommers now are getting the game via Legendary Edition, thus have the boost. So if you make a new character you pretty much instantly have to boost if you want to have anyone play with you.

It also soils everyone else's efforts. Regardless of how fast it is to get to 40, it is kind of making your achievements feel lessened because someone can just buy your achievement. Getting to max level in a game is supposed to feel rewarding, that's the idea of leveling: small rewards as you progress, but when someone can more or less buy that reward it no longer really feels rewarding.

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Someone can buy this boost right after getting the game. So it doesn't just let people who have played before skip the boring story, it allows newbies to instantly skip a majority of the game. That's kind of stupid because it gives people the option to not even play the game.

But again, this has no bearing on you. If they skip "vanilla Destiny," and never play the story once, that's on them. Who cares?

 

This basically makes levels 1-25 worthless. If you don't buy that boost you basically can't play because everyone is going to be 25+ because they can just buy it.

False. I played the game solo, because when Destiny first came out, I almost immediately had to leave town, and all my friends managed to get sick of it before I had come back to town. The campaign is easy to blow through, and the raids are easy enough to get a group for on the Destiny forums.

 

This makes it more mandatory to buy that boost because almost all newcommers now are getting the game via Legendary Edition, thus have the boost.

The TTK edition with the boost is cheaper than buying Destiny and all the DLC separately, so... You want they should spend more money, and lose out on the "free" boost it already comes with? Again, I cannot see why what someone else does is up to, or has any kind of effect on, you.

 

So if you make a new character you pretty much instantly have to boost if you want to have anyone play with you.

See my response below the second quote in this post.

 

It also soils everyone else's efforts.

Oh yes, I feel so soiled that there are warlocks out there who didn't go 1-40 like mine did, with effort. And every Titan should feel like crap over how easily I hit 25. Also, Hunters should feel like crap, because I have it on two consoles, and therefore got two boosts. I am such a jerk.

 

Regardless of how fast it is to get to 40, it is kind of making your achievements feel lessened because someone can just buy your achievement.

This sounds like a personal issue for you, and the people who feel like you do. I, on the other hand, know that I raised my warlock to 26 or 27 before they removed the light levels. That she got to 40 on experience, skill, and effort. And other people making it to 25 because they spent money on it does not invalidate my time, experiences, or efforts I put in. It doesn't remove the people I met and became friends with in the time I spent working on my character. It has ZERO, absolutely ZERO bearing on my character, my achievement, and the work I put forth.

 

Getting to max level in a game is supposed to feel rewarding, that's the idea of leveling: small rewards as you progress

Yes, to the player. If someone else would rather never feel that, or even feel it only once instead of 3 times, who are you to tell them they're wrong, and should feel bad about the way they choose to live their lives, and play their games?

 

when someone can more or less buy that reward it no longer really feels rewarding.

Again, maybe the leveling itself is not rewarding to the people who buy their levels? And if what you mean is that they are making you feel each level is less rewarding, I can only hope you find a way to get over that issue.

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I dislike the fact that there are things like "Auto Boost to X level" things in games nowadays, between things like this and World of Warcraft (even if that one is slightly more understandable since people want to get max level characters for both factions but might not want to play both factions. I don't agree with it but I understand it), I just don't like these sort of Microtransactions.Which is why I never buy them so while I roll my eyes at their existence, it's not going to ruin my day. While publishers do keep shoving it down our throat, that also means that there are a fair amount of gamers that are buying this sort of thing. I've seen enough stories come across my desk talking about DLC to know that despite how many people may hate DLC they're still buying it. That and people constantly ask me, my boss and my co-worker at the game store I work at about Season Pass Cards which we don't sell since they don't make the store any money. 

 

I'll buy DLC when I want to see more of that sort of DLC like the Crew Expendable DLC from Alien Isolation, you don't have to buy it to enjoy the game, but I wanted to support the game more than I already had and because I'm a massive fan of the Alien series. Basically, voting with your wallet is something that we still need to keep in mind when we consume any form of media, especially video games. If you don't like something then don't buy it, that's the best way of sending a message about it. 

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But again, this has no bearing on you. If they skip "vanilla Destiny," and never play the story once, that's on them. Who cares?

 

 

It kind of allows newbs to always enter the late game with little to no skill making team based games kind of crap in that regard. The later game content that requires level 25+ is intended for players who are familiar with the game, and as a result now basically anyone who buys the game and has no understanding of what's going on now will be in online matches and effectively making the experience slightly lessened.

 

 

 

False. I played the game solo, because when Destiny first came out, I almost immediately had to leave town, and all my friends managed to get sick of it before I had come back to town. The campaign is easy to blow through, and the raids are easy enough to get a group for on the Destiny forums.  

 

Anyone who buys Destiny now will basically be level 25 because the game comes with a boost. So anyone who starts out is going to be higher level.

 

 

 

The TTK edition with the boost is cheaper than buying Destiny and all the DLC separately, so... You want they should spend more money, and lose out on the "free" boost it already comes with? Again, I cannot see why what someone else does is up to, or has any kind of effect on, you.

