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Gaming The Microtransaction Investigation

Discussion in 'Article Discussion' started by arcticstoat, 19 Sep 2011.

  1. arcticstoat

    arcticstoat Minimodder

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  2. Gigglebyte

    Gigglebyte :3

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    If devs split their focus well between F2P games and paid for titles then a good balance can be achieved in my opinion but if they tilt the balance and focus too much on F2P then I feel it will be a bubble waiting to pop.
     
  3. Kiytan

    Kiytan Shiny

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    While not a huge fan of the game (prefer HoN) I do have to give massive credit to LoL for absolutely nailing the micro-transactions aspect.

    All the things that change gameplay can be acquired without paying, and everything else (to my knowledge) is a cosmetic item. They also don't bombard you with "buy our stuff" (unlike HoN) It's just an option when you look in the shop, and a small advert in the top right.
     
  4. V3ctor

    V3ctor Tech addict...

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    Those are some big charts! :D
     
  5. loftie

    loftie Multimodder

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    I agree with Kiytan. I've played LoL for a while now, but not bought anything. I'm not really interested in skins to be fair, and I've unlocked a good chunk of the champions. I've not once felt like I've been at a disadvantage for not paying for anything!
     
  6. DbD

    DbD Minimodder

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    You should have looked at World of Tanks - that's the one that's nailed how to do "free to play". They've just got the balance right - you get a significant advantage by paying extra but nothing you couldn't get if you were to grind for long enough. They must be raking it in.
     
  7. thehippoz

    thehippoz What's a Dremel?

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    what kind of pie chart is that.. 100%

    guildwars has a nice mini store- nothing that unbalances the game, it's all cosmetic

    old players have status symbols too for being around during holidays.. so if your wearing like the hat from the first year halloween.. no one else has it

    oh yeah they have suits of armor too can't trade.. so only decent players have this- well I shouldnt say that.. some get coat tailed there for a price.. even taken guys to get a spider in the underworld for 50k, probably gold buyers though

    think gw2 is going to be the same model (hopefully)
     
  8. MrCraigL

    MrCraigL What's a Dremel?

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    There are loads and loads of games I'd like to have included. Unfortunately, it's not easy to get the data in a standardised format and each game sufficiently researched, so this was a massively lengthy (and soul crushing) process as it was. Hopefully the readers will name and shame/praise any significant titles that I didn't include :D
     
  9. MrCraigL

    MrCraigL What's a Dremel?

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    It's a silly pie chart to highlight the silly pricing model.
     
  10. Yslen

    Yslen Lord of the Twenty-Seventh Circle

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    Thankyou for this, though graphs had me in fits of laughter.
     
  11. Rygel Cumberbatch

    Rygel Cumberbatch What's a Dremel?

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    I couldn't get the .xls file to work on my Mac, in neither Excel 2008 nor Apple Numbers. I could see two sheets (All and Charts Data), but there was no actual graph.
     
  12. kingred

    kingred Surfacing sucks!

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    Your eve comments are quite badly researched, the backlash was from a leaked internal newsletter called fearless which was taken out of context as it advocated a multitude of ways to use the new doll dress up store, when in reality it was toilet reading.

    That and the allocation of resources away from improving flying in space features and adding more dolly dress up ones, which is not only insulting, it has lead to the stagnation of large swathes of space after a badly implemented nerf, which ignored many features from the dominion expansion.


    Monocles and their wearing is a great use of in game currency to enrage folks for not only hilarity but also to get them to do dumb things. Stay tuned for more drama this winter!
     
  13. SexyHyde

    SexyHyde Minimodder

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    anyone want to buy a hat?
     
  14. DaBigDog

    DaBigDog What's a Dremel?

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    My main bug bear with this is the term "Micro-transaction" to me if it isn't below £1, it isn't micro. I'm old enough to remember 1/2p chews from the little shop on the corner so I understand what providing value is.
    That said, I've probably spent £150 on WoW in game activities, server swaps and race changes, no stupid mounts and World of Tanks is currently my favourite obsession with almost 4000 battles played and about £70 spent on gold.... sigh, only prem tank, and no - it's not a Lowe.... it's a T2 Light:)

    DbD did get it right about World of Tanks but I wouldn't say it gives an big advantage - the benefit you get is pretty slight, it's more about getting into the higher tiers quicker, I rarely buy the premium ammo or consumables, the standard stuff is normally good enough and I never feel at a disadvantage, in fact taking people down who are obviously using paid for in game items is a great joy !!

    Hats off to Valve and Wargaming.net for understanding what Free to Play is, EA need to hang their head in shame for BFP4F - every developer should be shown that game an have it expalined that the way NOT to do it.

    Nice article guys, my sympathies witht he data collectors.....
     
  15. MrCraigL

    MrCraigL What's a Dremel?

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    I don't see how you've come to the conclusion that it was badly researched. That email, of course, adds to the backlash but it's not particularly relevant to the article. Many EVE players (who I've both spoken to and read comments from) are upset about the inclusion of microtransaction items and their related prices. Sure, I could have gone into more detail on the Incara update and the many facets of it that have annoyed, but this isn't an article about EVE.

    You even go on to complain about the absurdity of the microtransaction items after saying that they weren't what the backlash was about. Basically, sorry, but I don't see your point and I resent being told my comments are "quite badly researched" when the research was extensive thankyouverymuch.
     
  16. MrCraigL

    MrCraigL What's a Dremel?

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    We set the definition as "a single item" - like, a hat, a gun, etc. Otherwise it would be more DLC or even an expansion. Micro is probably the wrong word, but it's just what's canonical in the industry.

    Also, just for the record, I did all the data collecting :)
     
  17. rollo

    rollo Modder

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    Wow and eve don't really do micro transactions

    Unless you want a pet / mount / dress for your ship

    I've spent more on race and server transfers
     
  18. impar

    impar Minimodder

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    Greetings!

    Other than TF2, what other games allow crafting items?
     
  19. nukeman8

    nukeman8 What's a Dremel?

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    For me and alot of eve players i know it was the newsletter and the direction CCP was going. micro transactions was just an insult to injury, not because they was adding them but because they lied and said they was not going to add them.

    Unfortunately CCP played it off as micro transactions being the main problem and ignoring the fearless thing entirely, which has confused alot of non eve players.
     
  20. MrCraigL

    MrCraigL What's a Dremel?

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    In the games listed it's just TF2 and LOTR:O allow crafting of things that are also available to buy. WoW has crafting too, but not for the paid for items.

    I was debating whether to include the race/server transfers but I figured they were more of a paid for service (as ridiculous as it is) as oppose to a MT. Also a pet/mount/dress vs things that do things vs things that do things better than free things is exactly what this article is talking about.
     
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