Microtransaction Horror

[FinalxxSin]

Microtransactions and DLC are both big topics with console gamers now and these days. I thought I'd provide some of my thoughts on each of them. How do you personally feel about each of them?

[Josh_R]

As far as DLC goes if it is a game that you genuinely enjoy then why not pay for. Fallout 3 when I played it on xbox 360 I bought every individual DLC pack as they released. Because I absolutely loved the game. I had no problem paying for it because each DLC added a large story line with a lot of in game items. Also take a game like Guitar Hero I probably have $200 worth of songs that I have purchased. It is a game I enjoyed so I had no issue paying for it. As far as microtransactions go I am fine with your for vanity type items. I played Neverwinter for a long time and the zen shop itself only offers vanity items. Costumes, mounts, etc what pissed me off with the game is that you can transfer your zen to the games astral diamond system. Naturally in the game it is hard as hell to farm up astral diamonds, but if someone pays in like $20 they can get instantly as much Ad as it takes me a month to farm up. Then they go to the player based auction and buy items that they shouldn't have for quite some time. Went into PvP at like level 30 guy had a Rogue with the Neverwinter equivalent of Heirlooms with rank 12 enchants on them. It takes a long time of natural gameplay to refine a level 8 but for $20 you can buy one on the Ad auction house. And in early game in PvP they give you a huge advantage.

Brutal Enchantment, Rank 12 - Official Neverwinter Wiki

If someone rolls into battle with this at that level it is pretty brutal.

[FinalxxSin]

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I agree that if a person fully enjoys a game there shouldn't be an issue with buying DLC. I do tend to look at how that DLC came into existence though. It's one thing for DLC to be new content, but it's different for that DLC to be just cut content from the vanilla game. That's part of the reason I'm more in the middle with it. Microtransactions with F2P games such as Neverwinter are just going to have to live off of Microtransactions. You had mentioned some of the vanity types. I do want to point out that while Microtransactions exist with F2P games to help keep it running, imo they have a higher chance of turning into P2W types like you had mentioned in your post with the significant reduced time on grinding. I don't see why they should exist on consoles though, since a person has normally already paid out money upfront to be able to play the title. That's just me though.