City of Heroes: Live Forum Archive

I hate what super boosters have done to the community

Angelxman81

By Angelxman81,
Posted on: 2010-10-15 05:16 in CoH and CoV General Discussions

 

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Originally Posted by Techbot Alpha View Post
Last time I checked, it was the OP who made that
The graphical flourishes might mean he's referring to Corva's shinny icons.

 

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Originally Posted by Shadow State View Post
The graphical flourishes might mean he's referring to Corva's shinny icons.
I was referring to Vanden's pack.

Either way, both Vanden and Corva use the same compositing software and incidentally...


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Originally Posted by Golden Girl View Post
Maybe NCSoft should sue them, get hold of the program, then sell it to players?
... I was the one who made that program, so rest assured that it will remain squarely in the hands of the players. (-:

 

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Originally Posted by Leo_G View Post
Realistically, the devs don't have to give you *squat* for free! You pay the 15$/month for access to the game, the game's upkeep and whatever customer support they decide to throw your way.
No, I'm paying $15/month for server access and upkeep, customer support, and continued development. That means periodic content updates in the form of 'Issues'. That's the model this game has followed since it began. This has created certain reasonable expectations in the minds of subscribers. Reasonable expectations, whether or not you agree. And before you bring up other games that do things differently, we're not talking about other games. In fact, I'd say that the fact that this game does do things differently than other MMO's - in many ways - is a key reason the game's garnered such a loyal core following over the years.

People are objecting to what looks like an attempt to change that equation with the recent preponderance of paid booster packs and commensurate decrease in so-called 'free stuff' (namely costume pieces) in the last few Issues we've gotten. I'd hardly say that reeks of entitlement.

 

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Originally Posted by Eiko-chan View Post
I'm planning on buying the dance pack when i19 hits. I think i19 is awesome enough to pay for it, so I'm going to pretend I'm paying for i19, and getting the emotes for free.
Eiko-Chan, you will enjoy the Dance Pack. I am still having a good time with it. The emotes are quality work. They are very well done, and very, very, very entertaining.

I only wish they had added some party clothes to the pack

Lisa.

So don't wait for heroes, do it yourself
You've got the power
winners are losers
who got up and gave it just one more try

***Dennis DeYoung

 

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I know that sometimes things cost money. If I want them, I have to pay for them. If I don't think it's worth the money, I don't pay for them. Either way, I recognize and understand that most things have a cost associated with them.

My young kids want stuff for free.

 

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Originally Posted by wei yau View Post
I know that sometimes things cost money. If I want them, I have to pay for them. If I don't think it's worth the money, I don't pay for them. Either way, I recognize and understand that most things have a cost associated with them.

My young kids want stuff for free.
Those of us who are long-time subscribers are seeing more and more of the new content that used to be covered by our monthly subscription fee being sold separately as booster packs instead. (As opposed to that content being sold on the side in addition to the stuff in Issue updates - the costume items included in those has dwindled markedly as we've gotten more boosters.) And now, the content in the boosters themselves seem to be getting thinner - the Mutant pack was a bit underwhelming (though I still bought it), and the Party Pack didn't contain any costume pieces - just a handful of animations, some originally intended for GR, sold at a premium price.

So let me ask you, just to clear up any possible misunderstanding: Are you implying that everyone who takes issue with this trend is either a child or being childish? That's a pretty facile dismissal, not to mention insulting, so I hope I'm just misreading you here.

 

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Originally Posted by Gray_Lensman View Post
No, I'm paying $15/month for server access and upkeep, customer support, and continued development.
No, you're paying $15/month for server access. NCsoft has made the statement publicly that 100% of the subscription payment goes to server access, so no one's entitled to anything more because no one's paying for anything more.

 

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Originally Posted by GuyPerfect View Post
No, you're paying $15/month for server access. NCsoft has made the statement publicly that 100% of the subscription payment goes to server access, so no one's entitled to anything more because no one's paying for anything more.
Link, please?

 

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Booster Pack whining is so 2009.


