Team Fortress 2 Adds Microtransactions

[LitleWaffle]

Though many are saying that this will ruin Team Fortress 2, I don't really see why.
Unlike many FPS, TF2 actually has balance to the majority of their weapons, and the ones that are underpowered you just don't use. I haven't seen an overpowered weapon yet, and I hope i will never have to.

That weird spy knife that disguises you as your victim? Kinda cool, pretty decent.
But you can't disguise yourself normally, which leaves you vulnerable. And if you just saw someone die on your team in the upper right corner, then immediately see the "same person" skipping across the hall, you can pretty much assume that they are a spy.

Each weapon requires strategy to overcome their flaws, and you need to adjust accordingly when you need to. So if you don't want to buy the weapons, its not that much of a loss, you still have pretty decent weapons, and you will get the new weapons eventually, which keeps you playing and not getting bored.

 

[WelshDanny]

Though many are saying that this will ruin Team Fortress 2, I don't really see why.
Unlike many FPS, TF2 actually has balance to the majority of their weapons, and the ones that are underpowered you just don't use. I haven't seen an overpowered weapon yet, and I hope i will never have to.

That weird spy knife that disguises you as your victim? Kinda cool, pretty decent.
But you can't disguise yourself normally, which leaves you vulnerable. And if you just saw someone die on your team in the upper right corner, then immediately see the "same person" skipping across the hall, you can pretty much assume that they are a spy.

Each weapon requires strategy to overcome their flaws, and you need to adjust accordingly when you need to. So if you don't want to buy the weapons, its not that much of a loss, you still have pretty decent weapons, and you will get the new weapons eventually, which keeps you playing and not getting bored.

This.

Hear hear.

*waves papers in agreement*

 

[DTWolfwood]

Convenience Tax for the lazy with disposable income! Im all for it.

 

[Faky]

Microtransactions? I would not call 18? hat a MICROtransaction. Heck you can buy a few full games for that micro-money.

 

[dochmbi]

"We added grind, but for a small fee, we can take it away."

Yup. Sounds like several MMOs I know. At least these items are absolutely non-essential.

If this was implemented in WoW it would cause a huge uproar.

It's similar to the difference between Eastern (Asian) and Western MMOs (US, and Europe).
In Eastern MMOs, the trend is that the client is free to download, and thus free to play, but you pay for the important features with microtransactions.
With Western MMOs, you essentially get access to everything but you pay a monthly subscription for it.

WoW falls into the latter category; this TF2 content falls into the former category, or at least, the logic behind it does.

The point I was trying to make is that if WoW allowed you to buy XP and/or items, it would cause a huge uproar.

 

[GothmogII]

Microtransactions? I would not call 18? hat a MICROtransaction. Heck you can buy a few full games for that micro-money.

I was a little agape at that as well. But, when I thought about it, if you've got the will and the money to spend (or are simply foolish enough to waste it), there's nothing wrong with a person having their money taken in this manner.

 

[rsvp42]

I dunno. It's not that I begrudge Valve pursuing a little profit from what has thus far been a steal of a game with is free updates and whatnot, it's just that I feel like developers forget that certain things are better as random drops or something that requires time and skill to acquire. This isn't the case for everything and I'm not against all micro-transaction plans, but when you have something like hats or special items that were previously only available to those who were lucky enough to find them while playing, then you just make them available to anyone with some extra cash... it just devalues it. It'd be like if Xbox 360s had a system where you could buy gamer points or pay to complete achievements.

Sometimes in-game rewards based solely on playing are important too.

 

[Sneaklemming]

Instead of responding one by one, I'm going to tell you why this is bad.
It has monetised TF2 - meaning that people with the hard cash get the advantage

No they don't. I've been on servers where people have bought premium membership to that server, giving them extra sentries, regenerating ammo, teleports and other stuff that you can't get from Valve.

I still buried my knife in their backs until they RQ'd.

Valve also haven't finished alpha-testing them, so there are bound to be buffs/nerfs. (Poor old Engies could really use some)

I will say that some of the prices are extortionate, but this is a test, given Valve's record, we can hope that there's going to be a sale on some items.

But yeah, you spend £50 on the Polycount Pack and the only advantage you're going to have is with the skill to use them.

Of course they have an advantage. It's like saying that blue team can use all the classes, but red team can only use 6 of the 9 classes, but dont worry because someday they can use them all, and after all the people on the red team are better skilled then the blue team so it's all ok right?

It's an advantage of diversity.

 

[Sneaklemming]

So lets see... I pay for a game, and then I'm asked to pay more money. So it's like a good demo. GTFO

Valve has ruined TF2!

You dont have to pay. The items still drop.

Damn are some people ****** and dont read the news!

I responded here [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/7.235715-Team-Fortress-2-Adds-Microtransactions?page=5#8386376]

I have read all the news about it, not just on this website.

