SOEside

[LostAlgorithm]

So, we recently have gotten a bit more information about the kind of things we'll be able customize. The quote below in particular caught my attention:

"Tray:We're also doing like, hood ornaments that you can put on your vehicle that will showcase games: Planetside, Free Realms, Everquest, Everquest 2. You know, little characters that you can put on your vehicle."

Really?

Does this mean I might reasonably expect to eventually see things like Froglok Helmets? Oh, or a customization that turns my ATV into a unicorn from Free Realms?! Oh, oh! Or maybe, just maybe, I can buy a customization that lets me plaster video advertisements all over my armor?!

I still remember when advertisements were put into the original Planetside. At least they were pretty much restricted to the bases. It's a pity stuff like this is being put into the game. It's possible to sell customizations without turning this into an MMO version of TF2. Planetside is supposed to be about badass empire vs. empire vs. empire gameplay, not goofy customizations.

[JPalmer]

"In debate or rhetoric, a slippery slope (also known as thin end of the wedge - or sometimes "edge" in US English - or the camel's nose) is a classic form of argument, arguably an informal fallacy. A slippery slope argument states that a relatively small first step leads to a chain of related events culminating in some significant effect, much like an object given a small push over the edge of a slope sliding all the way to the bottom.[1] The strength of such an argument depends on the warrant, i.e. whether or not one can demonstrate a process which leads to the significant effect. The fallacious sense of "slippery slope" is often used synonymously with continuum fallacy, in that it ignores the possibility of middle ground and assumes a discrete transition from category A to category B. Modern usage avoids the fallacy by acknowledging the possibility of this middle ground."

[Crazyduckling]

Originally Posted by JPalmer

"In debate or rhetoric, a slippery slope (also known as thin end of the wedge - or sometimes "edge" in US English - or the camel's nose) is a classic form of argument, arguably an informal fallacy. A slippery slope argument states that a relatively small first step leads to a chain of related events culminating in some significant effect, much like an object given a small push over the edge of a slope sliding all the way to the bottom.[1] The strength of such an argument depends on the warrant, i.e. whether or not one can demonstrate a process which leads to the significant effect. The fallacious sense of "slippery slope" is often used synonymously with continuum fallacy, in that it ignores the possibility of middle ground and assumes a discrete transition from category A to category B. Modern usage avoids the fallacy by acknowledging the possibility of this middle ground."

This.

and.

This thread is full of overreactions. You probably missed this. This is the type of hood ornament they are talking about.

[LostAlgorithm]

Originally Posted by Crazyduckling

This thread is full of overreactions. You probably missed this. This is the type of hood ornament they are talking about.

That's just one example.

I'm curious what we might find out from TB soon. He already mentioned chrome rims and colored headlights as well.

The term he used to describe the amount of customization was that they went "bat****" with it. Whether that means just a lot of really cool customizations or that they seriously went crazy and added a bunch of goofy stuff remains to be seen.

[Crazyduckling]

Originally Posted by elfailo

What a travesty. If this is going to be it, then I'd rather pay €12.99/mo., or perhaps a one-time fee to permanently disable ads.

Who said anything about in game ads? They were in PS1. Nothing has ever been mentioned about them being in PS2.

[Hermes]

Originally Posted by elfailo

Are you really so naive to think that they're doing it for any other reason than to advertise their other games?

Hardly likely to be their prime motivation.

Your nit picking something to get offended about. The point is more about whether something fits in to the game or is jarring.

If it fits in with the visuals then there is zero problem here. If by some chance people are curious enough to research what a particular logo was about and find out about one of SOEs other games... where is the harm in that?


EDIT: Having caught up with some of the interview, I see more now where you are coming from. I think it all depends on how stylised the decals they might add are. They could do this right, or they could do it with the pure design goal of being for cross game advertising.

There's a happy middle ground there which I hope they are aiming for. Where as I think you are convinced the worst case is going to happen. Let's wait and see. You say naivety, I say optimism

[The Janitor]

This game needs hats. That is all.

[Pyreal]

I figure you have to have a current or expired subscription to those games in order to get the bumper sticker.

Don't for an instant think that Higby, Hibgy, Hickie, whats-his-face, and pals ain't looking at the TF2 shop for ideas. Hell, even I bought something from the TF2 shop and I'm a tightwad!

