VC: The Real Problem and Alternatives

[quehouston]

Re: VC: The Real Problem and Alternatives

To me, the only way this new micro transaction base that 2k is trying to push will work, is if they only charged 19.99 for the game like NFL 2k5. Then I would have absolutely no problem with dropping cash on VC. But right now it just makes no since. I would be like if Facebook started charging people to play Farmville, on top of all the things that they buy while in-game. Its a mess, and it needs to be addressed immediately.

I will definitely be keeping an eye on the competition in the meanwhile.

[Ramboooo]

Re: VC: The Real Problem and Alternatives

Well 2k11 and 2k12 didn't have VC, but those games also had no Crew or hacked players in Crew and way worse servers. So there might be some correlation there that VC has improved online experience. But imo the key word is "reasonable." If VC becomes this unreasonable pain in the azz that you'd rather just stop playing the game instead of either grinding hours or paying real money for it, then it's hurting the game more than helping it.

[Sundown]

Re: VC: The Real Problem and Alternatives

After a little thought, I think the situation might be summed up thusly:

Like I've said before, the problem with VC is simply this: It forces a developer to ask the question, "Do I want to make the game more fun, or do I want to make more money?"

The answer is unfortunately, "If I want to make more money, I should make the game less fun."


As a result, the effort/reward system-- the most foundational part any game-- is tweaked to be just unfun enough to encourage you to spend money to bypass it. The system is essentially designed to NOT be played by 2K's best customers.

Yes, it's still playable without spending for VC, but it's walking a fine line that's aggravating 2K's most loyal customers.

It's also associating the company's name directly with the most distasteful part of the game for a huge chunk of 2K fans. That's not a good look.

[Sundown]

Re: VC: The Real Problem and Alternatives

I have no problem giving 2K more of my money. I purchased 2K14 Current Gen as well as 2K14 Next-Gen for BOTH PS4 and Xbox One-- because I simply couldn't wait for reviews on which version was better, and because I wanted to have both so I could determine that for myself hands on.


If there was DLC that I wanted, I wouldn't hesitate to drop even more money, like:

• New Legends Teams
• NEW customization options that were really worthy of spending money on (the wide selection of team specific gear this year isn't bad, admittedly)
• Arena accurate playlists and new songs
• Updated player heads through the season
• Updated commentary through the season
• Updated Real Voice interviews
• New pre-game intros with new songs with sequences that are actually recreations of highlights in the real season
• Alternate broadcast package featuring Bob Fitzgerald and Jim Barnett for the "local broadcast" flavor. Fitz has done work for 2K and JB is retiring so should have plenty of time. Get on it 2K!

Seems a DLC/microtransaction model that would *actually* fit 2K would be to allow these things to be purchased as part of a Season Pass (or individually). I would gladly plunk down 20-40$ more to have a premium 2K edition that is always updated, feels "live", and accurate to the season.


Unfortunately, this means a lot more work for 2K, and they can't just resell the same content every year while we cross fingers that they wont raise VC prices. It also means they can't sell a lot of this work as next year's release (in the case of some updated commentary unless they just sold the latest as part of the base package for next year's game). But all this would actually add value, entertainment, and fun that I'd gladly pay for.

[AceDawg5]

Re: VC: The Real Problem and Alternatives

Great points r all over this thread, I miss the days when I could create a player and put on a headband without paying 1200 VC to do so. If nothing else 2K....make these prices resemble real life prices. I can go to footlocker n grab a headband for 7.99, how on earth can a headband cost 1200 VC and my weekly salary be 14 VC. What version of the NBA is this? Ur telling me first round picks can't afford shoes n a headband? So much for realism. Unfortunately, no amount of criticism will get rid of this. I can only hope more n more threads like this 1 reach 2K executives, cuz it has ruined so much of what I loved and left NBA Live for.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk

[LorenzoDC]

Re: VC: The Real Problem and Alternatives

After a little thought, I think the situation might be summed up thusly:

Like I've said before, the problem with VC is simply this: It forces a developer to ask the question, "Do I want to make the game more fun, or do I want to make more money?"

The answer is unfortunately, "If I want to make more money, I should make the game less fun."


As a result, the effort/reward system-- the most foundational part any game-- is tweaked to be just unfun enough to encourage you to spend money to bypass it. The system is essentially designed to NOT be played by 2K's best customers.

Yes, it's still playable without spending for VC, but it's walking a fine line that's aggravating 2K's most loyal customers.

It's also associating the company's name directly with the most distasteful part of the game for a huge chunk of 2K fans. That's not a good look.

Well, from a business perspective, 2k's most loyal customers are, by definition, the people intentionally targeted for micro transaction revenue. After all, it's your most engaged fan base that is going to be willing to pay more than $60 for the game, if there's additional value to purchase for them.

The problem, as you've pointed out, is that they haven't created additional value. They've diluted core game value by removing customization and removing from the game things that used to be available out of the box by putting a toll booth in front of them.

I am fortunate enough to be financially secure. I can afford to buy VC and a lot of it if I wanted to. But I won't do it just to make the game I purchase up front playable. Create new or expanded features and options, put a cost on it, ok, fine. 10 hours of gameplay grinding for a headband? No effing way.

I'd love top see the effective "wage" in their 2k14 economy: how many hours of grinding equates to what amount of actual cash? And how many hours would it take to fully ramp up a given mode, like MyPlayer or MyGM, and what would the equivalent total monetary cost be to essentially hack the game to get to that same point? I'm thinking of a number, like $2.57 per hour, or whatever it may be.

