Lets be honest: Part 1

Hey Dcuo players, devs and everyone else who might be reading this post.

This post will consist of multiple segments containing material that I will try to express impartially while only stating honest observations.

Dcuo is one of the last remaining MMO's that requires a monthly membership. Most MMO's have gone the route of free to play.

So, monthly memberships. That's ok, I'm actually a fan of memberships. But what does that membership offer the players, specifically for the last six months?

Well, for $90, a six month memberships, a player was given 2 raids: Oly and Gom. 1 alert: UT and one duo ( i can't remember the name)

We as players also received two 'major' events. (Notice the quotations?) These 'events' were basically a requirement for completionist players to spend money. Since there was no way to complete without opening a wallet, I think its a fair description.

So, six months, and only two real raids. But what else did this six months offer?

Eight different full complete styles in six months.

164 gorgon
164 shim tar (Time capsule)
164 qwardian (Time capsule)
164 anti monitor (event)
164 conquer (event)
164 high tactical (time capsule)
165 fallen god
165 fallen god elite

Eight full styles in six months?!?!

So, let's be honest...is that even fun anymore?

I ask because this game is so far from the game I originally fell in love with, I'm not sure why I still play. Other than the peer bonds, I'm not sure I can answer that question honestly.

So maybe one of you can...

Honesty, eh?

Okay then, as far as content delivery goes, the player base has always complained about it, no matter what the devs have tried. It never came fast enough when it was the quarterly cycle and the pitchforks and torches come out if there was even the slightest hint of a delay. When they tried the monthly route the complaints shifted to the quality. And so on and so forth. No matter what has been done, there's always been a group that complains because it wasn't done exactly how they wanted it done.

As for the whole "requirement for completionists" thing, that's still on the completionists. They made the choice to chase after the stuff. No one forced them to do so, so the decision (and the consequences of making that decision) fall squarely on the completionists.

As for the styles, while some of them may not have come in an ideal delivery method, players have been pretty consistent in asking for more styles and items to use in customizing their characters so that can be looked at as the devs delivering on player requests. Like I said, it may not be ideal in the delivery but they are delivering.

I don't agree with every decision the developers make but my goodness, they're damned if they do, damned if they don't.

7 styles. Elite stuff doesn't count towards anything in my book.

tl:dr - give members more for their money

m'kay

I like you.

For those that enjoy a challenge, yes. For those that don't: https://king.com/game/candycrush

They are kinda busy revamping game.

Well, I still find the game very enjoyable.

Those styles listed are some of the best styles in game (IMO) and you didn't even mention the materials which probably need just as much work as styles. And if you are going to include the Elite Fallen God, you should include the enhanced versions of the Shim'Tar, Qward, Anti-Monitor, Conqueror, High-Density tactical That brings the count up to 13 styles and 3 materials. Pretty freaking sweet IMO.

And they realistically are obtainable how exactly? By playing the game and being a paid member? Or by paying on top of your subscription and playing the trading game in which you hold back all the "rares" in order to sell off once they are no longer obtainable?

Well, you can get them on the broker. I think most of the boxes are under a couple mil now. You can also try your luck by opening boxes with the free stablizers you can earn in game.

EDIT: as for the materials, I have only been able to get the phoenix, but that doesn't discount the fact that the materials were created.

Realistically was the keyword in my comment. Realistically nobody has millions of ingame cash to obtain materials and all the styles.
Nobody will EVER complete all the time capsules by using up his earned stabilizers.

Also that "content" was not limited to members only hence why OP did not include it. Members had slight advantage but it doesn't reasonably cover the costs of sustaining a subscription.

I personally think we have more to worry about than the amount of styles offered (we've actually had a decent amount).

I understand this is "part 1" but we have plenty more do be concerned about. For example what can happen if they continue to keep feats in time capsules, the state of PvP, the fact that we're getting 2 episodes in the span of like 10 months and having these 'major events' replace other large content and all of the bugs we have.

