Paying money for items?

(Galaxy) #1

Hi, first I must say I am really looking forward to this game, which is pretty strange for me, as this is primarily an online gameplay oriented game, something I normally don’t pay much attention to, but every time some new information is released I keep getting more and more excited about it, I feel specially this video mirrored for the first time my thoughts on online games very well.

So I am almost convinced that this game will be for me, and I am very close to actually pre-ordering it already but… there is one thing that would really bug me and actually make me not even want to buy the game:

The issue in question is that I have been a mild fan of Team Fortress 2 as far as competitive online games go, but since they added the item shop I have really felt disgusted with it, not so much for the items at first (since I understand Valve has to try to make some money from this old game) but specially when I learned about crates and keys, that just reeks of greed. In my opinion this is a horrible trend in modern games, that I consider close to a scam, since in the end you are paying way more to buy all the little pieces of a full game, when not so long ago you could enjoy all the features in a game with just one transparent payment.

So my question is if anybody knows if there is any indication that Brink will have items for sale for real money, I don’t really mind too much DLC packs, but I would hate to have to buy individually the weapons, attachments, skins, etc.

Thanks for any light you can shed on this issue.

(DarkangelUK) #2

I could foresee cosmetic items for sale, such as clothing and weapons skins, tattoo’s etc. I don’t expect actual weapons to be for sale or items that could give you the upper hand. That said… nothing has been announced thus far.

(Mustkunstn1k) #3

I doubt that Brink will have such huge post.launch support as TF2. Therefore I don’t think that they will make some in-game store. I would imagine that they might release some packs with maybe maps and customization options, but I really think that they aren’t gonna charge for individual items.

TF2 is different… it has hats. And hats are “supposedly” rare which means they cost lot.

(CVIChEK) #4

Brink isn’t tf2, Splash Damage isn’t valve. Don’t compare them.
If I knew how bad tf2 is, I wouldn’t buy it. Those 15€ could be spend really better.

(crazyfoolish) #5

I think the only reason that Valve did that was because of the fact that they have been updating TF2 for free for quite a while now.

(CVIChEK) #6

I would prefer if those “updates” would be payable and DLCs. Why? Just look at the tf2 wiki under hats or weapons. valve is a ****ing sell out, doing every possible promotion with other games just to get more money, so gabe can buy more food.

(crazyfoolish) #7

Wow. Thanks for delaying episode three again.:tongue:

Yeah the sun-on-a-stick is just stupid. I don’t see the huge issue though. If there were no random drops it would be terrible.

(Senethro) #8

Its worth mentioning that the money paid for the TF2 items goes not only to Valve, but a big cut goes to the community member who made the item/map. Do you know many other games where modders get that level of recognition?

(Mustkunstn1k) #9

Nobody is forcing you to buy hats. There are other ways to get weapons besides pre-ordering other games.

(INF3RN0) #10

Now if all weapon/upgrade unlocks are balanced like they say, I actually think that offering an option to those willing to exchange extra mini-payments for an instant unlock wouldn’t be a terrible idea; and if they weren’t balanced that would be a problem either way. All I can see is a loss of motivation towards unlocking these items through putting in the hours, which is completely a personal thing, while providing the Devs with more money to add DLC. As long as everything in Brink offered purely aesthetic and balanced output, I would almost recommend this idea to SD as a means of future development support.

(JFarrell) #11

Considering that they delayed the game to give it its final tweaks and to balance the gameplay it’d be heartbreaking if they decided to pull this bull**** move and sell weapons for money as the only obtainable way.

However, it’d be nice if they implemented weapons into the game after testing it and we could buy them using our XP. We’d have millions of medics doing their job, engineers buffing guns and soldiers sharing ammo instead of going all Rambo.

(CVIChEK) #12

Let’s try to not turn this into a flame war.
The reason I don’t like tf2 shop is because of the polycount items, which give you an upper hand. And the other, valve completely broke the art style/theme of the game.

On topic, as far as I know, there is no shop in game. You gain all of your stuff with leveling up and is available to you the second you unlock it.
And if Splash Damage is planning on making payable DLCs, I hope they will only add more customization, not new weapons/maps for those who bought it

(INF3RN0) #13

Would you object to having weapons/item unlocks also be obtainable via mini-transactions as well though (meaning they are still available to everyone)? That’s the only hope for this idea I can see, and I think it wouldn’t be bad for the game (keeping in mind none of the items offer an advantage over one another). Nothing wrong with offering an option to the lazy/infrequent gamer for Brink’s future benefit.

(Mike XL) #14

Say what? What’s wrong with new maps a few months down the road? And new weapons in a DLC sounds good too, if they don’t gimp the old weapons

(JFarrell) #15

I object thoroughly to anything related to paying money for an option one can have, and others who can’t pay can’t. Especially in a competitive FPS.

As I said before, buying weapons implemented through DLC with our own XP would prove an ideal way of distributing content without having to resort to the money grab way.

(BrigandSk(A)) #16

[QUOTE=JFarrell;269695]I object thoroughly to anything related to paying money for an option one can have, and others who can’t pay can’t. Especially in a competitive FPS.

As I said before, buying weapons implemented through DLC with our own XP would prove an ideal way of distributing content without having to resort to the money grab way.[/QUOTE]

~Don’t understand tf2… why the hell you would have to play a life time to wait for that specific random drop? geez… I regret so much buying tf2 when it got released… why limited random drops per week? why idling was allowed?

MONEY ! ! !

I hope in brink IF they get some sort of unlocking system for weapons released with apparel DLC, that would be about selecting the gun (set up menu) we want to unlock and stack XP in order to make it available.
No MANN’CONOMY geez…

(INF3RN0) #17

[QUOTE=JFarrell;269695]I object thoroughly to anything related to paying money for an option one can have, and others who can’t pay can’t. Especially in a competitive FPS.

As I said before, buying weapons implemented through DLC with our own XP would prove an ideal way of distributing content without having to resort to the money grab way.[/QUOTE]

I agree. Notice though how I said it wouldn’t be a bad thing to have for the stuff that everyone can get, but just for those who want to get it without trying :wink:. Not a big priority topic, but just as sensible as in game ads to fund future support.

(CVIChEK) #18

If the DLC would be payable, then I would prefer if only new customization options will be on it.
And I hope Splash Damage will release the modding tools, and if they do you will get a ****load of maps

(Apples) #19

Paying for more stuffs in games allways made me puke (By that I mean weapons and upgrade, I would gladly pay for moar maps or a mod)… But well if it’s only fancy stuffs I can live with it.

(JeP) #20

Apparently, that’s what they’re planning to do. The argument was, well, SD and even Bethsoft are both used to give the community tools to mod their games, so Brink is more likely to have its own.
Plus, if I understand correctly, Brink is based on an engine that has already a modding community (but I may be wrong there), so it shouldn’t be too hard to find good tutorials to begin making levels.

The only thing that worries me is Quake Wars : besides its long life, and the modding tools, only official maps seem to be played.
It’s possible that with the mega texture and the size of the maps, it’s more difficult to create new ones for it, though. I don’t know.