 

 

Because the game is based upon multiplayer experience. So other people being able to skip parts of the game because they paid money kind of does ruin the experience for other players. It's also more of the principle of what is to come next. You can already buy your way to higher levels, what's to stop them from releasing ways to buy legendary marks or even guns.

 

 

 

Oh yes, I feel so soiled that there are warlocks out there who didn't go 1-40 like mine did, with effort. And every Titan should feel like crap over how easily I hit 25. Also, Hunters should feel like crap, because I have it on two consoles, and therefore got two boosts. I am such a jerk.

 

It makes hitting 40 that much less of an effort. It may not be a big deal to you, but for those of us who actually had to do it legit before this option was even there it's kind of a slap in the face to those of us who raised multiple characters the legit way.

 

 

 

This sounds like a personal issue for you, and the people who feel like you do. I, on the other hand, know that I raised my warlock to 26 or 27 before they removed the light levels. That she got to 40 on experience, skill, and effort. And other people making it to 25 because they spent money on it does not invalidate my time, experiences, or efforts I put in. It doesn't remove the people I met and became friends with in the time I spent working on my character. It has ZERO, absolutely ZERO bearing on my character, my achievement, and the work I put forth.

 

Well that is you, and not everyone is you, and as I said to me it kind of makes it crap to see that people can just buy their way to the end game. You can not invalidate my feelings towards it anymore than I can not invalidate yours.

 

 

 

Yes, to the player. If someone else would rather never feel that, or even feel it only once instead of 3 times, who are you to tell them they're wrong, and should feel bad about the way they choose to live their lives, and play their games?

 

Because it's a MULTIPLAYER EXPERIENCE. It feels rewarding to know you got to the max level, but how rewarding is it if anyone can do it by spending some cash? Is it so difficult for you to understand that some people feel their hard work was for naught when they see people who were able to get to the same place by just spending some cash? When you are doing it in a single player game it's whatever.

 

 

 

Again, maybe the leveling itself is not rewarding to the people who buy their levels? And if what you mean is that they are making you feel each level is less rewarding, I can only hope you find a way to get over that issue.

 

 

Or maybe if people find the game so boring that they can't be bothered leveling they shouldn't play the game. It makes no sense to pay to "skip the boring" parts of the game, instead of just playing a different game that does not have "boring" parts to you. Why should I have to "get over" the fact that people basically can pay to skip the entire game because they can't be bothered to play it, when I'm playing it like it's a game and not a chore? I'm sorry that the game isn't fun enough for you to play through, but why should I be required to get over the fact that people are more or less buying their way to end game? Why can't they just "get over it" and play the game or not play if they can't be bothered to play?

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It kind of allows newbs to always enter the late game with little to no skill making team based games kind of crap in that regard. The later game content that requires level 25+ is intended for players who are familiar with the game, and as a result now basically anyone who buys the game and has no understanding of what's going on now will be in online matches and effectively making the experience slightly lessened.

But if they're so unskilled that it's going to wreck your online experience, they should be easy to avoid grouping with, so this entire point is pretty moot.

 

Anyone who buys Destiny now will basically be level 25 because the game comes with a boost. So anyone who starts out is going to be higher level.

Again, who cares? It doesn't have any effect on you, unless you're clinging to the "bad nubs will wreck my online experience" thing, in which case, if they're so bad, they should be easy to avoid grouping with, right?

 

Because the game is based upon multiplayer experience.

Yes, that is one of it's many flaws. Trying to call it an MMO instead of just allowing large-scale co-op.

 

 

- - - - - - -

 

Look, I'm not going to waste the time or energy calling out the rest of your post.

 

The short version is, if it's such a bad thing they've done, and you're fear of what they may continue to do is so great, you really only have one option:

Stop playing.

 

That's what I did after I got bored after I finished TTK's story, and about five raid groups fell apart in the (new at the time) raid, because people had school, or work, or got frustrated that we couldn't do one perfect run the first time some of the raid members ran it. Then they added microtransactions, and you know what my reaction was? "Meh."

 

As much as I love that game when I'm in the mood for it, I am rarely in the mood for it. I couldn't care less if they add "buy super weapons nao with realcash, yo" to that game. If/When I go back to it in a year or more, I'll work my way up from 40 to the new cap, and I'll play without paying for microtransactions, the same as I have. IDGAF if other players have super weapons, or if they bought their levels.

 

Other people not working hard does not devalue the hard work of those who know that their own ability is earned.

 

So, to relate this back to the OP, again;

 

charging $45 for said boosters is slightly ridiculous when you think the BASE GAME is cheaper. Thoughts?

My thoughts remain the same as my first post.

IDRC. People will pay for it if they think $45 for half a days effort is worth it. If they feel that price is too steep to pay, for too little return, they won't pay it.

Bungie has already implemented it, and there's not really anything anyone else can say to make them stop.

We're talking about a company who decides how players can or cannot play a game that they've payed for to begin with.

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