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Post by Lebanese Dude on Apr 3, 2019 1:30:54 GMT
The gaming industry should be progressing on all fronts but IMO it's increasing popularity has not always translated into better products, especially in BioWares case. Consumer entitlement and toxicity has definitely progressed as well. Gamers are just a big an issue as developers. Until everyone sees that, we're stuck in an endless loop of salt.
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Post by Lebanese Dude on Apr 3, 2019 0:59:43 GMT
A very informative read. It's a little depressing really, particularly as a software developer myself who has been fortunate enough to work on things that generally had far looser timetables. I'm honestly glad I never went into game development. Management seems far too ignorant of the realities, and consumers can be far too ruthless.
I hope things improve.
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Post by Lebanese Dude on Apr 3, 2019 0:25:07 GMT
No. If anything we might see reform.
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Post by Lebanese Dude on Mar 28, 2019 3:39:31 GMT
I contracted cancer going through the Anthem reddit.
I feel like no BioWare game is safe. If there's any flaw the outrage will be felt.
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Post by Lebanese Dude on Mar 20, 2019 12:07:59 GMT
I should continue FF14 at some point for nothing other than the story. I just wish it wasn't so... FF. lol
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Post by Lebanese Dude on Mar 12, 2019 12:40:45 GMT
I'm sure most of us on these forums don't care for either as we're here for the lore and dating simulators but ignoring the inevitable is pointless. I just think the term "microtransaction" is misleading/harmful. It suggests that the purchase has no impact on one's finances, or should not be regarded with the same scrutiny as any other transaction. Well no this is hyperbolic. Microtransactions are just transactions engaged in the game that are typically between 1-20$ in value. The nomenclature is irrelevant. You're still spending money and it doesn't affect your finances any more than any other expense. Your argument implies that humans don't typically approve of smaller purchases in any field. 5$ here. 5$ there. It racks up, but that applies to any expense we have even in the real world. It is not specific to the term "microtransaction" nor does it fool anyone in any unique manner. And you are perceiving the amount (as your above post mentions) out of context. One can spend "hundreds of dollars in microtransactions" as you said, but that's money they spend on a particular hobby they play. How much did that person play Farmville? Dozens of hours? Hundreds? Thousands? When viewed from a holistic perspective compared to other forms of entertainment, it's the summary equivalent of buying concert tickets and merchandise from your favorite artist, buying drinks at a bar after paying an entry fee, or buying a movie on Amazon prime or going to the movies to watch while purchasing food items. One can easily spend "hundreds of dollars" over time either way, and in most cases they are also engaging in "microtransactions". Would you fault people for doing so? Once again this is an example of video games being held to an unfair standard. One can argue that video games, as a relatively new industry, are just picking up what we consider normal for most other forms of entertainment, but being in the digital sphere somehow makes their sales more sketchy for some reason. Microtransactions are ONLY problematic when they affect all players' experience (pay to win), are arguably forced (progression limitations), or are held under the sway of RNG (as this should be considered gambling). There is absolutely nothing wrong with a video game having an in-game store for cosmetic and booster purchases. If one considers that a problem, then why dont you consider game memorabilia shops problematic? They are arguably the same thing. In single-player games, the actual impact of gameplay-beneficial purchases is even more of a grey area than in multiplayer. As long as the game is balanced around the base experience, why would you care if someone wanted to buy a Staff of Overpowered Early Levels? It's what made me laugh in ACO. I didn't spend one penny and I completed the game easily while looking swag. If someone wanted some of those store items, more power to them. One particular point of contention is how microtransactions can affect modding experiences, as the former inevitably DOES detract from the potential of the for the latter. This is probably the single best argument against microtransactions in a game like Dragon Age. Fantasy RPGs typically attract a much larger modding crowd than other genres as they usually have the highest concentration of roleplayers. It's why I would personally prefer Dragon Age feature a multiplayer rather than a microtransaction shop. I want modders to have relatively unrestricted access, and frankly I have faith that BioWare sees that too. Although I do recall even DA games having some items you can purchase (DA2 had some class packs) and you could still mod the game normally, so even then it might not even be an issue. One can argue that additional packs unlock aesthetic options that can later be used by modders (just like in DA2 and Skyrim).
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Post by Lebanese Dude on Mar 12, 2019 3:17:22 GMT
I'd be perfectly ok if I never heard "live service" or "microtransaction" again in my life. I'm sure most of us on these forums don't care for either as we're here for the lore and dating simulators but ignoring the inevitable is pointless.
