{{
`${userDetail.user.displayName}${userDetail.user.cachedBungieGlobalDisplayNameCode ? `#${standardizeBungieGlobalCode(userDetail.user.cachedBungieGlobalDisplayNameCode)}` : ""}`}}
{{getUserClans()}}
12/17/2015 2:51:57 PM
90
Destiny's Pay-for-Leveling Buff is Terrible News.
It's been a while since I've posted anything, and even longer since I've created a new thread.
Some of you might remember me and my... reflections on the current course of Destiny. To those who don't know me, I have a freakin' library of critique and insight on this game that you may/may not want to check out. I welcome you to my thoughts.
On topic, as my title says, this pay-to-level buff is the worst news yet. Not only has ActiBungie directly lied to all of you who still play this game (yet again), they can't even go a couple of months without screwing you guys over. Not even three months ago, they released the Everess Trading Company (in-game Cash Shop). They swore that it would only ever be for "cosmetic items", meaning that the items are for vanity/appearance purposes, but "will never be for anything that inpacts gameplay or the in-game experience".
That's the lie.
Bungie couldn't go even two (2) months without breaking that solemn oath that they swore to you that they'd never do.
To those who say that this buff is not "Pay to Win" (P2W), you're right. It's not... yet.
This starts a very, very dangerous path for Destiny to be on. Destiny occupies a very unique position in the industry as attempting to mix the best of an FPS with the best of an MMORPG (Bungie fails on most respects in this, but I digress...). In most MMORPG's though, once a P2W strategy is implemented, the game takes a striking nose-dive in player population. Even the most successful MMORPG ever is facing this very thing, WoW. They were holding solid at 12 million regular, active accounts. Shortly after implementing a $60 USD buff that gets a new character immediately to max level, their numbers started drastically declining.
Right now, Bungie is testing the pool temperature with this level-to-25 buff to see how bad the backlash is going to be. If they feel it can be mitigated/absorbed without too much damage, then the [b]REAL[/b] P2W buffs will start showing up in the cash shop. After that; weapons/armors at multiple Light levels (including Max Light level weapons and armors) will start showing up in the Cash Shop, etc.
This level buff is only the beginning.
Polygon actually posted a very good article on why this is such a horrible decision by Activi$ion/Bungie, and I invite all those who read this thread, whether you are for or against this level buff in the cash shop, to read it.
[url=http://www.polygon.com/2015/12/16/10293298/destiny-leveling-bungie-taken-king-grind?ref=yfp]Level Buff is Horrible for the Future of Destiny.[/url]
Read it. Discuss.
But if ActiBungie continues down this path, this game is going to tank itself in the very near future. I've seen it happen to countless MMORPG's over the past twenty years of MMO gaming, and Destiny does not have the robust player population support that those MMO's had to keep them going before they finally shut off the servers.
This very well could be the start of Destiny's "death knell". It might not happen for months, or even a couple years. But P2W is guaranteed to kill games. Every single time.
Discuss.
-
But don't you see? This will only make the game better! The Money got from idiots buying the CHaracter boost will go towards more content for Eververse for more money I MEAN MORE CONTENT FOR THE PLAYERS TO PLAY
-
1 ReplyI just cant believe greed can ruin such a great game
-
You forgot about the SRL log book. Certainly not cosmetic.
-
I think it's awesome [spoiler]let destiny fail it'll be great[/spoiler]
-
2 RepliesBungie seems intent on joining all the other failed developers of recent years. Half a game, half a story, and all for full price, and apparently they are going all in for the pay to win model now ... for $30/character we can level new characters to 25. Look I can spend 3 hours pay to avoid a few hours of game time .. good deal right ? .. Right ?? No bungie is a stupid idea, one that is sure to end this franchise. It sure as hell will not make it financially sustainable. Yes you'll still have your fanboys, and maybe even some of those morons who just can't see that subscription if a FAR better business model than free to play gone pay to win. **Rant Time** I had already left destiny once because you gave us too little for the price we paid. I was foolish enough to let a couple friends talk me into buying into ttk. I tell you now once ttk is no longer the endgame I'm done, and will NOT be coming back. UNLESS between now and then you get rid of the pay to win shit, AND add enough content to actually give us our moneys worth. For $70 (for each title, now at 2) we should have gotten AT BARE MINIMUM 100 hours UNIQUE gameplay, we got what .. 20 hours ... maybe, total. For something that with 2 title releases should now have at least 200 hours ... **End Rant** Welcome all to Bungies school of what not to do if you want a successful game franchise.