What's makes it sadder is that all thoe styles would have been obtainable in game when they game launched. I can understand pay walling cosmetics but then you added random chance to it. This is a super hero games . Your costume choice defines your character. Putting the creative procoess behind a gamble is a little unethical imo, especially when you all have said you want all players to be able to access the styles in the past. Ever since Jens got promoted things have really change business wise. heck he didn't even know he as replaced as Aquaman. The new guys does a decent job but it isn't the same.

Well realistically I have several characters with at least 5 million, a couple with over 10, two over 20 and one with much more. It's so stupid easy to earn money in game to afford most items on the broker.

ha you're saying it like there is anything super challenging in this game at this moment.

Time and money are important; they should be managed responsibly. This game can make you feel like you wasted both. People and connections are great but you only have a finite amount of time and money, through your whole life. Habits can be hard for people to break. Humans sometimes don't know when to just STOP. There is no point to try and complete everything. Is one actually complete when they finish something? It's similar to having to loving who you are before you can truly love another.

I make music for TV and you have to really think about your reasons for doing something and what you can realistically complete. Somethings don't get completed no matter how much time and money you put in. If you feel like it was worth it, you won't care about about time or money, as much.

I've always wondered how people can strive for completion in this or any other MMO? It takes so much time for one character or lots of money. Despite the inevitability of consequences, people will do what they want. There are only so many hours in a day and I know for a fact not everyone that spend hundreds and thousands on the game can comfortably.

I said this in my last post and times before as well, the future of this game will be to spend money on every aspect of progression. Anyone paying for a sub doesn't value their money. You're basically paying to use the broker.

SP chasing was always the darkness of this game. You pay a certain amount after one character has done the feat and another can know have access to those stats upgrade. How was I and still one of the only one not to fall for that. Now the more SP you have the stronger not better or more dedicated you are. How much money would a new player need to spend just to get to tier 7? How much more once they are in the real end game at tier 8? How many hours a day would they need? You see the obvious problem with this system. I'm not even going to get into how modding was free until the RB boom for....SP.

The complaints in the old days were what all new games get. This is not a new game, to still be getting the same complaints is profound. It means the foundation wasn't that strong. I assume they expected to be second to WOW if not surpass them. This is DC after all. Once that didn't happen they were stuck with a fixed architecture. They can't afford to make proper changes so they do the best they can. As a person I feel bad for the team. There has been a lot less dev activity recently. There were some that started to interact more but stopped.

It's clear this game will never reach the its full potential. You have finally realized this isn't that game you wanted.

SP being a big focus isn't liked by most. How do I know this? The whole start of the big unrecoverable decline was the anonucment that stats would matter. All I heard was spend money and time doing side quests as the main quest. It's strange that so many still cling to them. SP=$ for DBG, always has. Now you and many others are where I was in late 2012/2013. That's when the shouts for for how much SP you have ramped up

Let us not forget the many threads making fun of PS, the system I'm on, for players asking for SP after the merger. Why? Because they are attached to optional side quests to waste time and get a small stat increase. NOT THE END ALL BE ALL OF THE GAME.

You already know what you want to do, so do it, mon ami!

Am I that transparent?

And then there as this one feather that costs 140 million... (and yes, I saw your "most")

Most I've had without flipping items or trading names was short of 20mil which depleted very fast since I bought some stuff during the first set of time capsules. After that I've never been sitting on more than 10.
The only reliable way to earn is collection farming and there are less and less player in the need for those scarce collections. Gathering exobits has no value due to TCs destroying the market for them as well as no new content that would motivate players to make mods.

the answer is: UNLIMITED MONNNEEEY!!!
seriously. i would also like to ad something like showing loyality...
but totally honestly from my point of view: get away with the cash cap.
however: i don't know how much they sell from those 7 day escrows.
i just think that the cap scares new players away and membership too.