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Post by colfoley on Jul 1, 2020 7:25:22 GMT
I think EA is looking for other ways to monetize right now, for they have been scaling back on microtransactions and I doubt it has anything to do with the pressure of the few places that have made laws about them, but the fact players are buying less of them. Jedi Fallen Order and Need for Speed: Heat both were released without any microtransactions. Command and Conquer: Remastered didn't have any additional monetization attached to the game and they released the files so people can make mods for the game. According to the conversations there aren't any plans for microtransactions in Star Wars: Squadrons either. Which brings me to why I think its player demand driving this because it sounds like they still have their collectible card trading game for Madden and FIFA with The Ultimate Team. At the same time you have Activision adding microtransactions for Crash Bandicoot being announced by the Microsoft store, but at least they aren't repeating what they got less heat then EA dose when they added microtransactions to the Crash Bandicoot Racing post release. Not to mention RockStar adding their monetization to Red Dead Redemption 2 post release as well since that is when they added the online aspect to the game. The devs of Crash 4 have actually recently explicitly stated that it won't have in-app purchases, and that they don't know why Microsoft store says it will. I was going to say. 
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Post by Sanunes on Jul 1, 2020 7:53:20 GMT
I think EA is looking for other ways to monetize right now, for they have been scaling back on microtransactions and I doubt it has anything to do with the pressure of the few places that have made laws about them, but the fact players are buying less of them. Jedi Fallen Order and Need for Speed: Heat both were released without any microtransactions. Command and Conquer: Remastered didn't have any additional monetization attached to the game and they released the files so people can make mods for the game. According to the conversations there aren't any plans for microtransactions in Star Wars: Squadrons either. Which brings me to why I think its player demand driving this because it sounds like they still have their collectible card trading game for Madden and FIFA with The Ultimate Team. At the same time you have Activision adding microtransactions for Crash Bandicoot being announced by the Microsoft store, but at least they aren't repeating what they got less heat then EA dose when they added microtransactions to the Crash Bandicoot Racing post release. Not to mention RockStar adding their monetization to Red Dead Redemption 2 post release as well since that is when they added the online aspect to the game. The devs of Crash 4 have actually recently explicitly stated that it won't have in-app purchases, and that they don't know why Microsoft store says it will. Hopefully it gets cleared up on the Microsoft end soon then, for I went and read the IGN article and I don't think a pre-order bonus classifies as an in-game purchase.
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Post by QuizzyBunny on Jul 21, 2020 14:23:57 GMT
What I wouldn't mind:
- Selected modded skins made by fans uploaded in a special shop for us to buy with in game money
- Non-story (or vaguely story) related events taking place where you alone or with friends can grind for XP and rewards using your hero
What I fear:
- A bunch of microtransactions where you more or less have to buy things to not have to grind yourself to death
- Story being pushed to the side for multiplayer missions involving random characters
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Post by colfoley on Aug 6, 2020 1:28:30 GMT
Recent experiences with Breakpoint and from the sounds of where they are going with Vahalla (granted market speak but still...)
I think another trap/ temptation that developers get into when it comes to live service games is to make them incredibly grindy experiences. After all with the idea being future content coming out every so often that content still takes time to develop, test, release, and then patch. Actually this is my number 1 concern when it comes to BioWare and Live Service that they won't have the resources to do it 'properly'. But, in order to keep people playing devs feel like they have to keep on creating grindy, repetitive, mechanics in order to keep people playing until they can release the expansions and DLC.
So in Breakpoint you have the various passes that you have to level up, and the 'gear score', which took an insanely long time to build up to the point it wasn't fun...even for me that tends to give entertainment some more leeway. Since Breakpoint removed the need for gear score and the passes the enjoyment with the game has increased DRAMATICALLY, which means I am more likely now to buy that year 1 pass in order to get more content then I was. The lesson here I think Ubisoft has learned...and I hope Bio looks to...is making a game fun means more people are a lot more likely to take part in your live service content...be it free or paid...rather then creating a grind-a-thon game. Now it remains to be seen the difference in my 2 PT times (I put 140 hours into character 1) I still think a fun experience is better then one that just milks you for hours.