[LostAlgorithm]

Originally Posted by Pyreal

Don't for an instant think that Higby, Hibgy, Hickie, whats-his-face, and pals ain't looking at the TF2 shop for ideas. Hell, even I bought something from the TF2 shop and I'm a tightwad!

I fully realize they probably are, it just disappoints me.

I have no problem with the goofy nonsense in TF2. TF2 was purposely designed to be goofy nonsense. I'd buy goofy stuff in TF2 if I played it more often.

Planetside 2 however took a stylized realism approach and so I feel the goofiness would be a bit out of place and obnoxious.

[ringring]

I've got a feeling I won't be buying any of those so I'm not worried at all.

OTOH, what is the naked laydee called on the Roll Royce.. Spirit of something ... maybe

[EdLev]

Originally Posted by LostAlgorithm

Does this mean I might reasonably expect to eventually see things like Froglok Helmets? Oh, or a customization that turns my ATV into a unicorn from Free Realms?! Oh, oh! Or maybe, just maybe, I can buy a customization that lets me plaster video advertisements all over my armor?!

Calling this a logical leap of Olympic proportions would be an understatement. Not everything is a slippery slope.

Also, real-world soldiers are known for painting or sticking silly things on their vehicles. I'm not particularly bothered as long as they keep it relatively subtle.

[The Kush]

Originally Posted by LostAlgorithm

So, we recently have gotten a bit more information about the kind of things we'll be able customize. The quote below in particular caught my attention:

"Tray:We're also doing like, hood ornaments that you can put on your vehicle that will showcase games: Planetside, Free Realms, Everquest, Everquest 2. You know, little characters that you can put on your vehicle."

Really?

Does this mean I might reasonably expect to eventually see things like Froglok Helmets? Oh, or a customization that turns my ATV into a unicorn from Free Realms?! Oh, oh! Or maybe, just maybe, I can buy a customization that lets me plaster video advertisements all over my armor?!

I still remember when advertisements were put into the original Planetside. At least they were pretty much restricted to the bases. It's a pity stuff like this is being put into the game. It's possible to sell customizations without turning this into an MMO version of TF2. Planetside is supposed to be about badass empire vs. empire vs. empire gameplay, not goofy customizations.

Thank you for raising awareness. I already started a thread about that here though:

http://www.planetside-universe.com/s...ad.php?t=41196

I forgot about the PS1 advertisements, I really hope they stay away from that in PS2 but hey I guess they got to do what they got to do to keep the game going strong.

[Graywolves]

I don't think Planetside's crowd is really interested in FreeRealms/otherSOE stuff anyways.

[Tatwi]

Originally Posted by Graywolves

I don't think Planetside's crowd is really interested in FreeRealms/otherSOE stuff anyways.

That's not true. I just spent about $10 in FreeRealms in the last 24 hours. Bought my eldest daughter a pink unicorn, a pink sprinkler, and a pink scare crow. I sometimes play Everquest II, but again these days it's mostly with my eldest daughter. She like to decorate and EQII is actually easier to decorate in than FR.

Anyhow, you can't really lump everyone here into the same demographic and likes/dislikes.

To the topic at hand... I hope I make it perfectly clear when I say, for the love God SOE, I hope the flying Cupid Ewoks were Lucas Arts idea.

[Kipper]

Yay! Another customization thread!

Chill pills need to be taken all round. Cosmetic customisations and in-game ads are here to bring in some revenue and keep the game from dying on its very expensive butt.

Pretty much nobody wants to see bunny ears and unicorns but personally, I'm not worried. All of the artwork we've seen so far has been bad-ass, and I don't see them stomping all over their creation by doing something so silly.... and in any case, the majority of the players can reject the inclusion of such stuff by not purchasing it - just because its there doesn't mean people will buy and use it.

As for little hood ornaments on your vehicle, again - not worried. It doesn't particularly make sense to have a naked angel thing on the front of a Rolls Royce, or a symbol that represents a propeller both BMW's and Mercedes cars if you think about it.... But its just something that's there and adds richness and diversity to the world and stops everything looking the same. (Actually, it doesn't really make sense that cars should even come in different colours at all, it doesn't affect the performance, why aren't they all still black? Maybe because people like personalising shit?!)

Also, I feel that headlights could be quite necessary for night time fighting... As long as we can cut them for stealthy approaches.