Oh dear Spode, not this. Not micropayments.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 09/27/2008 06:30:17

No... no, I can't handle that. I can't handle micropayments. Milk me for expansions till the cows come home, I don't care, but not that.

I heard about this in a thread in the Feedback section, and I credit kailassa with finding this.

the article wrote:Large U.S. game companies such as Electronic Arts Inc. are taking notice. The company's chief executive, John Riccitiello, told a recent investor conference that micropayments will be crucial for EA's business as it distributes more games directly to customers online.

As an example, he cited "Spore," a highly anticipated game launching Sunday in the U.S. after years in the making. The game lets players create an evolving universe, from single-celled organisms all the way to civilizations capable of intergalactic travel. "Spore" does not yet use micropayments, but Riccitiello said he envisions eventually selling separate accouterments for the game like "body parts and planet parts and vehicle parts."

"The microtransaction potential for this game is huge," he said.

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080907/games_micropayments.html?.v=4

EA, please, don't do this. Do NOT do this. Maxis, please don't let them do that to your child. Will, and the rest of you developers, this is your baby. You're game-players yourselves. You know micropayments are a despicable way to go. Don't give any audience to the serpents, with money dripping from their fangs, as they tell you how "good" this idea is.

I'd dump this game in a heartbeat. That would be the death-stake for me.

I've held out this long making ideas and ways to improve the game to get my investments worth, while also criticizing the things I see as lacking. However I have always been respectful of it.

This would be the ultimate disgrace - and I will have none of it.

I blame Microsoft and XBL.

Indeed, I agree with both of you guys. Supporting a micro-transaction business model for gaming is not my intention, and I feel as strongly against this as I do subscription plans for MMORPGs. There's plenty of other companies out there willing to offer their services for free, or willing to provide free content updates or improvements over time. They will get my business, while EA games with their DRM crap will stay on the shelves for me.

3rdtype wrote:I blame Microsoft and XBL.

Haha yeah, I hear you.

Hopefully their marketing team will convince them a traditional expansion model is the way to go...

PLEASE DEAR SPODE NO!

i hardly ever use caps, that's how messed up this is

I'll be to busy fighting off Eco Disasters, Pirate Attacks, Enemy Attacks, The Grox Attacks to have any time to make a micro payment.

Bye-bye Spore for me...

hawkian wrote:

3rdtype wrote:I blame Microsoft and XBL.

Haha yeah, I hear you.

Hopefully their marketing team will convince them a traditional expansion model is the way to go...

Hopefully they'll do the right thing and patch all the features in and complete the game. THEN they can focus on expansions.

Please, please, please no.

EA can give me some expansion packs, not this little turd for an idea. EA's marketing team cannot put a positive spin on this cheap scam.

jackuul wrote:

hawkian wrote:

3rdtype wrote:I blame Microsoft and XBL.

Haha yeah, I hear you.

Hopefully their marketing team will convince them a traditional expansion model is the way to go...

Hopefully they'll do the right thing and patch all the features in and complete the game. THEN they can focus on expansions.

If they don't this game will completely die. It's already taking in played hours hard.

On one hand, I do agree that it's a very tricky slope to walk. On the other hand, I also disagree because at some point, developers need money to make new stuff - they can't survive on box sales forever; they need to make new stuff and pay off expenses like loans and creditors and all that fun stuff. Digging a business into a big financial hole really isn't a good way to keep a business alive and making new stuff.

sagittary wrote:On one hand, I do agree that it's a very tricky slope to walk. On the other hand, I also disagree because at some point, developers need money to make new stuff - they can't survive on box sales forever; they need to make new stuff and pay off expenses like loans and creditors and all that fun stuff. Digging a business into a big financial hole really isn't a good way to keep a business alive and making new stuff.

On the other hand it is very easy to be a reasonable spender when developing a game.

I've always wondered why it cost my father 1/50th the price to add a room onto our house (and make it up to code) than it does to have the state build a single room.

Just like paving the streets where I used to live cost our area a few thousand dollars, but paving a highway a mile or so long cost millions.

It's people throwing money at things they don't need to and forcing the consumer to deal.

Frankly they could of made way more money just selling the game for 30 bucks. More than twice as many people would have bought it.

I would never spend money, ever a micro-penny on something that dumb. I love Spore, I would probably buy an expansion pack blind but I will NEVER ever support this.

If reviews start to spike up with proper patches and game completion - they will make their money.

Then when they want to make a well thought out and rich expansion, they will earn a greater income.