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But this is worse that that. PGI is introducing a tiered module system. There will be 3 tiers of coolant flush, 3 tiers of artillery strike, and 3 tiers of air strike. And the highest - most powerful - tier will be off limits to free players.
And this is just the start of a tiered module/consumable system that will extend to future modules and future consumables and future equipment. If we allow it into the game here and now, then it will be there to stay. A tiered, paying for power hierarchy will be established and once entrenched it wont be removed.
I cannot emphasize this enough:
Making the most powerful consumables MC only IS PAYING FOR POWER.
Power that free players cannot have access to, exclusively for paying customers. This is no different than Golden Ammunition. Paying customers are being given, not just options, but black and white, clear as day, power - advantageous improvements over free players.
"But Protection - I can just by a tier one coolant module and a tier two coolant module, and have the same desired effect."
At the cost of a module slot! This is not fair. This is not equal playing fields. This is not competition.
If tow players use a mech with only one module: player A has a paid Tier 3 Large Coolant Flush, where Player B has a Tier 2 Medium Coolant Flush -- and everything else (mech loadout) is the same, then player A has purchased an advantage. By cooling more heat faster, he has improved DPS, improved efficiency, less chance to shutdown. This is an absolute advantage.
To illustrate it in other ways:
Quote
So, someone who pays C-Bills only can get with his 4 module slots (max):
T1 Cooling
T2 Cooling
T1 Airstrike
T2 Airstrike
The same person who drops cash can get:
T3 Cooling
T3 Airstrike
T3 Artillery
Module of their Choice.
See the problem here?
Or how about another:
Quote
Or take a free to play lance, each fitted with:
T2 Cooling
T2 Airstrike
T2 Artillery
Dropping against an identical lance, each with
T3 Cooling
T3 AirStrike
T3 Artillery
Both teams have cooling and calldowns, but the second team has far far more damage to be dealt with all eight of theirs, as well as improved cooling. It's a total advantage.
This is complete and total garbage. This is the exact sort of thing we were repeatedly told that PGI would never resort to, and the kind of thing that they were striving to avoid. This kind of thing is utterly ruinous to competitive play - the team that doesn't spend real money doesn't get to play with the same equipment - but only less powerful substitutes (or fewer of them).
This is completely and utterly ruinous to Mechwarrior: Online - as a competitive game or even as a game that many of us want to play.
PGI, please don't implement consumables in this fashion. Don't make free players less competitive. Don't make free players forced to use inferior equipment, regardless of how hard they grind. Don't ruin game balance in this fashion. You will lose players over this - and ultimately revenues.
Edited by Protection, 05 March 2013 - 01:56 AM.
