Skill Unlocks in the Guild Wars Store!

TheDragoon

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Sep 2006

It's similar. It's more like Sone Online Entertainment. Remember Everquest? Gunbound?

Spallenzani

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Sep 2005

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rahja the Thief
The downside to this is> Veteran players have worked VERY HARD to unlock a lot of skills on their accounts, and now players don't need to do any work to do the same, just pull out the old credit card, and yell, "I'm using Charge!"
Veteran players care a lot more about increasing the size and quality of the competitive player pool than about their own sunk costs of time invested.

Cute pun, though.

Incidentally, like most things that happen in GuildWars, a similar controversy already took place in the Magic: The Gathering community years ago. Just as GuildWars must cater to both the pvp and pve community, so too Magic must cater to both the competitive players and the collectors. In both games, there is significant overlap between the two groups, and in both games, the interests of both groups often conflict with each other.

The relevant controversy in this case relates to the Type 1 format in magic. Unlike other formats, which rotate out older cards to make room for newer cards, Type 1 includes all of the printed sets. The problem is that as a collectable, many of the most useful cards from these older sets cost hundreds of dollars a piece, and the best decks often require an investment of thousands of dollars.

This obviously limits the available pool of competitive Type 1 players. And many of these veteran competitive players are so desperate for a larger pool of competiters that "they are willing to watch their cards devalue if it allows others easier access to Type I."

Luckily, GuildWars isn't a collectable card game, and "reprinting" older sets in GuildWars by selling UAS doesn't interfere with the non-competitive side of the community. As Rahja pointed out, the only people this could theoretically effect are veteran pvp players. But, unlike Magic, there is no market for previous unlocks (apart from UAXed accounts on eBay), so the time spent is a sunk cost. We are just happy to see the pool of competitive players expand through efforts to make it easier and faster for new players to get up to speed.

manaleak34

manaleak34

Academy Page

Join Date: Feb 2006

Onslaught of Xen

E/Mo

Question.

I know lots of people have been asking if you need Prophecies to use the skills.

This brings up another thing. Not I'm not 100% sure but can't you play the 'Core' areas such as PvP areas without buying either game?

If this is true, then one could simply download the cilent, buy the prophecies skills and be good to go for PvP.

I think it's fine. I don't understand why most people are complaining so much.

But hey I guess this fourm is famous for that.

Henchman

Henchman

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jan 2006

A cave in the Shiverpeaks

Mo/

Buying Skills for REAL money- This is terrible!
Skills are earned by being a good player, not by taking out your credit card.
Its like saying, "I don't need to study for school, I'll just pay my teachers to get a good grade."

For those who are complaining that getting skills is a grind, even if this was true, there are better solutions than selling the skills for real money. For example, faction gain through wins could be increased allowing skills to be aquired at faster pace.

Why not sell lvl 20 chars, ingame gold, and top-stat weapons as well? It exactly the same thing- giving an advantage to those who are willing to pay with real money.

I think a good idea would be allowing players to buy (with real money), access to skills from other expansions. The skills however, would have to be unlocked for use in the traditional way. This would allow hardcore PvPers to keep up with entire community without having to purchase every expansion. But this doesn't look like its going to happen.


This is truely IMO a low point for Anet, and makes me reconsider purchasing Nightfall. By the time Nightfall is released, Anet will probably offer even more "pay-per advantage" products, ruining the game for those who choose to play the game, rather then buying their through it, like myself.

manaleak34

manaleak34

Academy Page

Join Date: Feb 2006

Onslaught of Xen

E/Mo

Quote:
Originally Posted by Henchman
Its like saying, "I don't need to study for school, I'll just pay my teachers to get a good grade."
And you think those people are going to get far in life with no education? You can't buy the knowlege to play the game right.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Henchman
Why not sell lvl 20 chars and top-stat weapons as well?
Funny thing is, they do. They're called PvP characters. And guess what? They're Free!!

Pjstaab

Academy Page

Join Date: Jan 2006

R/Mo

Gw is going down hill. The mm nerf was too much. EOE nerf was uncalled for, all they had to do was make it that your invincible or something or cant gain points before AB starts. Now you can buy all the skills and your Uber. How fun is it going against someone who can come up with a perfefct build whenever they want and totally pwn. I might have to find another game to play. Anet isn't taking any more of my money.

