Comments for Clear Sky http://sky.kaitain.org It is madness for sheep to talk peace with a wolf. Fri, 23 Apr 2010 00:51:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 Comment on Battlefield Heroes: When are Micro Transactions too far? by Gravecat http://sky.kaitain.org/2010/04/battlefield-heroes-when-are-micro-transactions-too-far/comment-page-1/#comment-43 Gravecat Fri, 23 Apr 2010 00:51:45 +0000 http://sky.kaitain.org/2010/04/battlefield-heroes-when-are-micro-transactions-too-far/#comment-43 Well, I <i>was</i> going to comment on this early, and I've come back to do so now, but since HelloAndy cleared up the Burning Bullets thing, my opinion on the matter is somewhat idfferent now. :) Generally speaking, I'm not a fan of microtransactions <i>at all</i>, perhaps coloured by bad experience with Korean MMOs and other such crap in the past. I know it's one of those tropes like episodic gaming that works great from a business point of view and I'm just bitterly opposed to change at times, but having to pay real-world money to get a gameplay advantage over other players just doesn't quite sit right with me. As it stands, though, being an upgrade that anyone can get simply by earning enough XP? Interesting concept, though I'm not sure it's one I'd really support as the FPS model generally doesn't fit comfortably with levelling. Compare, say, PlanetSide -- where even a freshly-rolled rookie can contribute effectively to the fight -- at least in that system, there's less of a feeling of being underpowered and useless before levelling up to a certain point. Modern Warfare 1 and 2 are similar in that regard, I think. But then, let's face it: I'm biased about such things, and I'm not even going to try to pretend otherwise. ;) Well, I was going to comment on this early, and I’ve come back to do so now, but since HelloAndy cleared up the Burning Bullets thing, my opinion on the matter is somewhat idfferent now. :)

Generally speaking, I’m not a fan of microtransactions at all, perhaps coloured by bad experience with Korean MMOs and other such crap in the past. I know it’s one of those tropes like episodic gaming that works great from a business point of view and I’m just bitterly opposed to change at times, but having to pay real-world money to get a gameplay advantage over other players just doesn’t quite sit right with me.

As it stands, though, being an upgrade that anyone can get simply by earning enough XP? Interesting concept, though I’m not sure it’s one I’d really support as the FPS model generally doesn’t fit comfortably with levelling. Compare, say, PlanetSide — where even a freshly-rolled rookie can contribute effectively to the fight — at least in that system, there’s less of a feeling of being underpowered and useless before levelling up to a certain point. Modern Warfare 1 and 2 are similar in that regard, I think.

But then, let’s face it: I’m biased about such things, and I’m not even going to try to pretend otherwise. ;)

]]> Comment on Battlefield Heroes: When are Micro Transactions too far? by HelloAndy http://sky.kaitain.org/2010/04/battlefield-heroes-when-are-micro-transactions-too-far/comment-page-1/#comment-42 HelloAndy Thu, 22 Apr 2010 19:08:32 +0000 http://sky.kaitain.org/2010/04/battlefield-heroes-when-are-micro-transactions-too-far/#comment-42 The matchmaking should put you with players in your own level, but it doesnt stop people from joining their low-level friends. So it can happen that you meet opponents with more unlocked abilities than you, just like in Warcraft you mentioned. After you played a few hours you should be able to maximize your shield (gunners) which helps a lot. The game is quite balanced. As a player I love the idea of playing games for free, and if I like them a lot also be able to pay small sums to enhance my game experience. If I dont like the game I can just move on to the next one until I find the right one, not losing any money at all. The matchmaking should put you with players in your own level, but it doesnt stop people from joining their low-level friends. So it can happen that you meet opponents with more unlocked abilities than you, just like in Warcraft you mentioned. After you played a few hours you should be able to maximize your shield (gunners) which helps a lot. The game is quite balanced.

As a player I love the idea of playing games for free, and if I like them a lot also be able to pay small sums to enhance my game experience. If I dont like the game I can just move on to the next one until I find the right one, not losing any money at all.

