Team Fortress 2 Insanity

[Tomo Stryker]

This excerpt is from 1UP's Dustin Quillen's article.


"Valve's "Mann-conomy" update for Team Fortress 2 adds something that's been missing from the game all these years: microtransactions.

The new Mann Co. Store in Team Fortress 2 allows players to purchase weapons and items that previously required time and effort to obtain. Valve notes that all items affecting gameplay will still be available through other, non-microtransaction means, as will most of the purely cosmetic loot. Prices range from 49 cents to $4.99.

Among the first pieces of equipment arriving on the store is the community-designed Polycount Pack -- a suite of brand new items for five of the game's classes. Portions of the sales from the Polycount Pack will go to the fans who helped create it, and the developer has plans to eventually allow the TF2 community at large to release content on the Mann Co. Store.

The company says it has no plans to abandon its three-year tradition of free updates for Team Fortress 2. "Segregating players into groups that can't play together, based on who bought what, is something we'd like to avoid," reads the developer's official Mann Co. Store FAQ."


Back to the Escapist, this last update is going to be the beginning of the end for Team Fortress 2. My opinion is long and tedious and not worth writing. I want your guys input on whether or not Valve is trying to continue a well balanced game or this is all for profit they lost over the years.

 

[Jedamethis]

My opinion is long and tedious and not worth writing.

No it bloody well isn't. What makes our opinion any better than yours?

I think that as long as I don't have to buy anything, than it doesn't really make any difference to me.

 

[SilentKnightV]

I dont think its the beginning of the end, it really doesnt change much it just allows impatient or new players to get the new updates as quickly as they want them. But for me half the fun of any new update is getting the new items one at a time or crafing them, it makes one feel like they've earned something. What does bug me though is that I got a Mann Co. Supply crate and will now have to wait for a key to drop to open it, because Im not paying $2.50 for a key that may or may not give me an item I already have...

 

[Tomo Stryker]

I dont think its the beginning of the end, it really doesnt change much it just allows impatient or new players to get the new updates as quickly as they want them. But for me half the fun of any new update is getting the new items one at a time or crafing them, it makes one feel like they've earned something. What does bug me though is that I got a Mann Co. Supply crate and will now have to wait for a key to drop to open it, because Im not paying $2.50 for a key that may or may not give me an item I already have...

Sorry to say this friend but keys aren't random drops. You have to purchase them, anyway that is part of why this itches on my annoyance meter. Valve starts small and soon they have hundreds of dollars being sent there way because there is no other way to get certain items.

 

[TheComedown]

this last update is going to be the beginning of the end for Team Fortress 2. My opinion is long and tedious and not worth writing.

Well thats a bit stupid, lets hear your opinons but no body wants mine? bull crap, not to mention its completly stupid and a little unfair to basically say "this update is going to break the game" then not back up or justify why?

So far again the only problem I see with this update is more items, which is the possibility to unbalance the game, but as long as Valve stay on top of it, it wont be a problem. Not to mention I'm pretty sure the blog post mentioned that this was called for by the community, so there is no real reason to be getting so upset over this update, if you don't want to buy items don't, they still drop and you can still craft.

 

[SilentKnightV]

Oh, well then... I can kinda see your point now but I still dont mind too much, I just got a vita saw last night which was pretty sweet so I cant complain too aweful much. And if I ever get a few extra dollars in my wallet I may open it just for the sake of knowing but I dont feel any real need to, but I could see where this could prove quite annoying to others.

 

[Ghost]

"previously required time and effort to obtain."

EFFORT? Meaning playing the game? All this update will do is reduce the number of idlers the way i see it. And no one will be stupid enough to buy the £54 Polycount pack.

The Supply crates that require a key to be bought to open them is a dick move though. They should at least make keys a really rare drop.

 

[TheComedown]

What does bug me though is that I got a Mann Co. Supply crate and will now have to wait for a key to drop to open it, because Im not paying $2.50 for a key that may or may not give me an item I already have...

The only item that doesn't drop is that key, you're going to have to buy it or trade someone for something, the supply create is just a random item anyway isn't it?

... I want to go play worms.

 

[TimeLord]

You can still get all the new items through random drops, hell I've been getting a mighty TON of drops since ManCo opened!

I still bought the £30 Polycount pack though because it saves a rediculous about of money than buying everything seperately!

 

[Tomo Stryker]

this last update is going to be the beginning of the end for Team Fortress 2. My opinion is long and tedious and not worth writing.

Well thats a bit stupid, lets hear your opinons but no body wants mine? bull crap, not to mention its completly stupid and a little unfair to basically say "this update is going to break the game" then not back up or justify why?

So far again the only problem I see with this update is more items, which is the possibility to unbalance the game, but as long as Valve stay on top of it, it wont be a problem. Not to mention I'm pretty sure the blog post mentioned that this was called for by the community, so there is no real reason to be getting so upset over this update, if you don't want to buy items don't, they still drop and you can still craft.