Azrael1309

Azrael1309

Academy Page

Join Date: Jul 2006

ABQ, NM

LF Guild

Although I am personally opposed to this, its not all that bad. People that are super busy with school or work that don't want to grind gold can have an alternate way to get skills. And for those that are lazy, well, let them have their skills. It still takes time to learn a build of a character and its scope within the team. Though, with the premades and the same builds used a lot, maybe not, but unlocking all skills won't make a diff there.

Also, with all the skills at disposal, I'm hoping (really, really hoping) that PvP might begin to diversify again instead of the same gimmick builds over and over (although I don't feel it'll happen anytime before Nightfall).

I personally feel that buying skills with cash is nonsense. But if someone else wants to do it. Fine. You may have more skills, but I get to drink just a little more beer :-)

Spallenzani

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Sep 2005

Quote:
Originally Posted by TheDragoon
From a business point of view, it is reasonably understandable that extra storage/slots cost money because we defend ANET that it might cost them additional database storage as well as storage for logs etc. So the pricing seem reasonable because there is a mark up over an explicit cost.

Now as for the Unlock Skill, I question the "cost" that is involve in implementing this to each individidual beside a small script is run. So basically, this product is sold purely on the perception of how much the player NEED.
From a "business point of view", prices are determined by supply and demand, not by production costs. Congratulations, you just discovered Econ 101.

JR

JR

Re:tired

Join Date: Nov 2005

W/

Quote:
Originally Posted by penguo
I'm losing faith.....Some people may have wanted it, but this ruins most pvp! Anybody can do mosts builds because they payed 40$? I HATE it.
PvP = Skill not time. Thanks, bye.

TheDragoon

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Sep 2006

Go back and learn your Econ 101 son and this time read the whole text book.
Price = markup + fix cost + variable cost
Supply and demand fluctuate the markup.
Read about how, the demand is created by the company that supply the product, like selling anti-virus while making virus. It's call unethical.

Spallenzani

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Sep 2005

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pjstaab
How fun is it going against someone who can come up with a perfefct build whenever they want and totally pwn.
OMG, I know just what you mean. Every time I enter a pvp match it's as if the other team has full unlocks AND knows exactly which skills to use to make THE PERFECT BUILD. Anet, please stop this!

Quote:
Originally Posted by manaleak34
And you think those people are going to get far in life with no education?
They got far enough to post here.

TheDragoon

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Sep 2006

Quote:
Originally Posted by JR-
PvP = Skill not time. Thanks, bye.
Time = money

Gli

Forge Runner

Join Date: Nov 2005

Remember all the time PvP people have posted: "If you're not playing PvP you're only playing half the game?"

That line works both ways. Well, it used to work both ways.

Pre 'pay $$$ for your skills' era, GW was a game that combined PvP and PvE in a single package. People playing 'the whole game' never had any trouble unlocking what they needed to PvP.

Now, PvP-ers can get away with playing only 'half the game', and where there always were some cracks, I predict the whole thing will irrevocably split right down the middle now.

And don't get me wrong, I think it's a good thing. If I never encounter bored PvP enthousiasts in the PvE game again, it'll be too soon.

___________________


Edit: I do agree that adding rare crafting materials to the online store makes as much sense as unlocks, from a 'the whole game' perspective. As I stated above, the game was designed in a certain way. This design had people playing to earn their unlocks. People can now pay to skip playing part of the game. Buying ectos would just be paying to skip another part of the game.

TheDragoon

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Sep 2006

really? even though Pvp bring boring area like Jade quary and Fort Aspenwood back to life? And most of the skill you learn for PvE is from PvP players?

n0odle

Pre-Searing Cadet

Join Date: Sep 2006

10 bucks for another slot pwns this hard, j00

manaleak34

manaleak34

Academy Page

Join Date: Feb 2006

Onslaught of Xen

E/Mo

Well now that the agrument seems to be on price lets look at some numbers!

Lets compare the prices of playing Guild Wars and your usual MMORPG.

Now both games start selling retail at around $50 US which is mostly the norm for video games these days

Now of course we have our good old monthy fee. Now most monthy fees are about $15. So if someone started paying, say WoW from day one they would have payed about...$315. Up to this point just to play the game. And for me, If I had started playing some plain old MMORPG instead of GW(which I started paying in Feb 06) I would have to had paid $105 extra up to this point.

Mind you this $15 dollar is Mandatory so if you can't shell out the cash. Tough luck, no game for you.