]]> Comment on Battlefield Heroes: When are Micro Transactions too far? by Pika http://sky.kaitain.org/2010/04/battlefield-heroes-when-are-micro-transactions-too-far/comment-page-1/#comment-41 Pika Thu, 22 Apr 2010 18:52:36 +0000 http://sky.kaitain.org/2010/04/battlefield-heroes-when-are-micro-transactions-too-far/#comment-41 Hello, HelloAndy! Anndd Fair enough! I wasn't aware anyone could have those unlocks, but all the same it did feel a little unfair that it was actually impossible for me to kill that guy one on one without obtaining some upgrade or other. What's your opinion on the rest of the article? How do you feel about Micro Transactions as a whole? Hello, HelloAndy! Anndd Fair enough!

I wasn’t aware anyone could have those unlocks, but all the same it did feel a little unfair that it was actually impossible for me to kill that guy one on one without obtaining some upgrade or other.

What’s your opinion on the rest of the article? How do you feel about Micro Transactions as a whole?

]]> Comment on Battlefield Heroes: When are Micro Transactions too far? by HelloAndy http://sky.kaitain.org/2010/04/battlefield-heroes-when-are-micro-transactions-too-far/comment-page-1/#comment-40 HelloAndy Thu, 22 Apr 2010 18:38:27 +0000 http://sky.kaitain.org/2010/04/battlefield-heroes-when-are-micro-transactions-too-far/#comment-40 Hi! The ability you are referring to is called Burning Bullets, and is something anyone that plays the soldier class can spend Hero Points on. You get Hero Points by levelling up only. While you can buy better weapons for the in-game currencies, these do only offer very minor advantage (5 more rounds in clips that otherwise holds 40 rounds, then you can just reload since ammo is infinite) Hi! The ability you are referring to is called Burning Bullets, and is something anyone that plays the soldier class can spend Hero Points on. You get Hero Points by levelling up only. While you can buy better weapons for the in-game currencies, these do only offer very minor advantage (5 more rounds in clips that otherwise holds 40 rounds, then you can just reload since ammo is infinite)

]]> Comment on It’s so cheap! (But only if it kills me…) by Gravecat http://sky.kaitain.org/2010/04/its-so-cheap-but-only-if-it-kills-me/comment-page-1/#comment-37 Gravecat Sun, 18 Apr 2010 23:34:43 +0000 http://sky.kaitain.org/?p=17#comment-37 <i>Technically</i> the akimbo shotguns thing isn't a sploit, it's just shockingly poor design. The knife thing though, yes. But yeah, I agree with you on that level: While you'll <i>never</i> be able to instil in me any modicum of respect for "snipers" in online games (the real-world ones, that's another matter), it's just ludicrous to run headlong into a deployed machinegunner and expect to survive. Technically the akimbo shotguns thing isn’t a sploit, it’s just shockingly poor design. The knife thing though, yes.

But yeah, I agree with you on that level: While you’ll never be able to instil in me any modicum of respect for “snipers” in online games (the real-world ones, that’s another matter), it’s just ludicrous to run headlong into a deployed machinegunner and expect to survive.

]]> Comment on It’s so cheap! (But only if it kills me…) by Pika http://sky.kaitain.org/2010/04/its-so-cheap-but-only-if-it-kills-me/comment-page-1/#comment-36 Pika Sun, 18 Apr 2010 23:27:01 +0000 http://sky.kaitain.org/?p=17#comment-36 I'll give you that. I didn't stray into exploits for this post, only people screaming something is cheap because they died to it, and only because of that. The Knife\Akimbo builds in MW2 are an exploit, as was CH way back when it was alive. I was planning on making another post at some point talking about exploitive play and how that's just poor sportsmanship. This, however, is people continually running head long into a machine gun, and then saying it's the machine gunners fault, because heaven forbid they're just stupid or something silly like that. I’ll give you that. I didn’t stray into exploits for this post, only people screaming something is cheap because they died to it, and only because of that. The Knife\Akimbo builds in MW2 are an exploit, as was CH way back when it was alive.

I was planning on making another post at some point talking about exploitive play and how that’s just poor sportsmanship. This, however, is people continually running head long into a machine gun, and then saying it’s the machine gunners fault, because heaven forbid they’re just stupid or something silly like that.

