"Were you able to find backlash against the Spectre pack system online?"
Go to the
GamesBeat article I've referenced several times. Read the whole thing, the writer does not like it, and he also thinks the cost of unlocks in credits is too high. He's pretty critical on the entire system. Also, watch the GiantBomb Quick Look. Gerstmann pretty much laughs at people who pay for unlocks. I'm not going to look for any more, because I don't need game journalists to validate my opinion. Just because there's not huge outrage doesn't mean it's not a bad system. I can think critically for myself without needing game journalists to spoon feed me my opinion.
I did read it. I read it again, and I read it now. Doesn't change a thing. Your whole argument is the existence of the paid unlock system compromises the integrity of the game, correct? Not once in that article does the writer attack the
existence of the option... he's miffed he doesn't have all the weapons and has issues with the pricing, but that's not what we're debating here. But not once does he ever imply that the
system should be changed.
I'm not going to watch the QL, but Gerstmann laughing at people who pay for unlocks is fine. He's not the demographic that EA/Bioware is targeting, because guys like Gerstmann get *paid* to play video games. Like I said before, the target demographic is the group who don't have time to play as much as they would like.
And the reason I asked you to google for backlash is not to be swayed by a single game journalist, but because those game journalists write those articles in response to the
community. As soon as word hit the community on the nature of the Prothean DLC, the backlash started
then the journalists started writing about it. They (should) report news, not make news. So if the community had backlash against the Spectre packs, then journalists would write about it... alas, there is no backlash, hence no articles.
"Which is more unfair: the Spectre pack system or the Prothean Day 1 DLC?"
That's like saying, who was worse: Hitler or Pol Pot? They're both bad. But, if you make me choose, I'd rather pay for actual content like the Prothean DLC than pay for unlocks. Again, they're both bad, so I'm really splitting hairs here. I really dislike both.
That's fair, and a good analogy. Too bad the analogy doesn't apply though. Again, despite the fact that you don't like it, the fact is that many people DO like it. I involved the Prothean DLC because that was almost
universally panned, so much so that principals of Bioware had to give multiple statements defending the DLC. (Note how there were no statements made about defending the Spectre packs? Because there's no backlash. That's the difference I'm illustrating).
"Which is more unfair: the Spectre pack system now or the hypothetical "N7" system with exclusive content only available to be purchased through Money?"
Again, Hitler and Pol Pot. Just because you can dream up worse scenarios, that doesn't make the existing paid unlock system good.
And again, the difference I'm illustrating. One system gives you the option to get content with money, but doesn't force you to. The other system
forces you to access the content
only with money. There's a
severe difference between the two, not just some shallow "Bad Person A or Bad Person B" comparison.
"What about the player that wants to play the game but has more Money than Time? What if this person works 14 hour days and can only play 1 hour a day? Would this person be grateful for this system?"
Well, I guess I'd wonder what the point of the unlock system is anyway? Isn't it the carrot on the stick for us to chase as the reward? We play because we enjoy playing, but we also like getting the reward at the end. Why are you paying real money for the reward instead of playing the game? It sort of defeats at least one purpose of playing the game. Otherwise, Bioware might as well unlock everything from the start, right? Don't even bother having you earn your unlocks. And if you're "earning" your unlocks by spending real money, does that really give you any satisfaction? I realize some people like this method, but I just don't understand it.
I love how you dance around the crux of my argument.
- "what's the point of the unlock system anyway?" It's a tried-and-true system used in countless other video games, just structured differently. Kill enemies -> get random loot. I'd argue that it's even better than previous systems because you're not competing with teammates for the loot, and you get to access the loot how you choose (through the differently tiered packs).
- "Why are you paying real money for the reward instead of playing the game?" Again, dancing around the crux of my argument. That person working 14 hours (with only 1 hour of gametime a day) physically
cannot invest that much time in the game. They want to, but their job dictates they can't. THEY CAN'T. Why cut out that person from experiencing the full content of your game if you can provide it to that person AND not penalize anyone else that CAN invest that much time in the game (and make money in the process)?
-
"I realize some people like this method" Thank you. That's exactly my point. It doesn't appeal to
you, but it's not trying to appeal to all people. It's going to appeal to those people that have 14 hour work days, or 8 hour work days with two kids in soccer practice, or people who travel often for their job, or people that have 2 hour work days but tons of disposable cash.
Those are the people they are targeting and earning revenue from. Those people are happy because they can play with the Black Widow, and they're not getting any special treatment over the people who don't want to invest money. This is the
essence of price differentiation, which I've mentioned numerous times now.
Another thing that really bothers me about this paid unlock system is that it seems ripped directly from the free-to-play model. Except I'm not playing ME3 for free, I dropped $80 on the Collector's Edition. I understand that free-to-play models have to generate income somehow, so the time vs. money battle has to be utilized. But with ME3, I paid a large sum to play the game, why is Bioware trying to nickel-and-dime me with multiplayer unlocks? It feels dirty.
The difference is you're
not locked out of content if you don't pay. Again, if you can invest Time or Money or some combination of both, you can open the same Spectre packs that everyone else can.