In fact it only takes about 3 months plus the full $50 game in a regular MMO to equal the price paid if you got both GW games at full price.

In all honesty if I was an evil game company wanting to make more money. I would FORCE this payment. But hey! Don't want to buy it? No big deal! Just keep doing what you've been doing.

This will not unbalance things. Just because you have the tools, it doesn't mean you have the skills.

I think it's great. You got Factions but don't feel like playing though the orginal Campaign to get those much needed PVP skills? Thats ok! Just pay what you would normally play for the orginal GW and save yourself some time.

This isn't the end of the world everyone.

Gli

Forge Runner

Join Date: Nov 2005

Quote:
Originally Posted by TheDragoon
And most of the skill you learn for PvE is from PvP players?
What's that supposed to mean? I'm a reading this right and are you suffering from some kind of messiah-complex?

manaleak34

manaleak34

Academy Page

Join Date: Feb 2006

Onslaught of Xen

E/Mo

Quote:
Originally Posted by manaleak34
And you think those people are going to get far in life with no education?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Spallenzani
They got far enough to post here.
That comment has nothing to do with the debate at hand. Your simply just resorting to insults at this point.

Mouse at Large

Mouse at Large

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Dec 2005

Scotland

Fuzzy Physics Institute

E/

Unless GW has a means of making this compulsory, then it's simple. If you don't like it - don't use it.

GW/ArenaNet is not a charity. What's worse, giving players a choice as to whether to spend more money or at some point having to pay regular subscriptions to play (which may come) or the servers being shut down due to lack of money to continue?

I've read a lot (but not all) the comments in this thread, and some of the complainers sure don't seem to live in the same real world I do

Energizer Deth Buni

Banned

Join Date: Jan 2006

Near Atlanta GA

MVoA

N/Me

Oh let the Noobs buy there Skills online. They ll just realize how much money they wasted when they are laying on there backs looking at the ceiling.


ANET 10 bucks per char for full FOW armor works for me.... It ll catch us up to all the grinders and put an end to some of the Squirrel Farmers...

TheDragoon

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Sep 2006

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gli
What's that supposed to mean? I'm a reading this right and are you suffering from some kind of messiah-complex?
Yep you're reading correctly. most PvE builds are derivative of PvP. MM, trappers etc

JR

JR

Re:tired

Join Date: Nov 2005

W/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gli
Remember all the time PvP people have posted: "If you're not playing PvP you're only playing half the game?"

That line works both ways. Well, it used to work both ways.

Pre 'pay $$$ for your skills' era, GW was a game that combined PvP and PvE in a single package. People playing 'the whole game' never had any trouble unlocking what they needed to PvP.
Pre this update if a new player wanted to unlock at any kind of decent speed, they simply had to do it through PvE. Unlocks through Faction are ridiculously slow, unless you are in a decent guild that GvGs regularly. As such whether you were a competitive PvP player or a PvE fan you were virtually forced to PvE.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gli
Now, PvP-ers can get away with playing only 'half the game', and where there always were some cracks, I predict the whole thing will irrevocably split right down the middle now.
PvE players haven't been forced to PvP since release, so why should it work the other way round? Perspective please.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gli
And don't get me wrong, I think it's a good thing. If I never encounter bored PvP enthousiasts in the PvE game again, it'll be too soon.
If I never have to PvE again I'll be quite happy. This of course relies on Anet balancing PvE and PvP characters and equipment though...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gli
Edit: I do agree that adding rare crafting materials to the online store makes as much sense as unlocks, from a 'the whole game' perspective. As I stated above, the game was designed in a certain way. This design had people playing to earn their unlocks. People can now pay to skip playing part of the game. Buying ectos would just be paying to skip another part of the game.
Except buying things like crafting materials from the store would completely ruin the Guild Wars economy, and really has no simmilarity to the UAS situation either. Anet had to impliment buyable UAS because with every expansion that comes out it was making it harder and harder for new players to get any kind of decent start on unlocks. Yes the price is rather steep, but at the end of the day you are no worse off than you were before if you choose not to buy the product.

I think there is a very fundamental difference between the way you and I see things. I see buying skills as what is quite simply a game upgrade, wheras you seem to see it as some cheap way out.

Amok Affinity

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Aug 2006

[XoO]

E/

looks great. thanks, ANet!

Gli

Forge Runner

Join Date: Nov 2005

Quote:
Originally Posted by TheDragoon
Yep you're reading correctly. most PvE builds are derivative of PvP. MM, trappers etc
I thought I was. You're too funny.