Run. Like Ninja

 

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Originally Posted by Gray_Lensman View Post
Those of us who are long-time subscribers are seeing more and more of the new content that used to be covered by our monthly subscription fee being sold separately as booster packs instead. .
but we really didnt, that is part of the misconception really. we had about 4 really big free costume additions, issue 4 with the Asian themed costume sets, that was for the korean launch, issue 10 with exproto, stealth, vanguard and variants, the slight bunp after issue 12 where we got jester and enforcer. and issue 13 with the large number of civilian costume pieces. we also got some significant costume pieces with issue 8 for veterans, though their tie to veteran status makes it difficult to entirely tie them to an issue, and issue 9 had a very focused number of wings, and we got capes in issue 1. beyond that we really didn't get many new costume pieces for free(important distinction, gr, cov and launch were all paid) some face and hair packs, or additions to existing stuff like issue 7, but no less really than we are getting now,. furthermore, we have had additions to the game post-boosters in the form of new weapons and new effects and animations. we have to remember that while they are done by different teams, those are also customization options that lack a mechanical consequence, so lets throw issue 16 and the upcoming issue on that list.

Dont get me wrong, i want new free stuff, but people who think that free costume pieces just abruptly ceased with the introduction of boosters remember differently than they really happened. I want more costumes, i want a HELL of a lot more costumes and it does sometimes baffle me that for the staffing up at paragon, that we didn't see some more art people to put out more costumes for the use of the players, there hasn't been a real improvement over when it was the 15 in terms of numbers of sets. but just looking at boosters is , to me, making a scapegoat. There really is not a real precedent that says that if they weren't charging for the new pieces, that we would instead be seeing work of their quality as part of the standard game, more likely we simply wouldn't be seeing the additional investment in art and would simply be getting the status quo we had in the issues before the boosters.

 

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Boosters have done a lot for this game. Positron stated that the income generated from the Wedding Pack enabled Power Customisation - something that people had been wanting for a LONG time.

The other boosters have all had some good stuff in but not "must have" items - mostly the balance is just about right -- the exceptions being the Party Pack and the Monthly Jet Pack - but are highly over-priced fluff and people vote with their wallets. I cannot remember when I saw the jet pack in game, so clearly people aren't buying stuff they feel is of little value.

But the bottom line is that if Boosters are selling well, then that means the game is solid and will continue to grow. That is a GOOD thing


"You got to dig it to dig it, you dig?"
Thelonious Monk

 

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Personally, I feel they should sell an "everything pack" for whatever is deemed appropriate as a special offer every once in a while, the same way Valve do -80% sales on Steam. Just a couple of weeks ago, I snagged both Left 4 Dead and Left 4 Dead 2 for, like $15 when both games alone cost I think $20 or $30.

An "everything pack" would contain all Booster packs so far released and be available for purchase say, a week out of every six months or out of every year. I'd price it at $20, such that those who've missed out more than two booster packs will have a good deal out of it, potentially getting people to spend more money AND get things they would otherwise not have bought, and maybe even use them.

After all, I really didn't need or want the original Left 4 Dead, but hey - it was a good deal. Might as well.

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Originally Posted by Arcanaville View Post
Samuel_Tow is the only poster that makes me want to punch him in the head more often when I'm agreeing with him than when I'm disagreeing with him.

 

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Originally Posted by Samuel_Tow View Post
Personally, I feel they should sell an "everything pack" for whatever is deemed appropriate as a special offer every once in a while, the same way Valve do -80% sales on Steam. Just a couple of weeks ago, I snagged both Left 4 Dead and Left 4 Dead 2 for, like $15 when both games alone cost I think $20 or $30.

An "everything pack" would contain all Booster packs so far released and be available for purchase say, a week out of every six months or out of every year. I'd price it at $20, such that those who've missed out more than two booster packs will have a good deal out of it, potentially getting people to spend more money AND get things they would otherwise not have bought, and maybe even use them.

After all, I really didn't need or want the original Left 4 Dead, but hey - it was a good deal. Might as well.