-
22 RepliesAnd another bump~ Also, honestly that buff is considered P2W. Anything in a game that you can pay for that gives you free levels is P2W. The only reason some are thinking that it isn't is because most are already high level as is. But if this were a situation where EVERYONE was at level 1 for example, the ability to bypass those levels would lead to a serious gap between players, especially with the sub class leveling because then you would have some players who have all their abilities and such while others didn't. I believe the major reason why like half of the community is saying no is because levels in Destiny really are just that worthless in all seriousness. However, that doesn't make this any less P2W, though. And really, the developer shouldn't have their game designed in such a way where players would feel a need to spend that kind of money JUST to bypass levels. I mean that's ridiculous in and of itself. That's straight up sinister. The game suffers in quality and design BECAUSE its built to revolve around a stupid hamster wheel mentality that serves to punish players who aren't dumping hours upon hours of their lives into the game. Just think what this game could be like if not for this system? What the levels and overall experience would be if it wasn't being forced to satisfy this crap. That's the real loss.
-
2 RepliesEdited by Sub Umbra Floreo: 12/17/2015 11:20:04 PMLogged in just to bump this. Gotta love a company that unintentionally admits the worthlessness of its own existing creation / content by offering an exorbitantly priced option to NOT have to play through the bulk of it in order to get to the endgame. "We think this new approach benefits both rookies and veterans alike. Rookies so that they can skip past much of the pointless grind of leveling their character by playing through our still threadbare story mode - and skip right to the part where they pointlessly grind for the sake of pointless grinding. And veterans because ... f**k you - we've already got YOUR money!"
-
2 RepliesIs it just me or do kids these days not understand the value of a dollar? Sure, I can afford all the DLC but there is not enough content to warrant said purchase.
-
Good to have you back, Nox Now, here's a question: in reference to the level buff being available for sale...Did anyone ever ask for this? I know bungie gave em out during TTK, and that most people probably used them on that one class they never played, but did anyone post or email them saying "hey this was a great idea, you should give us more of these!"?
-
3 RepliesI agree with your post except for the part where you said, "This starts a very, very dangerous path for Destiny to be on." Many of us saw the MT's for what they were from the get go and tried to warn people where Bungie/Activision were headed. Each transaction has gone up in cost, from $2 for an emote or dance, to $5 for the premium dances, to $10 for the Log Book, and now this. At each turn Bungie/Activision grows bolder and bolder and as long as there are tools willing to buy this garbage, then it will continue to get worse.
-
Bungie lied again, why is this so surprising anymore
-
Bump!
-
As an avid WoW player for 8 years up until the release of Warlords of Draenor, I would like to say that I fully agree with and understand your position. Having levelled 11 Characters in WoW from 1-90 without any buffs or level boosts, including maxed professions on each, you would understand that when I say I put down WoW with the release of Warlords of Draenor it was no easy decision. However the fact is that I did not like the direction the game was taking, much like you expressed. The game began to cater to the casual, raids started to feel like dungeons they were so simple, and everything has become so over simplified like quests having markers etc, that the game simply became childish imo anyway. Unfortunately, I still play Destiny atm (just the raid mainly) because I purchased TTK despite my better judgment to play with my buddies, because that's what I enjoy, playing online with friends, and Destiny is one of the only games that I play on PS4 which most of the ppl on my friends list played as well. Key word HAD. More to the point, Eververse trading released, and I still have not even spent the 400 "Free" silver that they provided us with. Why? Because I refuse to support the bullshit. So if Destiny takes a turn for the worse, which I believe it will, same as you, believe that I will drop it like a hot potato. If I could drop WoW I can definitely drop Destiny. But you are right, if people keep supporting Eververse it will only get worse. Won't be too long I imagine. But hey, there will always be other games out there, and if not, then I guess its a good time to stop gaming.
-
5 RepliesEdited by gallp13: 12/18/2015 11:56:49 PMCreate annoying friction Players get sick of the friction Players pay to remove friction WHY DON'T WE JUST MOVE TO A SUBSCRIPTION MODEL AND BE DONE WITH THIS NONSENSE ? $10/month get Annual addition of new world DLC every 6 months Live content events every month Weekly stuff as is Daily stuff as is Solved !