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Post by pessimistpanda on Aug 6, 2020 2:34:56 GMT
"THIS WEEK ONLY!
Purchase a Final Fantasy VII Remake Hero Chest (250 Gems) in the Hall of Heroes for the chance to have Barrett, Aerith, Tifa or even Cloud join your Dragon Age party! Or buy a Final Fantasy VII Remake DELUXE Hero Chest (1000 gems) to get a GUARANTEED 5-STAR Aerith!
And don't forget to head to the Ash Warrior's Pet Shop in Redcliffe, for a new series of Final Fantasy-themed quests! A special Red XIII mabari warpaint is waiting for you at the end!'
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Post by pessimistpanda on Aug 6, 2020 2:44:38 GMT
Also, thrilled to announce that Spider-Man will be added to PS5 versions of the game as part of a free content update.
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Post by General Mahad on Aug 29, 2020 19:38:19 GMT
Needing to be online in order to play single player is an automatic deal breaker for me.
They could do what Hitman and MGS5 did and have extra unlockables like weapons and gadgets hidden behind online access. After completing challenges or grinding for them; they stay in your possession even in offline mode.
It gave you a reason to be online but didn’t lock you out of the core experience.
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Post by KaiserShep on Aug 29, 2020 20:03:18 GMT
Needing to be online in order to play single player is an automatic deal breaker for me. They could do what Hitman and MGS5 did and have extra unlockables like weapons and gadgets hidden behind online access. After completing challenges or grinding for them; they stay in your possession even in offline mode. It gave you a reason to be online but didn’t lock you out of the core experience. Right. If EA’s servers are down, I want to be able to still load up my current game, unaffected by whatever’s keeping the MP component down, just like I did with Mass Effect 3 when it wasn’t connecting. But I feel like these devs can’t be trusted not to fall into that big chase for the recurring revenue rainbow, and then allowing the core experience to fall victim to it.
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Post by colfoley on Aug 29, 2020 22:12:17 GMT
Needing to be online in order to play single player is an automatic deal breaker for me. They could do what Hitman and MGS5 did and have extra unlockables like weapons and gadgets hidden behind online access. After completing challenges or grinding for them; they stay in your possession even in offline mode. It gave you a reason to be online but didn’t lock you out of the core experience. I wouldn't say deal breaker just hiiighhhhly annoying. |
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Post by KaiserShep on Aug 30, 2020 1:07:03 GMT
Needing to be online in order to play single player is an automatic deal breaker for me. They could do what Hitman and MGS5 did and have extra unlockables like weapons and gadgets hidden behind online access. After completing challenges or grinding for them; they stay in your possession even in offline mode. It gave you a reason to be online but didn’t lock you out of the core experience. I wouldn't say deal breaker just hiiighhhhly annoying. I guess the thing is determining what’s changed. There’s zero sense in being locked out of the base game when offline, unless there’s some key component(s) to the singleplayer game that no longer exists now, like the game now has integrated co-op, or any open zone essentially operates like a social space, or the world itself is subject to “seasonal” changes that the developers implement over time, possibly even having world states affected by other players, things I consider entirely unwelcome. Personally, all of these things would be a dealbreaker, but I’d even go further than that and simply hope that the game itself is an abject failure, as punishment for the developers taking the game down this route.
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Post by pessimistpanda on Aug 30, 2020 1:13:44 GMT
... why should BioWare be punished for following the mandate of the company that owns it?