Especially if they sweetened the deal with an "everything PLUS" pack - where there was something in it for those who'd got Everything already


"You got to dig it to dig it, you dig?"
Thelonious Monk

 

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Originally Posted by Gray_Lensman View Post
Link, please?
Read the EULA. You agree to it each time you log in to play. The only thing the promise is server access, and they allow the loophole that access can be denied under certain circumstances.

 

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To me, there's no point in playing a MMO with the only promise of "play when you want".
I can have that with a console videogame with no monthly fee.
To me, a good MMO is the one that keep growing over time and adding free updates and tweaks often, lets say 3 or 4 upgrades per year.
Thats what I love about CoX.
Boosters are an option... I want free costumes more than anyone but we cant really do much. If they release an awesome booster, people is going to buy it.

 

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Originally Posted by Samuel_Tow View Post
Personally, I feel they should sell an "everything pack" for whatever is deemed appropriate as a special offer every once in a while, the same way Valve do -80% sales on Steam. Just a couple of weeks ago, I snagged both Left 4 Dead and Left 4 Dead 2 for, like $15 when both games alone cost I think $20 or $30.

An "everything pack" would contain all Booster packs so far released and be available for purchase say, a week out of every six months or out of every year. I'd price it at $20, such that those who've missed out more than two booster packs will have a good deal out of it, potentially getting people to spend more money AND get things they would otherwise not have bought, and maybe even use them.

After all, I really didn't need or want the original Left 4 Dead, but hey - it was a good deal. Might as well.
I don't think this is a good idea, in so much as, people would just start saying "I'm going to wait for the sale". Not to mention those who bought them at full price, might have forum induced strokes with their evil feedback posts!

Now...what they might do, is once or twice a year, pick two packs at random, cut the price in half for that week, and then put them back at the regular price.

It becomes a sale, it's random packs, so it's not like people can say, I'll wait, since they don't know when or if that pack will hit the sale.

BrandX Future Staff Fighter
The BrandX Collection

 

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Originally Posted by BrandX View Post
I don't think this is a good idea, in so much as, people would just start saying "I'm going to wait for the sale". Not to mention those who bought them at full price, might have forum induced strokes with their evil feedback posts!
I bought everything at full price and I'd be perfectly happy with a pack like this.

I meant this more as a catch-up pack for people who may just now be starting with the game, or who may have been gone for some time. There's nothing I hate more than buying into a game and realising it's being sold for parts and I'm missing approximately 20. I'd much rather just get a complete pack of everything than have to buy everything one at a time, and if I get a bargain out of it, all the better.

And while I realise that some people might just choose to wait for the sale, I know I wouldn't. If I had to choose between buying a costume pack now at full price or six months down the line for less, I would choose to buy it now every time. Besides, this is only worth it if you're missing more than two packs, more if we're talking Alpha and Omega, which means waiting possibly years and purposely ignoring packs you may otherwise want. And if you're ignoring packs you don't really want, then you wouldn't have really bought they anyway.

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Originally Posted by Arcanaville View Post
Samuel_Tow is the only poster that makes me want to punch him in the head more often when I'm agreeing with him than when I'm disagreeing with him.

 

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Originally Posted by Scarlet Shocker View Post
Boosters have done a lot for this game. Positron stated that the income generated from the Wedding Pack enabled Power Customisation - something that people had been wanting for a LONG time.
Minor nitpick, but I'm sure that the income from the wedding pack enabled VEATs an issue early, not power customisation.

Warning:

The above post may contain Cynicism, sarcasm and/or pessimism. If you object to the quantities contained, then tough.

 

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Originally Posted by Forbin_Project View Post
Read the EULA. You agree to it each time you log in to play. The only thing the promise is server access, and they allow the loophole that access can be denied under certain circumstances.
Funny how many of us keep saying this...