 

[Atmos Duality]

The point I was trying to make is that if WoW allowed you to buy XP and/or items, it would cause a huge uproar.

And I was simply correlating the events related to the article for this topic.
You are absolutely correct though; there probably would be an uproar if WoW let you purchase grind more quickly.

 

[GothmogII]

Instead of responding one by one, I'm going to tell you why this is bad.
It has monetised TF2 - meaning that people with the hard cash get the advantage

No they don't. I've been on servers where people have bought premium membership to that server, giving them extra sentries, regenerating ammo, teleports and other stuff that you can't get from Valve.

I still buried my knife in their backs until they RQ'd.

Valve also haven't finished alpha-testing them, so there are bound to be buffs/nerfs. (Poor old Engies could really use some)

I will say that some of the prices are extortionate, but this is a test, given Valve's record, we can hope that there's going to be a sale on some items.

But yeah, you spend £50 on the Polycount Pack and the only advantage you're going to have is with the skill to use them.

Of course they have an advantage. It's like saying that blue team can use all the classes, but red team can only use 6 of the 9 classes, but dont worry because someday they can use them all, and after all the people on the red team are better skilled then the blue team so it's all ok right?

It's an advantage of diversity.

Do you actually play I wonder? Because I have several of the recently released weapons already. In fact, the only portion of the sets that are a little difficult to get are the Hats, however, all the weapons, you know, the things you keep harping on about as providing an obscene advantage, are easily available to ANYONE, without having to buy them:

Scout
Mad Milk = Jarate + Reclaimed Metal
Shortstop = Force-A-Nature + Reclaimed Metal (this recipe appears to be bugged; people are reporting that it turns the reclaimed metal into scrap and eats the FAN)
Holy Mackerel = Sandman + Reclaimed Metal

Soldier
Black Box = Direct Hit + Reclaimed Metal
Battalion's Backup = Buff Banner + Reclaimed Metal

Pyro
Degreaser = Backburner + Reclaimed Metal
Powerjack = Axtinguisher + Reclaimed Metal

Sniper
Sidney Sleeper = Huntsman + Reclaimed Metal
Darwin's Danger Shield = Razorback + Reclaimed Metal
Bushwacka = Eyelander + Reclaimed Metal

Spy
L'Etranger = Dead Ringer + Reclaimed Metal
Eternal Reward = Cloak & Dagger + Reclaimed Metal

Above is the entire list minus the Hats (which are still dropped randomly.)

Most players who've been playing awhile will have both the metal, or, at least a surplus of weapons to make into metal. Not to mention that, while the drop system is a little arbitrary, it does drop a good haul of weapons regularly, and you'll usually end up with at least two or three per week.

 

[AlphaOmega]

Best-Patch-Ever.
Due to inpatient people I managed to turn 2 stacks of reclaimed metal into 4 new hats by trading up.

 

[Dr. HeatSync]

Do you actually play I wonder? Because I have several of the recently released weapons already. In fact, the only portion of the sets that are a little difficult to get are the Hats, however, all the weapons, you know, the things you keep harping on about as providing an obscene advantage, are easily available to ANYONE, without having to buy them:

Scout
Mad Milk = Jarate + Reclaimed Metal
Shortstop = Force-A-Nature + Reclaimed Metal (this recipe appears to be bugged; people are reporting that it turns the reclaimed metal into scrap and eats the FAN)
Holy Mackerel = Sandman + Reclaimed Metal

Soldier
Black Box = Direct Hit + Reclaimed Metal
Battalion's Backup = Buff Banner + Reclaimed Metal

Pyro
Degreaser = Backburner + Reclaimed Metal
Powerjack = Axtinguisher + Reclaimed Metal

Sniper
Sidney Sleeper = Huntsman + Reclaimed Metal
Darwin's Danger Shield = Razorback + Reclaimed Metal
Bushwacka = Eyelander + Reclaimed Metal

Spy
L'Etranger = Dead Ringer + Reclaimed Metal
Eternal Reward = Cloak & Dagger + Reclaimed Metal

Above is the entire list minus the Hats (which are still dropped randomly.)

Most players who've been playing awhile will have both the metal, or, at least a surplus of weapons to make into metal. Not to mention that, while the drop system is a little arbitrary, it does drop a good haul of weapons regularly, and you'll usually end up with at least two or three per week.

Oh yeah that horrible crafting mechanic. You know gathering several tens of Scrap to turn into Reclaimed to then turn into Refined (or whatever the order is now) is apparently what people play the game for now. For those weapons you've just listed, the materials are certainly not quick or enjoyable to obtain, especially when you see someone else using them. It would just be so much better to have linked them to something relative to score, like achievements that aren't freakishly difficult to achieve, or a level system, anything that gives a good idea of how to get the item. It sets a goal for the player, and they will strive to achieve it. Item drops in TF2 just don't do that.