Numa Pompilius

Numa Pompilius

Grotto Attendant

Join Date: May 2005

At an Insit.. Intis... a house.

Live Forever Or Die Trying [GLHF]

W/Me

Seriously, who cares if people buy their skills?

*It'll mean that the dumb and impatient get skills they don't know how to use, they'll suck at using them, they wont have fun, and they'll leave GW quicker.
*It'll mean that the PvP'ers who claim to hate PvE yet for some inexplicable reason spend all their time doing the same few PvE areas of GW over and over and over and over and over and over and over for ecto & gold, get one thing less to bitch about (they'll switch to bitching about something else - like how boring PvE is).
*It'll bring a few more $ to NCSoft, struggling as they are after a string of failed MMORPGs.

Win-Win situation.

digimonizm

digimonizm

Academy Page

Join Date: Sep 2005

Quote:
Originally Posted by TheDragoon
Go back and learn your Econ 101 son and this time read the whole text book.
Price = markup + fix cost + variable cost
Supply and demand fluctuate the markup.
Read about how, the demand is created by the company that supply the product, like selling anti-virus while making virus. It's call unethical.
LOL! since when have american corporations cared about ethics?
money comes before human life in the states

TheDragoon

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Sep 2006

Yes, and I don't live in America. So explain this "capitalist" idea to me again?

darrylhaines

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: May 2006

Freedom Of Midnight

E/

I think that Anet might as well just sell 2 versions of the games now, PvE and PvP. Now all PvP players don't have to play through the game to collect the skills but just buy them.

I don't play PvP so I won't be spending my money. I might be tempted if they offered it for the PvE though...

Spallenzani

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Sep 2005

Quote:
Originally Posted by TheDragoon
Go back and learn your Econ 101 son and this time read the whole text book.
Price = markup + fix cost + variable cost
Supply and demand fluctuate the markup.
Read about how, the demand is created by the company that supply the product, like selling anti-virus while making virus. It's call unethical.
You clearly have no idea what you are talking about. The equation you listed is a simple accounting breakdown of price, but has nothing to do with economics. In economics, a profit-maximizing firm sets the price (and quanity) of its product at the point at which marginal cost equals marginal benefit. The use of the term "sets" here does not mean that this is a conscious decision; in fact, most of the time, firms do not intentionally, directly, or knowingly determine prices based on what they believe to be the intersection of marginal cost and marginal benefit. But firms that do not indirectly set prices at this point do not remain in business for very long, and get replaced by firms that do.

This is all fairly basic, and should be evident to anyone who has taken even an introductory micro course in high school or college. Here is the relevant chapter from a webbed micro principles textbook on the relationship between an economist's understanding of price and the layman's "markup pricing."

Money shot:

Quote:
Some economists have tried to construct a theory of the firm in which the firm decides prices by a markup over costs. The attraction of this sort of theory is that, when asked to explain how they determine the prices they charge, most sellers talk in terms of markups (which they sometimes call "profit margins"). The problem with markup theories is that they have difficulty explaining the percentage size of the markup (when they bother trying to explain it at all).Grocery stores, for example, mark up different products by different percentages, and they have a much smaller average markup than furniture stores have.

Most economists see markup pricing as a rule-of-thumb way in which businesses conduct their affairs. Firms usually do not have the information needed to compute marginal costs and revenues. Instead they find rules or guidelines that work, and stick with them as long as they perform satisfactorily. If a firm marks up a product by 50% and finds that it does not make a profit at that price, it tries another percentage. When it finally finds a markup which generates a profit, it will stick with it. Real businesses rely much more on trial and error than on sophisticated, mathematical analysis.
As for what is "unethical", l don't expect your mastery of philosophy to be much more impressive than your mastery of economics. Nevertheless, please share with us your explanation of why you consider it unethical for a company to create demand for product A by selling product B. Be sure to include explanations for why it is unethical for a car company to offer luxury sports package upgrades to customers who purchased the basic model, why its unethical for Sony to offer PS3s to customers who purchased PS2s, and why its unethical for Wizards of the Coast to offer a new expansions every few months for customers of previous card sets.

Zakarr

Zakarr

Jungle Guide

Join Date: May 2005

Finland

Skill unlocks are reasonable feature to the online store. If some players don't want to consume their time for unlocks by playing with template PvP builds or through PvE, it is their decision. How it would be unfair? Good build doesn't mean automatic win because this is not WoW but balanced game. Buying skills means that you buy tools but you have to learn to use them.

