So on the topic of microtransactions...
 

So I found this article.

Not sure if we had a topic for this or not, but how do you guys feel about this direction the online gaming world is going in?

What I do like about DLC is the convenience of not having to leave my house.

Fuck me, are we still getting articles this. Fucking. Paginated. Fuck your goddamn ads, I'm blocking them anyway. Put one page's worth of content on one page you insufferably shite editors.

I'll get back to you once I've worn my fingers to stubs clicking through all. The. Fucking. Pages. But based on the first page alone, this article isn't being very focused. Is it going to talk about added campaigns or vanity hats? I don't know. I can't even scan down the article.

Microtransactions are fine and fun unless it gives the player a distinct advantage other players can't get without having to spend money.

I believe such is the case in TF2, where certain items can only be bought. This, IMO, is BS.

Welcome to every 'F2P' MMO ever.

But TF2 only went that direction recently, which is why people are still sore.

It has graphs, though. Everyone knows graphs make you clever.

If they presented any statistics more advanced than a mean I might find this interesting.

Eh, I prefer holding a disc in my hands but the digital era is growing and discs are falling out of use. And I must admit a DLC is easier to buy.

DLC isn't a microtransaction. Microtransactions is buying items ingame for like 1 or 2 dollars. Like you can buy weapons in TF2.

Frankely the only things on TF2 that are can be only obtained via store are Hats and they don't really effect anything. (Apart from reputation from the sad players)

They wouldn't release a really good weapon that can be only obtained from the store.

I think (cosmetic) items that can only be bought are better than ones that you can either buy for a few dollars or spend weeks working your butt off for. It won't gain you any cred because everyone else just bought theirs.

Also, Realm of the Mad God! It's a tiny game, what's it doing in there with WoW, LoL and EvE?

Microtransactions seem like a way of exploiting people addicted to the game. I agree with ench if the microtransaction doesn't actually effect gameplay than it don't realy care.

I read an article about this a few months back (I didn't read the article in the OP, btw, as it was tldr). Apparently this is the difference between Western and Chinese game developers. Western developers, up until recently, tried to balance the games such that the microtransaction purchases added extra fun and flexibility, but no real advantage. Whereas the Chinese developers working for a local audience said words to the effect of "Fuck that. If people feel a disadvantage, that will just motivate them to spend more money". The irony being that the more capitalist sentiment comes from the communist country.

I think it's probably not a bad idea as long as the game has microtransactions from the beginning; at least that way you know what you're getting yourself in for. As for introducing them after the fact in games like Team Fortress - that's kinda shitty.

I have to say the TF2 Store and hats have gotten a bit overboard.

Even Portal 2 has a Store which I was pretty mad when I first saw. mainly because Portal 2 isn't as mutilplayer as TF2 so I found it to be pretty pointless and knowing Valve now, CS:GO and Half-Life 2: Episode 3/Half-Life 3 will also have a microtransaction service as well.

"Paint your crowbar diffrent colours!" :compmad: