Mass Effect 3

[X]

The in game purchases are great! It's nothing game breaking and entirely optional. After all businesses are in the business of making money and that really works well for everyone. You can play to earn or buy as you desire.

[KingIsaacLinksr]

The in game purchases are great! It's nothing game breaking and entirely optional. After all businesses are in the business of making money and that really works well for everyone. You can play to earn or buy as you desire.

Well, it can be game breaking, especially if they put in stuff that is required to be purchased via your money.  I'm gathering Bioware didn't so I'm slightly relieved, but I've seen so many companies do that lately its making me sick.  Business or no, its not a practice I want to see in games I pay $60 for. 

King

[X]

The in game purchases are great! It's nothing game breaking and entirely optional. After all businesses are in the business of making money and that really works well for everyone. You can play to earn or buy as you desire.

Well, it can be game breaking, especially if they put in stuff that is required to be purchased via your money.  I'm gathering Bioware didn't so I'm slightly relieved, but I've seen so many companies do that lately its making me sick.  Business or no, its not a practice I want to see in games I pay $60 for. 

King

Nothing at all is required to buy. It's a practice that makes them money from people that want to buy stuff extra. When has there been anything wrong with wanting to buy extra?

Also, that extra that people are buying translates into more dollars for the franchise and that translates in a higher perceived demand and the likelihood of additional DLC.

It's a win win for everyone involved.

[KingIsaacLinksr]

The in game purchases are great! It's nothing game breaking and entirely optional. After all businesses are in the business of making money and that really works well for everyone. You can play to earn or buy as you desire.

Well, it can be game breaking, especially if they put in stuff that is required to be purchased via your money.  I'm gathering Bioware didn't so I'm slightly relieved, but I've seen so many companies do that lately its making me sick.  Business or no, its not a practice I want to see in games I pay $60 for. 

King

Nothing at all is required to buy. It's a practice that makes them money from people that want to buy stuff extra. When has there been anything wrong with wanting to buy extra?

Also, that extra that people are buying translates into more dollars for the franchise and that translates in a higher perceived demand and the likelihood of additional DLC.

It's a win win for everyone involved.

If this were a competitive multiplayer and not a co-operative, locking weapons behind $$ purchases would be game breaking.  Just an example of where it would be wrong.  Doesn't apply to ME3 obviously. 

I think based on how much the game sold, there is going to be additional DLC no matter what, Bioware/EA doesn't need more incentive to make DLC. 

King

[Bryancd]

I think based on how much the game sold, there is going to be additional DLC no matter what, Bioware/EA doesn't need more incentive to make DLC. 

Of course they do.

[KingIsaacLinksr]

I think based on how much the game sold, there is going to be additional DLC no matter what, Bioware/EA doesn't need more incentive to make DLC. 

Of course they do.

Yeah....*sigh*....true enough...

King

[Jobydrone]

The in game purchases are great! It's nothing game breaking and entirely optional. After all businesses are in the business of making money and that really works well for everyone. You can play to earn or buy as you desire.

I dont think it's great at all.  While the idea of buying packs with your credits from previous wins with the possibility of getting rare items and characters is cool in concept, what's not cool is the requirement of using consumables on the gold level missions in order to compete.  You can have a maxed out level 20 character and if you aren't packing high level weapon and armor mods (which are use them then lose them) you aren't going to be doing any kind of damage whatsoever.  Spending real life cash on these upgrades is indeed optional, but the pricing model is very obviously geared to encourage players to just drop their two or three dollars up front instead of playing for three or four hours at a lower level before you can afford to buy the high level upgrades with in game currency.  It's a good thing you like this concept Chris, because I'll bet every big franchise multiplayer game like COD and Halo etc. is going to adopt this way of making money in their games in the very near future.  For me I'll pass.

[X]

The in game purchases are great! It's nothing game breaking and entirely optional. After all businesses are in the business of making money and that really works well for everyone. You can play to earn or buy as you desire.