-
2 RepliesThe things that made my leave from destiny perminant is the fact that it costs $10 to track your race stats and the coming of a boost that lets you skip most of the game. Now I have a hunter at 301 so the boost wouldnt really affect me, but the fact remanes that bungie stated a few months back that boosts wouldnt be a thing. My thoughts are this, if someone were to make a game and tell its costomers that microtransactions wouldn't be a thing and then later say "HAY LOOK WE GOT MICROTRANSACTIONS NOW!" I would tell them to just make the vanilla game free and add in the microtransactions to those free to play costomers and leave the 'premium' content owners (TDB, HoW and TTK) owners alone. We bought the game and all of it's additional content.
-
1 Reply[quote]Some of you might remember me and my... reflections on the current course of Destiny.[/quote] I remember. None of it was very good or insightful though like you claim. [quote]Not only has ActiBungie directly lied to all of you who still play this game (yet again)[/quote] Lol. I already disproved you, but you still play that rebellion phase as if it matters. Feel free to elaborate on it though as I would gladly put down the same reasons as last time. [quote]To those who say that this buff is not "Pay to Win" (P2W), you're right. It's not... yet. [/quote] Good prediction. Too bad it is only a prediction. As for the whole "Pay-to-Win" element? It's not pay to win. This entire psychological trip has been present since day 1 with people and it's funny how often you all willingly choose to be so narcissistic about it as if that childish element out of the entire list of argument points is going to do you any good. Go get a job. Get out of school. Focus on the positive so you at least have the chance to get married and not pay increased taxes just because you are single in many of the 160+ countries which do. [quote]This starts a very, very dangerous path for Destiny to be on.[/quote] All over the negative again. [quote]They were holding solid at 12 million regular, active accounts.[/quote] Actually, you should go look at your numbers again. They just broke the Guinness World Record. [quote]Shortly after implementing a $60 USD buff that gets a new character immediately to max level, their numbers started drastically declining.[/quote] Lol. The target population numbers died because WoW also implemented a patch update nullifying major gameplay mechanics Nox. I play WoW. I play Rift. I play Warhammer 40k. I play Planetside and Planetside 2. You really need to look at other outcomes and not line up dots which are not being connected for obvious reasons...
-
bump....
-
3 RepliesDestiny is dead already, they just try to milk new comers (mostly under age kids) and idiots still supporting this game. Bungie became a disgusting company.
-
1 ReplyInstead of editing my first comment, I'm going create a new one because bump. :) Anyway, my point: I didn't read that article before making my initial comment, but now that I have, I sincerely think Bungie themselves need to read it. Perhaps if it were explained to them WHY this slope is so slippery, and WHY people are leaving (in a voice that doesn't come from these rather toxic forums) they might understand what the problem is. I really wish I could sit them all down and read them the article myself. D:
-
2 RepliesEdited by LONE RONIN2012: 12/18/2015 10:23:46 AMAgree with you, and have seen the micro transactions slowly growing worse with this game. Players defend saying it's only x and small why care. That is the plan, just like politics. Slow change is more tolerated and accepted, rather than fast sudden change. Over time how many x x x x x x x x will be added? How big will it be then? Everyday I check the forums I find I'm glad I left Destiny, for several reasons, and was much happier once I switched to ESO.
-
6 RepliesErm... Max level for year 2 is currently 40. Level 25 is nothing. The upgrade is bad not because it's pay to win (because it's not), but because it's pay (half the cost of the game) to cut out maybe a few days of game play and still not have a character able to do any current content. The boost is a good idea because it lets new people catch up faster, the price though is simply daylight robbery.
-
I never tought that Destiny will be Pay-to-win. I was wrong.
-
It's hard to enjoy the game with all this constant disappointment.
-
3 RepliesOh no. That thing you got when you bought the taken king so you can play the taken king content straight away is now available for more than one character? Disaster
-
1 ReplyI don't get it. It takes two days to beat the campaign and reach level 25. Why pay for it? I am about to start levelling people up so they don't fall prey to this scam.
-
1 ReplyNot to mention its a farce.. if they didnt take out the free level 25. on TTK. 1. Here buy Vanilla Destiny. (40 bucks still around my parts. shouldnt be on the shelf) 2. Oh here. level to 25 fast for 20-30 bucks. 3. Oh you cant do much without ttk Here buy it from us. (20 to 60 bucks depending on what and where) 4. OH heres a FREE level 25 boost. Its soo... sketchy as hell.
