The case against unlocks... and the microtransaction discussion

[Arcmanov]

Very interesting blog post on Techreport from an 'older' gamer.  Essentially, the question is asked:
'Why have me sink so much time into 'unlocking' stuff?'

Thats why I could never get into MMOs, and certain other particular games (of all genres).
Some of them are time sinks...and a lot of the actual 'game time' is very little, compared to
the 'transport time' between tasks/missions.  For the very same reasons the blogger stated,
I could never finish ANY Grand Theft Auto...and may not finish Far Cry 2 or Red Dead Redemption.

Too much time required.


...and don't get me started about the games that I actually bothered to unlock all the stuff,
only to have my save corrupted, and had to START OVER (I'm looking at YOU DiRT )

I'd actually spend more time on a game that had more stuff unlocked from the start.  How great
would DiRT2 or Grid be if you had ALL cars and tracks from jump?  Pretty awesome I'd say.

[W1nTry]

Very instant gratification of you Arc, which is a problem with society imho. That aside I think u are an exception rather than a rule. From Statistics i'd venture to say that overall games which require unlocks require large investments in time and directly as a result more recurring revenues. Ergo the MMORPG, which arguably is the largest PC gaming community. I myself have played many games with unlocks and in addition to creating the illusion of achieving something it also helps in some cases the progression of gameplay.
How would you feel if at the start of Doom you had a BFG, plasma rifle and chain gun? I'll tell you, powerful, which would completely destroy the atmosphere of the game.

I think unlocks are a good thing and always have been. daz my 2c

[Arcmanov]

Probably if I was younger, I would think like that, but I feel its a limiting factor for some games.
Driving games in particular, and fighting games.  Gimme everything from the start, and I'd be interested...but instead you have this steady grind to try and unlock a lot of pretty meaningless drivel.

An alternate costume?  Really?  Is that what I get for finishing your game with all 'perfects', no continues, and a 20-hit combo in each round, in under 10 mins? 

Give me a f@#king break.

[phoenix31tt]

what would u like for finishing the game with all perfects?

a wad of cash :S... lol..

unlocks are meant to give the game replay value and continuity. i.e. i want to finish this game to get the fastest car for online racing... Dont you play BC2 as far as i'm aware leveling unlocks certain items no?...

either way... no game i no forces you to unlock anything... all games you can go straight tru the whole story without grinding away at unlocks etc. So if unlocking items is a problem with particular games.. just dont unlock :S.

[Arcmanov]

I'm 'reanimating' this one   because of it's relevance to the burgeoning rise of the 'microtransaction'.

Consider this recent announcement by EA... http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/02/27/electronic-arts-building-microtransactions-into-all-future-games

Unfortunately, that day that many gamers have dreaded seems to be fast approaching.
I've ranted about it in the past for specific franchises, like Street Fighter, and I actually stopped buying SF games
because I feel Capcom has wrung my wallet sufficiently dry over the years for what is basically the same subset of games.

Now we have a scenario where more and more publishers are turning to the 'freemium' model where the core game is free, but if
you wanna progress beyond a certain level, you gotta pay up.  On one hand, I don't have a problem with this approach.  You can 'try'
the core game out, and then you can decide just how much time, and actual money you're willing to invest to continue enjoying it.
This approach has thus far worked wonders for Hawken, but the key difference to other titles is that you can also unlock the gear that's
in the shops...so you have a choice: spend real money and unlock the fancy robot-shredding gear now, or sacrifice hours upon hours to unlock
that same gear.

Now Hawken is the one standout example of a free-to-play MP game that's as good as any triple-A, 60-dollar game, if you dig the source material.
My problem with the freemium model, is that thus far, Hawken seems to be the only one.  I've tried other free-to-play games, like Alliance Of Valiant Arms,
and Blacklight: Retribution...and while they seemed 'OK' at first, they turned out to be a bit too generic for my tastes.....and therein lies the rub.
So far the freemium model just hasn't produced any compelling, addictive games that will keep you coming back.  Crytek is hoping to address
that with their 'Warface' free-to-play title, which is powered by the highly proficient CryEngine 3....but even so Crytek and all have confirmed that free-to-play is the way to go, and thus far, it seems to be paying off.