Those weapons might just be 'sidegrades' but its a sidegrade you won't get when you don't have money or time to pour into a game that is far past its expiration date. The choice is either pay money or waste your time grinding away for whatever part might contribute to the weapon of choice(without even being able to feel like you're affecting it by contributing to the team).

The point is that it's not fun to feel forced in either way, and the people here have their reasons to feel forced (it doesn't matter if its balanced or not, people will still be under the mindset 'Oh I gotta have this if I want to do well' or 'I can't afford it, so I best devote 36 of my hours that I don't have because I have work to do to try and get that Dalokovs Bar or whatever' and so feel forced), even if that opinion is somewhat slanted. Thats rather relevant because if someone else implemented this exact system, many people would scream because said company didn't make TF2/HL2/Portal.

 

[Littlee300]

OMG VALVE ARE THE NEW ACTIVISION.

No... just... no... your dumb.

Did you actually read the rest of my post or do you just not understand sarcasm?
.

Sarcasm doesn't transfer over the internet well at all and you could at least do something like /sarcasm after your post
PS: How do you know I wasn't being sarcastic? Don't got to jump to conclusions so much you pissy boy

 

[Necromancer1991]

...Come on, now TF2 on the PC has an in-game store and the Xbox still gets no DLC...If my computer didn't suck I'd definitely play the PC version

 

[Rickyvantof]

Soo basically the classes get new updates, but instead of waiting weeks or months for that one item, you can now save time by paying some money. I can live with that.

 

[Sneaklemming]

Instead of responding one by one, I'm going to tell you why this is bad.
It has monetised TF2 - meaning that people with the hard cash get the advantage

No they don't. I've been on servers where people have bought premium membership to that server, giving them extra sentries, regenerating ammo, teleports and other stuff that you can't get from Valve.

I still buried my knife in their backs until they RQ'd.

Valve also haven't finished alpha-testing them, so there are bound to be buffs/nerfs. (Poor old Engies could really use some)

I will say that some of the prices are extortionate, but this is a test, given Valve's record, we can hope that there's going to be a sale on some items.

But yeah, you spend £50 on the Polycount Pack and the only advantage you're going to have is with the skill to use them.

Of course they have an advantage. It's like saying that blue team can use all the classes, but red team can only use 6 of the 9 classes, but dont worry because someday they can use them all, and after all the people on the red team are better skilled then the blue team so it's all ok right?

It's an advantage of diversity.

Do you actually play I wonder? Because I have several of the recently released weapons already. In fact, the only portion of the sets that are a little difficult to get are the Hats, however, all the weapons, you know, the things you keep harping on about as providing an obscene advantage, are easily available to ANYONE, without having to buy them:

Scout
Mad Milk = Jarate + Reclaimed Metal
Shortstop = Force-A-Nature + Reclaimed Metal (this recipe appears to be bugged; people are reporting that it turns the reclaimed metal into scrap and eats the FAN)
Holy Mackerel = Sandman + Reclaimed Metal

Soldier
Black Box = Direct Hit + Reclaimed Metal
Battalion's Backup = Buff Banner + Reclaimed Metal

Pyro
Degreaser = Backburner + Reclaimed Metal
Powerjack = Axtinguisher + Reclaimed Metal

Sniper
Sidney Sleeper = Huntsman + Reclaimed Metal
Darwin's Danger Shield = Razorback + Reclaimed Metal
Bushwacka = Eyelander + Reclaimed Metal

Spy
L'Etranger = Dead Ringer + Reclaimed Metal
Eternal Reward = Cloak & Dagger + Reclaimed Metal

Above is the entire list minus the Hats (which are still dropped randomly.)

Most players who've been playing awhile will have both the metal, or, at least a surplus of weapons to make into metal. Not to mention that, while the drop system is a little arbitrary, it does drop a good haul of weapons regularly, and you'll usually end up with at least two or three per week.

I have been playing for a while, and so far I havn't been able to craft anything, I've been playing for a long while. I have some of the weapons from updates but not all. I'd say that I had about half. I play regularly, and it takes a long time to get the stuff you want.

 

[metalhead467]

Before: THIS BLOWS I HATE HAVING TO GRIND FOR WEAPONS TF2 IS SUCH I GRINDFEST ***** AND MOAN ***** AND MOAN

Now: TF2 IS RUINED FOREVER OMG HOW COULD VALVE DO THIS EVER THEY ARE THE NEW ACTIVISION AND THEY WOULD SELL THEIR GRANDMOTHERS FOR A NICKEL ***** AND MOAN ***** AND MOAN

 

[blankedboy]

What I find the most bullshitty is there are items that cost almost twice the price of the game itself.

SERIOUSLY. 18 BUCKS FOR A FUCKING HAT.