I dont think it's great at all.  While the idea of buying packs with your credits from previous wins with the possibility of getting rare items and characters is cool in concept, what's not cool is the requirement of using consumables on the gold level missions in order to compete.  You can have a maxed out level 20 character and if you aren't packing high level weapon and armor mods (which are use them then lose them) you aren't going to be doing any kind of damage whatsoever.  Spending real life cash on these upgrades is indeed optional, but the pricing model is very obviously geared to encourage players to just drop their two or three dollars up front instead of playing for three or four hours at a lower level before you can afford to buy the high level upgrades with in game currency.  It's a good thing you like this concept Chris, because I'll bet every big franchise multiplayer game like COD and Halo etc. is going to adopt this way of making money in their games in the very near future.  For me I'll pass.

It all depends on your play style. I have groups that I play with on multiplayer and we can do gold with no ammo mods or armor mods. We also took our time on bronze and silver to get the proper guns for the higher level. When we had others that had just jumped onto multiplayer, they made the decision to buy instead of having to play through bronze to get some cool unlocks.

It all depends on the time you want to invest into the multiplayer.

Battlefield has also do this in the past. you could play and level up normally or after a few months on it coming out, you can  buy weapon unlocks to keep up with all the high ranking players if you are just getting the game.

[Jobydrone]

It all depends on your play style. I have groups that I play with on multiplayer and we can do gold with no ammo mods or armor mods. We also took our time on bronze and silver to get the proper guns for the higher level. When we had others that had just jumped onto multiplayer, they made the decision to buy instead of having to play through bronze to get some cool unlocks.

It all depends on the time you want to invest into the multiplayer.

Battlefield has also do this in the past. you could play and level up normally or after a few months on it coming out, you can  buy weapon unlocks to keep up with all the high ranking players if you are just getting the game.

I see your point about play style, and having a dedicated group of friends to play with regularly.  That would probably make a difference in my case.  I think they came close to hitting the bullseye with this multiplayer but missed in a few crucial areas that's going to prevent me from playing it extensively or at all in the future.  I really do like the idea of getting packs as prizes or rewards; it really scratches my old "Magic the Gathering" itch of opening booster packs of cards to see if you got a cool rare.  But throwing Medi Gel, Health Regen, Ammo and Armor consumables in there, which with all due respect to your awesomeness Chris, seem to me to be absolutely essential to high level gameplay, strikes me like asking a bit too much of the average player.  I just don't think they really cared about making a game that people are going to be playing for years or even months to come, and it shows.  The models in place for multiplayer very much favor a quick money grab early on in the game's lifecycle with their in game purchasing, with really no carrot to keep people playing beyond that. 

I am not anti corporation, and certainly respect the company's right to make money however they see fit.  It just rubs me the wrong way.  They got my $60 so I can't vote with my wallet in this case...so pardom me if I vent a litle ;)

[X]

It all depends on your play style. I have groups that I play with on multiplayer and we can do gold with no ammo mods or armor mods. We also took our time on bronze and silver to get the proper guns for the higher level. When we had others that had just jumped onto multiplayer, they made the decision to buy instead of having to play through bronze to get some cool unlocks.

It all depends on the time you want to invest into the multiplayer.

Battlefield has also do this in the past. you could play and level up normally or after a few months on it coming out, you can  buy weapon unlocks to keep up with all the high ranking players if you are just getting the game.

I see your point about play style, and having a dedicated group of friends to play with regularly.  That would probably make a difference in my case.  I think they came close to hitting the bullseye with this multiplayer but missed in a few crucial areas that's going to prevent me from playing it extensively or at all in the future.  I really do like the idea of getting packs as prizes or rewards; it really scratches my old "Magic the Gathering" itch of opening booster packs of cards to see if you got a cool rare.  But throwing Medi Gel, Health Regen, Ammo and Armor consumables in there, which with all due respect to your awesomeness Chris, seem to me to be absolutely essential to high level gameplay, strikes me like asking a bit too much of the average player.  I just don't think they really cared about making a game that people are going to be playing for years or even months to come, and it shows.  The models in place for multiplayer very much favor a quick money grab early on in the game's lifecycle with their in game purchasing, with really no carrot to keep people playing beyond that. 