Even CliffyB is now 'defending' the microtransaction, but from his standpoint, I can understand why.  It's a business, and companies are accountable to their shareholders.
What he also said, is what I've been saying for years, "You vote with your wallets".  Sadly, people like me who actually do, have become the so-called 'vocal minority'.
Microtransactions exist, because consumers are willing to invest wholeheartedly, and the analysts who track that sort of consumer spending know this all too well.

Here's an interesting take on the whole microtransaction debate: http://techland.time.com/2013/02/28/why-eas-video-game-microtransactions-do-and-dont-bother-me/

...and Rev3 had an interesting discussion about it too...




What do you guys think?

Are you for the microtransaction?  Or against?  Or doesn't it matter?

Sound off...

[TriniXaeno]

I think it is absolutely brilliant from a business perspective.....for us, the gamers on the other hand, not so much...it depends.

Done right....It is better than the alternatives (subscription like WoW, premium upfront price like CoD/Battlefield)

Good example is Dota 2

Cost me all of Zero dollars. Is an EXCELLENT game. Played tons of it. Got tons of cool gear and still didn't pay a cent.

I have bought keys for friends and such but those were gifts.

Not feeling suckered in away and in fact, I feel like Valve deserves more money for the game. lol

If a lot of people are buying stuff in their in game store and making em good dollars from micro transactions, I'm honestly happy for 'em.

100%

[Arcmanov]

One of the guys in the above Rev3 discussion made an interesting suggestion...if you're going to saddle your game with in-game transactions then sell me the core game for 30 dollars, and then I, the consumer, will decide just how much I'd like to invest depending on the type of experience I desire from your game.
I believe that approach might be more palatable in the face of the coming storm.

I can look at this from both sides, because I've often lamented the time and effort it takes to unlock stuff in long-ass games.




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[Mez]

Without getting into the nitty gritty there are a number of reasons why microtransactions are the way to go:
1. Businesswise - Often games that are really well designed/done have players clamoring for more features etc.
2. Psychologically - Ever rushed through a game you waited months for and beat it and felt empty afterwards? like you have nothing left to do? That's what unlocks/acheivements are for.
3. Piracy - (wait whattt??) But it's true, Take DOTA for example, I didn't pay for the Original engine it ran on for the first 10 years of my gaming life, 1, didnt have access to the cash, 2. piracy was easier. This way, content providers give you the freemium model so you can enjoy the game and 'vote with your wallet' how much you love the game.
4. Online Play - It is near impossible to create an online haven (which is where most games are going anyway) that can sustain itself without consistent payments coming in. Whether it be Wow Timecards, or DOTA2 Micropayments through cosmetic items. It Increases the sustainability of games studios.
5. Kickstarter - With numerous games being funded completely on kickstarter it is clear that the gaming community actually appreciates novel content, instead of 'Now thats what I call FIFA Volume 13' which I think i the iPhone of the Gaming industry (stab at fanboys). These micropayments to FUND the game show that just by having a great idea, you can get people excited about the game and make it worth your while to build.

[Arcmanov]

Good points raised there Mez...you actually went pretty nitty there. 

My concern is the darker side of things, where companies implement mtrans strictly as a cash-grab. (a la Dead Space 3)
Can you imagine a game  you've already paid for, asking you to pay for every clip of bullets or bag if grenades to use in multiplayer?  You might laugh at this, but EA has already seriously considered it.
The only reason they have never implemented it is the probable intense consumer backlash.

Where do you draw the line?

I have no problems with mtrans for DLC that truly extends and expands the scope of a game beyond its original template.  Battlefield 3 and the Premium add-on is the perfect example of DLC done right.
You were told exactly what you're getting from the start, and the price, and still...it is all optional.
It's ironic though, that the best and worst examples come from the same publisher. 

Some other examples of games that did this right are Batman: Arkham City, and La Noire.



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[TriniXaeno]

Don't think it's ironic that the same publisher got it right and wrong. Just think that they are experimenting with different models to see which one pans out the best.