Fine, me personally think that all of these items unbalance the game and the vision that was started to create a fun tactical game will be lost. This update is proof that all people care about are hats, cool looking guns, and new ways to throw piss in darts. I wanted to hear your opinions before letting mine loose like a bunch of rabid dogs.

 

[AfterAscon]

I kind of like it. Most items which can be purchased can be found anyway, I found the backburner for example, so it doesn't really segregate the community as it only gives you quicker access to them.

However, looking at the store, some of them seem to be the most overpriced items I've ever seen. £12 for a hat! You must be shitting me, Valve.

 

[Tomo Stryker]

I kind of like it. Most items which can be purchased can be found anyway, I found the backburner for example, so it doesn't really segregate the community as it only gives you quicker access to them.

However, looking at the items some of them seem to be the most overpriced items I've ever seen. £12 for a hat! You must be shitting me, Valve.

Oh ya, the Familiar Fez. (chuckles to self) Honestly I don't know what they were thinking.

 

[Kollega]

I agree that this update is very, very iffy. I don't have real problem with microtransactions themselves, because items in TF2 are balanced - but hats indirectly giving gameplay benefits, crates that can only be opened with keys you must buy... Valve have basically destroyed most of the trust i had in them. Paranoia meter is beyond the edge of the scale.

Sorry to say this friend but keys aren't random drops. You have to purchase them, anyway that is part of why this itches on my annoyance meter. Valve starts small and soon they have hundreds of dollars being sent there way because there is no other way to get certain items.

So they aren't after all. Fuck Valve and their Mann, i say. I have begun considering getting more muscular and taking it up with them.

 

[TheComedown]

Fine, me personally think that all of these items unbalance the game and the vision that was started to create a fun tactical game will be lost. This update is proof that all people care about are hats, cool looking guns, and new ways to throw piss in darts. I wanted to hear your opinions before letting mine loose like a bunch of rabid dogs.

What is currently unbalanced? I don't think there is anything game breaking broken atm. I don't see your point.

 

[Tomo Stryker]

Fine, me personally think that all of these items unbalance the game and the vision that was started to create a fun tactical game will be lost. This update is proof that all people care about are hats, cool looking guns, and new ways to throw piss in darts. I wanted to hear your opinions before letting mine loose like a bunch of rabid dogs.

What is currently unbalanced? I don't think there is anything game breaking broken atm. I don't see your point.

Have you played TF2 in the last week? Let alone this year? The soldier is a spamming prick who- never mind. I refuse to let my argument break down to that. Certain classes take more skill than other, and other only take five mouse clicks or W+Mouse 1 Pyros for example. I just feel like the experience is becoming watered down to nothing more than hats and crit rockets.

 

[TheComedown]

Have you played TF2 in the last week? Let alone this year? The soldier is a spamming prick who- never mind. I refuse to let my argument break down to that. Certain classes take more skill than other, and other only take five mouse clicks or W+Mouse 1 Pyros for example. I just feel like the experience is becoming watered down to nothing more than hats and crit rockets.

Well of course I have, I play it a lot, the Soldier is a spamming prick? well of course he is so what, air blast his rockets back, they almost never see it coming, or jump them as a scout, or just soak it up and kill them all with Natasha or Satsha, whichever your preference, the solder has been spamming rockets from day 1. This is a pretty poor argument, especially the part where you fizzle out half way through. You seem to not understand how this works, you cant demonstrate a point if you never state it.

Yeah any one can w + m1 pyro, its not hard, but to be a truly good pyro it takes skill. Again, pyros have been this way from day 1, so you really are not making a point, I asked WHAT is unbalanced, you are bitching about things that have been the way the are since day one. What do?

Hats? Hats never hurt anyone, if you don't like them ignore them, if you don't want them trade them or smelt them down until you have a mines worth of metal. I couldn't care either way, anyway they give me something to do with all my extra metal.

 

[Anarchemitis]

I dont think its the beginning of the end, it really doesnt change much it just allows impatient or new players to get the new updates as quickly as they want them. But for me half the fun of any new update is getting the new items one at a time or crafing them, it makes one feel like they've earned something. What does bug me though is that I got a Mann Co. Supply crate and will now have to wait for a key to drop to open it, because Im not paying $2.50 for a key that may or may not give me an item I already have...

Sorry to say this friend but keys aren't random drops. You have to purchase them, anyway that is part of why this itches on my annoyance meter. Valve starts small and soon they have hundreds of dollars being sent there way because there is no other way to get certain items.

All items can be found (dropped) or purchased. Most can be earned or crafted. This excludes rare items, Such as the Gentlemann's Medal, Ghastly Gibus, Service Badges, Golden Wrenches, Cheater's Lament, and Vintage gear.
Edit: Except that key.
Okay that is pretty dumb, but oh well.
Trade the crate to someone who does, then trade it back for something of value.

 

[ilspooner]

I don't mind it. The annoying thing is that you have to buy a key to open the crate. But oh well. No one is forcing anyone to buy things, so I ain't complaning.

 

[Kajt]

I have but one thing to say about this new Mann Co. Store:

Awesome.

 

[Pegghead]

All the weapons are fairly balanced and you don't have to buy anything, it's fine by me.