I am not anti corporation, and certainly respect the company's right to make money however they see fit.  It just rubs me the wrong way.  They got my $60 so I can't vote with my wallet in this case...so pardom me if I vent a litle ;)

I totally get what you're saying, but out of all the consumables, the only one I use often is the missile. Ammo you can get for free on the level and your team can pick you up when you get hurt more times than not. Since most of these consumables are in the rookie packs, I have a ton of stuff that a rarely or never use. As for the carrot, when you turn your character into an asset, you start over, but you get to keep your old guns.

As for game play, I suck pretty hard when I'm playing with a team that doesn't communicate, but when played with a quality team, I don't think many of the d pad consumables are ever exhausted when we play.

Also, feel free to vent any time. I'm not trying to change your mind, but merely offer counter points to how it has been working for me.

[Jobydrone]

One thing I really like is the different characters with different ability loadouts in the same class.  It makes getting a new character in one of those packs pretty darn excitiing!  I yelled out loud when I got my Salarian Infiltrator.  It totally has some really good points.

And it is so satisfying blasting a Banshee to hell with that missile...

[ChrisMC]

Spoiler box, but I don't spoil anything in-game, just making sure.  I only "spoil" game mechanics I suppose. 

[spoiler]From what I understand about the ending is that people are upset that no matter what you do in the game, the end result is the same.  Bit of a slap in the face for some people who are used to ME1 and ME2's endings being different depending on your actions. 

And people believe that the game's ending sucks.  So that doesn't' help them either. 

I don't have an opinion on it because....I have no idea what happens lol. 
[/spoiler]
And yes, the in-game-purchases for multiplayer are annoying, everytime I see that business model I cry a little inside by the sheer greed of it.

King

Yes, I agree that is pretty cruddy. I guess I value my real world money too much to blow it on stuff like that. A worthy expansion like we've seen in the Fallout series or Oblivion with Shivering Isles? I'm all over those, really gives you hours more enjoyment with those games. Weapons and crap in a mulitplayer co-op game I'm not wasting my dough on.

[X]

Spoiler box, but I don't spoil anything in-game, just making sure.  I only "spoil" game mechanics I suppose. 

[spoiler]From what I understand about the ending is that people are upset that no matter what you do in the game, the end result is the same.  Bit of a slap in the face for some people who are used to ME1 and ME2's endings being different depending on your actions. 

And people believe that the game's ending sucks.  So that doesn't' help them either. 

I don't have an opinion on it because....I have no idea what happens lol. 
[/spoiler]
And yes, the in-game-purchases for multiplayer are annoying, everytime I see that business model I cry a little inside by the sheer greed of it.

King

Yes, I agree that is pretty cruddy. I guess I value my real world money too much to blow it on stuff like that. A worthy expansion like we've seen in the Fallout series or Oblivion with Shivering Isles? I'm all over those, really gives you hours more enjoyment with those games. Weapons and crap in a mulitplayer co-op game I'm not wasting my dough on.

That's the beauty of it. You don't have to waste your money on it. People that want to buy it can and they will. People that don't aren't being deprived of anything that they can't get by continuing to play.

[ChrisMC]

Yeah, I know it, it's not necessary. It's like buying a pet in WoW or something frivolous. A complete waste of money. At least you can use your in-game ME3 credits to buy this stuff as well. I'm just saying it's personally wasteful to me to blow money on such nothingness.

[Jobydrone]

You can look at it as something to do with those extra Microsoft points most people have in their accounts that are too few to buy an actual game with, I suppose.  I hate that I always seem to have 180 points left every time I buy something on Xbox Live.