]]> Comment on It’s so cheap! (But only if it kills me…) by Gravecat http://sky.kaitain.org/2010/04/its-so-cheap-but-only-if-it-kills-me/comment-page-1/#comment-35 Gravecat Sun, 18 Apr 2010 23:23:08 +0000 http://sky.kaitain.org/?p=17#comment-35 Well~ I'm somewhat half-inclined to agree; it goes against what I said in an earlier blog post of my own, though -- http://gravec.at/2009/where-is-the-line-drawn/ (you've probably read that one), but I still feel there's a certain line between an M60 being "cheap" because it's too good at killing people, or -- say -- someone running around at the speed of light knifing people in the face while never firing a single bullet. There's a difference between using the tools given to you in a way that your opponents don't like, and outright abusing the system and playing the game in a way that was never intended in the first place. If you sneak up behind someone and knife them in the back, mow them down with a machinegun, blow them to messy chunks with a well-hidden block of C4, or any of these other "cheap" methods of victory, that could still be attributed to skill and tactical thinking; on the other hand, doing things like abusing geometry glitches, using weapons in bizarre and completely unintended ways, or -- as with ChromeHounds -- building the mechs in ridiculous and implausible ways that exist only due to the poor planning and inadequate QA by the developers, that's still something I'd call "cheap" and decry at every turn. But I suppose it's all relative. Well~ I’m somewhat half-inclined to agree; it goes against what I said in an earlier blog post of my own, though — http://gravec.at/2009/where-is-the-line-drawn/ (you’ve probably read that one), but I still feel there’s a certain line between an M60 being “cheap” because it’s too good at killing people, or — say — someone running around at the speed of light knifing people in the face while never firing a single bullet.

There’s a difference between using the tools given to you in a way that your opponents don’t like, and outright abusing the system and playing the game in a way that was never intended in the first place. If you sneak up behind someone and knife them in the back, mow them down with a machinegun, blow them to messy chunks with a well-hidden block of C4, or any of these other “cheap” methods of victory, that could still be attributed to skill and tactical thinking; on the other hand, doing things like abusing geometry glitches, using weapons in bizarre and completely unintended ways, or — as with ChromeHounds — building the mechs in ridiculous and implausible ways that exist only due to the poor planning and inadequate QA by the developers, that’s still something I’d call “cheap” and decry at every turn.

But I suppose it’s all relative.

]]> Comment on The Death and Rebirth of the MMOFPS: Prologue II by Lu http://sky.kaitain.org/2010/01/mmofps-proii/comment-page-1/#comment-11 Lu Mon, 18 Jan 2010 22:02:56 +0000 http://sky.kaitain.org/2010/01/the-death-and-rebirth-of-the-mmofps-prologue-ii/#comment-11 Oh, PlanetSide. You'll always be remembered for the good times. Goodnight, sweet prince. Oh, PlanetSide. You’ll always be remembered for the good times.

Goodnight, sweet prince.

]]> Comment on The Death and Rebirth of the MMOFPS: Prologue II by Gravecat http://sky.kaitain.org/2010/01/mmofps-proii/comment-page-1/#comment-7 Gravecat Mon, 18 Jan 2010 13:41:34 +0000 http://sky.kaitain.org/2010/01/the-death-and-rebirth-of-the-mmofps-prologue-ii/#comment-7 It's SOE. To presume that they cared about anything aside from cold, hard cash in the first place is folly. Though it's sad to see how the mighty have fallen, and PlanetSide will surely be missed -- alongside SWG, another lost and forgotten child of short-sighted, profit-hungering businessmen. Times change, I'm afraid. Much like a deceased relative, it's better to remember them fondly for the good times, instead of digging up the coffin and being shocked by the barely-recognizable remains. It’s SOE. To presume that they cared about anything aside from cold, hard cash in the first place is folly. Though it’s sad to see how the mighty have fallen, and PlanetSide will surely be missed — alongside SWG, another lost and forgotten child of short-sighted, profit-hungering businessmen.

Times change, I’m afraid. Much like a deceased relative, it’s better to remember them fondly for the good times, instead of digging up the coffin and being shocked by the barely-recognizable remains.

]]> Comment on The Death and Rebirth of the MMOFPS: Prologue I by Gravecat http://sky.kaitain.org/2010/01/mmofps-prologue/comment-page-1/#comment-6 Gravecat Thu, 14 Jan 2010 10:11:12 +0000 http://sky.kaitain.org/2010/01/the-death-and-rebirth-of-the-mmofps-prologue/#comment-6 See, this is exactly why I kept pestering you to get your blog on, I knew you'd be good at writing this stuff. :) And why <i>did</i> you quit, anyway? See, this is exactly why I kept pestering you to get your blog on, I knew you’d be good at writing this stuff. :)

And why did you quit, anyway?

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