Anet strikes again!

[Usagi Senshi]

What the hell do I do with the damn things? I have 700+ from mining.

[zito]

What the hell do I do with the damn things? I have 700+ from mining.

http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Watchwork_Sprocket

[Usagi Senshi]

Eh? Something to do later then, thanks!

[Svifnymr]

In the same imagination that has people to believe the smallest thing is the start of real pay to win.

It just seems to me that they were already solidly in the turf where this fits. The black lion salvage kit is supposed to give you more than normal kits, so was that the start of the slope? There were complaints from when the first picks launched also. Even cosmetic stuff, if a lot of people are focusing on cosmetics than making gemstore only stuff seems similar. (There's what, 1 piece of town clothes available via questing?)

I do think Anet does pay attention to some feedback (the light armor for example), but they also choose to ignore some of these other rants. Perhaps it's bias, perhaps it's profit mongering, or maybe they're just better at sifting out real complaints form internet-commandos.

Remember the cool looking helmets blizzard released on their cash shop? Yea it is just people purposely wanting something to fail so they thin the truth to get people on their side. In short Anet are not idiots on the business model side (just look at GW1), developing mesmers yes they are complete idiots. Their business model? Yea no.

I'm not active in WoW, but the thing that bugged me with the helmets was the price vs quality. In the same way I think some of Anets stuff (dagger skin for example) was overpriced, the WoW helmets were WAY overpriced. Pets/Mounts a bit too, but mostly the WoW services (transfers, especially, during the "we won't merge" days.) are way too expensive.

GW2, I find character slots reasonable, the makeover kit I've not bought, but seems so-so for pricing, but name change? Really? That seems way too high. Server transfers I've not looked at, but I'm pretty sure they're not $25.

[Deleted]

The only town clothing I found in game was a bandana, yellow, that if I recall you got nothing else to go with it.
What else was there?

Had me thinking, town clothes with that play fighting (forgotten its name), those always seemed much more powerful then any other items that gave you fighting that you could acquire normally.

[zito]

It just seems to me that they were already solidly in the turf where this fits. The black lion salvage kit is supposed to give you more than normal kits, so was that the start of the slope? There were complaints from when the first picks launched also. Even cosmetic stuff, if a lot of people are focusing on cosmetics than making gemstore only stuff seems similar. (There's what, 1 piece of town clothes available via questing?)

I do think Anet does pay attention to some feedback (the light armor for example), but they also choose to ignore some of these other rants. Perhaps it's bias, perhaps it's profit mongering, or maybe they're just better at sifting out real complaints form internet-commandos.

Cosmetics will always be added to the gem store. This was its main advertisement from the beginning. There have also been new armor added to the game and not the gem store, several times. Town clothing was planned to be exclusive to the shop from the start as it should be since it is 100% useless. Even Anet has acknowledge it being horrible now.

I think claiming Anet only listens to some "rants" and not all is a bit wishful thinking in terms of favor.

I'm not active in WoW, but the thing that bugged me with the helmets was the price vs quality. In the same way I think some of Anets stuff (dagger skin for example) was overpriced, the WoW helmets were WAY overpriced. Pets/Mounts a bit too, but mostly the WoW services (transfers, especially, during the "we won't merge" days.) are way too expensive.

GW2, I find character slots reasonable, the makeover kit I've not bought, but seems so-so for pricing, but name change? Really? That seems way too high. Server transfers I've not looked at, but I'm pretty sure they're not $25.

Pricing had nothing to do with my point and is a personal beef. However server transfers are $23 and that is only because all servers are at their highest population possible so you have to blame the existance of players itself for that one as the price of transfers gets cheaper depending on the population.

[Deleted]

I don`t think you can only blame players for piling onto some servers & abandoning others.
Take the latest LS gubbins. There`re servers that don`t stand a chance on that fight, some have said within 2-3 days that there were only a few players farming for their achievement points in one lane & lost all interest in the new shiny bosses.
Same goes for WvWs, the season started & everyone already knew who`d win, because of server population coverage, not because of skills.

So, everyone & their rat moved along with the herd & joined those busy servers & left their old server in a worse state for those left behind.

If the fights properly scaled to however many were in the zone/borders, chances are a few may of stayed behind & ran with it for a tad longer. /shrug

[Deleted]

It would cost you $450 in GW2 to match the amount of character slots available in an mmo like wow. That is a wholelot of $15 subs.

