irishda said:
It would be better serving though if he hadn't said in the video, multiple times, that he'd be willing to pay if the developers didn't A: charge so much or B: "beat him over the head with it." Which I'm not even sure I know what he's talking about. The closest I can think is that guy in Dragon Age that talks to you about some important mission, and then the game pauses to tell you you have to buy the DLC. But that's solved by just not talking to the guy again. If that breaks you out of your gaming funk for more than five minutes (or however long until you talk to someone else) than something's wrong with the game itself to begin with.
Well, even in the example you've given here, it's kind of a nasty practice.
Legal, well within their right, but nobody likes having proverbial keys dangled in their face.
I'll elaborate a bit more below.
No, Jim's not arguing against the practices, as he made very clear in the video. He's just mad that they're "forcing him to" or "charging him too much". Which, on both accounts, are fucking stupid reasons. If he REALLY wanted to speak out about it, he would've made a video about how retarded you have to be to spend money on a fucking cheat code or a hat for your character. But no, instead its a video on how the video game industry will burn and fall because publishers have the audacity to fish for people stupid enough or wealthy enough to pay for extra shit.
Pardon the personal interpretation, but I believe his outrage at these costs are in essence arguments against their related practices in general. It's not just price-hiking measures, it's how they're implemented.
At best, I find this problem akin to that of Product Placement in film; even if you try to ignore it, even if you walk away from it, once you're aware of it, it still cheapens the experience. Perhaps I'm a weaker person for it, but subconsciously, I hate it when I realize I just paid money for an experience and then have an advertisement shoved in my face.
At worst, well, we're seeing a trend in AAA games with more and more content focused on micro-transactions. Mass Effect 3, Dead Space 3, even Diablo 3...I call them "shell games".
Incidentally, I did some research on that iPhone/mobile Final Fantasy: All The Bravest, and Jim is right, it's a fucking terrible game.
It's so terrible in design and so greedy in its intent, I actually applauded Squeenix for making it.
FF: AtB's mere existence could be interpreted as (I do not say this with any irony or sarcasm) a statement of contempt for the FF fanbase, and the nostalgia-centric market they drive.
Squeenix really thinks their fanbase is so stupid, with such low standards that they will gobble up a game whose gameplay literally consists of rubbing once side of the screen until you win just because it has the Final Fantasy franchise stamped on it.
What blew my mind while researching this:
I found people defending the game heart and soul. These people are spending money, sometimes lots of money, on SPRITES. Nothing more complicated in function or appeal, than an animated gif.
And it's because of shit like this, that I cannot get mad at Jim as you have.
I totally agree with you on the consumer taking a stand and rejecting bad offers rather than buying them and grumbling about how shitty the market is later, but there is a point where someone needs to stop and point out just how ridiculous these money grabs are getting, and that's what I took from his video.
spartandude said:
Atmos Duality... you sir are my new solemate
i get so sick of the "you dont like then dont buy it and shut up" mentality so many people on these forums have but you... i just want you to hold me
Careful. I've been stalked by a lady on this site before in a similar manner, and as it turns out, she's quite aggressive. >_<
But it's good to meet a kindred spirit amidst the madness of the net.