Paragon Points: Query About The Purchasing of Special Badges

Forgive me if this has been discussed at length already; lack of caffeine is my search-fu's Kryptonite. Mods, if this thread is inappropriate, please move as desired to taste.

I have long wanted to re-roll certain characters, but have held off for years, for a number of reasons. I'm a casual player, so these characters (mostly stalled in their 30s and which haven't really been played for several months or even years) represent to me a significant time investment, even if they're toys sitting on the shelf, waiting for the "someday" that I might get the desire to pick them back up again.

Further, these characters have attributes (read: badges) which a new character wouldn't have and wouldn't be able to get. Here I'm referring specifically to anniversary badges. Now, I have a badge character in my main, but certain badges have their own level of importance because of the rare opportunities to obtain them. Anniversary badges are of course on this list. Thus, as a "just in case" (I ever decide to make another of my characters badge-collecter), I log all my characters in for the anniversary badges. Thus, each character will have the badges I couldn't normally get.

There is some precedent for my slowly-upcoming query. During the Winter Event, and for a couple of years or so now, one has been able to purchase previous years' "exclusive" badges, in the same category as the annual anniversary badges, says I.

So. To the point. Do you think that Paragon Points will be able to purchase, as Paragon Rewards, the anniversary badges from previous years? As I said, there is precedent for a similar situation. Do you think it shouldn't be allowed? How about a compromise as a third option: yes, you can purchase anniversary badges from previous years, but only dating from that particular account's creation, and not before?

I expect well-constructed points supporting both sides, and I look forward to hearing (reading) the community's thoughts on this admittedly trivial matter. Therefore:

Discuss.

IMO, they should not. Either you were here then, or you weren't.

However, anniversary badges should (IMO) be made account-wide, so that one is not faced with your dilemma.

Yes, they should. Since there's already precedent (see Halloween badges and Winter event badges) I see no reason why Anniversary badges shouldn't be treated the same way. If people want to spend their points "buying" those not around here any longer badges, I say, more power to them.

Having said that, I highly doubt it will be implemented.

Oh, and I vaguely recall some redname stating, in the past, something to the effect of "It's not intended that everyone should be able to get every badge." To this, despite having heard reasons to support it, I still ask "Why should that be so?"

I understand the concept of "I did X to earn it, so seeing it just given away (or worse yet, sold) demeans my accomplishment." I think I agree with this, but would I think differently if I myself was on "the wrong side" of such an argument, in any given particular situation?

<looks in the mirror> Shallow much?

I would agree they should be account-wide. The anniversary badges are really just a way of saying "Hey! I was an active player in 20xx!". It makes sense they would apply to the account, and not a specific character.

I wasn't there for many of the anniversaries.
Yes, I'd like the badges. Actually, I'd like to have been able to be there to get them (did I word that correctly?).

But really, I'd be disappointed if they were available for paragon points.
I'll also be disappointed if they aren't turned into account-wide badges.

And this is coming from someone who LOATHES temporary availability on ANYTHING in games.


Lastly, I don't think they should be badges. It's just annoying imo. No idea what they should be though. Figure that out yourselves!

I'm ambivalent on the matter, as I don't care about badges in the slightest. On the one hand, having more clutter in the Paragon Store might make it seem "full enough" and shunt other things I actually want into free Issues. On the other hand, I do appreciate that much of the meaning of those badges is symbolic and selling them would ruin their value to a large extent, so making them account-wide would be a better choice.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arcanaville 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.

I asked about this on the Facebook Freedom Friday thingy and got the following reply:

I'm all for making them account wide. Please make it happen, devs.