There's literally no point having that many and you could get them for $0 too.

[Svifnymr]

Cosmetics will always be added to the gem store. This was its main advertisement from the beginning. There have also been new armor added to the game and not the gem store, several times.

Sure, I'm just using it as part of the example of "where do you draw the line" for folks declaring it's all a slippery slope.

Town clothing was planned to be exclusive to the shop from the start as it should be since it is 100% useless. Even Anet has acknowledge it being horrible now.

They did remove a bunch of town clothes too, I was thinking they might be tying town clothes to costume brawl more. Who knows though.

I think claiming Anet only listens to some "rants" and not all is a bit wishful thinking in terms of favor.

I'm just saying that "forum rant" is only one of their methods for gathering customer complaints and is probably pretty low on the weighting scale.

Pricing had nothing to do with my point and is a personal beef. However server transfers are $23 and that is only because all servers are at their highest population possible so you have to blame the existance of players itself for that one as the price of transfers gets cheaper depending on the population.

Sure, just expressing my own point alongside yours, not disagreeing.

[Lane]

The black lion salvage kit is supposed to give you more than normal kits, so was that the start of the slope? There were complaints from when the first picks launched also.

Well, the BLSKs are so plentiful I'm not sure it matters. I have 'wasted' a ton of them because I keep getting the damned things and have no real use for them.

I'm not active in WoW, but the thing that bugged me with the helmets was the price vs quality. In the same way I think some of Anets stuff (dagger skin for example) was overpriced, the WoW helmets were WAY overpriced. Pets/Mounts a bit too, but mostly the WoW services (transfers, especially, during the "we won't merge" days.) are way too expensive.

GW2, I find character slots reasonable, the makeover kit I've not bought, but seems so-so for pricing, but name change? Really? That seems way too high. Server transfers I've not looked at, but I'm pretty sure they're not $25.

The problem with WoW is that the price for mounts, in particular, was set by the Celestial Steed, which at the time could have been considered a good deal. It was account wide (before account wide mounts) and it doubled as both a land and flying mount (before Azeroth flying), but now it's little more than a skin, but still the same price, as are all new mounts. Side note that there weren't a lot of really nice looking mounts (definitely not flying ones) in WoW when CS debuted either, and the few that did required massive amounts of grinding so, again, 2-3 hours worth of paycheck seemed like a good deal, but there are a lot more available in game options now.

As for GW2 server transfers, I think the fact that they're all listed as "Very High" is BS. I can tell you unequivocally that CD is not "Very High" even during NA prime and it's practically dead as a doornail during 'off hours'. I highly suspect this is a ploy to force everyone to pay the maximum for transfers, especially with the WvW season debacle. It's just too much money for them to pass up and no one can really prove the servers aren't at the capacity Anet says they are, even if every experience you have is to the contrary.

[Valeron]

The problem with WoW is that the price for mounts, in particular, was set by the Celestial Steed, which at the time could have been considered a good deal. It was account wide (before account wide mounts) and it doubled as both a land and flying mount (before Azeroth flying), but now it's little more than a skin, but still the same price, as are all new mounts. Side note that there weren't a lot of really nice looking mounts (definitely not flying ones) in WoW when CS debuted either, and the few that did required massive amounts of grinding so, again, 2-3 hours worth of paycheck seemed like a good deal, but there are a lot more available in game options now.

the problem with wow is that they have a cash shop in the first place

[Tyraena]

I do agree with you. However, the fact that a newer mining pick now has a chance to give free, extra loot every time you use it, and the older ones don't, is in and of itself a slap in the face to people who spent gems on the older ones already. Also, who's to say that later on down the road, Anet won't introduce another mining pick that gives an even better item than sprockets on use? This is honestly the start of a downward spiral that is not good. They've already gotten pretty bad at trying to cash-grab with their gemstore, this is only going to make things worse.

OMG I had a 286 computer, the 386 was a slap in the face! And again, like a 1-2 combo, when the 486 released. FLURRY OF BLOWS, the PENTIUM!

Seriously, grow up.

- - - Updated - - -

the problem with wow is that they have a cash shop in the first place

So you say that, because quality and availability of in-game mounts has increased, the value of the cash-shop mounts should have decreased, since it is easy to just make new art and slap it on existing animation skeletons, amirite?

