News: SOE announces Alpha Squad

[Frotang]

Yes time is money friends, choose one or the other.

[VaderShake]

It's funny how were debating "play to win" in a game that can never be won.

This is a time saver pure and simple to get weapons you may or may not like for a kit you may or may not choose to play that everyone else can get eventually if they happen to choose them.

I have unlocked a few accessories in the beta already I don't like personally that others may prefer.

Plus you cannot buy skill. Heck in many FPS I would master I would end up playing with simple weapons with iron sights to make it more challenging.

[Galron]

I was about to drop some cash on this right now, the only thing holding me back was I didn't want to get this version if there were different tiered versions of this.

That and the link that they advertise gives a 404, http://www.planetside2.com/alpha-squad

I suppose it isn't formally announced yet? Anyone know when this will be?

[Baneblade]

Originally Posted by Galron

I was about to drop some cash on this right now, the only thing holding me back was I didn't want to get this version if there were different tiered versions of this.

There's no reason for them to wait to add the other tiers, so it is reasonable to assume there is only one.

Now, that is not to say there will not be a collector's edition when release hits that gives its own special bonuses separate from alpha squad.

[RobUK]

I really hope that this Alpha Squad offer stays open for a few weeks yet, I so want this, but I can't really justify paying for it yet (well I daren't actually face the increasing wrath of the Wife if I'm honest!)

It's two weeks since payday, and two weeks to next payday, so now's a bad time. I've just bought a new Motherboard and RAM and am about to splash out on an i5 2500K CPU just so that I can play Planetside 2 with better framerates and (hopefully) a lot less CTD's with more RAM and a 64bit O.S.

If I dip into our savings I'll be having tongue pie for dinner for the next month

I hope it's still available in 2 weeks time or I will

[blacksheepwall]

So I guess beta invites are over. Everyone else is gonna have to pay to get in the beta. Yay...

[CrankyTRex]

It's still Pay 2 Win if you're talking about unlocking items that give you the ability to compete that you cannot have without them, because then the people that pay to unlock those options will win against people who do not. Right now we do have unlockables that fall into that category, most specifically pretty much all AA weapons, as well as AtG weapons on the aircraft.

[Galron]

Originally Posted by CrankyTRex

It's still Pay 2 Win if you're talking about unlocking items that give you the ability to compete that you cannot have without them, because then the people that pay to unlock those options will win against people who do not. Right now we do have unlockables that fall into that category, most specifically pretty much all AA weapons, as well as AtG weapons on the aircraft.

Which you can all unlock for free if you are so inclined != pay to win.

[CrankyTRex]

Originally Posted by Galron

Which you can all unlock for free if you are so inclined != pay to win.

Simply making things unlockable over time does not erase the pay 2 win. If paying gives you a significant competitive advantage in the game, then it's still pay 2 win.

This problem is easily solved by making sure that things that can give you a competitive advantage, such as base-level air to air missiles or AA on vehicles are either already unlocked or not eligible for paid increase in unlocking.

Either that or you'd have to restrict people from unlocking more things than they could by playing for the same amount of time, and I seriously doubt that anyone wants that.

[Crator]

Originally Posted by CrankyTRex

Either that or you'd have to restrict people from unlocking more things than they could by playing for the same amount of time, and I seriously doubt that anyone wants that.

I thought that was actually going to happen via the Battle Ranks. So you'd have to get a certain battle rank until specific side-grades become unlocked. Then once unlocked you would then have to purchase the side-grade via the shop using Auraxium or Station Cash.

[Crator]

I suppose technically the term Pay-to-Win is correct in regards to Planetside 2. But there's a compromise to this model which, imo, shouldn't be that big of a deal really. It's a AAA F2P title FFS. You can't expect them not to do this. They let people play for free! If you put money into the game you should definitely get perks like being able to have access to certain things before another person who doesn't pay. SOE is supposed to be going a step further and making different stats for the purchasable side-grade weapons. I'm not too keen on how the whole side-grade thing is going though cause as far as I can tell currently it's a bit more then a side-grade when you can purchase a weapon that gives a lock-on ability vs. the stock one. I didn't really look to see what stat difference they have, if they have any at all, but that could be that way because they simply have not gone through a balance of such thing.

A true pay-to-win model wouldn't allow non-paying players to obtain items without paying.

EDIT: How do you define "pay to win" in a MMORPG?

[bjorntju1]

Cool! Will purchase when available! With that 4000 SC added I have a total of 14000SC. I think that should last me awhile

[Ragnafrak]

Everyone except 1 guy is in agreement about the definition of p2w.

Btw- A2G and A2A missiles seem to have gotten a huge nerf this morning.

I've already got 7500 SC, plus another 7500 SC coming from the FB app soon, I hope. .. this'll make.. 19000 SC? sheesh

[VaderShake]

How about we simplify this discussion, you can either try the game for free or buy it for $39.99.

Would you not lay down $39.99 for a game you wanted to play?

[Tatwi]

But I already have 3,000 SC. What am I going to do with 7,000 SC? That's a lot of Broker Tokens in EQ2 lol...

Incidentally, I agree that it is pay2win in terms of the "5 minute player being on the same footing as the 5 year player" - oh yeah, sure, if that 5 minute player drops $100 on the game he will be...