If they want to incorporate RPG style then go the Mass Effect route. Buy items in game with in game currency not available for purchase with real dollars. But make some multiple game options available for purchase with micro transactions, just as ME3 did. Don't hold core game play features hostage for a credit card swipe.

But these things are actually targeted, by design, at the most motivated players of the game. I, for one, won't bite, though I comfortably have the means to do so.

[Epheles]

Re: VC: The Real Problem and Alternatives

The problem is it's near impossible to balance all the modes and they are ridiculously cheap to the point where you're almost forced to spend more money to enjoy the game right.

In a 6min/qtr game you get 300 VC, to buy a gold pack where you usually get just 1 gold player, is 13k. That's 44 games, which equals about 27 hours of playing just to buy 1 pack. That's just insane. And they took out farming from the current gen version so there's really no exploit to get around it. We should be getting at least triple the VC per game. Even EA isn't this cheap, on Fifa they have constant bonuses and other ways to enjoy UT without spending money

[Sundown]

Re: VC: The Real Problem and Alternatives

In a 6min/qtr game you get 300 VC, to buy a gold pack where you usually get just 1 gold player, is 13k. That's 44 games, which equals about 27 hours of playing just to buy 1 pack. That's just insane. And they took out farming from the current gen version so there's really no exploit to get around it. We should be getting at least triple the VC per game. Even EA isn't this cheap, on Fifa they have constant bonuses and other ways to enjoy UT without spending money

Wow. Gold packs were pricey in 2k13 but something I could treat myself to occasionally.

At 13k and 27 hours of gameplay a pop that's not pay to win. That's pay to play. That's about 3-5 dollars a pop for a random selection of items even if you purchased VC. That's straight up inaccessible.

Someone should do a write up of the costs in each mode so we have a clear idea of how much of the game is actually playable and how much time is needed in each without spending additional money.

[doctorhay53]

Re: VC: The Real Problem and Alternatives

Wow. Gold packs were pricey in 2k13 but something I could treat myself to occasionally.

At 13k and 27 hours of gameplay a pop that's not pay to win. That's pay to play. That's about 3-5 dollars a pop for a random selection of items even if you purchased VC. That's straight up inaccessible.

Someone should do a write up of the costs in each mode so we have a clear idea of how much of the game is actually playable and how much time is needed in each without spending additional money.

I did the math like this. A single domination game is about 4000 myteam points (other games are similar, road to the playoffs is more, bronze tournaments if you win all 5 is around the same). It takes about a half hour or more per game. so you need 11-ish games to get the 45000 myteam points for a gold pack. That's 5.5 hours. Minimum. Then you need 12-ish packs to get a full gold team. So 60-70 hours to get a full gold myteam using myteam points.

[quehouston]

Re: VC: The Real Problem and Alternatives

Someone should do a write up of the costs in each mode so we have a clear idea of how much of the game is actually playable and how much time is needed in each without spending additional money.

THIS. I think if someone broke it down that way, it would be a real eye opener.

[Sundown]

Re: VC: The Real Problem and Alternatives

I did the math like this. A single domination game is about 4000 myteam points (other games are similar, road to the playoffs is more, bronze tournaments if you win all 5 is around the same). It takes about a half hour or more per game. so you need 11-ish games to get the 45000 myteam points for a gold pack. That's 5.5 hours. Minimum. Then you need 12-ish packs to get a full gold team. So 60-70 hours to get a full gold myteam using myteam points.

So it's faster to get gold packs by playing MyTeam than it is grinding outside MyTeam? 60-70 hours is actually not THAT bad if you were dedicated to the mode.

Or is this only if you win every game? Cause then thats really bad.

[doctorhay53]

Re: VC: The Real Problem and Alternatives

So it's faster to get gold packs by playing MyTeam than it is grinding outside MyTeam? 60-70 hours is actually not THAT bad if you were dedicated to the mode.

Or is this only if you win every game? Cause then thats really bad.

In domination you get the same points for wins or losses.

In road to the playoffs I think you get more for winning but I've never won.... I suck at online. It's just people raining threes all day. Even a loss in road to the playoffs is 4500 myteam points.

In the tournament mode you get a bonus for winning all five games.

[WarlordZMaster]

Re: VC: The Real Problem and Alternatives

Great Thread! VC is a pain on the next gen version. The game is stingy with it, and everything costs a fortune. I like My Team and playing this online, but after several hours I still have my original Bronze roster. On the 360 version I would have already had at least 1 gold pack and maybe a silver in he same amount of time. I am going to grind it out, they are not getting any more money unless they add back the missing game modes.

[kjjnesb]

Re: VC: The Real Problem and Alternatives

MyGM is very pushy with the VC. My coach and my Trainer keep coming in my office demanding things like Film Rooms and Nutrition Centers and I keep taking a hit when it come to their moral but I'm trying to build up VC to buy the team..

[kjjnesb]

Re: VC: The Real Problem and Alternatives

Also for anyone curious I caved and bought VC so I could purchase my team and it is totally not worth it. No real added benefit besides not having to talk to an owner anymore and I guess not gaining VC from his goals he sets...

It also doesn't carry or stick to your GM like ability upgrades you'd have to pay 50,000 VC every go around to be owner so be careful not to waste VC you could be using on your MyPlayer or on MYteam