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Post by Lebanese Dude on Mar 11, 2019 23:50:47 GMT
I agree. I think a vocal minority on Reddit are grossly exaggerating the situation and spamming the thread for likes (I think Anthem has far more pressing issues than this) but it's BioWare's fault for dropping that faulty loot situation to begin with and regardless it's almost a PR crisis that they need to get a handle on.
It's not really a win-win situation. If they do up drop rates to the point of that patch level then people will max out pretty quickly, and given the lack of PvP in this game, will inevitably tire of the game quickly even if the gameplay is fun. It's just reality. But if they don't up drop rates, then the shitstorm continues.
So I think what you suggested in terms of events with bonus drop rates and other forms of "carrots" would be a good middle ground. I wonder how long it would take to implement in practice.
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Post by Lebanese Dude on Mar 11, 2019 20:43:55 GMT
Reading all this loot talk and I'm fascinated by how different genres can have such different perspectives. In MMOs loot is far more scarce with a lot more effort to obtain them, yet the reaction is far more muted.
Fast-paced action would result in an almost hypertensive need for loot so I think BioWare should just concede and up loot drop rates.
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Post by Lebanese Dude on Mar 11, 2019 14:37:11 GMT
I hope they go the way of Mass Effect 3 when it comes to the ultimate decision.
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Post by Lebanese Dude on Mar 9, 2019 13:16:29 GMT
Dragon Age 2 was definitely my favorite Dragon Age game.
Would be my favorite BioWare game if Mass Effect 3 didn't exist.
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Post by Lebanese Dude on Mar 9, 2019 11:46:42 GMT
Ah cannot wait to read all the reddi threads about how this is trash because it does not address issue X, even if it's already been slated for a future patch.
LOL, I know.
Some people bought a brand new car with three regular wheels and the fourth in the shape being octagonal. Imagine their nerve for complaining about a bumpy ride. ... they still complain when the dealer says look, I will upgrade that fourth wheel to a decagon in a month or so . Bad analogy, as the implication is nonfunctionality until everything is completely fixed. It's more like buying a car that you presumably really like but is still missing some features, is not as fuel efficient as you thought, and that has some weird dashboard design. Company has already provided some of those features, upgraded the dashboard a bit, upgraded the fuel system, promised to continue upgrading and fixing but you say all those upgrades are trash because they havent fixed something yet even though they said it'll take some time to import from Japan.
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Post by Lebanese Dude on Mar 9, 2019 3:45:41 GMT
Is that an ice sculpture? Fancy.
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Post by Lebanese Dude on Mar 9, 2019 3:30:13 GMT
Today in Anthem I rotated seals to figure out different combinations for my Storm. I feel like I barely use my weapon lol
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Post by Lebanese Dude on Mar 9, 2019 1:30:44 GMT
Ah cannot wait to read all the reddi threads about how this is trash because it does not address issue X, even if it's already been slated for a future patch.
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Post by Lebanese Dude on Mar 9, 2019 1:20:10 GMT
If they do go with microtransactions a store with listed items would be a much better idea honestly. Leave the RNG to drops from boss kills.
Anthem has gone the way of a rotating store that can still push for microtransactions via in-game currency or dollars. I believe there is a mildly negative reaction to not having the complete store available, much to my surprise. Perhaps they were a little too cautious? Unsure. Still this is a looter shooter with no lootboxes, which is definitely something I did not expect.
It shows that EA might be aware of this and aren't pushing lootboxes as hard on future titles. Given that DA is a single player game, I genuinely think there's a better chance they'll go the ACO route to supplement the SP/MP experience.
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Post by Lebanese Dude on Mar 8, 2019 21:29:38 GMT
John Amenta @zansamI just want to feel good about Dragon Age again Ryan Markel @ryanmarkelI wouldn’t bet money that the one they are working on gets released tbh based on how Anthem is struggling out of the gate. Jon Renish @jonrenishI'll take that bet! Ryan Markel @ryanmarkelYou’d better, because I want to play whatever it ends up being. I’m just really worried that Bioware is going to end up being EA’d. Jon Renish @jonrenishWe're doing well, but appreciate the concern. So Renish's Twitter bio says he's the "Foundation Programming Area Director" working on Dragon Age. Is that the same as Lead Programmer, or is that something different? Directors don't necessarily program.
