Interesting news

Wow, and here people on WoW were complaining about the price of that Brutosaur mount -- I think it was something like $500 if bought with just tokens. That's one hell of a "hold my beer" moment.

I'm leery of spending as little as ten bucks on a game unless I see that it has a healthy lifespan, and no offense to those who still play EQ2 but that game had become a ghost town even back before KA. I wouldn't even pay for Kander's slice of humble pie. But then, you have people who'll spend 5-10 grand on a game that isn't even out yet.

 

The thing that struck me most about that thread is what Dreamweaver seems to have worked out: 'oh god, Benny has got involved half the forum is about to jump on him better lock it down quick before chaos ensues!'

 

This is my third or fourth try with it, I had bought the base game years ago before the first expansion, and I've dabbled in it briefly since then which was easy because it was buy-to-play. A bit back when they put the expansions on sale and included both with the latest one, I bought in on those and have been pottering around since just trying to do the base game world completion. Haven't touched any of the expansion or living world content yet, but I figure now that I've bought access to it I can get there whenever -- not like I'm losing money on a subscription.

Also, I can't dodge anything -- EQ2 conditioned me too well to just stand there and press buttons. It's been an adventure un-learning that behavior. Even when I do it right I sometimes still die, probably a gear thing, but it's casual play for me and death penalties are minimal.

 

The release of new crates with a 1400 Dollar Mount and a potential 2000 Dollar Merc in the middle of a world-wide health and economic crisis is very questionable. Especially when another (potential) Overseer P2W mechanic was announced. This company greed is "unethical" to say the least.
This crisis is already compared to the 2008 economic crisis. There will be less money for some people available to spend (illness/infection, less work/hours or redundancy)

The difference in 2008/2009 you had RoK and TSO and a valid argument for the best entertainment you can get for 15 Dollar a month. But that argument is no longer valid. It will be interesting what next months GU will be. DBG/DPG will need to rethink the strategy and come up with worthwhile engaging content. If its only Overseer stuff than its going to be a lonesome summer on empty server.....

 

A slice of humble pie for Kander would be really, really expensive!

I'm with ya - after losing my money on Landmark I'm very skeptical. I really got my money's worth with the lifetime sub to LOTRO but that's the one and only time something like that has paid off for me.

 

I remember how jarring it was to get into modern MMORPGs after years of EQOA's placement/tank-n-spank style fights. Even now it makes me want to always watch videos of new raids/trials before going into them, but I've come to really enjoy high-movement fights -- as long as they're well-telegraphed and the developers didn't get too zealous with making it "challenging." On EQ titles, I often spent time sifting through number logs trying to find out which invisible mechanic killed me. On FFXIV, I can at least say; "Yup -- stepped in the bad. Definitely my fault."

 

The company absolutely disgust me, but I cant stop playing the game for some reason.

How can you defend a 2000 dollars mount. No let me rephrase, how can you defend a $2000 item in a 15 year old game. Pigs.

 

Oh, did I just miss something?

 

If you know any folks in particular, have them get a hold of Dreamweaver...

 

Ah, okay. Normal stuff.

 

There's millennia of history available to show how well not being able to take criticism and only surrounding yourself with sycophants works out.

 

Avithax got it right. He referred to them as DogPoo Games in a post yesterday on OF. I'm still laughing about it.

 

The controversy, negative feedback (or shitstorm nowadays) around the new loot crates seem to have "stirred up some s..t" at DBG/DPG.

Kander posted the follwoing on discord:

KanderYesterday at 10:30 PM
We will be putting in ways to earn crates in game and most likely a way to grab a bundle for monthly station cash and looking at a few other ways to earn them in game. Also, we believe we found, finally the issue with Overseer loot and hopefully have a fix for that on Tuesday. Thanks for everyone's patience.

I wonder if this Jenn Chens first action.

 

It's the sort of thing companies have said and done before. They sell the idea of gambling and the players grumble. They add the gambling mechanic to the game and players get loudly pissed off. Then the company claims that due to popular demand/pressure from the player base that they're going to put things in place to mitigate the cost of gambling or the method by which the gambling is done. See, they're listening! (always give them the impression that you care)

But, did they offer to remove the gambling mechanic? Did they offer to lower the cost of the gambling or increase the chance to win somehow?

They're still going to get their money. They just want to reduce the immediate whining while most of the players get accustomed to being fleeced.

EDIT: I can't find it now, but there is some interesting information out there using the introduction of loot crates into ESO as an example of how these companies manipulate the players into not only accepting something they hate, but happily participating in it.

 

I'll see it to believe it. If these "in-game" alternatives are locked behind a massive rng wall, then the promise is little more than an attempt to fleece customers.

 

It's already been happening - apparently slowly. I left 2-3 years ago (forgot exactly) because my legitimate concerns were ignored and some of the devs attitudes were so arrogant.

They're still operating under the model of "if we build it they will come (and throw money at us)". That ship has sailed. It's a different landscape for MMOs these days. I would argue that the MMO demographic is older now, which I would think means a little wiser in most cases - and probably a lot more skeptical.

 

Forget other companies, SOE has done this before. It's a trademark move. Introduce something to the game - mechanics, cash shop, etc - in such a manner that players, even the quiet ones, get in an uproar, then walk it back a step, a small step. The result is still a ridiculous level, but the company gets to pat themselves on the back and cash in on players that, for some reason, fell for it. Again.