Types of Swords
My Portfolio

 

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Originally Posted by Gray_Lensman View Post
Those of us who are long-time subscribers are seeing more and more of the new content that used to be covered by our monthly subscription fee being sold separately as booster packs instead. (As opposed to that content being sold on the side in addition to the stuff in Issue updates - the costume items included in those has dwindled markedly as we've gotten more boosters.) And now, the content in the boosters themselves seem to be getting thinner - the Mutant pack was a bit underwhelming (though I still bought it), and the Party Pack didn't contain any costume pieces - just a handful of animations, some originally intended for GR, sold at a premium price.

So let me ask you, just to clear up any possible misunderstanding: Are you implying that everyone who takes issue with this trend is either a child or being childish? That's a pretty facile dismissal, not to mention insulting, so I hope I'm just misreading you here.
No, some are saying the nonexistent trend is nonexistent. Additional free costume pieces has always been an occasional and not very common event, and free costume sets even rarer. Most of the new costume sets in the history of the game have been paid perks going back to the first collection set.

Edit: i'm hoping we'll see even more free pieces and sets be released, but i'm not going to demand it and wail about it based on a sense of entitlement rooted in nostalgia for a past that never existed.

Dr. Todt's theme.
i make stuff...

 

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Originally Posted by Forbin_Project View Post
Read the EULA. You agree to it each time you log in to play. The only thing the promise is server access, and they allow the loophole that access can be denied under certain circumstances.
The phrase 'server access' is not found in the EULA. See for yourself:

http://us.ncsoft.com/en/legal/user-a...agreement.html

If you're using Windows, you should be able to use ctrl+F to bring up the Find function. Type 'server access' in the window. It's not there. 'Phrase not found.'

Now, if by 'server access' you are talking about the 'service' we are paying to access, there are lots of details about that, starting with:

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DESCRIPTION OF SERVICE; NCCOIN

NC Interactive offers Game(s) as massively multiplayer subscription-based comic book hero and villain role-playing game(s) service and fee-based additional features including, without limitation, character slots and skill packs ("Additional Features") (the "Service") accessible through our web site, currently at http://www.cityofheroes.com and http://www.cityofvillains.com (the "Web Site"), as applicable. Some of the content, features and/or Services on the Web Site are fee-based and have limited use based on time elapsed (hours, days, etc.) as set forth at the time of purchase. NC Interactive reserves the right to change the URL address of the Web Site at any time.
And then there's:

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(a) Content. You acknowledge that by using the Software and the Service you will have access to graphics, sound effects, music, animation-style video, content, layout, design, files, data, characters (and items and attributes associated with characters), game objects and text (collectively, "Game Content").
But I'm not seeing any specific details in regard to what our $15/month does and does not cover.

 

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Originally Posted by Canine View Post
Minor nitpick, but I'm sure that the income from the wedding pack enabled VEATs an issue early, not power customisation.

You're right! I stand corrected but the point still stands that the increased revenue generated enabled the Devs to produce something that people had been after for a long time.

One important point is that Boosters are entirely optional - nice (some even say great) to have but not necessary.


"You got to dig it to dig it, you dig?"
Thelonious Monk

 

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Originally Posted by BrandX View Post
I don't think this is a good idea, in so much as, people would just start saying "I'm going to wait for the sale". Not to mention those who bought them at full price, might have forum induced strokes with their evil feedback posts!

Now...what they might do, is once or twice a year, pick two packs at random, cut the price in half for that week, and then put them back at the regular price.

It becomes a sale, it's random packs, so it's not like people can say, I'll wait, since they don't know when or if that pack will hit the sale.
If the Boosters have sufficient quality, people will buy them when they first become available, because a) people want stuff like that and the repeated release of boosters demonstrates this quite well and b) the fans enjoy supporting the game and are happy to go an extra mile to help contribute to its wellbeing so long as we're not getting shafted.


"You got to dig it to dig it, you dig?"
Thelonious Monk

 

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Again, you guys know I wasn't complaining about boosters but people who want things to be boosters over being free, right?

Issue 16 made me feel like this.
Warning: This poster likes to play Devil's Advocate.