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Post by colfoley on Aug 30, 2020 1:33:43 GMT
... why should BioWare be punished for following the mandate of the company that owns it? Yeah I was about to like that post to until that was breaked out. Again I would not be happy with the idea of not being able to play DA 4 forever when the servers close down or what not but ultimatley the question I have to ask myself is 'did I get my money's worth out of it?' And while such models do have their issues I have played some really great always online games just as a SP experience. |
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Post by KaiserShep on Aug 30, 2020 1:58:30 GMT
... why should BioWare be punished for following the mandate of the company that owns it? I don’t really care if it’s a mandate from on high or the developer itself. If I feel a product’s gone in a bad direction, then I would prefer that product fail, disincentivizing taking it in that direction in the future.
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Post by Silversmurf on Aug 30, 2020 3:41:08 GMT
Dragon Age Multiplayer has never gotten much love.
It will just be like Inquisition**, and that's fine by me. Single player fans can stop stressing.
**Some store loot boxes, set challenges and weekly challenges.
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Post by pessimistpanda on Aug 30, 2020 4:03:38 GMT
I would be 100% okay with something in the vein of AC Origins/Odyssey, with small daily quests/challenges and/or a shop where the goods rotate periodically.
I didn't find those things disruptive or intrusive of my single-player experience, nor would they require the game to be "always online".
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Post by colfoley on Aug 31, 2020 21:53:00 GMT
Another thing we should prepare for when it comes to DA 4 and live service is a disc one boss scenario. Now I hope to hell bio is smart enough to wrap up the Solas stuff in the base game but for live service to work there has to be something to fight afterwards. Now this does not have to be s huge threat with the Qunari and all but even after Walker was defeated in Breakpoint you still had Trey Stone and the rest of Sentinel to deal with.
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Post by SirSourpuss on Sept 1, 2020 11:58:33 GMT
Another thing we should prepare for when it comes to DA 4 and live service is a disc one boss scenario. Now I hope to hell bio is smart enough to wrap up the Solas stuff in the base game but for live service to work there has to be something to fight afterwards. Now this does not have to be s huge threat with the Qunari and all but even after Walker was defeated in Breakpoint you still had Trey Stone and the rest of Sentinel to deal with. We also have to remember how, 18 months after the release of Anthem, we only got a rushed Cataclysm out the door and nothing but seasonal events since. So we should also be prepared for a long content drought.
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Post by biggydx on Sept 1, 2020 13:46:54 GMT
Another thing we should prepare for when it comes to DA 4 and live service is a disc one boss scenario. Now I hope to hell bio is smart enough to wrap up the Solas stuff in the base game but for live service to work there has to be something to fight afterwards. Now this does not have to be s huge threat with the Qunari and all but even after Walker was defeated in Breakpoint you still had Trey Stone and the rest of Sentinel to deal with. We also have to remember how, 18 months after the release of Anthem, we only got a rushed Cataclysm out the door and nothing but seasonal events since. So we should also be prepared for a long content drought.
I'm less concerned about how fast the content comes, and more about the quality of said content. If live service ends up bringing pointless fetch quests, then I'm not gonna be interested in it no matter how fast they pumped that content out. |
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Post by KaiserShep on Sept 9, 2020 23:42:43 GMT
Another thing we should prepare for when it comes to DA 4 and live service is a disc one boss scenario. Now I hope to hell bio is smart enough to wrap up the Solas stuff in the base game but for live service to work there has to be something to fight afterwards. Now this does not have to be s huge threat with the Qunari and all but even after Walker was defeated in Breakpoint you still had Trey Stone and the rest of Sentinel to deal with. We also have to remember how, 18 months after the release of Anthem, we only got a rushed Cataclysm out the door and nothing but seasonal events since. So we should also be prepared for a long content drought.
Content droughts only really matter for the multiplayer end, so that’s fine.
