The VC issue - perfectly put in words

[El_Poopador]

Re: The VC issue - perfectly put in words

NBA 2K17 has a life span of 12 months. If it takes you 2 months to max out one guy, then you still have 10 months to play the 'current' game. If it takes you longer then you can still enjoy the game also.

In your situation you are saying that you want to be a PG, then a SG and so on.. Why not create a player and play a MyLeague with player lock? That to me sounds more suited to your limits with time, the cutscenes being the same for multiple characters etc, being able to add accessories when you want, changing positions, mixing up attributes and badges etc..

Sounds like you are someone who wants to be on par with those who are 85+ but don't want to put the time/or can't due to limits in your private life or pay for the VC.. Everyone has to make sacrifices and if your time is limited then your sacrifice will have to be playing MyCareer..

I don't want to play MyLeague with player lock. I like a lot of the aspects of MyCareer, specifically things like building your draft stock, working your way up in the rotation, negotiating for a better contract, etc. What I don't like is not being able to keep up with a center on the perimeter as a PG.

Here's the kicker. You're still enjoying the game though, but at a slower pace. Not buying VC, doesn't lessen your experience. This whole VC argument is based on skills and availability.

Some of you are mad, because you immediately want to jump into MyPark and compete. In your mind, you feel like your experience is less, because your opponent is killing you with their higher overall player. Instead of getting better (contrary to popular belief, you CAN compete with a lower ranked player) or grinding, you rather whine about not being able to get VC for free. What it boils down to is that people want to be superstars without the work.

In COD, you unlock the better guns, perks, and kill steaks as you rank up. In some cases, you have guns that you can purchase. There will be some players who are a beast no matter what gun they use. Then you have the group who will believe they need access to the higher guns to compete against prestiged players, vets, or people who simply "had more time than you". What you're asking for is the equivalent of asking Activision to unlock everything from the start, so everyone is on an "even" playing field no matter their time constraints or financial situation.

Having said that, my attitude is "Suck it up, and man up to the challenge." to those people. If your beef is the starting point of your player, then THAT should be your area of focus and NOT the existence of VC. For me, VC is right at that sweet spot where you can get it quick enough and not grind forever just to be "alright". However, if you got the money to spend, then more power to you. I'll be catching up to you in about two weeks, because I'm not scared to play as a 70 overall due to my confidence in my stick skills.

I don't even play online, so it has nothing to do with wanting to be the same as everyone else online. I play video games for fun. In this case, there is potential for a very fun mode, but I have to play for hours to get to that point. It's not fun to me when I have to use turbo just to keep up with the other team at a jogging pace.

Going back to your COD analogy, imagine if when you started, your character could only walk, or "run" at half the speed of everyone else. Wouldn't that be just a little frustrating?

All I'm asking for is to have a realistic character at the start of the mode. I have absolutely no problem having to work to improve my skill-based attributes. But I shouldn't be in the NBA if I have the athleticism and skillset of a middle-schooler. Add on to that the ridiculous prices if I want to give my player an accessory or different clothes for the mandatory cutscenes, and it gets a little ridiculous.

[ksuttonjr76]

Re: The VC issue - perfectly put in words

They are now designing the game with VC in mind. Do you at least agree to that point?

Do you think designing a video game (any game) with "make sure this new feature makes/keeps VC profitable" is a design strategy that makes for better games?

Well...you're playing the game. Either you like it or not (minus the obvious glitches that will hopefully be addressed by a patch soon enough). Now, if I need VC to play a single game of PNO, then it will be a fight. Other than that, the existence of VC hasn't impacted my gaming experience at all.

[Dyslexicphish]

Re: The VC issue - perfectly put in words

People that support VC are completely misunderstanding those against it. It's not that people want something for nothing or be great from the get go. They are arguing that everything is costing an exorbitant amount of VC to the point where it is obvious that 2k is trying to get people to buy VC. It's a clear cut free-to-play model but for a fully priced game.

[Mweemwee]

Re: The VC issue - perfectly put in words

The game is setup in a manner where players need to VC to build up their characters to be competitive - of course, it's based on your definition of what you consider to be competitive. The first argument is that people don't want to buy VC...okay, fine. That's your financial decision. So, the alternative is to grind through the game and earn your VC...but people are complaining about that, because they "don't have time or have social lives".

Well, the only option left is to give people whatever want to create their characters without playing the game or paying money. Hence my comment of people wanting things without any effort on their part. Only a very, very small minority is lobbying to change the amount of VC you earn, where some people are countering that argument by telling those individuals that there MANY ways to earn VC. To use your comment, people ARE playing a game that's based upon the amount of hard work you put in without monetization. However, you have this majority who believe that they're being "forced" to purchase VC, and 2K Sports needs to be happy with only the sales they get from the game itself.

Feel free to correct any part of my comments.

Well I agree, if people are saying they don't want VC but they also don't want it to take so long to level up then that is silly.

In regards to the fact that people are being forced to buy VC, no they obviously aren't. However, the game is getting progressively harder (people in the MC thread have noticed that the game is harder on the lower levels than previous years) and the options are being forced in in more sneaky ways.

Again talking about MC, when you go to upgrade your player stats the button to buy VC is the first thing you hit. Could probably be accidentally bought to be honest.

Also, they have taken away things that were previously free and are actually necessary to play. For example, you've always earned dunking/layup/dribbling animations by getting your player to a certain level. Now you have to buy them. They have raised all the prices in the MC store by an average of double and they have literally turned every single you earned by playing in the past into a BUY ONLY option.

It's a clear direction they are moving in and it is a problem when they start removing things and make them pay to play.

Fair enough, let there be optional frilly extras that you can choose to buy or not, that's fine. But taking away essential gameplay elements and making you buy them is not a good look.

Its like buying 2K18 and seeing that to play Myteam you have to pay 500k VC to unlock the game mode. Would you be happy?

[El_Poopador]

Re: The VC issue - perfectly put in words

Maybe you never played a MMORPG before but they sell in game currency and items in some of them and that is because even when they dont/didnt there's a huge black market of in game items, currency and accounts that are all levelled up. All the way back to Diablo ii and Everquest on PC. You can look on ebay right now and see World of Warcraft accounts for hundreds or thousands.

And those games have a considerably longer lifespan than a sports title, too. WoW came out in 2004, and people are still playing it and it's still being updated and supported 12 years later.

[x_NBA_x]

Re: The VC issue - perfectly put in words

They are now designing the game with VC in mind. Do you at least agree to that point?

Do you think designing a video game (any game) with "make sure this new feature makes/keeps VC profitable" is a design strategy that makes for better games?

No, but they are unfortunately following the trend within sports gaming. Nobody wants to miss out on us suckers and our money.

[downsouth]

Re: The VC issue - perfectly put in words

That's the problem with 2k... they're trying to copy the Korean MMOs and addict their customers to a grind in order to get money from them.

You think it makes someone an idiot for pointing out a money scheme? A lot of their customers are little kids, so its easy for them to take advantage of you.


You should be complaining for a better game.. if you tell them "just change the box art to 2k17 from 2k16 and I'll pay you $60" then they WILL do just that.

What im saying is tell 2k to kick rocks and dont buy the game. If you complain and stilln give them money they can just ignore you and stack your money.

[SirGaryColeman]

Re: The VC issue - perfectly put in words

Well...you're playing the game. Either you like it or not (minus the obvious glitches that will hopefully be addressed by a patch soon enough). Now, if I need VC to play a single game of PNO, then it will be a fight. Other than that, the existence of VC hasn't impacted my gaming experience at all.

It has impacted my gaming experience (and yours too, but I guess you enjoy the impact).

I played these games before VC. I've been playing the genre since Bulls vs Blazers on the sega genesis - I owned the first 2k on Dreamcast. I have witnessed first hand how the game has changed with the invention of VC.

Nobody ever mentioned grinding before.... Grinding is a business tactic, not a game mechanic. The only people that should ever defend Grinding are people that are making money off of it, so I hope you're on the Social Media staff or something.

[downsouth]

Re: The VC issue - perfectly put in words

And those games have a considerably longer lifespan than a sports title, too. WoW came out in 2004, and people are still playing it and it's still being updated and supported 12 years later.

And theyve sold a dozen $50 DLC and charge $15/month.

[ksuttonjr76]

Re: The VC issue - perfectly put in words

I don't even play online, so it has nothing to do with wanting to be the same as everyone else online. I play video games for fun. In this case, there is potential for a very fun mode, but I have to play for hours to get to that point. It's not fun to me when I have to use turbo just to keep up with the other team at a jogging pace.

Going back to your COD analogy, imagine if when you started, your character could only walk, or "run" at half the speed of everyone else. Wouldn't that be just a little frustrating?

All I'm asking for is to have a realistic character at the start of the mode. I have absolutely no problem having to work to improve my skill-based attributes. But I shouldn't be in the NBA if I have the athleticism and skillset of a middle-schooler. Add on to that the ridiculous prices if I want to give my player an accessory or different clothes for the mandatory cutscenes, and it gets a little ridiculous.

To answer your question, that wouldn't be frustrating to me. Plus, who is the "everyone else"? In my mind, that's the starting point for my character, and I welcome the challenge of making my character better. I'm a gamer, and I play video games for the challenge and competition.

There are plenty of games where you start as an "under-developed character". That's not a new concept. For your small example, you just have to learn how to play within the restrictions of your character until you're able to unlock items to make them better.

[downsouth]

Re: The VC issue - perfectly put in words

People that support VC are completely misunderstanding those against it. It's not that people want something for nothing or be great from the get go. They are arguing that everything is costing an exorbitant amount of VC to the point where it is obvious that 2k is trying to get people to buy VC. It's a clear cut free-to-play model but for a fully priced game.

You know what? When 2k18 comes out dont line up at the door for it and let it be known why. Ill tell you right now if they charge 1 more dollar for VC i wont get it and I had nba 2k and nfl 2k on dreamcast.

[Mweemwee]

Re: The VC issue - perfectly put in words

To answer your question, that wouldn't be frustrating to me. Plus, who is the "everyone else"? In my mind, that's the starting point for my character, and I welcome the challenge of making my character better. I'm a gamer, and I play video games for the challenge and competition.

There are plenty of games where you start as an "under-developed character". That's not a new concept. For your small example, you just have to learn how to play within the restrictions of your character until you're able to unlock items to make them better.

True. The sad thing is though that you are touted as "the best thing since sliced bread" when you're only rated a 55 overall or something, and then you're supposed to play within those expectations. But that's kind of another story I guess.

[El_Poopador]

Re: The VC issue - perfectly put in words

To answer your question, that wouldn't be frustrating to me. Plus, who is the "everyone else"? In my mind, that's the starting point for my character, and I welcome the challenge of making my character better. I'm a gamer, and I play video games for the challenge and competition.

There are plenty of games where you start as an "under-developed character". That's not a new concept. For your small example, you just have to learn how to play within the restrictions of your character until you're able to unlock items to make them better.

Yes, but in those games, the enemies you encounter match your character's current level/skillset. In NBA 2k, I'm going up against Steph Curry whether I'm a 55 or a 99. Huge difference.

Again, I'm not against working to increase skill. But they need to either increase the starting ratings, at least for athleticism, or make things like accessories and shooting animations free. Having to "buy" different shot animations is ridiculous no matter how you look at it.

[Mweemwee]

Re: The VC issue - perfectly put in words

Also to counteract the argument "you're buying it so it can't be that bad"...well, I can guarantee that as soon as another NBA game comes along that offers what 2K used to offer themselves they are going to lose a LOT of customers.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE 2K. Even this year, the MC is the best I have ever played. But having to pay to edit your character is a giant leap in a very scary direction and it's not long before you probably will have to pay 1mil VC to unlock season 2.

[ksuttonjr76]

Re: The VC issue - perfectly put in words

Well I agree, if people are saying they don't want VC but they also don't want it to take so long to level up then that is silly.

In regards to the fact that people are being forced to buy VC, no they obviously aren't. However, the game is getting progressively harder (people in the MC thread have noticed that the game is harder on the lower levels than previous years) and the options are being forced in in more sneaky ways.

Again talking about MC, when you go to upgrade your player stats the button to buy VC is the first thing you hit. Could probably be accidentally bought to be honest.

Also, they have taken away things that were previously free and are actually necessary to play. For example, you've always earned dunking/layup/dribbling animations by getting your player to a certain level. Now you have to buy them. They have raised all the prices in the MC store by an average of double and they have literally turned every single you earned by playing in the past into a BUY ONLY option.

It's a clear direction they are moving in and it is a problem when they start removing things and make them pay to play.

Fair enough, let there be optional frilly extras that you can choose to buy or not, that's fine. But taking away essential gameplay elements and making you buy them is not a good look.

Its like buying 2K18 and seeing that to play Myteam you have to pay 500k VC to unlock the game mode. Would you be happy?

Someone said it best earlier in this thread. They're not forcing you to buy VC, but they're definitely seducing you with the concept. I have noticed the increased costs of items, but I don't think it's a big deal yet (for me personally). However, I will agree 2K Sports is heading in that general direction. I do want to say that I'm not one of those individual who like to create multiple players with a ton of accessories, and I've been mostly successful with the one player. As a result, the impact might be minimum to me at the moment. Every year, I have 200K left that I don't do anything with. I'm just in the sweet spot where I'm able to do other things in the game to get VC, and I'm still able to make a competitive MyPlayer character to go online with barely playing any MyCareer games.

However, I can understand that perspective much better than just merely removing VC, and expecting 2K Sports to be cool with it.