How about they adjust cash-shop prices for inflation over the course of time since the CS was released? Would that make you happier? Or are you unable to comprehend that, due to inflation, the fact that Blizzard hasn't once raised prices in 9 years means we progressively get more for the money each and every year we pay those prices.

[Valeron]

I'm going to draw a hard line on this. There is no defense for a game having a up front fee, a subscription, and a cash shop.

[Lane]

the problem with wow is that they have a cash shop in the first place

I agree, but there are seemingly way too many people with way too much disposable income to toss at virtual items for the problem to not exist (and get worse). I often find it interesting that only in the gaming world am I not exposed to the rampant financial troubles of people around me. Sometimes I wonder if all gamers are rich and I'm just the only poor one. :P Especially when they toss around $20 here and $20 there like it's nothing and say they spend that on lunch. WTF kind of lunch are you buying for $20?!

[Valeron]

well I mean judging by how well the cash shop does for Blizzard there is no going back (in fact I imagine they will put more stuff on there). But just the principle of it really bugs me.

[Svifnymr]

The problem with WoW is that the price for mounts, in particular, was set by the Celestial Steed, which at the time could have been considered a good deal. It was account wide (before account wide mounts) and it doubled as both a land and flying mount (before Azeroth flying), but now it's little more than a skin, but still the same price, as are all new mounts. Side note that there weren't a lot of really nice looking mounts (definitely not flying ones) in WoW when CS debuted either, and the few that did required massive amounts of grinding so, again, 2-3 hours worth of paycheck seemed like a good deal, but there are a lot more available in game options now.

The problem with the mount prices is that folks paid it, so now they just keep doing it! I mean, they had a queue to buy them!

As for GW2 server transfers, I think the fact that they're all listed as "Very High" is BS.

It's easily possible that it's just dormant players still counting, but it's still on Anet for not developing a system that takes such things in account. Guess it's low priority.

[Fencers]

often find it interesting that only in the gaming world am I not exposed to the rampant financial troubles of people around me.

Well, this is probably the reality of video games being seen largely as a entertainment medium and a hobby. Other hobbies are very, very costly as well.

I really enjoy CCG/TCGs for example. That hobby can run in the hundreds of dollars to build a competitive deck. Other hobbies like Warhammer 40k, quadcopters or TTRPGs can run into the thousands of dollars.

This is of course small change to more lifestyle orientated hobbies & pastimes like clothes & shoes shopping, fine dining or building like an antique car or whatever. It could take weeks to save up for a new pair of shoes for me or my husband's quadcopter bullshit experiments.

When you extrapolate the total costs and "entertainment" value of video games, they often are a "bargain" by comparison. $20 here and there is probably a lot less than getting a badass Dark Angels army or the happiness I would get out these.

$20 for a flying tiger I will ride in World of MMORPG-craft that is sometimes a more reachable "happiness" as far as pastimes/hobbies go.

WTF kind of lunch are you buying for $20?!

I wonder how people eat cheaper lunches.

The cheapest place nearby my work place sells 1 hotdog & small order of french fries for $8.99. Drink not included. Before tax.

That is even assuming I want to eat a hotdog for lunch everyday. I don't.

This is in Chicago, which is cheap as big cities go. When I worked in Chelsea, off 8th was a cheap little place that costs $25 for 1 fish taco, small salad and lemonade.

I don't know where you live, but I usually can't get lunch for less than $10. Unless I want to eat junk food, of course. I don't. I want to stay alive.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

well I mean judging by how well the cash shop does for Blizzard there is no going back (in fact I imagine they will put more stuff on there). But just the principle of it really bugs me.

Were the TCG Card mounts so bad and evil?

[madethisfor1post]

Is there a pick that I can use to mine for fish?

[Lane]

I don't know where you live, but I usually can't get lunch for less than $10. Unless I want to eat junk food, of course. I don't. I want to stay alive.

I suppose Tampa, Syracuse, and Dallas aren't the same caliber as Chicago, but there's always been either some affordable non-chain place, or a Subway, or something nearby. A $20 lunch is like going to Olive Garden or Red Lobster every day and ordering an actual dinner plate cause even they have lunch options under $10. A couple of the companies I've worked for had an on site cafeteria too where you could get a balanced lunch for <$7 and I actually considered that expensive. My usual lunch budget is around $5, so $20 is almost a week's worth of lunches.