Alright, now that I’ve settled some, and thought a little bit, here are my opinions about station cash (also known as SC). First of all, I didn’t even know it was being implemented though I’m sure many assumed it would be. It’s too big of a market not to be added to whatever games can.
I have no issues with games selling cute little outfits, fluff pets, and those types of things. I can think of lots of games that already do that. Granted, most of those don’t also have a monthly subscription, but oh well.
I had an issue when LoN started giving out potions, even though there was no guarantee that you were going to get one (making you perhaps spend even more money). I had no issues with any of the house items, the fluff armor, or the pets, but I thought this was a slippery slope and would lead to more ‘game changing’ items even if it only changed the game SLIGHTLY.
So the only issue I really have with the items implemented to date, are the potions. Specifically the achievement boosting potion and also the affect this will have on PvP servers. TSO aa are hard to come by. The grind from 140 to 200 is something that almost everyone complains about. Those who have been playing EQ2 for quite some time have already done the quests out there, and already gained all of the aa from them that they can. The new expansion gives enough aa from quests for approximately 20 of the 60 new aa, if you’re already at 140. The more aa you gain, the slower you get experience.
The aa that are in this ‘shadow’ line are also quite amazing. You need 140 placed in your ‘main’ lines before you can purchase the 4th row, the *really nice* stuff. Anyhow, this wasn’t meant to be an aa lesson, where was I.
Ah yes. The new SC basically just lets you purchas the LoN item that you’d try to get via boosters in the past. Another concern is that there is ALWAYS a slippery slope when it comes to these sorts of deals. How long is it going to be before you MUST HAVE 200aa before applying to a guild, and there for you’re almost required to purchase these potions in order to catch up.
How long will it be before new players to the game feel like they’re being left behind in a 5 year old game, and purchase these (since they have no veteran rewards to claim) to catch up to the masses at level 80. Or even that person who’s got limited time to play who decides to level themselves via potions.
I don’t like the idea that the time I put into actually playing the game can be easily bypassed by someone who had a bunch of cash to blow. I know that brings into argument from people who just don’t have that sort of time to devote to a video game, and pay the same monthly fees as me there for deserve to experience the same things I do, but that’s not how I think. I work really hard to get my characters to 80, 200aa, and being able to purchase your way up the levels just seems to make my own characters worthless.
People can say all they want ‘it doesn’t affect the game that much‘ but it does affect the game. Where do you draw the line? Well, we already have experience boosting potions, so lets allow players who have 5 characters over level 80 automatically start at level 80 if they purchase this potion from the store. Lets allow players who already have one of their mythical epic weapons to purchase it from a vendor for real life coin. It’s so easy to just push that line a little further and a little further.
There are already lots of games out there that incorporate stores into their gaming where you can buy virtual items for real time money and they’re ‘free’ to play. Why are we suddenly paying $14.99 a month for one.
Also, this’ll be the last post I have about this for a while, unless more ‘game changing’ items are added, or something directly relating to it happens. There’s nothing we (as players) can do about it, that’s already been determined. NOT because we’re not listened to, we are, but because we as players are quite content to just sit back and see what happens, and before too long, it’s too late. I just had to get it out of my system. Back to playing games.
A Pixel Nomad 