Wha? EA Selling Virtual Car for $100 in NFS World

[rosen380]

I think people are more asking for the game to cost $X dollars and elements within the game to be available to all [whether by default or earned through game-play].

When the developers are making their money on 'performance' upgrades within the game, then the game is no longer a level playing field since someone unwilling to spend $100 for an upgraded car is at a large disadvantage to someone who is.

I suppose kind of liek the salary cap issue--
A) Teams can spend whatever they want. Some teams exceed $150M and others barely spend $30M
B) Salary cap/floor at $120M and $80M respectively

In B, all teams are spending about the same amount of money, so the quality of the team is primarily based around the quality of the GM

In A, the GM is still important, but how much you have to spend becomes a major driving force in a teams ability to win.

One of those seems more fair to the collective and the other favors just a subset... I think I prefer the former.

 

[kinggraves]

[citation][nom]waethorn[/nom]We had this conversation before. I'll say the same thing: "free to play" is a gross overestimation. It's more like "free to play, but pay to win", and it'll cost you far more than any disc-based game.You used to be able to buy a game like Unreal Tournament, which would come with about 2 dozen multiplayer maps, and you could download lots of additional maps for free - even sanctioned and released by the devs themselves. Blame the console companies and their game devs for charging $30 for 4 map DLC's (and Microsoft for charging for online play).And now you have these stupid time-based "pay to win" games like Farmville and such, which are just retarded. You have to pay to pass the time....!!!! Marketing genius makes for idiotic gameplay and dull games. Blame Apple and Zynga for this.[/citation]

Free to play, pay to win. So just play the game and don't win and it's still free. You sure can't grab a game off the shelf or on Steam and play 90 percent of it for free.

BTW consoles never had DLC until MS used the XBox to bring over PC devs who then released DLC, so actually PC brought it to consoles. The problem is PC games are much more easily modded and hacked into than closed off consoles, so user content does not come into consoles leaving the dev teams the only ones releasing new DLC. Cash shops didn't start with Farmville either. They started with the endless sea of asian MMOs.

 

[livebriand]

[citation][nom]nukemaster[/nom]This(is not micro) and micro transactions in general ruin games IMO. Many people do not actually realize they are spending more then the monthly fee for a game on a "free to play" game with micro transactions.And EA, come on. Look at there Sims games. 40 bucks to add pets? for real? Want to play night life? $40. Those should be at most $5-10 DLC.In other news. Sim City gets nuclear melt down dlc...only $40. Damn you EA, targeting me unfairly....[/citation]
NFSW is free to play, unless you want to shell out a bunch of money to unlock extra features early and such (it's called ZBoost, I haven't even looked into it yet and never will).

 

[slicedtoad]

League of Legends does it right.

Everything is (easily) obtainable through simply playing except skins (which only change how you look). Someone spending money is at no advantage over someone not spending money. (with the slight exception of runes, but by the time ur lvl 30 you have full runes for at least 2 hero types anyway)

More companies should use the same business model as Riot.

 

[Guest]

This will be the next best thing until the $110 car comes out...How ridiculous!

 

[aneasytarget]

Kevin:
Can you look at your own story

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/Entropia-Universe-Planet-Calypso-MMOG-microtransactions-asteroid-space-resort,11634.html

to get the facts correct? He sold it for $635,000 USD NOT $6M.

 

[eddieroolz]

I am trying to defend this action from EA just for kicks, but I cannot come up with a defence.

 

[osmak]

So do we have to pay a registration fee for the car every year?

 

[zblade]

[citation][nom]slicedtoad[/nom]League of Legends does it right.Everything is (easily) obtainable through simply playing except skins (which only change how you look). Someone spending money is at no advantage over someone not spending money. (with the slight exception of runes, but by the time ur lvl 30 you have full runes for at least 2 hero types anyway)More companies should use the same business model as Riot.[/citation]

I completely agree, Riot has the best F2P model. Apart from skins, everything else can be obtain by simply playing the game, my friend has been playing for 2 years without spending a cent, as for me, I want to support them so I have already shelled out $80 in the past 2 years. Just to show that I am will to give money to people who deserve it. In LoL, spending money only saves you time, if you got time to burn, you can play this game and obtain everything without spending a cent.

 

[computertech82]

I hate the Free to play, pay to win models. I remember when games were fair, now it whoever has the most money is the winner, NOT because of skill. pathetic. Makes me NOT want to play them (and i don't).

 

[Omi3D]

What's wrong with offering items, even virtual, for cash? Someone has to pay those developers. They don't work for free. Maybe some of you guys who criticize those people who are willing to spend the cash to buy items would like to work for free. I work for my money and I spend it as I see fit. I don't have time to work my way up in a game so I would like to spend some money to bypass the tedious part of the game. This works in real life too. You can buy a seat on a company board if you have enough money. Most of us don't. So we slave away at a real job.

This isn't a about making a "return on investment" or "hires pay".
I employ programmers. I pay their estimated contract asking price and usually add +15% to cover unforseen events.

These games make serious bank. Even a flop will have returns that are "decent" unless its killed in the press.

No,.. This is about establishing "trends and market models" for the recontinued capitalization of existing wares.
If they can keep selling DLC mods and other items, then they don't have to search for "new talent" and develop "fresh ideas".
I have seen soo many "cheats and hacks" to the point where its literally pointless to "play these" yet along pay for more of such things. They don't care to secure them because the shelf life is short w/o a blockbuster title game. Meanwhile they divert the interest with these commerce models to hold sway at bay.

 

[Guest]

I think there is mistake... NEVERDIE payed 100 000 USD for it and sold for ~600 000 USD, not 6M. It was 1 000 000 ped when he boght and ~6 000 000 PED when he sold. In Entropia 1 USD = 10 PED.