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Post by Lebanese Dude on Mar 8, 2019 21:27:18 GMT
I would hope they'd avoid the lootbox situation now that it's being recognized as effectively being gambling.
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Post by Lebanese Dude on Mar 8, 2019 4:22:05 GMT
Well shit... today in Anthem, Marelda broke my heart.
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Post by Lebanese Dude on Mar 8, 2019 3:14:15 GMT
It is amusing, at least for me. Bioware's rep in the last 8 years was not stellar. To give them money before seeing the finished product after all that happened...I would never do it.
And as you said, one would be spending hundreds of hours, the only real commodity of one's life, on what many would consider subpar entertainment. Is it worth 80$? I dunno, honestly.
Well aren't such statements rather hyperbolic? There's much to enjoy in a video game, even if parts of it are disappointing. I would say the same applies to any form of entertainment. Does one enjoy every chapter of a book? Does one enjoy every football game? Does one always have fun at parties? It just feels that gamer culture is just far too perfectionist. There is no such thing as a finished product in software. There are always bugs. There are always improvements. There are always changes. That's the nature of a software product. The standards aren't transferable.
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Post by Lebanese Dude on Mar 8, 2019 3:02:20 GMT
I found a review on the Internet by some fella who goes by the name SofaJockey that I thought I should share for some perspective “This game is great, there’s shooting and some looting and some bad guys and you can talk to a guy about a fountain, how cool is that? It’s way better than Destiny, a true BioWare stalwart to add to other amazing games I love like Mass effect Andromeda and Dragon Age Inquisition. Definite 10/10 we’ll bang Anthem OK?” Well I think we should all play this game it sounds like a game of the year contender. Step aside Division 2, Anthem has got you marked. Are you attempting to mock someone who spends time on things they enjoy as you spend time on a topic you clearly don't enjoy? Maybe you should go spend your time more wisely? I assure you such posts won't do much to "fix BioWare". Definitely not in these forums. Unless it's for some desperate desire for approval from strangers? If so, carry on.
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Post by Lebanese Dude on Mar 8, 2019 2:57:30 GMT
That man is one tall glass of water. Is he Owen's VA?
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Post by Lebanese Dude on Mar 8, 2019 2:53:21 GMT
It kinda amuses me seeing people still preordering games. I did it once with ME3, was dissapointed with the end result, never did it again. And this Anthem debacle was predictable, from my perspective. After ME3 and MEA, BW would have to deliver an almost perfect product to avoid overscrutiny of its flaws. Good is not good enough. I will wait about a year to purchase this game, the same amount I waited to purchase MEA. It appears to be the right thing to do with AAA games nowadays. What is amusing about it? I preorder from companies I support. I only do it for companies I trust to deliver a product I'll enjoy, such as BioWare and Civilization games. I'm not so jaded as to believe that they won't work on fixing any potential flaws that exist in my experience. That's the benefit of having a software product. The product I buy today can only improve, and I want to be there from Day 1, especially as a fan. That being said, I follow a pattern similar to yours. I don't often play games on release that much, even if I preorder them. I often wait a few months. I have a massive backlog to go through anyway, and even then I like to wait for mods. Honestly I only played Anthem so soon because I was curious to see what all the drama is about. I'm only level 20 as I have limited gameplay time and the apparently unique capacity to play multiple games at once, but it's been entertaining. My experience has been pleasant so far. I'll probably finish the story then peace out for a bit. Would I probably save more money if I bought it later? Perhaps. But I spend a lot more money per year on far less relevant products in my life. 60-80$ is a very small price to pay for hundreds of hours of entertainment. In fact I think gamers are pretty damn spoiled. You pay 20$+ for a good book that lasts you a few hours.
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Post by Lebanese Dude on Mar 8, 2019 2:42:58 GMT
Now which of those two is more likely to be considered as dishonest should it turn out that the final product is significantly different from the trailer? Both of those statement are often honest though. Thing is, when developers say “this is subject to change” many people these days will simply seize on that and say “aha! This means this is all bullshit and we shouldn’t trust it!” People react the same way if developers pepper their speech with “maybes” and “plans”. So it seems like a no win scenario. I think the best scenario is to stop putting out so much information out there before release.
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Post by Lebanese Dude on Mar 8, 2019 2:40:14 GMT
Yikes. I don't bother with such "challenges" lol *hurls fireballs at Scars*
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