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Free To Play/IAP vs. Pay Once for Everything

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  • 19-11-2013 10:29am
    #1
    Mr E
    Registered Users Posts: 55,474 ✭✭✭✭


    Free To Play is prevalent now, and it drives me bloody nuts.

    What happened to the good old days of paying up to €4.99 for a full game without being hounded by micro-transactions?

    I don't mind paid games with little paid bolt-ons that add value to the game (new modes etc.), but being hounded every 2nd game to buy something to help me cheat is incredibly annoying. Misclick that little x in the corner, and the game will quit and browser/marketplace will load instead.

    It makes gaming for kids more complicated too. My niece or nephew would hand my tablet to me wondering what has happened to their game (where they had clicked the big green button on a pop up window instead of the tiny red X in the corner). I have to disable WiFi/data before they start gaming.

    Does anyone here use micro-transactions? Are we stuck with them?

    Who would pay a premium for a free-to-play game, just for a balanced version that doesn't hound you to buy s**t every 10 minutes?


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    #2
    Mr E
    Registered Users Posts: 55,474 ✭✭✭✭Mr E


    Oh, and what prompted this post is Candy Crush Saga. It's actually a very good game, hampered by the micro-transactions and unbalanced levels. I've never paid for anything in this game and never will. As such, I'm probably at the stage where I will never play it again (finishing a level where I am now will rely on 80% luck, 20% skill). That's not fun.


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    #3
    Doctor DooM
    Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 25,868 Mod ✭✭✭✭Doctor DooM


    I don't oppose microtransactions in theory, if Devs reckon they can make more money from some people who enjoy throwing cash away while I get to play for free that sounds like a good deal.

    In practice, I will never get to play "freemium" games to the point where I will spend, or even enjoy them.

    With Marvel puzzle quest right now I'd gladly pay 3-5 euro to never be bothered about having extra slots for cards and for health to be replenished after fights. The game doesn't feel finished without them, and I've completely given up playing a game I think I'd love because of it.

    I recently played an 8-bit styled RPG called Gailardia. Good fun, pretty tough, good for a few minutes at a time. The first game is completely free and it asks you to pay for the sequel, which I immediately did because they deserve it. That strikes me as a way better way to do it.


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    #4
    johnny_ultimate
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 29,229 CMod ✭✭✭✭johnny_ultimate


    Alas, too many games are 'pay upfront, than constant poking to pay again'. Infinity Blade 3 radically overcorrected in terms of microtransaction inclusion - all the game mechanics seem altered just to get you to pay more money on top of the already significant initial outlay. I understand it's a big money maker for Epic and Chair, but it kills what were once elegantly simple mechanics.

    The worst case was Bombcats. It's a surprisingly robust, inventive Angry Birds 'clone', although clone is a bit unfair. Read the developer's blog for more details on his battle with trying to find the right financial model for the game. Unfortunately, after a while it all just became a bit of a mess, with paywalls even for those who had paid a few euro to avoid such a thing (myself included :(). A shame, as an excellent game got lost in the assault of misjudged updates and new versions. At least, eventually, a 'special edition' was released on Android and iOS that seemed to have sorted out the problems, albeit not Radian Game's financial ones. Felt sorry for the developer, who was clearly just struggling to make the most effective decision for himself and his game.


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    #5
    Star Lord
    Registered Users Posts: 30,123 ✭✭✭✭Star Lord


    I dunno if any of you have ever played FTL, but if you have you probably know it could probably be converted quite easily to a mobile/tablet game, and it'd work just as well.

    The only thing I think is if it ever does make this leap, it will (hopefully not, but probably!) be full of 'freemium' features, where you'll be offered the pay-to-win options such as paying to repair your ship/buy missiles/crew/fuel/droids etc...

    Even if you manage to avoid the ridiculous continual 'GIVE US YORE MONEYS!' pop ups and reminders, I've found that a lot of these games also want you to allow them to connect to the web. Fair enough some update reasonably regularly, and have new features or sync via the web, but if I've no connectivity, or am on a plane etc... why not let people play and sync up later?


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    #6
    Skerries
    Registered Users Posts: 12,355 ✭✭✭✭Skerries


    Star Command is very like FTL
    Untitled Image




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    #7
    fl4pj4ck
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,001 ✭✭✭fl4pj4ck


    Skerries wrote: »
    Star Command is very like FTL

    and free today:
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=88759147#post88759147


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    #8
    Atomic Pineapple
    Registered Users Posts: 18,272 ✭✭✭✭Atomic Pineapple


    Interesting write up about it here:

    http://www.baekdal.com/opinion/how-inapp-purchases-has-destroyed-the-industry/

    I agree that currently IAP is destroying the mobile gaming experience and increasingly making its way into console or PC gaming which is a bad thing.

