Frustrated as a Long Term Player

[VonBek]

Not worried. I haven't seen "player skill" in the store.

[Astria]

I bought some exp potions for my first favored soul when the store first launched. Haven't really used it for much else besides that... the store barely influences the way I play the game. If the player next to me wants to waste money buying things that can be earned by actually playing the game, that's his business.

[Uska]

Well the +2 tomes are only for sale this weekend and they do bind to character. They may offer them again at some point but they wont be their everyday.

bind to account

[NinetyNineTails]

Here's your heuristic; if you can twink with it, it's for sale.

[Rekker]

RE: "less then I initially paid for the game", the game can currently be purchased for $6 including shipping which comes with 30 days VIP. Just buying the shared bank account that you (and me) get for being VIP is more than that. Roughly $19. A +2 Tome of Supreme Ability (all stats) will cost either $40 for two 1500 point packages, or $50 for one 5000 point package while it remains on sale. Get the 5k package, because you haven't bought the 32point builds yet.

If you bought the game when it originally came out it was probably $49.99

[chton13]

I'm curious to those who make the argument that selling 32 pt builds, +2 tomes etc doesn't effect my game and makes Turbine cash why not sell level 20 characters or raid loot? Neither of these would effect my game, plus they would make Turbine money. So why not sell them as well, I mean why not sell DT armor, runes, large shroud ingredients, GS blanks.. I mean none of this should effect my game or my accomplishments, all would make Turbine money, it would help balance out the edge a vet has (which is apparently wrong in some way) so why not sell everything? Do you draw the line at non bound gear, if so why? The slippery slope is already been entered, its' only a matter of time before the inevitable slide begins. Think you won't see +3 tomes for sale, especially with this new reincarnate scheme... If this is the model for future MMOs well I hope it's a failure. Of course a fool and his money are lucky enough to come together in the first place.

[Orratti]

I did make the argument to buy character levels as an example of showing that buying your way around the grind was effectively the same thing as buying your way around having to play to earn rewards. At the same time if you can buy everything else in order to keep you from having to do in game work for it why not? Where exactly should the line be drawn? I'd like to be able to skip having to play levels on a character that I have gear waiting on. I have already done the quests before and redoing them just to get to the gear I have waiting is a time investment that perhaps I would like to skip.

[deathbyarsenic]

I agree with the (second?) posters comment about skill>gear>build.

Scene 1:

I play for a long time and hit cap. At this point I should have skill. And gear. If it was my first toon then the build may or may not suck. I get invited to a raid. I don't suck because I played my class all the way and know it by heart. Raid succeeds, everyones happy. Or it fails, everyones annoyed, but lets assume it was a good group, so people laugh it off.

Scene 2:

13 y/o Johnny gets his folks to buy him TP up the gazoo. He makes a toon, buys XP for it (I think thats how it works) and hits cap. Then he buys all his gear, items, etc. This is all done in a 20min period. Johnny then gets invited to a raid. Being 13, he goes: BOOYAA!
OH SNAP, HES A CLERIC.
Because he did not play his toon legit he sucks. Raid fails, people QQ, his name gets put on the forums and possibly blacklisted. He will NEVER be as good as the person who played a toon and poured sweat and blood (and time) into it.


I use 13 just as an example. I have met 13-14 y/o's in this game that are better then alot of the older players. Johnny could be 32 however.

Now, I don't know if this stuff can even be bought, I just got back to the game and have yet to view the store. Heck, I am still deciding on what plan to go.

Addressing another post:

Orratti: I agree with your post. Why do the grind for the 5th time? Well, all games have a grind really. At least most like this. In my mind it goes like, sure, you have a 20 Wiz, so you make a Barb. They are so different its not even funny.

On the other hand you have a valid point. If I make a 20 Wiz and I make a Sorc.. basically the same...

My idea for this is that IF you could make "insta-capped" toons that you have to already have a Toon of that level that you did the grind with. This stops players from being the Johnny kid I mentioned. How you can do this with XP items I am not sure. Just a thought

btw, My account is from 2k6, and I had one even older then that at one point. I have been around...