South Park Parodies Free-to-Play Business Model

[Black Phillip]

Why else do you think there is laws and regulations for gambling for example

Why are strip clubs not allowed in some areas or beer not allowed to be purchased on Sunday or we can't listen to curse words on TV? Because we come from a Puritan society.

Also, buying electronic goods in a video game is not gambling.

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free will isn't so much about free will if some one intentionally uses psychology to influence you

Welcome to the real world.

[Deleted]

Its actually based on the FG app game, which is like a direct copy of the Simpsons Tapped Out with more overpriced content. When I first looked at that game they actually had a quest where you needed to spend real money, and you couldn't even delete it or anything from your log. I've never seen a game as moneygrabbing as that.

I have to admit that I'm playing the FG game (although not giving them any money....) and it's exactly that.

Although to be vaguely fair to it, you do seem to get a pretty steady amount of the bought currency, I'm sitting on 75 at the moment without buying any and I know I've spent around 50 on something...

That said one of the quests in my log at the moment (for halloween) is 'Buy The Alien' which is 200 clams or about £4.40ish and there's quiet a few things priced at that level which to me, for a game like this, is extortionate.

[Redblade]

Also, buying electronic goods in a video game is not gambling.

If the player is manipulated in the right ways it can appeal to the same type of behavior. Not to mention games that sells packs that have X percent chance to contain item Y and being the only way to acquire said item, that is gambling plain and simple.

[Black Phillip]

If the player is manipulated in the right ways it can appeal to the same type of behavior. Not to mention games that sells packs that have X percent chance to contain item Y and being the only way to acquire said item, that is gambling plain and simple.

You should write your local Representative and get this criminal activity outlawed.

[Edge-]

If the player is manipulated in the right ways it can appeal to the same type of behavior. Not to mention games that sells packs that have X percent chance to contain item Y and being the only way to acquire said item, that is gambling plain and simple.

You could level many of the same claims at subscription based MMO's, which absolutely use the same kind of behavioral nudging that F2P games do (well, similar). Look at WoW and the legendary cloak quest chain, for example. It's specifically created to be a huge time sink to provide a massive reward at the end to entice players to stick around and keep subbing so that they can get it. But the way it's designed is so that it's broken up with rewards peppered in to act as positive reinforcement bumps, flat out waits (2k valor quest), and various RNG elements to act as "gambling", where players get the "slot machine" reward of the drop often enough to keep their interest, but not so often as to speed them through it. It's easily one of the most brilliantly designed things I've seen in a game in a long time.

Any online game seeking longterm monetization is interested in behavioral manipulation (not in the negative sense) of their players to keep them playing and spending money, regardless of the business model.

Also, it's not necessarily gambling (the chance to win packs), as everyone always wins something. Gambling assumes that there is a chance to lose, which isn't possible. The chance to get the best items is very low, but there will always be something provided for your money.

[Redblade]

You could level many of the same claims at subscription based MMO's, which absolutely use the same kind of behavioral nudging that F2P games do (well, similar). Look at WoW and the legendary cloak quest chain, for example. It's specifically created to be a huge time sink to provide a massive reward at the end to entice players to stick around and keep subbing so that they can get it.

The difference is that you know what you get in a sub based game and you only have to decide once a month if it's worth your investment.

While you are correct in that both models play on the same human behavior there is still a distinct difference in how abusive each method is towards the customer. For example the choice to stick around for one more month is very different from "I'll just buy one more pack and perhaps I get what I want...fuck it, just one more...".

[Edge-]

The difference is that you know what you get in a sub based game and you only have to decide once a month if it's worth your investment.

And you know what you're getting in a F2P. What's free and what's not is usually pretty clearly defined.

While you are correct in that both models play on the same human behavior there is still a distinct difference in how abusive each method is towards the customer. For example the choice to stick around for one more month is very different from "I'll just buy one more pack and perhaps I get what I want...fuck it, just one more...".

To which I'd reply the decision to exploit your hardcore fans by not supporting a subscription game for huge periods of time is equally shitty.

Both business models can be exploited in shitty ways or done well with respect for their customers.

[Redblade]

And you know what you're getting in a F2P. What's free and what's not is usually pretty clearly defined.

Again, no, you don't know how inconvenienced you will be and the developer often use underhanded tactics to make you spend money to bypass those inconveniences.

To which I'd reply the decision to exploit your hardcore fans by not supporting a subscription game for huge periods of time is equally shitty.

No idea what you mean by this even...

Both business models can be exploited in shitty ways or done well with respect for their customers.

Didn't say anything else...we were talking about the more extreme cases of developer abuse here.

[Gumboy]

The best totally free phone game is calculords by far.

[Deleted]

South park has been really good this season.

[Daedius]

Why spend billions developing a cure you can only sell once to every patient, when you could develop a treatment patients have to buy at regular intervals for the rest of their lives?

The evils of pharmaceuticals in a nut shell, right there.

[Deleted]

They parodied app games and shit like that more than they did F2P MMOs. Doubt they've even ever played MMOs. They don't have the time for it.

[Kickbuttmario]

You really shouldn't be comparing game play of mobile games to PC games as they are completely different beasts.

You're the one who was comparing "freemium" mobile games to wow's sub. I simply spoke my piece.

And not entirely, addiction works in all ways. Some are sexual, food based, gaming based, and so forth but all offer the same compulsive behaviours to people with "problems". Freemium games aren't that though, Satan in the show said its blatant Skinner Box manipulation when WoW has been known by several of its players to be the best MMORPG out there for various reasons. And none can really say its addicting since they got away from their hardcore exclusivity since Wrath.

[Remilia]

No idea what you mean by this even...

That'd be referencing to Blizzard, the only company that can get away with this stunt, 3 times.

[bbr]

F2P is cancer and needs to die in a fire. Then pissed on it. And its ashes thrown to outer space.

I'm hoping the market for this will pop soon.

I've seen a ton of not free games that I'd rather urinate on than most of the f2p games,. at leasts the f2p games try to make it look worth playing half the time.
If a game turns out to be shit, i'd rather not have paid money for it.

[Black Phillip]

You're the one who was comparing "freemium" mobile games to wow's sub. I simply spoke my piece.

Game play. You were talking about game play when you said,

Fine, you are probably the 0.1% that actually found "waiting" to be fun and good game design. However, that's not how it works with WoW.

NOT payment models.