    I'm not against it per se, if its done fair then it can be both enjoyable for the gamer and make money for the developer but when you see the stage it has got to with the likes of Dungeon Keeper its ridiculous.


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    #9
    Mr E
    Registered Users Posts: 55,474 ✭✭✭✭Mr E


    'A Cancer That's Eroding The Market': Reactions To EA's Dungeon Keeper

    Haven't tried it yet, but I don't think I want to now....


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    #10
    Atomic Pineapple
    Registered Users Posts: 18,272 ✭✭✭✭Atomic Pineapple


    Mr E wrote: »
    'A Cancer That's Eroding The Market': Reactions To EA's Dungeon Keeper

    Haven't tried it yet, but I don't think I want to now....

    I played the Simpsons Tapped out for a few months and after experiencing that I gave up on free to play games with in app purchases, its just an atrocious experience with no gameplay there at all.


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    #11
    steve_r
    Registered Users Posts: 2,001 ✭✭✭steve_r


    Mr E wrote: »
    'A Cancer That's Eroding The Market': Reactions To EA's Dungeon Keeper

    Haven't tried it yet, but I don't think I want to now....


    I downloaded it, only played through the tutorial.

    It's frustrating cause this is the exact type of game that I'd pay good money for. That link makes a good point, you can buy it for $6 outright.

    Call me a heathen for suggesting it, but there are certain games that should be brought back, like Dungeon Keeper, only for upfront fees, not freemium.

    I know that there are emulators out there, but I'd be happy to pay extra to have a great port


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    #12
    Mr E
    Registered Users Posts: 55,474 ✭✭✭✭Mr E


    Cut The Rope 2 came out on Android today. Free with IAP. Uh-oh.

    Downloaded it anyway. After about 5 levels, it played a 10 second, full screen, unskippable trailer for another game. Oh f**k off...

    About 8 or 9 levels in, I failed to get 3 stars. "Would you like to buy something to help you get 3 stars?". No. F**k off....

    After 10 levels, "Would you like to watch a cartoon to get 200 coins?". No. F**k off.

    Another unskippable, 10 second, full screen trailer. F**K OFF!

    After failing level 14 a few times, "You've been presented with 2 level solutions! - Use Now!". NO, F**K OFF.

    Full screen trailer for Pet Rescue Saga... F*******K OOFFFFFFF!!!

    I checked the IAP store for anything to turn off all this extra sh*te. Nothing. Buy more hints, buy more bombs, buy new candy types, buy a new animation for rope cutting (WTF?).

    If they had a single purchase to make this a NORMAL GAME, I'd pay it. I'd even pay a premium, up to €10.

    I've just uninstalled it.


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    #13
    Mr E
    Registered Users Posts: 55,474 ✭✭✭✭Mr E


    Hah... I posted a slightly toned down version of my review above in the Play store, and got a reply from Zeptolab. :)
    ZeptoLab 1 April 2014
    Thanks for sharing your opinion with us! We value your feedback very much and are going to introduce an in-app purchase, which disables commercials, gives you unlimited energy and other cool things to enjoy. Stay tuned!


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    #14
    Atomic Pineapple
    Registered Users Posts: 18,272 ✭✭✭✭Atomic Pineapple


    Mr E wrote: »
    Hah... I posted a slightly toned down version of my review above in the Play store, and got a reply from Zeptolab. :)

    Probably be about 40 quid :D


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    #15
    steve_r
    Registered Users Posts: 2,001 ✭✭✭steve_r


    Mr E wrote: »
    Hah... I posted a slightly toned down version of my review above in the Play store, and got a reply from Zeptolab. :)

    So they'll give you some features in return for the purchase, and turn off ads?

    It doesn't sound like you'll get everything unlocked, but it might make the game less frustrating.

    Interesting to see if other companies follow suit, and offer a (potentially limited) opt out of IAP


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    #16
    Mr E
    Registered Users Posts: 55,474 ✭✭✭✭Mr E


    CTR2 IAP for no ads, unlimited sun power and a bunch of powerups was added yesterday.

    €2.59 for the bundle.

    Nice to see developers listening to criticism.


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    #17
    gnfnrhead
    Registered Users Posts: 12,478 ✭✭✭✭gnfnrhead


    Micro transactions have completely ruined the Tapped Out game.

    It used to be every update would include five or six new items along with one, maybe two, premium items. Now it's the opposite. One or two free items along with a tonne of premium items that are often limited time so you cant save up for them.

    Wouldnt even be that bad if they werent so expensive for how little you get. I'd have happily paid for the game if it meant everything after that was included.


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