If they ever would add FoW armor, any other armor set or weapons to the store, now that would be a huge mistake because it would destroy PvE. Rare skins are things which keep PvE alive.

Extended storage is something I would like to see in the online store soon.

Yanman.be

Yanman.be

Banned

Join Date: Dec 2005

Belgium

[ROSE]

A/

It's near-useless to buy those thingies IMO.

Gli

Forge Runner

Join Date: Nov 2005

Quote:
Originally Posted by JR-
Pre this update if a new player wanted to unlock at any kind of decent speed, they simply had to do it through PvE. Unlocks through Faction are ridiculously slow, unless you are in a decent guild that GvGs regularly. As such whether you were a competitive PvP player or a PvE fan you were virtually forced to PvE.
Well, yes... hence I tried to point out the 'PvPers telling me that I'm an idiot because I only play half the game' vs. them not wanting to play PvE hypocrisy.

Quote:
Originally Posted by JR-
PvE players haven't been forced to PvP since release, so why should it work the other way round? Perspective please.
PvE-ers who don't play PvP sell themselves short. PvP-ers who don't want to play PvE are going against the way the game was originally designed. (I'm not saying it was a good design, but it WAS the way they meant the game to work.) That's all moot now though, because ANet redefined their game in one fell $39.95 swoop.

Quote:
Originally Posted by JR-
Except buying things like crafting materials from the store would completely ruin the Guild Wars economy, and really has no simmilarity to the UAS situation either.
There's the similarity where people don't have to play anymore to achieve a certain goal. If you can't sell materials because it would upset the game, you should be thinking really hard if you want to sell skills, because you're allowing one group of players to buy their rewards while denying an other group to buy theirs.

Quote:
Originally Posted by JR-
Anet had to impliment buyable UAS because with every expansion that comes out it was making it harder and harder for new players to get any kind of decent start on unlocks. Yes the price is rather steep, but at the end of the day you are no worse off than you were before if you choose not to buy the product.
They could've set up a system where skills cost progressively less faction as the chapters introducing them get older. A new chapter hits the street? Another xx faction off all Prophesies (and other old chapters) skills, until they're almost free. First off, that would've been a perfect analogy to certain items in PvE becoming less rare after Factions hit. Secondly, everyone would benefit from that, even the people missing only a handful of skills on every profession, who still need their UAX but would be crazy to pay these amounts of money for them. It would maintain the integrity of the game. What they've done now is retroactively change the very core of their game design. What we had was a game where even PvP-ers had to play to earn benefits. That's all out of the window now and I think it's a shame. In my experience, instant-gratification ruins a game's lastability.

Quote:
Originally Posted by JR-
I think there is a very fundamental difference between the way you and I see things. I see buying skills as what is quite simply a game upgrade, wheras you seem to see it as some cheap way out.
That's because it IS a cheap way out.

Shadow Dragon

Shadow Dragon

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: May 2006

Harrismith, South Africa

[SAGA]

W/Mo

you're blind if you didn't see this coming. personally i think it's a great idea. Anet has to produce revenue via other means or would you rather prefer a pay-to-play basis at x amount every month? Good job because there is a market for this.

Spallenzani

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Sep 2005

Quote:
Originally Posted by TheDragoon
Quote:
Originally Posted by JR-
PvP = Skill not time. Thanks, bye.
Time = money
This comment doesn't make sense even as an objection. Watch:

1. PvP = Skill not time
2. Time = money
3. PvP = Skill not money

Is that the point you were trying to make? Because if so, JR and I both agree with you.

If not - if you were trying to say that success in pvp can be determined by who has the most money, but failed miserably in expressing this view - then further explanation is needed.

Explain how, if I have lots of money, I can pay to become really good at GuildWars, form a team with other rich players who have become really good at GuildWars using the same technique, climb the ladder together with our super rich guild, qualify for a GW world tournament, and win that tournament, all because "PvP = Money not skill".

