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Eurogamer: What happens when F2P games aren't free? (Editorial on XB1 launch games)

AHA-Lambda

Member
Thought this would be interesting to some people if they weren't aware of the effect of microtransactions that are rife in much of the XB1's launch lineup.

In particular, from the article, Forza 5 sounds really bad.

In Forza Motorsport 5, the problem runs deeper - the economy that's the backbone of the series has been altered, and it's too easy to come to the conclusion the changes have been made to make way for microtransactions. Unlike in older Forza games, cars aren't offered as rewards for success: instead, the only option is to buy them in a grind that can be augmented by pumping in real-world money.

It's a problem exacerbated by Forza Motorsport 5's drip-feed of cars as part of a $50 season pass, a number of which are being reintroduced from earlier games. And even when you've bought them as DLC, in order to own them fully in the game they have to be purchased using in-game currency - or, of course, by pumping in a little extra money of your own. The game's creative director, Dan Greenawalt - a smart and passionate man who I suspect isn't behind these decisions - admitted the season pass hasn't been wholly popular, but that people are enjoying it and redeeming it, and that it's keeping them playing the game for another 6 months. He compared it in some small way to a gym membership - but the problem with Forza 5's membership is that having already bought the gym and paid a subscription, you're then asked to pay individually for each piece of equipment within.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-11-23-whens-a-free-to-play-game-not-free-to-play

Lock if old.
 
And even when you've bought them as DLC, in order to own them fully in the game they have to be purchased using in-game currency - or, of course, by pumping in a little extra money of your own.

Hate this kind of thing. I think it's been in a couple other games, but maybe without the buy-currency thing.
 
A good article and certainly a practice I don't like. Now that the xbox one isn't always online, I hope the upcoming games move away from it.
 
How did the reviews not reflect this shit?

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PD is putting this shit into GT6 as well and I'm not happy about it there either.
 
We've got to stop this shit before it becomes a 'defacto' item like bloody DLC...

I understand why it's required for f2p it makes ZERO sense when you've already spent £50 / $60 dollars just to get the 'base' program...
 
Article said:
Unlike in older Forza games, cars aren't offered as rewards for success

I‘ve never played Forza before. Does this mean that it used to be like GT, where winning an event would net you a prize car? And it‘s not like that in this Forza? The grind in GT wouls be unbearable without prize cars...
 
Its a disgusting practice that seems to be happening in every MS 1st party title so far, but the only fix is people who don't buy into it. Even then, who knows, MS might still put it in the games just because they can, even if many people don't actually buy it. I would really love to buy an XB1 for Forza eventually but this really bothers me. Its acceptable in games like Planetside 2, where they give you the ENTIRE game for free, and you can actually unlock everything with the grind (like Forza), but if you want to speed it up you can spend a few bucks to unlock some other guns/perks. Not cool when you dish out $60 tho. NOT cool.
 
Eurogamer said:
Unlike in older Forza games, cars aren't offered as rewards for success

This seems to be the underhanded part. In previous Forza games you always had plenty to cars to choose from. And what's even worse, even in "Free play" mode you can not to choose from all cars any more!
So, a whole lot of systems in Forza 5 seem to have been changed to push people to real-money transactions.
 
I‘ve never played Forza before. Does this mean that it used to be like GT, where winning an event would net you a prize car? And it‘s not like that in this Forza? The grind in GT wouls be unbearable without prize cars...

Yeah you won cars like in GT in previous Forza titles.
 
This will be patched out. Microsoft seems to like to "test" strategies at the expense of screwing over consumer trust and faith.
 
In the UK the consumer rights show WatchDogs will so on to these kind of things if they become a trend. No way in hell will they get away with this in the UK at least.
 
In the UK the consumer rights show WatchDogs will so on to these kind of things if they become a trend. No way in hell will they get away with this in the UK at least.
It seems to me that in general this monetization trend is more concerning to Europeans than Americans? The only outlets that, to my knowledge, seem to be onto this are Eurogamer and Jim Sterling and they're both British.

Question: I read a comment somewhere that American journalists were given/are given DLC packs for free but European journalists are not/cannot be given those packs for free because of legal restrictions. Is that true?
That might just explain it xD
 
Question: I read a comment somewhere that American journalists were given/are given DLC packs for free but European journalists are not/cannot be given those packs for free because of legal restrictions. Is that true?
 
AS A WHOLE, FTP is bullshit. People should have seen this coming from the MMORPG where the FTP ones are normally at the bottom of the heap. Generally though F5 is BTP no?
 
The article is wrong about Forza 5.

You easily get so much money his time around. I've been able to buy the cars I need for the three series I've beat so far, yet save up enough for an Aerial Atom V8 and still have loads of cash left over. The cars are cheaper than in Forza 3/4 and the rewards higher.

It's true MS pimps the tokens at you, but you don't need them. It's really easy to buy the cars you want in Forza 5. All it takes is playing it to see. And I am really playing with it and swimming in credits.
 
Within reason, I am OK with DLC or even some in-game transactions, especially if the game is free upfront (see: Hearthstone, TF2, etc). Paying $60 for a new game, then more to try to access shit inside the game that a generation ago was much more easily accessible at no additional cost? Nope. Won't support this tomfoolery.
 
This will be patched out. Microsoft seems to like to "test" strategies at the expense of screwing over consumer trust and faith.

After xbox live and the way xbone is doing I wouldn't be surprised if this made them a lot of money and they just start doing more of it.

In short gamers are dumb and ms will take any opportunity to get into their wallets. Its kinda hard to blame them tbh.
 
EA has been doing this for two years now starting with BF3 and people ate that shit up.

They were sneaky though and tied in f2p mechanics with legitimate DLC.
 
this crap is going on in NBA 2K series also but it worst in 2K14. The reviewers don't mention how you need crazy amount of virtual currency to do a lot of things. These companies need to stop this crap when we paid $60 for their games.
 
That doesn't sound like a very enjoyable game. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I get the impression that it's a bit like a F2P grind filled game for $60?
 
EA has been doing this for two years now starting with BF3 and people ate that shit up.

They were sneaky though and tied in f2p mechanics with legitimate DLC.

ME3 MP was all luck and F2P... At least MP expansion were all free... But you had to grind through content like a madman.

BF4 as a similar random kit upgrade right ?
 
XB1 and Forza drops even further down my interest level. I get (although I'm not a fan of) F2P titles with MTs but a full price retail title that is chock full of MTs too? No thanks.
 
How did the reviews not reflect this shit?

You expected an actual critique of games by reviewers?

My friend who's a big racing guy told me in a text that the game doesn't have car clubs, gifting, decal marketplace, free play mode and then he mentioned the no free car thing that's mentioned here too.

I'm not a racing guy but that sounds like a heavily stripped down game that was focused on sucking as much money from the user as possible. What's the consequences for these actions? 9/10s everywhere.
 
You expected an actual critique of games by reviewers?

My friend who's a big racing guy told me in a text that the game doesn't have car clubs, gifting, decal marketplace, free play mode and then he mentioned the no free car thing that's mentioned here too.

I'm not a racing guy but that sounds like a heavily stripped down game that was focused on sucking as much money from the user as possible. What's the consequences for these actions? 9/10s everywhere.

Basically sounds like they've iOSed a console game. It's a harrowing thought.
 
Hate this kind of thing. I think it's been in a couple other games, but maybe without the buy-currency thing.

In a game like this or Gran Turismo, where you have a garage of cars that you purchase with in game credits, it makes sense. Actually, in some ways, it'd be just as bad if you didn't have to purchase it in game afterwards, because then the situation would be "This car costs in game credits, but this other car costs real money" So the F2P-style issue would still be present.
 
Basically sounds like they've iOSed a console game. It's a harrowing thought.

Yeah, but you don't drop $60 on iOS games from the start

They bleed you out slowly over time, not go for the jugular and shake out the little droplets that are left
 
I bet your ass somebody will defend this shit.
They already have in the other thread.

Some guy thinks bad game design can be excused with this. Calling COD fans hypocrites for moaning about grinding and then moaning about a fast-track way to avoid that grinding.
 
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