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Post by Polka Dot on Sept 10, 2020 0:23:58 GMT
People are still making mods for Skyrim and replaying the **** out of it, and that's a nearly decades old game Aye, but Bethesda's engine was designed to support modding and they supply modding toolkits. The last toolkit BioWare released was for DAO. I might be able to answer that, at least from my perspective. A lot of the (mostly free) mods people make and use require a script extender - for example, Fallout 4's is called F4SE. It is versioned such that the F4SE version must be compatible with the current FO4 game version or it won't work. Your game won't start and run if they are out of sync. Every time the Creation Club catalogue is updated, the game is automatically updated; you cannot stop it from updating the next time you try to run it. And then you cannot play your game again until the F4SE team releases a new version and you get it downloaded and installed. As you might imagine, those Creation Club catalogue updates happen pretty frequently - which means that the (millions of?) players who use F4SE based mods are stuck waiting for that update until they can play their game again. At least, that was the status last time I played FO4, which has been awhile. If Bethesda made the Creator's Club Catalogue a separate thing you could enter without having to update the game, it would be much better received.
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Post by Polka Dot on Sept 10, 2020 0:29:02 GMT
I would be 100% okay with something in the vein of AC Origins/Odyssey, with small daily quests/challenges and/or a shop where the goods rotate periodically. I didn't find those things disruptive or intrusive of my single-player experience, nor would they require the game to be "always online". I'd be okay with that so long as the game still runs when the servers are shut down.
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Post by pessimistpanda on Sept 10, 2020 1:14:51 GMT
I would be 100% okay with something in the vein of AC Origins/Odyssey, with small daily quests/challenges and/or a shop where the goods rotate periodically. I didn't find those things disruptive or intrusive of my single-player experience, nor would they require the game to be "always online". I'd be okay with that so long as the game still runs when the servers are shut down. There's no reason why it shouldn't. The way I envision it, the rotating daily/weekly quests and/or a store would only require the player to connect briefly to get the data (which should be very quick, literally a matter of seconds). And if the play cannot connect or doesn't want to, then the only thing should be that the quests and store don't rotate. The way it would (or should, imo) present in-game, the quest giver or storekeeper would say "Nothing for you today", and players could move on. |
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Post by Polka Dot on Sept 10, 2020 1:26:20 GMT
^Right. But it depends on how it's designed/implemented - and what kind of player data is maintained on the server versus the local machine (client).
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Post by pessimistpanda on Sept 10, 2020 1:47:10 GMT
^Right. But it depends on how it's designed/implemented - and what kind of player data is maintained on the server versus the local machine (client). Well I can't speak to any of that. I know nothing about the practicalities of implementing it on the other end. |
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Post by colfoley on Sept 10, 2020 1:54:14 GMT
I wasn't quite sure of where to stick these thoughts that I have been musing, but it might be the most telling to put them here. Now a lot of this is obvious supposition but it is still worth pointing out.
Playing Ghost Recon Breakpoint has been a bit of a fascinating experience when it has come to live service for two big reasons. A. Its the first Live Service game I have played with major issues at launch which made it panned in some circles and B. For whatever specific reason Ubisfot seems to have a lot more resources to throw at fixing Breakpoint whereas the game has seen signifcant QoL improvements while both Anthem and FO 76, for instance, are still wallowing and waiting for theirs (I mean I know Wastelanders has just released for the ladder). But the point is this provides us an in world spead up view of what DA 4 might be and how it might relate to Live Service. In the end of the day I think the biggest benefit for Live Service is that games have beome investments, not just launch them out the door and pretty much wash your hands of them if they do bad. Game companies are more willing to stick with these games long term, make major community requested changes to fix them.
-Breakpoint had a bad idea for core gameplay...which has since been patched out.
-Community and user feedback has led to numerous new GP being introduced.
-New expansions are still being planned and have been released post launch despite the game's initial struggles.
-And some of this new expansions have been reworked...again based on user feedback and new ideas for story.
I just can't imagine EA doing this in a pre live service model. In fact we know they didn't given they both basically stopped working on DA 2 and Andromeda. However now, even with a game with a troubled launch and bad critical reception...they are still working on it, in Anthem. How this pans out we have yet to see, however this is...telling.
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