TheDragoon

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Sep 2006

Quote:
Originally Posted by Spallenzani
You clearly have no idea what you are talking about. The equation you listed is a simple accounting breakdown of price, but has nothing to do with economics. In economics, a profit-maximizing firm sets the price (and quanity) of its product at the point at which marginal cost equals marginal benefit. The use of the term "sets" here does not mean that this is a conscious decision; in fact, most of the time, firms do not intentionally, directly, or knowingly determine prices based on what they believe to be the intersection of marginal cost and marginal benefit. But firms that do not indirectly set prices at this point do not remain in business for very long, and get replaced by firms that do.
Irrelevant to what I said initially. You basically paraphased the text book without even understanding the inital question.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Spallenzani
As for what is "unethical", l don't expect your mastery of philosophy to be much more impressive than your mastery of economics.
I didn't ask for your expectation. Although try reading first before replying.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Spallenzani
Nevertheless, please share with us your explanation of why you consider it unethical for a company to create demand for product A by selling product B. Be sure to include explanations for why it is unethical for a car company to offer luxury sports package upgrades to customers who purchased the basic model, why its unethical for Sony to offer PS3s to customers who purchased PS2s, and why its unethical for Wizards of the Coast to offer a new expansions every few months for customers of previous card sets.
Hmm, you call it demand, i call it problem. If a company introduce a problem and charge customer to fix it, it's unethical. Now the problem may be fabricate under different context, called demand, so that it seem like an acceptance fact of life. However, if the demand exist in the system created by a company, it's a problem.
Point in case :
+ Microsoft write buggy software and charge customer extra for fixing it.
+ Drug manafuturer invested in soda while selling diabetic pills.

Gli

Forge Runner

Join Date: Nov 2005

Quote:
Originally Posted by Shadow Dragon
... or would you rather prefer a pay-to-play basis at x amount every month?
Actually I would. I'll be gone from GW as soon as a game hits the market that looks as good as GW, has a similar well-balanced game design, coupled with MMO-scale dynamic content. I'd be first in line to pay monthly for that.

TheDragoon

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Sep 2006

Quote:
Originally Posted by Spallenzani
This comment doesn't make sense even as an objection. Watch:

1. PvP = Skill not time
2. Time = money
3. PvP = Skill not money

Is that the point you were trying to make? Because if so, JR and I both agree with you.

If not - if you were trying to say that success in pvp can be determined by who has the most money, but failed miserably in expressing this view - then further explanation is needed.

Explain how, if I have lots of money, I can pay to become really good at GuildWars, form a team with other rich players who have become really good at GuildWars using the same technique, climb the ladder together with our super rich guild, qualify for a GW world tournament, and win that tournament, all because "PvP = Money not skill".
The word skills in guildwar is a bit confusing because it sometime can be understood as person skills. However just for the sake of this argument, we call it spells. So for this discussion, Skill unlock = Spells and Skills = personal skills.
Now that we got it out of the way.

Compare a team with spells unlocked and those that don't. Which team has more strategy and flexibility? The former. Remember in GW championship you play best of three, If you don't have all the spells, then you are easily countered and would lose.

Thus by implementing this spell unlock, ANET gives advantages to those who have more money. Those that don't have the money, nor the TIME, is disadvantaged. Thus it is not a true balanced competition.

This mean PvP = money not skills .

Mindflash

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Jul 2006

Elite Brasil

Me/Mo

IMO the skill packs is a logic idea. If I'm a new player and I buy Nightfall, start playing PVP and feel bad for not having Prophecies/Factions skills, I can buy them for cheaper then the whole games, since I only want the old skills.

The problem though is the "skills unlock" marketing. They should sell locked skills, but of course they will sell more by making then unlocked, so starters with money to spend will enjoy it.

Yes it's starting to sound bad looking that way, let's hope the store doesn't come to selling equipment..

manaleak34

manaleak34

Academy Page

Join Date: Feb 2006

Onslaught of Xen

E/Mo

The way you say that Dragoon it as though one of the teams have no 'spells'

I agree with the flexibility. But not with the strategy. Just because a team has more spells than the other doesn't mean they have more skills than the other.

In fact lets consider a PvP match between a group of people who have all the spells unlocked and a group using all pre-made characters.

Neither team has a advantage spell-wise. Out of all those spells that the first group bought. They can only use 8.

So the team that works together the best, and knows what they're doing will win this match.

Gonzo

Gonzo

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Feb 2006

Netherlands

Defenders of the Blackblade [DotB]

W/

O NOES! ANet is trying to make money!
I believe that when Gaile made a topic about what you would like to see in the ingame store most replies included UAS and also included NOT ingame items, so I don't see those coming. My prediction is that the next thing in the store will be CE dances and Devine aura, as that was the second most called for in that topic.