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Gaming was like breathing. It was the biggest part of my life as a teenager, one of my priorities as a college student, and eventually one of my most expensive “hobbies” as a young professional.
Then all of a sudden, after thousands of hours spent playing across genres and platforms, boredom hit me hard for the very first time in my early thirties. Some of my favorite games soon gave me the impression of being terribly long. I couldn’t help but notice all the repeating tropes and similarities in game design between franchises.
I figured it was just a matter of time before I found the right game to stimulate my interest again, but time continued to go by and nothing changed.
Is it that games have failed to innovate, or that real life is ultimately more engaging?
(Score: 2) by Freeman on Thursday January 10 2019, @05:06PM
Some, limit the "loot boxes" to cosmetic only items, but most don't. It's like removing the classic treasure/loot boxes in games and replacing them with boxes/crates/barrels that you have to purchase instead. Some even give you the crate/loot box, but require a key to be purchased in order to open them. The free-to-play games that limit the gimmick to cosmetic only items, aren't so bad. The problem is they will always have the temptation to introduce cool stuff for the paying only customers and could very easily turn it into a pay-2-win scenario.
The worst offenders in my book are the games like Overwatch that you pay a normal price for, yet they still have microtransactions. Including microtransactions in your game, moves the focus from just great game play to how best to monetize your "customer." I say "customers," because I would argue that you're turning them into "marks" instead of customers at that point. At least when you walk into a Casino, you know they're trying to fleece you. That same mentality shouldn't be in a computer game, unless it's clearly marked as a gambling game. In which case it should be regulated as a gambling game.
Here's a listing of articles on loot boxes. Generally, a lot of places are cracking down on them and even the FTC is getting involved.
https://www.pcgamer.com/loot-boxes/ [pcgamer.com]
Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee"