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?"
I'm not opposed to paid DLC and micro transactions in principle, if they truly provided additional content and fun. I actually embrace them when they add little cosmetic touches and content to a game I already love. I would love to pay 2K even more money given the entertainment value I get out of their product each year.
However, to be honest, outside of MyTeam, I can't think of one thing VC has actually added in terms of value, customization, and fun in 2K the last few years.
It's one thing to offer VC as a way to provide new, unique customization options for players or new abilities, signatures, and game features.
It's another entirely to take basic items that used to be free and charge extremely high amounts for them while reducing the overall skill points one gets (when converted from VC) at the same time. And it's even worse to *further* increase these costs in next gen without providing any new special content. These are arm sleeves and basic accessories we're talking about. Not special dunk packages, celebrations, or signature crossovers. A shoe brings a bit more personality and I can understand somewhat higher prices, but currently some require 20+ (20!!) 5 minute quick games to earn enough VC for them. That's 10 hours of gameplay where your MyPlayer progress is stalled just for a pair of shoes.
It's hard to believe that there's a design document out there that argues charging high amounts of VC for basic accessories while giving a pittance for playing is "fun", and the motivation behind shoehorning VC into everything appears just a little too transparent. It appears higher ups at 2K looked at other games and pay to play models and wondered how to get in on that even though an NBA game doesn't fit into that scheme conceptually. The end result comes across like an awkward and cynical money grab.
Now I'm kind of okay with VC centric modes like MyTeam if you can accept it for what it is. I don't see the appeal if you can pretty much pay for the best teams but if 2K wants a mode where 10 bucks can destroy game balance, that's fine. Seems like the game mode would be much better with some limitations of what VC can do for you.
However, I'm not okay with the ease a few bucks can get you a 99 OVR MyPlayer. I see no difference between playing against glitched 99 rated guys that caused 2K to remove Crew all together only to be replaced with purchased 99 OVR guys on day one. It's essentially the same experience for the vast majority of players who paid 60 and expected a well balanced game. The only difference is that 2K will essentially "hack" your player for you for a bit of cash. Now I do understand that VC is nice for those who don't have the time to play an 82 game season to get their player to something respectable, but it seems there should be a balance between boosted progress and progressing without paying for VC.
Anyway, if 2K wants to play the micro transaction game, they need to bring the goods. And they need to implement VC in a way that actually promotes game balance rather than destroys it, or at least echoes real life factors. Hot signature cross overs, dunks, layup packages. A way to buy virtual swag for your virtual pad. VC repeater luxury tax for maintaining superstar teams over the cap in MyGM and MyTeam. Cosmetic/flavor upgrades for your arena in association. The ability to create stadium accurate playlists and access to a MUCH larger library of songs in collaboration with one of the music services (without getting rid of custom playlists).
As is, VC directly motivates 2K to design their game to impede player progress just enough to frustrate players into paying more to get the game they thought they were getting, and motivates them to resell the same basic items every year at increasing prices rather than create new content worthy of purchase. No one is excited about their VC purchase. Players begrudingly pay for VC or grind away knowing someone else will bypass that grind with a few bucks. There are few positive associations with VC and some see it as tainting every mode and driving the game away from true balance. Effort is spent on modes that VC can be shoehorned into (much of which I appreciate) but little is done on legacy game breaking issues underneath. In the end, VC doesn't feel immersive and seems like a motivation for the devs to make the game less rather than more fun.
That's not a good situation at all, and I hope things change so that we might actually welcome our purchases rather than feeling the game is being designed as less than it could be to squeeze out a few dollars more out of us.
I'm not opposed to paid DLC and micro transactions in principle, if they truly provided additional content and fun. I actually embrace them when they add little cosmetic touches and content to a game I already love. I would love to pay 2K even more money given the entertainment value I get out of their product each year.
However, to be honest, outside of MyTeam, I can't think of one thing VC has actually added in terms of value, customization, and fun in 2K the last few years.
It's one thing to offer VC as a way to provide new, unique customization options for players or new abilities, signatures, and game features.
It's another entirely to take basic items that used to be free and charge extremely high amounts for them while reducing the overall skill points one gets (when converted from VC) at the same time. And it's even worse to *further* increase these costs in next gen without providing any new special content. These are arm sleeves and basic accessories we're talking about. Not special dunk packages, celebrations, or signature crossovers. A shoe brings a bit more personality and I can understand somewhat higher prices, but currently some require 20+ (20!!) 5 minute quick games to earn enough VC for them. That's 10 hours of gameplay where your MyPlayer progress is stalled just for a pair of shoes.
It's hard to believe that there's a design document out there that argues charging high amounts of VC for basic accessories while giving a pittance for playing is "fun", and the motivation behind shoehorning VC into everything appears just a little too transparent. It appears higher ups at 2K looked at other games and pay to play models and wondered how to get in on that even though an NBA game doesn't fit into that scheme conceptually. The end result comes across like an awkward and cynical money grab.
Now I'm kind of okay with VC centric modes like MyTeam if you can accept it for what it is. I don't see the appeal if you can pretty much pay for the best teams but if 2K wants a mode where 10 bucks can destroy game balance, that's fine. Seems like the game mode would be much better with some limitations of what VC can do for you.
However, I'm not okay with the ease a few bucks can get you a 99 OVR MyPlayer. I see no difference between playing against glitched 99 rated guys that caused 2K to remove Crew all together only to be replaced with purchased 99 OVR guys on day one. It's essentially the same experience for the vast majority of players who paid 60 and expected a well balanced game. The only difference is that 2K will essentially "hack" your player for you for a bit of cash. Now I do understand that VC is nice for those who don't have the time to play an 82 game season to get their player to something respectable, but it seems there should be a balance between boosted progress and progressing without paying for VC.
Anyway, if 2K wants to play the micro transaction game, they need to bring the goods. And they need to implement VC in a way that actually promotes game balance rather than destroys it, or at least echoes real life factors. Hot signature cross overs, dunks, layup packages. A way to buy virtual swag for your virtual pad. VC repeater luxury tax for maintaining superstar teams over the cap in MyGM and MyTeam. Cosmetic/flavor upgrades for your arena in association. The ability to create stadium accurate playlists and access to a MUCH larger library of songs in collaboration with one of the music services (without getting rid of custom playlists).
As is, VC directly motivates 2K to design their game to impede player progress just enough to frustrate players into paying more to get the game they thought they were getting, and motivates them to resell the same basic items every year at increasing prices rather than create new content worthy of purchase. No one is excited about their VC purchase. Players begrudingly pay for VC or grind away knowing someone else will bypass that grind with a few bucks. There are few positive associations with VC and some see it as tainting every mode and driving the game away from true balance. Effort is spent on modes that VC can be shoehorned into (much of which I appreciate) but little is done on legacy game breaking issues underneath. In the end, VC doesn't feel immersive and seems like a motivation for the devs to make the game less rather than more fun.
That's not a good situation at all, and I hope things change so that we might actually welcome our purchases rather than feeling the game is being designed as less than it could be to squeeze out a few dollars more out of us.
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