Ok, I just had to jump into this at this point.
Craig Steele, on 05 April 2014 - 04:54 PM, said:
The game is Free to Play, was on day one, will be when the patch launch module arrives.
It's easy for you to say these things simply because you see yourself on the "right" side of the argument. Your points are less about logic and reasoned debate and more about defending the game you want this to be. You, by your own admission, have a preference for solo pug play. This places all of what you say less on the side of altruism and reason and more about self indulgence.
I will expound.
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You will have to pay to play the game in your personal mode, whether be in flash colours, or with cockpit items or even playing in groups larger than 4 (when the launch mode arrives). Also, you will have to Pay for extra things not part of the standard game mode like coolant flushes and air strikes.
If wish to play the game mode that is aimed at the games target demographic, they will 'reward' you with in game currency that you can use to buy some of those things, but if you choose to play in a personal "preferred" setting then you will not get those rewards.
Game is still Free to Play, but like all Free to Play game models it levies a cost for people playing outside of the core game mode. (I can argue about whether the cost in this case is actually material but lets not inflame you anymore)
What my point is is that people screaming out ad nauseum that the Game is "Pay to Play" are not only incorrect and inflammatory, they are ignoring the fact that they can indeed now (on Launch) play with more than 3 friends in a single match.
It is an improvement over what we have now.
So, point:
- "If wish to play the game mode that is aimed at the games target demographic". Up until a little over one year ago (March), groups were what you would consider the target demographic. They were the most preferred mode of playing the game and they were the targeted demographic as per the core design pillars. This is how the game was sold to us Founders! Solo PUG drops are now the preferred mode of play by the majority of players because PGI altered the environment, either deliberately or by incompetence (I am honestly not sure which. It's hard to attribute something like this to malice simply because you don't want to think the people who hold your beloved IP are that cruel), to alter this preference. Their design choices to "improve the solo experience" only really achieved the result (or goal) of chasing off those that play in groups. In short, solo PUGs are only the target market because PGI changed the playing experience and the market changed to match. It could easily change again.
- " It is an improvement over what we have now ".
- So they first remove the ability to play with 5+ friends in normal game-play to establish the "normality" of that experience.
- PGI then alter the environment so that those who prefer group play become the minority through attrition so as to make the 4 group limit the norm to the majority.
- Now they reintroduce 5+ group play so people such are yourself who do not remember those days think "It is an improvement over what we have now". Even though in return for adding the ability to play with more friends, they remove the standard rewards for play (it could be exploited you know) and then also make people pay in either Premium Time (now) or MC (later). So it isn't an improvement, it's a step forward (5+ groups) and two steps back (removal of rewards + paying for the privilege).
- As a side point, many Solo PUG White Knights won't even discuss and explore the exploitation issue. The fact that in principle exploitation is possible means there should in no way, ever be rewards. Even though we have no real idea how much it could be and what that look like in comparison to that lost time spent in public queues, the emotional argument wins.
- "If wish to play the game mode that is aimed at the games target demographic, they will 'reward' you with in game currency" This is the real kick in the guts to group play. The "target demographic" is only now such because of recent (little over the last year or so, since the removal of 5+ groups) PGI design choices to "improve the PUG experience". So those that prefer larger group play are to fall in line when in the past, the minority PUG experience was deemed to be the all important cause even though groups were the larger, target demographic. So it's easy for you to make this claim because PUGs are not the minority anymore (so you can add that claim to your arsenal, NOW) and as a preferred Solo PUG player, this defends your play style well without having to be accountable for advocating your personal preference.
- Finally, a cause posters such as RichAC love to champion, groups can't even keep playing in their preferred mode of play. They, by design, are forced to return to the public queue, with all its limitations, to earn revenue or to progress through the game. In other words, to actually PLAY the game they must participate in YOUR preferred style of play. I have my thoughts on why this is. Partly to keep the PUG queue having any relevance to the Group players and keeping people in that queue and partly to prevent group players returning en mass to once more dwarf the PUG presence. It is ultimately to keep the PUGs happy and somewhat placated.
So you hide your own personal desires behind the altruism of speaking out for the masses and defending PGI for targeting the largest player demographic. All without any irony in that said demographic was raised into ascendancy by PGI in their choices. Honestly, can you not own your own preferences and opinions?
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You "found a better way", and now you're upset that PGI are going to collect some revenue off you for you to play the game with advantages. Have a look at the tag next to my name, see the Overlord badge? Does that tell you I want to play for free? Be honest, do you keep throwing infantile and erroneous statements completely off the subject to hide your inability to make a comprehensive argument.
So how about this? What if PGI altered the environment again to favour larger groups and enticed the old player base back, in turn making groups the predominant style of play once more? If they then changed the public queue to include said large groups and introduced a "Solo PUG only" queue that cost 5 MC a drop? Would you then keep this stance? Would it be fair that you would be forced to pay for your own preferred mode of play because the other guys were given how they wanted to play for free?
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So heres the thing, if you want to stand in the corner stamping your feet with tears running down your face cause mummy won't let you play like you want to with your freinds, go for it. No one is going to force you to play the game. Mummy is also not going to change her mind.
Oh I get this. I did go and find other games to play. BF4 has no qualms about me playing with 14 other friends at once and I have a blast! With Star Citizen and Elite: Dangerous around the corner, MWO is looking to have a very bleak future in my gaming line-up as it currently stands. Mummy may not change her mind but I stopped contributing to Mommy's pocket money a while back too. If Mommy wants any more pocket money from me, then she has to start giving me some attention rather than pampering the golden PUG child.
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If on the other hand you can get past your personal agenda and realise there are other peoples opinions that are as equally valid, you might be able to contribute to a meaningful and objective discussion that sees further improvement and gets the game where you want it to be. I'm not holding my breath though.
Personal Agenda ... it's easy to be hypocritical and condescending when you can hide behind the shield of feigned altruism for the greater "
target demographic" that you belong to.
And how about this not be a 0 sum game? You seem to gloss over this but larger group play was a sustainable model just as you seem to understand Solo PUG play is now ... as far as sustainable is with PGI's adversarial nature. So why can't PGI just look at better ways to balance things, allow players to have the experience they want instead of always taking the path of least effort?
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But here's the thing
I don't really care if you do or not.
Back at you buddy! Ultimately this post isn't here for you. It's here for the audience who may actually be swayed by rational points rather than, "we're the majority so we should have what we want! You're the minority so suck it up and be thankful for whatever little consideration you get!". I know you didn't actually say that and while it also may over-simplify your arguments a little, it is to me a salient summation of your position.